Blogs

Join us Monday Nov. 28 from 8-10 PM as we plumb the depths of beloved Seattle label Sublime Frequencies' output. The label is headed by Alan Bishop, of the experimental band Sun City Girls (1979-2007), along with Hisham Mayet, and releases esoteric original and live recordings, re-released music, field recordings etc. (and DVDs) mainly from Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.  There's a lot to choose from... decisions decisions!  Send, call in requests!

After the Pinhook Numero Group panel on Friday November 18, tune in to WXDU from 8-10PM for a special post-Funk Disco Dance Friday show featuring Numero co-founder Rob Sevier and A&R rep Jon Kirby.  The two will be on to spin records and discuss the forthcoming Eccentric Soul Revue at the Carolina Theatre presented in conjunction with Duke Performance featuring Chicago soul artists the Notations, Renaldo Domino, and Syl Johnson.  Expect good radio vibes, giveaways, and hype for an awesome soul set on Saturday Nov. 19.  After the Revue, catch deep soul sets from Numero and Carolina Soul DJs at Whiskey bar in Durham, mere blocks from the Carolina! 

High unemployment, racial tensions, the rise of Margaret Thatcher, and the Falklands war all provided fertile ground for politically inclined British musicians to sow their discontent in the 1980s. The Red Wedge tour, officially sponsored and supported by the Labour party, was one of the most publically visible avenues of political expression by pop musicians. Organized by Billy Bragg and Paul Weller, the tour featured a diverse palette of British artists including Bragg, The Style Council, The Communards, Madness, Junior Giscombe, and Prefab Sprout. Tune in tonight from 8-10pm to hear selections from all of these artists and the musicians who influenced them!

This Sunday on Polyphonic Perversity (noon-2pm), we'll explore film music by composers who you don't normally think of as film composers.  So no Ennio Morricone or Bernard Hermann, just fantastic film music by Dmitri Shostakovich, Toru Takemitsu, Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Michael Gordon, and Alfred Schnittke.  This program is preparation for the upcoming Duke New Music Ensemble concerts, titled "Old Film | New Music," on Sunday, November 11, at 8 p.m. in Bone Hall in the Biddle Music Building, and on Tuesday, December 6, at 8p.m., at Fullsteam Brewery.  Free admission for both concerts.  Tune in, and check out the shows!

Tune in to College Radio Primer tonight for a glimpse into the groundbreaking post-punk sound of Rough Trade Records.  Influenced by the DIY techniques pioneered by early punk groups like the Buzzcocks, Desperate Bicycles & Scritti Pollitti, Geoff Travis (with help from a group of like-minded friends/music nuts) would turn his tiny West London record shop into one of the UK's most exciting & influential independent record labels.  Along the way he would release singles & albums from a wide variety of artists, including the Swell Maps, Delta 5, Television Personalities, James Blood Ulmer, This Heat, Monochrome Set, The Pop Group, LiLiPUT, Young Marble Giants and tons more.  Hear it all TONIGHT, 8-10pm

What did space ships sound like before space ships? What about lasers and robots and time-traveling police boxes? This Sunday during Polyphonic Perversity, join DJ Slip 'n' Slide for a special two hour exploration of the history, accomplishments and legacy of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the group of eccentric musicians, mathematicians, engineers and artists responsible for some of the most influential sounds in science fiction. Using nothing but magnetic tape, razor blades, and the most primitive, often homemade, tape manipulators, the Radiophonic Workshop dreamed up the sounds of the future. This two-hour broadcast will highlight the music and sounds of the Radiophonic Workshop as well as the legacy of its artists, some of the most important members of the British schools of avant-garde and musique concrète. 

sunday, 11/6 at noon

 10/23/2011 “Out There a Minute” Jazz Program

As it happens, every song title (save one) on this week’s “Out There a Minute” jazz program begins with the word “You”. The artists and performers, however, are a more diverse bunch, mostly drawn from WXDU’s extensive jazz library. The program will feature music and performances by Louis Armstrong; Pearl Bailey; Elvis Costello and Marian MacPartland; Von Freeman and Frank Catalano; Essence All Stars; Benny Green; Bunky Green; Marty Grosz; Leroy Holmes; Harry James; Rahassan Roland Kirk; Frank Lowe; Buddy Morrow; Ken Nordine; The Bad Plus; Sex Mob; Pharoah Sanders; John Scofield and Aaron Neville; Jimmy Smith; Sun Ra; Fats Waller; Billy Ward & The Dominoes; Dick Wellstood; and John Zorn. Phil Wilson will have the sign-off song--which does not begin with “You”.

Program time is Sunday, 10 a.m. - noon. I hope you will tune in, and I hope you will hear something that interests you.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/12/141286857/the-mix-your-guide-to-cmjs-music-marathon

Going to CMJ 2011?  How bout just looking for some great new music?  Check out the CMJ 2011 Preview Playlist on the NPR Music website!  Recently, WXDU (alongside 7 other universities) were invited to help curate a playlist for the CMJ 2011 Festival (10/18 - 10/22).  We chose 11 fantastic bands & artists who deserve your attention at this year's festival (and anywhere else for that matter).

WXDU's official choices include: Psychic Ills, Hans Chew, Vaz, Parts & Labor, Talk Normal, Alina Simone, Death, Shonen Knife, Nina Nastasia, Davila 666 and Pterodactyl!

 I Liked You Better Before You Sold Out returns this month on Sunday, October 16th, with Misty Dawn Briggs, Tony Raver, and riding shotgun, Roberto Cofresi and Diane Koistinen, for the No More Fake Labels Showcase coming up at CMJ! Also, Kym Register of Midtown Dickens and owner of the Pinhook here in Durham, will come in to discuss the venue's Kickstarter project for a new sound system and to promote that cause... 

 Join DJ Stephen and special guest Jason Summers (director of "Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story") for a special 2-hour Who's Got The Cuckoo! They'll be previewing the Pierced Arrows show (Tuesday night at the 506) as well as digging deep within the Weeds/Lollipop Shoppe/Rats/Dead Moon/etc. catalog. This is a "can't miss" show!!