Hi -

I don't know if anyone still stops by this page anymore - it's not even linked from the new YRockOnXPN.org site... but, I figured I might as well put this up in case someone does.

Anyway, I would like to congratulate (the now former) Y100Rocks.com and XPN on their historic merger. And when I say historic ... I mean historic. It's an amazing accomplishment - taking a radio station's identity, stripping away the restraints of a corporation, and making it a real, viable music outlet for those who no longer had an alternative rock station on their radio. The radio industry, on the whole, thought it was nuts. Well ... it was. No one had tried it before, and no one knew whether or not it would work.

I'd say that it did.

And as the reborn / rechristened "Y-Rock" is set to debut on 88.5 XPN in mere days ... I think everyone - staff and listeners included - should feel a sense of pride. You were the ones who believed alternative rock radio was not dead in Philadelphia, and stood by that belief - regardless of what your friends / peers / co-workers, etc., did. And you were the ones who helped build, to paraphrase Jim, a community - one that truly felt like it was an underground revolution against the status quo of radio.

Y100 was a very special place in my career and my life - I spent 6 1/2 years there, doing production and some on-air work ... and when they blew up Y100, I gladly got on board with the Y100Rocks.com folks - It's actually on my resume!

The only downside to the birth of YRock, for me personally, is that my voice had to come off the station... and my participation level has had to decrease significantly. This is the price of having a real job at a big corporation. Things are in good hands though, with Jude Corbett (our old Y100 voice guy!) and Kristen (who you've all heard for a while on Y100Rocks.com) taking over the voice duties.

However, I'm still alive and well ... and if anyone wants to get in touch, you can find me here on MySpace ... or at an Otispunk show.

I guess I just wanted to say goodbye to you, the listeners ... and since I never got to do it on-air / on the stream ... this seemed the best way to do it.

Thanks to everyone ... for everything - and here's to the future.


-Zack
Former Imaging Director
Y100 / Y100Rocks.com

Hey everyone out there in Y100Rocks.com-land….my name’s Liam Static and I’m a deejay here.  I actually have only lived in Philly for about a year now, so I got a full month and a half of Y100 FM.  However, I’ve been a listener of Y100Rocks.com from day one!!!

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a radio geek.  I recall calling in to the local Top 40 station when I was in elementary school to make requests and try to get on the air.  Despite the fact that my voice was rather high pitched, at times I succeeded. 

Then in high school, I hosted a live local access show that featured bands, call-ins, interviews, and many on-air personalities in the area.  For whatever reason, my television show started to become an outlet for some of the deejays – and I began to enjoy making frequent appearances on the same Top 40 station that I had called when I was younger.  On various occasions I would be late for school because I was doing a live call-in with the morning show.  Sadly, my high school didn’t quite understand the same excitement that I felt. 

To top things off, after a night of partying at my senior prom, I decided to bring my date over to the morning show for a special post-prom appearance.  Yes, I was certainly an aspiring deejay, or radio geek, no matter how you sliced it!

 

Years later, after a couple radio dj gigs of my own, I now find myself staring in the face of a radio industry in transition.  Satellite radio, online radio, and C.D. players in cars have all spawned a less profitable terrestrial radio industry.  Howard Stern’s departure is just an exclamation mark on the transformation that has been occurring in recent years.

 

For those in the rock radio industry, Howard Stern’s departure perhaps could not come at a more pivotal moment.  During the past two years, of course, rock stations (particularly alternative/modern rock stations) have become a rare commodity.  In Philadelphia alone, Y100 was dropped and WYSP only plays rock during the least listened-to portions of day.  Bands that now come to town to play are not even able to find a station to promote their concerts. 

 

Eyeing this trend, and led by the belief that younger audiences increasingly are leaning toward hip hop music in lieu of rock, the handful of companies that control nearly all of the radio industry have opted to pull their rock stations. Infinity Broadcasting, owning WYSP and all the large market stations that carried Howard Stern, has decided to switch many of its stations over to a “hot talk” format as opposed to playing rock music.

 

Economically, the move makes a good deal of sense.  According to the Washington Post (1/18/05), from mid-1999 to last summer, rock stations as a whole lost an average of 13 percent of their audience.  While many different theories exist to explain the sharp decline, ranging from a decline in the quality of rock music to too many commercials on the airwaves (incidentally, Clear Channel has scaled back their commercials considerably in the past year), nobody has been able to put their finger on to why exactly fewer people are listening to rock stations.

 

As usual, the answer is far from easy.  The argument that rock is dead simply does not float.  During the past 5 years, for instance, rock record sales have actually increased.  And since rock music has always been diverse in nature, claiming that today’s rock suffers from a “lack of identity” also seems too flimsy.  Instead of the music itself being the problem, in this case listener interaction is the culprit. 

 

The younger audiences that listen to rock music are more inclined to listen to it on their own rather than waiting to hear it on the radio.  And, in a way, this makes perfect sense to me.   I mean, who on earth would want to hear Nickelback played every hour? Who would want to hear a weekly playlist consisting of ten core songs played over and over?

 

It is my assertion that alternative rock radio listeners have come to perceive stations as uninspiring and stale.  However, the good news is that there are various ways this problem can be remedied.

 

For one, these stations should have a more comprehensive playlist than those in CHR and classic rock formats.  Many alt rock mavens like to hear a wide array of songs, and may even sit through a song they do not enjoy without changing the station. Likewise, these listeners do not enjoy hearing the same song multiple times a day. 

It is for this very reason that alternative rock listeners who are technologically savvy to begin with, have found virtual means of listening to their music and have drifted away from radio.  This group feels like rock stations are just playing the same cookie-cutter mainstreamed songs repeatedly. 

 

Secondly, and most importantly, the listeners feel a lack of control in what they hear.  A recent study by Jacobs Media concluded that the main difference between satellite and terrestrial radio was not the technology, but the control.  “The whole issue,” they said, “was whether something is pushed to me, or if they can control it.”  Note that this interesting study does not say that new technology, or new mediums of information, will lead to the demise of terrestrial radio as many others have claimed.  Rather, it provides the framework for what problems the radio industry needs to address. 

 

Radio stations have to be programmed in advance for many reasons.  Legal, organizational, and practical concerns come in to play, among others.  However, creating the perception of choice is a problem that the radio industry has struggled with for many years.  Where in many CHR formats listeners are more fickle and certainly less focused on the music itself, alternative rock stations do not have this luxury.  It is for this reason that alternative rock station listernership has suffered considerably: they must follow a similar tight-playlist and limited request format that does not encourage as much participation as it should. 

 

The key is to have a playlist, but at the same time maximize interaction and relationships with the listener; make the listener feel that the station they are tuned in to is cool and innovative.  Give them new songs to tell their friends about.  And, most importantly, give people multiple reasons to listen (other than just the music) with giveaways, concert promotions, etc.. I believe that Y100 FM did a good job with their promotions, and the community responded and showed their support in tens of thousands after their departure. 

 

Y100Rocks.com is an interesting hybrid of community-based and commercial radio.  On the one hand, the station does receive money from sponsors who pay for banner ads on its webpage, works to promote concerts, and conducts regular ticket giveaways and promotional appearances.  However, Y100Rocks.com also has a staff of volunteer deejays and also gives listeners the chance to support the station through interacting on email and instant messenger.  The sound of the station also reflects this hybridization.  Y100Rocks has decent equipment, professionally-edited station IDs and sweepers, and a smart mix of music – but it also has volunteer deejays that have the power to do wide-open breaks without having to worry about a time limit or getting a certain amount of commercials in during the hour.  Furthermore, the play list is wide enough that the listener is not barraged with the same songs all day.  

 

“Online” radio should be a model for what alternative rock FM stations could turn in to.  What if one of these FM commercial stations had an online component that the listeners could help run?  It would be like imagining Y100 FM with Y100Rocks.com working together.  The two would not necessarily compete with one another, but instead could function as both a commercial and community outlet that all operate under one umbrella.  Much like what digital cable has done to compete with satellite television, terrestrial radio could make similar technological inroads to better position itself for the future. 

 

I don’t buy claims that new technology or changes in music quality have impacted the radio industry - they are just simplified explanations of the phenomenon.  The answer lies in a revolutionary repackaging of alternative rock in a way that puts the listener first and makes them feel both cool and influential.  Other players such as sponsors, record labels, and promoters need to work closely with the radio industry on this. Although satellite radio may be the exciting “medium of the future,” the precedent, immediacy, and accessibility of terrestrial radio will inexorably help the “medium of the past” reinvent itself and prevail. 

Onword!!

Liam Static

There is only one reason why Live365.com named the Y100Rocks.com webcast their 2005 Best Alternative Rock Station and Best Community Station a little more than 2 months after it started: OUR LISTENERS. We love what we play for you, and you love us right back. Live365 helps keep track of who listens to us and when -- basically, how much love is really in the room.

Beyond the Boston-to-DC corridor that includes NYC and greater Philadelphia, our largest U.S. listenerships are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Phoenix. Our coolest listeners, however, reside in Fairbanks, Alaska! (At least temperature-wise...)

Other than the PA/NJ/DE tri-state area, we have our biggest fan bases in California, New York, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Colorado, and Massachusetts. North Dakota brings up the rear, but we thank all fifty states for their support!

The Internet now gives us global spread, too. Outside of English-speaking nations, we get many of our international fans from Germany, Japan, Mexico, France, Brazil, Spain, and the Philippines. Actually, we have friends bravely listening in Iraq and China... listening from one pole (Chile) to the other (Greenland)... listening from the world's highest point (Nepal) to its lowest (Israel).

All these locations are pretty sweet, but there are some hard numbers that are even sweeter.

Out of approximately 1,000 alternative stations hosted by Live365.com, our listeners rank us in the top 3. Out of approximately 10,000 total stations hosted by Live365.com, listeners rank us in the top 50. Keep showing us love and keep spreading the word, because we want to be #1.

When WPLY 100.3 FM was silenced at the end of February, it was estimated that at least 500,000 Philadelphia-area alt-rock fans were disenfranchised from terrestrial radio. Our webcast passed the landmark of 500,000 streams launched back in July. Keep showing us love and keep spreading the word, because we want your help to have great music hit willing ears 1 million freaking times by our first birthday.

That would be a statement that modern rock -- heck, any rock in any radio format -- isn't dead, but is in fact at least twice as strong as the so-called experts think.


--Adam B.

I wanted to share with our fans and friends my thoughts on interesting things I've heard and seen related to great music from the Y100Rocks.com playlist. This is rather long, but hopefully not boring....

Let me start by asking if fans of R.E.M. and/or Disney have noticed worlds colliding recently. The ultimate indie band has for the first time decided to get into bed with a media monolith, allowing their classic song "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" in trailers and commercials for the new Disney film Chicken Little.

Hearing alt-rock in a commercial context can still be frowned upon by fans and critics. The tag of "sellout," of making the choice to jump at a rock'n'roll payday in exchange for music to help sell mouthwash, could be the end of the world as artists know it in terms of credibility.

Yet longtime followers know that R.E.M. remains as fiercely independent as possible. They're still punk enough to play in bowling alleys (a recent event, Google it if you haven't heard about it yet), and they claim to not do anything that doesn't feel right. Indeed, years ago Microsoft offered millions for the right to use "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" for the launch of the Windows 2000 operating system. R.E.M. famously said no, and the Rolling Stones ended up with Bill Gates' very lucrative sloppy seconds.

Songs like these work because they capitalize on obvious, even humorous connections. Another successful song -- not on our playlist but certainly part of the lore of the old Y100 radio station -- is Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." Recently reconstructed as a personalized theme song for those energized by canned Starbucks espresso, commercials for the beverage won viewer raves and advertising awards for elevating the track from mere joke to sly punchline.

Less imaginative shills for a product, or for an artist's own music, might also be forgiven if the artist and music really astounds. Face it, if Bloc Party weren't OMG Bloc Party they might otherwise be ashamed for being part of this past summer's back-to-school-advertising-as-teen-soap-opera mess from Target.

Granted, radio outlets seem to be drying up for new and exciting artists, while digital media seem to be denting traditional album sales. The music industry and its players are trying to find ways to stay in the black, and synergistic promotion can fit the bill. Still, with the momentum they had already built up by mid-2005 through word-of-mouth and critical praise, I find it hard to believe that Bloc Party really needed Target's help to get exposure.

I have less of a problem with smaller media darlings like M83 and M.I.A. lending their work to stylish ads for Pontiac and Honda, respectively. Volkswagen and Mitsubishi used electronica in commercial environments made pleasing by the lack of any overt lyrical message from the likes of the Orb or Trio's "Da Da Da." I even felt proud, yes, intensely proud to hear "Oh Mandy" -- a track currently in regular rotation from Nice and Nicely Done, a recent CD of the Week from the Spinto Band, the pride of Wilmington, Del. -- as bright, cheery accompaniment for new Sears commercials.

Musicians also sometimes find big breaks on movie soundtracks, but more and more this is becoming a hit-or-miss affair. Studios and labels nowadays are notorious for (a) loading soundtracks with mediocre acts they pray will bamboozle you or half-assed superstar B-sides, (b) omitting music in the film or including music not in the film, or (c) pulling a bait-and-switch with trailer or commercial music that's better than what actually ends up in the film or on the CD.

Another onscreen tastemaker, buying music to call attention to other things, can be summed up in one word: sports. I will never forget my first exposure to this in the mid-1990s, watching nothing less than the Winter Olympics, hearing Nirvana blaze through "Breed" during ski's-eye-view footage of the downhill. A minute of slam dunk replays over Iggy Pop? Voila, instant music video! In these past few weeks of football alone, I have had Dave Matthews serenade me at the start of the season, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club take me to commercial during halftime, and Eric B. and Rakim's "Follow the Leader" open a Drew Bledsoe interview (not 24 hours removed from the same song being played during our Circuit show). You heard it here first: ESPN is the new MTV.

In short, the musician turning "sellout" is much more of a viable option and an accepted necessity than ever before. Depending on context -- setting a mood, rather than blatantly demanding "listen to me" or "buy what I'm selling" -- I think it can help instead of hurt the artist in the eyes/ears/hearts/minds of the listening public. In the best-case scenario, the joy of playing and hearing the kind of stuff you hear on Y100Rocks.com becomes an even richer and more gratifying experience when you find a good act making a great song, getting it wide exposure, and earning a relatively fat paycheck for its use elsewhere as entertaining background noise. The finest music out there sells itself. In other words, yay, Spinto Band!

And who else is waiting for Interpol's "Narc" to be snapped up for ads for a certain Internet company? "You should be in myyyyyy spaaaaace..."

- Adam B.
Review writer, graphic maker, and that 1st-listener-turned-DJ doohickey (with his own blog you can read at http://dhpdesign.livejournal.com)

I think Joan said it best. I love rock and roll. Listening to it, playing it on the radio, seeing it live, or getting to make it. Today I get to do a little of all of the above - as I've (foolishly? courageously? stupidly? geniusly?) decided to go out on the road for a few days, driving my van to Cleveland to hook up with my friend Mcgowan and his tour with Zack Hexum (brother of 311's Nick) and Robert Gomez. They've been going at it for weeks, thrashing about the country from LA to Texas to the midwest and are now headed east (playing the North Star in Philly on Sunday, 7/31, and New York at Rockwood Music Hall on 8/3). And being that I am Mcgowan's friend and somehow seem to be without gainful employment (ahem!), I willingly volunteered for roadie / driver / tour manager / guitar tuner / and occasional lapsteel and mandolin player duties (don't blink or you will miss my song or two!). It's only a few days, but there is nothing quite like the experience of being on a tour... you build this little ecosystem and society - you and the rest of the occupants of the van - a temporary family, a team - and you roll with whatever comes your way. I've only done a few weeks in my life, and already seen more from doing it (especially at this ground level stylee - not in a bus or bigtime version, where you have people that isolate the musicians away from changing flat tires!) - of the country, of roadside weirdness, of repair shops in Joplin, Missouri - than I ever expected to see in my lifetime. As anyone that's ever strummed a guitar knows... this is why you do it - and I'm excited to get to do it again.

I'll only be gone for a few days, but things are happenin' in Y100rocks.com land while I'm gone! We've got a new group of people training to be DJs - you can already hear the new energy on the air as new voices and ideas are joining us for the ride! Soon, an open house at the new plush, extravagent SoPhil space, maybe some live broadcasts, and more interviews (Ben Lee, Mcgowan's old bandmate, shows up on Friday to play live and 'christen' the new bunker / non-bunker)... AND - we've just passed 500,000 streams launched - that's amazing... half a million! Thx to all - now I gotta go load the van...

Jim

Okay, I'll make this a relatively quick one - Jim's post is far more interesting than what I'm about to spew off about.

Long story short: En route to the Poconos for the weekend, my alternator goes, the battery dies, and, about 19 volts (as opposed to the usual 12 volts) of electricity shoot through my car. The fuse on my radio (apparently) goes - electrical smoke and all comes pouring out.

So, $520 later, I have a new alternator, battery, and the radio works... except I can't tune in AM or FM. I think maybe the antenna is disconnected. Funny thing is, I don't seem to miss either. I'd like to listen to KYW so I can hear how the commercials sound (and get traffic & transit on the 2's!) - but, with no disrespect meant to the folks downstairs from me at work, or any other of my fellow professional broadcasters ... I'm not finding myself wanting to turn on the actual radio here in town.

I do subscribe to one of the satellite services, and of course, I've got a bunch of CD's. So, with Y100Rocks.com at home, and those in the car ... what more do I need?
It's sad for me to say that - I was such a radio geek, which is why I got into it in the first place - but I don't miss the radio. I really don't.

Imagine if a few thousand people felt the same way I did... what would happen to radio? Especially considering that I used to be PASSIONATE about radio ... what about the many people who aren't?
Food for thought ... Long live Y100Rocks.Com!

- Zack
(who misses everyone very much, but is still swamped with work!)

Just got back from the Townhall freeshow/instore tonight on South Street… the heat dissipated a bit, leaving about 300 fans, friends, and curious onlookers with a sonic treat in the street. I hadn’t seen Townhall in a few years, but really liked what I saw – a band that used to be lumped into the ‘jamband’ category, but in recent months has moved into a decidedly more song-based sound. This is coupled with the release of their new CD American Dreams, and the thing I like about the CD – it’s one of those albums that gets better with every listen. For the first time, I can say that there are classic songs – songs that live inside you and remain with you after you take the CD off. These guys have always been amazing musicians, but now, for the first time in their young career (this is their 3rd album, including a live double CD), they are letting their musicianship shine through without trying to force it to happen. It’s like they’ve realized that it’s no big thing to impress with their skills (tho these skills are impressive – witness a short horn section turn tonight) and instead have focused on delivering strong statements with their songs – at turns political, heartfelt, social, even sexy. It’s a great piece of growth for the band (at least for me, not being a fan of the musicianship-for-musicianship’s sake jam bands) – and comparable to the kind of third album change that Wilco went through a few years ago. I’m sure there are some fans of the early Townhall that will miss their more extended/experimental side – they will complain that the twirling quotient is way down… and this phenomenon reminds me of what happened to Wilco a few years ago – when they faced down their strongest supporters in moves nearly as tumultuous to their fans as the infamous Dylan-goes-electric changes in the mid-‘60s. While Townhall has moved towards a new kind of musical pop music coming away from Jamband rock, Wilco dropped the ‘alt-country’ sounds of their early work, and now today the band shows little in common with leader Jeff Tweedy’s former partner/rival Jay Farrar’s Son Volt, who kept the flag waving for Americana music long after Tweedy had moved beyond his Uncle Tupelo roots. One thing that struck me, having seen both Wilco and Townhall in the past week… unlike some bands that try to change their sound and fail (Saves the Day or Get Up Kids maybe?), both these bands are actually generating new, younger fans, while maintaining a lot of their original fans. It’s a tough move to pull off, but the artists that can do it – Radiohead, Beck, Neil Young – are the kind of artists that create careers, not just hit singles… and while there’s no question that Wilco is well along on that path (along with perhaps Flaming Lips), it would be awesome if a similar fate awaits Townhall. The fact that both these bands (who would actually make a great double bill) played amazing shows in some Philly heat in the past week cements the connection. I have seen Wilco at least 10 times and never as strong as their Festival Pier show last week – and finally, seeing it live, the new album A Ghost is Born made total sense to me… the Young-esque guitar freakout excursions worked live. Add in Wilco opener My Morning Jacket (be ready to have your head blown off when you hear us break their new album this fall), and Philly locals Dr. Dog and I feel the start of… something. I can’t quite put a finger on it, but maybe it’s just – great musicians playing great songs, with a spirit of adventure and a grace and poise that is sometimes lacking on the charts, and a determination to create songs that will live on past the current tour/radio cycle of their album.

As to the Philly scene in general – we are all filled with hope! Still trying and hoping to make the world look past the ‘last philly rock band to break big = Hooters’ we here at Y100Rocks.com are waving the flag for many promising and diverse local artists – Capitol Years, A-Sides, Pepper’s Ghost, Army of Me (ok, well, DC, but close enough for us to cheer for them), Beauty’s Confusion, B.C. Camplight, Bitter Bitter Weeks, Box Five, Days Away, Hail Social, Jealousy Curve, Mad Action, Mazarin, One Star Hotel, Overlook, Pawnshop Roses, Perfectionists, Persona, Rockets and Cars, Run Away From the Humans, Silvertide, the Situation, Stiffed, This Radiant Boy, Trouble Everyday, Young Werewolves, Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer, and a couple that I believe in so strongly that I’m helping to release their records on Manic Pop Thrill Records – Mcgowan and The Wayward Wind. All great bands – and I hope that they all achieve long careers – and that the relationship that is being forged at the start of their music making with Y100 will continue to evolve. I hope to add to this list in the coming weeks and months (can’t wait to hear Eastern Conference Champions – Josh from Laguardia’s new band) – and in the meantime, I encourage everyone reading this to give the new Townhall album American Dreams a listen, download, and yes, a purchase (let’s all feed some local musicians!) – it’s a great record, and maybe if we all chip in, we can help launch a worthy band on the next step of their music making.

Jim McGuinn

No, not about something serious like a job or social security or even the oh-so-vital to MY life Michael Jackson and Tom/Katie brohahas, but rather... what record to listen to first? So, the other day when I came back from vacation (mom and dad say hi, by they way), I opened the mail and found myself in a serious dilemma... given the choice of Coldplay, Oasis, White Stripes, Foo Fighters, and Teenage Fanclub (ok, well, that's probably only me) - WHICH CD DO YOU LISTEN TO FIRST? I mean, I love all these bands, and have been eagerly awaiting all... do you dig in to hear the brothers Gallagher that supplied one with so many essential moments of bravado in the mid-90s, or is it time to scrutinize Chris Martin's lyrics, searching for Apple/Gwyneth odes? Do you dissect the country/rock/soul/punk darkness of Jack and Meg, or the 'this is gonna be our best album ever' Foos? Or in my case, do you let your 15 year obsession with old friends Teenage Fanclub (if it's not Scottish it's crap!) overrule the sense of work.... and the answer is - White Stripes. To me they seem like the band out of this list that is the most committed to totally going for it and trying to grow their art - and where Coldplay is often correctly criticized for overthinking and the Foos are perhaps guilty of the opposite, TFC is busy being willfully obscure and Oasis is desperate to stay away from obscurity, the Stripes could care less about all that stuff. I am convinced that Jack White could make a new album every other week if he felt like it (in fact, be on the lookout for the upcoming Racountouers album - basically it's Jack and Brendan Benson) and beat Ryan "Mr. Parker Posey" Adams at his own trick - but instead he just rolls tape in some tiny UK studio for a few weeks and comes back to deliver us both to and from evil with his latest batch of tunes - from the falsetto driven "Blue Orchid" to the insistent "Doorbell," through moods and style jumps none of the others on this list can deliver, the Stripes open a book you gotta keep reading and re-reading to let it all sink in. All these albums are very good (I know now that I've gotten to listen to each a few times) but only the White Stripes take you on a journey and leave you in a place you've never been before...



... one more thing - damn if there ain't some great rock and roll coming thru town this month! I missed Spoon at the TLA, but got back to town in time to see the excellent Maximo Park (fans off Franz or Blur - take note!), two nights later Sloan kicked my ass more than they have in years (so much so I caught them again two nights later in NYC), then I came back for more last night to see the Dears (speaking of Blur, and Love, and - I don't know, they are totally unique and amazing), and will surely be heading out on Friday to catch Bettie Serveert ... all four shows at the North Star. Then it's Bloc Party, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Oasis - damn if this ain't a great time for Alt Rock... too bad we don't have a radio station to hear it on... well, still working on that - and some bright lights on the horizon point to good things happening soon... stay tuned...



Jim Mcguinn

... one of those nights that totally reminds you why we do what we do - seeing Rilo Kiley at the Trocadero. Jenny Lewis and the guys shaped a set that was filled with drama, humor, anger, suspense, beauty, passion - oh, I could keep listing adjectives... I first heard of Rilo Kiley about 3 years ago when they released The Execution of All Things on Saddle Creek, the label of Bright Eyes, etc... and something about the record really resonated with me. First there's Jenny's voice - somewhere between Liz Phair, Chryssie Hynde, Carol Van Dyck (Bettie Serveert), and Karen O - edgy, but with a sweetness that also harkens back to '70s AM Country pop a la Loretta Lynn. In short, she's the sexy librarian with the knowing voice/lyrics but minus the negativity... maybe she's a modern day Karen Carpenter, I don't know - but tonight, she and the rest of the band was on a peak - taking the sold out Troc crowd for a journey into American music... I heard twinges of gospel and soul mixed with the whitest of white - country and indie rock... and - they had fun, and could play the shit out of their instruments. The fact that the show was sold out, the fact that the more you hear their new album More Adventurous the better it sounds, the fact that as of right now I'm putting "Portions For Foxes" into heavy rotation... it all adds up to me knowing that as Cornershop once said, the good shit is on the way... get the album, and get there early when you go see Coldplay in August, cause Rilo Kiley has graduated from indie-dom and will be opening for Mr. Paltrow later this summer...

Jim Mcguinn

First off, I want to thank everyone who bought tix to the FEZtival, and apologize for any inconvenience suffered at the hands of Ticketmaster. Secondly, thx to the bands for agreeing to try to stage a festival with an online station. We all tried to do something that had never been attempted before on this level.

Thirdly, well, back to the drawing board. When we put together the show with the folks at Electric Factory Concerts (our partners on all things FEZ since day one) we all thought that the lineup would sell through, even if there was no radio station, online or otherwise, to help push it along. With a database of 60,000 names, the online Y100Rocks.com station, and bands like Interpol (who had recently sold out the Electric Factory) and Garbage (who had underplayed by doing a sold out show at the TLA), this should should have sold a lot more tix than it did. And, we did everything at Y100Rocks.com that we could think of to help that process along - from soliciting local bands to get involved, to asking listeners to help with getting the word out, to going out ourselves to shows and putting flyers under the hoods of cars, etc. And everytime we talked to someone, they seemed a) surprized that Y100 / Y100Rocks.com was around at all, and b) even more shocked that a FEZtival was happening... so, all the ads in the CP, all the flyering, all the pestering on the online station just didn't penetrate the consciousness of the general public. The difficulty to generate sufficient awareness and tix sales led to the decision from all parties (bands, EFC, Y100Rocks.com) to cancel the show. We are all saddened by this. And... it means we have learned a few things:

Distribution of alternative culture via the web exclusively is not suffient to execute major events like the FEZtival.
While the web is growing leaps and bounds, it is still not bigger than traditional media.
60,000 names on a petition does not guarantee tix sales.
Most people are very busy and not really paying attention to things like online radio stations.

What was weird is that the music industry - the labels, bands, writers, promoters, etc., all saw this show as a slamdunk... and we were all wrong. So - we take the lessons and will move forward. Some postives - we found a bunch of great bands on the Big Break! We got nearly 200 entries to our contest in two weeks! Local bands are screaming for an outlet! Hopefully we'll pull a few of them together and organize a show at a smaller venue like the North Star perhaps. We've been playing them on the online station much more than we were ever allowed to at Y100, and they sound great in the mix - proof that there are worthy local bands out there!

We also helped educate a lot of people about Y100Rocks.com and the streaming station. Our persistent flyering brought some new listeners - welcome to the club!

In the future I think we will view Y100Rocks.com as starting at ground zero, not as a continuation of what Y100 once was. I'm into staging small events, when and where we can pull them off confidently and successfully, and building a community. That means the station eventually can open up and be more inclusive (we have lots of ideas but are not yet at a place where this is easily feasible) - with listeners as DJs, as staff - a real community of music people coming together to share - not just 'songs Jim/Josh/Alan/Joey think are cool.' If we get set up in a place that's not our houses, we might be able to build a true outlet for the community - and that's something that could be beautiful.

Finally, Wednesday was the day I realized that I don't have a job. No one really had any idea what was going to happen when we flung ourselves into Y100Rocks.com on February 25th. To me, it's been a non-stop quest, driven by my usual tendencies, but also by a sense of responsibility and commitment that I felt coming back from the disenfranchised listeners who were reaching out to us over the course of thousands of emails, message board posts, and chat room discussions. It drove me, and in the white hot passoinate frenzy of trying to put this thing together, I never really gave a thought to the fact that not only did I no longer have a paycheck, but also no real responsibilities, no real authority, and no set thought for where it would lead me/you/us. Some of the other displaced former Y100 staff has gotten jobs - I'm really proud of that, because it's proof that this was a great team. But I've got to get it into perspective, try to figure out where it can and will go moving forward, and if it's not going to pay the bills, then I need to get my life set up where this takes up 15-20 hours per week, instead of the 60-70... and also to take a break - the pressure of mounting the FEZtival was weighing down on us, and I'm coming to realize that after 15 years of being a PD, I could really use a break... so, I'm not sure what is next for Y100Rocks.com - the people that have been working on it (and that includes Josh and Alan and Zack but also all the DJs and all the volunteers, street squad, designers, helpers) want it to keep going in some fashion, and I imagine we will use the message boards to communicate with you about where you want us to go and how we can all get there. So no, I don't think this is the end by any means. There is too much music and too many fans that need an outlet and place to form a community together. It's a long road - and we're on it. But I may need to pull off at the rest stop for a little breather and some fresh air...

Jim McGuinn

... which is unusual for me, but, I'll try my best!

Anyway, you may have seen in the paper that I got a production job at KYW. This is probably confusing to most people - which I understand.

But the important thing here is that you all know that I am still a part of Y100Rocks.com - and I made sure I could do that before accepting the job - I just won't be able to do daytime airshifts anymore for obvious reasons.
HOWEVER - I still support the campaign to bring a modern rock station back to Philadelphia, and I still strongly believe in everything that Y100Rocks.com stands for. Don't think for a minute that I've given up on any of that.

So why KYW?

As I told them in my interview, KYW is not just a radio station - it's a Philadelphia institution. And frankly, I'm proud to be a part of that. It'll be a challenge for me, but challenges are what make life interesting.

This also affords me the opportunity to stay in the Philadelphia area - I grew up here, I love this town, and I don't think anywhere else compares; My mom & dad are still here, my brother is here, Otispunk (the band I'm in) is here ... and Y100Rocks.com is here too.

So, really - I have a job at a reputable radio station, I have the opportunity to continue working with Y100Rocks.com, and I get to stay close to the people I care about. What more could I ask for? (Well, besides that all of the former Y100 staffers find gainful employment soon, and that someone realizes that we need a modern rock station in Philadelphia, and REALLY EFFIN' SOON!)

But don't lose faith - I haven't.

-Zack

UPDATE:
Talk about hitting the ground running ... I've never been this busy in my life at any job! Wow. Someone asked about me doing airshifts at night on Y100Rocks.com. Perhaps at some point soon I can - but I want to get settled in first. It's just totally different from Y100, and I have to adjust. But I literally have been so inundated with work, that it took 3 days of being there for me to get enough time to fill out the paperwork that they give you when you start a job. Seriously. I was right - It's a challenge! However - I am enjoying the job and the work - there's just a lot of it.

After spending a few weeks updating the software and coding 2000 songs for the online station, we were finally able to re-launch Y100Rocks.com v2.0... and then open the mail! And lo and behold - there was a whole bunch of new music waiting for us! Not just the obvious stuff like new singles from the White Stripes and Foo Fighters and Coldplay, but a lot of little gems - the kind of things that might have gone by the wayside in the past (or be relegated to Y-Not airplay only) but now has the chance to fly onto the Y100rocks.com airwaves (or, datastreams?). Here's a little synopsis of some of the new schtuufff:

Mike Doughty - the former Soul Coughing frontman returns with his first "rock band" album in 5 years... and it's great! Produced by former Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson, Doughty manages to strike a balance between catchy choruses and inventive wordplay. We're been playing "Bustin' Up a Starbucks" and the first single "Looking at the World from teh Bottom of a Well" but will soon also start dipping into "Tremendous Brunettes," a duet with new ATO Records label 'boss' Dave Matthews.

Jonathan Rice - I'm not really a Dave Matthews fan, but here I go with my second reference to the pride of Charlottesville. I know very little about Jonathan Rice, except that his vocals remind me every second of Dave, and that this album was recorded by Mike Mogis. No, really? What does that mean? Well, Mogis is kind of the head audio guy behind the entire Omaha / Saddle Creek Records scene - having produced bands like Bright Eyes, Cursive, and Rilo Kiley over the past few years. So while the voice may sounds like Dave (or maybe a bit of Jack Johnson's laid back, raspy surfer?), the production and songs on the album are what separates it from the pack. Inventive use of strings, unique guitar sounds, and songs that build and build - it's one of those albums where the first few tunes seem to be the obvious ones front loaded to appeal to radio, then the meat of the album kicks in and the really great moments hit. The first time I played the album, I was close to pulling it off the CD player several times, but something kept me going... and then rewarded me. By the time you get to the string laden "My Mother's Son" I was totally into this album.

Aqualung - A few months back my friend (and former Y100 Marketing Director) Kelly Gross told me about her latest britpop obsession - Aqualung, and the song "Brighter Than Sunshine." And damnit - she was dead on right. Brilliant! Massive! This song is gorgeous, and I think it's my spring theme for every nice day (that or Ben Lee's "Catch My Disease" - another classic weather-is-breaking jam) from now till July. GO HEAR THIS SONG! Oh wait, just listen to www.y100rocks.com, cause we're gonna play it a lot over the next few weeks. Whereas I heard Keane and initially thought - 'what's the big deal? It's a Travis clone...' when I first got Aqualung, it immediately carved a new niche in my mind - similar to Keane or Snow Patrol or Coldplay, but one all it's own. I'm sure it won't be long before I'm going, 'yeah, sounds like the next Aqualung' and they will cross over to the genre-namer, rather than derivative genre-taker.

Nouvelle Vague - Some French freaks taking late '70s / early '80s New Wave songs and applying a Bossa Nova meets Air approach to remaking them? I'm in. We've been playing my favorites - covers of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and the Clash's "Guns of Brixton," but if you pick up the entire album you can groove to songs by the Cure, Modern English, Dead Kennedys, Depeche Mode, XTC, and more. It's the perfect CD for the 5-disc changer at your next faux swanky cocktail party. Dig it, oui?

Jim

(this is also posted on the news page, but I thought it was important to put it up here also!)

Preston and Steve Out of Non-compete Early?

Preston and Steve, former morning hosts for Y100, have won the preliminary ruling against former employers Radio One in their non-compete lawsuit. Basically, their old contract called for them to stay out of the market for six months. After the demise of Y100 however, they took Radio One to court, trying to make the non-compete invalid. After a lengthy court process and 4-day trial, the judge found in their favor on all counts. Radio One will appeal, but as of now, they are now free to go on the air and likely will soon.

Ooh - UPDATE (insert story here!) - Radio One VP/Operations Zemira Jones says the company will appeal today's court decision that Radio One's noncompete agreement with former Alternative WPLY (Y100)/Philadelphia morning hosts Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison is not enforceable. Jones said, "This decision not only impacts Radio One, but will have an adverse impact on all broadcasters, as it calls into question the enforceability of valid noncompetition agreements when a format change occurs, which is common in the radio industry."

The U.S. District Court in Philadelphia ruled that, because Y100 no longer exists — its former frequency is now home to Radio One's CHR/Rhythmic WPHI — and Radio One operates no competing Rock outlet in the market, Preston & Steve are free to go on the air at their new station, Greater Media's Rock WMMR/Philadelphia.

Jones continued, "This decision is ironic in that it was Preston & Steve's decision to depart Y100 that led Radio One to change Y100's format, and that change now serves as the basis for the judge's decision to bar enforcement of the noncompetes. Contrary to press reports, Radio One made every effort to renew Preston & Steve's contracts with Y100." Hahahahahaha! That's a GOOD one!  Let's see - remind me again of what the press reported about those salaries... R-One offered 170k apiece, and Greater Media offered 300k, with three years guarentee? Hmm - yeah, sounds like EVERY EFFORT there...

Meanwhile, Preston called me and said "we're really excited that it went in our favor and now instead of August we can look to get back on the air in a matter of days as opposed to months and right now we're just looking to figure out how that's gonna work." I wish the former Y100 morning show well at their new home of WMMR, even if it means they have to listen to Skynyrd songs on a daily basis. But I'm really happy that they were able to take Casey and Kathy and Nick - all three of them are great people and great employees.

A four day trial... think about the legal fees both sides spent on this case... each side likely just wasted over $100,000 to defend themselves, basically over the question of whether or not P&S would have a 2 month or 6 month vacation. Hey Radio One and Greater Media, we can think of some other uses for that $200k plus - like maybe a little cat food for the Bunker cats, or a couple of cases of Newcastle for Sun Shine Jones? Or how about a shiny new Apple G5, cause the remaining x-Y100 staff over at Y100Rocks.com need one of those badly...

Jim

Well, you guys wanted a rock show... so we put one together! The Y100Rocks.com FEZtival 2005 is happening on May 15th at Festival Pier, Delaware and Spring Garden Streets in Philly. Garbage and Interpol have been killing it live, the Starting Line are dropping a new album that week, the Bravery are the current title holders of 'next big thing' status, and for the fifth band we figured we'd open it up to the listeners of Y100Rocks.com and try to find a great local band to play. This will be a great show musically, but also - culturally and socially.


Tix went on sale this past Saturday and are only $35 - not bad for an entire afternoon / evening of great live music, and perhaps more importantly, the chance for a community to get together. We really hope you can come to the show and can pick up tix - in many ways, the entire future of Y100Rocks.com is hinging on this show - as we have the chance to illustrate the power of this audience and community. In fact, every musician that complained when we went off the air, every music lover that cried out - we are calling on you to help... come to the FEZ, and if you can't, at least spread the word out there. If this show fails, we all fail. If it succeeds, it will lead to more - more shows, more Big Breaks for local bands, and more great music. Announcing a 'radio' show without a radio station (other than the online stream) and without the typical abundance of media to assist - is a challanging proposition... and one we are taking on. But we need your help - if you care and want us to keep going, it is essential that we have a good showing at the show... thx for reading and thx for listening - see you May 15th at the FEZtival!


Jim