Radicallocalism.com underwrites a radio program: “The Revolution Starts Now: The Topical Song Show.”

“The Revolution Starts Now: The Topical Song Show,” hosted by Art Menius, debuted Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 4 PM EDT on WCOM-FM 103.5 in Carrboro, NC. The one hour program can be heard each Tuesday on WCOM, WCOMFM.org, and on Tune In Radio.

“The Revolution Starts Now: The Topical Song Show” explores the rich world of songs about historical and then current events. Not necessarily political, topical songs can be as humorous as Justin Timberlake’s “Mister Kennedy” from the Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis or even an instrumental like “The Eighth of January” about the Battle of New Orleans. They can back centuries like many of the Child Ballads or discuss contemporary events.

“The Revolution Starts Now: The Topical Song Show” thus spans a dazzling number of music genres: folk, rock, calypso, singer-songwriter, reggae, gospel, punk, Celtic, blues, jazz, AfroPop, and old-time string band, even bluegrass and country. They contain multiple sub-genre such as Civil War songs, assassination ballads, atomic bomb and flying saucer songs. Certain songs and artists will receive especial attention, placing the musician and the material in deeper historical context.

Just a few of the artists that can be heard on “The Revolution Starts Now: The Topical Song Show” include: the Westies, Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, Nina Simone, Blind Alfred Reed, the Clash, Natascha Atlas, Public Enemy, Si Kahn, Tarika, Merle Haggard, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Bob Marley, Lord Invader, Anais Mitchell, Fairport Convention, KRS-One, Gil Scott Heron, Spook Handy, Black 47, Bob Dylan, Gang of Four, Cab Calloway, Uncle Dave Macon, and Fela Kuti.

For updates about individual programs, please visit Art Menius’ radio blog.

Underwriters: radicallocalism.com, the Localism Resource,(see also www.facebook.com/radicallocalism and @radicallocalist on Twitter) and Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe Chapel Hill, NC