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:

indiemehmeh.

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.