All Points West Announced! Praise Jersey!

Holy shit.

Folks, Jersey is known for a few great things in rock 'n' roll: The Boss, naturally. And with that comes The Stone Pony. We also got Billy Joel, Yo La Tengo, Taking Back Sunday, and some idiots that call themselves My Chemical Romance. Now that's just a small handful. And recently, Jersey City (New York City's awkward cousin from across the pond) has opened up it's gritty arms to The All Points West Music & Arts Festival. Now last year, it was headlined by Radiohead and Jack Johnson. Impressive, Newj. Though I'm sure most people left after Radiohead corrupted the guidos who thought they were heading to a legit beach site. So anyway, this line-up looks great. Stereogum's got the rap. $199 for the whole weekend, $89 for any which specific day. My money's going on Saturday. Kool Keith, Tokyo Police Club, The Ting Tings, Arctic Monkeys, Gogol Bordello, (Tool), and most importantly, TIM & ERIC, all in one venue, is going to fucking rule. Sorry for the rash language, but we are talking about great music in New Jersey here. I am putting my cash down Friday, April 3rd, which is when tickets go on sale. New Jersey and All Points West, I have a feeling this once small fest is going to continue to blow up and gain more credibility, especially with this magnificent weekend line-up. It's going to be a sick summer!

(Plus I'll be 21. I will be poor, if not homeless, but next September.)

Radiohead brings "Idioteque" to Jersey City back in '08.

March 27, 2009 (Playlist)

March 27, 2009 (Playlist):
"Our Nineteenth Show!"

Happy Mondays – 24 Hour Party People
Pavement – Cut Your Hair
Beck – Replica
Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! – Is This Love?
The Ramones – I Wanna Be Sedated
David Bowie – Space Oddity
Vampire Weekend – One (Blake’s Got A New Face)
Arcade Fire – Wake Up (Acoustic)
Pinback – Penelope
The National – So Far Around The Bend
U2 – New Year’s Day

Justin Towles Earle – Can’t Hardly Wait (The Replacements Cover)
Radiohead – Reckoner
Bat For Lashes – Daniel
MGMT – The Youth
Ida Maria – I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked
Longwave – There’s A Fire
Belle & Sebastian – Get Me Out Of Here, I’m Dying
Foals – Olympic Airways
The Mountain Goats – No Children
Pearl Jam – Even Flow (Edit)
Heatmiser – See You Later

*Background music consisted of various old school hip hop jams from various pioneers in the game, ranging from Kurtis Blow, The Sugar Hill Gang, and Grandmaster Flash to Run D.M.C., LL Cool J, and The Beastie Boys.

Another great edition of NMTM in the books! The program keeps getting better and better with each new show. Though our shadower was a bit shy about being put on the air, Jim and I had enough to energy and enthusiasm to keep the show alive and fresh. New tunes came your way via Beck, The National, and Bat For Lashes. Also, take a look at our classics: Happy Mondays, The Ramones, David Bowie, and U2. We had some great callers (as always), great discussions, and we all had some good laughs. Spring is in full swing and NMTM has never been brighter. Tune in next week for another great set. And keep up the IMs and phone calls! The fans make the show!

Pearl Jam reissued "Ten". This should be the official video for "Even Flow".

What the Hell are you Waiting for?

Watch this right now.

The show is almost as old as we are! Number 19!

Friday is a mighty day. It's the jump start kicker to your weekend, and you should behave as such: relax, drink, be merry, and LISTEN TO THE BEST OF YESTERDAY'S, TODAY'S, (AND TOMORROW'S) ALTERNATIVE AND INDIE ROCK 'N' ROLL! And that includes Punk Rock, Post-Punk, New Wave, Goth Rock, Shoegaze, Grunge, Britpop, Twee Pop, Electroclash and oh so many more sub genres; and you can hear the greatest artists of these styles on Never Mind the Mainstream! We thrive off the underground sounds of bands like Pinback, Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah!, and Belle & Sebastian, and we'll showcase their music this week on the program. Also, we have a great line-up of classic tunes, starting with the Queens first family of punk rock - The Ramones! This show will also feature background music from the pioneers of hip-hop. That's right - old school rap, people. Listen in tomorrow, FRIDAY, 6-8 PM, on KUR! (kur.kutztown.edu - that's our webstream!). And like we always say, feel free to call in at (610)-683-4058 or IM us at KURRequest. We'll be taking callers all show long. See you then!

Bloc Rocks Letterman

"Never mind Hugh Laurie, here's The Bloc Party!"

Bloc Party took over the last five minutes of The Late Show with David Letterman last night. In fact, I had no idea they were going to be on. I thought I had my Bloc fill, until Jim texted me and told me to tune it. So I did, and I hoped to hear "Signs". Instead, I got "One Month Off". Fair trade. Anyway, I miss the days when the bands were interviewed. I don't care how shy they are - Russel, you best speak when spoken to! So their version last night was what one can honestly expect in front of a crowd that doesn't know the music or moves around at all. Kele's vocals were clear; though I sensed some strain. Everyone else was at their peak. Kele also went into some gross, girly-high pitched voice during the "Lies, lies, lies!" part, like he did at the live show in Philly. I'm not so thrilled about that, but you know what, it's something new. And here's something that's not new: Stereogum beat us to the punch, although they're pretty much raving over the fact that Bloc's "Intimacy" is going to be remixed, like "Silent Alarm" was a few years back. Promising development. Here's the video. Peace.

I'm still iffy about the album art. I miss the woods!

The official video:


P.S. Apparently Morrissey was on Jimmy Fallon's show. I could not stay up late enough, nor get through the awkward monologue in the beginning, to see it.

Concert: Bloc Party (Live at The Electric Factory: 3/21/09)

Photos by Jim Adair. Most of them are sick, just like this one.

Well indie-lovers, Bloc Party played a live show, with openers Longwave, Saturday night at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia. Months of anticipation boiled down to one epic experience: our third Bloc encounter in three years (pretty impressive streak if I do say so myself). Instead of a writing a huge review, Jim and I decided it'd be good to just import our AIM conversation about the show onto the blog. Innovators - just like Kele and Co. Here's what we came up with (and we're giving out our real screen names! Above and beyond, we go):

truthoradair88: hi sir
mpops88: word up
mpops88: lets talk bloc
truthoradair88: sounds good
mpops88: hold on, i'm putting "letter to my son" on right now
truthoradair88: first off before we start
mpops88: oh, we've already begun
truthoradair88: lady from pela management said shes gonna set up an interview and will get back to me with a day and time
truthoradair88: and we have begun
mpops88: sick as hell
mpops88: good shit
truthoradair88: since im sitting here rockin a KIR
mpops88: haha
mpops88: okay, so the show, it was pretty fucking sweet. 3rd time bloc's played in philly...that we've attended
truthoradair88: yessir, and i agree it was sweet, though i wish we got tulips and once and future like DC
mpops88: yeah man, i'm a little jealous
truthoradair88: i def am
truthoradair88: especially since that happens every time
mpops88: how many times did we scream once and future king? so many times
mpops88: they were not having it
truthoradair88: the first time we saw them, they deputed once and future the show after that, and last time, intimacy came out like 2 weeks later
truthoradair88: debuted*
truthoradair88: i dont know what deputed is
mpops88: haha me neither
mpops88: yeah, it was great seeing the intimacy tracks live
mpops88: what was your favorite intimacy song that they played?
truthoradair88: ares was especially amazing
truthoradair88: ares
truthoradair88: well i dont know actually
mpops88: the lighting for that was insane. felt like the band was being abducted by a ufo
truthoradair88: halo was sick, but ares, with the location it was in the setlist and how they brought it up an extra notch at the end was perfect
truthoradair88: and with kele coming right next to me in the crowd during the bridge was amazing
mpops88: haha i knew he was gonna come out sometime
truthoradair88: what was your favorite weekend in the city track they played
mpops88: hunting for witches always sells it for me. so much energy. but waiting for the 7.18 was nuts. thats actually when i crowd surfed and did a backflip onto security. the next time i tried that it would end up with me in a headlock from one of those big dudes
truthoradair88: yea he was not having it
mpops88: haha "take it easy bro"
truthoradair88: yea hunting for witches was epic as always
truthoradair88: song for clay was great as well
truthoradair88: i like it more as a mid-set song than an opener
mpops88: i'm never usually too high on that one
mpops88: yeah true
truthoradair88: the "east london" part does it for me every time
mpops88: kele's dance moves during mercury was memorable. had a lot of fun with that one. mer-mer-mer-mercuy's in retrograde
truthoradair88: yea, he was breaking it down during ares too, but mercury was great. especially when he wrapped up the dude in the smoosh shirt who looked like bob mould
mpops88: hahaha
mpops88: the softer tunes were really great. signs, so here we are, and this modern love. perfect
truthoradair88: yea, tml was great as a closer too
truthoradair88: although i gotta say, even more so than letter to my son, where is home got the majority of the audience's "huh?" vote for the night
truthoradair88: i was surprised at how many people just had no clue what it was
mpops88: haha agreed man. where is home gave me a chance to catch my breath, even though i was pretty much wiped up and covered in sweat after the first 3 songs. plus longwave was a good opener and i was pumped for them too
truthoradair88: yea longwave shocked me, but we've had a streak of some amazing openers
mpops88: true, macabees and noisettes in '07, does it offend you yeah in '08, and now longwave
truthoradair88: and just in general.....smoosh, meligrove band, mobius band, a.a. bondy
mpops88: pissed they wouldn't play "there's a fire". haha except they did say "not a good thing to be said in a large crowd"
mpops88: yeah man
mpops88: bloc eletrified philly. hands down. the crowd came ready to dance and the band came ready to jam
truthoradair88: yea, they were just not about that at all
truthoradair88: true, and kele and matt really seemed to enjoy themselves, even as russel and gordon were as stoic as ever
mpops88: true, russel's a robot. no smile. no talking. nothing. damn
mpops88: glad to see gordon again; he brings alot to the group. saw it most in the prayer
truthoradair88: but gordon is a stoicly awesome handsome man
mpops88: haha
mpops88: ok, so if you had one dissapointment, if any, what was it
truthoradair88: yea and ares and positive tension
truthoradair88: that ion square, though on the setlist, was not played
mpops88: ah! i was just thinking that
mpops88: i always get my hopes for a rarite, but i try to be realistic. i think one of mine was not even with the band itself. i think some people in the crowd were real douchebags and some of the chicks didn't know how to act. such a sad sight. you come to a bloc show, expect to get pushed
mpops88: *rarity
truthoradair88: exactly, especially if you are up against the rail
mpops88: alright, so to sum it up, give your favorite moment, and on a scale from 1 to 10, how was the show
truthoradair88: twas an 8.5 just because i have seen better in past years, it comes close to the last time we saw bloc which i would give a nine
mpops88: very nice. yeah last time was a little bit better. better setlist, at least. dude, i'll give the show an 8. and the best part was the beginning of helicopter. i had never seen a crowd so alive. also after helicopter, i had never heard such a loud applaus. i felt like they had to turn down the sound of the entire place. fucking insane.
truthoradair88: and my favorite moment was easily ares
mpops88: very good
mpops88: and its always good to see a good band, good show with multiple buds. just made it better. now i need to wash my sweaty t&e shirt. it is still stanky.
truthoradair88: yea it exploded
mpops88: god bless bloc party
truthoradair88: and that is all that needs to be said
truthoradair88: haha

So there you have it. A great conversation about a great experience. For pictures, check out Jim's Facebook photos here. (Hope that's cool, man, Ha-ha). And thanks to Blog Party, we got the setlist, and we'll use their video, too!:

1. One Month Off
2. Trojan Horse
3. Hunting For Witches
4. Positive Tension
5. Signs
6. Waiting For The 7.18
7. Song For Clay (Disappear Here)
8. Banquet
9. Where Is Home?
10. Letter To My Son
11. Mercury
12. So Here We Are
13. The Prayer

(Encore)
14. Halo
15. Price Of Gasoline
16. Flux
17. Helicopter

(Second Encore)
18. Ares
19. This Modern Love

The lights flashing during "Flux" definitely gave me a seizure.

And finally, I leave you with an image that can sum up the entire evening:

Thank you, and good night.

March 20, 2009 (Playlist)

March 20, 2009 (Playlist):
"Our Eighteenth Show!"

We Are Scientists – After Hours
R.E.M. – Ghost Rider (Suicide Cover)
Modest Mouse – Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
The Jim Carroll Band – People Who Died
Cursive – I Couldn’t Love You
The Black Keys – Strange Times
P. Diddy – Diddy
The Field Mice – Emma’s House
The Hold Steady – Curves & Nerves
Gang Of Four – Damaged Goods
St. Vincent – The Strangers

Miracle Legion – Madison Park
Elliott Smith – L.A.
Cat Power – Fool
Tom Waits – Singapore
The Postal Service – There’s Never Enough Time
The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl
The Clash – The Magnificent Seven (Live)
Devo – Through Being Cool
Bad Brains – Pay To Cum!
Tokyo Police Club – Juno
Justice – Never Be Alone
The White Stripes – Dead Leaves And Dirty Ground

*Background music consisted of various instrumentals songs from Bloc Party's past three records: "Silent Alarm", "A Weekend In The City", and most recently, "Intimacy", in honor of their live show at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Saturday night. It was biblical.

I know we always say that our show is pretty diverse, but seriously, this edition had EVERYTHING! On the first day of Spring, NMTM delivered. First, let me just say, Jim's surprise dedication of P. Diddy's "Diddy" to his brother, was awesome. Happy 22nd Birthday, Shamus! Moving on: this show was very smooth and solid. We really didn't have any slip ups, which is rare for any college radio show. Our shadower was new this week and helped us with a few announcements and we hope he learned a thing or two about KUR. Our poster depicts what we had in store and the playlist above fills in the rest. We actually had more than enough time to get through our entire list, so Jim grabbed his favorite White Stripes tune and we let it rip on 88.3. We had some hip-hop, some dance, some indie, some punk, and some straight up rock 'n' roll. We hope you all enjoyed. And in case you were wondering, Bloc Party did not disappoint. They brought their A-Game and looked to really enjoy themselves (double encore!). The crowd was rowdy and danced the whole night away. This was our third in a row seeing the band and they put on an amazing live gig. A must-see. So thanks for tuning in/calling in/IMing us and we'll be back next week with another great set!

"AM, The FM, The PM, too; turnin' out the bugaloo."

We have launched on Twitter!

Yes, we have succumbed to this "Twitter" deal. Apparently, it's all the rage (among both normal people and bored politicians). Now, to "tweet", I guess we have to update this thing via our phones or just on the site, regardless, it's going to take some getting used to. It's pretty much just like the Facebook status update thing. By the way, Facebook's new format is a sin. Don't go on it unless your truly addicted, like I am. So instead of bitting your nails during March Madness games or frolicking in the new Spring season (a little sad to see Winter go), check out our Twitter page for updates and things of that sort:

http://twitter.com/NMTMCollegeRock
See, we're taking IBS notes to heart already. Just takes awhile.

Here's a little screenshot of what we've got so far:



The technology these days. It'll be the death of us all.

"Bruuuuuce" On The Daily Show

"Thank you, Jon."

Bruce Springsteen came on the show tonight, and this being one of my favorite shows anyway, I had to tune in. Only I tuned in a little too late, like towards the end of the interview where Jon Stewart talks about his own New Jersey experiences, and you just know that Springsteen's going "you think you had it bad, funny guy", in his head. This had been advertised for a while and I was wondering what song he was going to play. I knew it had to be something off the latest record. I crossed my fingers for "Surprise, Surprise", which should replace "Happy Birthday" at all birthday functions in society from this point on. I was also pulling for my new favorite, "Life Itself", but hey, I don't call the shots. Instead he played the title track, "Working On A Dream". And by the way, if you haven't read my album review, check it out here. It's one of my favorites of 2009 so far. I'm glad The Boss is getting a brand new, younger fan base. These songs are good and it's not often we see a legend comeback with such great material. Beat this star-studded, quick response post, Stereogum! And I'm sure the YouTube video will be up tomorrow. Until then, enjoy this retro, but beautiful acoustic performance.

I Believe In Darius.

Stereogum beat me to the punch ... this time. And since I already posted today, I'll leave you with a video of Hootie (he hates that) and Calexico covering "I Believe" at a pre-show, before a shit ton of artists covered R.E.M. tunes for a tribute concert at Carnegie Hall last week. And the Stereogum link, too. Enjoy.

"I believe...I only wanna be with youuu"


Linkeage:
R.E.M. Joins Patti Smith's R.E.M. Tribute

God, someone have a torrent of this. I know it's illegal, I do not care. That track list is SICK.

Our 18th Show Is Tomorrow Night! Powered by BLOC!

Guys, I'm telling you right now - we got a real special show lined up for tomorrow. From 6-8 PM, we're playing one of most decorated mixes of classic, modern, rare, and unheard-of tunes the airwaves have ever experienced. Spring has sprung and we're ready to start fresh. We got new tunes from The Black Keys, St. Vincent, & The Clash. Our poster paints the rest. And all our bed music will be Bloc Party instrumentals from all three of their records, in honor of their show in Philadelphia on Saturday night. We're pumped. So make sure you tune in, 6-8 PM, FRIDAY, @ kur.kutztown.edu. IM us @ KURRequest or call in at (610)-683-4058.

Catch you then!

March 13, 2009 (Playlist)/Podcast

UPDATE!: Download show here.

March 13, 2009 (Playlist):
"Our Seventeenth Show!"

Tokyo Police Club – Box
Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before The Lights Come On
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – A Teenager In Love
Orange Juice – Blue Boy
Spoon – Don’t You Evah
The Decemberists - Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect
Josh Ritter – Wolves
Yo La Tengo – From A Motel 6
Wild Light – Heart Attack
Jens Lekman – Black Cab

A.C. Newman – Take On Me (A-ha Cover)
Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
Beirut – My Night With The Prostitute From Marseilles
TV On The Radio – Golden Age
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
Incubus – Stellar
Yeasayer – Tight Rope
Oasis – Falling Down
Colour Revolt – Naked And Red
Talking Heads – Girlfriend Is Better

*Background music consisted of various songs from various artists & bands who have been inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, in honor of our trip to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Annex in New York City, New York. It was an educational, fun, and memorable experience for us both.

Two weeks of being off the air has felt like an eternity! Spring Break, The IBS Conference in New York City and everything in between was great. Even we need vacations, too, sometimes. But sadly, we didn't feel complete without concluding the week with our radio show. We did our best to shake off the on-air cobwebs, fix some troublesome equipment (one of our CD players likes to give us problems; me especially), and put on a terrific program for all our listeners. This week, we were filmed by Electronic Media majors for a special project, which made us feel like big shots. We also had a shadower who's learning the business and hopefully didn't get turned off by our antics. Music wise, we really submerged in both modern and classic indie rock. The latest from Beirut, TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Oasis were some of the highlights. We were going to play the latest Franz Ferdinand single, "No You Girls", in the beginning of Hour 1, but like I said, one of our CD players truly despises me. We'll have the new video below. As far as the oldies go, we hit up the late 70's and early 80's with tracks from Orange Juice and Talking Heads, then peaked at the early 90's with a great synth rock anthem from Depeche Mode. Thanks again for tuning in and we hope you all enjoyed our epic return. Tune in next week for another great set; and as always, continue to call in, IM us, or both, throughout the full two hours. Peace.

"No, no, no, no, no you girls never know..."

Where's My Jim Shearer?

Where's my Jim Shearer? Where's my Jim Shearer? Come on, Jim. Where are you? We need you back on TV. Interview some bands. Hang out in a basement. You know, the old stuff. Where could you be? Starbucks?

Oh, here's my Jim Shearer:


I like the old logo better. Reminds me of music television.

So yes, Jim's back on TV, on VH1, hosting Top 20 Countdown. I'm pretty sure it airs Sunday morning at like ... 9? And I caught it once! Jim's just a goofy dude, hanging out in New York, going to different fests and events that don't apply to the music at all. Like I saw him at a legos or knex display in the city, fucking with the "art" and smiling. I guess he's enjoying his new gig. Different, but hey, we're in a recession. And at least he's got work, even if it's counting down mainstream housewife music. "Here's James Blunt!". Whatever. I like Shearer. Good VJ. Here's a classic clip:

'Tis the season!

Pitchfork 500: As I Listen & As I Hear: Part 2

And:

The epic reading/binge-drinking saga continues! I haven't done this in a while, but it always feels good. Like someone who continuously puts on and takes off their purity rings. Here's looking at you, Jonas Bros.!

Television - Marquee Moon
1977
10:43. A long track for the art-punks of the late '70's. They had a good point. All instruments complement each other and predict a Cure - Hot Hot Hot!!!-esque future. I'm a big fan of the bass line. Give it a listen. The breakdown is especially sick.

Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
1990
Truly synth rock's most triumphant poetry. These dudes turn out one of the most poignant records in all of new wave with this complicated, instrumental masterpiece about the simplest romance. "Enjoy The Silence" says, "we got all these machines making music, but here's some two minutes at the end with a harrowing assortment of instruments killing each other that will bring you off your ecstasy high."

Yo La Tengo - From A Motel 6
1993
This track embodies everything R.E.M. wished to accomplish on their 1995's record, Monster. Good luck trying to make out the words. This is 90's shoe-gaze meets hard rock, and it's is great.

Feist - Mushaboom
2004
It's been covered by Bright Eyes, but don't worry, it's cute when you hear the original. Canadian indie guitar sensation Feist sings this folkish tune with the help of a clap machine and what appears to sound like a backing choir. "Mushaboom" makes me think of a toxic mushroom that gets you high as hell.

Justice - Never Be Alone
2004
Justice is your friend. You'll never be alone again. Listen to this along with your New Order iTunes playlist. It fits in. Again, bass is huge in this one. This was pre-D.A.N.C.E. and it captures the French duo at a young and pivotal time. A happy dance tune that begs the question: Why are the French so good at making house music?

On A Slow News Day, The NY Times Will Support College Radio

How did that French guy climb you?

I've actually been told to read this article TWICE; first by our station manager, Monsoon Mike, then by a bunch of business-types at IBS. The Times wrote an article about where college radio stands in society back in December. So this was a very fitting article for the conference, itself. I think it's important that the public gets a little lectured on what it is we're actually up to these days, as college radio kids. Our medium is basically on the back burner these days, thanks to iPods and MTV's programming (that's a small joke ... real small). It's a heart breaker. We try to get our shows, stations, and selves out there in the hopes that people take notice of the entertainment we provide. Sadly, it mostly falls on deaf ears. Though I don't normally do this, I applaud you, New York Times; your ordinary small font and lack of pictures usually put me to sleep, only to wake up with your print tattooed on my face. But covering this topic is a pretty hip thing that you old folks and uptights could put out. Way to be; you have made an acquittance with college radio. For now. Beware - we are unforgiving. So "College Radio Maintains its Mojo"; I agree. We're fresh. Original. Nerdy. And happy to do what we do. That's more than most people can argue about their own jobs. The article can be read here, and thank the Lord we don't have to pay for this one like other pieces of the Times. Paying to read something on-line? Pish-posh!

Do it up, Spider-Man!
Then get out of our beautiful country before you stank it up. Shave.


FAIL.

The Return of the Rock! The Return of the Show!

That's pretty big. Bigger than usual. Epic return, folks!

How does it feel? I bet it feels refreshing. Your favorite radio show (forget just college - worldwide!) is back on the airwaves, this FRIDAY from 6-8 PM! Only on KUR! Guys, I'm not going to lie, Spring Break was great. IBS was so memorable. And the drinks, well, they went down easy. But we've truly missing doing the show. We need the FM, the AM, and PM, too, like oxygen! So we're back, live, at a fine time in the evening, playing some great alternative and indie rock 'n' roll. As you can see from the poster, we got a line-up of fresh new tunes! But don't forget, we have some classic college rock cut and modern songs, as well. So grab a drink, gather friends, and tune into Never Mind the Mainstream this Friday for our first show in two weeks! It's going to be sick. And as always, call in at 610-683-4058 or IM us at KURRequest. Catch you at the low end of the dial!

Michael Stipe on Jimmy Fallon

1:24 AM: Hmm...I think I'll wait for the video to come on YouTube first. But, um, man. Kind of awkward. He's got a beard - now? And, um, he's into sculpting metal cameras and tapes? I guess it wasn't so normal because not much was discussed about R.E.M., rock 'n' roll, music, or whatnot - only a few minor plugs. But well Stipe's a pretty chill guy - just came in to "hang out", according to Fallon. Always good to hear from him. Great dude. The video and more of a reaction/recap to come when the sun comes up.

(Smaller fonts working? Yeh, nah?)

1:19 PM: Okay, I just woke up not too long ago. I was having crazy dreams and wasn't quite ready to let them go. So...hey, um, YouTube, Stereogum: where's the clip? If I'm not being lazy, you shouldn't either! Okay, so Stipe was the second guest on Jimmy Fallon's show. And by the wa,y I don't watch Late Night a lot, even though when I do, it's usually mildly entertaining. My brain can only handle Adult Swim-esque humor. So Stipe came on the show, gave Fallon a sculpted camera out of bronze. Third place for you, Fallon! What else...um, oh! Fallon embarrassed Stipe by showing a picture of R.E.M.'s first appearance on Letterman back in '83 when they played "Radio Free Europe" and "So. Central Rain", and Stipe just laughed and pointed out his awkward, shyness. In fact, Peter Buck and Mike Mills were the only ones who talked to Letterman; Stipe was too horrified, I assume, and the drummer, well, the drummer never gets recognition, unless they put out a sex tape, nail Pamela Anderson, or die. Stipe also taught Fallon how to smell and smile with your eyes. I didn't understand that and neither did Fallon, obviously because he couldn't keep a straight face during the tutorial. And the last two things: Stipe assured Fallon that he wasn't sucking too horribly and then there's going to be an R.E.M. tribute at Carnegie Hall in New York City tonight (3/11). Damn, why couldn't IBS be this week? I'd totally go see that! They did one like that for Dylan, with Cat Power and Patti Smith, apparently.

Oh, last thing, I promise: Stipe recorded an awkward, old-man hip-hop freestyle/rip off on Fallon's iPhone voice mail. It was stolen from Diddy, but he added some signature Stipeage to it. So that was that. Now, I can watch more Late Night if those are the kind of guests that will be on. I fell asleep shortly after that. Next time, let Stipe sing more than just a humorous voice mail that will be deleted anyway. Come on!

UPDATE!: Oh, here we go. Thanks, Stereogum. Let it be known that we covered something new before Stereogum did. That will be the first and the last time.

Back in '83...good God, look at that hair...

Jim Adair's Take on IBS 2009!

"NMtM ain't afraid of no ghosts"

As Mike already mentioned, the IBS Conference in NYC was a blast. A lot was learned and more was drank. The conferences I attended will do nothing but benefit the station and our show in particular. They were:

• Friday, 5:00-5:55 : Social Networking at College Radio (a lot of cool ideas and info).
• Friday, 6:10 : Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex Tour (Springsteen's '57 Chevy Bel Aire? Yes, Please).
• Saturday, 9:30-10:25 : Voice Workshop (good info, but I was still half asleep).
• Saturday, 10:35-11:30 : Indie Labels and Your Station (great info, contacts, and a cute Asian girl).
• Saturday, 11:45-12:40 : Special Events For Your Station (okay session, guy repeated himself quite often).
• Saturday, 2:30-3:25 : Software Solutions for the Production Director (holy shit was this one good, I am so pumped to use that stuff he told us about here).

As Mr. Pop also mentioned, some beer was drank, and for that I'd like to thank our friends at the Blarney Rock, the unofficial NYC Bar of KUR.

Zombie death eyes for all.

All in all, it was a great time, with great people and great information for everyone involved. Even the shitty hotel room with the broken door and leaking toilet couldn't ruin it. Next year will be a blast as well, but until then, we are going to use everything we learned to make our show the best we can.

Mike Pop's Take on IBS 2009!

Jim claims he's in the back on this picture somewhere, but just in case, we'll update this post frequently and add our own pictures. They're more wild than this. They include big randoms, Ghost Busters, and alcohol.

Well folks, while you may have been relaxing on a blistering hot beach gazing into the deep blue sea, or just getting fat, sitting on your couch watching re-runs of Maury, selected members of KUR (including the Never Mind the Mainstream crew) attended the 60+ Anniversary of the IBS Conference in New York City for March 2009 (at the Hotel Pennsylvania in Manhattan). Right across from the world's most famous arena: Madison Square Garden! It's a major highlight, not just of the school year, but it's so awesome; it's a huge convention that expresses the current time and place of college radio & broadcasting in society. Sounds important? It is. And it was.

This was my 3rd year going. I've been lucky enough to attend the past 2 with a ton of KUR members, past and present, however, despite all the great memories and new experiences of yesteryear, this past conference was the absolute best. It really squashed the other years. The sessions were sharp and informative, even though we got there late on Friday. The hotel itself was not up to par (flooding toilets make for an interesting stay) and we may have drank and spent a little more than we should've (no surprise there), but the whole experience was great. Every single person there had something to bring to the event and we all learned from each other. We're all struggling in this market and it helps to know we're not doing this all in vain. There's no city quite like NYC, and the panelists who invaded the convention were major movers and shakers in the biz. Also, there were Over 1,100 IBS Member broadcasters from coast-to-coast USA attending it! Shit, that's a lot.

Here's the list of the sessions I attended:

1. Friday, 5:00-5:55 - Social Networking & College Radio
*One of the pannelists favorite bands was The Replacements. I was sold. What a great pace setter.

2. " ", 6:05 - 9:00(?) - Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame Annex
*A must see if your in the city. Huge exhibition on The Clash, "the only band that matters".

3. Saturday, 9:30-10:25 - Voice Workshop
*Don't drink milk or soda before going on the air. Good, simple advice.

4. " ", 10:30-11:45 - Independant Labels & Your Station
*So indie.

5. " ", 11:45-12:40 - An Audience with the Pros: On-Air Personalities Roundtable
*WPLJ (my summer internship station) had its afternoon-drive DJ Race Taylor (great dude) and KROC's Chris Booker (former MTV VJ and a regular guy on VH1 "I Love The Whatever" shows) talk about being an on-air pro. Terrififc insight.

6. " ", 1:20-2:15 - Careers In Broadcasting
*Basically, I have a lot research to do when it comes to finding a job.

7. " ", Making Your Name in Broadcasting (Featuring Lynn Hoffman)

*Lynn is so lovely. She was so sweet and her story of climbing the ladder in radio & TV is inspiring. She hosted VH1 Classic pretty much by herself for the first 5 years, you know, when it was legit and not a sad pile of burning garbage and repetitive programming. We had a nice chat and I got a hug afterwards. She said if I want to be the next Jim Shearer, that I should go for it. Smile on my face and score one for me.

After all the seminars has concluded, fellow KUR DJ Jon Durand and I broadcasted an hour-long, commericial-free quick show on WIBS radio! From 8-9 PM, we owned the airwaves. And we had a very odd setlist, but hey, it was spur of the moments. Here's what we played:

Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Justice - Never Be Alone
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Bloc Party - Signs (MMMatthias Remix)
Bloc Party - Always New Depths
Nine Inch Nails - Discipline
Purified In Blood - Twisted Skull(?)
Soundgarden - Spoonman
Flo Rida - Right Round
R.E.M. - Radio Song
& then some fun group-rap tune that Jon played. Is not obvious who played what? Haha. I loved it. Such a hybrid show that made no sense. It helped to have a drink or two before we went on the air. Mine had soda in it...woops.

After that, we met up with the Tampa, Flordia kids at WUTT ("what, what?") in Tampa, who we met before our mini show and wanted to hang out in the hotel later. So we did that and just had a great time, networking and drinking. Nothing better than that. After staying up late both nights, got denied access into SOME bars (damn), having deep crew-to-crew, heart-to-hearts about our station itself, and drinking until we 5 AM (Thanks, Spring Ahead!), our time at IBS was over. We walked our hungover asses back to Port Authority, hopped on our bus back to nowheresville, PA and passed out. IBS had minimal drama, much money spent, and a great time with great people had by all. I cannot wait until next year. What a perfect ending to a work-a-holic Spring Break; for me at least. Hopefully, the connections we made will help of us at KUR find our way to success. Only time will tell, my friends. Only time will tell.

Another city landmark for KUR should be the Blarney Rock Pub on 33rd Street. I mean, we spent enough cash on beer and food to pretty buy a solid gold statue for the place, anyway.

*Jim's take, pictures, stories, and sober realiziations to come later! I love college radio!

Speaking of "Watchmen"...

Watch this...man. Haha, I humor myself. Check-check it:

This is a delicious little number. Mentioned it before, but iPod shuffle makes me reminisce, from like, 2 weeks ago (?).


Weird - I know! She reminds me of a young Kate Bush. First of all, where is Joanna Newsom even doing this - elementary school show & tell? (Check out the teacher's aide in the back, I presume). And whoa - a harp? A harp? Are harps indie? Alternative? Rock 'n' roll? Music anymore? Clever. Newsom recorded this song on her debut record, "The Milk-Eyed Mender" back in 2004, when she was 5...or 97? Jokes! She's actually 27. She's a cutie. Anyway, this tune made it onto the Pitchfork 500. Which reminds me, I should really drink more (ha) and do the "(As I Drink) As I Listen & As I Hear" segment again to that book and those songs. SPOILER ALERT!: Thursday.

She's also dating Andy Samberg. Yes, Hot Rod. I feel gossipy today.

Watchmen Movie Review

I consider myself a reader: I am a professional writing major, I read poetry and song lyrics obsessively, and I find real beauty in the written word. That said, Watchmen is one of my favorite books ever. This lit nerd loves a comic book, I admit it. For this reason, Watchmen had to be my most anticipated film in a while.

That being said, I hated the movie. I went to a midnight screening when it was released and was so pumped for it. The opening sequence was cinematographically amazing. It gives the heroes' background information in a timely quick manner to the tune of "The Times they are A-Changing." After that, it was all downhill.

Rorshach's character was one of only two characters in the film portrayed well. Jackie Earle Haley played the sociopath hero perfectly, thinly walking the line of love and hate. Billy Crudup's Dr. Manhattan was done to the best of his ability but poor direction and screenwriting killed it. Ozymandias' character and story was changed so much (especially in the ending) that it was ruined. Patrick Wilson hammed it up big time playing Nite Owl II and Malin Ackerman did her best Cameron Diaz clone job as Silk Spectre II.

Song choice in the film was awkward, misplaced, and didn't fit the feel and tone of the movie at all. During the most awkward, long, and worst sex scene I have ever seen on film, Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" soundtracks it to strange effect. "99 Luftballons" and "The Sound Of Silence" awkwardly stand out to laughable effect that makes you wonder if this film was being taken seriously. The comic, one of the deepest things I've ever read, is dumbed down for "ooh" and "aah" visual moments and fight scenes that I see as purely masturbatory on Zack Snyder's end.

In my mind now, with all of that plus the ridiculous changes and plot holes that I won't mention so I don't spoil it for those who want to see it, Zack Snyder now sits in my mind in the same category as Bret Rattner and Michael Bay. Amateurs with $100 million plus budgets who really don't know what they're doing.

Back In Kutztown/From IBS, With Crusty Sand On Our Toes

Well, not really; we weren't really at any beach. But we were in a giant apple! New York City for the IBS Convention (oh nine). We have stories and what not (like how myself and fellow KUR DJ Jon Durand hosted the funkiest dance fusion show, mixed with God knows what, on the face of the Earth!), but right now, I have to study. I love it when after a busy spring break, you just get hit in the face with a major test and two projects.

Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful.

No yelling on the bus.

(New poster and information to come, as well.)

Coming Soon...

• Watchmen Review - I'm seeing it at midnight tonight at King of Prussia. I am skeptical at best on how it's going to translate from page to screen but we shall see.
• NYC Stories - Me and Senator Pops will be in NYC this weekend for the IBS Radio Conference and we're sure to have some tales we may or may not be able to share with you
• Songs You've Never Heard Vol. 1 - Coming next week, I swear.
  

Where Are We? Spoiler Alert!: Away.

This should pretty much sum things up:

Wow, now that's douchebaggery in the 1st degree. And if that didn't sell the message to you, here's a poster that we made for the Facebook group. We don't like to be to straightforward when we're trying to "break"-it-up!

See you on March 13th! (Friday the 13th again? Repitition = lame).

I Hate You More Than Ever, Bono.

Dear Bono,

Please go make shitty music without stealing from geniuses please.

Thank You,

Earth

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up

U2 - Get On Your Boots

Hint: Listen to the vocal melodies.