This is the first in what I expect to be an ongoing series of postings featuring recordings I'm forbidden by federal law from playing on our radio show.

What better way to start than with the amazing Shut Up Little Man recordings. From the Wikipedia entry:

Shut Up, Little Man! is the title of a number of audio-verité recordings of two violent alcoholics, Raymond Huffman and Peter Haskett.

The recordings were made by "Eddie Lee Sausage" and "Mitchell D.", who lived in a bright pink apartment building—dubbed the "Pepto Bismol Palace"—in San Francisco's Lower Haight district.

Eddie Lee and Mitchell moved into the apartment in 1987, and soon discovered their neighbors, Peter and Ray, who argued nearly constantly. There was also a third who is on tape, Peter's gay lover, ex army man, vagrant Tony.

They were initially shocked and intimidated by the volume and intensity of the fights, which occasionally turned violent. Later, however, Eddie Lee and Mitchell became fascinated by the content of Ray and Peter's yelling matches. Peter's repeated insult of "Shut Up, Little Man!" became a fixture of Eddie Lee and Mitchell's own conversations.

Eventually, Eddie and Mitchell began tape recording the arguments, and distributing copies among their friends.

Eddie Lee and Mitchell sometimes goaded Ray and Peter, such as with prank telephone calls, hoping to introduce new topics for the drunken pair to argue over.

You have been warned. Not to be played at work, in front of impressionable children, or while sober.
ShutUpLittleMan.zip

Labels: Radio-unfriendly