The Ramones (Something Old), R.E.M. (Something New), Vampire Weekend (Something Borrowed), Kings Of Leon (Something Burned) & More!

It's almost the New Year, so I figured I would go with the theme of that waxing poetic statement of "Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something _____". Well... sort of... Anyways, this blog promises to be a tad shorter than the last one as we are getting lost of brief news tidbits that have been trickling down since Christmas.

In the "Something Old" department, besides myself, we have The Ramones. This news can also fall into the category of "it's about time", "way overdue", and about 1,000 other cliche statements. The Ramones are getting their first Grammy. The pioneering punk band will be honored at an event in Los Angeles on February 12, a day before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards ceremony is held. At this time, we're not sure exactly what that award entails, but it is great news nonetheless.

In the "Something New" category, we check in with R.E.M. The group has released a two minute trailer previewing tracks from their upcoming album Collapse Into Now, out in March. The clip shows the alt-rock vets rehearsing new tracks "All the Best," "Mine Smells Like Honey," "Every Day Is Yours to Win," "Oh My Heart," and more. Is it me or is Michael Stipe looking more like Elvis Costello with those glasses? Click here to watch it.

Covering the "Something Borrowed" aspect, we have Vampire Weekend. They have released an iTunes Sessions, which features a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm Going Down."

In the last category in regards to our theme, "Something Burned", that award goes to Kings Of Leon. They were forced to cancel a gig at London's O2 Arena after a tour bus caught fire outside the venue. Firefighters treated six unidentified people for smoke inhalation and no major injuries have been reported. The band will reschedule the show at a later date.

Finally, here's our "more" entry. This is kinds old news, by industry standards, but I didn't have a chance to note it on the last blog. Gorillaz wrapped up their tour in New Zealand, of all places, with guests like former members of The Clash Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, as well as Bobby Womack, Little Dragon, and the American Syrian Orchestra (!!). It was a tour for the memory books - you may remember that the group kicked off the tour, which was only 48 dates, in Madison Square Garden in NYC with special guests Lou Reed & Mos Def. The band hopes to repeat this type of tour again, but even front-man Damon Albarn says, "This may never happen again..." Let's hope he's wrong. In any event, yes... the Gorillaz ruled in 2010.

That's it for now. Keep listening & keep the comments and suggestions coming!
Peace out,
Dave

Coldplay, Bamboozle Festival 2011, Christmas Madness Through The Years & More!

The elves & I here at 360 Degrees of Alternative have been very busy during the past 2 weeks. Between putting the finishing touches on our 1st annual Christmas CD and drinking way too much spiked eggnog, someone finally noticed that the blog hasn't been touched in a few weeks. We will dispense with the wrapping and bows, so you open this "gift" right now - Happy Holidays!!

First off, there's been quite a buzz on the net recently about the new Coldplay release. More details are starting to surface, so here's what we have so far: Chris Marting has informed the BBC that Coldplay’s next release will be a concept album. He explained it as being “from the point of view of two people who are a bit lost, two like-minded outsiders who meet in a very difficult environment and therefore have a journey together.” He said, “It’s a concept album but it's supposed to be very personal within a big framework. Does that make sense?" I don't know - I'm still back at the two lost people section... I also know that Brian Eno will produce this next album.
Here's a link to your 1st Christmas present: Click here to watch the "Christmas Lights" video.


The 2011 version of the annual three-day Bamboozle Festival will run April 29th, 30th and May 1st at the New Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ (15 min west of NYC) and the organizers are starting to release performer information. Holding true to their commitment to offer up an eclectic lineup, main stage artists confirmed so far include A Day To Remember, Boys Like Girls, New Found Glory with Marky Ramone, Waka Flocka Flame, Circa Survive, Streetlight Manifesto and the RX Bandits.


I've been making a lot of mention as of late about all the new albums / releases that are due to hit the open market between January and the Summer 2011, with a big push in the Spring. Now, we're getting word of a great deal of tour announcements and dates. The following bands have scheduled tours for next year:
- Jimmy Eat World
- Foo Fighters
- My Chemical Romance
- Radiohead
- The Flaming Lips
- Cage The Elephant
... and that's just for starters.


The latest issue of "Rolling Stone" is doing a feature on the top 15 Christmas songs of all time. It is definitely a list for discussion. We here at 360 Degrees aren't going to get too wrapped (pardon the pun) in this, we are offering two things: our own list as well as our own CD... gift #2 to you!
In my book, here are some of the biggest alternative Christmas songs in history:
1). "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid.
Yeah, I know we've all heard this song a great many number of times over the past 26 years. But it's importance lies in the fact of the amount of charity that came out of it and the events like Live Aid that happened the following summer.
2). "Baby Please Come Home" by U2.
A one shot deal by the boys from Ireland. A fantastic remake of the 1963 Darlene Love classic. To add credibility, it's also on the 1st CD release for charity in conjunction with Special Olympics.
3). "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses.
One of the few Christmas songs I know that not only appeared on groups' greatest hits collection, but may have defined the band more than their staple, "I Know What Boys Want". When this song came out, alternative and rock in general, was way overdue for an original Christmas song. This track fit the bill in spades and is still widely played.
4). "Christmastime" by Smashing Pumpkins.
This song, which only appeared on the 3rd CD charitable release for Special Olympics, was also completely "out of character" for this group - which was a good thing. Many people, at first, thought this was a lead vocalist Bill Corgan solo project as there wasn't an electric guitar or drums or anything heavy to be found within 100 miles. The song showed just how versatile and talented the group could actually be.
5). "Merry Christmas Eve" by Better Than Ezra.
Another original song written and released a few years ago. It mostly gets played on rock and "modern" stations, but to this day, I cannot figure out why more stations don't play this song. It is very well written and composed - in fact, EVERY person who listens to this song for the first time, wants me to burn a copy for them or they go out and buy the song... it's THAT good.

Now, (attention: sales pitch ahead), all these songs (except for the 1st one) are on our 1st annual Christmas CD "360 Degrees Of Alternative Christmas". We have a few left if you would like one. 20 songs in all - no digital remastering, no BS... just great tunes. Something for everyone. Just drop us an email at alternatv@midcoast.com. Allow us a week or so to get you one in the mail.


Another part in the blog title is "Christmas Madness Through The Years". This is the history part of the blog as I went back in time (pre-1983) & found some cool (and hysterical) alternative Christmas moments;
- 1982: New Order provides their fans with special 7" record containing "Rocking Carol". The B-side contains their version of Beethoven's "Song Of Joy". Only 4,400 are produced and all were given away in a rubber-stamped bag that also contained a party hat, a whistle, some streamers, and a bit of candy.
- 1982: On the opposite end of the spectrum, Fear also releases a holiday offering called "Fuck Christmas" - a song that clocks in at only 45 seconds long.
- 1980: The Police play a pair of Christmas concerts in a huge tent on Tooting Bec Common. The 5,000 capacity tent has it's own heating system, but no seats. Just as well though, their fans will have a chance to dance to keep warm.
- 1979: Elvis Costello was part of a huge Christmas concert that featured Paul McCartney & Wings, as well as Rockpile. I still find it ironic that at this juncture in music history, Wings were on their last legs and Costello was just starting to hit his prime...
- 1978: Ian Dury fans had that "sinking feeling" at his concert at the Ilford Odeon. The over-excited fans were midway through the show when the floorboards gave way under excessive pogo dancing and caved in. The only thing that saved the punters from a quick trip to the basement was a sagging carpet. Wow...
- 1977: How's this for a Christmas bash? The infamous NME Christmas party was underway at Dingwalls on the 24th. Music was provided by Dave Edmunds and The Flaming Groovies. Attending the party are members of The Clash, The Ramones, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, Squeeze and many more!

Well, that's about all the time I have for today. The elves are screaming to use the stations' computer. Think I'll get them their own for Christmas...

Til next time, happy holidays & keep listening!
Peace out,
Dave

Shaping Radio Stations And Listeners, Then & Now

We received a lot of interesting and positive feedback from the last blog, which was a slight departure from the norm. I usually like to include what's new in alternative rock, as well as some history, interesting and sometimes funny tidbits, and what's to come in regards to the station. Consider this entry as part #2, continuing from last week. For those of you who thought the last blog had some interesting thoughts, but on a whole, was kind of off, don't worry - this type of blog is not the new boss.

I have to admit, I'm one of those people who were totally immersed in rock n' roll by the time I was 12 years old. By that age, I had shed almost every ounce of "pop radio" from my system. I say, almost, because my Mom still listened to that genre of music quite often, especially in the car. Since I wouldn't have my drivers license for another four years, she still "had control" over the radio whenever she had to cart me around somewhere.

By 16 - another life changing event. No, it wasn't the fact that I not only had a summer job and had the money to buy my 1st "killer stereo", or obtained my drivers license and therefore could use the car and therefore could listen to whatever tunes I wanted. One of my best friends, Scott, got the idea to hook up a TV coaxial cable to the back of his stereo receiver via an adapter instead of using that same group of wires to watch cable television. We both lived in rural New Hampshire at the time and "good" radio stations, in our opinion, were very few & far between. However, after he hooked up the cable, he was able to pull in stations from Boston and even Rhode Island with amazing clarity. We now had access to tons of songs & bands that we had never heard of. Heck, some of these were bands the local record store never heard of nor stocked the vinyl! We didn't know it at the time, but these stations shaped our likes, dislikes, and listening.

This in turn shaped us throughout college when Scott & I both went on to obtain degrees in radio and communications. We were both heavily involved in our campus radio stations and swapped music constantly. Looking back, I consider us both to be lucky to be able to attend college near Boston. One station in particular, WBCN, was influential in our music and for me, quite heavily. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this progressive station, WBCN has been an icon for over 40 years. The station has been credited with launching the careers of The Cars, The Police, U2 and 'Til Tuesday, just to name a few, because they were the first station in the US to play songs by these bands.

Now, you don't have to be involved in the radio business to realize that formats as well as stations come and go - sometimes rather quickly. For a major market station to last more than 40 years, with the same format in tact, and still featuring local programming, is nothing short of a miracle these days. I still listen to WBCN - going on 30+ years.

In hindsight, I find it humorous to think about the time when I first got into professional radio. I was young and ready to change the world! However, I was not prepared for the business side of it, the egos, and the uncertainty of it. That changed quickly and I learned as well as learned to adapt. That led me to bigger and better gigs at larger (bigger market) radio stations where I eventually had a hand at programming. Ironically, now I was the one (hopefully) shaping listeners and other radio stations. I eventually got to meet and talk to a number of rock artists that I was a fan of. To date, I've not yet become a skilled enough writer to paint an accurate picture to describe what some of those meetings were like. While they were all memorable, I can say that some people were really cool & some were total assholes.

All these years, memories, and changes have not only influenced my taste in music, but also influenced me to start this station and what to play. However, this time through the Internet and satellite, my hope is to not only possibly influence and hopefully entertain in the process, but to also to educate. At 360 Degrees of Alternative, I like to think we are "classic to cutting edge" when it comes to alternative rock. That's why we feature five decades of music, because I truly believe you cannot appreciate the present without respecting the past.

Until next time, keep listening!
Peace out,
Dave

Play It, And They Will Come

OK Dave, what's up with the title? Actually, this has been on my mind for a little while... I was just unsure in how to transfer it from brain to paper, or in this case, computer. The thought process actually started a little more than a week ago when the usual array of commercial radio stations (as well as satellite and Internet stations) started playing Christmas music 24/7.

The first thing that popped into my head was, "Great... here we go again." It's not that I don't like Christmas music. My main beef is there are a lot of songs... good songs, great songs in fact, that are NOT played on commercial radio (in general - other mediums are also guilty). I've always liked music... my entire life. In fact, my Mom has told me that I used to crawl to the beat of a tune! So, it stands to reason that Christmas music, along with other genres, would become a natural part of my life... and it has. However, how many versions of "O Holy Night" can one person stand before it loses it's effect? Especially when you have a gamut of modern artists trying the sing & "tag" the living shit out of it? Don't believe me? Play that particular song that's been recorded by Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion & a few others I can't think of right now, and play them all back to back. It starts to sound like some insane and/or torturous competition... and you're the one who loses.

Taking this same thinking and applying it to what I'm trying to accomplish here at 360 Degrees, is one of the main focal points of why I started this whole crazy thing in the first place; to take listeners out of the boring everyday mainstream and help them discover that there is (no pun intended) a viable alternative.

Yes, I realize that the station is nowhere near perfect... in all honesty, I doubt it ever will be, because I believe there is no such thing. Yes, I've added a great many songs over the past 9 months. Guess what? I've also removed some tracks as well. Believe it or not, I actually listen to the station on a daily basis. Yup... daily. It gives me a chance to see how the tracks blend together, the quality of the music, as well as a number of other aspects.

Judging from the overall positive response, I'd say the station is doing well. And that there my friends is the key. It has taken a while, but we are getting noticed. I've said from the beginning, I'm certainly not in this for the money. Sure, we've made a couple of bucks along the way, but there's no way I can quit my day job yet. The bottom line here is, when you understand your self-worth is not your net-worth, then you get a taste of real freedom. The self-worth of 360 Degrees of Alternative as a whole is high - thus it allows us to have & explore the freedom I want while gaining a following and enjoying the musical journey along the way. And you're the one who wins...

I know one of the biggest debates that will probably never go away, is "what is true alternative"? I receive an email about this, in one form or another, at least once a week. First off, there is no such animal as "true" alternative. This genre of music is an aspect of rock 'n roll - which was a bastard child from the very start.

Since it is a vein of rock, that means it spans the decades. That, in turn, gives us the freedom to offer decades worth of cool music that is alternative. I realized from the get-go that this genre has people who like "modern" as well as "old school". So do I - that's why we play it. Since alternative is a vein of rock, it is also has influences from throughout the years. This is a cool thing. Many a "modern rock / alternative" artist has been noted in saying, "Hey, without this band or that band, our band would not exist." And some of these bands go back 20, 30 years or more...

So, based on this, I'd like to pass along another piece of enlightenment... I don't give a shit what "experts" say or think in regards to what songs or groups are important, or should be included or excluded, and so on. Yes, I feel debate is good as long as it's healthy, but I'm not going to program the station based on God-knows-how-many people's opinion. I hate to break it to some of these people - I own the station & you don't. Don't like it? Start your own!

I don't mean that last sentence as an insult. In fact, I mean just the opposite. Heck, that's why I started my own station - I didn't like what I was hearing through certain mediums. By being part of the Internet and satellite radio community, it turns out, there is no right or wrong way to program a radio station, or more specifically, to feature the music you love. There is only "to broadcast" or "not to broadcast". I've received feedback and emails from people telling me what they think of the station - I've been accused of selling out and praised as an innovator. That's like being accused of high-dollar and a slum dog at the same time!

I'd like to leave you with a thought. Maybe you're scanning the stations on your radio right now. Maybe you're doing the same either with satellite or through the Internet. And maybe, you just can't find anything you want to listen to. Instead of getting into a vitriolic rift hidden by the veil of email, why not just "do your own thing". It will take a lot of work, but instead of being a single voice telling someone to piss off, you can be part of a large independent voice that's trying to make this wonderfully cool thing called radio and music, a better place.

Until next time, keep listening!
Peace out,
Dave

A New Clash Movie, New York Dolls Revival, Stop Your Wining & Other Cool Stuff

Whew! The Thanksgiving leftovers are finally gone as is black Friday & cyber Monday. Time to get back into the spirit of things alternative!

Some interesting tidbits came down the pike recently, like the blurb that hit the media regarding a new biopic on the Clash. According to the BBC, former Clash members Mick Jones and Paul Simonon will co-executive produce a new biopic about the making of the band's classic 1979 album London Calling. The cast of the film has not been announced and shooting is scheduled to begin next year although no dates have been released. The Clash and late singer Joe Strummer have been the subjects of several films already, including the documentary Westway to the World, Julian Temple's Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten and The Rebel Truce: The Clash, which is slated to premiere on BBC America on December 12th.

I was reading through some history notes over the past day or two and realized that it was during this week back in 1972 that the original New York Dolls drummer, Billy Murcia, died of an overdose of barbiturates while the band was on tour in the UK. According to police reports, Murcia was placed in a tub of cold water and some "friends" tried getting some coffee in him when they could not wake him. Ever tried drinking coffee while you're unconscious? Doesn't work very well...
However, within a month, the band has a new drummer, Jerry Nolan, and starts performing a bunch of gigs at the Mercer Arts Center in New York. By March 20th 1973, a mere 3 1/2 months later, the Dolls are signed to Mercury Records.

Ya gotta love Jack White! Yeah, he can be kind of a temperamental artist, and he seems to be in the news (music-wise) a great deal, but this time he's pissed at his fans. Say what? Yup - it's all because, according to White, he was just trying to outwit so-called "flippers" who buy limited-edition releases, only to sell them for much higher prices online.

But after his Third Man label auctioned off a limited-edition White Stripes LP on eBay for $510, White Stripes fans complained - and White fired back on the forum of the label's subscription series. "We sell a Wanda Jackson split record for 10 bucks, the eBay flipper turns around and sells it for 300," White wrote. "We're not in the business of making flippers a living. We're in the business of giving fans what they want."

But he didn't stop there... "We've done giveaways, contests, auctions, etc. a lot of different ways for vault members to get first crack at limited records when we don't have to ... seriously stop all of the whining, because what you communicate to us is that all of the trouble we go to isn't worth it because nothing we do will make you happy. we'll try to do back rubs door to door when we get a chance. Sincerely the staff at third man records."

In other news briefs, one buzz lately seems to be all about videos. First, The Killers released their 5th annual Christmas song & the accompanying video, "Boots", last week. Proceeds from the song will benefit (RED) and help fight AIDS in Africa. Very cool indeed.

The 2nd video, "Hurricane" by 30 Seconds To Mars, has been banned from MTV as well as other media outlets. Never mind the video is 13 minutes long, (I'm sorry - that's not a video... that's a movie short), but apparently at the 9:20 mark there's a scene where a woman reaches between another woman's legs and strokes her (over leather panties). Gee, no wonder it landed the clip in the "not-safe-for-America" bin... It's also once again reinforcing that age-old adage that sex on TV is more dangerous than violence. Please - skip the hate mail...

Finally, taking a quick look back in today in alternative rock history - the year is 1980 and the Talking Heads begin their tour of the UK tour starting with a few gigs at the Hammersmith Palais, supported by an obscure band from Ireland named U2...

That's about it for this entry. As always, keep on listening & keep the comments and suggestions coming!

Peace out,
Dave

A Bit Of History in Punk / Alternative Music - Or How Much History Can Be Crammed Into The Same Week In Different Years?

This is sort of a "2nd part" to the blog I posted earlier this week. I was going to include these tidbits in the one I wrote on Friday the 19th, but the more I dug into this particular topic, the more I realized just how L-O-N-G that days entry would've been. OK, let's strap ourselves into the 360 Degrees time machine and turn back the clock...

1973 - The New York Dolls are in Paris. Arriving drunk at Orly Airport, Johnny Thunders pukes in the airport lounge after arriving. The press draw a lot of attention to it & Malcolm McLaren (future manager of the Sex Pistols) is taking notes as he joins the band on the trip. He later duplicates the incident (or stunt in this case) with the Pistols for the benefit of the press.

1975 - Patti Smith's debut album "Horses" has begun to leak out of the Arista offices. Although it's slated for release in early December in the US and in January overseas, already the praise-filled reviews are pouring in. Except for one... the magazine Melody Maker literally hates the record; "...precisely what's wrong with rock and roll right now is that there are too many academics pretending to be cretins and too many cretins pretending to be academics. "Horses" is just bad. Period." Whatever...

1976 - The Sex Pistols are invited as last-minute guests to appear on the Bill Grundy TV show "Today". The rock group Queen was the original guest, but canceled. A number of factors contributed to "the night the air turned blue" (actual newspaper headlines the next day). The Pistols were pretty much greased from way too many complimentary drinks offered before the show. Also, the band did not know the show was going out live. Finally, Grundy planned to expose the Pistols (who were about to become a household name / word) as unschooled ruffians with little to no wits about them.

It's now 6:15pm, and everyone is on stage including future punk icon Siouxsie Sioux (who originally was a SP groupie). The interview lasted less than 2 minutes, but the reverberations would last a long time. Within the first 45 seconds, Steve Jones says "fucking" and Johnny Rotten says "shit"... twice. But the real kicker was towards the end of the interview when Siouxsie mentions to Grundy that she always wanted to me him & Grundy offers to "get together with her" after the show. Jones goes on a rant & tells Grundy, "You dirty fucker. What a fucking rotter."

McLaren is worried and furious. He grabs the band, throws them into the limo and makes a quick escape as the TV stations switchboard is literally melting from irate calls. Grundy would be suspended from television for 2 weeks, while the shows producer and director were both fired.

1977 - The Ramones release their 2nd album "Rocket to Russia".

1978 - The Police release their debut album "Outlandos d'Amour".

1979 - The Clash have barely waited a year since the release of their album, "Give 'Em Enough Rope" but they already have slipped out a few hundred copies of their new double album to select shops called "London Calling". The album would be officially released on December 7th in the UK and a month later in the US. The album cover is a black & white live shot of Paul Simonen smashing his bass onstage with pink & green lettering in a direct parody / tribute to Elvis Presley's debut album. Don't believe me... check it out.

1982 - The Beastie Boys release their debut EP "Pollywog Stew" on the NY Indie Rat Cage Records. The eight songs combined total just eleven minutes in length. The line-up consists of Micheal Diamond (aka Mike D) on vocals, John Berry on guitar, and Kate Schellenbach on drums. All three of them were part of a failed band called the Young Aborigines. When Adam Yaunch (aka MCA) joined on bass they dubbed themselves the Beastie Boys. At the time the record is made, all members were between 15 and 17 years old. Shortly afterwards, John & Kate would leave the band and ex-Young And The Restless bassist Adam Horowitz joined. This would be the classic lineup of the BB that would last for two decades.


1983 - A quirky group of four individuals in LA form a band that combines traditional funk with the elements of punk & psychedelic rock as well as jazz fusion. They would go on to win six grammys and sell over 50 million albums in the next 25 years. They call themselves The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

1988 - The stars were without a doubt lined up this year. Three, count 'em three, bands either came together or played their 1st gig together as a band this week 22 years ago. They were Live, Smashing Pumpkins and Sublime.

Unfortunately, that's all the time I have for today to hit the blog. Until next time, keep listening!

Peace out,
Dave

Patti Smith, Punk Invades LA, Tons Of New Albums, Playing Defense & The Kingsmen

We'll dispense with any well-thought out introductions & get right to the blog. It's been a hectic two weeks, so we have a lot of ground to cover. First off, I'd like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving! As our way of saying "Thanks" for all those who read the blogs, listen to 360 Degrees of Alternative, as well as send along great comments & suggestions - we've added over 25 new groups / artists & added more songs in one week than we have in any similar time period over the past 6 months. The music spans the decades and truly screams "diversity". Be sure to check it out!

The first tidbit I'd like to pass along is a little off the beaten track as it has to do with books, not music. However, the author is very well known in the alternative music circles. It is none other than Patti Smith. I found out this week that her book (memoir actually) called "Just Kids", which details her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the 60's & 70's, won the 2010 National Book Award in the nonfiction category. The book has received rave reviews since it's release back in January. Congrats Patty!

We've been noting quite a few (that's an understatement) bands that have new releases coming out between now & the Spring of 2011. Rather than go into a long diatribe about other new stuff I've read about, here's a short list of bands. This is in addition to the ones I've already commented about in previous blogs. Note to self - it's going to be a busy Spring...
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Blink 182
- Patrick Stump (former Fall Out Boy frontman)
- The Strokes
- Say Hi
- White Stripes
- Jane's Addiction
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- REM
- and quite a few more! Details as they come in!

The part of "Playing Defense" in the title also ties in with the Artist of the Week feature. It seems every once in a while, we get an email from someone who asks why we play certain songs. Most seem to concern the music from the 60's. I can see the argument (weak as it is) that these songs just "don't rock hard enough" to be on the station. Sorry people, that's not the point nor a criteria. ALL the songs 360 Degrees features that are garage rock songs & groups from that era were a major influence on punk & alternative music. Remember, you can't appreciate the present unless you respect the past.

Case in point, our Artist of the Week feature is on The Kingsmen. Some of you are saying "who?" while others are saying "what are you nuts?". Hardly. Let's delve into some history.

Yes, the band is pretty much known for their very popular cover of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie". In my humble opinion, this song is pretty much the starting point of garage rock and the foundations of punk and alternative music.

Now, before you start sending me tons of hate mail, check it out. As far as the starting point, the song was released in late fall of 1963. To my knowledge, there are no other songs that were released earlier and can be classified as garage rock. Yes, there were loud & fast rockabilly songs that date back to the 50's, but they are missing one big key factor - "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen had all the ingredients of a classic garage rock / punk song.

We'll even leave out the fact that the song was (and still is) very popular. The 1st key ingredient - the audio was rough & sounded borderline horrible... even by early 60's standards. The music (especially the bass) was distorted. Quality production was obviously not high on the list.
The 2nd - No one could understand the lyrics! They were, in fact, innocuous, but Jack Ely's baffling enunciation permitted teenage fans and concerned parents alike to imagine the most scandalous obscenities.
The 3rd - The song was banned (by now, can you see similarities between this & the Sex Pistols?). The band attracted nationwide attention when the song was banned by the governor of Indiana, Matthew E. Welsh, and even attracted the attention of the FBI because of the alleged indecent lyrics in the song. All this hoopla only made the song more popular.
The 4th - the song has been covered by countless alternative & punk bands throughout the years and many artists list this song as a major influence in regards to "getting started in music". To me, The Kingsmen were the originators of proving, "if we can do it, so can you!"

Lastly - don't worry I didn't forget - the part about Punk invading LA. The following photo essay was published on Spin magazine's website this week. It's only contains 14 pictures, but it's a excellent look back into the heyday of mid-70's to 1980 punk out on the left coast. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here's the link for "Beautiful & Damned".

That's it for this entry. But don't worry - there's another entry coming very soon. Until then, keep listening!

Peace out,
Dave

New Feature: Artist of the Week, Plus More Tidbits On R.E.M. & Other New Releases

Since we just finished with nationwide elections on Tuesday, we at 360 Degrees, have "elected" to add a new feature here on the blog called "Artist of the Week". I toyed with the concept of doing it more frequently than that, but I feel that if I did, it would lack substance and accuracy. So, after some brief music news, we'll get to our 1st feature.

Since R.E.M. released the info that they're new album called Collapse Into Now is pretty much done & will be out within the next few months, more interesting tidbits seem to be streaming out. The latest news is, according to Mike Mills, there is a more "expansive" sound than on 2008's Accelerate (whose lyrics were fairly political and inspired by such) and will feature some special guests - including Eddie Vedder and Patti Smith.

Love him or hate him, Marilyn Manson's new release (his 8th) is in the works & this time the band is going punk. Twiggy Ramirez, aka Jeordie White, who was Manson's longtime guitarist, and rejoined the band in 2008, after a 7 year hiatus, spoke about their upcoming release while backstage at a benefit gig for Dimebag Darrell in Los Angeles. "It's kind of like a little more of a punk rock Mechanical Animals", which was released back in 1998. Ramirez added that the album was "almost done" and would probably be out at some point next year.

A friend of mine asked me a few months ago, "Whatever happened to Evanscence?" Well, it seems we now have some answers. My friend was right to ask that particular question - Evanscence's last release was in 2006. Apparently, since that time, the band had been plagued by in-fighting and lineup changes, with - get this - original members John LeCompy, Rocky Gray, and Ben Moody all leaving... that's 60% of the band, people. However, lead singer Amy Lee is getting back on track with a new lineup (only drummer Will Hunt stayed on) and is set to release an album later this fall, (date is unknown at this time), with U2 and Rolling Stones producer Steve Lillywhite at the helm.

Lastly, before we check out the Artist of the Week section, let's check out some cool alternative & punk history -
- During this week back in 1974, Chrissie Hynde just left Ohio band Jack Rabbit & took a short trip to Tuscon Arizona to see a friend with the hopes of forming another band, but was mortified that "everyone there listened to country & western music". After a week of that living hell, (her words) she flew to Paris to accept the offer to sing in a group called The Frenchies. The name of the band sucked, but they did open for The Flaming Groovies.
- This week back in 1976, The Dammed released their first 7" single a mere 5 months after their live debut at the Nashville. It is produced by Nick Lowe on Stiff Records. It features "New Rose" with a cover of the Beatles song "Help" as the B-side. The group wanted the single released on or very close to Halloween, but distribution problems hold things up for a week. Amazingly, Stiff sells over 5,000 copies through mail order in a short time, then label United Artists decides to take on distribution efforts.

After I had the concept of "Artist of the Week" planted in my head, I struggled with the idea of who to feature. I finally came to the conclusion to do a bit on Iggy Pop. It was actually a toss-up between him and the Velvet Underground, since they were both true influences & innovators. I flipped a coin & Iggy won. Now there's crucial decision making in action!

Iggy was not only an innovator, but he was also very authentic. He has influenced countless bands, musicians, and rock music itself. Ironically, he struggled with the idea of being a singer or "front-man" for a band, because as he put it once, "Even though I liked the idea and loved to sing, I sucked at it. I mean I REALLY sucked". This was one reason why he first played drums for different high school bands and eventually playing bass for The Prime Movers. No singing, just rhythm section.

It wasn't until he moved to Chicago in 1967 where two things happened. The first, was where he was at a friends party and heard the Velvet Underground's debut album. At first he really didn't care for it, but then got excited by the mere fact that Lou Reed, in Iggy's opinion, couldn't sing! This gave him hope. The second was seeing rock acts like The Doors, MC5, and The Sonics. From the lack of musical talent of the VU, to the stage antics of Jim Morrison and the MC5, Iggy formed the Stooges.

One year after they're live debut, they signed with Elektra Records & released their debut album which was ironically produced by John Cale of the Velvet's. Unfortunately, the bands first few albums sold poorly, even with constant touring & Iggy's wild stage antics. He was the first performer in rock history to what's now called stage diving, or diving off stage, into the audience, and have the audience pass the person around using their hands that are over their heads. Sound familiar? Another term for this is called moshing... only 25+ years earlier!

Through out the 70's and 80's, David Bowie would be totally instrumental to Iggy's career by keeping it as well as Iggy afloat. Iggy's drug problems have been well documented and it wasn't until the 1985 release "Blah, Blah, Blah" and "Brick By Brick" in 1990, that he finally enjoyed success in record sales as well as on the rock charts. From that point forward, Iggy was able to rid himself of his drug habits and has continued on a successful path in both music and movies, including entrance into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in early 2010.

We'll wrap things up some interesting bits of Iggy trivia;
- Iggy has appeared on TV shows ranging from the Dinah Shore Variety Hour in the late 70's to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
- His talents have been used in video games. From the DJ on 97.7 Liberty Rock Radio in Grand Theft Auto IV as well as appearing as a character in the video game Lego Rock Band to sing his song The Passenger and also lent his voice for the in game tutorial.
- Apparently, Iggy called Moe Howard (Moe of the Three Stooges fame) back in the late 60's to see if it was alright to call his band "The Stooges," to which Howard responded by merely saying "I don't care what they call themselves, as long as they're not the Three Stooges!" and hung up the phone!

Until next time, keep listening.
Peace out,
Dave

Garbage; New Not Recycled, Taking Back Sunday, Spring 2011 - What's Up With That, and More!

Every year this is one thing that I don't like to admit. It's fall. I mean, it's REALLY fall. The days are getting shorter by leaps & bounds, daylight savings time is in less than a week & it finally dipped below 30 degrees as of last night (in my neck of the woods). By admitting this, it brings forward one simple thought... winter is definitely on its way. To me, that's a bummer. However, there is a silver lining to all this. It seems many groups & individuals turn towards putting out new material between now and the spring.

Case in point - I read a blurb today that 90's rockers Garbage are reuniting for their first album in five years. Singer Shirley Manson revealed to the Herald Scotland, "We've recorded quite a lot but it's difficult to quantify…We're just winging it right now." Garbage are also planning to hit the road for a tour next year although no dates or venues have been released.

Another case in point - back in early summer & seemingly out of nowhere, Long Island rockers Taking Back Sunday patched up old wounds and reformed their classic lineup, with estranged guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper joining the band for the first time in seven years. After returning to the stage over the summer, the band has headed into the studio to complete a new album, due for an early 2011 release. As for a title, the band's leaning toward... Taking Back Sunday. "We haven't had [a self-titled album], and going back to the original lineup, it seems appropriate. But who knows by the end of the recording process."

Third case in point - And maybe someone who's really into astrology can help me out with this. Like, are all the planets due to line up in the Spring of 2011? There are more bands than I can count that have lined up releases for the upcoming season. Throwing their hat into the mix, Death Cab for Cutie are wrapping up their seventh full-length album for release in spring 2011, (see what I mean) although, according to the band, this release will not be a "guitar oriented album" like their chart-topping 2008 release, Narrow Stairs.


Ok - let's depart from the "new release" avenue & take a brief turn down "And You Thought YOUR Halloween Costumes Were Scary" street. Over this past weekend, there was a music festival named the Voodoo Experience. Now, this was staged in New Orleans... home of Mardi Gras... on Halloween weekend. Might folks costume? What do you think?
This simple fact did not pass unnoticed by the men of MGMT. They performed on stage as characters from Scooby-Doo. Singer Andrew VanWyngarden sported a long orange wig and pink tights as the foxy Daphne; Keyboardist Ben Goldwasser was the brainy Velma; Guitarist James Richardson donned a full-body Scooby-Doo get-up. Check it out...


That's about all the time I have for the blog today. I think with that picture, that is enough. Until next time, keep listening!

Peace out,
Dave

Foo Fighters, Sex Pistols, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oh My!

I had to make a trip to the DMV (aka MVR, RMV... basically the registry of motor vehicles or whatever it's called in your neck of the woods) this morning. I have to admit, waiting there is good for one thing. It makes for a good time to get caught up on what's going on in the music world! For one thing, the news is a mix of new & old.

It's hard to believe, but the Sex Pistols album, "Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols" was released 33 years ago as of tomorrow October 28th. Looking back, it's a miracle the album is even released. The band went through three (3) record labels in less than 9 months before Warner Brothers signed them. The album goes through constant changes - everything from the album cover art work to song selection. There's so much indecision, that the first 200,000 copies of the album had to be shipped with an "additional" 45 single version of the song "Submission", which would be included on the full length album afterwards... all due to last minute decisions.

There's still some confusion & speculation about the bands name. The groups manager Malcolm McLaren has stated repeatedly that the name came from two things: 1). The "Sex" part is in regards to the name of his clothing store back on the Kings Row in London and 2). He (McLaren) wanted the 2nd half of the name "to sound dangerous"... so he chose the word "pistol".

Not everyone was convinced. Within one hour of the record hitting the streets, it is banned from at least three major department stores. The album does moderately well in the states, mostly due to curiosity, but over in England, it's an entirely different story. The song "God Save The Queen" goes to #2 on the singles chart in the UK with absolutely no airplay (it's banned obviously) and the album goes to #1. Record shop owners are harrassed (and in some cases arrested and/or fined) if they sell the album, advertising of the record is practically forbidden, and many towns are blocking the band from playing any venues. Some ask why all the fuss? After all, it's just an album & an album cover. It's more than that... it's a movement. It's a reclaiming of rock n' roll that would still feel it's influence to this day.

Moving back into the current, one of the big headlines that popped up this week was the news of the new Foo Fighters album. It wasn't necessarily the release that made all the talk, or the fact that the group is cutting the record DIY-style in Grohl's garage. The big hoopla was the fact that Dave has returned to his Nirvana-era roots. Nevermind producer Butch Vig is at the helm and bassist Krist Novoselic will make a guest appearance on bass. "This whole project has been really cool - the album is totally old school analog," Grohl said. "I haven't made a record with Butch for 20 years." So far, the Foos have cut seven tracks and are planning to lay down five or six more.

This just came in this morning - for those of you who were looking forward to the new Devo tour will have to wait a little longer. Devo have postponed their upcoming November tour until Spring of 2011, according to the band's label Warner Bros, due to guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh sustaining a serious hand injury. No other details were available, except "OUCH!"

Another cool tidbit that I glanced at was Tyson Ritter of the All American Rejects is auctioning off an autographed suit to raise money for Haiti relief. The suit is signed by Rejects' tour mates on the 2010 Vans Warped Tour, including Alkaline Trio, Dillinger Escape Plan, Andrew W.K., Mike Posner, Sum 41 and more. I won't post the link here, but you will find it on e-Bay.

Another band stepping into the "new release" arena, are the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The group has been on a fairly serious hiatus that started back in 2007 - mainly to weather the departure of guitarist John Frusciante. However, it seems RHCP back in the studio working on a new record, which the band is hoping to release in Spring of next year. For the still-untitled album, Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Chad Smith have roped in touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer for lead duties and the band is teaming up once more with longtime producer Rick Rubin.

I haven't done this for a while, but I've had some emails asking me about when I was going to start posting some "history" tidbits, as quite a number of people thought it was cool. On that note, we'll just say, no problem - you asked for it!
- In 1986, (Waiting For) The Ghost Train is released, the last Madness single.
- In 1993, Pearl Jam sets a 1st week sales record by selling 950,000 copies of the "Vs." album.
- In 1973, a new girl group called The Stilettos have been floating around New York City. The band is formed by Debbie Harry. They are occasionally joined by guitarist Chris Stein. They will make their formal debut this week back in '73 at Bobern Tavern. It will be Debbie's first big step towards Blondie.

That's about it for today. Keep listening!
Peace out,
Dave

The Cars Reunite, Money To Burn, New Stuff From U2 & Smashing Pumpkins, & RIP Ari Up

Alright - it's Friday! Hopefully you're getting ready for the weekend... and we hope you'll be taking along 360 Degrees of Alternative along for the ride as well! I'm sure we all noticed the full moon this week - as things in the alternative music world I think were kinda noticing it as well.

The first tidbit I wanted to cover was the breaking news that the Cars are reuniting. There was rumblings of this back in July, but it was just "...well, we're thinking about it..." sort of thing. Now, apparently it's official. There will be an album, but as for a tour at this point - that still needs to be hammered out. The Cars' engineer Paul Orofino confirmed that the band - Ric Ocasek, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, and drummer David Robinson -have been recording in a studio in Millbrook, New York. No word as of yet who would be handling bass guitar duties as founding bassist Benjamin Orr died of cancer in 2000. As stated above, the band is "strongly considering" touring, but they have not yet nailed down dates.

I was on the road this week and I was listening to some "early" White Stripes while in the car, if there is such a thing. I later came across an article which stated that a copy of the 7" single "Lafayette Blues" which the White Stripes recorded back in 1998 sold for over $18,000... and they say there's no money in music. The unique thing about this particular album was it was one of only 15 copies with a hand-painted cover done by Jack White and Italy Records honcho Dave Buick. The single originally went for only $6 when they were sold at the Stripes' concert at Detroit's Gold Dollar 12 years ago.

More new stuff on the horizon! According to a press release, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins will release Teargarden by Kaleidyscore Vol.II: The Solstice Bare, the second EP in Corgan's planned 44-song, 11-EP project, on November 23rd. Yes, this release will also be a limited edition CD like the last one.

U2 is also in the new release spotlight, but in spades! Despite Bono's emergency back surgery earlier this year, the band is currently working on three (no typo here) three new albums. First up is a collaboration with Gnarls Barkley mastermind and production whiz Danger Mouse. The wait for that album might not be too long. Earlier this month, U2's manager Paul McGuinness told the Irish Times that he expected the band's next album to drop in early 2011, before the next leg of the group's U.S. tour, which begins in May.

On a sad note, Ari Up — co-founder of the iconic British punk band the Slits — died October 20, according to the Sex Pistols' John Lydon. Ari Up, who was born Arianna Forster, succumbed to a "serious illness," according to Lydon, who is married to Up's mother. She was only 48.

For those who are unfamiliar with the singer, Up formed the band The Slits with drummer Palmolive when she was only 14 years old in 1976. The group would go on to become one of the most pioneering female punk groups, laying the groundwork for the '90s riot grrrl movement and inspiring everyone from Bjork and Courtney Love to Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. The Slits' sound was wild and experimental - a mixture of reggae grooves and spiky punk guitars -and earned them fans from bands like the Clash, who took the Slits on the road for their 1977 White Riot Tour. When the group finally made it to vinyl by 1979, again they made headlines with their debut release "Cut" - but it was more for the album cover art instead of the music which featured the band posing naked. RIP Ari...

Finally, I received an email from a listener asking what does the song "Daughter" by Pearl Jam mean? I replied with a web link giving them the answer, (you'll just have to look it up yourself :-p), but I also found some cool trivia about that album as well. Did you know that the album was originally going to be called "5 Against 1", but then the band changed it to just "Pearl Jam" and then to "VS". Apparently, there are a handful of copies out there with the "Pearl Jam" title, before it was changed to "VS".

That's about it for now... whew! Until next time, keep listening.
Peace out,
Dave

Pixies in Chile, More New Releases... We Think, and Nirvana Goes On Display.

Greetings all -

I read this 1st bit of news this morning & I had to spread the word on it, because I thought it was really cool. My apologies to those who already know this. The Pixies performed what was most likely the longest concert in their history (at least the group said it was) in Santiago, Chile Wednesday night in honor of each of the 33 miners who were rescued from a collapsed mine that same night. Lead vocalist and guitarist Black Francis said in a statement, "We were so moved by this story, by how many lives had been affected by this, and how the Chilean people banded together to support what can only be described as a miracle. We wanted to do something to show how affected we were by this." The Pixies, whom originally formed in Boston back in 1986, ended up playing 35 songs in all, including a two-song encore.

This next bit has been quite the buzz this week on Twitter, that it even caught the attention of the BBC... and that's saying something. According to R.E.M.'s band manager, Bertis Downs, the group has finished work on their 15th studio album and have decided what to call it: Collapse Into Now. A release date of "Spring 2011" was given but no other info was available at this time.

While we're on the subject of new releases, I hope the Beastie Boys decide at some point to stop playing musical chairs... or records. I know Adam Yauch has recovered (or is still recovering) from his bout with cancer, but is well enough to get back in the studio and start doing some mixing. Don't get me wrong - glad to have you back (and around) Adam! However, the group's supposedly next release Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 now has been delayed indefinitely. However, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2, according to a B.B.'s press release will be out on time in spring! Um... OK! I'll leave the holding your breath part up to you...

In the "this should be interesting" department, according to the Seattle Post, the Seattle museum Experience Music Project will launch the largest ever exhibit on Nirvana starting April 16th 2011. The show will be called, "Nirvana: Taking Punk to The Masses" will contain over 200 items from the band and families' archives, including Kurt Cobain's lyrics, an old reel-to-reel used to record demos, and rare photos and snapshots of the band.

Lastly, I was glancing through some websites regarding "Rock History" or "Today in Rock History". Most of the time, I find some cool tidbits and what-not. I do not remember this next piece of history, however. It seems back in 1990, "Rocky Horror Picture Show Day", is declared in Los Angeles, marking the 15th Anniversary of the film. Can you imagine what this would've been like? But my big question is, where the hell was I?

Well, I guess you can't remember everything... especially at my age!
Until next time, keep listening!

Peace out,
Dave

Billie Joe Does Broadway, A Landslide of New Releases, and More Ways To Feel Old

Now that I think of it, that first tag line in the title, "Billie Joe Does Broadway", sort of reminds me of a certain porn movie title of a slightly different name... however, we won't go there... but it does bring quite some food for the mind. This topic is making quite a buzz in the media world.

Billie Joe Armstrong, frontman for Green Day, actually made his debut on Broadway. Even before the curtain rose for American Idiot at Manhattan’s St. James Theater, (no pun intended here - that is the actual name of the theater), an announcer listed the house rules and then added, “By the way, the role of St. Jimmy will be played by Billie Joe Armstrong.” Needless to say, the roar from the crowd that followed may have been the loudest in Broadway history for a person who was was stand-in.

Armstrong played the character of St. Jimmy, the evil influence on the punky protagonist Jesus of Suburbia (played by John Gallagher Jr.). Billie Joe was filling in for Broadway veteran Tony Vincent (who is on short leave for a family matter) for eight performances. According to reviews and feedback, not only did the show get a favorable thumbs up, but apparently Armstrong was a decent actor as well as a dancer, the latter of which surprised many people.

The show was also a first on another front - it was the first punk / alternative rock album to be made into a Broadway show. It joins some impressive company like The Who's "Tommy" in regards to a "rock opera" of sorts to actually make it to Broadway. Who would've thought when American Idiot was released that it would actually go this far?

Some people say it's because the holidays are right around the corner, others are saying it's because it's the end of the year and it will be a case of "one-up-man-ship". Whatever the reason, I really don't care! October as well as the following months are setting up to be a cool time for a variety of new releases from a number of bands. Everybody and their brother seems to be up to speed regarding the new stuff from Weezer and Kings of Leon. Here's a short list of bands that will be releasing new stuff very soon;
- My Chemical Romance
- The Cold War Kids
- My Morning Jacket
- Gold Panda
... and there's more on the horizon.

Lastly, I felt a little aged by this bit. A listener emailed me and said, "Hey... you're almost 50 (thanks pal), but do you remember this? Not only was this almost 30 years ago (28 to be exact) but also the fact that Joe Strummer is now in rock n' roll heaven. It was on this date back in 1982 that The Clash played Shea Stadium as part of their farewell tour.

If you now feel a "little old"... good. Welcome to the club, we have jackets.
Until next time, keep listening!

Peace out,
Dave

Getting Out Of Our Confort Zone & Where The Heck Do You Find These Bands??

I received an email the other day from a listener, as they put it, "I just found your station... and it blew me away. You play a lot of tunes I'm familiar with as well as many songs & bands I've never heard of - but they kick ass! You NEVER hear these bands on the radio... where do you find these bands and songs?"

1). Glad you found us!
2). Glad you like the station!
3). Unfortunately, I make it a habit of not revealing my sources for where I "find" these bands and/or some of the songs the station plays. The reason for that is, is it keeps me one step (hopefully) above other similar genre stations.
4). And probably most important, is that's why we're here... because there are a lot of great bands & tunes that you don't hear on the radio. Chances are, there's a possibility you never will... and that's a shame.

Sometimes it's a question of a new (read: local) band getting "discovered". Other times, it's a geographical situation. In other words, let's say a new band from L.A. just got signed to a record label. It's going to take a little time for that music to reach the east coast. But sometimes, I feel there's a third aspect. I guess that's in direct relation to some other emails I've received asking as to why I don't play a certain tune, especially if it's getting tons of airplay on commercial radio stations. In my humble opinion, just because a certain song is getting some significant airplay, doesn't mean it's good or worthwhile and likewise, just because a certain song isn't getting any airplay, doesn't mean it's bad.

I know I might piss a few people off by saying this, but just because it's "popular", doesn't mean it's good or worthwhile. Classic example - Disco music from the 70's. How else do you explain such tunes like "Disco Duck" by DJ Rick Dees & His Band of Idiots going all the way to #1 on the charts?

This is one reason why I eat, sleep & breathe rock n' roll... and especially all forms of alternative music from the past few decades. It's a music that makes people get out of their comfort zone. My belief is, it's the same for both the artists as well as the listeners. The first real examples getting listeners out of their comfort zone, were The Velvet Underground and Iggy Pop & The Stooges.

While the Beatles were singing "Yesterday", Lou Reed & the VU were singing about heroin. While people thought Jim Morrison was "deep and thoughtful", Iggy Pop was being authentic... and there are very few authentic madmen in this business. I mean, Iggy walked on people's hands and heavily involved the audience. One never knew what to expect. With Iggy, there was the possibility that he could take the entire audience with him. In hindsight, he was much more dangerous that Jim Morrison who would waive his penis around on stage in Miami.

Now before you start sending me hate mail, I also like the Beatles as well as the Doors. (Side note - did you know that Ray Manzarek, keyboardist of the Doors was a HUGE punk rock fan?) However, that same spirit carried through the mid 70's, with the American & English punk rock movement. Without that intense D.I.Y. effort, we would not have progressed as far as we have over the past 35 years. Listeners have responded to many a musicians call to "get out of your comfort zone".

That D.I.Y. concept still thrives today. This is the part where I feel the artists also get out of their comfort zone. A classic example is a piece I stumbled on about 6 months ago.

Photos by: Rachel Keenan

Apparently, there was this word-of-mouth gathering out in San Francisco. The woman who took these pictures was called up by a friend and said that there was going to be "some show" going on in someone's backyard... or something like that. Turned out to be a cluster of three kick ass garage pop bands tucked behind a turn of the century house on Folsom in the inner Mission.

The band in these pics is a group we feature on 360 Degrees. They're called Brilliant Colors. No, this is not some free plug the band asked me to do. However, tke a good look at these photos... look how cramped the setting is. Talk about getting out of your comfort zone! However, in my opinion, this is where some of the most exciting things can happen. No barriers, no egos, no bullshit. During the performances the audience noted that there was nothing too cute, no psychedelic or jam-ridden interludes, just pure Saturday afternoon rock.

Lastly, I'll close with a thought brought to by Elvis Costello. He once said "Rock n' Roll is not someone dressing a certain way, or having a guitar at a certain angle, or having the cigarette a certain way or knowing a certain big-wig... it's someone in a room discovering something new or something neither of us have heard of waiting to get discovered... hopefully."

'Til next time, keep listening. Peace out,

Dave

We'll Skip The "Short But Sweet" Part & Just Continue With The Dazed & Confused!

Remember the blog post from yesterday? If not, you can access it from the either the 360 Degree's of Alternative Facebook page or in the blog archives page. Anyways, we were kind of "taking a tour" of Planet Bizzaro... noting some pretty weird happenings, but also highlighting some cool stuff. Well, I was poking around the music world this morning & I guess some people are calling for an encore!! Unsure what I mean? Check it out...

Yesterday I mentioned a "story" that was circulating around the web involving Dave Grohl & a $75 million dollar lawsuit (and a good chance that it was bogus). But here we have another head scratcher; Now I gotta admit... for most Weezer fans, these are exciting times: The band's dropped a new album, Hurley, partied with My Chemical Romance, (more on them in a bit), and are bringing some of their most popular albums - "The Blue Album" and Pinkerton - to the stage for several fall shows.

But not everyone is psyched about all this "Weezer-ness", to coin a certain non-phrase, and one man is doing whatever it takes to make them go away. Seattle local James Burns is rallying a campaign to pay the band $10 million to "disappear." As Seattle newspaper The Stranger reports, Burns has set up a web-page via a fund-raising site to collect money to "stop hearing about a shitty new Weezer album every goddamn year." Burns also writes, "This is an abusive relationship, and it needs to stop now," referring to his disappointment with songs like Beverly Hills (uh oh... 360 Degrees plays this song. Maybe I'll get sued...) and I'm Your Daddy.

Despite Burns' proactive rallying, don’t expect Weezer to call it quits. So far, Burns has only raised $172, although one philanthropist has pledged $100. Weezer seem amused by the campaign. Drummer Patrick Wilson posted on his Twitter, "If they can make it 20 [million], we'll do the 'deluxe breakup!'"

And I thought the country was in a recession... Sheesh! Of course, I could be persuaded to stop playing the all the Weezer songs that we currently feature for say... 500 thousand dollars. I figure, what the hell; all this money is just flying around, why not cash in on some of it! Yes... pun intended. Don't worry, I won't be here all week, but do try the veal.

Next up, I read a piece on a reunion, of sorts. While this is a little out of the realm of "alternative", these guys were definitely an alternative force in metal during the 80's and all those hair bands. The bottom line on this - it's truly kick-ass news! Nineteen years after first touring together under the "Clash of the Titans" banner, thrash metal kings Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax are reunited and back on the road, this time on the "Jagermeister Music Tour." But make no mistake: In the eyes of all the bands involved, it's "Clash of the Titans: Revisited." As I said, this is great news. I can remember all the shit Anthrax got shortly after 9/11 in regards to the bands name, even though they had been around for YEARS prior to that.

I found a pic of the bands frontmen... how would you like these guys showing up at your reunion? If anything, it would be one hell of a reunion! From left to right, Ian Scott (Anthrax), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth), and Kerry King (Slayer).


Lastly, we'll be making a stop at the "it's about time" department. For a while there, I thought My Chemical Romance was trying to out-do Green Day in the follow-up album area. Last December, the band focused on writing and recording the follow-up to 2006's The Black Parade, the multi-platinum smash that established them as one of the decade's biggest new bands (hey, now there's a new term to lay on your music loving friends at your next party). Front-man Gerard Way had completed nearly seven songs, which were inspired by everything from Judas Priest and Def Leppard to the Hives and the Killers. Man, think about that for a second... what a combination!

But then the band decided to start over from scratch. (Drummer Bob Bryar also split amicably from the group around the same time.) According to guitarist Ray Toro, "It's been a very long writing process. Some songs we just had to get out of our system and some songs we kept and reworked." My Chem will reveal those years of hard work on their new album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, which hits stores November 22. Let's hope it's worth the four year way.

That's if for today. Sorry, I'm out of motion sickness pills if you need any. Please consult your local pharmacy...

Peace out,
Dave

Short & Sweet, But Dazed & Confused

OK - what's up with the title? I thought it was rather fitting, because I feel we need put out the idea or concept or hope that things will "even out" over the next week or so. I see the next question coming already... Dave; what the hell are you talking about?

It's simple really. It seems like the music world can't seem to make up it's mind. One week, we've got nothing but "weird" or "off". The next week, all the planets seem to be lined up and things happen and we kick ass. The week after, we're back to Planet Bizzaro.

Case in point - 1st stop on the tour bus on Planet Bizzaro. My apologies in advance for starting you off so harshly. I read a piece on-line about what could possibly provoke Dave Grohl to sue Scissor Sisters, their label, management company, and wardrobe department, Ticketmaster, and the venue where he recently saw the band perform, for a total of $75 million? Apparently, Sisters frontman Jake Shears' bare testicles. That's right, his balls... nuts... cubes... whatever you want to call them.

Now, from what I've also read, this whole thing is a joke and is not real, although the "wardrobe malfunction" part on stage is apparently legit. Do I really care how this is going to pan out? Nope. Again, I'm just putting out a call for things to get back to normal.


Hang on for stop #2... if you need motion sickness pills, let me know. I found this out about this interesting tidbit on Monday. Velvet Underground's former drummer Moe Tucker has traded music for politics. The drummer was interviewed by a local Albany New York channel about her pro-Tea Party stance. Apparently, Lou Reed is not impressed. Whatever... If you want to watch the piece, I think you can still find the video out there on You Tube. If you do watch it, skip about 80% of it. Moe's bit is at the last 30 seconds. Now, I'm not endorsing anyone or any party here... relax.

Here we go for stop #3; This one's going to bring stuff to an upswing... I promise. It's been ten years since Chris Carrabba unleashed his sensitive brand of emo-pop with The Swiss Army Romance, his debut as Dashboard Confessional, back when he performed by himself, armed only with an acoustic guitar. To celebrate that record's 10th anniversary, Carrabba will hit the road for a 17-date solo tour and release a limited-edition pressing of the album. The intimate trek of theaters and clubs kicks off with two nights in Carrabba's home state of Florida and wraps up with two nights Chicago.

Carrabba isn't kidding when he means a "limited-edition" pressing. The Swiss Army reissue will be a vinyl-only release, limited to just 1,000 numbered copies. The newly-remastered version will be issued on five 7-inch records, bundled with new artwork, previously unseen photos, tour laminates, and guitar picks. The reissue will be available on November 16.

That's about it for now, and I feel that's enough. So... how's your stomach holding out? Hopefully, next time, we'll have lots more cool stuff, although you gotta admit this drama shit is pretty hilarious...

Keep listening & peace out,
Dave

The Summer Season May Be Over, But Things Are Lookin' Red Hot!

Wow! A first in quite some time, (about 6 months I think), the 2nd blog entry to hit cyberspace in less than a week! Also, we seem to be doing an about face here from a few days ago. Things seem to be picking up in the rock & alternative music world. Maybe it was the full moon... maybe it was the weather. Don't know, but hey... don't care!

First off, lots of new stuff seems to either be on the horizon or bursting at the seems. The first tidbit that seems to be a substantial buzz on the airwaves as well as on-line, is the wedding of Eddie Vedder. Now, here's the fun part... ask a bunch of people who are really into alternative music or even just Pearl Jam, and ask them, "Who did he marry?" About half the people don't know! By the way, her name is Jill McCormick.

More new stuff - Soundgarden is back! Their new release (oops, almost said album... soo 80's of me) is called "Telephantasm". Five (5) tracks have already been released on iTunes. We will be adding some of the new stuff to the station this weekend.

Is it me or are we sorta in a "retro" gear, here? All these big time artists and people from the 90's making a big splash again? Don't get me wrong... I'm not complaining. But along with the Soundgarden release, Alice in Chains had a big night with opening act The Deftones at NYC's Madison Square Garden. One question loomed large before Friday’s concert:
- How would new singer William Duvall measure up to Layne Staley, the band’s original front man, who died in 2002?
On Black Gives Way to Blue, the album Alice in Chains released last year with Duvall (ending a fourteen-year hiatus for the group), the new guy sounds remarkably like Staley. In concert, the similarity became almost eerie: The band kicked off its set by nailing the first three tracks from 1992’s Dirt (“Them Bones,” “Dam That River” and “Rain When I Die”), with Duvall recreating Staley’s vocal lines with the same studiousness of guitarist Jerry Cantrell, who delivered his solos note-for-note. In that sense, Alice in Chains have changed: The show felt more like a recital than an exorcism, as it would have with Staley. All in all, from what I've seen & read, things went and are going well.

Another shot of retro-ism... last one, I promise (well, maybe not). I was reading in the latest issue of Rolling Stone an article that highlighted the top 25 record stores in America. Much to my delight, Newbury Comics out of Boston Massachusetts made the list... in fact, it was in the top 10! Not only was it a nice surprise, but also filled my head with TONS of great memories of one of my old college stomping grounds. It's also nice to know that these stores, although few & far between, are still thriving.

Finally, here's a concert bill made in heaven or hell depending on your viewpoint. Read the band list & try to wrap your mind around the fact these bands played on the same day and weekend in southern California. More than 25 acts, including headliners Eminem, KISS, Blink-182, and Bush, playing their first gig in eight years, put in high-octane sets at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA, for KROQ's second annual Epicenter Festival. Wonders never cease...

That's about it for now. 'Til next time, keep listening...
Peace out,
Dave

Is It Me or Has It Been An Off Week?

Greetings fellow alternative music lovers!

First off, my apologies for the campy, cliched opening line. It was the only way I could think of to start this entry of the blog. It's corny, somewhat stupid, and well... off.

Reading some of the latest musical news, I'd have to say that we are right in line with what's happening in the alternative rock as well as the rock world in general lately, at least in the past week or two. I've been glancing through Rolling Stone, Spin, Billboard, and a host of others. And all the stuff either in those rags or on the web, seems, well... off. What I mean by this, is that it's all been a bit weird. In some cases, it leaves me thinking, "Has it been THAT slow of a week guys?"

Here's a few examples...
- Highlights on J. Lo & Steven Tyler debuting on American Idol
- Lady Ga Ga speaking in Portland Maine... yes, Maine
- The top 10 Beatles songs of all time... haven't we been there before? A lot?

Moving forward, however, we did have some cool tasty features that emerged this week. One of the most awaited and anticipated was the new Kings of Leon single which we are featuring on 360 Degrees. We, like many people, are hoping the follow up disc is just as good as their last disc, but offers something different.

Another interesting article I read was about Nashville Tennessee. Apparently, that city is one of the hottest places for new alternative music. Yes, I thought the same thing... Nashville? The city has a fitting nickname: "Music City." While it's known as the capital of country music, iconic artists like Elvis, Johnny Cash, the Everly Brothers, and Bob Dylan all flocked to Nashville to record seminal albums. But the city is undergoing a rock renaissance. Big names like Paramore, Kings of Leon, and Jack White all call Nashville home, and outside the Grand Ole Opry, a young indie rock scene is blossoming.

The annual Next BIG Nashville summit -- which is currently in progress through October 2nd, celebrates all corners of the city's scene, and like the music it honors, the event is growing. This year, national acts like Yeasayer, Wavves, and RJD2 join a bill packed with about-to-break local acts that could soon step out of the shadows cast by Nashville's country music juggernaut. Some of these new acts will be hitting the airwaves shortly on 360 Degrees. Be sure to check them out!

While we're on the subject of new & exciting bands, here's a link to Billboard Magazine & their "Tastemakers" series of tunes & videos. This week features the band The Black Angels. The music is modern, but definitely has a 60's twist to it. I think you'll like it. It's just another example of how alternative music and it's influences spans the decades.

That's about all the time I have right now. Until next time...

Dave

Our 6 Month Anniversary, New Tracks, Hate Mail & Defining What Is "True"

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. 360 Degrees of Alternative celebrated it's 6 month anniversary on the air this past week, and as if right on cue, the station received, in my opinion, it's first piece of "hate mail".

The email came from a former listener - and his main complaint was "the station had veered tremendously from it's original concept of being a "different" alternative radio station". His main focus was regarding the tracks that had been added over the past 3 months, and he really objected to the addition of bands like Motorhead, Pantera, and Megadeth. In his opinion, those bands are heavy metal, not alternative. Other points included, "there is too much variety", "there are too many decades featured", and my favorite, "I've come to believe you really don't know what true alternative music is".

I'm going to pass along a Readers Digest condensed version of the reply I sent to him. First off, I sent along my expressions of disappointment that he was no longer a listener and had become dissatisfied with the music selection. However, I informed him that I was not going to change a thing. In the past 6 months, we have had over 2,000 listeners add 360 Degrees as a "preset" to their member profiles... and they are only allowed six presets at this time. We also have over 325 listeners who have designated the station "as their favorite". On the other side of the coin, he was our 1st dissatisfied listener. Sorry Charlie, that ratio doesn't add up to do a major change in my book. I also dished the statement of "veering from the original concept". It sounded as if the station has been on the air for something like 15 years not just 6 months. Yeesh pal, relax.

As far as adding bands as Motorhead, Pantera, and Megadeth, there's a very good reason for this. It's called a matter of influences. Motorhead, as I have stated before, have influenced more bands, metal AND alternative, that I dare to count. Likewise for Pantera & Megadeth. In regards to Pantera, and the song we feature "I'm Broken", it's difficult to find a band that can truly rock harder and still maintain a level of quality. In regards to Megadeth, the song we currently feature is the classic, "Peace Sells". While the guitar sound and style could be classified as "metal-esque", if there is such a term, one just needs to step beyond that point. Listen to the lyrics, what they're about, the snarl in the vocals, the attitude, and finally the all-out assault of the bass & drums at the end of the song. Then play a modern kick ass "alternative" song right after that and I dare you to tell me there's vast night & day differences...

As far as variety, that's one of our strong points according to our listeners and people who have reviewed / rated the station. I get feedback constantly about what people think about the station, the songs I feature, and more stats than one realizes. According to the people that matter most, the listeners, 360 Degrees is doing a great job. If one doesn't want variety, go back to listening to some of the traditional radio stations out there. On average, their playlists only consist of approximately 200 songs. We feature, at the present moment, over four times that amount.

Lastly, as far as keeping or playing alternative music "that is true"... all I have to say is "c'mon; what planet are you from"? Alternative is a vein of rock n' roll, which was a bastard child to begin with. It came together decades ago from several different types of music. It could not nor can it ever be "true". Ditto with any form or genre of rock n' roll. Period. Deal with it.

On a different note, we wanted to let everyone know that we have a new email address! We were experiencing some problems with the initial one we had, so we went with a local company that has a much more reliable system. You can now send comments, suggestions, or whatever to altrnatv@midcoast.com

Til next time, keep listening...
Peace out,
Dave