By Alan Haber – Pure Pop Radio 
Welcome to the very first episode of our new, exclusive show, Two Als Talking Tunes. Once a month, give or take, Beatlefan Executive Editor Al Sussman (pictured at far right) and I will get together to talk in-depth about three songs apiece. We’ll wax poetic about each song’s significance, relate pertinent chart information and anecdotes, and just generally rap about what makes our song choices oh so very special.
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This month, Al and I engage in a timely discussion of songs that are especially appropriate to play on and around Halloween. They’re not necessarily the songs you might normally hear on the radio at this time of year, although a few of them are; a few others are songs you might not necessarily associate with All Hallow’s Eve. All are very cool examples of the art of Halloween-appropriate pop.
Below you will find two official Two Als Talking Tunes playlists so you can listen to the songs we talk about (O.C. Smith and Dickey Lee’s songs are not available in their original versions on Spotify, so they are offered as YouTube links).
Listen to the very first edition of Two Als Talking Tunes by clicking the play button on the following player, or click on the Pure Pop Radio button to the left to download (then right click and choose “Save audio as” to save the file to your computer). (This interview is presented in scoped format; the songs have been removed due to copyright concerns.)
The Official Two Als Talking Tunes Playlists for Episode One: Perfect Spins for Halloween
Spotify Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/1214510552/playlist/4OfbfWsaLcHci6ThYZ7ZEN
YouTube Playlist:
* “The Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp” | O.C. Smith
* “Laurie (Strange Things Happen)” | Dickey Lee
Please let your friends know about Two Als Talking Tunes. We hope you enjoy the show.
Pure Pop Radio’s signature shows, Alan Haber’s Pop Tunes Deejay Show, playing the latest and greatest melodic pop songs from today and across the decades, and Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, the premiere Internet melodic pop talk show, air weekly on Pop that Goes Crunch Radio.
Listen to the Pop Tunes Deejay Show on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 pm ET (two different shows every week); In Conversation airs every Wednesday night at 9 pm ET. Don’t miss a minute!
Tune in to Pop that Goes Crunch Radio by clicking on the following snazzy-looking button:
Building on previous duo shows broadcast under the Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation banner, Beatlefan Magazine Executive Editor Al Sussman (pictured at left) and yours truly have joined forces for a brand-new series of programs to be broadcast exclusively here on purepopradio.com, the first of which premieres this Thursday, October 26.
On the docket are six songs; Al and I have each chosen three. We talk about them and you listen to them by clicking on the supplied links in the official Two Als Talking Tunes playlist. You’ll thrill to tunes from Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Dickey Lee, Tiny Tim, and O.C. Smith, who essays the sad story of “The Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp.”
A fun mix of sun, sand, weird and wonderful, and big-beat blasts power this week’s lineup of Pure Pop Radio specialty shows.
Tonight at 9 pm ET, Jammin’ James Riley negotiates the sun-drenched waves for another set of fabulous summer sounds on Catching a Wave. You’ll dig a set of Beach Boys numbers, a pair of classic tracks from Glen Campbell, and tunes from the Rivingtons, Santo and Johnny, Surfer Joe, Duane Eddy, and many more of your favorites.
Scott McPherson’s got your midweek lunchtime festival of pure pop sounds to go along with your soup and sandwich combo on the latest get-together known as The Weird and the Wonderful. This Wednesday, October 26 at 1 pm ET, heritage sounds from Florapop and Klaatu mix with tracks from Eric Barao, Prefab Sprout, Frank Bango, Nilsson, Pop 4 and lots more. Plus: Scott remembers back to his first show, on which “Sammy Davis, Jr.” made a memorable visit…
Coming up this Thursday at 8 pm ET on Things We Said Today, Ken Michaels, Steve Marinucci, Al Sussman, and Allan Kozinn gather around the Beatles roundtable for a fun discussion with Lefty and Zeek Weekling, aka Glen Burtnik and Bob Burger, respectively, from the fabulous Weeklings. Lefty and Zeek speak with our panel about the Weeklings’ new album, Studio 2, which is full of big-beat fun and releases on November 18. (We’re all about the Weeklings here at Pure Pop Radio; this is the second interview with Lefty and Zeek that we’ve aired; Alan Haber’s chat with the boys on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation ran on October 18.)
This week’s specialty shows on Pure Pop Radio stress love and tenderness and bring on the happy for all to cherish. All-new editions of the weekly Beatles roundtable, Things We Said Today, and Needle Meets Vinyl, where every note pops from vinyl records, are going to keep the good feelings flowing, as is the timely mystery guest on this Tuesday night’s all-new edition of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation (see separate story today; mystery guest’s identity unveiled tomorrow).
Musician Brian Bringelson, who records solo under the name Paul Starling and powers the melodic ship known as Anchor and Bear, spins the platters this Wednesday night, July 27, at 8 pm ET on Needle Meets Vinyl. This week’s slabs of vinyl include tunes from Stephen Stills, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Traveling Wilburys, Todd Rundgren and the Beatles. And Otis Redding, who, in classic mode, tries a little tenderness.
Alan Haber’s Pure Pop Radio is the original 24-hour Internet radio station playing the greatest melodic pop music from the ’60s to today. From the Beatles to the Monkees, the Posies, McPherson Grant, the Connection and the New Trocaderos, we play the hits and a whole lot more. Tune in by clicking on one of the listen links below.
Classic servings of vintage tunes, and vintage video coming in September, are the hot buttons in the spotlight on this week’s specialty shows being broadcast on Pure Pop Radio.
Musician Coke Belda and another lively discussion of the merits of the just-released Pure McCartney compilation are in the spotlight on this week’s episodes of Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation and the weekly Beatles roundtable, Things We Said Today.
Tomorrow night, Tuesday, June 14, at 8 pm ET, musician Coke Belda checks in on Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation to talk about the spirited cover he recorded of the Cowsills’ “Poor Baby,” his latest long player release, Nummer Zwei, and his love for the music of Jeff Lynne. You’ll hear Coke’s rendition of “Poor Baby,” two songs from Nummer Zwei, and Coke’s favorite Jeff Lynne song, which just happens to be Alan Haber’s. Plus: a special bonus number that sits lovingly alongside that song.
Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation, the premiere melodic pop interview program hosted by Alan Haber, airs Tuesday nights at 8 pm ET. Archived, podcast versions of interviews are posted on the 
David Bash, lifelong popster, music scholar and head honcho at International Pop Overthrow, and master musician and songwriter Michael Oliver star in next week’s Pure Pop Radio: In Conversation twofer, airing Monday, June 6 and Tuesday, June 7.
On Monday June 6, meet David Bash like you’ve never known him before, in the most in-depth interview he’s likely ever given. David has been presenting International Pop Overthrow, the premiere pop music festival, in various cities and countries for nearly two decades, all the while giving bands from across the pop spectrum a forum in which to play their music for people who more than appreciate a good hook. His love for pop music, from the Raspberries to the Beatles and beyond, his ability to express that love through passionate reviews he’s written for various music publications, his ever-burgeoning music collection, and his tireless dedication to the cause have served him well.
During this program, David will also talk about and play four songs from the various IPO CDs released through the years (volume 18 is depicted at right). These are songs that David believes typify what the festival is all about. The selections are well-chosen, classic sides that will leave you wanting more.
Tonight’s all-new edition of the Beatles roundtable, Things We Said Today, finds our esteemed panel talking about drummer Andy White, who recently passed away, and the recently-released Beatles 1 and Beatles 1+ video and audio packages. The panel gets in gear at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT) tonight on Pure Pop Radio.
The conversation then turns to arguably the most important Beatles-related release in many years, or should that be releases? The panel discusses nearly every conceivable point related to the Beatles 1 and Beatles 1+ packages. Casual fans, core fans and Beatles scholars alike will be fascinated by the views offered by the panel.
Alan Haber's Pure Pop Radio 