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Friday, December 30

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Last week's number 1 slips to number 4, and the Clash comes back.  Here's the last Top 10 of 2011:
  1. Rock the Casbah - Clash
  2. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  3. He Gets Me High - Dum Dum Girls
  4. Saw Red - Sublime
  5. Bithin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  6. Roadrunner - Modern Lovers
  7. Precious - Pretenders
  8. The Hardest Button To Button - White Stripes
  9. Train In Vain - Clash
  10. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
Got a song suggestion for KJRW?  Comment here.

Saturday, December 24

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Once again, a freshly added song jumps to number one.  Here is this week's top 10:
  1. Saw Red - Sublime
  2. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  3. Bitchin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  4. Train In Vain - Clash
  5. The Hardest Button To Button - White Stripes
  6. Precious - Pretenders
  7. Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
  8. Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  9. Kiss Them For Me - Siouxsie and the Banshees
  10. God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
No rock-n-roll Christmas tunes in the top 10, but they are on every hour for Christmas Eve and Christmas.  Merry, merry!

Wednesday, December 21

Holly Daze

Happy Holidays!  Yes, I said it.  Because there is more than one holiday being celebrated this time of year.  There may be 12 days of Christmas, but there are also 8 nights of Chanukah.  The first night was last night.  So you will hear Adam Sandler's Chanukah song occasionally for the next week.  And no, I am not waging a war on Christmas.  There are many rock 'n' roll Christmas songs sprinkled into the mix on KJRW.  Oh, and Happy Winter Solstice tomorrow!

Friday, December 16

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

It's the first Top Ten of Year Two of KJRW!  People are listening longer.  And these are their favorite songs this week:
  1. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  2. Bitchin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  3. Train In Vain - Clash
  4. The Wait - Pretenders
  5. Roadrunner - Modern Lovers
  6. Should I Stay Or Should I Go? - Clash
  7. One Thing - INXS
  8. He Gets Me High - Dum Dum Girls
  9. Infected - Bad Religion
  10. Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
Remember to vote for your favorites by clicking the 'thumbs up' while they are playing on KJRW.

Friday, December 2

THE TOP 111 LIST

KJRW is runnning an encore presentation of the Top 111 of 2011, in case you missed any of it.  Here is the list of songs that got the "thumbs up" all year long:

111.  Kick Out the Jams - Presidents of the United States of America
110.  Be My Baby - Dollyrots
109.  Till I Get My Way - Black Keys
108.  Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
107.  We're A Happy Family - Ramones
106.  Breed - Nirvana
105.  12XU - Wire
104.  Don't Abuse Me - Joan Jett
103.  Wonderful - Circle Jerks
102.  This Ain't Pleasure - L7
101.  Ruby Soho - Rancid
100.  Submission - Sex Pistols
  99.  Bad Mouth - Fugazi
  98.  Straight Ahead - Pennywise
  97.  Stupid Girl - Garbage
  96.  Trust - Generationals
  95.  One Way Or Another - Blondie
  94.  Astro Zombies - Misfits
  93.  Radio - New Hell Republic
  92.  Promised Call - Dollyrots
  91.  Wynona's Big Brown Beaver - Primus
  90.  Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill
  89.  Get Down, Make Love - Nine Inch Nails
  88.  Bitchin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  87.  Holiday In Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
  86.  Middle of the Road - Pretenders
  85.  Why Go - Pearl Jam
  84.  Zero - Smashing Pumpkins
  83.  I Just Want To Have Something To Do - Ramones
  82.  Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
  81.  Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
  80.  I Think I'm Paranoid - Garbage
  79.  Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
  78.  Jose the Arab - Iggy Pop
  77.  Look Back and Laugh - Minor Threat
  76.  Stutter - Elastica
  75.  What Do I Get - Buzzcocks
  74.  Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
  73.  The Everlasting Gaze - Smashing Pumpkins
  72.  Verse Chorus Verse - Nirvana
  71.  Wanted To Be Your - Spoon
  70.  New Radio - Bikini Kill
  69.  Sweet '69 - Babes In Toyland
  68.  Gardening At Night - R.E.M.
  67.  Death By Diamonds and Pearls - Band of Skulls
  66.  Punk Rock 101 - Bowling for Soup
  65.  Come As You Are - Nirvana
  64.  Kiss Them For Me - Siouxsie and the Banshees
  63.  Dance With Me - Dollyrots
  62.  Zeplin Song - Courtney Love
  61.  Rise Above - Black Flag
  60.  Girl Is On My Mind - Black Keys
  59.  Search and Destroy - Iggy and the Stooges
  58.  The Hardest Button To Button - White Stripes
  57.  Train In Vain - Clash
  56.  Animal - Pearl Jam
  55.  Precious - Pretenders
  54.  Dreaming - Blondie
  53.  (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Devo
  52.  Charlit Movie Star - Lola Ray
  51.  Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
  50.  God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
  49.  Suffragette City - David Bowie
  48.  Uprising - Muse
  47.  Take It Off - Donnas
  46.  New College - Dollyrots
  45.  Incinerate - Sonic Youth
  44.  Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
  43.  Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
  42.  Rock 'N' Roll High School - Shonen Knife
  41.  Black Math - White Stripes
  40.  Rock Star - Hole
  39.  Falling To Pieces - Faith No More
  38.  Porch - Pearl Jam
  37.  Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
  36.  Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  35.  Just What I Needed - Cars
  34.  Lump - Presidents of the United States of America
  33.  Last To Know - Evil Stig
  32.  Alone, Together - Strokes
  31.  Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
  30.  Next To You - Police
  29.  Head Like A Hole - Nine Inch Nails
  28.  Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
  27.  I Fought the Law - Clash
  26.  Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  25.  Jean Genie - David Bowie
  24.  American Idiot - Green Day
  23.  On A Plain - Telekinesis
  22.  Stay Away - Nirvana
  21.  Six Pack - Black Flag
  20.  21st Century (Digital Boy) -  Bad Religion
  19.  So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys
  18.  Kitty - Presidents of the United States of America
  17.  Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Ramones
  16.  Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  15.  Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  14.  Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  13.  Someday - Strokes
  12.  Welcome To Paradise - Green Day
  11.  Infected - Bad Religion
  10.  Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
    9.  Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
    8.  London Calling - Clash
    7.  Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
    6.  I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
    5.  My Doorbell - White Stripes
    4.  Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
    3.  Tommy the Cat - Primus
    2.  Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
    1.  Waiting Room - Fugazi

Tuesday, November 29

BIG BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

One year ago, I was furiously uploading songs to live365.com, building the foundation of the KJRW library online.  And thanks to all of your donations at http://www.gofundme.com/9it0k, KJRW will be online for another year.  You may continue to make donations to help with marketing and purchasing music for the library. 

Now it's time for a big birthday blowout.  The Top 111 of 2011 begins Thursday!  Comprised of all the songs that got the 'thumbs up' over the past year, compiled by me through all those weekly Top Ten lists posted here, and brought to you with limited commercial interruptions.  You can hear it commercial-free by becoming a VIP here:  http://www.live365.com/rewards/pm?tag=member_10222739915.

Here is a little taste:


Listen to the Top 111 of 2011, starting Thursday at http://www.live365.com/stations/member_10222739915?play=1.

Friday, November 25

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

On this Black Friday, there is no Black Flag nor Black Keys in the Top Ten.  And I don't know if there was something in the turkey, but I think I'm seeing double.  Two from the White Stripes, Misfits and Bad Religion on this week's list.  Here is the last Top Ten of November:
  1. The Hardest Button To Button - White Stripes
  2. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  3. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  4. Astro Zombies - Misfits
  5. Generator - Bad Religion
  6. Infected - Bad Religion
  7. The Wait - Pretenders
  8. Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  9. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  10. Second Skin - Gits
Calculated from all the Top Ten lists this past year, the Top 111 of 2011 begins December 1st on KJRW.

Friday, November 18

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

There are some chicks in the top 10 this week!  I like it.  Here is the list:
  1. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  2. Generator - Bad Religion
  3. Astro Zombies - Misfits
  4. One Way Or Another - Blondie
  5. The Wait - Pretenders
  6. He Gets Me High - Dum Dum Girls
  7. One Thing - INXS
  8. Second Skin - Gits
  9. Promised Call - Dollyrots
  10. Gardening At Night - R.E.M.
The Top 111 of 2011 begins December 1st with limited commercial interruption (no interruptions if you become a VIP http://www.live365.com/rewards/pm?tag=member_10222739915) on KJRW!

Wednesday, November 16

More at the KJRW Corner Store

Here is the new promotional video for the KJRW Corner Store.  Lots of stuff there now, including shirts, hoodies and stickers.  Check out the new Drinkware Section with glasses and a water bottle. 

I finally received a sample T-shirt in the mail.  Cafe Press printed and shipped it within just a few days.  But either UPS or the USPS screwed up and sent it out to Denton, TX after it arrived in Seattle.  I know that Denton is "The Home of Happiness" according to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I was not happy that my shirt was in Texas.  But, now it is here, spinning around inside the clothes dryer and I will be able to wear it soon.

Go to the KJRW Corner Store http://www.cafepress.com/KJRWWestSeattle and order your KJRW stuff today!

Friday, November 11

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

A freshly added song is in the number one spot.  Here is this week's top ten:
  1. Generator - Bad Religion
  2. Astro Zombies - Misfits
  3. Rock 'N' Roll High School - Shonen Knife
  4. Promised Call - Dollyrots
  5. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
  6. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  7. One Way Or Another - Blondie
  8. Dance With Me - Dollyrots
  9. On A Plain - Telekinesis
  10. Gardening At Night - R. E. M.
We are going over all the Top Ten lists from the past year to create a big countdown to celebrate the first year of KJRW.  Listen for the special presentation at the end of the month.

Wednesday, November 9

VIP! VIP! VIP!

Why should you become a live365 VIP?

You could listen to KJRW:
  • without interruptions from commercials, pop-ups and banner ads
  • with higher quality sound
  • straight from your desktop with free software
  • on any internet radio device, including iPhone and Android
And part of your subscription fee would go to me and the artists you hear on KJRW.

Convinced?

Click here:  http://www.live365.com/rewards/pm?tag=member_10222739915

Monday, November 7

YOU SAID IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY

KJRW turns one year old in a few short weeks!  It's almost hard to imagine that it was about a year ago that I began creating the library of songs to play.  That library continues to expand every day.  The studio is in West Seattle, WA, but KJRW's home is on live365.com.  The web site charges a small monthly fee to house all the tunes.  The reason I chose live365 was because some of that fee goes to the artists that compose the music.

There are commercials that run on KJRW-West Seattle, but I do not choose them, nor do I receive any revenue from them.  So I consider the station to be more like Public Radio than Commercial Radio.  With that thought in mind, KJRW is having a fund drive.

Here is how you can help keep KJRW online for another year:
Thank you for your support,
Julie

Friday, November 4

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Some remnants of Halloween remain in the top ten for the first week of November.  And the Dollyrots are so nice, they're on there twice!
  1. Astro Zombies - Misfits
  2. Promised Call - Dollyrots
  3. Kitty - Presidents of the United States of America
  4. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  5. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
  6. Dance With Me - Dollyrots
  7. Rock 'N' Roll High School - Shonen Knife
  8. Gardening at Night - R.E.M.
  9. Trust - Generationals
  10. Tommy the Cat - Primus
Got a song suggestion?  Comment here or write it in the Shout Out Box at the bottom of the KJRW page on live365.com.

Wednesday, November 2

ROCKING IN ROCTOBER

More people than ever visited the KJRW Station Page on live365.com during the month of October!  Consequently, the number of times the station was added as a Preset was the highest also.  Who was listening?  Here are the top ten countries:
  1. U.S.A.
  2. Canada
  3. Netherlands
  4. Australia
  5. Mexico
  6. Slovenia
  7. Latvia
  8. Brazil
  9. Peru
  10. Spain
Here are the top ten cities in the U.S.A. that listened to KJRW in October:
  1. Seattle, WA
  2. Los Angeles, CA
  3. Cleveland, OH
  4. Knoxville, TN
  5. Montgomery, AL
  6. Washington, DC
  7. Portland, OR
  8. Tampa, FL
  9. Nashville, TN
  10. Phoenix, AZ
Thanks for listening! 

Tuesday, November 1

More in Store

Hello and welcome to November!  Hope you had a great Halloween.  The KJRW Halloween T-shirts are no longer available.  But the KJRW corner store is now full of shirts with the new KJRW logo in all shapes, sizes and colors.
There are also stickers, magnets and buttons available.  Get them at www.cafepress.com/KJRWWestSeattle.


Friday, October 28

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Yesterday, I posted a list of 10 Halloween songs that are not on KJRW.  Here are the 10 most popular songs that are on KJRW this week (with one Halloween tune making the list):
  1. Kitty - Presidents of the United States of America
  2. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  3. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
  4. Dance With Me - Dollyrots
  5. Rock 'N' Roll High School - Shonen Knife
  6. Gardening At Night - R.E.M.
  7. Death By Diamonds and Pearls - Band of Skulls
  8. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  9. On A Plain - Telekinesis
  10. Punk Rock 101 - Bowling for Soup
Enjoy all the spooky tunes. 
And don't forget to get your KJRW Halloween T-shirt at http://www.cafepress.com/KJRWWestSeattle before they disappear.

Thursday, October 27

A TOP TEN YOU WON'T HEAR ON KJRW

From Billboard.com:  "Never mind those sugary sweets. Halloween brings some delectable ear candy, too. But which (witch?) Halloween songs are the most popular?"
  1. Thriller - Michael Jackson
  2. Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers
  3. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
  4. Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
  5. Highway To Hell - AC/DC
  6. A Nightmare On My Street - D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
  7. Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
  8. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
  9. Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen
  10. Witchy Woman - Eagles
I enjoyed playing half of that list while on Seattle's Classic Rock Station.  But, I picked a bigger and better list for KJRW.  Listen... if you dare!

Friday, October 21

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

There was a time when you could call a radio station at any hour to request a song.  Now, "regular" radio has a set list of songs they play that are not determined by the DJ anymore.  Many hours, there isn't even a DJ.  I want to assure you, I handpick every song played on KJRW, and in which order.  You can put in a song request by typing it in the "Shout Out" Box at the bottom of the station page, and I will make every effort to play it.  You also determine which songs get played on KJRW by giving them a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down".  If a song gets the "thumbs down", it gets the boot.  These are the songs that got the "thumbs up" this week:
  1. Kitty - Presidents of the United States of America
  2. Animal - Pearl Jam
  3. Rock 'N' Roll High School - Shonen Knife
  4. Death By Diamonds and Pearls - Band of Skulls
  5. Infected - Bad Religion
  6. Come As You Are - Nirvana
  7. On A Plain - Telekinesis
  8. Punk Rock 101 - Bowling for Soup
  9. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  10. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
More scary music next week to get you in the mood for Halloween.  And you can get your KJRW Halloween T-shirt at http://www.cafepress.com/KJRWWestSeattle.

Tuesday, October 18

WWYD?

We have a winner in the What Would You Do? contest!  When asked what to do to promote KJRW, Anne from PA suggested this:

Monday, October 17

SEASON OF THE WITCH

Just added a bunch of scary songs for More Music Monday.  Listen for spooky tunes from David Bowie, The Specials, Oingo Boingo and more!

And now KJRW Halloween T-shirts are available at http://www.cafepress.com/KJRWWestSeattle!

Friday, October 14

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

It's the usual suspects on the top ten list this week:
  1. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  2. Kitty - Presidents of the United States of America
  3. Animal - Pearl Jam
  4. American Idiot - Green Day
  5. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  6. Infected - Bad Religion
  7. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  8. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  9. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  10. On A Plain - Telekinesis
Lots of spooky tunes coming your way on More Music Monday!

Tuesday, October 11

Women Who Rock

I flipped my Rolling Stone calendar to October, and the picture is of their magazine cover from October of 2003.  It was the special issue of Women Who Rock.  Posing for the cover photo was Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys and Eve.  Missy and Alicia are talented ladies, but they do not rock.  I don't even know who Eve is.  Listed down the side, under "Special Issue" are the names:  Dolly Parton, Sleater-Kinney, Christina Aguilera, Lucinda Williams, Karen O, and Bonnie Raitt.  One of these things just doesn't belong, as the old song goes.  It is the band Sleater-Kinney.  It is the only one with Women Who Rock.  Again, Dolly, Bonnie, Lucinda and Christina are talented ladies, but they do not rock.  And I don't know who Karen O is.  Women In Music would have been a more appropriate title for the issue.

Can we discuss the word "rock" for a moment?  It has become way overused and misused.  Rock and Roll is a style of music and an attitude.  It means sex.  And these days, rock is used to describe musical acts that lack that attitude and musical style.  There has to be a driving beat and some chugging guitar to be rock.  This current crop of mid-tempo, synthesized copycats does not fit the bill.  Country, Blues and Pop acts certainly should not be described as rock.  And I must say that when people tell me, "You Rock", it makes me cringe.  Because while I aspire to rock, it just smacks of the old fake lines, "You're beautiful.  Let's do lunch."

Sleater-Kinney does rock.  L7, Bikini Kill, 7 Year Bitch, Hole, Babes in Toyland, Blondie, Bratmobile, The Dollyrots, Garbage, The Gits, X, Team Dresch, The Breeders, The Donnas, The Pretenders and Joan Jett all rock.  And they're all on KJRW.

Friday, October 7

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Same songs, different order -- for the most part, anyway -- for the first week of (R)October.  Here is the Top Ten, as voted by KJRW listeners:
  1. Animal - Pearl Jam
  2. Come As You Are - Nirvana
  3. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  4. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  5. American Idiot - Green Day
  6. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  7. Infected - Bad Religion
  8. Someday - Strokes
  9. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  10. Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
Remember to vote for your favorite songs by clicking the 'thumbs up' while they are playing on KJRW.  I'm making a list (and checking it twice) of spooky tunes to play for Halloween.  Help me out.  Comment with suggestions.

Monday, October 3

Polka Face

The DVD of the “Weird Al” Yankovic Live! Alpocalypse Tour will be released tomorrow.  It aired on Comedy Central Saturday night. I would be very surprised if they don't broadcast it again -- considering the multitude of times the Charlie Sheen Roast has been shown.  The concert was recorded in Toronto.

We were lucky to see the show live in Puyallup, WA a couple weeks ago.  The live show was twice as long as the one on Comedy Central.  This was possibly due to all the costume changes.  But while those were happening, the video screens played old clips from his film, UHF and any program that mentioned "Weird Al".  I enjoyed seeing the old "Al TV" pieces.  It took me back to a time when "too much (was) never enough" of MTV.

Popular song parodies included:  "Polka Face", "Perform This Way", "White & Nerdy", "Fat" and "Canadian Idiot".  The audience waved their arms in the air for "Amish Paradise".  We were in the grandstand, where the crowd stomped its approval.  My favorite was "Smells Like Nirvana", complete with cheerleaders in black oufits and red pom-poms.

http://youtu.be/FklUAoZ6KxY

Friday, September 30

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Still a couple from Bad Religion in the Top Ten for the first week of Fall.  Here's who made the list:
  1. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  2. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  3. American Idiot - Green Day
  4. Someday - Strokes
  5. Infected - Bad Religion
  6. Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
  7. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  8. Kiss Them for Me - Siouxsie and the Banshees
  9. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  10. Breed - Nirvana
Songs being added from R.E.M., the Sex Pistols and the Ramones for More Music Monday -- as well as new Blondie!

The Class of 2012

The nominees for the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame are:
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • The Cure
  • Guns 'N Roses
  • Heart
  • Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  • Beastie Boys
  • Donna Summer
  • War
  • Donovan
  • The Spinners
  • Rufus with Chaka Khan
  • The Small Faces/The Faces
  • Freddie King
  • Eric B. & Rakim
  • Laura Nyro
Vote here:  http://rockhall.com/get-involved/interact/poll/
I won't tell you who to vote for, but their name is in bold.  ;-)

Friday, September 23

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Last week, the Ramones had three songs in the top ten, but now none.  Bad Religion and Green Day each have two.  Here is the Top Ten List for the last week of Summer:
  1. Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
  2. Lump - Presidents of the United States of America
  3. Someday - Strokes
  4. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  5. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  6. American Idiot - Green Day
  7. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  8. Welcome To Paradise - Green Day
  9. Infected - Bad Religion
  10. Straight Ahead - Pennywise
Girl In A Coma makes their debut on KJRW this More Music Monday with the brand new song, Smart.

Tuesday, September 20

PJ20

PJ20 day is here!  Screenings of the Cameron Crowe documentary will be happening all over the world tonight.  The one in Seattle has been sold out.  I will have to catch it on PBS next month.  Amazon.com has the book and soundtrack.  Links are to the right -->

The first Pearl Jam song I heard was "Alive".  It was my senior year of college.  I grabbed on-air time on the college radio station, WSCW every chance I could.  And every time I was on that year, I played "Alive".  A friend remarked that the singer sounded more dead than alive on that song, but he later became a Pearl Jam fan, too.  I did not relate to the theme of the song, a semi-autobigraphical story about a boy who learns that he was not raised by his real father and that his real father was dead.  But, the power of the song hit me.

I listened to the album, Ten over and over.  "Jeremy" was the big hit.  I could relate to that one more.  What kid that was picked on in school couldn't?  "Why Go" and "Black" are my favorites.

The sophomore release, Vs. was also a good album.  The songs did not speak to me as much, but I still enjoy them.  My favorite is "Glorified G" for the lines:  "Got a gun.  In fact, I've got two.  That's okay, man, cuz I love God."

Vitalogy, I had to purchase on vinyl because it contained the ode to vinyl, "Spin the Black Circle".  My favorite on that album is "Not For You".  I did not listen to the album that much because my turntable died.  My copy was signed by Mike McCready a few years ago.  I was lucky to meet him and Jeff Ament.  Both are nice, quiet guys.

To me, it seems that Nirvana and Pearl Jam were the Beatles and Rolling Stones of the era.  Nirvana and the Beatles sharing a short-lived meteoric rise, while Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones play on.  I do think that original power Pearl Jam had on Ten has diminished over the years, but maybe these 20th Anniversary celebrations will give them a boost.

Lots of Pearl Jam on KJRW today.  Enjoy!

Monday, September 19

Nevermind

I originally posted this in July, when SPIN issued its magazine all about the Nirvana album, Nevermind.  This week is the 20th anniversary of that great record.  In celebration, you will hear a song from that album every hour on KJRW.   And don't miss the special presentation of the entire album played in under a minute!


When Nirvana's Nevermind was released in September 1991, the number of copies shipped to U.S. retailers was 46,251. It has now sold over 25 million copies worldwide. SPIN magazine celebrates "The 20th Anniversary of the Album That Changed Everything" in its August edition. In its pages, many give their accounts of what the album means to them.

It was my senior year at college. Our station, WSCW played the crap out of the album. I have to admit that it didn't grab me right away. I was into Pearl Jam's Ten and the Red Hot Chili Pepper's Blood Sugar Sex Magic a bit more. Those albums all came out within a week or so of each other. All of them occupied my CD player, along with the Singles soundtrack for many months. Nevermind grew on me. From the bombastic beginning of Smells Like Teen Spirit to the sad ending of Something In The Way -- and then after about ten minutes of silence, Endless Nameless surprised me.

What does Nevermind mean to you? What is your favorite song on the album? Come As You Are? Polly? Lithium?

Friday, September 16

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Wow, the Ramones have 3 songs in the Top 10!  Here is this week's list:
  1. Lump - Presidents of the United States of America
  2. Welcome To Paradise - Green Day
  3. The Everlasting Gaze - Smashing Pumpkins
  4. We're A Happy Family - Ramones
  5. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  6. Incinerate - Sonic Youth
  7. Someday - Strokes
  8. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Ramones
  9. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  10. I Fought the Law - Clash
All the songs added on this More Music Monday with be from Nirvana and Pearl Jam.  Big 20th Anniversary celebrations for both.  Don't miss the special KJRW presentation of Nevermind in under a minute next week!

Friday, September 9

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Once again a freshly added song shot to number one in its inaugural week.  Here is the Top 10 for the first week of September:
  1. The Everlasting Gaze - Smashing Pumpkins
  2. Lump - Presidents of the United States of America
  3. Welcome to Paradise - Green Day
  4. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  5. On A Plain - Telekinesis
  6. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  7. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  8. I Fought the Law - Clash
  9. Incinerate - Sonic Youth
  10. Take It Off - Donnas
Songs from the Ramones, Misfits and Pearl Jam will be added on More Music Monday!

Friday, September 2

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Over a thousand streams launched in August!  Thank you!  These are the songs you gave the thumbs up the last week of August:
  1. Lump - Presidents of the United States of America
  2. Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
  3. Welcome To Paradise - Green Day
  4. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  5. Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
  6. New College - Dollyrots
  7. Uprising - Muse
  8. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  9. Suffragette City - David Bowie
  10. Incinerate - Sonic Youth
Songs from U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Blondie and more will be added on More Music Monday.  Is there a song you think should be on KJRW?  Comment here... I dare you!

Friday, August 26

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Some good stuff in the Top Ten this week.  It is still dominated by testosterone.  *sigh*  It's a man's world.  Here we go:
  1. Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
  2. Welcome To Paradise - Green Day
  3. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  4. Suffragette City - David Bowie
  5. Uprising - Muse
  6. Wanted To Be Your - Spoon
  7. New College - Dollyrots
  8. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  9. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  10. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Ramones
Get ready for More Music Monday, with songs from:  X-Ray Specs, Patti Smith, Dead Kennedys, New York Dolls, and more!

Friday, August 19

KJRW TOP TEN

Not sure what to say about this week's list except that it lacks estrogen, despite the number one song's reference to women's right to vote.  The Donnas just barely make it on at number 10.  I'll have to add more chick rock on More Music Monday.  Here is this week's top 10:
  1. Suffragette City - David Bowie
  2. Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
  3. Uprising - Muse
  4. Wanted To Be Your - Spoon
  5. Alternative Ulster - Stiff Little Fingers
  6. Bad Mouth - Fugazi
  7. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Ramones
  8. Tommy The Cat - Primus
  9. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  10. Take It Off - Donnas

Wednesday, August 17

Question

Q:  What do you call a jazz/rock fusion band with a DJ and MC?
A:  More Of Anything

In a world full of mid-tempo copycats and Disney pop stars, More Of Anything is an incredibly unique act.  We took in a high-energy show at the Triple Door the other night.  Sparking that energy was Brandon Blake, striding through the crowd while fingering his bass.  More Of Anything was formed in Seattle by lead guitarist Neri Osmanovic and drummer Brad Burkett in 2009.  Adding funky rhythms on guitar is Byung Chung.

Charismatic MC Moe Betta from New York asked me if I was picking up what he was laying down.  I replied, "Most of it."  At times, he rapped so furiously that I did not catch all the words.  But, I could tell all the boys were having a good time playing together.  The crowd was so into the show that some became a part of it, dancing with band members.  One person even knocked over a mic stand which turned off the power strip that the DJ's gear was plugged into, but it was good timing, as it was the last song of the night.

More Of Anything's new EP fails to capture the spirit of the live show, but I'll spin a couple tracks from it on KJRW, and you can tell me what you think.

http://moreofanything.com/wordpress/home-page/

Friday, August 12

KJRW TOP TEN

The top 4 of the top 10 are songs just added on More Music Monday.  And we are just a few days away from another More Music Monday!  Here is this week's list:
  1. Rocket - Smashing Pumpkins
  2. Submission - Sex Pistols
  3. Take It Off - Donnas
  4. Don't Go Away - Runaways
  5. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  6. Head Like a Hole - Nine Inch Nails
  7. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  8. Sheena Is a Punk Rocker - Ramones
  9. Something In The Way - JEFF the Brotherhood
  10. Verse Chorus Verse - Nirvana

Friday, August 5

KJRW TOP TEN

A good-looking Top 10 list for the first week of August:
  1. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - Ramones
  2. Tommy The Cat - Primus
  3. Head Like A Hole - Nine Inch Nails
  4. Your Generation - Generation X
  5. Next To You - Police
  6. New Radio - Bikini Kill
  7. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  8. This Ain't Pleasure - L7
  9. Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana
  10. Sweet '69 - Babes In Toyland
Looking forward to MORE MUSIC MONDAY.  More songs from Nirvana, Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins and others this Monday!

Wednesday, August 3

Friday, July 29

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Verse Chorus Verse by Nirvana and Wonderful by Circle Jerks make their first appearances in the top 10. Other than that, the list is pretty close to what it was the week before.  Okay, here it is, the top 10 songs played on KJRW the last week of July:

  1. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  2. Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
  3. Alone, Together - Strokes
  4. Next To You - Police
  5. Verse Chorus Verse - Nirvana
  6. Head Like A Hole - Nine Inch Nails
  7. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  8. God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
  9. Wonderful - Circle Jerks
  10. Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Remember to vote for your faves by clicking the 'thumbs up' while they are playing on KJRW.

Hello, Cleveland!

It's Top 10 song list day, but before I post that, here are a couple other lists:

Top 5 cities in the U.S. listening to KJRW:
  1. Seattle, WA
  2. Huntsville, AL
  3. Cleveland, OH
  4. Little Rock, AR
  5. San Francisco, CA
Top 5 countries listening to KJRW:
  1. United States
  2. Canada
  3. Switzerland
  4. Greece
  5. Australia
Well, I find that interesting anyway.  Speaking of lists, I am adding more songs to the play list.  Any suggestions?

Tuesday, July 26

Nevermind

When Nirvana's Nevermind was released in September 1991, the number of copies shipped to U.S. retailers was 46,251. It has now sold over 25 million copies worldwide.  SPIN magazine celebrates "The 20th Anniversary of the Album That Changed Everything" in its August edition.  In its pages, many give their accounts of what the album means to them. 

It was my senior year at college.  Our station, WSCW played the crap out of the album.  I have to admit that it didn't grab me right away.  I was into Pearl Jam's Ten and the Red Hot Chili Pepper's Blood Sugar Sex Magic a bit more.  Those albums all came out within a week or so of each other.  All of them occupied my CD player, along with the Singles soundtrack for many months.  Nevermind grew on me.  From the bombastic beginning of Smells Like Teen Spirit to the sad ending of Something In The Way  -- and then after about ten minutes of silence, Endless Nameless surprised me.

What does Nevermind mean to you?  What is your favorite song on the album?  Come As You Are?  Polly?  Lithium?

SPIN has also put together a tribute album, Newermind, featuring covers by such artists as the Meat Puppets and the Vaselines (two bands Nirvana covered on their Unplugged album).  A few songs from Newermind will be on KJRW soon.

Friday, July 22

KJRW TOP TEN

A couple songs just added to KJRW last week made it to the top of the list.  Here is this week's top 10:

  1. Tommy the Cat - Primus
  2. Head Like A Hole - Nine Inch Nails
  3. Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
  4. Alone, Together - Strokes
  5. Next To You - Police
  6. God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols
  7. Last To Know - Evil Stig
  8. I Fought The Law - Clash
  9. Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  10. Waiting Room - Fugazi
More songs added today, including requested Nirvana and Breeders.  Do you have any requests?

Friday, July 15

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

My trigger finger is itching.  I'm about to press start on a new list of songs.  Only the best rated songs are on along with some never before played on KJRW.  What were the highest rated songs last week?  I'm glad you asked!  Here they are:
  1. Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
  2. God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
  3. Alone, Together - Strokes
  4. Next to You - Police
  5. Just What I Needed - Cars
  6. I Fought the Law - Clash
  7. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants
  8. Last to Know - Evil Stig
  9. What Do I Get? - Buzzcocks
  10. Bleed Together - Soundgarden

Monday, July 11

Winning

Have you heard the announcement for the WWYD Contest?  It goes a little something like this:

(Violin Music)
"Every day, thousands of people suffer from cruelty and neglect.  Some were rescued earlier this year.  But for others, help may come too late.  What Would You Do to bring KJRW into the lives of those less fortunate?  Write it in the Shout Out Box on the station page today.  Selected entries will win a KJRW Prize Pack."

It's no joke.  I am assembling prize packs now.  All you have to do is come up with a way to get other people to listen to KJRW.  I'll even take your entry here if you comment below.

June was the best month ever for KJRW. The play button was pressed 850 times.  People around the world listened for over 700 hours.  KJRW jumped up 126 spots in rank, and was in the top 23 percent of rock stations on Live 365.

Let's keep it going.  Help us get the word out, and win some prizes.

Friday, July 8

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

A lot of movement in the top 10 this week. Lou Reed at number one? That is a bit of a surprise. Nice to see a couple of Joan Jett songs, even if they are at the bottom of the list. Here is the KJRW Top Ten List for the first week of July:
  1. Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
  2. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  3. Just What I Needed - Cars
  4. Alone, Together - Strokes
  5. What Do I Get? - Buzzcocks
  6. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  7. Stutter - Elastica
  8. Look Back And Laugh - Minor Threat
  9. Last To Know - Evil Stig
  10. Don't Abuse Me - Joan Jett
 More songs added today from the Pixies, Cicle Jerks and Sex Pistols.  And be sure to listen for the brand new Jane's Addiction!

Monday, July 4

Awesome America

Happy Independence Day!  Here are the 15 most Awesome America Songs, according to Billboard.com:
  1. Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
  2. America Saturday Night - Brad Paisley
  3. American Pie - Don McLean
  4. American Boy - Estelle with Kanye West
  5. American Badass - Kid Rock
  6. Living In America - James Brown
  7. America F*ck Yeah - Trey Parker
  8. American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
  9. White America - Eminem
  10. American Girl - Tom Petty
  11. Banned In The U.S.A. - 2 Live Crew
  12. America - Simon and Garfunkel
  13. American Idiot - Green Day
  14. America - Neil Diamond
  15. Party In The U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
Do you agree?  I agree with a few.  But only one is playing on KJRW.  Guess which one.

Friday, July 1

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

A couple of "pretty" songs in the middle of the list.  And once again, a just added tune makes it to number one.  Here's the top ten rated songs on KJRW for the last week of June:
  1. Stutter - Elastica
  2. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  3. Just What I Needed - Cars
  4. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  5. Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
  6. Jose the Arab - Iggy Pop
  7. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  8. Charlit Movie Star - Lola Ray
  9. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
  10. Look Back and Laugh - Minor Threat
Now I ask you, could you hear that mix of music anywhere but on KJRW?  I don't think so.  Adding  some "American" songs today for the Fourth of July Weekend.

Friday, June 24

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Again I am surprised to find songs added on a whim at the top of the list.  As a rule, songs on KJRW are usually not found on other stations, especially "terrestrial" ones.  Last week, I threw on a few more popular tunes from the Cars, Pretenders and Billy Idol to see how they would sound.  Some did well and others did not according to the ratings.  Here is the top ten:
  1. Just What I Needed - Cars
  2. Jose the Arab - Iggy Pop
  3. School's Out - Alice Cooper
  4. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
  5. Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
  6. Stranger Than Fiction - Bad Religion
  7. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  8. Charlit Movie Star - Lola Ray
  9. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
  10. Waiting Room - Fugazi
I just added some more obscure songs from Offspring, X, Bikini Kill and others.  Give them the thumbs up or down when you hear them.  We'll see what makes the top ten next week...

Monday, June 20

Pride and Prejudice

There is a story on Billboard.com called "20 Great Gay Moments in Music".  http://www.billboard.com/features/20-great-gay-moments-in-music-1005242082.story#/features/20-great-gay-moments-in-music-1005242082.story  These moments were supposed to be the most "pivotal in advancing the understanding and acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people".  Pivotal?  I do not think at least half of this list made a blip on the gaydar. 

Was anyone shocked when Ricky Martin or Lance Bass came out?  The only surprise was when Rob Halford of Judas Priest revealed he was gay.  A heavy metal front man?  What?!  Chely Wright professed she was the first lesbian country singer to be out.  Sorry, Chely, but what about k.d. lang? 

Metal and Country are very homophobic genres, and so is hip-hop, but Rapper Lil B put out an album entitled "I'm Gay (I'm Happy)" despite being straight himself.  Other items on this list I was encouraged to see were about Jill Sobule and Enrique Iglesias.  Jill recorded a song named "I Kissed A Girl" long before Katy Perry did.  Enrique brought a male fan onstage at London's G-A-Y nightclub without any worry about his own masculinity.

I was not sure I would find anything on this list valid when it began with something that happened on "Glee".  That is a "Gay Moment" in television.  The moments in rock?  There was the tribute to Freddie Mercury and Melissa Etheridge's album "Yes I Am". 

Could I come up with a better list?  Probably not.  There have not been enough pivotal moments in advancing the understanding and acceptance of LGBT people.  Happy Pride Month!

Friday, June 17

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Some different tunes in the Top Ten this week, and a different Soundgarden song at number one.
  1. Pretty Noose - Soundgarden
  2. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
  3. 12XU - Wire
  4. Chinese Rocks - Heartbreakers
  5. New College - Dollyrots
  6. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  7. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  8. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  9. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  10. Charlit Movie Star - Lola Ray
The song list is now the longest it has ever been, in anticipation of the longest day of the year.  There are also some 'sun' and 'hot' songs for the beginning of summer.  And there are a few 'dad' songs sprinkled in for Father's Day.  Enjoy!

Monday, June 13

"I Do Both - I Go and I Go"

The Go-Go's are currently on their "Ladies Gone Wild" Tour to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the release of their huge debut album, Beauty and the Beat.  I caught their set on Good Morning America on the 3rd.  Watching Jane, Gina, Kathy, and Charlotte play gave me a smile.  But I found it difficult to watch Belinda after reading her book, Lips Unsealed.

I had recently read Runaways Lead Vocalist Cherie Currie's book, Neon Angel.  Anticipating a similar story, I picked up Belinda Carlisle's memoir.  They were both lead singers in all-female rock bands from the Hollywood area in the late-seventies.  They both had their battles within their bands and with drugs.  They both got themselves into horrible situations due to bad choices.  The big difference is that I think Cherie learned from all of it and grew.  Cherie counseled teens about drugs, and is now a chainsaw artist, carving beautiful statues.  Belinda never seemed to take any personal responsibility.  Now she is being propped up by another Go-Go's tour.

And the Go-Go's are a good band.  Our Lips Are Sealed, Vacation and Head Over Heels are great songs.  I drummed along to We Got the Beat in a summer camp talent show.  But they are way too 'pop' for KJRW.

Friday, June 10

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

The White Stripes are at numbers one and five.  Here is the Top Ten list for the first week of June:
  1. Black Math - White Stripes
  2. Kick Out the Jams - Presidents of the U.S.A.
  3. Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  4. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Devo
  5. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  6. I Think I'm Paranoid - Garbage
  7. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  8. Middle Of The Road - Pretenders
  9. Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  10. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
Lots of songs being added to KJRW today.  If you like them, click on the thumbs up while they are playing.  Maybe they will make it into the Top Ten next week.

Monday, June 6

The Faces

KJRW now has its own Facebook page.  'Like' the page, and you will get updates about the station and the artists we play in your News Feed.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KJRW-West-Seattle/118914458193822

There is also a KJRW T-shirt.  Let us know if you want one, so we know how many to order.

Friday, June 3

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Another song new to KJRW skyrocketed to number one in its first week.  Makes me wonder which other Soundgarden songs I should play.  (Any suggestions?) Here are the Top Ten for the last week of May:
  1. Bleed Together - Soundgarden
  2. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  3. I Think I'm Paranoid - Garbage
  4. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Devo
  5. Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  6. Have A Cigar - Foo Fighters
  7. Black Math - White Stripes
  8. Middle of the Road - Pretenders
  9. Dreaming - Blondie
  10. My Doorbell - White Stripes

Monday, May 30

Where in the World...

People all over the world are listening to KJRW!  It is sort of mind-blowing to me.  Some friends have expressed interest in this topic.  So I thought I would share a list of the countries where people are listening.  The United States tops the list, of course, but rounding out the top ten are:  Canada, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, Greece, Peru, Brazil, Columbia and Singapore.  What do you think of that?

Friday, May 27

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

We have a new number one!  It is a cover of a Rolling Stones song by Devo.  It's the third song by Devo that has been on KJRW.  The other two were not very popular.  A fourth Devo song was added today.  We will have to see how that one fares.  Here's this week's list of the most popular songs on KJRW:
  1. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Devo
  2. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  3. Black Math - White Stripes
  4. Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  5. Dreaming - Blondie
  6. Radio - New Hell Republic
  7. Precious - Pretenders
  8. Time For Livin' - Beastie Boys
  9. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  10. Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
Questions?  Comments?  Please post below.

Monday, May 23

I Love Rock 'N' Roll

I spent Saturday night hugging the stage at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA.  The Blackhearts arrived a little late due to a power outage in Minneapolis.  They chartered a jet to get to the west coast.  The band certainly did not show signs of fatigue.  (The one exception was Manager/Keyboard player Kenny Laguna, who had to leave the stage a few times.  But we can certainly forgive him.)  It was a high-energy show from start to finish.

As usual, they began with "Bad Reputation" and "Cherry Bomb".  Two other Runaways songs were played in addition to "Cherry Bomb":  "I Love Playing With Fire" and the first song Joan Jett ever wrote, "You Drive Me Wild".  The most recent album, "Sinner" was highlighted with it's tracks:  "A.C.D.C.", "Naked", "Change the World", "Androgynous", "Fetish" and "A 100 Feet Away".  The latter originally appeared on "Album".  Other songs from "Album" performed were "Fake Friends", "The French Song" and what has become the last song played at most shows, "Everyday People."  (Yes, the Sly and the Family Stone song.)  Of course they played the hits: "Do You Wanna Touch Me", "Crimson and Clover", "I Hate Myself For Loving You", "Light of Day" and "I Love Rock 'N' Roll".  I was pleased they did a couple of my favorites, "Love Is Pain" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog." 

It was especially amusing to see Joan "prepare" for the cover of Iggy Pop's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by bending over and shaking her hair out at the back of stage left.  When she stood back up, you could tell that she was "in the zone".  Lead Guitarist Dougie Needles and Drummer Thommy Price were as great as always.  Bassist Acey Slade was a welcome addition.  He tossed a couple guitar picks our way.

My disappointment was with the Emerald Queen Casino security.  I tried to give Joan some gifts we had brought, but the guard at the door was very rude.  Another guard lied to us and said that she was already headed to the airport.  Not only did Joan stay to sign autographs and take pictures that night, but she spoke at a high school in Edmonds, WA today.

If you have never seen Joan Jett and the Blackhearts live, I highly recommend it.  Even "non-fans" have said they put on "a helluva show".

http://joanjettbadrep.com/LiveDates/



                                                                                                                                                                             

Saturday, May 21

Better Than Ezra

Yesterday, a few of us were laying about, watching old episodes of Bill Maher's show and eating Thai food.  We decided KJRW needed a tagline, or two, or more.  Someone said, "KJRW is better than paying twelve dollars to sit in a theatre and watch Thor."  Another said, "KJRW is better than your high school reunion."  Then there was, "KJRW is better than bansawing weasels for heroin money."  Okay, so we got a little out there.  What do you think KJRW is better than?  Comment below.

Friday, May 20

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

The Dead Kennedys remain at number one on this week's Top Ten.  Joan Jett and the Blackhearts move up to number two.  :-)  Peter Gabriel makes his first appearance in the Top Ten.  Here's the whole list:
  1. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  2. Activity GRRRL - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  3. Precious - Pretenders
  4. Dreaming - Blondie
  5. Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel
  6. Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
  7. Holiday In Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
  8. Bitchin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  9. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  10. Get Down, Make Love - Nine Inch Nails
Vote for your favorite songs while they are playing on KJRW by clicking the 'thumbs up' icon.

Tuesday, May 17

What's Happening, Hot Sauce?

I picked up the new Beastie Boys album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two on the 6th.  It was during a quick visit to one of my favorite stores, Newbury Comics.  It began as a little place on Newbury Street in Boston and has since expanded to several stores.  I was at the Avon, Mass. store for a little over a half hour, sifting quickly through the Rock CD bins.  Along with the Beastie Boys, I also picked up some Black Keys, Weezer, Cracker, Devo, Clash, Garbage and Soundgarden.

On the drive from Avon to Worcester, Mass., I listened to the Beastie Boys CD twice.  It started off great with "Make Some Noise".  "OK" and "Say It" were good, too.  I think the most rocking tune was "Lee Majors Come Again". It debutes on KJRW this Friday.

Are there any songs you've heard lately that you think should be on KJRW?

Friday, May 13

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Lots of changes in the Top 10 this week.  The song at number one was at the bottom of the list when it was added to the mix a few weeks ago.  I had even considered taking it off the station.  Now that is quite a turnaround!  Oh, and may I say that I am pleased to see Joan Jett at number 3.
  1. Soup Is Good Food - Dead Kennedys
  2. Precious - Pretenders
  3. Activity Grrrl - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  4. Bitchin' Camaro - Dead Milkmen
  5. Train In Vain - Clash
  6. Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
  7. 21st Century (Digital Boy) - Bad Religion
  8. The Hardest Button To Button -  White Stripes
  9. Be My Baby - Dollyrots
  10. Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
Remember to vote for songs by clicking on the thumbs up or down while they are playing on KJRW.

Saturday, April 30

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Faith No More remains at the top spot this week.  That really surprises me.  Adding more songs to the play list today.  Maybe one of them will make it to number one next week.
  1. Falling to Pieces - Faith No More
  2. My Doorbell - White Stripes
  3. 21st Century (Digital Boy) - Bad Religion
  4. Get Down, Make Love - Nine Inch Nails
  5. Train In Vain (Stand By Me) - Clash
  6. London Calling - Clash
  7. Jean Genie - David Bowie
  8. The Hardest Button to Button - White Stripes
  9. So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys
  10. Ruby Soho - Rancid

Friday, April 22

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

No big surprises this week, except that there are no Black Keys songs in the Top Ten.  Jack White is on twice with two different bands.  These are the songs that got a big 'thumbs up':
  1. Falling to Pieces - Faith No More
  2. 21st Century (Digital Boy) - Bad Religion
  3. The Hardest Button to Button - White Stripes
  4. Train In Vain - Clash
  5. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  6. Jean Genie - David Bowie
  7. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  8. Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
  9. Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop and the Stooges
  10. So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys

Monday, April 18

Undercover of the Night

That's the title of a Rolling Stones song that I can't decide if I like or dislike.  I wonder if anyone has ever covered Undercover of the Night.  It is "Under the Covers" week on KJRW.  Some people prefer original versions of songs to covers.  Maybe it is like the book being better than the movie.  I like hearing different versions of familiar tunes.  I especially enjoy really thrashy versions of sugary pop songs.  Feel free to comment with your opinion.  And please join me "Under the Covers".  Click on the > in the blue box on the right to listen to KJRW on live365.com.

Friday, April 15

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

We have a new number one this week, from the band Faith No More.  Here's a but of trivia:  Courtney Love once fronted that band, way before the video with the fish flopping around.  Here's this week's list:
  1. Falling to Pieces - Faith No More
  2. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  3. Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop and the Stooges
  4. Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill
  5. 21st Century (Digital Boy) - Bad Religion
  6. Till I Get My Way - Black Keys
  7. London Calling - Clash
  8. Waiting Room - Fugazi
  9. Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
  10. Wynona's Big Brown Beaver - Primus
Remember to vote for your favorite songs by clicking the thumbs up while they are playing on KJRW.

Wednesday, April 13

Spin the Black Circle

This Saturday is Record Store Day. 

My Great Uncle George used to own a record store in Dallas, Texas.  My cousins would write to him, asking for records, and he would mail them up to Massachusetts.  I only wrote to him, asking for records once.  I was twelve years old.  I asked for "Bad Reputation" and "I Love Rock 'N' Roll", and Uncle George sent them to me.  A little less than a decade later, Joan Jett autographed those albums (along with a few more) when I met her for the first time in Providence, Rhode Island.  Uncle George has passed away, and I am not sure what became of his store. 

There aren't as many record stores as there once was.  I find that sad.  I can spend hours in a record store, flipping through all the albums.  Most times, I go from A to Z.  Other times, I start with J.  You can really judge a store by its J bin.  Or at least I do.

Today, I think most people buy music online.  Downloading an mp3 sure is faster.  I even began doing that recently because it is easier to get the song on KJRW.  But, there is something really cool about being in a record store, finding an album, and going home to listen to it from start to finish.  There are sometimes gems on those albums that you miss because they were not released as a single and don't get on the radio.  I try to play some of those songs on KJRW.

Please visit your local record store on Saturday.  Some will even have real records - on vinyl. 


P.S.  Spin the Black Circle is a song on Pearl Jam's Vitalogy album.  (I have it on vinyl, signed by Guitarist Mike McCready.)

Friday, April 8

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

This is what I like to see -- some variation in the Top 10.  New titles make an appearance this week.
  1. Steady, As She Goes - Raconteurs
  2. Falling to Pieces - Faith No More
  3. Search and Destroy - Iggy Pop and the Stooges
  4. Rebel Girl - Bikini Kill
  5. Girl Is On My Mind - Black Keys
  6. Wynona's Big Brown Beaver - Primus
  7. Holiday In Cambodia - Dead Kennedy's
  8. So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys
  9. Where Eagles Dare - Misfits
  10. 21st Century (Digital Boy) - Bad Religion
Vote for your favorite songs by clicking the thumbs up while they are playing on KJRW.

Friday, April 1

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Today's Top Ten:
  1. In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
  2. Mony Mony - Tommy James and the Shondells
  3. Get Together - Youngbloods
  4. Happy Together - Turtles
  5. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - Temptations
  6. Wipe Out - Surfaris
  7. Dirty Water - Standells
  8. Mama Said - Shirelles
  9. Gloria - Them
  10. Last Train to Clarksville - Monkees

Tuesday, March 29

Simple Lessons

Here is how the fairy tale goes... You are at a show.  Someone onstage notices you in the crowd.  You are plucked from said crowd to go backstage.  You two talk after the show.  And you live happily ever after.  It really happened to someone I met recently.  She even moved to Seattle from Detroit to live happily ever after with her drummer.  She told me about it over the weekend.  I told her I saw his band open for Metallica in the summer of 1994.  And one of their songs is on KJRW.

Friday, March 25

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

  1. Girl Is On My Mind - Black Keys
  2. Six Pack - Black Flag
  3. Stay Away - Nirvana
  4. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
  5. Porch - Pearl Jam
  6. London Calling - Clash
  7. Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
  8. So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys
  9. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  10. March of the Pigs - Nine Inch Nails
This week's Top Ten remained almost the same as last week's.  However, Nine Inch Nails makes an appearance.  I still cannot get over that Trent Reznor is an Academy Award Winner now.  He looked so proper at the Oscars with short hair and a suit.

Friday, March 18

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Six Pack finally got knocked out of the number one spot.  It was the Black Keys replacing Black Flag at the top.  Truthfully, there are not many new bands that really grab my attention, but I like the Black Keys' bluesy alt-rock.  How about you?
  1. Girl Is On My Mind - Black Keys
  2. Six Pack - Black Flag
  3. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse
  4. Porch - Pearl Jam
  5. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  6. Kiss Them for Me - Siouxsie and the Banshees
  7. London Calling - Clash
  8. Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
  9. Stay Away - Nirvana
  10. So What'cha Want - Beastie Boys

Monday, March 14

CRAZY OKAY

I visited CBS Radio Seattle today.  It was both strange and familiar at once.  It has been about a year since I was there last, and that time I got no further than the lobby.  This time, I made my way through KMPS and KZOK, catching up with people I had not seen in a long time.  It has been two years and four months since I was employed there.

I mentioned my beginnings at KZOK in an earlier post.  About a month after moving to Washington State from Massachusetts, I began an internship in the production department.  Shortly after that I became the afternoon show producer.  I also sometimes produced the morning and midday shows.  When the afternoon show host became the program director, he made me his assistant.

Over 15 years, I saw many ownership and personnel changes.  The first change in ownership resulted in my first on-air shift.  All the full-time "personalities" had to attend a workshop.  I got to fill-in on a few overnight shifts.  I remember being amazed that someone responded to something I had said by sending me a fax.  I still get a little thrill from listener response.  Now it is through a "Shout Out" on the KJRW station page at live365.com.

People always want to know which rock stars I met in the KZOK studios.  The nicest guys were Paul Rodgers, Graham Nash, and Julian Lennon.  Ann and Nancy Wilson were there enough times that I was finally comfortable around them and not star-struck.  Other studio guests I met were:  Grace Slick, Ian Anderson, Ray Davies, Nick Mason, Roger McGuinn, Mickey Thomas, Sam Andrew, Roger Hodgson, Peter Green, and Donny Osmond.  I am probably forgetting somebody.  I also got to meet all the members of Aerosmith backstage before a show in the Key Arena as a member of the KZOK staff.
 
That part was cool, but the thing I enjoyed the most while at KZOK was helping to create a show - from constructing a playlist of songs to producing a funny station identification piece, and making them flow together.  After two years of not being able to have that creative outlet, a close friend told me about live365.com, and KJRW was born.

Will I ever return to "CRAZY OKAY"?  We'll see...

Friday, March 11

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

I think this week's list is a good representation of the 'KJRW sound' -- although, Joan Jett only makes a cameo at the number 10 spot.  What do you think?
  1. Six Pack - Black Flag
  2. Zero - Smashing Pumpkins
  3. Porch - Pearl Jam
  4. Stay Away - Nirvana
  5. Rise Above - Black Flag
  6. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
  7. London Calling - Clash
  8. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  9. Rock Star - Hole
  10. New Radio - Bikini Kill
Vote for your favorite songs on KJRW.  Click on the > in the blue box to the right to listen.  If you like a song, give it a thumbs up.  Maybe it will make it onto next week's Top 10 list.

Friday, March 4

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

Not much change in the Top 10 this week.  Very Seattle-centric.  Here are the songs getting the thumbs up:
  1. Six Pack - Black Flag
  2. Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
  3. Porch - Pearl Jam
  4. Zero - Smashing Pumpkins
  5. Stay Away - Nirvana
  6. Zeplin Song - Courtney Love
  7. Rock Star - Hole
  8. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
  9. London Calling - Clash
  10. Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
What do you think of this list?  Which songs should be in the Top Ten?

Wednesday, March 2

Internal Affairs

A long, long time ago, the way into the radio world was through internships.  You could receive experience, college credit, and even pay if you were really lucky.  I never got paid for my internships, but I did turn one into a job.

The first station I interned for was WICN, Public Radio for Central New England.  I spent one semester there, but I cannot remember much of what I did.  It was mostly paperwork at a desk.  I fought the urge to nap while listening to the classical music eminating from the on-air studio.  Don't get me wrong - I enjoy Beethoven and Bach, but it was hard to stay awake in that environment after spending most of the day in class.

Then, there was WVBF in Boston.  I pulled CDs for Sunny Joe White in the evenings.  He was allegedly a recovering addict.  On my first night there, he handed me a hundred dollar bill to pick up a package for him.  I was relieved to find it was his dinner.

I gave up that internship after a short time because I had the opportunity to go to WZLX in Boston.  I worked with many talented people:  Annalisa, Mike Coleman, Anne Cody, Chuck Nowlin and others.  At first, I just called people randomly out of the phonebook to ask them survey questions.  Later, I answered the request line, got prize winners, and did promotional events.  The best part was being on some morning show bits where I portrayed Chelsea Clinton and Suzanne Somers.

The last internship was at KZOK in Seattle.  I spent a few afternoons a week, recording commercials from reels of tape onto carts, which were like 8-track tapes.  Within a couple of months, I became the afternoon producer for Steve Slaton.  When he was hired as the progam director of the station, he made me his assistant.  And I stayed the Assistant Program Director of KZOK until the end of 2008.  More about that in another post on another day...

Friday, February 25

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

A song received a rating of perfect 10 this week.  What is even more incredible to me was that I just added the song this week and it shot right to number one.  And I almost added an alternate Black Flag song instead of this one.

  1. Six Pack - Black Flag
  2. Stay Away - Nirvana
  3. Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
  4. Stupid Girl - Garbage
  5. Zeplin Song - Courtney Love
  6. Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  7. Rock Star - Hole
  8. Rise Above - Black Flag
  9. Why Go - Pearl Jam
  10. Jean Genie - David Bowie
You can vote for songs, too.  Click on the > in the blue box to the right to listen to KJRW.  Give the songs a thumbs up or down while they are playing.

Thursday, February 24

No Rain

Do you remember that Blind Melon video with the little bee girl?  She didn't fit in anywhere until she found a whole field of bee people.  That's how I felt in the hallway of my college radio station, WSCW.  It is another inspiration of KJRW. 

The aim of college radio is to play songs that commercial radio won't play.  That was mostly the case with WSCW, but you never knew just what you would find when you tuned to 640 AM.  It depended upon the disc jockey.  It could be alternative, metal, rap, oldies, or even pop.  All of those genres even made an appearance on my shows.

The scope of KJRW is a bit more narrow, but the aim is still to play songs you won't hear on the airwaves.  Some of these songs were on WSCW when I was there.  Take a listen and tell me what you think.  Click on the blue box to the right.

Tuesday, February 15

KJRW TOP TEN LIST

You can vote for songs played on KJRW.  While a song is playing, click on either the thumbs up or down.  If a song gets a lot of thumbs down, I take it off the playlist.  Songs that get a lot of thumbs up make the top ten list.  I think a certain Hole fan in Tennessee voted early and often this week.

  1. Rock Star - Hole
  2. Scentless Apprentice - Nirvana
  3. Stupid Girl - Garbage
  4. Zeplin Song - Courtney Love
  5. Jean Genie - David Bowie
  6. Rise Above - Black Flag
  7. Rubber & Glue - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
  8. Someday - The Strokes
  9. Territorial Pissings - Nirvana
  10. Sweet '69 - Babes In Toyland

Monday, February 14

You're the Inspiration

Yes, that is the title of a cheesy Chicago song.  One of many that I had to learn to play because my drum instructor was a fan.  (I guess it's better than "On Top of Old Smokey".)  I was happy to blow him away by playing "I Hate Myself for Loving You" during my last drum lesson.

Which leads me to one of my inspirations for KJRW... Little Steven (of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) has a show on Sirius Satellite Radio called the Underground Garage.  During 2005-6,  there was a show on the Underground Garage called Radio Revolution.  It was hosted by Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna.  I stumbled upon some archived shows last summer.  I'm sorry to say I cannot find them anymore.  I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between Joan and Kenny.  I was introduced to many songs that are now on KJRW.  The best part is that I was lucky enough to tell Joan and Kenny about this Saturday night.

Friday, February 11

Be My Valentine?

I have never been a big fan of Valentine's Day.  That is probably because I never had a date on Valentine's Day until 1999, when I arranged a blind date.  That date turned into a six-and-a-half year relationship.  We celebrated Valentine's Day as our anniversary those years.  After the split, Valentine's Day was harder than ever.  Then, something miraculous happened this year:  it didn't bother me.  I was bombarded by reds and pinks, hearts and flowers, balloons and cards in stores and on television once again.  And I did not care.  So, please enjoy a special Valentine mix on KJRW, chock full of new little movie quotes and songs.  However, there are no "silly love songs" here.

Wednesday, February 9

Allow Me To Introduce Myself

KJRW is an internet radio station on Live 365.  It was created in November 2010, and launched on December 1st.  If you wanna rock, this is your station.  It is an alternative/punk rock mix.  Some core artists are:  The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Clash, Social Distortion, Nirvana, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, Green Day, David Bowie, and Blondie. If this all sounds good to you, click on the widget on the lower right.  I welcome your comments and requests.