Before the recording of their latest LP, Floating Features, La Luz packed up from Seattle and moved to Los Angeles. That city’s vivid warmth and never-ending rush was baked into the group’s newest batch of songs, highlighted in this session in the KEXP Live Room with Cheryl Waters.
One Friday in February 2013, KEXP Morning Show host John Richards decided that one Clash song wasn’t enough, and so International Clash Day was born.This year, KEXP observes the fifth annual International Clash Day on Tuesday, February 7th.
Seattle is an amazing city—and the whole world knows it. The Seahawks won last year’s Super Bowl, Nirvana was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we made national headlines by raising the minimum wage to $15/hour.
Blood delivers powerful message about gun control with an all-star Seattle cast featuring members of Shabazz Palaces, Tacocat, Pickwick, Mirrorgloss, and more.
KEXP chats with the Detroit-based musician about how he learned to write music, what it was like playing those first big shows in South Africa, and what he thinks about first when he wakes up in the morning.
The On the Line opening track features Ringo Starr on drums, Don Was on bass, and The Heartbreaker’s Benmont Tench on keys
The New Order frontman speaks with KEXP Owen Murphy about the new single, the punk rock show that changed his life (and maybe the world!), and also revealed that he was recovering from the coronavirus.
In the words of Cheryl Waters “Oh My God..That Was Nuts!!!” This is Viet Cong, a blindingly-tight post-punk four piece from Alberta, Canada. Hear them as they deliver an unforgettable performance live in the KEXP Studio. Recorded 03/03/2015 - 3 songs: Silhouettes, Bunker Buster, Death.
Seattle noise fans know when you see "Debacle Records presents" at the top of a show poster, you are in for something. New York's Pharmakon may be on the fantastic Sacred Bones Records, but I think she'd be welcomed with open arms into a lasting relationship with Debacle Records, who supplied the r…
It’s Sunday night, July 6, 2014, and I’m front and center at the Paramount Theater waiting for New Order to hit the stage. The lights are dim as techs move back and forth across the stage, checking guitars and synthesizers and making sure everything’s in its right place. Meanwhile, the tour DJ play…
Inspiration can come anytime; Montreal experimental trio Big Brave can attest to that. Guitarist/vocalist Robin Wattie and guitarist Mathieu Bernard Ball began playing together in 2012 when they were roommates, Robin told us after their set. She played acoustic guitar and was working on writing son…
It's hard enough to make money nowadays as a musician, let alone when you have to ditch all momentum you've gained thus far and start again. But watching the bands the make the cut and bottle lightning a second time is like watching a boxer come off a loss stronger than ever. It's not just good - i…
Now, more than ever, the world needs The Clash. For the fifth annual International Clash Day, KEXP is highlighting the band's activism and political messaging. Even their band name carries political weight: bassist Paul Simonon was inspired when he noticed the word appearing frequently in the daily…
Grimes is a self-admitted comic book dork -- she designed a variant cover for Image Comics' The Wicked + The Divine, and is a former intern for Drawn & Quarterly -- so, it's no surprise she was excited to contribute a track to the soundtrack for Suicide Squad, adapted from the DC comic. In an …
Sometimes I really wish I could jump in a time machine and visit the Seattle of yesteryear. Not because the traffic was better, and there were fewer condos, and people argued on album covers instead of the Internet, but because I really wish I could witness firsthand the version of this city - and …
The Jazz Butcher have always seemed like an intimidating band to get into. There's the large catalog (10 LPs and countless singles by the time I was flipping through the bins at independent record stores), the multiple names (The Jazz Butcher, The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy, The Jazz Butcher & His…
Simon Stålhamre may be the creative force behind Small Feet, but it was not until he found the assistance of his band mates Jacob Snavely and Christopher Cantillo along with the inspiration of an island cabin residence that he was able to create music without self-sabotaging. It's a good thing he f…
Poor Tom Petty. He gets no love. Actually, that's not true. He probably has lots of money and lots of people, including some prominent contemporary songwriters, do love him, but back in the day, KCMU DJs couldn't seem to be bothered even to comment on the single for "Change of Heart", which was add…
It’s time again for Friday on My Mind. Our weekly blog post where we look at videos centered around one common theme. This is a collaborative effort between KEXP and King 5 News. It’s Halloween season again. Time for all things spooky like witches, spiders, and bats which all tie in together. The i…
