Category: Miscellaneous

Random sh*t we don’t know where else to put

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Miscellaneous

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong – Book Review

On This Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous Cover
Cover photograph by Sam Contis

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a letter dedicated to Ocean Vuong’s mother, in which the speaker of the novel explores his intimate past, beauty in the aftermath of hate and desperation and cultural identity.

Ocean Vuong was born in Saigon, Vietnam and at the age of 2 came to America with his family to be raised in Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Brooklyn College with a BA in Nineteenth Century American Literature, and later graduated from NYU with a MFA in Poetry as stated by his website.

“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” has an outstanding number of accolades attributed to Vuong and his words. This book is Vuong’s first published novel. He has two published poetry collections, “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” and “Time is a Mother”, both of which I now have a strong desire to read. 

SYNOPSIS

I am a big hater of novels and stories that are in a letter format. Books like “Dracula” and stories that have clippings of information usually take away from the personality a book can offer, but Ocean Vuong puts so much of his voice into this novel.

Little Dog, the narrator and speaker of the novel, is an immigrant from Vietnam who takes us through his family’s past, his own sense of love and what family means to him. The scars the narrator presents us are deep, but Vuong is able to explore their divots with a perspective of beauty and hope rather than solely pain and sorrow. 

Each word of this letter carries the emotion of someone who has lost so many people they have loved, hated and feared. The story weaves in and out of the present and past. Actually, the letter rarely focuses on a central time frame. Instead of being centered around a moment in space, it centralizes itself around the various feelings that stem from love. 

We read through neighborhood myths and stories of war crimes separated only by a few spaces. The novel flows impeccably. Vuong threads emotion throughout all the memories that resurface in the letter. 

Despite the unimportance of chronology in this book, it is a journey for Little Dog. He comes to terms with losses in his family, and he must learn the importance of loving people deeply. What makes this book so great is in attempting to write about it, I am utterly failing to convey the appropriate amount of grace and insight that can be gleaned from a single page.

TAKEAWAY

Good art makes you appreciate how other forms of art shape the way we experience the moments and people around us. “On This Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” is a tremendous novel on its own, but adding its perspective to the multitude of words, eyes and lips that exist in the modern artist leaves me wanting more art and beauty to devour. 

I cannot wait to see where Ocean Vuong will take language in his writing, and I hope he provides the best inspiration for the future of voices and language.

Keep eatin’

-DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

Remastered: Covers that transformed the original song

WKNC 88.1 blog

Kacey Musgraves’ cover of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley

Musgraves recorded her rendition live at Spotify House for Spotify Sessions 2016. Her live version is stripped down and authentic to her country roots, something the song had certainly not seen before. Her use of minor chords and harmonica align with the anger and sadness of the lyrics, giving the song a more sinister sound than the original.

The Civil Wars’ cover of “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

The alternative country duo recorded their version of the classic “Billie Jean” in 2011. Complete with a constant fingerpicking guitar and raspy harmonies, this cover could not be more different than Jackson’s original upbeat tune. The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams and John Paul White alternate solos and ad-libs, giving new life to the lyrics and presenting a refreshing view of “Billie Jean” as a duet. Their risky decision to totally revamp a beloved Michael Jackson super-hit paid off.

Cake’s cover of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor

Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 iconic disco hit sounds different here. Cake’s alternative rock version with electric guitar changes everything. Vocalist John McCrea’s blunt tone and F-bombs give the breakup song a wonderful, bitter feel. It’s a must-listen.

Nirvana’s cover of “The Man Who Sold The World” by David Bowie

Nirvana performed a version of the Bowie song for their MTV Unplugged album in 1994. The whole album is a masterpiece and features covers and originals, but this one takes the cake. Kurt Cobain’s vocals are melancholy and chilling, perfectly matching the lyrics. The crowd erupts at the end of the recording as Cobain credits Bowie.

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Miscellaneous Music Education

What makes Indie music Indie?

WKNC 88.1 blog

Before you get the wrong idea reading this blog, I want to preface that I most definitely don’t think there will be a definite answer at the end of this post. I got the idea of writing this based on the concept of indie music and just how vast and diverse it is as a phenomenon.

As indie music has become increasingly popular, I wanted to research what has attracted a large following to this type of music. What makes it stand out from traditional music genres that are easy to pinpoint such as pop, hip hop, R&B, and jazz. 

Historically, what we call indie or indie-rock music now emerged from an era in the late 1970s in the United Kingdom when post-punk, new wave, and alternative music was being released by UK record labels to go against the manufactured mainstream music at the time.

You might have heard of the band The Smiths who first came on the indie scene in the 1980s and now exemplify not only what indie music is on a musical basis, but on a cultural basis as well.

Starting off, Indie is not necessarily a genre although it has sort of developed into one just recently. Indie is short for independent and indie artists are just artists that self-produce their music and are not signed under a major label.

This ‘indie’ title starts getting harder to define once these indie artists and indie bands become famous enough to be signed under a major label. If they are signed by a label such as Capitol Records, the artists themselves are not ‘indie’ or independent anymore yet they still have that indie sound to them.

An example of a major label would be something like Universal Music Group (UMG) or Sony BMG that of course have subsidiaries of their own like Atlanta Records and Columbia Records, to which these more famous artists belong. 

What stands out in a lot of work done by indie artists is their usage of a variety of instruments in their music and most of the time indie music is instrument heavy. If you look at more of the rock and alternative side of indie music the most prevalent instruments are the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and drums. These instruments together create this “indie sound’ that has caused a ‘genre’ around this aspect to develop. 

Of course, as I mentioned, indie is not really a genre in itself because the music could be new wave, jazz or punk, or pop too. However, a common theme I find about indie music is the strong sense of individuality you can experience in the work made by the artists. They strive to focus on a single emotion or experience instead of a full narrative.

Often when you listen to music by an indie band there is a distinct piece or component of their composition or lyrics that immediately lets you know it’s by band XYZ or by artist XYZ. Having control of their own music is what allows indie artists to put their identities into their music and take full creative control over what they produce compared to the more controlled music released by mainstream artists and record labels.

What started as a term to define independent artists has culminated not into a genre but a culture of its own. Music that actively rivals mainstream music and is best consumed in its raw form of instrumentals and chords. 

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Miscellaneous

“SLC Punk!” – A Movie Review

The rage, terror, and joy of punk rockers is hard to appropriately capture on film. I have seen directors place punk into a nice neat box of hardcore drug users, nihilism and fighting, but that’s not punk.

“SLC Punk!”, directed by James Merendino, explores hardcore punk rockers’ reasons to live and rebel. I do not think this film encapsulates all of the punk genre, but it does get a clearer representation of punk compared to a mainstream music film. 

This movie stars Matthew Lillard as Stevo, Michael A. Goorjian as Bob and Annabeth Gish as Trish. A few other notable actors are Jason Siegel, James Duval and Summer Phoenix. 

PLOT RUNDOWN

Stevo and Bob are reformed nerds who turned to the punk music scene when they felt outcast by their classmates. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is a funny setting for a punk film. Exploring the fictional punk scene in Salt Lake City (SLC), we are taken on a journey of pent up emotions. 

Stevo is pushed by his parents to attend Harvard Law School after graduating from Utah University. Bob, on the other hand, is growing more accustomed to life in SLC as he falls in love with a mystical being, Trish. 

I love the way Merendino is able to show Stevo becoming more aware that being a punk in SLC isn’t something to do for life. Stevo’s dad at the beginning of the film tells him to “buy in” to society and law, but don’t sell out. This comment is a catalyst for Stevo’s change throughout the film. 

By the end of the film, Stevo changes, Bob changes, even punk changes. The characters are full of life throughout the film, but as we explore their motives and backgrounds they become more realistic and loveable. The way I perceived this vision of punk changed how I appreciate music in general. I see more artists as expressive, and I am able to enjoy more voices in music. 

MUSIC

Okay, the music in this film is great. It doesn’t dive as deep as it could in terms of hardcore punk, but it grasps the roots of punk rock firmly. 

The movie opens with “Sex and Violence” by The Exploited, which is a fun way to open any film. I think this track (even though it is a bit repetitive) can keep my blood pumping even harder. It also prepares viewers well for the blood, sex, and stories that follow. 

Also, in the intro are the opening credits where they put actors’ names onto the album art of tracks they used in the film. I thought it was a cool way to appreciate the art and love for the albums as they flashed across the screen. 

A few more key tracks in the movie are “Amoeba” by The Adolescents, “Gasoline Rain” by Moondogg and a classic, “Kill the Poor” by Dead Kennedys. 

The Adolescents bring a hard, riotous edge to one of the fight scenes, while “Gasoline Rain” slows the film down a bit during an emotional scene. I find both tracks are used perfectly in the score. They tie into the characters’ emotions well and are able to make the scenes feel bigger than the film. 

“Kill the Poor” by Dead Kennedys is great core punk music. I just wish this wasn’t saved for the end credit scenes of this movie. It could have been used for a cool rowdy scene in the desolate SLC, but unfortunately got chopped up to be put with the credits. 

COSTUMES

I don’t think I could write about this film without talking about the costumes. There are so many wonderful flavors of people that are represented. 

Stevo’s striking blue hair is sick. At one point he has a massive blue mohawk that grabs your eyes from every other thing happening on the screen. Everyone’s clothes are really well adapted for the SLC weather and punk shows.

Check out this clip that shows off their costumes well [Content Warning: violence and cursing]:

Clip off YouTube from “SLC Punk!”. YouTube video posted by cybluvshatchets2012.

I love how all of the “gangs” of Salt Lake City all have a semblance of a uniform. The mods in the suits and coats, the punk rockers in their rough style and the rednecks looking like stereotypical rednecks all come together to create a strange, vibrant scene. Everything meshes together to create a lifelike city atmosphere, and I could almost attribute that solely to the costumes. 

WRAP UP

While I love watching this film, there are a few issues with it. Mainly, I think it does not talk about sexuality and punk well. It will have lines that hint at the topic, but I think it’s a big part of punk culture that gets glossed over and not explored. 

More issues include how the movie ended and what it poses as a solution for punk rockers. I won’t go into much detail about it because it spoils it a bit, but I feel as if it gave up too much of its core values and did not set up a bright future for all of the characters (not that they have to have bright futures). 

Overall, I highly recommend watching this even if you aren’t remotely into punk as it explores art and music in an exciting way. 

Keep eatin’

DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

The Unlikely Sample That Defined a Scene

One of the things that has interested me most in hip-hop is the different regional scenes that spring up in different areas of the country. One of the most unique and influential is definitely the Houston scene. Many artists make up this scene such as UGK or Geto Boys but no one defined it as much as the legendary DJ Screw.

DJ Screw’s signature style was to slow down and chop up different hip-hop records which which was called Chopped & Screwed. This sound gave the songs more of a funky and distorted sound to them and would be a huge hit in Houston. Screw would remix many songs from different rap artists and would even have his own group of rappers he remixed most often called the Screwed Up Click.

Now whats most interesting about this local scene is some of the songs that helped pioneer it. The one song that is the main star for Houston rap is “June 27th“. This song was a 35 minute long freestyle that ever since it dropped has had almost mythical status. The song was actually created in Screw’s living room for the special occasion of rapper D-Mo’s birthday who is on the song along with Big Moe, Yungstar, Big Pokey, and a few more.

Now some of the verses are good and iconic but what really made the song was the signature Chopped & Screwed beat. Now the origins of the beat are very interesting and it first starts with Kriss Kross.

Kriss Kross in 1996 was trying to ditch their “kid rapper” image they had gained with their massive hit “Jump” and with that they released the album “Young, Rich, and Dangerous” which would spawn the single ” Tonite’s Tha Night” which was a small hit. The B-side of this single was a song called “Da Streets Ain’t Right” which would make almost no impact at all. This song would have been forgotten except the instrumental is what Screw would slow down to use for the beat of “June 27th”.

Now this sample is pretty interesting in itself but what is more interesting is what Jermaine Dupri who produced the Kriss Kross songs chose to sample for “Da Streets ain’t Right”. Dupri decided that for the bassline he would sample New Wave/Pop group The Romantics on one of their hits “Talking In Your Sleep“.

Now Screw definitely didn’t know he was sampling The Romantics but when I found this out I thought it was the wildest thing because that means in a way the sound that defines Houston hip-hop and the Chopped & Screwed sound was a New Wave sample that seems like it is the furthest possible thing from the world of Houston rap.

Screw tragically passed in July of 2000 at only 29. But since his passing June 27th would go on to be a staple freestyle beat and has been remixed hundreds of times most notably Drake used the beat on his mixtape “So Far Gone” on the song “November 18th“. The date June 27th has become somewhat of an unofficial Houston holiday and a day to celebrate Screws life.

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Miscellaneous

“Survivor” and it’s Score

WKNC 88.1 blog

As of January of 2021, I am a fan of the reality TV show/ game show “Survivor.” I’ve watched about ⅔ of the 42 seasons and can’t seem to pry myself away from the forums, podcasts, and communities where fans discuss the abundance of content that CBS has provided in the form of “Survivor.”

There is a subset of “Survivor” fans who are really into the music that is used to score the episodes. In fact, there are communities of people who work really hard to source the music from the episodes, as the score isn’t uploaded anywhere and thus people have to edit out the voices of people talking over the music. 

A few months ago, I discovered the subreddit r/survivormusic. On this subreddit, people create, share, and consolidate the aforementioned score edits. Among this community, there is somewhat of a legend, a YouTube user by the name of survivorfan191. This user is known for having the best score edits in the community, but one fateful day several months ago, copyright struck down these videos and subsequently user survivorfan191 seemed to disappear. 

For a while, there was distress and disarray in the “Survivor” music community. Where had this user gone? Why were all of their videos suddenly gone? How else were they supposed to track down the edits survivorfan191 had created?

Then, around a month ago, they began reuploading past videos and even uploading content from the newest season of “Survivor.” Order had finally been restored to the “Survivor” music community, that survivor191 is carrying on their back.

I love these edits, they’re great study music and remind me of my favorite show. As all good music does, the score tells a story; I am eternally grateful to Russ Landau (the composer of the show’s theme song), the other talented musicians involved in the creation of the score of “Survivor”, and to survivorfan191 (along with other “Survivor” score editors) for allowing me and other fans to enjoy this music.

Until next time,

Caitlin

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Miscellaneous

Book Review – “Neuromancer” by William Gibson

Neuromancer book cover
"Neuromancer" cover designed by gray318, and written by William Gibson

Author Bio

William Gibson is a Canadian Science Fiction author with a crazy talent to prophesize the internet’s future. Not actually, but he came pretty close with “Neuromancer”. 

Gibson’s writing style includes short, descriptive sentences that are able to gather the best angles to view and perceive action through writing. Gibson also is able to make characters that feel fictional and realistic through the way he humanizes them in his stories. 

In “Neuromancer”, William Gibson created new meanings for tech-y words like “matrix” and “cyberspace”. We constantly use these words today, but Gibson was able to create the context and story that allows us to visualize what matrices and cyberspaces are. 

Synopsis (Spoiler Free)

This book starts out with a bang. Case, the main character and lowlife hacker, is given one more shot to make it big with a huge data heist. His nervous system is crippled and most of his organs are failing in the first few pages of the book, but a mysterious employer, Armitage, gives him a chance with this heist. 

Case partners with Molly Millions to prepare for this data heist against Lady 3Jane, the most recent clone from the Tessier-Ashpool company. As Case and Molly explore each other’s backgrounds, they do some data digging on their employer, which involves them with an Artificial Intelligence, Wintermute. 

Racing through the build-up to the big heist, we are able to learn about Case’s losses and mental issues along with the problems Molly and Armitage face. I found that Molly and Armitage are really good support characters to Case, as they each exemplify parts of himself that he needs to fix. In comparing Molly to Case, it is the guilt and love in Case’s past he needs to work through, and in Armitage’s comparison, it is the trust and support of people Case needs to learn from. 

The heist, like many heist books or movies does not go off without a few hitches. Case is able to come to terms with his prior issues through the people he met like Molly. Gibson creates a labyrinth of action sequences that leaves us muddled, confused, yet satisfied up to the final pages of the book. 

Review

I am a big Sci-Fi nerd, so learning about the influences “Neuromancer” had on Sci-Fi writing cultures made me interested in picking this book up. I am extremely happy that I did so. 

The foundations of shows and movies I love have roots in this book, and for that reason alone it makes “Neuromancer” a must read book. But also, this book is a fantastic piece of literature. 

The way Gibson describes technology and the endless expanse of Sprawl (basically a visual internet) without ever seeing anything like it before astounds me. Reading absolutely free thinking people’s crazy fantasies where anything can happen helps open my eyes to the possibilities I can influence around myself. 

I can’t wait to read the two follow-up books that make this into a trilogy. I need to read more of Gibson’s style because of how rapid and free it feels, so please check out his book from a library (or buy it form a local bookstore).

Keep eatin’

-DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

Film Review: “Only Lovers Left Alive”

Only Lovers Left Alive movie poster
"Only Lovers Left Alive" directed by Jim Jarmusch

The romantic and gothic world of vampires and music fanatics are combined in this Jim Jarmusch film. What is not to love about a combination between music, love, and blood? Just think about the rituals that are cast with that combination. 

The director, Jim Jarmusch, helped create the soundtrack for this movie with his band SQÜRL and Jozef van Wissem. He also recruited Tilda Swinton to play Eve, and he recruited Tom Hiddleston to play Adam. Jarmusch creates films that focus on people and the relationships they incur in the world, and “Only Lovers Left Alive” does not stray from his film focus. 

Synopsis (If you are not into spoilers, then maybe don’t continue reading)

In “Only Lovers Left Alive” two extremely intelligent vampires, Adam and Eve, fall deeper and deeper in love as the film progresses. We get to watch two beautiful beings come to the realization all they need in their worlds is each other. 

Adam lives in Detroit, and Eve lives in Tangier. Both are connected to their respective city’s natural life, culture, and especially musical culture. Adam is depressed. He pays a “zombie” (human) to make a wooden bullet and plays with a loaded gun.

Somehow Adam’s depression isn’t the main tension in the film. Jarmusch is able to propel off Adam’s oddly short suicidal character arc and latch Adam and Eve together again. Through a ridiculously complicated FaceTime, Eve decides to visit Adam in Detroit (which is gorgeous in this film). 

The two lovers are together again. Nothing can go wrong, right? Well, Eve’s sister, Eva, eventually shows up on the doorstep and begins to destroy Adam’s image in Detroit. I personally love this part because we get to see the music scene in more detail, which of course is abstract and dark. 

With Adam’s image ruined, he returns with Eve to Tangier where the two can start again and tap into the roots of music, culture, and nature together. That’s it. That is the film. 

While that was a brief rundown, there is a lot more within the scenes, shots and sounds of the film I want to dig deeper into.

The Cinematography

First, the empty abandoned streets of Detroit (I don’t understand why these vampires are enamored with Jack White) are incredibly gorgeous. The film shots are filled with flickering lamp posts surrounded by vegetation that is left to run free and dark, decrepit mansions which are abandoned and forgotten. I do not understand how I fell in love with a city I have never seen before. I would love to roam the streets Jarmusch creates. They leave so many adventures untold. 

Adam’s lair in Detroit is also a thing of beauty. The haphazard decorations and walls filled with amps, guitars, lutes, violins, and anything a musician would ever need occupy every inch of space. He might have a cluttered home, but every bit of it is loved.

Tangier’s beauty is different. The slow undulations of the streets let the characters roam about with a bit more luxury and light compared to the dark corners of Detroit. I feel more at home in Adam’s Detroit, but that is probably because the film spent more time there. 

The Sounds of the Film

Another reason I fell for this film is the way Jarmusch blends music and film. He brings in his own band and a close friend to this movie to hand select the perfect musical accompaniment I have heard in a while. 

SQÜRL’s rough sounding guitars and bass help create the atmosphere needed to appreciate the places and things Adam and Eve experience. Also, Jozef van Wissem is able to create songs which allow you to love the gaps of silence. 

Final Thoughts

I could write another thousand words about this film, but it won’t be able to let anyone experience it the way they should. If you decide to watch this movie, then appreciate it in its entirety. I am not sure there is a more perfect vampire film that exists than “Only Lovers Left Alive”. 

Keep eatin’ 

-DJ chef

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Miscellaneous

Food for Our Ears

Food, picture of a sandwich
Credit: Mark Anbinder, Flickr CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0

Food and music is one of those life combinations that can truly change how you experience both mediums. Lyrics and rhythm of music combine with the smells and tastes of cooking to create a moment rather than just a meal or a song. Film makes a considerable impact on the way people see food, and music inspires and drives culinary artists just like food inspires artists to create their art. 

There’s no other artist I would want to start my food rant on than MF DOOM. DOOM’s lyrical insanity is one aspect of his art that I find so enjoyable. It’s those lyrics, and then there’s his production quality that drives my respect for MF DOOM even higher. “Mm.. Food” is fifteen tracks of foodie bliss. Yes, even the fifty second long, “Gumbo”, is masterful. DOOM combines food references, personal allegory, and humor. Just look at the lyrics to “One Beer”:

“He went to go laugh and get some head by the side road

She asked him autograph her derriere, it read

“To Wide Load, this yard bird taste like fried toad turd

Love, Villain””

He’s talking about himself, uses humor, and weaves food puns throughout the entire song. It’s truly incredible to me how much DOOM shows his love for food with his genius of production and lyrical mastery. This article isn’t only about MF DOOM, but he serves as one of my favorite examples of food and music combining to make something special. 

Representation of food in film has been and probably always will be a leading influence on what culinary artists create. Look at the difference between the ramen scene from “Tampopo” and the timpano scene from “Big Night” (warning: there are a few curse words). 

ramen scene, timpano scene

Both scenes showcase the beauty of food, but in “Tampopo” the music is sweet and used as more of a background to the ramen master’s lecture on how to enjoy ramen. In “Big Night” the music brings up the tempo of the scene to help make the tension extreme and more palpable. Both scenes are extremely popular for how they represent food, and they both inspired me to create more dishes from Japan and Italy because of how they are portrayed. 

Have you ever been cooking aggressively, headbanging, and listening to Gulch? Is that just me? When I work on dinner or other dishes that involve lots of effort in a short amount of time, I instantly flip on anything that makes my blood jump and hair curl. Sauteing onions and green beans while songs like “Self-Inflicted Mental Terror”, “Thong Song”, and “Ghost” pop up while tossing french fries in a tablespoon of oil and you immediately start thrashing and whipping the fries around a large bowl to make sure they are all well coated. This is what music does to cooking. It makes it fun. It makes it lively. Music adds more flavor to cooking than a teaspoon of salt. 

Maybe you don’t cook. Even if you get takeout or find yourself eating at a restaurant, there needs to be a good ambiance and delightful music. It feels like a waste of food if not enjoyed with musical accompaniment (at least to me, if you enjoy silence with your meals then please go on doing so). I find myself listening to calmer music while eating compared to the boisterous blastings while cooking. I find myself putting on Adrianne Lenker or Silver Jews for most of my meals. They both set a calm tone with their vocals and smooth instrumentals, which allows for a calm embrace of a nice fresh meal and some relaxing music.

I hope some of these words are able to inspire you to cook more or even listen to “foodie music”! Cooking is an important part of keeping myself mentally healthy, so I thought it might bring some light into your kitchen too (or some crazy flavor combinations). 

-chef

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Miscellaneous

What’s Your WKNC DJ Name?

Whether you’re a long-time WKNC fan or you just started listening this morning, I bet you’ve wondered what your DJ name might be if you were a DJ here at WKNC. There have been thousands of DJ names over the years: some creative, some weird and all awesome. The day is finally here where you can determine what your DJ name would be if you were one of us… and who knows? One day you might be. And when asked how you came up with the name “DJ Baby Spoon” you can know it’s because your name is Paula and you were born on October 1. 

This graphic will also be posted on our Instagram, so let us know over there what your assigned DJ name is.

— Caitlin