Ghostland Observatory at the 4th Annual KEXP Summer BBQ
photo by Gregory A. Perez
Coming up on August 18, 2007, is The 5th Annual KEXP Summer BBQ at the South Lake Union Discovery Center Lawn, with Cloud Cult, Pela, The Blakes and some very special guests. Tickets are on sale now!

Last year’s Summer BBQ was a huge success — what with the great weather, the blistering sets by Thee Emergency and Ghostland Observatory, the European romanticism of DeVotchKa, and (I quote MSN here) the “nearly accessible candied rock sound” of The Long Winters. There was much rockin’, beer drinkin’, and barebeque eatin’ to be had.

While the crowd filled the South Lake Union Discovery Center Lawn for great times with great people and great bands, over at the station, just two blocks away, we were giving tours up the wazoo, so many in fact that we had to hunt down more people to give them! You can read about the festivities on John Richards’ blog post written on the following day — though between you and me, I think he still had a bit of that rum in him when he wrote it!

Here are last year’s headliners performing The Long Winters performing “Fire Island AK” from the 2006 KEXP BBQ:

While all four of last year’s bands were fantastic, this year looks to be even better! For The 5th Annual KEXP Summer BBQ, we’re really excited feature the emotional folk and electronic influenced pop of Cloud Cult, the passionate, anthemic alt-rock sound of Pela, and perhaps the most-hyped and exciting garage rock coming out of Seattle right now from The Blakes, whose blazing live set will have you pumping your fists and shakin’ your booty.

For the price of admission, you get all of this plus some very special guests, who are so special that we can’t even name them yet, but who are known regularly sell out their live shows. You aren’t going to want to miss it, and you don’t have to:

Tickets go on sale today for $20 in advance. You can purchase them from Brown Paper Tickets online or by calling 1-800-838-3006. You can also pick them up at the Southcenter and Crossroads Mall Silver Platters Records stores.

This all ages event will have a bar available for those with valid ID. The doors open at 2 pm, and the show starts at 3. Go to our Events page for more details.

While you’re picking up your tickets, here’s some listening music from the confirmed bands:

Pela - Lost to the Lonesome (MP3)
Pela - Lonesome Hearts [Cassettes Won't Listen Remix] (MP3)
Pela - Holiday [Pixies cover, Live @ Mercury Lounge] (MP3)

Cloud Cult - Pretty Voice (MP3)
Cloud Cult - Your 8th Birthday (MP3)
Cloud Cult - Outside of Your Skin (MP3)

The Blakes - Don’t Bother Me (MP3)
The Blakes - Street (MP3)
The Blakes - Two Times (MP3) - thanks to Sound on the Sound!

And check out this gallery of fantastic photographs from esteemed KEXP photographer Gregory A. Perez:

Makes you want to be there, don’t it? Great, I’ll see you then!

The Divorce, Crocodile Cafe 9/16/06
photo by RazingCulture

Parting is always such sweet sorrow, but saying goodbye is always easier when it involves two incredible going-away rock shows. So it’s with great anticipation and heavy imaginary hearts that we say goodbye to a long-time favorite Seattle band, The Divorce:

Sat, 6/30
The Divorce {final show}/Sirens Sister/Crosstide, Crocodile {late}
The Divorce/With Friends Like These/Crosstide, Crocodile {5pm}

Usually the end of June isn’t so bad. With 4th of July around the corner, the final days of June bring excitement of the impending celebratory explosives and deviled eggs. This year June 30th is going to bring some tears thanks to the Divorce who have claimed the night will be their final two shows of all time. The good news is that before they call it quits they will knock the Crocodile upside down with TWO INCREDIBLE shows. The band, who have grown from a trio to a quartet of striking young men over the course of their bandhood, have dashing rockstar personas that has given Seattle photographers as much great material as music fans. Our hope is that they will play “The Academy” and “Red Coats” ten times over the course of the night.

We also hope that they take a tip from other notable Seattle bands who find having multiple ‘final shows’ a common practice (*ahem*, Posies).

And a little reminder that in just ONE WEEK we imaginary ones are also hosting two shows to celebrate our fifth birthdays:

• A 21+ show on Friday night July 6th at the Crocodile, and…
  An all-ages show on Saturday night July 7th at Vera.

Both nights will celebrate the release of the new BOAT CD as well as Portland’s The Shaky Hands. Get the full lineup and show details, and we hope to see you all there!

rock on with your bad selves,
three imaginary girls

In high iPod rotation:
The Femurs
Terrene
Handsome Furs

(Three Imaginary Girls is a Seattle-based website that showcases the great music of the Northwest and beyond to music lovers worldwide. We post a Seattle live show calendar to help you fill your day-planner with loads of great shows, as well as record reviews, live show reviews, and an imagi-blog to entertain you throughout the day.)

The Veils at Mercury Lounge, NYC 6/7/07
photo by Maryanne Ventrice

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Morning Show host John Richards, is Not Yet by The Veils from the 2007 album Nux Vomica on Rough Trade.

The Veils - Not Yet (MP3)

Finn Andrews, son of XTC’s Barry Andrews, is the only familiar face remaining from The Veil’s 2004 debut Runaway Found. Following the debut release, Andrews quickly realized the band’s sound was in need of a change. The heart-on-sleeve balladry has been traded in for a moodier modern rock sound. Drawing from the likes of the Verve, Pulp, and Suede, The Veils create their own terrifying and exciting dose of brooding Brit-pop, while adding American gothic influences. Each song is packed as tight as it can be without overwhelming, demanding multiple listens for full appreciation. Andrews, as you’ve probably noticed, garners the majority of critics’ attention, often being compared to Jeff Buckley with his vocal range and stage persona. While still in his mid-20’s, keep Andrews and company on your radar for years to come.

The Veils in the KEXP studio 6/26
with Cheryl Waters and DJ Shannon

The Veils are currently finishing up their US tour, with stops primarily in California and Texas. Check out their website and MySpace page for all the latest. Here’s a video for Calliope, another great track off the new album:

There is a voice that sometimes goes outMorrissey at the Rabobank Theatre 7/10/07 photo by Renee Barrera

If you had told me even five years ago that I’d be watching as many videos on my computer as I do now, I would have scoffed, but, hoo-boy, are there a lot a new videos out this week — so many to watch while at work! A bunch of them are even from albums that haven’t been released yet, but I’ll get to those later. First, here are a few headlines:

Don’t make fun of Morrissey’s voice. As he told the crowd during his shortened show in Boston, “Unfortunately, it will not just be the emotions cracking tonight, but my voice as well.” Due to strained vocal cords, Moz left the stage and, under doctor’s orders, canceled (or more likely postponed) his Northampton, MA, and Philadelphia shows. Unless you’re in those areas, there’s no need to stow away your creepers and velvet sportcoat just yet, as no other dates are expected to be cut. And prepare yourself for the headline puns. Indeed, some jokes are better than others.

Here’s hoping that M.I.A. won’t be forced to once again cancel her tour dates. The Sasquatch (and and Glastonbury)-M.I.A. rapper has recently expanded her U.S. tour by adding dates around her already festival-heavy schedule. While there are still no Northwest stops, there is now another reason to go to the New Orleans Voodoo Festival.It seems like there are more bands reuniting lately than breaking up. In recent reunion news, the Spice Girls hope to recapture their girl power with a world tour (prepare to have “tell me what you want what you really really want” stuck in our heads once again), while NME reports rumors of a Led Zeppelin memorial performance featuring the original members along with drummer Jason Bonham replacing his late father.Lily Allen is speaking out against those who say she’s too outspoken: the press, of course. In an interview with New York magazine, Allen says, “I think people hate me in England. I’m in the tabloids. I don’t want to be but I am. I’ll write 10 million nice things and then I’ll write one thing that annoys me and it’s like, ‘Lily Allen slams Lindsay Lohan. Lily Allen slams Madonna.’ And I become that person who badmouths people, which I’m not.” If you’d like to read some of those 10 million nice things, go to her very confessional MySpace page, where you can read blog posts entitled, “FUCK OFF, FUCK OFF,” “Easy,” “Sorry,” and “fat, ugly and shitter [sic] than winehouse.”In other Lily news, the singer, who’s reportedly recording new and most likely ska-heavy songs with Future Cut (who produced her previous Specials-influenced numbers), lends her vocal talents to Mark Ronson’s reinterpretation of the Kaiser Chiefs’ “Oh My God.” Check out the video:

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photo from MySpace

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Morning Show host John Richards, is Night at the Knight School by Thee More Shallows from the 2007 album Book of Bad Breaks on Anticon.

Thee More Shallows - Night at the Knight School (MP3)

Following the release of their last album, More Deep Cuts, which took the better part of three years, Thee More Shallows needed a different approach. Insert convenient meeting with Anticon phenom Odd Nosdam who just happened to be vocalist Dee Kesler’s neighbor. Anticon is known for mixing hip-hop sensibilities with ambient, electronic soundscapes, as well as for their role in overseeing and not in meddling. The new album contains more noise and distortion than its predecessor with far less production, resulting in a jarring record for prior fans, yet it remains TMS’ catchiest record to date. As they near the peak of their creative powers, look to hear TMS collaborating and remixing before dropping another surprise on us.

Thee More Shallows will tour the west coast in August, hitting the major music meccas along the way before ending back in their hometown of San Francisco. Check out their website and MySpace page for the latest. Here’s a video for Fly Paper:

When Richard Ascroft told Jam Showbiz, “You’re more likely to get all four Beatles on stage” than see a reunion of The Verve, he may have been a bit hasty. The blogosphere’s currently abuzz with news that the band has reunited with all of its original members, Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe, Simon Jones, and Pete Salisbury (the abstaining Simon Tong was a later addition), who have already laid down some tracks in the studio together. According to the band’s website, “After a summer break, they will return to the studio to complete their next album” for an as-of-yet unnamed label. Currently scheduled are six dates in England at the beginning of November. Expect a full tour to follow!

Mute Records announced yesterday that the former Pulp touring guitarist Richard Hawley will release his second solo album on the label, and fourth overall, on October 9. The Sheffield-bred crooner, whose solo work far outstrips his former band Longpigs, will follow the new album, Lady’s Bridge, with a U.S. tour.During a recent interview and photo shoot for Spin, Amy Winehouse brought along her then boyfriend and now husband Blake Fielder-Civil for a bit of gratuitous PDA and self-mutilation. During the photo shoot, the ironically named Civil-Fielder (you’ll see why in a minute) videotaped Winehouse posing for the camera, carving his name in her belly with a shard from a broken mirror, and asking for more Jack Daniels and Coke, which apparently they had already topped off. The couple then met at a bar for the interview, where between making out with Winehouse and avoiding discussion of an impending assault charge, Civil-Fielder confided to the interviewer, in regard to the bald bar patron who said he looked like Ethan Embry, “Tell the guy who looks like he has leukemia I’m going to slit his throat.” You can read more of the interview and watch Blakes’ videos here.

Just released is this video for Winehouse’s latest single, “Tears Dry on Their Own”:

Stories from Glastonbury continue to whiffle through the internet. You can read about The Cribs defending a climate joke they made on stage here, find out why the BBC is doing damage control for a remark made by Iggy Pop here, and see The Gossip’s Beth Ditto pull down her panties for the closing show here. For full Glastonbury coverage, go to NME and The Tripwire.

Also, there are many fine videos from Glastonbury on the ‘Tube, like this one with Lily Allen trying her best to keep up with The Specials:

KEXP has over 1000 volunteers at any given time. Combined, they donate over 12,000 volunteer hours per year. Volunteers do everything from admin work to dj assisting to answering phones at membership drives and we wouldn’t exist without their help. Once a year we throw a party in their honor, and KEXP staff volunteer to serve them for a change. We had a blast! We had 3 kegs, 200 volunteers, 300 burgers, 150 cupcakes, 4 porta potties, 200 goodie bags stuffed with donations from local businesses (thanks guys!), 1 Tom Mara (our esteemed Executive Director, flipping burgers), Guitar Hero projected onto the wall with giant speakers, and not a single keg stand. [ed. although there was a punchbowl of beer involved!] What more could a Volunteer Coordinator ask? It was great fun and the least we could do to thank our volunteers for their hours of tireless work. It’s a pleasure working with all of you. And rumor has it, that some volunteers and staff got kicked out of a nearby bar afterwards for disturbing a family trying to have a peaceful meal at 11:30pm. Way to go guys! You did us proud!

Check out these great photos shot by KEXP’s own Carol DuPuis:

photo by LaRae + Cory Lobdell / Lifework Images

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Morning Show host John Richards, is When Will I Be Loved by The Fucking Eagles from their 2007 debut A Million Dollars Worth of Music on Gap Tooth Jukebox.

The Fucking Eagles - When Will I Be Loved (MP3)This review by KEXP Music Director Don Yates says it all: “This Tacoma band’s debut album is a sweat-soaked dance party of old school garage-rock injected with high-energy R&B in ways reminiscent of modern-day rockers like the Mooney Suzuki, the Hives and the Oblivians, not to mention a variety of more vintage sources including Mitch Ryder, the Human Beinz and hometown heroes the Sonics. The songs are split evenly between covers and originals, but whether they’re digging up old soul chestnuts from Gino Washington and Sir Mack Rice or tearing into one of their own catchy originals, they bring a feral intensity and unbridled enthusiasm that’s utterly refreshing.”

There are plenty of opportunities to see The Fucking Eagles, who earlier this year headlined Lebowski Fest in Seattle. They’ll be at the High Dive on July 6, the Tractor on July 21, and at Bumbershoot on September 2. Be sure to tune in to hear them play on air and in the KEXP studio on July 19 at noon. Right now, head over to their MySpace page(s) for numerous song downloads; yes, they have two, this one and that one.

Wanna know why the band was chosen to head Lebowski Fest (besides the fact that they rule) and why they would choose to call themselves a name unspeakable on the radio? Just watch:

Some of you have already responded via email to KEXP’s decision regarding the Day of Silence observed by many webcasters today. I encourage you to read it, consider it, and to respond to it here.

UPDATE: June 26, 2007 Facing the Music Royalty Hikes

Webcasters are participating in the June 26, 2007 “Day of Silence” to protest the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision regarding streaming music royalties.On July 15, the CRB decision becomes effective and brings an alarming increase in music royalty fees, along with other burdens, to KEXP for its streaming services. KEXP estimates a 6-figure increase in payments in the next year.To carry additional expense — while we already devote our organization to serving the music community — will constrain our ability to pursue our public service mission. KEXP’s core mission of public service — and the nearly $4 million we raise from the community annually in pursuing it — is laser-focused on championing artists, their fans and supporting labels as we serve our listeners.

Carrying this additional expense will likely require us to cut services or let go of projects.

While we applaud the energy that our fellow webcasters are putting towards affecting positive change via the “Day of Silence,” we ultimately feel an obligation to our listeners to not pull away our music services online from them. At the same time, we continue actively participating in efforts to bring about a reasonable solution.

I encourage you to continue to learn more about the CRB decision as the July 15th deadline to increase rates approaches. There are several places online to keep informed on this issue, read press clippings, sign petitions, send emails and contribute comments. Some of these places are listed below.

With appreciation,

Tom Mara
Executive Director
KEXP-FM and KEXP.org

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Easy Tiger, indeed. There’s no need to get worked up this week since you probably already have some of the albums released this week. No, I’m not talking about the early leak of the latest from Ryan Adams — because of course you wouldn’t have that. A quick glance at the new release list from the reliable Largehearted Boy shows a bevy of reissues and new compilations from artists like Blondie, Frank Black, Link Wray, Patti Smith, Paul Simon, Robert Earl Keene, Jr., and Lee Hazelwood. The sometime controversial Sinéad O’Connor doesn’t even wait for any time to elapse before reissuing her own Theology, which contains a second disc that is nearly identical to the first except that the songs are recorded in a different setting and with different accompaniment.

Not all of the veterans are resting on their laurels, though: Bryan Ferry, Nick Lowe, and Bad Brains all offer excellent new releases, as do other long-lasting artists besides the Beastie Boys, like Pearl Jam and Adam Franklin of Swervedriver. Here are a few samples to help you decide on your next musical purchases:

Ryan Adams - Everybody Knows (MP3) Frank Black - Robert Onion (MP3) Beastie Boys - The Rat Cage (MP3) Bad Brains - Give Thanks And Praises (MP3) Metric - Grow Up and Blow Away (MP3) Adam Franklin - Seize the Day (MP3)Nels Cline Singers - Caved-In Heart Blues (MP3)Gore Gore Girls - Pleasure Unit (MP3) Although the all-things-Billy Corgan-related section of your CD library is already sagging the shelf with Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, you can add more weight to it with the four different versions of the new Smashing Pumpkins‘ Zeitgist. From yesterday comes the news that besides the standard edition of the album, there will be a different alternative track on the individual versions for iTunes, Best Buy and Target (the title track appears only on the Target version!). Expect the news to provoke a lot of ire and do nothing to help the cause against illegal internet downloading.
You still have to wait a couple of weeks for the new Interpol to be released, but while you wait you can listen to 30-second snippets — not the kind of thing I usually recommend, but they’re accompanied by videos using the same creepy natural history museum pictures of stuffed creatures as found on their revitalized website (and also on the Ola Podrida album cover!). Check them out at Quick Before It Melts.You still have a while to wait before a new Radiohead album comes out, but last week producer Nigel Goodrich released this perplexing video mixing snippets of forthcoming songs. Take from it what you will: