music – Maduko World Headquarters

The Origin of Insects

A Musical Release 40 Years in the Making

Today’s guest blogger is our East Tulsa historian and bon vivant, Mr. Eric.

In September 2025 Radio Milan released an EP entitled The Origin of Insects. The featured music was originally recorded in 1982 at Longbranch Studios in Tulsa. For the next 43 years those tapes lay dormant.

These four early compositions express an energy that was flowing throughout the Tulsa “new wave” scene of the early Eighties. The driving rhythms, upbeat melodies and intelligent lyrics combine for an Eighties flashback that is surprisingly current.

Rage for the Machine

Since 2014 the annual Woody Guthrie Prize has been presented to exceptional artists who exemplify the spirit and social ideals of the namesake, Woody Guthrie. In 2024 the Woody Guthrie Center chose guitarist, author and activist, Tom Morello. The award was presented by Woody’s granddaughter, Anna Canoni, at the historic Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.

Urban Teens

Here’s some more zany noise from the Wayback Machine.

Listen While You Work

You ever read something and think, Doesn’t everyone know that?

That was my reaction when I read about recent survey survey from Sonos. The shocking discovery was listening to music while you work can reduce stress and make you more productive.

Natalie Merchant Discovers Tulsa Hospitality

#NatalieMerchantTulsaTacoBueno

Saw a great concert last night- plus a wonderful hometown story that I just had to share:

Natalie Merchant played a unique gig with the Tulsa Symphony orchestra this weekend at the University of Tulsa’s Lorton Performance Center. This is a great venue for this type of performance- wonderful acoustics and literally “not a bad seat in the house.” In fact, we were sitting in the balcony and had a wonderful view!

She opened with a familiar 10,000 Maniacs tune, belting it out with that powerful voice that became a signature of the early days of “Alternative Rock.” The evening progressed through her 30-year musical career. Along the way she had high praise for our local orchestra and how fortunate Tulsa is to have such a treasure. After the intermission the orchestra was slimmed down and the music became a bit more intimate. So intimate she actually reprimanded someone in the audience, “Please stop filming me.”

But the best was yet to come.