The Langdon Auger Show
August 26th 2026 R.I.P Tim Curry
Featured Artists: XTC, Elvis Presley, The Byrds
Well another celeb has died, that’s 2 in 24 hours. Tim Curry as you already know passed away today at the age of 80, he will be remembered for of course the sweet transvestite from transexual Transylvania but also as Hook and so many more voices, bit parts etc. As we get older it seems the more and more of people we grew up with pass as to be expected but, somehow it is still a surprise. We will be here again tomorrow starting at 6pm mst and hopefully no more of our favorites are gone by then.
In this archived August 26 Langdon Auger Show, Ward starts with a Marianne Faithfull concert recording and welcomes song requests. He discusses The Byrds’ Eight Miles High, offers his own reading of a Moist song and looks back at The Last Waltz. Along the way, he reflects on enjoying music while it is here.
About this episode
Ward welcomes song requests through the website chat and looks back at Marianne Faithfull’s Blazing Away recording. Later, he discusses XTC’s Making Plans for Nigel as a story about overbearing parents, then moves through Canadian records and a dance set.
Ward gives his account of the debate around The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High,” including the radio reaction and the band’s comments about the song’s meaning, then discusses what he hears in its musical influences. He also offers a personal reading of Moist’s “Freaky, Be Beautiful,” connecting it with trauma, loss and emotional detachment. Near the end, he reflects on “The Last Waltz” and says, “You never know how long it’s going to be around for, so just enjoy it while it’s here.”
Full spoken transcript
Transcribed from the recording and lightly edited for readability. Song lyrics and recorded interludes are omitted. Some audio could not be transcribed; those gaps and unclear words are marked in brackets. Timestamps are approximate. The comments reflect the speakers’ own experiences and views.
Full spoken transcript (click to collapse or expand)
00:00:34
[Recorded interlude omitted.]
00:05:08
From the 1990 album “Blazing Away.” And, of course, that is a live album by Marianne Faithfull. And it was, hang on, I just got to… It was recorded in St. Anne’s Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York, on November 25th and 26th, 1989. The album was released in 1990. The only track that wasn’t live on that was “Blazing Away,” which is the title track.
How are you all doing? It’s 6:02. Welcome to Mental Health Radio here on Wednesday, August 26th. I want to welcome you into the Langdon Auger Show, and thanks again for tuning in. All kinds of great music coming your way. We do take requests, though, so if you’d like to hear a song, just go to our website, mentalhealthradio.ca. There’s a live chat there. Enter your username, make sure you save it, put the song in there. And if I have it, I most certainly will play it. Playing some great stuff today. We’re going to start it off with a little Joe Jackson.
00:06:10
[Audio not transcribed.]
00:18:20
That is, of course, Sniff ’n’ the Tears with “Driver’s Seat,” XTC, and before that, “Making Plans for Nigel.” And that’s one of those songs that, you know, where you just have parents wanting, you know, overbearing parents who dictate their son’s life, mapping out his safe, uninspired life, you know. And if young Nigel says he’s happy, he must be happy in his work. You know, just one of those songs. Love it. It started off with Joe Jackson and “Stepping Out.”
Fifteen minutes after six, and it seems like it was just 24 hours ago we just finished telling you about a loss in the world of music. Of course, Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80. Well, what happens this morning when you wake up? You find out Tim Curry died within 24 hours of Dolly Parton, at the same age. Now, they’re not exactly announcing why he died, but he did have a stroke a decade ago. He’s had an aneurysm. He’s got mobility problems. So it’s probably, you know, he had the stroke in 2012, even though there’s no actual connection. But it’s probably just one of those things, you know. Like, unfortunately, 80 years old. But here we are. We’ve lost two incredible people in the arts. One in music. Of course, Tim Curry does have an album out. But yeah, such an amazing actor. And we got the next song. And no, I’m not crying. It’s the rain. “Kentucky Rain,” Elvis Presley.
00:19:56
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]
00:30:34
It’s Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts from their “Lonely Avenue” album. And it’s “A Crime Against Love.” In before that, Collective Soul. And I’ll tell you, that band between ’94 and 2001, just hit after hit after hit after hit. I mean, “Run,” “Gel,” “Precious Declaration,” “The World I Know,” “Shine,” and, of course, the song we heard, “The World I Know.” They were just a massive band between, like I said, ’94 and 2001. Started off with Collective Soul, sorry, Elvis Presley with “Kentucky Rain.” And that was actually written by Eddie Rabbitt and Dick Heard. That was before Eddie Rabbitt’s career even took off. It was written in 1969, recorded by Elvis in 1970.
How are you all doing? 28 minutes after six. We are doing fine here on this Wednesday, August 26th. We got more music coming your way. Going to start a little Canadiana here. Doug and the Slugs.
00:31:31
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]
00:43:11
The 1991 album, “Live Baby Live.” That is, of course, INXS with “Mystify.” And before that, Madonna from the 1990 “Immaculate Collection” album, which had six number-one hits on it. And “Justify My Love,” “Vogue” were at least two of them, but such a great album. Started off with Doug and the Slugs, and from “Slugology 101,” that is, of course, “Chinatown Calculations.”
20 minutes now before 8 o’clock, which means we’re getting close to our dance portion of the show. We do this every show, so if you’re a regular listener, then you’re used to it. You know, we have to give you a warning sometimes, just to hydrate and stretch it out. Because sometimes you just never know. Might be just really, really rough and making you work and sweat and all that stuff with the dance portion. You just never know. So let’s continue on with some music, though. Coldplay, from “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” and “Clocks.”
00:44:12
[Audio not transcribed.]
01:02:35
1996 album, “Hemi-Vision,” is, of course, Big Sugar, and “If I Had My Way.” Dave Matthews Band in before that with “Don’t Drink the Water.” The Byrds were in there as well with “Eight Miles High,” and everybody always thought that this was a drug-related song. So, of course, there were radio stations out to ban it after the trade publications warned about promoted drug use and all that. All the writers, Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, all denied that the song was about drugs. It was just about air travel. That’s what it was. But then years later, they went, “Yeah, no, it was. We’re experimenting on some stuff there.” And then they tried to mimic the fast [skronking?] style of [jazz?] saxophone that John Coltrane used to do, and tried to copy the tones of sitar player Ravi Shankar. And then that helped create raga rock and the early psychedelic rock. Pretty cool. And a great tune as well by The Byrds, “Eight Miles High.” Coldplay in before that from “A Rush of Blood to the Head.” Great tune, “Clocks.”
Well, that means it’s 7 o’clock officially, and that means it’s time for your dance portion of the show. Not too big of a one today. There are some good tunes, more like grooving tunes and just kind of swaying tunes. So hopefully you enjoy that. We’re going to start off with The Moffatts.
01:03:57
[Audio not transcribed.]
01:14:31
From the 2011 Immortal album. Of course, that is Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 medley. In before that, King Harvest and “Dancing in the Moonlight.” We start that set off with The Moffatts and “I’ll Be There for You,” 7:11, right now. Thanks for tuning in once again. We got about 45 minutes left in the show here on our Wednesday show, so thanks for everybody for tuning in. Hopefully you’re enjoying the music so far. We still got more music coming your way. Here is Melissa Etheridge.
01:15:39
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]
01:30:01
From their 1994 multi-platinum-selling album, of course, “Silver.” That’s Moist and “Freaky, Be Beautiful.” And I think it’s probably the most important song on the whole album because it’s got so much in there about trauma, loss, emotional detachment, you know, and “Freaky, Be Beautiful,” “He Falls.” It’s all about watching the haunting aftermath of watching someone fall or self-destruct, and the following decay for those who witness it. And it is. It’s a pretty traumatic event. You’ve probably been through it. A lot of trauma in there.
Loverboy in before that, 1980 album from the Loverboy album and their debut album. And Melissa Etheridge from Woodstock ’94 and “I’m the Only One.” We only got about a half hour left, so I’m going to play this next song. And on this day in 1972, it went to number one. Also give you a bit of a hint. It was used in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Oh, what was that? What song was that?
01:31:07
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]
01:40:45
And, of course, it was “Falling for the First Time.” America in that, all the way back to 1975, and “Sister Golden Hair.” And, of course, we started off that set with Looking Glass. “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” went to number one on this day in 1972. We got about 20 minutes left, maybe 22 minutes left in the show. I want to thank everybody for tuning in. Just a reminder, of course, we lost Dolly yesterday. We lost Tim Curry today. I have been able to find a Tim Curry song. At least he’s featured in it. And it’s from the 1973 “Rocky Horror Show” Original London Cast. So rest in peace, Tim Curry. I can explain.
01:41:33
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]
01:49:51
Of course, that is Dolly Parton and “Jolene.” We had Dwight Yoakam in before that, from his 1993 album “This Time,” and “Two Doors Down.” And we started off with the Original London Cast of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” featuring Tim Curry and “I’m Going Home.” We got time for one more set of music, so stick around for that. We got some 38 Special as well as some Bad Company. And we have a song from “The Last Waltz.”
01:50:25
[Audio not transcribed.]
02:02:34
Big farewell album, of course. 1990. “The Last Waltz,” The Band was calling it. They weren’t going to be together anymore. They brought everybody they knew, and they just played all their stuff. They played other people’s stuff. Eric Clapton was there. Ronnie Hawkins was there, and so many other big stars. And we heard “Life Is a Carnival,” and it really is a carnival. You never know how long it’s going to be around for, so just enjoy it while it’s here. Bad Company with “Rock and Roll Fantasy,” and 38 Special started it off with “Hold On Loosely.”
And I was doing a little bit of a check here of all, because, of course, we lost Tim Curry and Dolly Parton yesterday. We also lost Catherine O’Hara, James Van Der Beek, the “Dawson’s Creek” star, Chuck Norris, Robert Duvall, Eric Dane, known in “Grey’s Anatomy,” Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bonnie Tyler, just in July. And Tay Keith, a hip-hop producer, passed away at 29 years old. So, hey, you just never know.
But thank you all for tuning in. I am completely out of time now. Maybe one more song to end the show. And thanks again for everybody tuning in. Happy mental health to you. Going to end it with Paul McCartney and Wings. “Listen to What the Man Said.”
02:05:04
[Interlude or untranscribed audio.]