Regarding Indie 103’s Demise
Note from ed: We’d asked veteran (and venerable) KXLU morning DJ McAllister to sound off on Indie 103’s apparent demise today. She responded with aplomb, fresh off her Thursday morning drive time shift no less. Without further ado…
Apparently Indie 103.1 is over. I have no idea if this rumor is true because I don’t have an iphone or twitter or a carrier pigeon that keeps me posted on these kinds of things, but for right now let’s consider it true. Losanjealous asked for my official response as a KXLU dj, so here it is:
meh.
I will set the record straight, I never hated Indie 103.1. But as someone who has been in independent radio for almost nine years now, it didn’t quite have the same cream-in-the-jeans effect on me that it had on a lot of people. It always seemed like the Diet Coke of independent music. It was almost there, but not quite. Just when they’d play a fantastic song, BAM they’d slap you in the face with Soundgarden. Soundgarden???? Really, that’s what we need? Meh. I get that, compared to a great majority of the big corporate radio stations, 103.1 must have sounded great to some people. But it was still Clear Channel (CC ad buys to begin; solely Entravision later, but sure – who’s arguing – ed) serving you up a trend and trying to suck out all the money it could at the same time. Morning shows hosted by a plethora of Warped Tour all stars? Meh. Volkswagen commercials cleverly disguised to sound almost like an Elliot Smith song? Meh. The one thing I can’t meh on the station was Henry Rollins, who still rambles on like a crazy old man, but has a music collection that is so ungodly good that I can’t even properly rip on him. Wait a minute, yes I can. He was the hockey coach in Jack Frost. Meh. Anyway, minus his talking, his show ruled. He can come deejay on my show anytime, providing he signs a waiver that he won’t speak. Everything else was the very definition of meh.
In all fairness, if some people who don’t yet realize the complete yumminess of the radio stations left-of-dial were able to open their ears to some good bands, then maybe the station did some good. But for all those people that tomorrow morning will bitch on their myspace or facebook pages about how LA radio now sucks without Indie 103, suck it up buttercup. LA radio is stacked with awesomeness, you just gotta dig a little. KXLU, dublab, KCRW, little radio whatever…. none of these stations are perfect but I think for the most part they are really trying to give you independent music, instead of teasing you with it in order to sell you more of the same ole same ole. So LA, my advice is take a xanax and chill out. Wake up tomorrow and go explore for a new station. Think of it like finding an authentic Richard Marx concert shirt at the Salvation Army as compared to buying a new, fake, distressed “Jesus is My Homeboy” t-shirt at Urban Outfitters. Yes, it takes more effort but in the end you will feel like less of a douchebag, and your shirt will be much sweeter.
LMAO
oh dj mcallister…my my my
After reading your peevish little statement you have revealed yourself (to me at least) to be a jealous (possibly republican), fretful, whiney little beatch!
Idie was corporate! fine.. theres no way around it, but the station was a success on so many levels its just to bad you and some like you cant get passed your own self righteous BS to see it and comment positively on it.
go back to Yucaipa CA
WORD
i hope this gets aired
I think the problem people have with indie is the name indie. When it was nothing of the sort. They should have called it roller coaster. (because it feels scary, fun and different but you are strapped into the system the whole time. a system the someone from corporate headquarters and the city inspectors office came down and had to approve.)
When you are ready to really take that leap into the unknown. Thats when you can check out KXLU, dublab, KPFK and all the other rad and truly indie radio.
but untill then see you all at 6 flags
i can hardly remember anything that happened in los angeles that was as great as the day indie went on the air
it was absolutely beautiful!
there impressive roster of DJs was exquisite to say the least
Jonsey,Rollins,Navarrow,TK,Shovel,Suicide Girls,Darren&Kurt,Native Wayne!,Sat,Jackie and even little Joey Escalante
Los Angeles radio will never be the same
they are in the hearts of sooo many and will be missed immensely
(in a sarcastic tone)now kxlu??? what the fuck is that???
does this station actually exist???
(normal tone)i cant drive more than 2 minutes in any direction in LA without the station breaking up and sounding like shit
i dont think anyone north of wilshire even gets this station
it definitely does not come in where i live in silverlake
or anywhere north of 101 from lincoln heights to north hollywood for that matter
so what the fuck good is that
i could drive all over LA and down the 10 to ontario and indie would come in crystal
“When you are ready to really take that leap into the unknown. Thats when you can check out KXLU, dublab, KPFK and all the other rad and truly indie radio”
hahaha leap into the unknown is right! you can never know whats playing cause you cant fuckin hear it
“I miss indie, stop hating you kxlu hotos”
dont think i could have said it better my self
indie ruled and you know it
i know you listened and you loved it
dont deny it
i’ll be honest, i’m kind of digging el gato 103.1.
lol@ benjamin. well played
As an occasional dublab.com DJ, I thought I should clarify that you can hear dublab.com on the radio waves. Admittedly the shows below probably won’t cater to the core 103.1 ‘Arbitron defined” demographic; but FYI…
dublab has just launched a new show on KPFK 90.7FM, called “Future Roots Radio”. It’s on every Friday evening from 10pm-1am.
Also, the dublab DJ’s have radio shows at various stations in L.A.:
“She comes in Colours” with the Minister Alvin X & Dr. Frederick Phases – every Monday 10pm-Mid KXLU 88.9fm
“The Kids are Alright” with Professor Cantaloupe – every Wednesday 7-8pm KXLU 88.9fm
“Glossolalia” with Glossolalia – every Wednesday 10-11pm KXLU 88.9fm
“Part Time Punks” with Michael Stock – every Thursday 2-6pm KXLU 88.9fm
“Headspace” with Hoseh – every Thursday 8-10pm KXLU 88.9fm
“Spaceways” with Carlos Nino – every Friday 8-10pm KPFK 90.7fm
Catch Anthony Valadez on KCRW – every other Saturday 3am – 6pm KCRW 89.9fm
Well out here in the wilds of “the O C”, we don’t get KXLU, and while I normally enjoy Morning Becomes Eclectic, it doesn’t coincide with any times that I’m usually in the car (which like many people) is when I listen to the radio. And I don’t have the internet in my car.
So as McAllister suggests, I went exploring, and I found the usual suspects: KROQ, KISS, Jack, Star (which turned out to be a more annoying KROQ), Adam Carolla, college grab-bag KUCI, a bunch of religious programming, “urban”, oldies, Hispanic pop, mariachi and a few other things, none of which were very appealing. “Stacked with awesomeness” indeed.
Thing is, with Jonesy especially, part of the appeal was that he was doing it on commercial radio, and often you truly didn’t know where it was going next. It never felt staged or planned, and with his guests and the rambling stories from the ’70s, it gave a real insight into the birth of modern “alternative” music. His attitude to music epitomised the station at its best (and it often wasn’t). It wasn’t the elitist, I’m-more-obscure-than-you BS that hipsters seem to love so much. It was just whatever he fancied playing that day, at least until the meddling began.
Me? I liked having a station which when I got in the car might be playing Silversun Pickups, Cliff Richard, Ima Robot, T-Rex, Pistols, Deathcab, MC5 or Ned’s Atomic Dustbin. I don’t know if that’s cool or not, and I don’t really care either, I don’t have anyone in the car with me to impress.
at least now i have an excuse when someone catches me listening to KOST 103.5
@Phil–well said. The truth is, KXLU listeners and Indie listeners went to their respective dial locations looking for different things. It’s totally inappropriate to compare them.
I love hearing new music–even hipster-spun obscure music. But every good dj knows you need to feed your audience some songs they know and love every once in a while and that’s what Indie did so well.
What exactly the fuck does “meh” mean?
Indie 103.1 was a corporate radio station funded and managed by the media Goliath Clear Channel. The very name of the station was a complete lie and was used to mislead people. The fact that people think that with the loss of Indie 103.1 that somehow independent radio stations in Los Angeles are no longer available is pathetic. For the people that are complaining that they have to hear about current local, national, and international events on morning radio stations instead of music (on stations like KCRW) on their drive to work, please crawl back underneath the rock that you came from and shut your uninformed and unintelligent face. Listen to KCRW, KPFK, and KXLU. Thanks!
awww
sounds like someone missed nappi time today
As a former DJ,I’ve seen several radio stations undergo format changes. They may start out as hip, “underground” or alternative to tightly controlled,short playlist type stations, but once the popularity is translated into big bucks from advertising,it becomes an inevitable downhill ride after that. Hey,I understand the necessity for paying the bills,there really is no free lunch,but I’ll miss the broad spectrum of shows that Indie provided. I didn’t listen to all of them, but appreciated the availabilty. (and I’ll miss Jonesy,warts and all.)
I ain’t seen this much hoopla since Pirate Radio went off the air.
[...] long ago we asked veteran KXLU jock McAllister to sound off on Indie 103’s demise. Commenters had a field day with the article, loving it, hating it, getting depressed she [...]
Face it people. This is just another excuse to add another spanish radio station to an already overwhelming Spanish town. You people are so far behind it’s amazing. KNAC was the last decent radio station that tried the internet too. Look where it got them. Clear Channel sees big $$ in all those vatos and it’s been that way since 97. They are not here to make your listening better, they are strictly here to turn a buck. The only buck turning in this town as far as music is concnerned is your TOP 40 in every genre….so if you aren’t U2,Maroon 5 or Julio Iglasias…….you won’t be heard. The #1 entertainment capital in the world is dead and it’s been dead for years and NO ONE LISTENS TO INTERNET RADIO!!! Read your ascap news folks!!
my morning commute fukin sux now
im soo pissed
Regardless of some of the crap indy played, it was still the best thing on the LA airwaves. I’m listening to them on the internet now but, they are playing the same songs over and over…what’s the deal?
The Valley is not LA!! hahahahah! Yeah, I agree.
KCRW rocks, anything your friends tell you to check out, they played it 3 months ago. I love when someone tells me “check out xyz song” and I’m like yeah, heard that months ago on KCRW. I wonder if people have any idea how many movies, commercials and TV shows have been music directed by one of KCRW’s many excellent DJ’s, who are free to pick their own music BTW.
KXLU is also excellent, but needs a stronger antenna. I’m only in the South Bay and it’s not always clear.
Public radio has it’s faults, but at least you don’t have to hear god damned commercials for Cal Worthington Ford or Viagra!!!!
i never realized how much faster my night shift went by while listning to indie…
i miss this station soo much
Indie ruled and you know it
i know you listened and you loved it
dont deny it
RIP Indie
greatest radio station known to man kind!