A List (and A-List)

A list of some bands that I love and actually do know enough about that KSPC supports (to make me feel like I actually am valid and legitimate enough to be a DJ for the station in the fall, since I am freaking out about not being "hipster" enough):

*Coconut Records - side project of the actor Jason Schwartzmaan after he left "Phantom Planet". I heard about the album "Nighttiming" when I heard the song "West Coast" played on one of the KSPC Americana shows. His second album "Davy" is also now available.

*She and Him - band of actress Zooey Deschanel and musician M. Ward. Their first album "Volume 1" has a few songs that Jason Schwartzmaan wrote, and I first heard some of the songs on another KSPC Americana show. Their second album is on the way. When I saw Norah Jones in concert a few years back, M. Ward opened and he brought out Zooey to play a few songs with him. Eventually they started up a group because of their musical chemistry, so I am proud to say that I saw them before they were officially a band! (And Zooey is engaged to Ben Gibbard from "Death Cab for Cutie" and "The Postal Service" wahoo!)

*The Mountain Goats - band from Pitzer College! wahooo!

*O'Death - they played at Pomona College and they were awesome!

*Tokyo Police Club - I volunteered to help out at their concert at The Glass House that KSPC hosted. They are really cool guys.

*Gogol Bordello - anyone see the movie "Everything is Illuminated" ? The main singer was in that. Also, the character in the movie "Wristcutters: a Love Story" is based on the lead singer, and Gogol Bordello's song "Through the Roof 'n Underground" appears in the movie.

*Rocky Votolato - favorite Seattle indie singer. I've seen him twice in concert and tried to get him to play a show at Scripps's Motley Coffee House but he was too expensive to nag. I saw his last album, "The Brag and Cuss", in KSPC and I offered to write a review of it, so I can always play him! (Too bad they don't have my favorite album of his, "Makers").

*MGMT - I saw them open for Of Montreal at The Glass House my sophomore year. I hope their album is at KSPC, although they might be too mainstream now? Will check up on this.

*Built to Spill - one of their songs is playing constantly on the music video screen at the entrance to EMP, the music museum I work at this summer. I know KSPC supports this group, so I need to do some more research on them and find more songs that I like from them! It seems like my radio show is going to lean a little more towards Americana...

Please please please have anything by The Velvet Underground because I want to call my show "The Underground Velvet" show and I want to be DJ Nico, so as part of my schtick, I'd like to play a Velvet Underground song each show. I know at one point KSPC was missing the album "The Velvet Underground and Nico" but somebody else told me that they were no longer allowing the album to be played since it was too mainstream. I will also check up on this. If I was allowed, I would bring this album in (and all of the other ones!) so I could play Lou Reed songs.

I'll let you know about more cool bands soon! I hope this inspired you to listen up on the ones I just mentioned.

Peace.