An occasional column by JP Marat, provides Columbus Ohio artists and activists, the opportunity to speak for themselves.
Alternative / Industrial / House Music on WCRS 98.3 / 102.1 FM every Thursday Night from 10pm till 1am. . .Turn it On. . .Leave it On
WCRS 98.3 / 102.1 FM is Columbus Ohio’s only community owned, commercial free FM radio station. Their Thursday music night line up from 10pm till 1am boasts weekly Alternative / Industrial / House Music radio shows and podcasts arguable better than anything offered east of Los Angeles or west of New York City.
The Genres
Alternative / Indie
The term “Alternative Music” came into common usage in the 1990’s but its origins are much older dating back to early 1970s bands like Iggy & the Stooges and The Ramones. From the mid 70s thru the 80s, venues like Max’s Kansas City in New York and Whiskey a Go Go in West Hollywood California, showcased ‘first generation’ alternative & punk rock bands including Patti Smith, Black Flag and MDC. Ohio groups like Pere Ubu, the Dead Boys and Columbus-based Scrawl joined the fray adding their own unique artistry.
Major record labels refused to sign many of these edgy bands so a DIY (Do It Yourself) culture of Independent (Indie) labels rose. These new labels included Captured Tracks in Brooklyn and 4AD Records in London that developed and launched the Birthday Party (w/Nick Cave), Bauhaus (w/Peter Murphy) and Cocteau Twins.
The early Alternative Music Movement encompassed many genres. The punk rock sound was defiant and aggressively anti-establishment basing its success on simple three chord progressions. Dream Scape bands like Kate Bush and Cocteau Twins pushed the frontiers in a different direction introducing complex poetry and intricate otherworldly orchestrations into the mix. In the 1990‘s Grunge bands from Seattle like Nirvana and the seminal English group Oasis added to the Alternative sound achieving some of the first cross over success to the mainstream market. What do they all share in common under the title “Alternative?”
The one comprehensive theme in Alternative/Indie music - both then and now - is that it is NOT Rock-n-Roll. The music and bands are. . .just different. Gone (in most cases) are the costumes and pretensions of the preening prima donna. Gone are the “Long Live Rock” anthems. Gone are the tight spandex pants.
Today’s Alternative movement is extremely diverse. There is no one Alternative sound. Some artists like Bad Religion continue to create and communicate in the same punk genre that they helped develop over 20 years ago. Others like Arial Pink (signed to 4AD) continue to move out the boundaries of lyrical and musical interpretation. Still others like PJ Harvey and Florence and the Machine combine exquisite poetry with soaring vocals and intricate orchestrations. Whatever Alternative Music is. . .don't call it Rock-n-Roll.
Industrial Music
Industrial music is intentionally aggressive. . .and some would say. . .discordant. While incorporating guitars and bass, it is dominated by electronic instruments like drum machines, keyboards and synthesizers. Heavy compression/distortion is often a hallmark. Influential Industrial bands include: 9 Inch Nails (founded by Trent Reznor of Cleveland), Skinny Puppy, Ministry, CombiChrist, My Life with Thrill Kill Cult, Wumpscut and many others. If Dystopian societies had a common sound track. . .their music would be Industrial.
House Music is said to have originated at The Warehouse Club in Chicago in the early 1980s. Paramount is a sustainable dance rhythm varying between 118 and 135 beats per minute. Soul and funk influences are often interwoven with song samples gleaned from a variety of sources. Sub genres include but are not limited to: Ambient House, Progressive House, Chicago Deep House and Hip House. There are many outstanding House Music Collectives and DJ’s in Columbus, including but not limited to Restart House Music (Dingo 8, Christina, et al) and SyblingQ.
WCRS Thursday Night Lineup. Turn it On. Leave it On.
Name: Fat Beard hosted by Fat Beard
WCRS Timeslot: Thursday Nights, 10-11pm
Genre: Freaking Everything. Is that a Genre?
Theme: “Radio to Enslave you”
Social Media: http://www.wcrsfm.org/programs/thefatbeardradioprogramme
Abstract: If its been recorded in the last 1,000 years on this planet, you’ll probably hear it on Fatbeard: robotic voices, cool sound effects, humorous bullsh-t, classic rock, soul, rockabilly, R&B, Alt & Indie. No fear of mixing genres. Not even brain eating zombies can kill “FatBeard.” Just Say’in.
Name: Big Barking Dog Alternative Music Hour hosted by JP Marat
WCRS Timeslot: Thurs Night 11pm- Midnight
Genre: Primarily Alternative & Indie Music. Some Hip Hop, R&B & Classic Soul. Interviews with Columbus musicians, poets and activists
Theme: “Alternative Music for Alternative Minds”
Social Media: www.BigBarkingDog.com
and http://www.wcrsfm.org/audio/user/1851
Abstract: Big Barking Dog Alternative Music Hour offers the very latest releases from both local and national Alternative and Indie musicians. In addition Big Barking Dog commits itself to giving first time air play to emerging Columbus recording artists including but not limited to Verbz Vegas and LadyiAce (Hip Hop) and Good Shade (Power Punk). JP Marat keeps the pulse of Columbus by interviewing a wide range of community ‘activists‘ (i.e. ‘troublemakers’). Check out podcasts on: a) Columbus International Film & Video Festival, b) Raise the Minimum Wage Campaign, c) anti Nazi protestors (WTF. Isn’t everyone an Anti-nazi protestor ?), d) Local Columbus Poets, e) Restart House Music, f) Columbus Festivals including Hot Times and Independents Day.
Name: The Fury hosted by SteveOD
WCRS Timeslot: Thurs Night Midnight-12:30am
Genre: Industrial, Goth, Electro, Post Punk, Shoegaze, Grave Wave
Theme: “Industrial Broadcast to the Masses”
Social Media: http://www.facebook.com/TheFurywithSteveOD
and http://www.wcrsfm.org/audio/user/1559
Abstract: SteveOD writes “In another life, I did a weekly "Goth/Industrial" show on WVBC 88.1FM in Bethany, West Virginia from 1997 to 2000. I made my Columbus Debut thanks to the good people of Project Skeleton Key at "Industrial Warfare" on May of 2007 and have continued to rock dance floors at such locations as: Outland (Mark II), Skully's, High Five, BoMA, Hampton's, Circus, The Shrunken Head and The Ravari Room. I mainly spin Industrial, goth and dark alternative. I've been lucky enough to share the bill with one of my all time favorite bands, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, as well as a lot of other fantastic artists and DJs!
Name: Q Factor hosted by SyblingQ
WCRS Timeslot: Thurs Night 12:30am-1am
Genre: House, Electro, Techno, Moombahton
Theme: “Making Big Beats and Small Electrical Fires”
Social Media: http://www.soundcloud.com/syblingq
and http://www.beatport.com/artist/sybling-q/130162
Abstract: Smart infectious beats. SyblingQ does both the large & small sounds very well. Not afraid to keep his samples subtle and effective. Many original mixes on Soundcloud including: “The Queen,” “Locutus” and “Shake it.” Remixes include: “Dirty Current,” “Beleth” and “Jaroslav.” Many internet links off Facebook page. Recording Artists like SyblingQ blur the line between DJ and Musician. . .strike that. . .DJ’s like SyblingQ are musicians in their own right creating music as rich and complex as any other.
Show your support for local Alternative / Industrial / House Music by downloading WCRS podcasts free of charge from WCRS 98.3 / 102.1 website. A list of local shows / podcasts can be found at : http://www.wcrsfm.org/local_programs.
WCRS 98.3 / 102.1 is best listened to LIVE via the Internet, between 3pm and 3am: http://wcrsfm.org/wcrslpfm.m3u
