The first half of the July 1 live stage “Hours of Slack” by Papa Joe Mama, Dr. Hal and I, Stang, interweaves through various main-stage X-Day music recordings, such as an improv mash-up by The Evolution Control Committee, a lesson/sing-along led by Pisces but with innumerable special contributions by the audience. Careful listeners may be able to detect cuts within “songs” between Stang’s ambient recordings as he ran up and down the ramp from stage to audience, and the board recordings by Rev. “Suds” and Wisteria sound mixer Elliott. There’s a song by Little Jack Melody And His Young Turks, from the CD “My Charmed Life,” which had nothing at all to do with X-Day or SubGenius, but fit just right. (Thanks to Rev. Zafod for that one.) We also hear unscripted rants by Dr. Purge (a brand new Minister from Florida), and Rev. Sweetness McGee of SubG podcast THE MINISTRY OF SLACK fame. At some point Stang reads a short rant by Dr. Phineas Narco, a SubRadio Doktor who expected to be at the Drill but ran into problems.
There is no real theme to this episode, but it’s representative of the second and third days of that X-Day Drill festival innacurately named the 14th. (It is actually the 16th Drill, as these started in 1996 with an idea by Dr. Legume and Jesus.) This episode climaxes, as it were, with an impromptu live duet by Priestess Pisces and Rev. Ennie, “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?”. We had no idea she could sing the blues like this. Princess Wei was also involved. The song is related to something Frank Zappa composed originally. Musicians Stick, Thatan and “Suds” seemed to be familiar with the Zappa song (I wasn’t), or faked it well.