Apr 28, 2015 Radio stations, record stores, coelacanths
On Sunday, I attended KXLU Fest II. Getting to see one of my favorite bands, The Muffs, for free on the campus of Loyola Marymount University was pretty rad. Even better, it was all-ages show so I could take my 7-year-old daughter and go with my sister and her family! Immediately we saw my old friend Eric from Giant Robot days, which made perfect sense since the boombox was always tuned into 88.9 in the magazine office/garage.
It also reminded me of when I was a schoolkid and college radio was the place to hear non-commercial music on the airwaves. Before the major labels invented the “alternative” label there was “college rock,” because KSPC and KXLU were the only places besides ROTR where you could hear punk and underground music. How cool is it that KXLU has survived from the circle pits at the Olympic and the Palladium and to indie scenes of Jabberjaw and the Smell, and continues to thrive in today’s era where shows seem to be happening in mini-malls, old theaters, and bars of all kinds everywhere.
Ever since the magazine ran its course and I stopped getting packages with free music, I’ve been relying on radio more than ever. So this show was a must for me. And it was even better seeing so many familiar faces like my old friend David from the Insect Surfers. He told me he was there not only to see his old pals in The Muffs but to stalk all of his favorite KXLU DJs. I felt better about my adult fandom after hearing that.
Record stores are another coelacanth in this digital age, and Vinyl Solution celebrated its 25th anniversary on Saturday with a badass lineup of true originals at Alex’s Bar. The last time I saw The Horseheads was when they were with Texacala Jones opening for The Ramones and The Vandals at Fender’s (also in Long Beach) in 1986. They used to be labeled “cowpunk” but now that their ages have caught up with their sound they’re just a killer roots band. The Crowd were one of the first wave of punk bands from Orange County to rise up via Posh Boy’s Beach Blvd. compilation, and they played all five classic cuts off that LP in a row for the first time ever in honor of the Huntington Beach record store. Wow, and I love their newer songs just as much.
Of course, The Gears played at the most recent Save Music in Chinatown benefit matinee that my wife and I organized to raise money for the music program at our daughter’s elementary school. The NELA punk surfabilly band had a huge following in the days of The Masque and the Hong Kong Cafe, and I had no idea that Vinyl Solution played a part in their story until I saw my friend Chris Ashford’s documentary that screened before the bands went on. Chris and the band are the best guys, who I’ll always support. (Wonder if they’ll help me get The Crowd to play a show for the kids in Chinatown next year?)
By selling more unearthed Gears 7″ singles sold by estranged member Crazy Ruben, Vinyl Solution helped to inform a generation of punks that just missed The Gears the first time around. No website can replace the energy and community provided by a well-stocked record store that turns kids of all ages on to cool music and provides a space for cool show flyers. Long live Vinyl Solution! Long live KXLU! They are crucial parts of the underground that trickle up, kick Southern California in the ass, and make it the global hub of culture that it is.
Tune in to KXLU and visit Vinyl Solution, and thanks for reading and following Imprint on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.