Old Rock Power News...
2.25.02
Last week Becky did the show wonderfully without me. I wasn't on the show because I was in Chicago seeing The Breeders at the Abbey Pub! Yes, the Breeders!!! They have a new album coming out in May on Elektra. The new stuff sounded amazing; Kim Deal is my rock goddess! Tonight I did my very own cover of the Breeders' "Drivin' on 9." This was followed by a couple songs with my good friend and fellow WMUR DJ Ryan Miller. He just got a mandolin!BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
Monday March 4th on Rock Power...
* VERMONT * LIVE IN STUDIO!
Vermont is Davey and Dan of the Promise Ring and Chris of Pele. Their new album "Calling Albany" is out on Kindercore Records, and they will be playing their first show outside Milwaukee at this year's SXSW festival in Austin, TX. But hear them first--on ROCK POWER NEXT MONDAY!!!2.11.02
Tonight was our annual Valentine's special. Chock full o' love songs, though we noticed that our playlist was considerably more anti-love than, say, "Let's Here it for Love" (a great Smoking Popes song we did not play this year) indicating something about Becky and my current feelings about romance at the moment. On Valentine's Day you will find me selling roses to men to give to girls-not-me, and Becky will be selling organic food to hippies-in-love making romantic organic-beeswax candlelight dinners.But I'm not bitter (well, not that bitter). I just had a wonderful birthday weekend (turned the big dos dos yesterday!). Life is good and music makes it even better.
2.4.02
I am in a supremely weird mood tonight. I think it spiced up the show, though. Hell, I was hillarious. Hillarious! In fact, so intriguing were Becky and I, we inspired a dorm room full of horney O'Donnell boys to call us up and request not only music, but that we touch eachothers' boobs. Note to self: you are too damn sexy.Anyway, to Bob and the hornballs in O.D., be sure to listen next week to our Valentines Day special--full o' love music and anti-love music. A Rock Power tradition!
Great bands passed through the midwest this past week--and I saw them! Moldy Peaches, Centro-Matic, Chris Mills, and Varnaline (check out my review of Varnaline's new album on the e2 website--right under Steve Earle's review)! Also supurb local acts The Bobcats and Codebreaker.
Look, I'm on the internet!
1.28.02
Back again! And Becky too! Oh how I missed her. Paul is no longer assisting this semester as he refuses to speak to me and is actually being rather scary. Long, sad story...Mondays are a great day to listen to WMUR. Starting at 5pm, Phil's punk/ska/indie rock show "No Use for a Name" begins the EIGHT hours of power! Then it's Cody's "Music Manifesto" at 7pm with great college rock, indie rock, and classic rock hits. Then at 9pm it's yours truly--Rock Power. Following up, much as he did in our sophomore year, is Ryan Miller's radio show at 11pm featuring great alternative rock quirk. Expect an occasional guitar sing-a-long between our show and Ryan's--an old tradition that tonight we decided to resurect.
In other news, Becky and I saw Dustin "Screech" Diamond perform live stand up "comdey" (the quotes because the comedy was questionable) at the Best Western in west Milwaukee. He mostly argued with the drunk 30-somethings in the crowd and talked about his balls. As if that doesn't seem rock bottom enough, he's dragging Milwaukee down with him by moving here so that we can boast Double-D as our most famous local celebrity. (Just kiddin' DD, we love you even if Lisa Turtle doesn't...)
12.20.01
Rock Power has reached the end of another semester. I'd like to thank Paul for taking over the co-host seat when Becky was unable to rearrange her work schedule to make the show. His great taste in music and insatiable amusement with my poor humor were a blessing. Looking forward to having Becky back in January when ROCK POWER returns at a new time! Stay tuned!In the meanwhile, WMUR has gone off-air for the holiday break...but this crazy music director has already busted into the studio twice for some very special afterhours performances with special guests. You never know what to expect.
12.11.01
Between Paul and myself, we were able to compile over two hours of Christmas rock music. We played as much as we could fit in the show. Happy Holidays everyone!12.4.01
Tonight Paul and I highlighted the best albums of 2001 playing songs from our personal Top 10 lists. Here's Liz's list:
1. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (Dreamworks)Christmas Spectacular show coming up on Dec. 11th. Tune in!!! Christmas songs from bands like The Flaming Lips, The Rondelles, Weezer, The Promise Ring, Alkaline Trio, Cracker and more!!!
2. Creeper Lagoon - Take Back the Universe and Give Me Yesterday (Dreamworks)
3. The Faint - Danse Macabre (Saddle Creek)
4. The Webb Brothers - Maroon (Atlantic)
5. Zero Zero - AM Gold (Jade Tree)
6. Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) (Acony)
7. Guided By Voices - Isolation Drills (TVT)
8. Snow Patrol - When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (Jeepster)
9. Basement Jaxx - Rooty (XL / Astralwerks)
10. Vue - Find Your Home (Sub Pop)Runners Up: Ladytron, The Causey Way, Superchunk, The Strokes, Sparklehorse, Gwenmars, The Moldy Peaches, Dismemberment Plan, Les Savy Fav, Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions, Face to Face
11.30.01
Short show tonight. MU BB ame at 8pm cut us short. But I dare say, the one hour of rock was solid. Shout outs to some great recent shows: Poster Children at the Empty Bottle, Dismemberment Plan / Ted Leo at the Mirimar and Jay Farrar at the Mirimar. I'm on a great streak of shows (see also, The Faint, Les Savy Fav, !!!, Superchunk, and Rilo Kiley).11.20.01
In leiu of the new Smashing Pumpkins greatest hits compilation "Rotten Apples / Judas O," tonight's show featured a full hour of Smashing Pumpkins favorites (my favorites that is) and rareities.NOTE: Nov. 27th show is being switched with Cody's Fri. Nov. 30th 7-9pm slot! Listen to both!
10.30.01
Tonight's Super Spooky Halloween Special was a huge success. So much so that there was plenty of music we didn't even get to play. No appearance from the Johnston Hall ghost...yet. Liz is Josie from Josie and the Pussycats for Halloween. Becky is Pipi Longstocking (though Saturday she was dressed as a Hippie...big stretch), and Paul is Dracula.10.24.01
No mix tape (or show--see below). But I would like to note a few songs that got me through the last two rough weeks:Jimmy Eat World - No Sensitivity (...I'm taking my kisses back...)
Webb Brothers - I Can't Believe You're Gone (...I can't believe that somebody else could take you away from me...) dedicated to my Oldmobile
Pavement - Fillmore Jive (...I need to sleep, why don't you let me...) dedicated to midtermsToday I'm really jamming on the new Dismemberment Plan, Modest Mouse, Hey Mercedes, and Les Savy Fav.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN SHOW NEXT WEEK - 10/30! TUNE IN!
10.15.01
Okay, I didn't really drop dead, but nearly. Nothing a few screwdrivers...um, ORANGE JUICE couldn't fix. NYC was fun, but expectedly spooky only a month from the attack and with all the anthrax coming to town as well. What TV doesn't tell you is that there is this weird smell in the air still. Maybe it's psychological, but you believe you are smelling the ash of so many dead bodies. Sorry, this is no place for such imagery--but it really struck me. I got to meet lots more music industry peeps this weekend, and see some cool bands. Did some serious dancing in Brooklyn to DJ Assult.No Rock Power for the next two weeks! It's being pre-empted by two MU Women's Volleyball games. Go team. I think I will make a mix tape and list that on my playlist. Stay tuned.
10.9.01
Paul filled in for Becky, and took over the board when I dropped dead from the flu. My body will be shipped to NYC tomorrow for the CMJ Music Marathon. Can't stop the rock.I'm making a point to include a song every week from Clear Channel's list of songs that are not acceptable in the wake of the terrorist attacks. It's not that I am insensitive to terrorism, but rather I think Clear Channel is treating us like babies. If the Clash's "Rock the Casbah" offends you, you are pathetic. We need to be tough, and letting the enemy turn us into oversensitive dorks is not the way to go. Clear Channel controls the media too much--indie radio strikes back!
GO SEE PAUL'S BAND THE SILENCE PLAY ON HALLOWEEN AT THE 8TH NOTE (UWM Union) WITH THE MERCURY PROGRAM!!!
9.25.01
Flying solo again tonight, though Nora dropped in for a bit. Becky will be with Rock Power as soon as she rearranges her work schedule. In the meantime, visit her at Outpost food store. And visit me at Grandpa Frank's Flowers Mon/Wed/Fri mornings and buy me flowers.Saw two awesome shows over the weekend: Three great Milwaukee bands at the Cactus Club--The Milwaukee Talkies, The Etiquette, and The Mistreators (new 7" on Estrus). My Milwaukee pride has now grown substantially in the music realm. Also, saw Vue and The Rapture at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. Vue may be the sexiest band ever. They are just oozing sexiness. Oozing!
Tune in next week for new music from Death Cab for Cutie, The Lovlies, and The Strokes.
9.18.01
The show must go on. And sometimes the best therapy is music. Welcome back to Rock Power.9.12.01
Yesterday was supposed to be the debut of the new Rock Power season, but needless to say, broadcasting was interrupted by the terrorist attack on our nation. There is much to say about how this makes me feel, but really words can't quite sum it up. All I keep imagining is the view from my apartment windows this summer in NYC. The same view being broadcast over and over on tv (I lived only 1.1 miles away from the WTC), only with the WTC falling to the ground. It feels frighteningly close to home, and yet being here in the Midwest watching it all on tv, it is so hard to get my head around this. My last night in NYC in August, we sat on the roof. The WTC looked so close, like we could reach out and touch it. Like a million stars--our vertical summer night sky. And then I must think of all the people inside... All falling apart. This is something my generation has never experienced, and I think I am right when I say that we really do feel like things are falling apart. I can only pray that the people that did this to us, and the Palistinians who are rejoicing this horror, will find some sort of understanding. Also that the victims will find forgiveness. My biggest fear is more hate that will certainly grow out of this act of hate.9.2.01
School has begun, and it's still striking me (Liz) as a little weird to be back here in Milwaukee, land of beer, cheese, and sportsfandom. I spent a good part of the summer in NYC interning at AAM record promotions. I am so cosmo now that I cannot lower myself to the level of midwestern life ANYMORE! Kidding. It's just a very differnt world, that's all.But not when it comes to music. I am making it my duty to disperse good indie rock all over this campus. We ain't hicks. We know how to rock as well as the New Yorkers do.
Best concerts of the summer:
Creeper Lagoon / Guided By Voices - Vic, Chicago
Gwenmars - Double Door, Chicago
Radiohead Amnesiac CD Release party Open Mic Night (no, Radiohead was not there, and no I didn't get to see them in Chicago OR NY...) - Hideout, Chicago
Cinerama / Pinebender - Empty Bottle, Chicago
Coldplay / Grandaddy - Aragon, Chicago
Doves / Webb Brothers - Irving Plaza, NYC
Ben Lee - Knitting Factory, NYC
Enon / Peaches / Rainer Maria / Quasi / Superchunk - Coney Island, NY
Gillian Welch / Greg Brown - Town Hall, NYCIn other news, I spent last night at the Sundog Summer Shakedown--a hippie camping and music event outside East Troy, WI. It was my job to distribute flyers for a jam band compilation that the Street Syndicate is promoting. I felt like a bit of a narc with my short hair and noticable lack of hemp. Nonetheless the hippies were a lovable bunch and they accepted us into their world of pot brownies and dijeridu playing.
Tune in to WMUR Sept. 10th for the new broadcasting season! Rock Power will debut Sept. 11th--bigger and better than ever!