Music On The TV! (This won't last long...)

Remember this guy? Sure you don't. His name's Chris Isaak. He had that tune a while ago..."Wicked Game"...you know ("Now I--- wanna fall in love"). Definitely on early 90's VH1 formats and maybe even 120 Minutes. Okay, so apparently, he's done some music show-type hosting in the past, like the short-lived '02-'05 "Chris Isaak Show" on Showtime. Apparently, no one watched that. Sad. But, there's hope for this has been again: another show! It's the year of the comeback! Again! This brings my tally up, to like, 3 now.

Isaak is back with a glimmering ray of hope for music on TV. Not music videos, though. Boo. However, this is more of an interview type session deal. His show is simply titled, "The Chris Isaak Hour" on Biography. Biography? I don't think most Americans even get that network, let alone watch it. So once again, this will fall on deaf ears (and blind eyes). But this show is more of an in-depth analysis of artists, so I guess Bio was a good choice of network. Hell, it's probably the only one who gave it a shot. Any who, Bill Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins will be appearing on the first show, playing some tunes and talking to the Is-man. He's on the bill among other producers and no names. Oh! Also, 3-time Grammy winner Trisha Yearwood, whoever that is. So that should be interested. Something to watch if you're bored and craving music on TV (like we ALL are). The show premieres tonight on Bio at...10 PM! (Had to do some research there).

I kind of forgot about this video. But this girl is slammin'.

Our New Flyer! Praise Photoshop!

(Click on it, it gets bigger. And less blurry. Blogger likes to do this.)

Ta-da! After some hours of frustration and patience, we finally got this thing to look as good as any inexperienced art kid could make it. (C in crafts in high school!) Of course, I still some pictures that may or may not have been copyrighted - if I'm guilty, then so is Google. The hardest part was definitely putting myself & Jim in the mix. A lot of cropping had to be done. Also, if you have great eyesight, you can see the hippie chick in the top left and the silhouette of a guitarist playing in the top right. Meh, I tried. Thoughts? If you have none, then I assume it's perfection. Man..we are so bored without planning a show...

Some might say, "it's a beaut, Clark, it's a beaut."

We'll hang these up illegally on cars and STOP signs and what not in the months to come around Kutztown, Philly, Alaska, the Democratic Republic of the Congo - everywhere! We're reckless like that. Now if I only I could concentrate on school work...

KUR (& A Frat? Housing?) Present: 2009 Battle of the Bands!

Mario from Mario Kart 64: "Battle!"
*Actually, those are just UK punks having it out...our competition will include bands.

No poster yet, but soon! Anyway, here at KUR, we've been trying to pull this off since 2 years ago, when we suddenly stopped. Anyway, our original request was DENIED. And so, now we're teaming up with some frat (lame) and the housing department (?) and we're benefiting some kid who died from some weird disease (shit, I really should be more respectful and know the details...they're coming!).

So, here' the details we do have. And for the record, I'm heading this mofo, so I hope it's good!:

Untitled KUR "Battle of the Bands" Spring 2009 Details:
*A better name...that to come, too.

Committee Members: 16 (We got 16 dedicated folks who are really going to turn this out.)

Date: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2009

Location: Under a massive tent on the DMZ of Kutztown University's South Campus (come from out of town!)

Host: Manny F., a great KUR veteran. & I'll say a few words, too.

Judges: A select few KUR members.

Admission: 2 bucks? 3 bucks? We want all your money.

Poster: Fellow KUR DJ, Andy Pal! He's going to make us a beauty.

Bands: We have a few willing, but we want more! Send us your submissions (atleast a couple of tracks and some background info to mpopa381@kutztown.edu or kur@kutztown.edu - do it now!)

Prize: Massive gift card for music equipment!

Rules (thus far): No KUR Member can play in the competition. Also, at least one member has got to be from KU. Play good music. & That's about it. Put on a good show!

More information to come within a few weeks! It's for a good cause, so please attend! It'll be fun, I swear. Keep it here!!! With a little luck, we could have it be as educational, romantic, and violent as THIS.

"So, What Do You Guys Really Look Like & Where Do You Work?"

Good question, nobody. It's about time I put up horrible-quality cell phone pictures of Jim & mine's own dirty work. So, we broadcast LIVE every Friday, from 6-8 PM (but you already knew this), at the bottom of the McFarland Student Union Building on Kutztown University's North Campus. And we are legit subterranean, people; a freakin' basement, son. Luckily our antenna's are higher than we are, that way people from across town can still hear a crappy signal. Like we always say, you're best bet of hearing us is by the internet (web-streaming @ kur.kutztown.edu). So that being said, Jim, myself, and a few others cleaned up the station over the past few weeks, got rid of a bunch of old shit (broken records, stationary, etc.). And we got ourselves a sick TV and a pretty comfortable couch (great for sleep; Swedish Temperpeutic sleep system - you suck). Furthermore, we decorated the walls the best we could and added some new computers. Hey, it's college radio: we're doing the best we can with little faculty advisement we got. It's truly independant and it's surely sick as hell. Here's our progress:

That's our good bud, Andy Pal, sleeping on the couch. He's got a show on Tuesday nights from 8-10, called "The Ralph Flavin Show", where plays similar stuff to us, but he's definitely funnier. It's tough being a CD major. This couch is great. We've been wanting one for a while, and we actually got two at the same time. We had the throw the other one out. This is an ideal nap area. No joke.


Taken a few days later (sometime last week), we added some old vinyl and put some blurry words on our whiteboard. What an awful picture; but look!: New Order's "Brotherhood" hangs nicely on our wall, thanks to thumbtacks. Oh, the 21st century...


Yes, we have enough computers. Two of them we don't even use; they're for web-streaming purposes. We got more boards and vinyl and stuff, along with desk things. Here's where I e-mail record labels who tell me to "get real". Sorry, A&M.


Mobile DJ equipment and only the "good" CDs. We did a lot of housecleaning in this department, and we're still not even done. We just hid a lot of junk.


Boxes of promotion type objects and other notices on a board. Fascinating, I know. Don't you want a legit tour now?


Hey - it's Jim! He's in our On-Air Room, checking out websites while some music plays during our show. This was actually last Friday, when our mics died and I was forced to be on a separate mic in...


Our Production Room! Here's where we make annoying promos that are just too full of inside jokes and bad impressions. However, it can be used for live performances and other on-air type events. That's me in gym attire. I like to dress-up fancy for our show. I'm glad this doesn't show my horrible sweating condition.

Well. that's all we got - for now. I promise better quality pics and more of them, in the near future. We're going to miss being on the air! Two weeks...; hurry up, Father Time. (Allen Reed?). Personal jokes & jokes & jokes.

ROBBED!

Hurts - don't it?

Man... thank God this blog is about alternative music and not about the 81st Academy Awards sucking big time. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE YEAR OF THE UNDERDOG! THE COMEBACK! NOT THE SLUM-DOG! Christ. Well... a squeal, Randy?

February 20, 2009 (Playlist)

February 20, 2009 (Playlist):
“Our Sixteenth Show!”

The Hold Steady – Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
Beck – Devil’s Haircut
Cold War Kids – Coffee Spoon
Dinosaur Jr. – Feel The Pain
King Khan & The Shrines – Took My Lady To Dinner
The Smiths – Rubber Ring
Pela – Drop Me Off
Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Kiss, Kiss
The Strokes – Heart In A Cage (Edit)

The Thermals – Now We Can See
Lovvers – No Fun (The Stooges Cover)
The Mountain Goats – Cubs In Five
Wolf Parade – California Dreamer
Neckbeard Telecaster – One More Night Like This
Guru (Feat. Common & Bob James) – State Of Clarity
Get Him, Eat Him – Ancient History
Reel Big Fish – Everything Sucks (Edit)
The Tallest Man On Earth – Walk The Line
Babyshambles – Fuck Forever (Edit)
Nirvana – Serve The Servants.
Nirvana – Come As You Are (Unplugged).

*Background music consisted of various songs in hour one: The Beastie Boys, Daft Punk, The Go! Team, Smashing Pumpkins, & others. In hour two, we had a bunch of jams that reflected Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, the early grunge movement, and all of the above''s ever-lasting influence: Alice In Chains, Ben Gibbard, Foo Fighters, Pixies, & others. An ode to the late, great Kurt Cobain, on what would have been his 42nd birthday.

This edition of NMTM was a solid performance and a decent program, based on the circumstances we were challenged by. After a mere 10 minutes into the show, Jim's microphone cable short-fused and was irreplaceable from that point on. Fearing the notion of a one-man NMTM episode, Jim and I used our quick wit and got an alternate mic set up in our production room; so even though we weren't working side-by-side on this one, we stilled pulled off a great show. The music itself was solid: new tracks from Cold War Kids, The Thermals, Wolf Parade, and older cuts from Dinosaur Jr., The Smiths, and Nirvana, of course. Jim also mixed things up by playing subterranean groups that deserve more airplay: Get Him, Eat Him, Neckbeard Telecaster, and The Tallest Man On Earth. Fuse all that with some ska and indie anthems, and you got yourself a dynamite listen! At the end of the show, we spoke briefly on the legacy of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. It's so upsetting to have lost such a monumental figurehead in rock history, but he is forever sketched in all of rock that has followed his time in the music biz and on Earth. R.I.P. Kurt.

"I would shiver the whole night through."

Thanks again for tuning in (and we promise no technological problems when we come back in 2 weeks! - We're on Spring Break!). Tune in on March 13th for a great set, chock-full of new tunes, old standards, and more great conversations. Thanks, callers! You're a bunch of characters!

Celebrate Our Sweet 16 Tonight!

Hey people, about our show...: it's on! Live! 6-8 PM tonight on KUR (kur.kutztown.edu). We got poppin' fresh tunes from CWK, Thermals, & Wolf Parade. Also, (as the poster beautifully expresses) we have some oldies lined up from legendary acts like Dino Jr., The Smiths, and a very special block of Nirvana jams. Today would've been Kurt Cobain's 42nd birthday, so on NMTM, we pay tribute to the last great rock star. R.I.P. Kurt. So for the rest of you, come as you are, at 6 PM, and tune in for two hours of great alternative and indie rock. Only on KUR!

P.S. Call in!: 610-683-4058. Or IM us!: KURRequest. C-ya then!

Pitchfork 500: As I Listen & As I Hear: Part 1

Currently, as in, right now, I got two things sitting in front of me (besides my laptop).

There are, 1:



Book. The Pitchfork 500 (AKA #1 gift on my Christmas list. Thanks, Santa). And 2:


Beer. More than one, obvi. Healthy for a man. Builds muscles.

So about this book, the Pitchfork 500. The guys at P-Fork.com published this book last year, around December or so, not sure. Anyway, it's their "guide to greatest songs of the past 30 years, from punk to present". I bit. I wanted to read the whole thing, front to back, but it's a long read with big words and a lot of acts I've never heard of before. I thought to myself, "this is good for research, let's get a good musical education Mike Pop." Well that's all good, but I wanted to do more than just read, though it felt nice to go through chapter to chapter. Now I'm about midway through this thing, on page 108 or so (it's been a few days), and I started listening to the tunes. I started listening to the newer stuff, that really ends at 2005 and below. So I've got a few favorites from bands/artists I've never heard of before, granted I only got serious with music in 2005 with my first Bloc record. Okay, here's what I got (I know I should've done it with the older stuff first, it would make more sense. Maybe... too much sense...).

The Books - Take Time
2003
A soft tune about patience, mixed in with sound byte samples of what appears to be old, educational science after school specials.

Jens Lekman - Black Cab
2003
Sweden's Jens (pronounced Yens) writes a somber and not so sober tune about a never-ending night in which he continues to quote Talking Heads, The Smiths, among other influential Euro/US pop bands of yesteryear.

Joanna Newsom - Peace, Plum, Pear
2004
Delectably cute. Sounds like it's being sung by a 6 year old girl, though it's lyrical content is somewhat mature. The keyboard sounds like an old Nintendo soundtrack and it's meoldy is just plain fruitful.

The Hold Steady - Stuck Between Stations
2006
Hey, we played this one on the show! I like to think it's a response to The Replacements' "Left Of The Dial", maybe the after party, if The 'Mats ever had one. Jim once said, "Rock 'n' roll isn't dead; all of it's just being done by The Hold Steady".

Liars - The Other Side Of Mt. Heart Attack
2006
Starts out slow, but picks up, and manages to stay in control throughout. A post-shoegaze ballad of love in transit. It's a nice one; I'm not lying.

Well I got more beer to drink and more chapters to read. The Pitchfork 500 is out now on bookshelves everywhere. Even if you don't want to buy it, just give it a brief look through. It's only flaw: no pictures! Disappointing, but hey, it's just like studying, somewhat...

Part 2 coming whenever I am free.

Dear Pop Stars,

Take a lesson from a true performer...

2 AM (Now Almost 3) "Futhermore...":

Uh...What???

"The Brit Awards". Oh nine. Well, at least Kings of Leon won something. After all the overly-flamboyant outfits were worn and the slaughtered English language dribbled out of a bunch of proper bloakes' pie-holes, all that remained were the results. Check them out at Stereogum.

*I like to think our blog is just an annoying shortcut icon to a much larger being.

New Video: Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler

Late night Stereogum catch-up sessions,
you prompt yet another 2 AM post.

Anyone who listens to our show understands this (if nothing else): Big Jim likes to get nostalgic about the old world of professional wrestling, circa late 80's to mid 90's. It's something that all little boys got sucked into. We had to let our childish anger out somehow, why not by power-bombing our brothers onto sofa pillows while the Saturday Night main event glared on our TV's in the background? That world may be staged and fake, but for little kids, it gets a hold on you and the memories can last. Maybe shape your life. But hey, that's TV & kids 101.

So The Wrestler is a great movie. And Bruce's track "The Wrestler", was written for Mickey Rourke and whatever friendship they have going on (CORRECTION, or maybe correction: Jim tells me the director asked Bruce to write it. Regardless, it's magic). I've talked about this before. But hey - now there's a video for it. Watch it yourselves. I have it below (thanks YouTube). The video makes me realize a few things: 1. Bruce is looking old in this one; the slicked back hair is not rejuvenating him by any means. 2. Marissa Tomei = still hot. 3. Pro Wrestlers may have more out-of-the-ring struggles than one would think; just watch the video, or better yet, go see the damn movie! And 4. It brings back the memory and paints a picture of the moments one spends, alone, in a dark gym, reflecting on years past, reflecting on the what was and what might have been, and it pumps blood back into your cold veins as you wait for sleep. Don't get me going about high school track, now.

Grapple with The Boss!? You'd lose, punk.

"Working On A Dream" is out now. It's one of The Boss's best. Allright, let's hear it for comebacks!

Sixteen.

"We were born to sin."

This Week...On Never Mind the Mainstream. February 20, 2009:

"This is the story of the age of alternative rock, when a handful of bands restored authenticity, meaning, and passion to the music. And the lasting legacy of the artist who continues to cast a powerful shadow over the whole of rock."

Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie Cover)

Kurt Cobain would be 42 years old when our show airs on Friday.
R.I.P. The Last Great Rock Star.

Tune in. Friday. 6-8 PM. @ kur.kutztown.edu. Thank you.

NMTM Presents: Songs You've Never Heard Vol. 1

Coming Soon...

Working On A Dream: The NMTM Review

Trust me, this picture needs to be big.

Okay, so this is a pretty "mainstream" thing of me to do, but I believe New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen, The Boss, deserves an album review for his latest release, titled "Working On A Dream". In a nutshell, this record is incredible. It's another one of those "return to form" records from legendary artists that are apparently all the rage right now. There really is not a dull moment on this one; each song is unique and it's really a great mix of hard and soft, fast and slow, moving and suspenseful tunes. And if your lazy like me, you can pretty much stop reading right now, but I leave you this one last thing: Go buy this record. Don't just download it. You need this. You want this in your collection. You desire the sleeve. This is rock 'n' roll and an all over great record. Here's the track list, and with it, I'll comment a sentence or two about each.

1. Outlaw Pete
(The record opens with 8-minute long Western tale of a true bad ass. A shady character keeps his emotions pretty tight. Just a son of a gun who lives a life of crime just because it's a lifestyle.)

2. My Lucky Day
(Bruce has seen a lot of tough stuff in his life, but every now and again, he gets lucky. I saw he's pretty happy now-a-days. This song is triumph of the fortunate day.)

3. Working On A Dream
(The title track. I'm not sure what else The Boss has to prove anymore in his career, maybe to just defy age and limitations. Regardless, very nice bit right here. Performed at the Super Bowl, too.)

4. Queen Of The Supermarket
(Okay, this is a GOOD song. Maybe not lyrically, but it's sharp. Haters beware. This blogger is a fan of the whacked-out ladies that make it into memorable songs.)

5. What Love Can Do
(So good it was played on our show. A Valentine's Day treat for sure. Reminiscent of Magic's "I'll Work For Your Love". Bruce is still proving to people the power of love.)

6. This Life
(A heavy track. One of Bruce's strongest vocals on the entire record. What else can you expect?)

7. Good Eye
(How about just a great Southern track. Bruce's vocals are skewed on this harmonic tune. An ode to BB King and the blues of the deep south.)

8. Tom morrow Never Knows
(The unexpected is something that comes up in a lot of good songwriting; surprisingly, it's easy to talk about being unaware of life's journeys to come. I can see Bruce singing this song to a young person, possibly a kid, who's not sure of where he's being taken to on his life. But hey, kid, no one really knows.)

9. Life Itself
(Pretty rough and tumble. Great guitar work on this piece. If Bruce is "working on a dream", then perhaps "Life Itself" is the moment at which you wake up and realize that your faced with reality once again. A bitter defeat.)

10. Kingdom Of Days
(A great love song. A tribute to timeless romance when your with someone who seems to diminish seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Pivotal lyrics: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I do, you whispered, "then prove it, then prove it, then prove it, to me baby blue".)

11. Surprise, Surprise
(My personal favorite. Happiest tune on the album. Surprise's can be a lot of fun; and this is a birthday song to anyone to anyone who thought The Boss was too old to make you smile.)

12. The Last Carnival
(Carnies deserve a love story. Bruce knows how hard a true working man can live his life. This song ends the album with a sundown of chorus lines and peace.)

13. Bonus Track: The Wrestler
(Written for Mickey Rourke and the great, great movie that bares the title of the song, this might be the saddest song I have ever heard, let alone Bruce's. If nothing else on this record, you need to listen to "The Wrestler".)

Well that's all I got on this one. Album reviews aren't terrible tough to do, but they are time consuming. Luckily, I have nothing else to do on Sundays, other than to fold laundry and listen to life, one record at a time.

Come on, open your eyes, and let your love shine down!

February 13, 2009 (Playlist)

Now that's romantic...and spooky.

February 13, 2009 (Playlist):
“Our Fifteenth Show: Friday The 13th/Valentine’s Day Edition!”

Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
Interpol – Evil
Coheed & Cambria – The Velourium Camper III: Al The Killer
Cursive – Bloody Murderer
Mark Mulcahy – Jason
Chad VanGaalen – Molten Light
R.E.M. – The One I Love
My Morning Jacket – Thank You, Too
The Pixies – La La Love You
Blink-182 – Josie
The Cure – Lovesong

The Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way
Paul Westerberg – Love Untold
Jeff Mangum – I Love How You Love Me (Bobby Vinton Cover) (Live)
Bruce Springsteen – What Love Can Do
The Avett Brothers – If It’s The Beaches
Daft Punk – Something About Us
Björk – All Is Full Of Love
The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Elected – Would You Come With Me?
Radiohead – True Love Waits (Live)
Morrissey – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Live)

*Background music consisted of various scary and love songs from: The Darkness, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Joy Division, New Order, The Teenagers, & many others. Both an eerie & lovely mix.

Here on NMTM, we like to mix things up every now and again with a special-themed edition of our award-winning show. With Friday the 13th at foot and Valentine's Day on the horizon, we had a hodgepodge show of sorts: 1/4 horrifying and frightening tunes, and 3/4 cutesy, love songs. We had to put more romantic tunes on our show because we're America's sweethearts and no one takes us seriously when we try to be mean. At least we think so. We had some new cuts from MMJ, VanGaalen, and The Boss! Springsteen's back! We also had our fair share of classic standards, which featured Echo, R.E.M. (who we've played every show so far this semester - so if your a fan, your in luck!), The Pixies, The Police, and much more! We have to get out Podcast up and running so if you missed out, you can catch up. Thanks again to all our callers and IMers, especially Jim's grandparents, which was a fun and embarrassing surprise. Tune in next week for a regular random assortment of great alternative and indie rock. Happy Valentine's Day! From the two of us at NMTM to all you: We love you.

Oh, Valentine's Day: How Bizzare, How Bizzare.

Our Fifteenth Show Is Lovely...And Deadly!

Feeling both aroused AND spooked at the same time is completely normal. More information on the show coming tomorrow.
I have a huge paper ahead of me tonight. Jealous?

UPDATE: My paper is done, the weekend has begun, and I'm ready to break off a bit of this preview. I'm starting to enjoy the delayed posts. Okay, let's light this candle.

Tomorrow is a bit of a hybrid day: not only are people desperately trying to pull together a last minute, sweet Valentine's Day gift/idea for that special girl or guy, but it's also Friday the 13th! Talk about a frightful and potentially unlucky time in people's lives. Here at Never Mind the Mainstream, we're going to exploit these hodgepodge of emotions with a special edition of our program: 1/4 Friday the 13th special, 3/4 Valentine's Day special! It's a clever mix and we're just clever enough to pull it off into a superb show.

So take a look at the poster: Mulcahy. Interpol. DAFT PUNK. My Morning Jacket. Phew. We got some oldies, some newbies, and a bunch of other tunes that fit either which occasion. We'll be taking calls and requests all show long. So as always, tune in at kur.kutztown.edu and either call in at (610)-683-4058 or IM us @ KURRequest. We'd love to sweet talk you, then spook you. See how much fun we can have with this? Tune in! It'll be a blast!

Mike Pop's Take On The Gram-Grams

You would win a lot, wouldn't you?

*SPOILER ALERT: I get angry.
And I'm just doing a Top 10 moment-thingy.

UPDATE!: Okay, here we go.

10. Big thanks to Stevie Wonder for babysitting the Jonas Brothers. Sucks, but someone had to do it. I'm thrilled that they walked away with nothing.

9. The "Hip-Hop Summit". 4 of the best rappers today: Kanye West, T.I., Jay-Z, & Lil Wayne. All big egos, all decent rhymes. Respect for the godfathers and pioneers? For some, but not for all.

8. Carrie Underwood is incredibly hot and her dress was semi-see-through. Country music isn't really my bag, but she sure is. Her performance was good and I'm sure it made a bunch of hick girls very proud.

7. Zoey Deschanel introduces Alison Krauss & Robert Plant at the Grammy's? Why? She's cute, but she's taken, sadly. Ben Gibbard, for the great dude that you are, why couldn't you have remained chunky?

6. M.I.A.: Comic relief.

5. I learned that Taylor Swift is 19. Perfectly legal. Perfectly lethal.

4. Alison Krause & Robert Plant won EVERYTHING. The dude from Led Zep? The girl's attractive and I like to see old people win. That's why I love the Price Is Right (never miss an episode). Is this the year of the comeback? Mickey Rourke and now Robert Plant? Just you wait, Michael Jackson. Just keep away from the kids and stick to pop music. King of Pop? Dethroned. Take over from Lil Wayne. Yes, hip hop is pop now.

3. Radiohead (well, Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood) perform with the USC marching band. Shit, if I had known being a band geek would pay off this way, I wouldn't have given up the saxophone. Twice. Best performance of the night. Hands down.

2. (Look at Jim's post, the one previous to mine. A lot of non-televised awards went out to great artists. Way to go, Bruce! Justice! Kings Of Leon! Radiohead! ... And Tom Petty? Well, uh, okay! Although, Colbert losing for Best Spoken Word is a heartbreaker. "GORE!!!")

1. Lastly, none of the horrible bands/artists won! THE GRAMMY'S WERE NOT ABOUT WHO WON, BUT ABOUT WHO DIDN'T WIN! THANK GOD THE JONAS BROTHERS LOST. AS DID RIHANNA. SAME GOES FOR T.I. & LIL WAYNE (I think he only won Best Hip Hop Record). So Krauss & Plant stole the show. They also preformed like, a million and a half times. I'm happy for them, but the song, "Please Read The Letter"? Mediocre at best. Sorry, but see, this is why I'm not a critic. Yet. SPOILER ALERT: I don't become a critic/taken seriously on any level of professionalism.

"Don't worry, folks, we'll put out another shitty, Anti-American record for all the teenagers to buy next year. Keep your eyes on us.
Love, the Q-Tips."

Okay, so there you have it. Most of the performances were good, the awards went so-so, and as predicted, Radiohead got robbed. Friend of the blog, John Mayer, picked up Best Male Vocals in a Song (your welcome for the NMTM Bump, sir). Whitney Houston looked drugged up as any other day. The Rock needs to go back to wrestling. Katy Perry's performance was God-awful but her eyes are big ... you'll get it later. Also, Kanye's new hair looks like Eddie Winslow with a half mullet. Just not good. At all. The awards weren't as good as last years, but hey, we're in a recession. Not just in the economy, but in almost all aspects of life. Roll with it people. Next year: better. I hope.

There, There, Radiohead. Let's hope for a better turn out with the next record.

Winners Worth Mentioning...

So the Grammy's last night were, well, kinda lame. The nights highlight Radiohead (Thom and Johnny at least) playing "15 Step" with the USC Trojans Marching Band. Also, Thom Yorke put on a clinic with those dance moves. But while Lil' Wayne won an award that Lupe Fiasco should've won (yes, I said it) here are the winners worth mentioning...

• Best Rock Song: Bruce Springsteen, "Girls In Their Summer Clothes"
• Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Kings Of Leon, "Sex On Fire"
• Best Alternative Music Album: Radiohead, In Rainbows
• Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Estelle Featuring Kanye West, "American Boy"
• Best Short Form Music Video: Weezer, "Pork And Beans"
• Best Long Form Music Video: Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, "Runnin' Down A Dream" ???????
• Best Electronic/Dance Album: Daft Punk, Alive 2007
• Best Dance Recording: Daft Punk, "Harder Better Faster Stronger"
• Best Musical Album for Children: They Might Be Giants, Here Come The 123s
• Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: MGMT, "Electric Feel," Justice Remix (Justice, remixers)
• Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: In Rainbows
• Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: James Newton Howard And Hans Zimmer, The Dark Knight
• Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Juno

Note: As far as I know, none of these awards were televised. Yay America!

DANCE THOM! DANCE!

The Biggest Night In Music (Besides Every Friday)

Get ready for another year of major disappointments and heavy robbing. I'm hyped though. I'm pulling for Radiohead. Word on the streets is that they'll be playing with a marching band. Interesting, but not new. Let's get the gold! In Rainbows - Album of the Year! RECKONER FTW! And Bruce, you gotta take Best Rock Vocal Performance for "Girls In Their Rummer Clothes" or the Grammy's are un-American.

Tune in tonight, on CBS, at 8, for the 51 Annual Grammy Awards. Performances by a bunch of shitty acts besides Katy Perry, M.I.A. (she's due for her baby tonight. Drama!), & Radiohead. Recap and reaction tomorrow. Take a deep breath and get ready to be saddened.

Forget about the Grammy's, and I'll do mine.

February 6, 2009 (Playlist)

February 6, 2009 (Playlist):
“Our Fourteenth Show!”

Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My Skull
The La’s – There She Goes
Los Campesinos! – Death To Los Campesinos!
Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
Modest Mouse – Trailer Trash
I’m From Barcelona – Paper Planes
Feist – I Feel It All
The Mountain Goats – The Boys Are Back In Town/Ignition (Remix) (Thin Lizzy/R. Kelly Cover)
Pela – Tenement Teeth
Interpol – Obstacle 2
Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why
Pearl Jam – Life Wasted

The Replacements – Left Of The Dial
Black Flag – Rise Above
Veruca Salt – Seether
Rilo Kiley – The Absence Of God
Wilco – Passenger Side
Bloc Party – Letter To My Son
R.E.M. – I Took Your Name
Angus & Julia Stone – Just A Boy
Elvis Costello – Radio, Radio
Tokyo Police Club – Nursery Academy
Joy Division - Digital

*Background music consisted of various songs from: CSS, Gin Blossoms, The Hold Steady, Miracle Legion, Peter Gabriel, Soundgarden, & many others. A solid mix.

Round 2 of this semester was a big K.O.! We had a great time doing this show. Everything seemed to click and we were on a roll, until a slight technical failure during the I'm From Barcelona tune. Only a small misstep in our stride though. We had a ton of great callers and people who IMed us, who always make the show more enjoyable than it already is. We also provided a sweet collection of new and old tunes, especially the latest from The Moz! And Kings Of Leon! Furthermore, we had a nice, little contest to see who could tell us what other song was sampled in The Mountain Goats' "Cover Song of the Week", but sadly, no one was correct (it's not Ignition...it's Ignition REMIX!). Anyway, you're all winners if you heard the program. Thanks for tuning in and make sure you tune in again next week for another great set only on KUR!

**As promised on the show, the I'm From Barcelona music video:

Tonight, Tune In...Or We're Not Buds!

Tune in and never fade that dial!



By the way this was our 100th post. I wish there was something more exciting to say, but we'll talk about it tonight on our show. So tune in!

Everybody DANCE!: Flosstradamus.

What's up with electro-pop these days? Who are the kings of the castle? There are so many sub-genres and flavors-of-the-week, so I'm not sure who has staying power or who's just getting their 15 minutes of fame. Regardless, Subterranean, you earn a gold star for playing this video on your show a few weeks back. This band is cool and this girl is cute. A lethal combination. Everyone dance, it's 2,009!

Flosstradamus (Feat. Caroline Polacheck) - Big Bills

Spendin' all yo money on me, a-on me.

Dear WRXP...

Can I have a job? School is tough and I just want to DJ. I'll take anything shift. Okay, thanks! Seriously, NYC now has a legit alternative rock station (even though they play some of the classics from time to time, but hey, you gotta appreciate it.) Plus, they have Matt Pinfield! The legendary Pinfield! Ex-120 Minutes host Pinfield! God, I wish I could be him. WRXP, "Discover new rock - now".
Here's the link:

www.1019rxp.com

This is a lovely discovery. This rekindles my faith in rock radio. True rock radio. WRXP, expect a call from me. You are amazing. Everyone, listen to the web stream.
You will be pleased!


Pinfield (in the mornings!) be praised!

We're Pesky Teenagers - Our Fourteenth Show!

We got some drone and we got some moan. Bask in it.

Safe to say, our first show back was a smash. A triumphant return to the airwaves. The start of a new era! Bring on the new messiahs! We had a killer time and had such a wild mix of music (check out yesterday's post if you missed out, dumb-dumb). Also, big ups to all our callers and IMers who graced us with their words and thoughts and other human characteristics on Friday. We love the fans and hopefully the fans love us back just as much. Never Mind the Mainstream and the people - a most agreeable partnership.

You want a heads-up? You want a tip? Here's a tip: don't drink and drive. But in regards to our upcoming show THIS FRIDAY FROM 6-8 PM ON KUR!, here's who we'll be playing, even though the poster is a dead give-a-way (as it should be): classic Joy Division, modern Wilco, and brand-spankin' new Morrissey and Kings Of Leon! Oh yes, the Moz is back! Aging 80's teens rejoyce (Mike Joyce?). Holy hell...why would you even think about doing anything else on your Friday night?

We want YOU to call into the studio at (610)-683-4058; or IM us at KURRequest, so that we can harass you on the air and critize your taste in music. All requests for more Afrika Bambaata are more than acceptable. C-ya then, folks!

P.S. Unless your in this state, refrain from calling in.
But if your sober, the earlier the better!

Another YouTube hit! Hooray for funny, little kids!

January 30, 2008 (Playlist)

January 30, 2008 (Playlist):
"Our Thirteenth Show: Never Mind the Mainstream Returns!"

Death Cab For Cutie – The New Year
Blur – Song 2
The Killers – Spaceman
The Thermals – An Ear For Baby
Sonic Youth – Rain On Tin
The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations
Lily Allen – The Fear (Edit)
The B.P.A. (Feat. David Byrne & Dizzy Rascal) – Toe Jam (Edit)
team9 vs. Stereogum – Lockdown Shelter (Kanye West Vs. The Rolling Stones)
Dead Man’s Bones – In The Room Where You Sleep

The Replacements – Perfectly Lethal
Pavement – Gold Soundz
CSS – Cannonball (The Breeders Cover)
The Pixies – Holiday Song
Streetlight Manifesto – Somewhere In The Between
Delta Spirit – Trashcan
The Only Ones – Another Girl, Another Planet
The National – All The Wine
R.E.M. – We Walk (Live)
The Clash – Clampdown

*Background music consisted of various songs from: Afrika Bambaata, Bloc Party, Brian Eno, D.N.A., Gorillaz, Herbie Hancock, & others.

What an epic return! Thanks to EVERYONE who tuned in/called us/IMed us/had us in their thoughts. Running a show is always a little rusty after about a month or so out of the studio, but The Natch and I pulled off a pretty decent program and we hope you all enjoyed what we had for you! We dropped new tunes from The Killers, Lily Allen, The B.P.A. (Feat. David Byrne & Dizzy Rascal), & Dead Man’s Bones. We also spun a mash-up (Kanye West's "Love Lockdown" Vs. The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter"), an album outtake (The Replacements), and an early live recording (R.E.M.)! And if that wasn't enough to make you go nuts, we also played a sick cover (CSS doing "Cannonball"? What?) and a range of classic and modern tunes from some of the best players in the game. Next Friday is our second show of the semester and we're bringing the rock, so stay tuned to NMtM only on Kutztown University Radio!