IN/AUDIBLE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR a publication of N/AUDIBLE is the irregular newsletter of WXYC – your favorite Chapel Hill radio WXYC 89.3 FM station that broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week out of the Student Union on the UNC campus. The last time this publication came out in 2002, WXYC was CB 5210 Carolina Union Icelebrating its 25th year of existence as the student-run radio station at the University of Chapel Hill, NC 27599 North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This year we celebrate another big event – our tenth anni- USA versary as the first radio station in the world to simulcast our signal over the Internet. As we celebrate this exciting event and reflect on the ingenuity of a few gifted people who took (919) 962-7768 local radio to the next level and beyond Chapel Hill, we can wonder request line: (919) 962-8989 if the future of radio is no longer in the stereo of our living rooms but on the World Wide Web. http://www.wxyc.org As always, new technology brings change that is both exciting [email protected] and scary. Local radio stations and the dedicated DJs and staffs who operate them are an integral part of vibrant local music communities, like the one we are lucky to have here in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Staff NICOLE BOGAS area. With the proliferation of music services like XM satellite radio Editor-in-Chief and Live-365 Internet radio servers, it sometimes seems like the future EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Nicole Bogas of local radio is doomed. We are fortunate to have numerous public and college radio sta- ASSISTANT EDITOR: Ellie Blake tions in the Triangle area, and if they ceased to exist as viable media outlets, the local music LAYOUT & DESIGN: Ellie Blake, Nicole Bogas community would suffer. COVER DESIGN: But technology also greatly benefits local music in more ways than I could imagine. Take as an example The Foreign Exchange, a new collaboration between Durham’s Little Brother ISAAC BIGSBY TROGDON, a DJ since star Phonte and Dutch producer Nicolay, which involved the two musicians creating a hip- 1997 and station manager fall 2000-spring hop album over the Internet (see “Reviews” on page 32). Without ever having met, the two 2002, is currently repairing and preparing a exchanged ideas and music via the Web. new disko modus in Berlin. Look and listen at The Internet also exposes us to artistic expression that has been stifled in some way, like http://dyss.net. DJ Danger Mouse’s Grey Album from earlier this year which remixed the vocals of Jay-Z’s ART CONTRIBUTORS: Black Album and the Beatles’s White Album. Danger Mouse was served a cease-and-desist order from the EMI Group who owns the masters, and the struggle to keep SARAH DOUGHERTY, a friend of DJs White Album the album available persisted. Fortunately, numerous sites were able to provide free down- since 2001, is curator of the Our Holly Home loads over the Internet, and the album reached a top ten position on our charts in March. Art Gallery and director of Los Artistas, an art To celebrate the accomplishments of the Internet and the special place that WXYC education program for Latino youth. occupies within it, we have compiled a free, downloadable compilation of exclusive tracks RYAN MARTIN, a DJ since spring 2003, is from local musicians called co-president of Nightlight and purveyor of fine Bandwidth: Celebrating 10 Years of Internet Radio on WXYC- that will be available on our website on the date of our anniversary, November films at VisArt Video in Carrboro. Chapel Hill 7. STEWART SINEATH holds a fine arts For more on this special occasion, be sure to read the story behind WXYC’s ground- degree in drawing and painting from East breaking simulcast (“www.wxyc.org” on page 20), but also take note of the other ways in Carolina University. He is a member of Team which our dedicated DJs share their unique interests and love of music with our listeners. Lump at Lump Gallery in Raleigh and coordi- Whether they’re scouring North Carolina for rare funk and soul 45s, delving into the for- nator of art shows at Peppers Pizza in Chapel gotten music of years past, traveling the country searching out off-the-mark radio stations Hill. or compiling a rock ‘n’ roll cookbook with recipes from national bands, WXYC DJs are doing their part to enhance the cultural landscape of the Triangle area, as well as any locale Station Management with a computer and an Internet connection. If you are a UNC student, and you’ve got a desire to share your knowledge and to learn STATION MANAGER: Jason Perlmutter more and take part in this exciting community, come to one of our new DJ hiring meet- BUSINESS MANAGER: Stefan Mlot ings at the beginning of every semester (including the first summer session). Or come to PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR: Nicole Bogas one of our famous ‘80s Dances. (This semester it will take place on October 30 at the Cat’s SOCIAL COORDINATOR: Steph Shoemaker Cradle.) Or help us celebrate our webcasting anniversary at the Local 506 on November 6 MUSIC DIRECTOR: David Strader with four of the local acts featured on our Bandwidth compilation. Keep up to date with all of our events by checking our website frequently at www.wxyc.org. This publication was funded at least in part by Tune in often or you might miss an exclusive on-air interview with your favorite band or student fees, which were appropriated and dis- some important campus news from Student Body President Matt Calabria (Chew the Fat pensed by the Student Government at the Uni- with Charlie and Matt airs every other Sunday at 5 p.m.). And don’t forget to let your DJs versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. know you love them by making requests. From anywhere in the world, you can call the on- air DJ at (919) 962-8989 or send an instant message to the AIM screenname “wxycrequests.” 2 IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 15 SLEPT ON HIP-HOP ALBUMS by Todd Ito 20 WWW.WXYC.ORG by Tim Ross 6 WEST COAST WAVES by Mike Nutt 24 SOUL STORIES FROM N.C. by Jason Perlmutter 8 D.I.Y. FINDINGS by David Strader 28 BLUES HISTORY LESSONS by Jessica Kem 10 SISTER POSSE FORWARD by Sarah Carrier 30 REVIEWS 12 KEEP YOUR CASSETTES! by Andrew Penland 33 LOCAL REVIEWS 14 GET PSYCHED by Ellie Blake 35 CHAPEL HILL BEATS DON’T BREAK 16 HIP-HOP: SO FRESH AND SO MAIN- STREAM 36 COME HELL OR HIGH WATER by Fred Stutzman by Aaron Smithers 17 ROCK RECIPE 37 A WXYC LISTENERS’ GUIDE by Brian Bedsworth 18 THE MOANERS PLAY ROCK 38 TRIBUTE TO GO! ROOM FOUR by Aaron Smithers by Stefan Mlot IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004 3 15 SLEPT ON HIP-HOP ALBUMS (That were not included in Ego Trip’s list of slept on albums) BY TODD ITO lthough it was published only five years ago, Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists, compiled by the Aeditors of the sadly defunct Ego Trip magazine, is already considered a classic work by hip-hop nerds and music obsessives around the world. The lists cov- er an incredible array of topics from “10 Songs Marley Marl Wishes He Had Produced” to “Rap Personalities Who’ve Appeared in Sprite Commercials.” Another such list is “Slept-On Albums For Dat Ass,” which provides the names of twenty underrated and overlooked hip-hop classics. Yet, even with the prodigious knowledge of the Ego Trip editors, a number of albums still fell through the cracks. WXYC DJ Todd Ito stops to pick some of them up. 4 IN/AUDIBLE fall 2004 Blac Monks – Secrets of the Hidden Another track (“Dead Love”) features the Masta Ace – Disposable Arts (JCOR, 1 Temple (Rap-A-Lot, 1995) bass-playing of Jamaaladeen Tacuma from 92001) Although the Blac Monks were on the same Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time Band! Rap veteran Masta Ace returns with label as the Geto Boys, they didn’t deal with another concept album (check out 1993’s the same violent, gangsta subject matter Slaughtahouse and 1995’s Sittin’ on Chrome as many of their labelmates. Instead, this Grand Daddy I.U. – Smooth Assassin for earlier examples), this time about a talented trio of emcees – Lord 3-2, Da and 5(Cold Chillin’, 1990) rapper who gets released from prison and Awol – rapped about everyday topics, with Although Grand Daddy I.U. got lost in the enrolls in the Institute of Disposable Arts, a some metaphysical “Buddha nature” stuff shuffle at Cold Chillin’, this album fits in well hip-hop college in upstate New York. There thrown in for good measure. Basically, this with the rest of the Juice Crew-heavy roster he meets his goofy white roommate (played is one of the best pre-crunk southern hip- they had at the time. I.U. raps like a more by onetime Chapel Hill resident MC Paul hop albums ever recorded. Their sophomore chilled out Big Daddy Kane, and the album Barman), and hijinks ensue. Um... it’s really effort No Mercy is also well worth a listen. was entirely produced by Biz Markie. While much better than it sounds. this is a very dope album, stay away from I.U.’s next effort, the aptly named Lead Pipe. Divine Styler – Spiral Walls Contain- Mic Geronimo – The Natural (Giant, 1992) (Blunt, 1995) 2 ing Autumns of Light 10 I don’t know if this album should be on this Witchdoctor – ...A S.W.A.T.