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  2 0 Today's Kids are looking for "innovation and good musicianship" and emotional resonance outside the confines of traditional, blues-derived rock and roll. Particularly in Seattle - we have a such long tradition in rock and roll that to be artistically innovative meant going outside this tradition. Particularly now - KEXP was born in a decade shaped by acts of machismo - adrenaline and testosterone. To rebel as an artist meant going soft, far away from the abrasive urgency of rock and roll. As someone attracted to the Northwest by its lengthy history of booty-shaking, moshing, and head-banging I lament all of this. We will just have to wait for the moment when all the energy behind this gently flowing water is dammed up, freezes over, and cracks. Till then, I'm streaming music from internet radio streams using oOtunes on my iPhone. Rock and roll still lives elsewhere. malamute answered in Music Panel over 2 years ago | Report 2 comments by Michael Duggan and malamute… 0 0 My question wasn't perfect, I know. Drinking will do that. However, I don't think that parsing the phrasing addresses its spirit. The point is that in a city full of aggressive/urgent/heavy/freenzied/frenetic/(etc.) music that is forward thinking and carefully crafted, there appears to be little support from the city media in general and radio specifically. The stranger helps, but as the coverage question illustrates, there's only so much a written review can do for an established act, much less an interesting new thing. As far as radio: On the corporate side, they already have the "hard-rock" genre covered with whatever major label dreck is on their playlists (not all of which is terrible, but c'mon... almost all of it is). On the independent side we have a station that is ostensibly representing Seattle's independent music but is also trying to be all things to all people. And let's face it, a station like KEXP is as beholden to their donor base as KUBE is to it's advertisers. So we are left with a situation where those who have the time to listen at their work, where there are likely computers around, are the most likely to e-mail in their requests... most likely to be heard and thus to donate when the time comes. Independent businesses are more likely to advertise when they feel that the music will not be offensive to the lowest common denominator, so the music reflects this, as well. Perhaps this is why I almost never hear any fast or thoroughly syncopated drumming from any band on KEXP. "Sounds too complicated" I hear my mother saying. She loves KEXP. She even donates. Perhaps it's telling that during the day she switches back and forth between KEXP and KISS 106.1. The issue is that outside of business hours, and when it would seem the most opportune time to play some of what seattle has to offer in the more edgy side of things (be it rock/hip-hop/electro/whatever) they adhere to the same style of programming that they do during the day. There simply appears to be little to no opportunity to get that side of the independent musical spectrum on the radio in Seattle unless you manage to get one song on KNDD in their buried local programming hours. So in this respect, KNDD is kicking KEXP's butt in programming local rock, and they only do it 2 hours a week when nobody's listening. I like Malamute's perspective here. It seems like the backlash against the machismo and over-simplified proto-frat aggression that was successfully marketed as the result of the grunge/emo/whatever period stretching from let's say arbitrarily 1995 to 2005, has manifested itself in an atmosphere where hard or edgy stuff has very little room to be heard through local media channels. This bars internet availability, where the argument can be made that "if you like it... go look for it". But this argument is inapposite to a discussion of how Seattle's only independent music station is allocating it's resources. What is KEXP doing to recognize that there are people making amazing music in this city that happens to be edgy/syncopated/loud/aggressive? The answer appears to be: waiting for requests for music that few know much about anymore to come in. Here, I need only point to the underground/obscure/minute bands and genres that KEXP has almost singlehandedly (and proudly if you listen to their pledge request spots) pulled into common knowledge on an independent local level. Is a station that is entirely capable of tastemaking and educating an entire city of the virtues of the softer side of independent music somehow incapable of doing the same for the harder side? I know I'm kind of going off here. And I might be a tad off base in some things. But this is a discussion that I've been having for a few years with musicians, fans, small time promoters, and whoever else likes harder music than KEXP plays and feels gypped by the fact that the station seems to be selling an independent music culture that it only represents a narrow spectrum of. People want to know what is holding KEXP back and I thought this forum might be a place to get some brainstorms, and maybe even a thorough explanation of what's happening, there. Sorry to cast stones at a sacred cow. I expect a thorough scolding. Michael Duggan commented over 2 years ago | Report 0 0 You can't count on broadcast radio to help you - it's dead to us. You're gonna have to sidestep broadcast radio entirely, by a 'net-enabled phone with a decent data plan, and stream what you want. malamute commented over 2 years ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  1 1 The hard part about programming a station like KEXP is that for every person that wants more rock or hip hop there is an equal number of people that want more reggae or world music. They try to find a happy medium and use the specialty shows to support the different genres. Lastly, if you want more rock, do you email the station and request it? I bet there are a lot of emails coming from cubicles asking for more Shins songs. I’d suggest you request some Red Fang or Motorhead right now! Ben London answered in Music Panel over 2 years ago | Report 1 comment by Michael Duggan… 0 0 See comment to Malamute's answer, below. Michael Duggan commented over 2 years ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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  1 2 Why do KEXP DJs not like to rock like REAL MEN? Probably a government conspiracy to keep the masses mollified and complacent. But seriously, we need to know what your definition of "a bona-fide rock song"? is. Give us some examples. Lightning Bolt? High Rise? High on Fire? Mammatus? Alice in Effin' Chains? Plus, follow Ben's suggestion. Dave Segal answered in Music Panel over 2 years ago | Report 2 comments by Michael Duggan and Mahtli69… 0 0 Those will do. Michael Duggan commented over 2 years ago | Report 0 0 I agree 100%. Those will do indeed. Any time I listen to KEXP these days, it's like getting bubble gum stuck in my ears. Mahtli69 commented over 2 years ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question New comments are not being accepted at this time.

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