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Teenage Kicks ... brought to you by the letter X.

Posted at 3:00 PM on November 4, 2009 by Jacquie Fuller (1 Comments)
Filed under: Teenage Kicks

I hosted a "retro" radio show in college with the unfortunate name of "Blue Eyeliner," and it's long been a dream of mine to have a similar show on The Current. I pitched it to our Program Director, Jim McGuinn, and found out he had a similar dream. A few weeks ago, Jim gave it the green light and put the training wheels on by getting the show started while I was busy putting on The Current's member drive.

This weekend, the wheels come off! I'm super-excited to be hosting Teenage Kicks, and hope you'll give me lots of feedback, suggestions, and requests. (And don't worry--Jim will still be around from time to time, filling in, especially when there's a member drive going on.)

If you haven't caught Teenage Kicks yet, it airs Saturday mornings from 8-10 am. Remember when the term "alternative," with regard to music, entered the collective consciousness? Well, Teenage Kicks is all about the music that came before "alternative." Back then it was "college radio," "modern radio," call it what you will. But you get the gist!

This week's featured artist is X. Frontwoman Exene Cervenka has a new album out, so it seemed timely to take a look back at the band. Formed in Los Angeles in 1977, X forged a sound all their own: a combination of punk, blues, rockabilly and country, sugared on the edges by the crooning duo of Exene and John Doe. When you hear an X song, you recognize it right away as an X song. Few bands have managed to hit the same register.

I had trouble finding early footage of the band, but here they are playing "The New World," from their 1983 album, More Fun in the New World, at a recent SXSW.

I remember one SXSW--I think it was '99--I was watching the free show at Waterloo Park. Who did I see there, fire-engine red hair blazing, chilling out on a blanket like it was Easter Sunday? Yep--Exene. (I still want to be her.)

What are your memories of X? Seen 'em live? Got an X song that's close to your heart? Share your X story below, and tune in on Saturday morning for Teenage Kicks!

Comments (1)

Great show!

There was something about the music mixed with the NPR coverage of the Berlin wall that made me remember growing up in the 80s, even if I don't remember know much of the music played on the show. I suggest playing the Waterboys "Big Music," or "A Pagan Place." The music played on the show makes me thing of grey with spray paint. Either the cover of the Ramones "Subterranean Jungle" or the, uh, Berlin wall!

Posted by Erik | November 9, 2009 7:45 PM

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Teenage Kicks ... brought to you by the letter X.

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