My friend Faulkner —aka DJ Folklore— hosts a radio show Monday nights at 8 pm Pacific. Although the station is based in Portland it's only available online. You can either stream or download podcasts here. If you have an adventurous sense of music I encourage you to listen tonight.I sat in on the show last week (along with Bryan Wolf) and we came up with an eclectic playlist including some Christmas songs, some twisted tunes, and a generally even mix of material from each of the past six decades.
Even if you can't or won't listen to Faulkner's show I encourage everyone out there to listen to and support their own local noncommercial radio station(s).
Friends, we all know commercial radio sucks the big one. You know it. They know it. Let's not pretend. And lots not pretend XM or Sirius or any of that satellite crap is any different.
But noncommercial radio is different, and vitally so. Why? Simple:
1. It is one of the last expressions of the vernacular. In a society increasingly headed toward homogenization, increasingly bent on smoothing over regional variations, local noncommercial radio stands out as a voice of regional taste. Faulkner's show is different than a show in Mississippi or Montana or Brazil. If you hate Walmart, listen to local radio.
2. Local noncommercial radio is one of the last unmediated expressions. On a station like Faulkner's, which has already been booted from the airwaves by the FCC and exists only on the internet, there is absolutely no oversight. He plays what he wants to. In a way it's like a blog. The only reason I write B is because I can write whatever the fuck I want to at any time. I can write iksolf ertay upgraun quirtnest Kubla Khan if I feel like it. If that aspect was ever compromised it would be all over. Radio is in the same boat, along with photography, writing, and all arts. I believe quality and mediation are ALWAYS inversely proportional.
Here in Eugene I'm fortunate to have three excellent noncommercial stations. I can generally count on good music always being available on at least one of them. I know many places don't have that luxury, but most communities have at least one noncommercial station. Please listen to yours today and support it. You're helping photographers out.
OK, that's my rant. Back to regular blog programming....
3 comments:
That's a sweet looking playlist - downloading the podcast as I write. Anything with Neil, Billy and the Violent Femmes is going to be worth listening to.
You're right, of course, commercial radio does suck the big one as do commercial music shows on the telly. Thankfully there's enough people out there wanting to keep up an interest in "non-commercial" music.
is he dj-ing neutral milk hotel at a house party? that's brave.
Dude is fearless.
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