Thank you!

As a parent and as a music lover who recoils at the sound of the Wiggles, I would love an occasional show that highlighted great music for kids: world, folk. I have "discovered" great kids discs like They Might be Giants "No" and "Bed! Bed! Bed!" and Elizabeth Mitchel's You are my Sunshine. We also listen to world music, but I need help and think this would be a novel show for the new station.

Think of the children, think of the children. They are our future...

Are all of the DJ positions filled yet?

Also, as far as specialty shows, my demo tape I sent in was a show I pitched for another station and was being strongly considered to air, but the programming changed and it was kind of shelved. It's called Hometown Hits though. My name is Brian Thunberg, so you can look in that file to find it. Thanks! Keep up the great work!

Brian

So the first full song I heard yesterday was "Air" by The Owls...a band I adore AND first heard about on MPR. Imagine that. Now that I have it streaming in at work, I can rock out with a truly progressive station.

Just when I'd given up on radio stations in the Twin Cities...

Love the music selection so far. Two suggestions: sprinkle some hip hop to the mix, new or old. It was nice to hear Atmosphere kick things off, but then heard little else during the day. How about mixing in some Kanye West or any of the old Native Tongues (Tribe Called Quest, De La Sol, etc.)? Also, I'm not a huge fan of specialty shows. That seems to be KFAI's niche. And, to me, that's where great radio stations, like WXRT, trip up with their nightly specialty shows. But, if you are going to go that route, an alt-country/americana hour is the one I'd prefer above others...

I read on the FAQ that you plan on deploying HD radio -- I thougt the experience with HD radio (digital radio) was that the sidebands degraded peformace for fringe areas -- its bad enough to try and pick it up with portable devices anywhere north of downtown Minneapolis -- I worry that digital radio will make it worse.

I would NOT like to have specialty shows on weekends. KFAI & Radio K have that, and unless you have a schedule posted on your wall, you never know what you are going to get. If you want to hear good music when you are running errands or hanging around the house, and if you don't like the genre for that hour, it is frustrating. Or if you like that genre, and it changes in 10 minutes. I gave up. If you must, weekend overnights would be preferable, with the shows available online for download. The station would be better served to remain as consistent as possible, I believe.

As long as you are taking suggestions for possible speciality shows, I would like to suggest a show that would play punk, hardcore and metal...and I am not talking the stuff that 93X already plays. Bands like Fugazi, High on Fire, Converge, bad brains, Sepultura, Most Precious Blood, Arch Enemy and of course local favs Zebulon Pike!!...more non-commercial types of groups...Thanks for bringing this incredible station to the air waves of Minnesota!!\m/

this is really good but i was hoping you would include some electronic music such as thievery corporation, kruder & dorfmiester, bill laswell, rockers hi-fi that sort of thing would fit in well. but i remember thorn ripping on that kind of stuff years ago on the rev and now he is music director here. come on thorn don't be a music bigot. anyway this is still really good. thank you very much.

YES!!!! Radio Depth Probe on the REV...that show ruled!! Was the hosts name Kevin Cole?? Is he still around?? More DJ Cam,DJ Krush...I want it all!!!!!

Make the playlist an RSS feed. That'd be cool...

"Make the playlist an RSS feed. That'd be cool..."

I was just going to suggest that. It'd be nice to have a little applet on my screen telling me the last 5-10 songs.

It's been tough to get work done from home. Every 20 minutes or so, my wife calls from work to say, "Can you believe this? They are playing the Shins!" OR, "Sorry, I know I shouldn't be calling you to disrupt your writing, but can you believe this, they are playing Beth Orton?!" Beth Orton!!! O My God!!!"

Thanks a lot.... How's a man supposed to finish his dissertation with these marital surges of musical ecstacy?!

One tech idea would be a seven-day "player" covering all public radio shows in Minnesota.

The BBC does this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

The key would be to make something that covers lots of stations like KAXE, KBEM, etc. with the files served from different location if they need to be. It could even be members-only perk that members of any station could then access???

Steve

One tech idea would be a seven-day "player" covering all public radio shows in Minnesota.

The BBC does this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

The key would be to make something that covers lots of stations like KAXE, KBEM, etc. with the files served from different location if they need to be. It could even be members-only perk that members of any station could then access???

Steve

There hasn't been any public comment on what local specialty shows you're considering. I just wanted to put in one more vote for The Other Side of Country by Jack Sparks. It's irreverent, funny, and he plays good tunes. Plus, he blankets the local scene like few others. You're really missing the boat if you don't give him a shot. We sit around the bar and laugh at some of the stuff he says on Saturday nights.

Wow. This is such a beautiful day. You are so Great. No more listening to Drive 105 for that 1 in 50 songs that isn't frat rock. Don't change...don't change one precious hair on your precious head, 89.3

At last! It's incredible to see the core of REV back on the air. Now you just need to rescue Brian Oak from ClearChannel and re-instate the real Freedom Rock!

Re; the streams -- AACPlus is nice and all, but I would think it wiser to start with a high-quality _broadly supported_ stream format, not the new cutting-edge format. Don't alienate the iTunes and other player users at the outset!

I just heard the Beastie Boys... awesome!

Where do we go for our bumper stickers?

I just heard about Current staff out in the cities today with swag?! Where can we find out more about that?

I agree will Molly - I want a bumper sticker!

So far, so fantastic. Although, you have shown me that I've been fooling myself for years that I actually may be a wee bit hip - I just hope I'm worthy. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for your update regarding "specialty shows". Although I was hoping to hear him more than just 2 hours a week, I'd like to add another plug for Jack Sparks and The Other Side of Country. I am one of those people who saves my Saturday errands for between 2 and 4 so I can hear the show in my car where the reception is better. Sure would be nice to hear it on The Current, in my living room.

Keep up the great work you guys and gals. It's about time this town had a decent radio station. I too would like a bumper sticker.

Hey gang,

Here's where you can get your 89.3 The Current bumber sticker today between 4 and 7.

Downtown St. Paul Near the Liffey
Downtown St. Paul 7th and Kellog
Downtown Minnespolis - Henn. And 7th in front of the Pantages
Downtown Minneapolis 1st and 7th near First Ave.
U of M North Bus Stop Across from CMU
Dinkytown in front of The Purple Onion
Uptown - Lake/Excelsior
Uptown - Lake/Henn
Uptown - Lake and Lagoon

Thanks!

There'll just be somebody standing there giving them out?

Excellent. Will be there.

What is wrong with having two or three stations doing specialty shows that serve the public and community.
Do you people want a monopoly (oh wait the big corporate stations already doing) The more the better. Then we can drown out that corporate commercial junk with good music. KFAI, KBEM, the Current would be great competition to ABC(drive 105) and Clear Channel (the rest of the dial). Hopefully this will bring in acts that seem to skip the twin cities. This country is built on choices. So let there be choices!!!

Another vote for pulling Jack Sparks in for a few hours each week or at least having him help out. He deserves better and is playing great music for the love of it, supporting local scene, etc.

Keep rollin', it sounds great.

Also - the aacPlus stream sounds great. It only took me about 2 minutes to upgrade my Winamp to version 5.x

This radio station kicks butt!

Yeah, bring on Jack Sparks.

You can find him saturday afternoons on 1220AM.

Minneapolis drag queens dig 89.3, the Current!

Maybe have a little bit news and weather at the top or bottom of the hour. I listen to 91.1 alot, but since the launch yesterday or The Current, I just can't seem to turn my dial to anything else. Love is the Law, brings me back to my college days. Keep up the good work and don't screw things to much, it sure is working right now. Thank you very much.

As for speciality shows I would love to hear Shakin Street with Peter Jesperson again. I don't know if that is really a specialty show since it was just Peter playing what ever he felt like. Still, it was one of the best shows on the old Rev105. The other being of course Moonlight Meditations. Now that would be a trip to have that back on the air too. Even if it was not music that I would normally listen to on a regular basis it was perfect for a late Sunday night. Having Shawn Stewart back would complete the radio trifecta in my book.

And hey, if not Shakin' Street the show how about at least Shakin' Street the song (by the MC5)?

I would like to see Mary Lucia's "Popular Creeps" show return to the air. Also give Bill DeVille a show. His depth of musical knowledge needs to be broadcast.

As a Twin Cities transplant to Seattle years ago, I'm only concerned you'll convince Kevin Cole to move back. Could you throw a little Yanni into the mix to make sure that doesn't happen? The playlist I've seen and heard sound *fantastic* - it's great to see a station like this back on the FM dial!

I am both thrilled to finally have a decent music station in the Twin Cities and fairly pissed off that decisions were made to keep me from being able to listen to it. During the day I listen to music almost exclusively on the computer. However, neither stream option will work for me. I don't use windoze and offering VLC as a solution for Macs and linus is a joke. To say that VLC only works inconsistently is being generous. I'm sure "aacPlus" is the bomb and all that, but until it does become widely accepted can we please have a decent stream for macs and linux. Real would be fine, or even just plain old mp3. Please, please, please.

You guys are awesome! Now I only need 3 stations, instead of 7, punched in on my radio dial; 89.3, 91.1 and 770am!

My 2cents worth is don't over do it on specility shows. I don't know if it is a specility show, but "on location" shows are great and they help out the local clubs. Maybe Mary could do one?

I, too, agree that speciality shows shouldn't rule the weekends. Weekends are the only time many of us can actually listen to your new lovely station. I've switched off Radio K many of the weekends because I get tired of the specialty shows. Let's hear real variety and newness on the weekends!!

I hate to complain about this great new station but I had to go back to Radio K in the morning. There was some awful song about being the last first kiss... Many other stations play bad music with a lot of talk in the mornings, does the Current need to do this as well?

Love the station so far, but have you considered changing your call letters to WLOW?

If you can get away from the ambient rock for a set, I'd love to hear some Gourds.

thank you. thank you. thank you.

every preset in my car is at 89.3

Something that i think is missing from this station so far is the lack of information regarding upcoming gigs in the local rock scene. I know its just day two but this is just an idea.

Abbi Allen does a great local show on KFAI called "Dart Gun Radio." The show has a web page here:

http://www.kfai.org/programs/dartgun.htm

It would be awesome to hear Abbi on 89.3

I too would prefer that the weekend not be dominated by specialty shows. A few here and there would be ok, but if you have them I like the suggestion that even a specialty show can have some variety. An hour of electronic music would probably have me turn the channel (c'mon, I'll probably listen to some sports too), but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. I think there is probably a demand for it (just as I think you should keep the morning show, even if it isn't "indie rock"). I'll continue to put in my vote for world music as a specialty show. There is a whole, wide world of music, and I'd like to hear more of it.

John P, sad to say but Windows Media Player 9 on Mac OS X is working just fine for the 24k stream. I'll step down to the Microsoft product just to listen in, but sure would love to have iTunes access instead!

I agree with many who do not care for the specialty show format. They normally have such a narrow focus that if you do not care for the subject, you end up swiching the station and have to go back to the wasteland. I don't want to switch the station! If you feel the need to do it - maybe keep them short - 30 min or less.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the great music

Conceptually, this is totally awesome, but you already have me wary. It's day two, and I've already heard two songs played today that I heard yesterday. I don't know the names of the songs, and hell, I even liked the songs, but I know I heard them yesterday. I understand that two songs played in two days respectively, does not a Top 40 Station make, but boasting 50,000 albums and hyping the "anti-format" format enough to stir me into a frenzy, followed by said repeat really gets my cynicism whipped up. Please don't offer any illusions of grandeur if all you'll be is an "alternative top forty" station, for that will break my heart, and I'm getting too friggin' old for broken hearts. Keep on truckin' and stick to the plan, Stan. Kudos.

It sounds great! After only one full day of being on-the-air, this is already the best station I've listened to. Keep up the good work! I plan to become a "Founding Member" in the next couple of days.

I think any specialty show would have to continue to be a mix of stuff.. Strong themes that crash into each other every hour on the hour can be painful. Maybe mix in some stuff by more well-known people that have been influenced by the genre of the show. Heck, you could just do a whole show playing music by bands that have influenced other bands, if you wanted.

When I get to hear it, I often like bluegrass a lot. I think KFAI does a morning show on Saturday or something, but it would be nice to see that mixed in more often. Also consider the various growing populations around the area. There's a lot of India/Pakistan/etc. pop music that a lot of people would get a kick out of. For dance fans, an evening/night show on Friday or Saturday would be a great way to celebrate the weekend.

I'm sure you guys will come up with a local chart show at some point. It might be best to pare it down to the "big movers" or something, but it is still important to know what people are buying around town.

IN RESPONSE TO SLACKJAWD. I THINK ITS OK TO HAVE A REGULAR ROTATION AS LONG AS ITS NEW AND FRESH, AND THE SONGS DONT STAY IN ROTATION FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. I FEEL THAT YOU NEED SOME TIME TO FALL IN LOVE WITH A SONG. WHO'S GONNA GO OUT AND BY A CD AFTER HEARING A SONG ONLY ONE TIME?

Please, no shouting...
One point to make: unlike regular commercial music, this station might be for the entertainment value rather than selling songs...

Just my two cents

Seighin - Windows Media Player is available for Mac. VLC has been working just fine for me on all 3 of our Mac machines - are the problems with your connection maybe?

Does anyone have the artist name, name and CD of the first song ever played? It was a rap about Minnesota. Thanks.

Artist: Atmosphere
Track: Shhh
Album: Sevens Travels
(hidden track)

A couple of thoughts -

1) I pulled the mirror for my Mac for VLC and I had zero problems with it. I have also heard that iTunes will be adding to their updates here soon, so all of you Apple-Addicts, go find the appropriate mirror, pull the download and enjoy. It sounds better than any other stream out there - period!!!

2) Speciality shows are a great complement to what the station is doing. An idea may be to, unlike the K, not run them back to back. Scatter them throughout the day/weekend. Also - send a poll to those of us that are registered on the blogs and or the comments sheets. Perhaps we can give an idea as to when certain shows would make the most sense ... and make them (dare I say) competitive against the corporate monoliths in town ... ;-)

3) Setting up a rotation make sense if, as someone stated up above, it is honestly rotated through. Maybe create a Staff 200 and a Listener 200 that gets polled a few times every hour, then just create a tally sheet somewhere in the studio or music room to record what is played so overplay is resolved and avoided.

That's all I really have at this point. Yeah, expect some donations coming from this trying-to-pay-off-his-debt 30-something Need to make sure you stay around so I can listen to you on the stream if I end up moving.

Oh - I have yet to switch the station ... except to see if the other ones are panicking. They are!!! :-) Thank you!

Adam.

I'd like to encourage another overwhelming wave -- of memberships/donations. We overwhelmed them yesterday with emails, enthusiastic blog entries, requests, suggestions and tapped out the streaming capacity.

At the same time, I know that I heard music I never would have bothered to check out, were it not for the service. AND along the way, I didn't have to hear any ads for local car dealers offering 2.9% financing, anything about "Bob from Accounttemps", nobody mentioned that I can get a really good deal on copy machines, and no one told me about how I can get a degree in my spare time, at night. Instead, in each and every one of those 30 second slots --- music.

So, yesterday, I put my money where my mouth is and became a $240 member, because if this station isn't worth the retail cost of a CD per month, then I don't know what is.

I challenge anyone who spent a good portion of the last 24 hours listening to 89.3 to put some cash behing their enthusiasm and become a founding member.

ADAM!!!!!!!!!!!

(hugs)

Long time no see, hear, hear of, etc...

Anyway.. This station brings a tear to my eye.. Finally, something where i don't hear the same song over

and over

and over

and over again

(while getting in my Smiths, Cure, Lucina Williams, etc fix)

Yeah for Billy Bragg! I've been a regular MPR listener (both classical and news) and appreciate a third station with music I like that doesn't play commercial after commercial after commercial. Thank you.

Response to Mick. Every band in this town could use some legitimate help selling their cd's

You know, if it weren't for the online streaming, I'd seriously consider moving back to Minneapolis from L.A.

Oh, wait. Winter.

No I wouldn't.

Good job! The stream sounds excellent.

Simply amazing, and no commercials!?! I must be in heaven! We aleady are MPR members, but we will up our contribution!!!
Thank you!

RE: already members of MPR ---

According to the 89.3 FAQ, they actually are operating a seperate budget. The question is phrased more from a perspective of a news or classical member who wants to know "if their money is paying for 89.3". The answer points to seperate budgets and membership. As such, my new membership here is in addition to my news/information membership.

Great music!

I really enjoyed the three minutes of live Italian music (Roman Guitar?) I heard last night. And I've been listening all day today.

I might not be able to listen to as much BB6 as I used to. :)

Oh and what was the name of the band that was playing that Italian song? Like I said, I could only listen for a minute or two, but I really want to know.

i live in scandia and only come to town every now and then when jack sparks really recommends a show on his radio show on 1220. i didn't listen to this kinda music until i started listening to him. i don't like everything your doing but i would listen more if you put him on your station.

No! I was just going to request the greatest cover of all time (Devo - satisfaction) and you played it while I was in a meeting at work. Thanks, I think that's a great song, and they do have more...

What an amazing station! This is the first time I've been able to stomach music on the radio...well, ever. Aside from that, I'd like to add a few hurrahs for your choice of aacPlus. Way to support not just Windows, but Linux and the Mac as well, via VLC (which is an excellent app, by the way). Everyone can listen, it's low-bandwidth, and it sounds better than FM radio. That's the way it should be. I've also heard elsewhere that aacPlus support will be in iTunes shortly...I love iTunes, too.

Of course, this station is better than anything else on the air....but couldn't you give the sleepy stuff a bit of a rest during the day? Maybe commit yourselves to something like 5 edgier, harder, punkier (whatever) songs an hour after you've played 15 coma-inducing numbers by the likes of Beth Orton/Ani DiFranco. The tone, if not the content, is more like Cities 97 rather than Rev105.

What a great birthday present yesterday! I flew back into town Monday evening, and heard Mark Wheat on the car radio. I hadn't read the blog since Friday AM so didn't know the launch date was Monday morning. What a wonderful surprise!

I've been listening all day today, and so far am really really really happy with what I'm hearing.

Thank you for a birthday present I won't forget!

Click - If you were listening last night it must have been "Spaghetti Western", their first live in-studio performance. I was pretty impressed too. I believe they do instrumentals more than anything, but I liked what I heard and will make a point of checking them out some more.

Good work, 89.3 - this is already paying dividends to the local bands, and after a 3 year layoff, I'm now a member of MPR again.

Thanks Skorch! If anybody else is interested their webpage is Spaghetti Western.

Ah, no links. O.K. Their site is http://spaghettiwesternmusic.com/

Where did the list of songs over the past 6 hours go?

As a former rev-o-phile who's musical tastes have gone in similar directions to what y'all are playing, I just want to say that I'm glad that Cargill can't sell the station from under y'all this time. I've listened to a good chunk of your first couple of days and the standard is high - the real question is maintaining it!

I'm already an MPR member, but I'm happy to boost it now! I wanna be a Charter member!

Anne (and others with similar comments)-
They can't be broad and diverse and play primarily edgy/punky stuff. With a format like this, there are simply going to be songs that don't appeal to everyone. Hopefully we can all agree that the sum total is far better than the parts we don't love (or than the other pitiful options available on the radio).

Besides, I like Beth Orton and Ani DiFranco.

This is wild.

A major change in a public radio station and the response on station message boards is overwhelmingly positive. No complaints, accusations of dumbing down, whining about their favorite shows not on anymore, threats of not giving any more money.

Congratulations, MPR--in a public radio universe where listeners are resistant to change, you made a change and made people instantly happy. The trick now is to keep them happy day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. All the best in your new adventure.

Just curious, but is Spaghetti Western an offshoot of Sci-Fi Western (from the 80's) or is this a coincidence?

I just had my first "Driveway Moment" for The Current! What was the rap song about Minneapolis that played around 5pm tonight? I loved it.

It's great to hear you again too, Mary!

Regarding 'Spaghetti Western', the live in-studio band on Monday, January 25th,
their website is,
www.spaghettiwesternmusic.com

and I believe they are playing the cedar cultural center this thursday, the 27th with the tin hat trio.

I'm in heaven! I can't believe all of the fabulous songs I've been dying hear somewhere other than my personal music collection. It's about time someone played Ani, Atmosphere, and others. Thanks so much! One question - does this mean Popular Creeps may come back????

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Finally a radio station that has gotten it right. Leave it to MPR.

I just became a new member! Please, please, please do not change a thing about your, uh, 'anti-format'.

Last night I heard Chris Osgoode from the Suicide Commandos in the studio...

This morning I heard Willie Nelson singing 'Willow Weep For Me'...

You played Run Westy Run! I've "heard" about Run Westy Run, but I've never heard them on the radio...

You played Neko Case singing 'Porchlight'...

And you played several Replacements tunes... I have everything I can find by the Replacements, yet still I go 'ooooh ooooh ooooh' every time I hear it on the radio, for some reason.

I've been a long-time fan of Mark Wheat, and Mary Lucia is just so perfect for this station. It really is like listening to a friend play you some music instead of a DJ.

So, what I'm trying to say is: Don't stop! I'm really, really, really excited about what you are doing...

And thank you for bringing MUSIC into my home.

One complaint, though: You could have done this like a month ago, BEFORE I got a stupid XM Radio subscription... I haven't even turned that stupid thing on in 2 days.

Love the mix, but would suggest some historically-influenced pairing to meet your mission of mixing old and new (and educating new listeners). For instance, how about pairing Gram Parsons/and or the Flying Burrito Brothers with the Jayhawks, Willie Dixon with Beck or Velvet Underground/Byrds with R.E.M/Shins/Roge Wave or the Ramones/Television with the Strokes, etc. etc. Also, would love it if could bring the top-of-the hour news 5 minute capsule over from 91.1 during rush hour (great way to encourage new Current listeners to begin to sample 91.1).

Wow! Kudos to MPR for starting up this new station and the new 'net stream. The AAC-plus sounds gorgeous. I've been listening all afternoon, and far too many oohs and aahs keep running out of my mouth. Really nice to hear Mark Wheat's voice last night, and Chris Osgood was a great guest. When are we going to see "Big Hits of Mid-America Volume III" re-released? I've got the LP in my bin, but haven't spun it in years. Congratulations!

Minnesota radio is saved. I have joined MPR off and on, I am now a forever member if you will just stay on! Streaming via Mac, purchased a radio with suitable antenna at work. Whatever it takes!

Congrats to all of you, and a personal hello to Mark, Mary and Bill. I think you're doing great f*cking work thus far. I'm on two busy email lists, both of which were filled with conversation and activity all related to 89.3, all of it positive and or constructively critical. I went to the UPS store today, and guess what station the indie rock slacker staff had it turned to? Yup. I think there's a buzz going on.

Looks like you'll have to crank the bandwidth up again...cheers to the Current!

Jeff Buckley woohoo!

this is amazing! i'm really excited to finally have a radio station worth listening to! Thanks so much!

ps - good call on playing "magnetic fields"!!

Mark--- It was awesome to hear Moby's Bodyrock on the radio again. I thought that this day would never come. Thank you!!

in response to the inquiry concerning the rap about minnesota, i believe it was just one member of atmosphere (slug) that recorded that song. it's a great song though, and atmosphere rocks equally. so....

artist - slug

My buddy and I had a contest several years ago: to burn a CD of our favorite eclectic music (everything from Adrian Belew-King Crimson to a bluegrass version of Pink Floyd's The Wall - Luther Wright and the Wrongs)...anyway, we did it to spite all the consumer bowing radio gigs in town. Well, 89.3 has the same strange eclectic music that we spent hours trying to outdo each other with! UNBELIEEEEEVABLE!!!

I'm going to join MPR!

I've noticed that when you guys run your interstitial announcements saying what bands are featured by the station, you actually then go on to play music by one of the groups! What a concept! ;-)

I've always hated it on other stations when I hear a great song come on only to have it be part of a self-promo, and then I get slammed by some totally unconnected song that follows. Please don't change how you do that!

OK.. what's with me seeing posts from ppl I know on here????

Tim Connolly, do I know you?

Emily-- Well i used to work as a DJ on Zone a while back...I dont however think that I had realized what TRUE RADIO is until yesterday..... I love this station!

If we can put in requests, I'd like to nominate a few bands that do VERY well when they come here for concerts, and get no airplay:

The Reverend Horton Heat
Los Straightjackets
They Might Be Giants (modern stuff, as I think we've all heard "Birdhouse In Your Soul" enough for one lifetime, thanks)

I'm also VERY excited that you are playing country that doesn't fit the Country Music Radio Format...the Johnny Cash is MUCH appreciated, and I'm wondering if you'd get into the Country movement of bands like BR-549 that has an incredible sound, but no airplay that I have found.

And yes, I've finally found a music station that keeps me from popping in a CD. Thank you!

The Fall on MPR!!! WE ARE BLESSED!!!
What a fantastic mix. Have been listening for two days, have been reading the blog. Millions of Kudos to The Current staff. The INDEPENDENT airwaves of the Twin Cities are strong as is, The Current is the cherry on the cake!!! I went into a business today and asked them to change their dial to 89.3. It was actually their introduction to the Current. Let's collectively change the Twin Cities' soundtrack....and to Mary, thanks for the image of Amie Man passing the ham to Sean Penn on Easter....that was brilliant! Also want to encourage Mark Wheat to give footie-up-dates, I love that Sparta FC track....the new Lemon Jellie....HOT! Can see the bright future of 89.3 already. Thank you SO much!!!

Analisa

Another amazing day and brilliant night...
ok. what was playing around 9:45 pm
"Something ...anything..." (what a lush song
and I must have it.) Was Mark talking about the Pacifics or The Letters...?
And what was played right before Leonard Cohen's Dear Heather?
I was on the phone and literally stopped in midsentence and I didn't get a chance to hear Mark sweetly tell me what he played. And he's playing wonderful things tonight.
Thank you! Martha

Tim.

Hmmm.. no.. I don't think the Tim I knew was a DJ (I was the DJ, he was just a groupie) LOL

Well, I don't know where to start. I have loved your station ever since you started up. It seems like it was just yesterday...

I mean to say that I have just made up for serveral years of rotten radio in just two days.

Seriously, I just can't get over how much you are such a relief for tired ears. I mean, I sat in my car just smiling in traffic. THAT NEVER HAPPENS! I was in awe more and more, song after song. At one point in slow and go I just had to close my eyes and enjoy. I quickly remembered where I was and moved on.

I already have your sticker on my car.

The Twin Cities lost our revolution but we now have found our liberation! I could not be more pleased. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. (am i gushing... oh well)

Let me just say thank you for playing Ted Leo And The Pharmacists. They're the best thing I've heard in music lately. I've been trying my best to spread the word about them and get people to buy their great new album, but I have a feeling getting a ton of airplay here on KCMP will help them sell a few more than my influence alone. It's just great to hear them on a real radio station! Keep the great music coming; haven't heard anything bad yet!

Oh man, for the first time ever in about 20 years of having a decent home stereo, I'm going to have to figure out how to use the tuner on my receiver. For now, I just have carry a little radio around my house, something I haven't done since I was a junior high student hooked on top 40.

Thank you soooooo much. I moved to Virginia in August for a job and, wow, does the radio blow! But, now, now, you have saved me with this net stream of amazing music. I knew the universe would smile on me if I rejoined MPR from afar....

where can I get the bumpersticker? I was not able to make it to any of the hand-outs yesterday, but I really want 2 (one for each car!)

You guys are doing a great job. Thanks for all your hard work in getting this badly needed station up and running. With those kind words behind me, I'd really like to encourage you to really reach out beyond Electic Fetus's front racks to the avant-garde, idependent jazz and folk labels. While we all love Radiohead and REM , but we can hear them elsewhere. I personally would prefer hearing a couple different cuts off the new Nick Cave rather than the same cut three times within a 24 hour period. You have a have a huge opportunity here. I'd love to hear at least a slice of the day devoted to an even more eclectic WFMU style of programming including spoken word, experimental, etc. That said, thanks again. I am a committed listener.

Sarah,

This was a fantastic blog entry you posted. It tells me the station is paying attention to our comments and forum discussions and is willing to participate in the conversation and make decisions based on our input. I hope to see such responses to our feedback on a regular basis.

You people rock! Keep up the great work!

Steve

We've been listening to your fabulous new station here at work for the past couple of days, and it gets better and better with each set. Replacements... Eartha Kitt... Rick James... Blondie... Sonic Youth... this is Radio Utopia! We cannot ask for more than smart DJs, an odd-ball mix of music w/o tons of repetition, no commercials, and some useful news. We're sort of wondering, when is the dropping of the other shoe? This is so good, it can't last forever.

Or can it?

You asked for suggestions for specialty shows. My vote is, no specialty shows, please. Just keep this never-ending always-changing stream of music coming!

Thanks a ton, and hello Mr. Nelson!

I, like some others have suggested, prefer that you keep the specialty shows to a minimum so that the great variety can continue to flow.

That being said, I do really enjoy electronica & outside of hearing a new track from The Chemical Brothers (kudos for that!) I rarely hear any electronica. Maybe you think that this type of music doesn't co-exist well with the rest of your music - if so then an Electronic specialty show is called for. But, if a certain genre is generously played within the regular mix, then a specialty show isn't really needed.

I had to drive out to central minnesota this weekend and got good reception almost all the way out to wilmar ( two hours away!)

WHooooWheeee. No more commercial radio at work.