On November 6 1985, exactly 25 years ago, one tradition started to take shape. Zikica Simic in Belgrade (Yugoslavia), decided to start a radio show featuring “the new American rock music” called Tajanstveni voz (Mystery Train). Zikica was featuring bands of the 80s rock’n’roll scene that was impossible to hear anywhere in the world except on college radio stations in the USA. He recognized the respect that these bands had for traditional rock’n’roll and persistently for the next 25 years (and hopefully more) he followed this musical genre as it transformed throughout the years: Husker Du, Green On Red, Violent Femmes, Giant Sand, Tav Falco then a new injection of power with Uncle Tupelo in the nineties and now with Endless Boogie, Phosphorescent, Black Keys and Kurt Vile. He introduced a small army of listeners to the true rock’n’roll sound, including myself. To be perfectly honest, influence of Zikica’s radio show is so enormous on me, that I can easily say how Little Lighthouse is a pale copy of Mystery Train, and still consider it an understatement and a compliment to my show. In the latest installment of his show, Zikica Simic re-played his very first playlist and also threw in a few songs from todays moment in between. A great way to mark quarter of a century of one helluva show.

Playlist 25 years ago…

Violent Femmes – Add It Up
The Long Ryders – I Had A Dream
Beat Rodeo – Without You
R.E.M. – Driver 8
The Del-Lords – Mercenary
Dream Syndicate – Medicine Show
Husker Du – Books About UFOs
Beat Farmers – Bigger Stones
Green On Red – That’s What Dreams
X – What’s Wrong With Me
Minutemen – Cheerleaders
Guadalcanal Diary – Ghost On The Road.