give kxlu a break! they're listener supported and they're the only radio station in los angeles worth listening to...can't fault 'em for trying to make a couple bucks.

their program director also mentioned that it's their 50th anniversary...how about an la weekly piece about that, instead of about what "sellouts" they are.

oh, and that was a ralph lauren shirt that thurston was wearing, fyi.

As a veteran dj at KXLU, i dont blame you for one moment for pointing out this lapse in our judgement. This event, although highlighting a very underrated band, was none the less a gimmick and a commerical with a good soundtrack. However, i am more than a little disappointed that LA Weekly has spent the last few years basically ignoring amazing KXLU events and shows. You want to help independant radio? Write an article about KTLW, the christian station stealing our frequency.

I agree with you about this show, but please remember even with this mistake, KXLU is a great radio station that has broken a lot of amazing bands and truly does display whats awesome and happening in the world independant music. Our deejays volunteer their time and listeners keep the station going, not Yaris. If we can learn our lesson from this experience, do you think you can take a few minutes away from writing another article ass kissing indie 103.1 and write about our 50th anniversary or any of the fantastic orginal radio shows we provide everyday?

Thanks-
McAllister- KXLU DJ

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find people here that don't love and appreciate KXLU.

Just within the past few months we've run profiles on two KXLU jocks. Reverand Dan wrote about himself, and Stella was profiled in our "People" issue by Libby Molyneaux. KXLU's The Kids are Alright Show also made our Best of L.A. list the year before last.

I do thank you for those articles on two of our premiere shows. Now any help with the KTLW mess or the 50th anniversary would be appreciated:)

KXLU IS GREAT! BUT, the times are changing. Due to massive, corporate radio stations (Indi 103 is not Independent) that are stealing air-space and air-time, KXLU may not be around for much longer- it has no money! Nor do most privately-owned radio stations. This commercially-driven stunt did sadden me for a couple reasons I knew there wouldn't be anyway of seeing SY BECAUSE I WORK A REAL JOB! I don't know when most kids starting lining up for wristbands, but I'm sure it was before I got off work like the rest of us older SY fans.
I was disapointed KXLU did this inside the store and not outside in a bigger area; Come on! I couldn't afford the ripoff Greek Theater show and it's not like they're a small, unknown "Indie" band anymore! Why put them in a crappy store in one of the most dreadful places that most SY fans probably dont want to hang out and party (or at least I thought)? But the times of changed. Lets all keep this in mind and roll with it. Otherwise we're going to miss our chance to act young. Long live KXLU !

As the current KXLU General Manager I would like to clarify some details about the Sonic Youth event. First, though, it must be said that KXLU's official position is that this event was NOT a mistake and in NO way was it a lapse in judgement. KXLU did not receive any money from Toyota nor Urban Outfitters nor anyone save our listeners; KXLU is still 100% listener supported. (So I guess the phrase "sell out" no longer applies). In defense of the Program Director, her comments were taken completely out of context. When she said that the Yaris is "cool," it was in reference to how the car will be designed by the bands, not Yaris itself. DJs announce over the air that KXLU is giving away a Yaris, not that you should buy a Yaris. It's a free car for a listener. Sell the thing if you hate Toyota; it's a FREE car.

KXLU chose to join Free Yr Radio because at its basic level it's about getting college radio stations all over the country some attention. Hopefully KXLU will get some donations from the exposure to keep us alive and on the air. Saturday's event gave KXLU a chance to interact with our listeners; we passed out stickers, swag, our new program guide, and even did trivia questions for those in line. Also, and a side note, KXLU turned down Free Yr Radio several times in the beginning. It was when the lineup was changed to include Dntel that KXLU was swayed; Jimmy Tamborello is a KXLU alum and a previous station director. And furthermore Sonic Youth has been played on KXLU since the beginning, interviewed on KXLU multiple times, and at the show Thurston did talk about the importance of commercial-free radio, like KXLU.

Now on the other hand, I completely understand the lament towards the venue capacity. But because of Santa Monica City regulations and restrictions we could not have the concert outside. And Urban Outfitters was simply a venue for a show, one that shut Urban Outfitters down entirely in its retail capacity. Even if you wanted to purchase something from the store, you couldn't.

And hey LA Weekly, why so few articles on KXLU? And why so much negativity about our station? KXLU cares about our DJs and KXLU cares about our listeners. We have tons of stuff going on over here if you're interested. How about an article on our 50th anniversary?

KXLU is truly one of the last bastions of free form, commercial free, independent radio where the DJ picks their play list, not corporate America nor an automated machine. This is who we have always been and how we shall always remain.


Thank you,

Daisy Buchanan
KXLU General Manager
daisykxlu@gmail.com

As Thurston Moore himself said at the show... something along the lines of how it's good to see companies supporting stations like KXLU instead of "mainstream bullshit." I agree with this, but sometimes it's a fine line. I'm actually a big fan of KXLU (all I listen to KCRW for is news - Morning Becomes Eclectic is my nemesis), and I don't think I was shouting "sellout" at them. The point I was trying to make was that as unpleasant as it may seem, working with corporations seems to be the only way some bands (or, apparently, indie radio stations) can make a buck these days - and most of the time the benefits outweigh the costs. But it's unsettling to see a truly alternative source of music like KXLU shilling. You say the PD's comments were taken out of context, but I disagree. Getting up in front of the crowd and encouraging people to sign up for a giveaway is essentially advertising, as is announcing a free car on the airwaves. It doesn't matter if the car is free or not, it's still a form of advertising. Now I'm not necessarily condemning that, but it is what it is. The more you hold hands with commercial ventures, the more you lose your independent spirit. And KXLU is really the the only truly listener-supported station in LA that is brave enough to play whatever music it wants to, not bound by playlists or record company kickbacks, and that's why it's so important. Anyway, long live KXLU, and may it prevail in its battle against KTLW, because it is pretty much the only good LA radio that isn't Internet-only.

KXLU indirectly helped sell cars. KXLU is an image, and a brand. Look at Urban Outfitters revenue sales that day and compare it to other days. KXLU helped sell Urban Outfitters clothing.

These companies and orgs like Free Yr Radio are making money off of your station that has in my opinion, gotten along fine without such promotions.

And the fact you actually believe you weren't participating in advertising means that those companies are taking advantage of your ignorance. Job well done. They got exactly what they wanted from you.

Capitalism is great. but it has no place on the lower frequencies.

As a college student I'm sure you're accustomed to reading every now and then, so here's some books on the subject:

Eric Klinenberg-- Fighting for Air: the Battle to Control America's Airwaves

Jim Ladd-- Radio Waves

Oh yeah, and this guy:

"Commodity fetishism is the inauthentic state of social relations, said to arise in complex capitalist market systems, where people mistake social relationships for things." -Karl Marx, Das Kapital

happy reading.
-s.g.

Urban Outfitters was closed for the entire day of the show. This would amount to a ton of money. Now,this show was really controversial in the KXLU DJ community. Feed Yr Radio came to KXLU and asked if we would participate. If we said no, indie 103.1 or KCRW would've done it......and we would've bitched that it wasn't KXLU who deserved the promotion. There aren't enough kids that know KXLU exists...and this is a way to get the word out there.

KXLU is truely a station where highschool kids can record their music, and get it on the air, within a week of recording it. Everyone becomes successful at some point, and I don't really see a problem on capitalizing on Sonic YOuth, Toyota's or Urban Outfitters fame. KXLU will only play cutting edge music, and getting publicity from these douchebag corporations isn't going to change that. So why not?

The coolest thing about our station, is that we have the freedom to bitch about it on the air, and still keep our radio shows.

Fred went off on the air about it on August 3rd, you can hear it on our website.

I don't think KXLU is a sellout, cuz we don't play what any of these people tell us to. I'd compare it to a gutter punk getting change from a CEO on wall street. Has the gutter punk sold out? Has the CEO just helped his reputation? I think if the corporations actually heard what we really play, they'd drop us in a heartbeat! IF anything, KXLU just robbed the system for free publicity. I know for a fact that there are thing on Demolisten that Toyota would not want to be associated with.

Octavius
Kxlu Demolisten
http://demolisten.wordpress.com/2007/08/03/08032007/

Not only did they record a song for I'm Not There, but Kim Gordon appears in the film--just long enough for you to say "holy s**t, was that Kim Gordon?"