The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper: Line Out: Radio

Damn You KEXP! "Hurt" Hurts!

Kelly O — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:38:37 -0700

I can't believe Johnny Cash's cover of NIN's "Hurt" still makes me cry. Am I that big of a cornball? Do I have the heart of a tiny baby? Damn you, KEXP. I'm trying to get dressed for work.

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Debacle Fest Catalysts to Appear on KEXP Tonight

Dave Segal — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:37:52 -0700

Debacle Fest happens May 3-5 at three separate Seattle venues. The annual experimental-music event—now in its sixth year—is destined to be a live highlight of 2013. You can read about it in this interview with founder/curator Sam Melancon, who also runs Debacle Records.

Melancon and his assistant Rachel LeBlanc will be appearing on Sean Morrow's show on KEXP (90.3FM/www.kexp.org) at 1 am Thursday (that's tonight, for all intents and purposes). Sean will interview the Debacle operatives and play music by some of the artists performing at the fest. If you can't stay up for the show, you can check it out on the station's archives.

As a bonus, you can check out a Debacle Fest mixtape at Redefine, assembled and annotated by Melancon and featuring tracks by Expo '70, Black Hat, Prostitutes, Plankton Wat, Mind Over Mirrors, Moon Pool & Dead Band, GOODWIN, Swahili, and Biosexual. It's a strong survey of profound, probing sounds that offer a vivid, partial portrait of the sonic underground.

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Midday Veil Playing Live on KEXP's Audioasis Tonight

Dave Segal — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:53:11 -0700

Seattle psych-rock demiurges Midday Veil perform on KEXP’s Audioasis show (hosted by Sharlese) at 8:30 tonight (90.3FM, kexp.org). The band’s new Randall Dunn-produced album, The Current, is coming out May 13 on their own Translinguistic Other label. You can check out a few songs from this expansive opus below.

THE CURRENT by Midday Veil

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Lesbian (the Band) to Wreak Havoc on KISW's Metalshop on 4/20

Dave Segal — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:47:09 -0700

Translation Loss Records

Seattle heavy-metal valedictorians Lesbian preview their hotly anticipated third album, Forestelevision (slated for June 25 release on Translation Loss Records), on KISW’s Metalshop show on Sat. April 20, 99.9FM, 11 pm-3 am, with hosts Kevin Diers (Stranger freelancer) and Ian.

More info here.

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Watch the Trailer for The Glamour and the Squalor, a Film About Marco Collins

Megan Seling — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:35:04 -0700

Seattle DJ Marco Collins is a huge part of why the world loves bands like Weezer, Nirvana, Death Cab for Cutie, Beck, Pearl Jam, Modest Mouse, and so many more—he was the first radio DJ to play dozens of these bands that went on to be huge successes. If you listened to the radio in the 90s, you heard Marco. (Full-disclosure, I had a huge crush on him all through high school, just based on his voice on the radio, and one time, while MxPx was visiting him in the studio—back in 1996 I think?—he let me talk to the band on air and I was giddy for hours.)

But Collins, who you can now hear on JetCityStream.com, has also battled drugs and addiction. The documentary The Glamour and the Squalor examines both Collins' successes and his struggles. I can't wait to see it.

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Last Night I Caught an Ampbuzz

Dave Segal — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:12:18 -0700

Kinski guitarist/vocalist Chris Martin generously asked me to guest on his excellent, long-running radio show on KBCS, Ampbuzz. Martin describes the show as "An integrated mix of psychedelic rock, outsider folk, free and not-so-free jazz, and anything else that can be considered 'out' but not necessarily 'noise.'"

Last night I spun some strange old and new tracks by musicians hailing from a lot of different places—from Igor Wakhévitch to Jan Jelinek—and answered in a serious monotone voice some questions that Chris asked me. There's a chance you may hear some tracks you like. I tried not to air anything that's been overexposed. The program's archived for two weeks on kbcs.fm; you can listen here if you have a spare two hours.

Kinski's album-release party for Cosy Moments (Kill Rock Stars) happens April 5 at the Sunset.

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Sonarchy's Brainy, Fruitful April Lineup

Dave Segal — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:08:19 -0700

Doug Haire's Sonarchy program on KEXP (Sundays at midnight, 90.3 FM/kexp.org) spotlights adventurous new music and sound art created in the Northwest. Recorded live in Jack Straw Productions studios, the show is now in its 17th year. The upcoming April lineup looks very impressive. For more information, you can contact Haire at doug@jackstraw.org.

April 7th Simon Henneman Quintet + 6 guests fire a full broadside at the crossroads of jazz and creative music. Simon - guitar, Kenny Mandel - saxes, Kate Olson - saxes, John Seman - bass, Mark Ostrowski - drums with Bill Monto, Bill Krautz, Jim Knodle, Amy Denio, Erica Carlson and Jen Gilleran.

April 14th John Schuller and James Davis. This Sonarchy Archive show is a two guitar attack with cinematic, extreme sound pressure results. Originally broadcast in June 2002.

April 21st Jon Sheckler's Bodies of Water Ensemble. New jazz music from drummer and composer, Jon Sheckler. Reuel Lubag - piano, Bren Plummer - bass, Josh Williams - guitar, Mat Montgomery - trumpet, Ryan Shepard - trombone, Jory Tindall - soprano sax and Devin Duval - tenor sax.

April 28th Brain Fruit. An electronic duo that re-imagine classic kosmische/krautrock experimentation through modern hardware synthesis.

Brain Fruit Live at Lofi Performance Gallery (excerpt) by Brain Fruit

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P.Supremo’s ‘Welcome to the Yard’ on Hollow Earth Radio Tonight - 9PM to 11PM

Trent Moorman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:33:03 -0800

Becka Brebner

P.Supremo (Samuel Moralez) is a Seattle hip hop artist who hosts a show tonight from 9pm to 11pm on Hollow Earth Radio called Welcome to the Yard. It’s part of Central Sounds, produced by Rich Jensen. (Welcome to the Yard happens every other Wednesday.) In the show, Supremo talks about his experiences with the prison system, and plays music he deems pertinent.

Since the age of eleven, he’s been living in and navigating through the justice system, having served prison stints of three years, three years, and four years. The last two were in Federal. At one point while serving his most recent sentence, he had the opportunity to be cell mates with his father, who he had not previously known. This past March, Supremo became a free man, and he doesn’t plan on going back. P.Supremo is a self educated individual. He has things to say, many songs to play, and much wisdom to dispense. There's an interesting interview where he talks about his life in prison – here. We spoke.

What will you be talking about on the show tonight? What will you be playing?

P.Supremo: I'm gonna play some West Coast 90s rap and talk about parents in prison, and how it affects their kids. Also talking about federal drug laws and the harsh prison time for drug offenders. Enchiladas will possibly be served to the people who show up, because it is open to the public. Hollow Earth is 2018 A E. Union St. 98122.

It’s basically a talk radio show mixed with rap music, and local songs too. I talk about my experiences in the prison system, state and federal. I talk about the reality of prison life. The violence, drugs, gangs, and lack of school programs. I have special guests as well. There’s a huge population of people in prison. Many of them will be out one day, possibly living in your community as well as mine. I think society needs to consider giving those who are locked up more programs inside, so they can acquire and obtain more skills. I think the system should be rehabilitating more, and sending more skilled, non violent people back into society. Not freeing people who are more violent than when they went in. “Welcome to the Yard” is what prison guards say to people when they arrive to be locked up.

I tie in the hip hop music as a way to show the world that we're not just making gangster rap. We’re simply tellin' our story, and it’s keeping a lot of people I know out of prison. So if any one wants to know how prison really is, I encourage them to call in, write in, or come down to the station. Shows like Lockup are not all that real. Actual prison life gets deeper. I take my listeners through some events in my life. At the end of the day I want the youth to know prison is a horrible place, and to choose another route.

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Brilliant Segue Alert: MBV's "If I Am" > Medicine's "Time Baby III" on KEXP

Dave Segal — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:50:11 -0800

The first thing I heard upon awakening this morning was My Bloody Valentine's "If I Am" from the new m b v album playing on KEXP. Ooh, it sounded sweet at 6:46 am. Then DJ John Richards segued into Medicine's "Time Baby III" from The Crow OST. Yes! This is how I like to start a damn work day—with a brilliant, logical segue, heard unexpectedly on ye olde radio.

Both songs tap into that languid state between slumber and wakefulness in which, aptly enough, some types of music sound their best. "If I Am" initially sounded slight and like something MBV literally could create in their sleep, but in the context outlined above, it sounded unspeakably tender and beautiful and a wonderful addition to the group's canon of classics. And props to Richards for finding perhaps the best song with which to follow it up, with the bonus of reminding everyone that Medicine were the closest thing America had to MBV in the '90s. Go back and listen to Shot Forth Self Living and The Buried Life and be astounded all over again—or for the first time, as the case may be.

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OCnotes Live on KEXP's Street Sounds

Dave Segal — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:22:35 -0800

Better late than never... if you missed this segment on Street Sounds, KEXP's hiphop-centric weekly Sunday night show, you can catch host Larry Mizell Jr. (the super-productive columnist/blogger for The Stranger) interview OCnotes and watch him perform four of his tracks. The mercurial producer shows some of his range of styles over these 17 minutes of air time, playing “Morgan Free & ODB,” “Red Alert Song,” and “Kitty Kat” from Pre Future Post Modern Love Song aka AlienBootyBass and the previously unreleased “Number 7." Also check out OC's mother lode of sweetness on his Bandcamp, too. Hairy Kwanzaanukahmas to you and yours.

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"Waving Sunbeams in the Air": On Hearing School of Seven Bells' Cover of Silver Apples' "Lovefingers" While Sleeping

Dave Segal — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:53:01 -0800

Last night I was up till 3 am after a DJ gig and, as often happens at around that time, I turned on the boombox to KEXP, keeping the volume faint. At around 7:20 am, through non-REM sleep, the familiar lyrics of my favorite Silver Apples song, “Lovefingers,” had seeped into my consciousness—but the music was more subdued, slower, bassier, and the vocals definitely weren’t Simeon’s; they were by a woman who knew the value of understatement and mystique.

Was this a dream? No, this was School of Seven Bells’ unfaithfully reverent version of that classic proto-techno jam. Somehow this rendition by SVIIB's Alejandra Deheza and Benjamin Curtis had eluded me, but thanks to KEXP’s John Richards, I discovered it in the best possible, hypnapompic manner.

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Vote for Your 20 Favorite Album of 2012 With KEXP

Dave Segal — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:18:18 -0800

Seattle radio station KEXP is soliciting top-20 album lists from its listeners up through Dec. 21. Your contributions will likely shape the list, which will then be count down on the air in the near future. Vote for your favorite long players here (you can write in titles that don't appear in KEXP's database; only vote once, okay?).

I need to do some serious evaluating before I form my own top-20 list, but right now I can say that Nick Edwards' Plekzationz, Holly Herndon's Movement, and Three Legged Race's Persuasive Barrier will appear on it. More on that when the arduous task of reviewing and tabulating a year's worth of releases is completed.

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Kurt B. Reighley Interviews John Cale on KEXP at 3 pm

Dave Segal — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:31:34 -0800

Stranger freelancer and KEXP DJ Kurt B. Reighley will interview Welsh avant-rock legend John Cale today at 3 pm. Tune in at 90.3FM or at kexp.org. I hope Mr. Reighley at least briefly touches on Cale’s Church of Anthrax collaboration with Terry Riley, even if it is distant, obscure history.

Cale performs Thurs. Dec. 6 at Showbox at the Market with Cass McCombs.

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The Internet & Nissim, "Nissim" and the Internet: Unlimited, Miracles, Wonderful Things

Larry Mizell, Jr. — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:24:18 -0800

Yesterday on the radio I had an in-studio session with the Internet—the completely unpretentious yolo-age neo-soul group led by the Lisa Bonet-chill Syd Tha Kyd and the far-out, fat-fingered East Point ex-pat Matt Martianz—who's Purple Naked Ladies and Frank Ocean's kinda not-since-Voodoo-type classic Channel Orange were the superbly kicked-back, wryly-written cream of Odd Future's 2012. To the people who, in 2011, became some of OF's most overzealous fans and haters, this music was hella not the future they imagined for the crew founded by Tyler, the Creator.

I also was visited in the studio by the core of the Sportn' Life Records familia, and in the center was Nissim, the artist formerly known as D.Black (and, once upon a time, Danger). I debuted his new solo song "Ricochet," released just today:

Then there's the SnL supergroup that includes him, Fatal Lucciauno, Spaceman and Larry Hawkins—their name is My Life My Love. I really like this name, not to mention life, and (especially) love—which I saw and felt as in the studio yesterday, and which (as someone told me yesterday) we need right now. They released a strong new Vitamin D-produced song a second ago off of their upcoming self-titled EP, and are performing at Sportn' Life's ten year anniversary party at Barboza on Wednesday, along with the rest of the roster, including Fly Moon Royalty. FMR's dessert-first sweet "Birthday Song" from their May 2012 Dimensions EP is suited to the occasion (and would, for that matter, sound great in a commercial for diamonds—that's a freebie).

Early this morning, I returned from The Internet's show with Kingdom Crumbs at the Crocodile (which I'm still buzzing from) and perused the internet—the closest thing that a whole lot of a whole generation seem to liken to an inalienable right and spiritual force ("Thank you Based God" - Al Gore). Through it, all things flow, right? So somehow I got to "Nissim," a large tune off of Breakthrough, the Gaslamp Killer's first studio album:

The internet also told me a few meanings of "Nissim"—which, oddly enough, kinda reminded me of the internet, or the universe, or what have you, all over again.

*http://shabdkosh.raftaar.in/Hindi-Dictionary/Meaning/nissim
**http://eteacherhebrew.com/Hebrew-Names/nissim-nisim
***http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Nissim

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OCnotes - Live @ KEXP 11/4/12

Larry Mizell, Jr. — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:12:05 -0800

This last Sunday, the homie OCnotes stopped through Street Sounds to do a live set, a mellow and shimmery affair in true Otis Calvin style. Enjoy and download it now—thankfully free of my rambling, probably over-effusive interview bit (what can I say? I fuckin' love this guy). Since AlienBootyBass is not on sale quite yet, it's also the first time most of you will be able to get any of those joints in your iTunes—if this man's music is your thing, that is. In just a couple days, he'll be heading to Europe to do some dates through Germany and Switzerland with Shabazz Palaces and THEESatisfaction (plus cold-ass Erik Blood). Zoom.
OCnotes Live on KEXP by OCnotes

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Thank You, Sean, for Playing Valet at 5 am on KEXP Today

Dave Segal — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 12:39:37 -0700

I awoke randomly this morning at 5, and as is my wont when this sort of thing happens, I turned on the radio to KEXP. There I heard the ghostly emanations of “My Volcano” by Valet (Portland musician Honey Owens, also in Miracles Club). I was shocked, to say the most. You just don’t hear much Valet on the airwaves, especially the lost 2007 classic Blood Is Clean, so this was a nice omen for today.

Thank you, graveyard-shift DJ Sean (he’s a Canadian transplant whose last name is top secret) for playing such great, obscure music at those ungodly hours (well, all hours are ungodly, but you know what I mean), including Eyeless in Gaza. Been a minute since I’ve heard them on the old box. Sean: I’ll be keeping tabs on your sets from here on out, insomnia willing.

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Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome #3

Derek Erdman — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:38:45 -0700

"Eddie Money wi(n)ning 2:1 over "Double Vision" is a pile of shit." - biffp, 10/10/2012

Harumph. The last Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome ended in such a shocker that I didn't think I could possibly want to match two songs against themselves again. I am certain that I'm not alone in being baffled by "Take Me Home Tonight" being voted as the best worst garbage track of CRGT#2, but the poll numbers don't lie. Does that mean the Eddie Money track is better at being worse than Foreigner? Is there any way to test the scientific validity of choosing radio songs that are really good at being bad? What if we force Eddie Money into battle with himself?

One thing I have learned, I kind of like Eddie Money. A CRGT#2 commenter named cracked chimed in with, "Eddie Money only had one good song and this ain't it." Which is so totally kind of true. There are many surprising jams in the Money Man's back catalog. Digging into a his back story, Eddie Money came from a family of police officers and decided to not be a cop so that he could rock. Do you remember the television show Cop Rock? I sure don't!

There's something completely excellent about "Think I'm in Love," the third cut on Money's 1982 platinum LP, No Control. If I had to describe it, I'd say that it had a boss urgency similar to "Heart & Soul" by Huey Lewis. There's something tough and relentless about the riffage, but still tame enough that your aunt would turn it up in her El Camino. I know mine did.

The lyrics are typical in their Eddie Money minimal brilliance, most likely about wanting some sex or a blanket. I just did a quick count and it seems that maybe there are only 40 different words in the entire song. Here are the verses:

Ooh, something's got a hold of me now
It's a feeling, burnin' up like I'm on fire
Hold me tight babe, don't leave me by myself tonight
'Cause I don't think I can make it through the night

It surrounds me, ooh, like a sea of madness
It controls me, makes me do all the things I do for you
On my mind babe, thinkin' about you now
And I don't know if I'll make it through the night

One of my favorite things in the world, besides egg sandwiches, is when somebody rhymes a word with mostly the same word. Rhyming tonight with night? That's tight, not trite.

Which then leads us to the chorus:

I think I'm in love
And my life's lookin' up
I think I'm in love
'Cause I can't get enough
I think I'm in love
It's gotta be love

HOLY F. That last line is seriously the best way a person could end a chorus of this type. He's doing all of this explaining, deciding how he thinks he feels. He admits that he's totally out of control in a "sea of madness." Like earlier, I was thinking that I could totally eat an egg sandwich, and I was wondering about all of the reasons why I might want an egg sandwich, and then it hit me—it's gotta be hunger.

But what does the brilliant Songmeanings.com website have to say about this new contender? Well, nothing really, as the meaning of this one can probably never be found. Commenter Derek8581 (not me, unfortunately) did state, "Wow, Eddie! How do you do it? When you make songs like this one, I KNOW I'm in love."

To which I can only respond, "Word, bro."

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Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome #2

Derek Erdman — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:34:08 -0700

Last month's triumph of Foreigner's "Double Vision" over REO Speedwagon's "Take It on the Run" wasn't much a surprise to CRGT readers. Though it was brought up by camlux that there is "no good Speedwagon," I totally disagree. The Gary Richrath heavy "Ridin' the Storm Out" or "Flying Turkey Trot" could easily demolish most of what Styx or the Eagles have to offer. Alas, those are battles for later days.

As chosen by less than 30 votes, "Double Vision" advances into a higher imaginary CRGT tier. I'm not sure if a quick re-cap is needed, this is a song we've all heard waaaaaaay too many times. But in a way, it still rules. We discussed last month how it's mostly about getting wasted on a bunch of drugs. To further quote the brilliant Song Meanings website, user kfe2 describes "Double Vision" with:

The band wrote this after seeing New York Rangers goalie John Davidson get knocked out during the 1977 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Davidson is now a popular hockey analyst for ABC Sports. The changed it around to talk about being at a party.

My reply to that can only be: "?!?!??!??!??!?!??!??!??!??!??!??!???!?!??!??!??!?!??!?!?."

Today's challenger is a great one, though. Well, you know, great bad and then good again because it's so bad. It's Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight," a song so shallow and insipid that it reminds me of a 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit stuck in three feet of December snow in Ohio. In other words: it goes nowhere. Keith Whiteman of the Grave Babies offers: "Well, I listened to the song twice and all I could think of was if he was good in bed or not. So that's a disturbing thought. I feel a hunger. It's a hunger."

Released in 1986, "Take Me Home Tonight" hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks and #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. That's certainly enough copies sold to buy a few white Corvettes. Though, I'm not sure how much "aqua gravel" it could afford.

I used to read Hit Parader and Circus magazines as a child, and I remember a letter to the editor in one of those asking if Eddie Money had upper teeth, as he never seemed to show them. I usually think about this whenever I hear Eddie Money. Today, when I heard this song, was the first time I realized that he's actually referencing Ronnie Spector from the Ronnettes in the song, with the line, "Just like Ronnie sang." It would be embarrassing for me to tell you what I thought he was saying before, because it doesn't make any sense. It's nice that she duets on the chorus though, I guess.

As for the meaning of "Take Me Home Tonight," one doesn't have to travel too far in their brain to figure out what's happening in this song. Dude's got a hunger and he needs to eat physical love. According to the wonderfully poorly written Wikipedia page, when questioned about the song,

"...the band stated that it was inspired by an unknown person named "Garth," who, as childhood friend of the bandmembers, was constantly looking to sleep over at other people's houses. Other sources say it relates to Producer Jacob Dooley's obsession with convincing the drunkest girl in the bar to take him back to her house.

My reply to that can only be: "?!?!??!??!??!?!??!??!??!??!??!??!???!?!??!??!??!?!??!?!?."

Again, back to the ever informative Song Meanings, user darreno27 writes:

Me and my roomies constantly play this song at parties. It get the crowd pumped up with the ladies flying around. One of our favorite songs. I always jam this on my guitar full bore when finals are done and it's time for a break.

Dude, that's awesome. Regardless, in true Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome fashion, we're here to decide: which of these awful songs is better? Vote quick, vote often.

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NPR's All Things Considered Themes Through the Years

Dave Segal — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:44:53 -0700

Via WFMU

Hey, left-leaning news junkies: Do you get nostalgic shivers upon hearing the jaunty little theme music to NPR’s All Things Considered? Then check out this compendium of said miniature compositions that signal the onset of some good ol’ news in your earholes (there's even a zip file of 'em you can download, you freak).

Some of those ’70s pieces sound like the handiwork of Gershon Kingsley or Jean-Jacques Perrey, all analog-synth frippery and whimsy. The tracks gradually become less manic and quirky, tilting toward dinner-club jazz and mild, quasi-patriotic fanfares.

Still awake? Good; go here for the All Things Considered theme bonanza.

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Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome

Derek Erdman — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:25:13 -0700

I still haven't changed my car radio station from KMCQ, even though they continue to play only the worst hits from the 70s and 80s. At this point I don't think I'm going to change the station, I'm just going to continue to complain about hearing "Hotel California" once more. At least something fairly interesting has started to happen, I've begun dissecting the lyrics of the garbage they're playing. Even though I've heard Foreigner's "Double Vision" at least a four thousand times, I've never really paid close attention to the lyrics.

Never do more than I really need
My mind is racing, but my body's in the lead
Tonight's the night, I'm gonna push it to the limit
I live all of my years in a single minute

This song has a rather simple meaning, it's about getting fully wasted on drugs. "Double Vision" was released in July of 1978 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Eventually, the single sold over a million units. That fact is fucking mind blowing.

Another oft-played mound of hot garbage coming from KMCQ is "Take It on the Run" by REO Speedwagon. Over at the brilliant Songmeanings.com, the definition of this one ranges from:

"This are words of a father that is destroyed by looking at his daughter growing up and becoming a woman. This song its about his daughter! Are you guys blind? Read the lyrics again."

To:

"I also wanna add that the guitar solo in this song freakin rocks!"

Ultimately, it's probably about a cuckold who is still living in his parent's basement. There are some conflicting ideas in the lyrics as well, but that's only because it's hard to write an entire song with a cohesive idea when you're fucking wasted and have double vision. Regardless, it reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 and probably bought a dozen people five motorcycles made of solid gold cocaine.

Regardless, in true Classic Rock Garbage Thunderdome fashion, we're here to decide: which of these awful songs is better?

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What Will Be KEXP's Top Electronic Albums in Its Top-600 Album Countdown?

Dave Segal — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:06:37 -0700

KEXP asked me and several other local music writers to list which albums—according to a specific niche in which we supposedly possess expertise—we think will appear in its countdown of the 600 most important albums of the last 40 years (2012 marks the radio station’s 40th anniversary). KEXP wanted me to name the 10 electronic LPs that I believe will make the countdown. These are not records that I deem to be the best since 1972 (although some of them certainly are), but rather ones that I predict listeners will choose to make the final cut. That list is up on KEXP’s blog now, for all you list lovers and electronic-music fans to peruse and pick apart.

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In Defense of Huey Lewis, Et Al

Derek Erdman — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:23:25 -0700

One of the (very) few perks of KMCQ's format change is their willingness to tiptoe into the hits of the mid 1980s. I'll admit that I still only listen to the station out of sheer stubbornness, hoping to hear "Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart or "Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione. Just sitting here and typing these words, I'm surprised that I'm not outraged by the fact that this is what life (while in my car) has become.

The station change has made one thing in my life very clear, the discovery that Emily Nokes (the person who owns 1/2 of said car) absolutely hates Huey Lewis (+ the News). The first few times his voice lumbered out of the tiny door speakers, Emily became instantly furious, declaring that Huey Lewis "sings like he's got a mouthful of lasagne." Her tone and demeanor changes during the course of the whole song, as if something terrible happened in the past and the repressed anger is reappearing tenfold. Lately, she refers to everything that she doesn't like as Huey Lewis. "Night Moves" by Bob Seger? Huey Lewis. "Space Truckin'" by Deep Purple? Huey Lewis. Celery? Huey Lewis. (How anybody doesn't like celery is a baffler.)

Fore! (w/ spaghetti)

I'll be the first to admit that Huey Lewis (+ the News, I guess) has made some mistakes, mostly when his career was in decline during the late 1980s, at which point he was already 83 years old. But the singles from Sports and the album before it are such staples of rock radio that they simply cannot be dismissed. People will marvel at a building and praise the architect, but never take the time to examine the bricks that make it. Or even the bright sunlight that accents the walls and windows. Or the comfortable shoes that they're wearing that allow them to not be preoccupied by foot pain while spending their time looking at a building. These things are Huey Lewis. Not a construction detour or a confusing traffic cop giving you what seems to be conflicting directions. Huey Lewis is an innocuous but necessary prop while you're breezing through a stale yellow light as you notice the traffic camera mounted on the pole above. The riff from during the chorus of "Heart and Soul" is playing as you notice there's no flash from the camera. You will receive no ticket in the mail. That shit is awesome, man.

The above video is not as visually pleasing as the actual video, but YouTube only has the VEVO version, which plays an execrable Panteen shampoo commercial beforehand.

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KEXP's Decibel-Oriented Audioasis to Air Sept. 15

Dave Segal — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:31:40 -0700

Alex Ruder will be hosting a special all-electronic edition of Audioasis on KEXP Sat. Sept. 15 from 6 pm-9 pm. He'll be focusing on Northwest artists playing Decibel Festival this year (Sept. 26-30). Performing live in the studio will be Seattle's Jon McMillion (6:30 pm) and Portland's Natasha Kmeto (8:30 pm) plus a guest DJ set and interview with Seattle-based Decibel Social Media Manager Carlos Ruiz (7:30pm).

Check the Jon McMillion clip after the jump.

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KMCQ: What Happened?

Derek Erdman — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:40:42 -0700

There's an overwhelming feeling of betrayal in the Emerald City, as the once mighty KMCQ 104.5 ("In the shadow of Mount Rainier" / "Music I enjoy") has switched formats from classic oldies to the lunkhead favorites from nearly the same era. It seems that the Sonics and Wailers have been traded for Eddie Money and Huey Lewis & the News. The KMCQ Facebox page is filled with comments of dismay.

As an oldies station, KMCQ was nearly flawless. The only commercials seemed to be for the station itself, imploring you to preset the station on your radio. They played the best songs from the 60s and 70s, but sometimes played "Kids in America" or other cuts from the 1980s. It felt like we'd be friends forever. Now it feels like I'm 12 and I have to share a room with an older brother who won't stop playing his shitty records over and over again. I polled some people, you can read their comments below. What about you? Are you mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?

Mike Nipper: I play records, NOT THE RADIO. Gah.

Ben London: It's such a bummer. I loved the AM Radio haze that was KMCQ. I imagined some rich farmer up in Covington was tired of all the bullshit music on the radio and bought it so he could listen to the old radio on his tractor. Now the format is so narrow it seems like the only song they play now is "Hotel California".

Dre Gordon: Dear Q, or whatever you're now calling yourself,
My ears are NOT garbage cans and no, we are NOT "goin' ridin' on the freeway!" THANK FUCKING GOD FOR KIXI.

Dan Paulus: They pulled a Seger. A sweaty, greasy Seger.

Eli Anderson: It's 2012 and I'm supposed to care about the radio?

Greg Franklin: For a while there, it was the best radio station in the universe. It was a ray of morning sunshine as I grumbled my way across the 520 bridge, and a steadfast friend in the early afternoons when KEXP became a terrible techno party. I implore you to find someone else who will randomly drop C.W. McCall's "Convoy" into an FM playlist in 2012. I am a wreck.

Austin Hall: Finally, no more nostalgia!

Kerri Harrop: I am LIVID.

Matt Clark: Unfortunate. For over a year I was pleasantly surprised by their exceptional and refreshing selections. Now I just listen to KBCS and KUOW again. Fuck 'em.

Kyle Johnson: I'm fuckin' outraged...I miss the shadow of Mt. Rainier.

Kenn Job: The change lead me to discover that there's funk programming on KBCS from 7-9pm on Fridays. I need more funk and the KMCQ may be denying it to me in the way I wanted it before. Padding it with those weird in-between commercial/non-commercial commercials. It's weird.

Keith Whiteman: Radio, like children, doesn't HAVE to be given up on when they get old and obnoxious.

Joan Hiller: I don't even LIVE in Seattle anymore, and I just threw my radio down the toilet.

Eli Anderson: It was great while it lasted but I honestly can't be too mad at them for abandoning the money-sucking business plan of being an esoteric radio station that plays obscuro-classics with no commercials ever.

Steve Wampus Reynolds: I think it's a credit to the vision of the business and civic leaders of the city of Seattle.

Reilly Lambert: Reminds me of Lorain, Ohio. I hate Lorain, Ohio.

Jordan T Adams: I feel bad for the mother of whoever made the decision to change their program. Her kid is THE WORST.

Mutty Nice: Was a magical, beautiful, perfect shining star and then they hired some marketer, bought some shitty jingles and now it sounds like every other turd.

Mike Nipper: Also my bike doesn't have a radio.

Adam Lawrence: I loved the format previously. It was an oldies station that actually played oldies. I loved the esoterica of some of their choices. I won't listen anymore, but I don't begrudge the originators or feel they sold out. If they got to make some money based off of two(+) years of nifty radio programming, mazel tov.

Abigail Jane Vehorn: I was so so so upset. Although, the new programming is still better than the other "oldies" stations. It's very similar to what 97.3 KPSG used to be. That said, I've heard Hotel California 5 times in one day. BUT! The good news is the only commercial they play is the same one that KMCQ used to play which is Don Willis of The Ventures saying "I'm Don Willis of The Ventures, telling you to run, don't walk, to get your jewelry and gold appraised."

Kerri Harrop: They are playing Joe Walsh "Life's Been Good" right now. So, at least there's that.

Derek Erdman: That song does kind of rule.

Andrew Hall: I will never again tell all my friends that KMCQ plays all songs of the sixties and seventies. I was also pretty sure that the playlist looped after I heard "Mother and Child Reunion" go into an Elton John cover of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" around 12:15 AM two Tuesday mornings in a row. And is there anywhere left in the universe where "In The Year 2525" is still in heavy rotation now?

Shannon Perry: I got my KMCQ tattoo too soon?

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Andy Votel's Favorite Black Sabbath Covers

Dave Segal — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:17:57 -0700

Andy Votel—DJ and guru for the world-renowned reissue label FindersKeepers/B-Music—recently played his favorite Black Sabbath covers on the BBC (wut, no "Supernaut" by 1000 Homo DJs or "Sweet Loaf" by Butthole Surfers?). You can listen to the segment here (fast forward to about the 10-minute mark). Track list below.

Flower Travellin' Band- "Black Sabbath"
Suck- "War Pigs"
Bob Christian- "Paranoid"
Corporal Gander's Fire Dog Brigade- "Paranoid"
The Commondos- "Penyesalan"
Rolf Kühn- "Paranoid"
Cindy & Bert- "Der Hund Von Baskerville"
Sroeng Santi- "Kuen Kuen Lueng Lueng" ("Iron Man" cover)
Stack Waddy- "Hunt The Stag"
Quixotic- "Lord Of This World"

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Diamond Rugs on KEXP This Morning?

Kelly O — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:08:57 -0700

Did anyone else hear new group Diamond Rugs (members of Deer Tick, the Black Lips, Dead Confederate, and Los Lobos) on the NYC live show on KEXP this morning?!

They sounded DRU-UH-UNK! Drunk as skunks! Drunker than your drunk uncle!

They were still good. A sure sign of a professional ~~partier~~ musician.

Kelly O
Guitarist Ian Saint Pe / The Black Lips / Diamond Rugs

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Greg Vandy's Spring Soul Jamboree Invitational on KEXP April 4

Dave Segal — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:13:49 -0700

KEXP DJ Greg Vandy is holding his annual Spring Soul Jamboree Invitational Wed. April 4 on 90.3 FM and at kexp.org (6 pm-9 pm). Every year, the host of The Roadhouse asks five DJs to spin their all-time top 5 soul songs and to briefly discuss them. This year, Vandy’s invited Triple Door talent buyer Scott Giampino (aka Self-Administered Beatdown, former impresario of the Soul Hole monthly), Garrett Lunceford (Sophisticated Mama), Marc Muller (Emerald City Soul Club), Christian Science (DUG), and, uh, me. (Greg probably wanted a dilettante to add some “quirky” surprises to the mix.)

The guidelines: all songs must be from 1965 to 1975 and under four minutes. The latter restriction is kind of a bummer, because it eliminates potential selections like Funkadelic’s “What Is Soul” and Dr. John’s “Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya.” Nevertheless, there are plenty of immortal gems to be found that run under 240 seconds, and I hope to dig through my stash and do the show justice. Those other guys are guaranteed to bring the heat, as many possess 45s that individually cost more than your monthly rent payment. Tune in, turn on, drop trou.

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Getting Your Music Played On the Radio Isn't As Hard As You Might Think

Megan Seling — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:31:56 -0700

It might be best to not send a cassette tape to the radio station.

You've already put your tunes on Facebook, Bandcamp, iTunes, Spotify, SoundCloud, etc.—congratulations! You can use a computer. But guess what: People still listen to the radio. Millions of people. Andrew Harms, music director at 107.7 the End, Kevin Cole, senior program director at KEXP, and me, host of Locals Only on the End, have some tips for musicians hoping to hear their songs on the airwaves.

To start:

Before you send anything, know who you're sending it to.

If you're a metal band, don't send your music to the hiphop show. If you're a funk band, don't send your music to a heavy metal radio station (also, don't be a funk band). It sounds like obvious advice, right? Nope. I've been hosting Locals Only, the Pacific Northwest music show, for years, and I often receive press packages from bands out of New York and California with clueless letters promising "the Locals Only audience will love us!" Not only is it a waste of time and money, but you look stupid.

Do a little research and find out if the stations in your area have local music shows and start there. If your favorite radio station has specialty shows, as many do, find out which hosts play which genres and reach out to them instead of just blindly sending a package to the programming or music director. "KEXP DJs have the freedom and responsibility for programming their own shows, to curate the music mix," says Cole. "In addition to programming their shows, they're on a quest to discover new music and suggest new releases to be added to the library."

Even more good advice—including what to include in a press kit—can be found right here.

Look at this Disgusting Wall of Mucus! (And Other Secrets You Should Know About the Seattle Music Scene)

Megan Seling — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:38:38 -0700

MUSICIANS! Look! This week's paper features the Rock-and-Roll Survival Guide, where we shine a light on some of the grimiest, darkest, and most confusing corners of the music industry.

Want to know how to tour without killing a bandmate? Emily Nokes of Tacocat tells you!

Want to hear about all the shitty jobs you might have to endure in order to eat while trying to make it as a musician? Lars Finberg of the Intelligence shares his stories!

Need some tips for drinking at shows without completely ruining your life or reputation? Kelly O knows all the secrets!

Want to get your music played on the radio? DJs from 107.7 the End and KEXP have some tips for you!

There are also informative interviews with record producer Erik Blood, Grammy winner Ishmael Butler, and the Crocodile's talent buyers Melissa Darby and Hunter Motto.

But that's not all: Bree McKenna invades three local practice spaces and uncovers a Seattle landmark even more disgusting than the infamous Wall of Gum. It's a WALL OF MUCUS:

Timothy Rysdyke

See it all here!

Don't Talk to the Cops! Talk About the Cops With Steve Scher on KUOW

Grant Brissey — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:24:26 -0800

My Philosophy columnist, Don't Talk to the Cops! hype man, and general hell raiser Larry Mizell and Seattle singer Choklate Moore are about to talk about issues in the SPD while Steve Scher bumbles over his words and alternates that with asking follow-up questions that were already answered with the first answer. Tune in right over here to hear the magic.

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Getting Your Music Played On the Radio Isn't As Hard As You Might Think

Look at this Disgusting Wall of Mucus! (And Other Secrets You Should Know About the Seattle Music Scene)

Don't Talk to the Cops! Talk About the Cops With Steve Scher on KUOW

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