Jeff played 5,441 unique songs on WMBR from 2015-2020, according to his playlist archives at www.track-blaster.com. (A playlist search lists 5,755 songs, but 314 of those entries appear to reference live sets rather than individual tracks.)
As a testament to Jeff’s never-ending hunt for new music, Jeff rarely played a song more than once. When he did, it was almost always a different version of that song. He played: One song, four times; Eight songs, three times; 87 songs, twice; and 5,345 songs, once.
4: Footings, “Radio”
I have no idea [why Jeff liked it so much], but I’m honored that he was into it. Like many other artists, I’m sure, I often feel like nothing I do is of value to anyone else haha. He was a big Pile fan, and Rick plays drums on the LP that “Radio” is from; not sure if that is enough? He did tell me in an interview I did with him that that song really spoke to him. It’s really about sort of tapping into a destiny like wavelength or frequency, searching for the consciousness, collective or just that single thread that we speak with and to throughout our lives. I’m not a believer as far as religion goes, but I do think that there is a whole lot that we are yet attuned to out there, information that we don’t have, but that exists nonetheless, both inside of us and outside. That could sort of be explained by religion, but there are too many inconsistencies and too much violence and ignorance associated with almost every one of them, that they are sort of disqualified as far as I’m concerned.
3: Aurora Birch, “Atomic Love”
3: Boston Cream, “Dancin’ In The Wrong Shoes”
Jeff’s contribution to Boston’s music scene can’t be overstated. I mean he was truly a local music head. Countless independent artists were able to reach a wider audience because of his passion. He was always supportive of my bands, especially Boston Cream. We played Pipeline, and he referred to us as a “supergroup” of Boston musicians. What a compliment! But that’s the thing . . . he took local musicians seriously. You don’t see that a lot from radio DJs. On top of that, he was genuinely kind, talented, always composed. And what a voice. His passing is a huge hit for Boston culture. Those shoes can’t be filled. I can’t speak for why he played Dancin’ three times, but I’m proud that he did. — Melanie
3: Diamond Guts, “Marginal Time”
My best guess why Jeff played “Marginal Time” so often was that it’s a catchy number and one of the better performed and recorded songs I’ve been a part of. Jeff played the first song that I ever recorded, a creaky Beat Happening knock-off that I wrote under the moniker Ten Years Old on a two-string guitar and recorded in my bedroom on cassette four-track, on Pipeline! in 2003 and it blew my mind. Over the years Jeff would invite me or the different bands I was in to play shows around Boston, and he never stopped playing my home brew music projects on the radio. It still blows my mind. I think Jeff liked a musical underdog, and I could barely carry a note or hold a beat. I got a bit better over the years, and I think “Marginal Time” was probably a culmination of that progress. Continue reading “3: Diamond Guts, “Marginal Time””
3: Downtown Boys, “Lips That Bite”
3: Hallelujah The Hills, “Folk Music Is Insane”
Listen to Ryan’s reflections on Jeff here.
3: Hands And Knees, “Banish Your Dance”
Well, he never let on to me if that song had some meaning for him, or if it was just catchy. I know Nick, our drummer, likes that one a lot. It has a complex meaning to me, it started off as one thing, about a traditional indigenous dance that was banished for being too insurrectionist, to something more like a personal warning, to keep myself in check. I would have liked to ask Jeff how he saw it. I wanted it to be a song like New Order’s Blue Monday, simple chords, but just fucking awesome. Not sure that happened, but maybe he saw the Blue Monday nugget and was intrigued. — Joe
3: Holiday Music, “The Energy”
I grew up playing in a band magic magic. We were very supported by Jeff, and he always asked even in Holiday Music interviews about magic magic. and the disbandment. I think Jeff was rather discouraged (like all of us) that the band fizzled around 2012-2014, which is when I properly started Holiday Music. I moved to Austin, but Jeff and I would check in from time to time. I’d send him new stuff I had on the horizon. I always always looked at his Pipeline! playlist to see what was going on in the Boston scene. I always felt like a Boston artist even when living in Austin. Jeff definitely liked and supported everything I made, but I’m guessing “Energy” was probably his favorite track of ours. Especially with us coming and playing it on air. — Mike
3: Sam Moss, “Flowers”
Looking at the list of tunes that Jeff played more than once, I kinda can’t believe that “Flowers” hit the elusive three plays mark. I feel honored and surprised to be part of the club. No clue exactly why he liked that song, but I do know that Jeff was a friend to me and my music. He probably played “Flowers” back when I first released it, and then again when I had shows coming up. Especially if I asked him, and even sometimes when I didn’t, I know he’d try to mention on the radio if I had a big local show on the horizon. Of all the kindhearted DJs who’ve helped me along, Jeff was far and away the most supportive.