What was it like to discover The Replacements and surprise them with a record deal? Or hear John Peel talk about your label? Or hear the first Ramones album before 99.9% of the world? One guy, Twin/Tone Records co-founder Peter Jesperson can, and does, answer all those questions posited by KEXP pro…
PJ Harvey has released a new single with Eyptian artist Ramy Essam called "The Camp," along with a video that includes images by photojournalist Giles Duley of displaced children in Lebanon. They hope the song and video will raise awareness and much needed support towards the health and educational…
As a teenager, Jordan Gatesmith fronted the Minneapolis-based band Howler, whose sneering garage-rock sound caught the attention of UK label Rough Trade. (You can check out their KEXP performance during SXSW 2012 here on the blog, and a 2014 in-studio session here.) After two albums, Gatesmith disb…
While most of the well-known Minnesota bands hail from Minneapolis, out on the shores of beautiful Lake Superior is the city of Duluth, hometown to the band Low. In the early '90s, the local sound was loud, abrasive, and grunge-inspired. Someone made the joke, what if a band were to play quiet musi…
They may not have made the majors like The Replacements and Hüsker Dü did, but Minneapolis-based band Arcwelder were more than a perennial local favorite, cracking John Peel's Festive Fifth countdown in 1992 and getting crowned NME's "Punk Rock Single of the Week" by none other than guest editors, …
Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unrealeased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Mo…
The annual West Seattle Summer Fest will return to The Junction on July 14-16. Today they've announced their full line-up for the free festival, stacked with local acts from Brent Amaker and the Rodeo to Thunderpussy and Porter Ray. Check out the full line-up below.
It's an understatement to say that Björk doesn't follow the rules. Nearly two and half years after the release of Vulnicura, she's continuing to release videos for songs off the album. Not only that, but they're videos for songs that she's already released videos for! (When you're one of the most r…
This Wednesday, June 7th, on what would have been Prince's 59th birthday, KEXP will be Feelin' Minnesota as we celebrate with a spotlight on bands from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. From 6AM to 6PM, you'll hear from artists like Hüsker Dü, Brother Ali, Poliça, and The Jayhawks, leading up to a four-hou…
In 2018, KEXP celebrated the 30th anniversary of local record label Sub Pop with a four-month retrospective, "counting up" every catalog number in their vast discography of over 1,200 releases. Dig into the archives of our catalog coverage, featuring in-depth coverage on the history of their releases.
