Tune in from 8-10 PM this Sunday, June 14 for the Dance Dance Revolution. I’m filling in for Chuck who is having a blast up at Bonnaroo in Tennessee with Caid, Kyle, and others. Put on your blue plastic-rimmed sunglasses, get on your feet, and crack open a PBR because KNC is about to get dancy. Listen on your radio at 88.1 FM or online at wknc.org/listen. Leave your requests
Category: DJ Highlights
WKNC DJs share their musical interests, personal anecdotes, etc.
N.C. State’s student radio station earned recognition as one of the best in the Triangle in Independent Weekly’s annual “Best of the Triangle” reader survey. Kyle Robb, the station’s general manager for 2008-2009, accepted the award during his Jun. 10 radio program.
WKNC 88.1 FM, along with Clear Channel’s G105, received finalist honors for Best Radio Station. WUNC 91.5 FM, the NPR-affiliated station from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earned the top award.
Kelly Reid, known as Mz. Kelly to WKNC listeners, was a finalist for Best Radio DJ. She is one of three WKNC staff recognized as among the Best in the Triangle in recent years. Tom Wharton was voted Best Radio DJ in 2006 and Sam McGuire received a finalist nod in 2007.
Mike Alston, who took over for Robb as general manager in April, thanked the listeners for their loyalty. “We are honored to be finalists,” he said. “We can’t compete with larger stations in terms of resources, but we have a dedicated staff and dedicated listener base.”
“The fact that a group of students can earn this kind of recognition year after year shows the value the student media have to N.C. State University,” Jamie Lynn Gilbert, the station’s advisor, said.
More than 3,000 people filled out the 2009 Best of the Triangle ballot, voting on everything from best pet specialty store to best comfort food.
Independent Weekly voted WKNC Best Radio Station in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The station was named Best College Radio in 2004 and 2005, as well as Best Radio for Music in 2005. WKNC also earned top awards from Spectator in 2001 and 2002.
Princess America and Bianca Oblivion of the Carolina Roller Girls will be returning to Mystery Roach this coming Saturday, June 6th. Last time they were in, they brought a heaping pile of Garage and Soul. We had a great time listening to music and talking roller derby.
Tune in for more great music with the wheeled ladies of roller derby. We’ll be giving some tickets away as well. We may even have two members of the visiting Gotham Girls with us.
If you have any questions you’d like to ask them, post below.
Talk to you Saturday.
-La Barba Rossa
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Local Beat recap 5/29/09
Last Friday we had a Local Beat that illustrates just how many different things are going on in the Triangle at any given time.
At 5:00, rock orchestra Easy Company joined us to talk a little about who they are, what influences them, and what to expect at their show Saturday, June 6, at the Halle Cultural Arts Theatre in Apex, NC. They also performed (as a mere 9-piece) 2 songs in the studio. Check it out below.
After that, DJ Cioffi took his first spin at manning the Local Beat to interview long-time local band Pivot , who is playing at the Brewery this Friday, June 5th. They had quite a bit to say about their new album and so forth, as is evident below. Check it out:
Lastly, DJ Mikey (who moonlights as DJ Wobble Wobble) chatted with Brian of Lonnie Walker about their new album, These Times Old Times (out on Terpsikhore Records), as well as their CD Release Show/Party. As you have probably heard, they played at Schoolkids Records on Hillsborough Street and then moved to Adam Peele ’s warehouse for another show and a party late night. Check out what they had to say about the album, the label, touring, and songwriting below.
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Local Beat recap 5/15/09
We packed quite a bit into an hour and half last Friday on the Local Beat.
At 5:00, Kim Gray brought a rather large posse with her, including Megan and Ian from Pistil, Paul and Junko from Scientific Superstar, Teresa from The Virgo 9, and Shirle from Free Electric State. We chatted about the upcoming Pick n Bitch Festival at the Pinhook in Durham. Our topics of discussion ranged from Durham’s (undue?) status as official “underdog of the triangle” to the word bitch and its connotation.
Then at 6:00, Liza Kate and Jenks Miller (Mount Moriah, In the Year of the Pig, un deux trois, Horseback) of Holidays for Quince Records joined us. Liza had her release show that night for her new album, Don’t Let the Dogs. We chatted a bit about the label and the weekend-long Holidays for Quince block party, and she was kind enough to play a few songs in studio for us. Check it out below.
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Local Beat preview 6/5/09
Another good show in store for you this week.
At 5:00, we will be joined by self-described folk/Americana band Gambling the Muse of Carrboro will be in to talk about their show at The Cave on Saturday, June 13th. They will be opening for Calico Haunts and Raised by Wolves. They will also be performing a few songs live in studio, as well as bringing some unreleased tracks they recently recorded with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.
I was informed by Gambling the Muse that Calico Haunts is a “spacey, folk rock creation of Alex Inglehart, with backing contributions by Jenni Snyder (Whiskeytown, Neil Diamond Allstars), Wylie Pamplin (The Strugglers, The Physics of Meaning), Eric Haugen (The Strugglers), and Laura King (The Moaners).”
Raised by Wolves is from Charlotte and describe themselves as psychedelic/garage/ghettotech.
At 6:00, Zach Terry of The Whiskey Smugglers will be coming by to talk about a summer music series he’s co-organized to be held at the Open Eye Cafe of Carrboro. Zach will be performing a few songs in studio and may be bringing some special guests, as well. Check out some previews of the music you’ll be hearing, as well as the complete lineup for the summer series.
And of course, be sure to tune in as always on Friday at 5:00 at 88.1 FM or wknc.org/listen.
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Local Beat preview 5/29/09
After what was probably the most eclectic Local Beat I’ve hosted last week (Lemming Malloy, Colossus, and Caltrop), we’ve got a jam-packed lineup this week.
At 5:00, self-described rock orchestra Easy Company will be stopping by to play a few songs in studio and to talk about a show they’re putting on June 6th at the Halle Cultural Arts Theatre in Apex. If you thought Lost in the Trees was a crowd with an 11-person band, these guys have 17 members! Not sure how many are coming in for the interview and performance, but this is a situation where the throwaway line “crazier things have happened” may not necessarily apply.
At 6:00, resident Wednesday Local Lunch DJ Cioffi will be interviewing Raleigh-based progressive/experimental band Pivot. They’re playing the Brewery June 5th and will be by to talk about that.
Lastly, at 7:00, Friday Local Lunch DJ Mikey P will be interviewing Lonnie Walker about the new album, These Times Old Times, their release show/party at Schoolkids Records on Hillsborough Street and the Ahpeele warehouse on Capital Blvd. They’re also going on tour with Brooklyn-based Motel Motel in June, so Mikey will ask him about that as well.
So as you can see, we’re cramming about as much as we possibly can into luxurious post-baseball 3-hour Local Beat this Friday, 5/29. Be sure to tune in at 88.1 FM or wknc.org/listen.
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Sessions@KNC? Yeah, we’re back.
So we’re officially back up and running, with one new session under our belt.
On Sunday, May 3, Mikey P, Mike Gray, and Eric (myself) met up with Simple, the aptly named minimalist band from Carrboro, NC, outside Caldwell Hall on campus. Although it took a while to reason our way into the building, the superior sonic characteristics of Caldwell Lounge would help make this session a fun one. We set up a bunch of microphones and hit the big red button as the band hammered out a short, simple and solid set.
I recently got word from Chip, the band’s guitarist and lead vocalist, that they plan on releasing five of the tracks late this summer as a live limited-release EP with fancy hand-painted covers or something artsy like that. Sounds awesome to me! So, if you’re lucky enough to catch Simple at a show late this summer, look out for their release of these songs. Their next performance is at Nightlight in Chapel Hill on June 5th at 10 PM.
Below you can check out one of my favorite songs from the session: “The Conversation.” It has a unique, ambitious, and more rockin’ feel; you’ll see what I mean if you’ve heard the rest of Simple’s music.
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Local Beat preview 5/22/09
- Jay Cartwright of Lemming Malloy and his marvelon, courtesy of the band’s Myspace
My my my, the hits just keep coming on the Local Beat. If you thought DJ Stevo was gone for good, then you thought wrong. He’s only expressing his love for the North Carolina music scene in a different way now, through his brand new label, Neckbeard Records. And as part of the Neckbeard Records launch, they’re throwing a free show at the Local 506 on Friday night. The lineup is Gray Young, I Was Totally Destroying It, and Lemming Malloy–who will be releasing their album on Neckbeard that night. So some combination of Stevo, Lemming Malloy, and others will be stopping by right at 5:00 to talk about what the band and the label has been up to – and what they have in store.
- Colossus rocking Local Beer Local Band, photo by TJ Appling
Then at 6:00, we’re going to switch directions completely–Colossus will be stopping in to talk about their show next Wednesday (5/27) at the Pour House. They’ll be playing alongside Black Skies and Caltrop in what promises to be a pretty epic local metal show. It’s not confirmed yet, but Caltrop may be joining them. It remains to be seen. What is certain, though, is that we’ll be having a good time and getting to know our favorite bands a little better. And baseball is over, so we get the full 3 hours again! Be sure to tune in at 5:00 at 88.1 FM or wknc.org/listen.
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Switch’s Skate Mix Volume #1
I’ll admit I don’t really know much about the Internet, other than it’s a great place to find videos of walruses playing saxophone. So, I really didn’t really know too much about WKNC blog until very recently. I guess I was just so enthralled watching those walruses. But, when a series of skateboarding injuries plagued me over the past few weeks, I decided that now would be the time to start contributing to this thing.
As I just alluded, I skateboard. I skate just about every day and it is truly my first love in life, as sappy as that sounds. I even got my DJ name because my girlfriend suggested using some trick terminology for my on air moniker – “DJ Inward Heelflip” never quite caught on. But, getting back to skating, I figured my first post could be a playlist to skate to. You see, I usually listen to music while I skate, and in the eight or so years I’ve been riding, I’ve amassed quite a collection of tunes that complement some shred sledding.
You’re going to see a lot of different types of music in these mixes. When people think skateboarding, they generally think punk rock, and that’s true to a certain extent. Punk rock has definitely played a role in skateboarding’s history and it will continue to do so in the years to come. But other forms of music, such as heavy metal, hip-hop, and alternative rock, are just as much a part of skateboarding culture. Who could think of anything better to blast than gangsta rap while sliding some ledges? What complements hitting huge handrails quite like Slayer? Variety is the spice of skate life, and so are these mixes.
So without further ado, here’s Switch’s first skate mix. I’ll try to put one of these up every few months or so (along with a photo of yours truly), in addition to blogs about grunge, punk, and whatever else. I know it’s not walruses playing saxophone, but hopefully this mix will put some gnar back in your bloodstream.
1.) Valient Thorr- “I Hope the Ghosts of the Dead Haunt Your Soul Forever”- What a way to kick off a playlist! These guys are Triangle locals, even though they claim to hail from the planet Venus. With how hard they play, I believe they really do come another planet, because few Earthlings can step to Thorr’s brand of full speed ahead rock n’ roll. They got their start playing skateparks in rural North Carolina and one of their songs made it into the soundtrack of the world famous Skate videogame. You can’t get much more cred than that.
2.) Zebrahead- “Check”- This one I remember hearing on a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game when I was younger. Ever since then, I’ve associated it with getting gnar- either in the real world or the pretend one. “Check” also shows how that 90’s rock/rap thing could have worked out pretty well, given the right circumstances.
3.) GOB- “Can I Resist”- I first heard GOB when I was watching this skateboarding show on T.V. when I was like twelve. Ever since then, I’ve been stoked on these Canadians. Yes, I like pop punk. I don’t care what you think about it.
4.) Pearl Jam- “God’s Dice”- Vedder and company hit the jackpot with this post-90’s return to hard rocking. Hey, I couldn’t help but throw in some grunge love in here.
5.) Beastie Boys- “Triple Trouble”- Quick straight rhymes and some British accents over a beat sampled from the Sugarhill Gang’s legendary “Rapper’s Delight”? Only New York’s favorite sons could pull that off. Perfect for some skateboard break-dancing, B-boy.
6.) Aerosmith- “Back in the Saddle”- This was probably the first band I ever listened to while skating. Back in those days, I would strap a CD player around my hand when I went out in the streets. Needless to say I broke about five of those things. Thankfully we have iPods now, so I can get my classic rock outlaw vibe from Aerosmith worry free.
7.) Flogging Molly- “The Kilburn High Road”- I don’t condone skating while under the influence, but if you’re going to do it, this is you song, laddie.
8.) The Pixies- “Alec Eiffel”- Trippy, but with all the melodic power that made this group the godfathers of modern rock music.
9.) Queens of the Stone Age- “Go With the Flow”- Alternative rock, whatever that means anymore, with lots of muscle behind it. I recommend you take the title literally.
10.) Bad Brains- “Don’t Bother Me”- A classic hardcore punk anthem. Seriously raw skating needs seriously raw music, and Bad Brains never fails to deliver the latter.
11.) Children of Bodom- “Triple Corpse Hammerblow”- I’m not a huge metal head, but when I heard one of my favorite skaters, Chris Cole, going on and on about this band in interviews I had to check them out. I have to say, I’m pretty impressed. Put this song on before laying waste to some big stair sets and handrails, Viking style.
12.) Bad Religion- “Requiem for Dissent”- This track from the Los Angeles old guard is another solid tune meant for fast skating. Activism never sounded better.
13.) The Ramones- “I Wanted Everything”- A skateboarder’s staple band since the 70’s. Somewhat heavier than the typical hits you hear by the Ramones, but this one’s still just as catchy.
14.) Anti Flag- “Got the Numbers”- Probably one of the most positive players in punk rock music today. Great music loaded with the proactive messages we seem to be lacking these days. And with skateboarders well outnumbering all the branches of the United States military combined, we’ve got the numbers as well.
15.) The Heartaches- “Rock n Roll UFO”- There’s just no better song with which to end this list. Clocking in at only two minutes, this is complete skate-inspired rock n’ roll chaos. If dropping in to the deep end of a backyard pool has a sound, it’s “Rock n’ Roll UFO.”
Hope you enjoyed the first of Switch’s skate mix. Now stop blogging and start shredding!