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Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWhy I’m a Member: Cinnamon Cooper
I was lucky to meet Shawn Campbell years and years ago for an interview I did with her for GapersBlock.com. At that time she told me how there was no room on the Chicago radio dial for any new radio stations, which I found appalling. How can a city of this glorious size not have room for more diversity among its radio stations. So I was thrilled years later to get an email from Shawn explaining her vision for what CHIRP Radio was going to be.
Since then I have spent innumerable hours (probably far more than my donations have been able to cover) learning about music that is new to me, hearing the voices of people who are excited by music sharing their interests and their knowledge with their audience. Listening to CHIRP feels like listening to a friend recommend things that they think I will like and explain why they think I’ll like them. I love CHIRP for sharing great new experiences with me and making my world full of better sounds and better people. -- Cinnamon Cooper (Member)
Craig Reptile: Your Sunday Sonic Sundowner writesWhy I Volunteer: Craig Bechtel
After years of wandering in the radio wilderness, I have found a home. Like a lot of my colleagues, I was a college radio person, and dabbled in professional radio too. But after college, I went in a different professional direction. A friend from the Chicago Indie Rock Fans Meetup Group introduced me to CHIRP at a fundraiser a few years back. I got involved because I loved the concept of Low Power FM radio stations and what they could offer to Chicago, and loved the idea of sharing my love of music with listeners. CHIRP cares about Chicago, playing great music whether it’s new or old, local or international. Non-profit, community based and operated by a volunteer staff, no other radio organization does it better, and no one else is as passionate as CHIRP.
CHIRP was instrumental in getting the Local Community Radio Act passed. The software CHIRP created to run the station online and our website are both state of the art, so much so that other stations and aspiring community broadcasters look to us for ideas and solutions. And if that weren’t enough, CHIRP was voted "best overall radio station" by the Reader and Chicago magazine. There’s no question that CHIRP Radio online has been a great success, and we will continue that effort, but our overall goal is to finally obtain a broadcast signal, and we need your help to get there. Please visit www.chirpradio.org/donatenow and make a contribution today. Thanks! -- Craig Bechtel (Volunteer)
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Perry Farrell Edition
Jane’s Addiction built an audience organically, offering a fresh take on Led Zeppelin-styled hard rock with a compelling, albeit limited, lead vocalist, Perry Farrell. No one could have suspected that Farrell would become a major music entrepreneur. He started the Lollapalooza package tours back in 1991, and they were an immediate hit, cleverly realizing that he could find bands that by themselves might not fill a shed, but together could draw a crowd of alt-rock fans. After that ran its course, Farrell shrewdly picked up on the fact that stand alone festivals were picking up steam and he brought back his brand and planted a flag on the lakefront here in Chicago. For better or for worse, Lollapalooza, combined with the earlier Pitchfork Festival, makes Chicago the center of cool music in the summer. Let’s pay tribute to Perry on his birthday by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWeekly Voyages: Friday 03/29 to Thursday 04/04
(Do you have corrections or updates for this list? Send us an e-mail.)
Friday March 29
The Western, Model Stranger, The Damn Choir
Beat Kitchen 9pm, 21+
Jonny Craig
Bottom Lounge 6:30pm
Flux Pavilion, Carnage, Torro Torro
Congress Theater 7pm
Aly Jados, The Embraceables, The Fox & the Hounds, Petibone, Em & Them
Double Door 8:30pm, 21+
The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm, 21+
'O Celestial Golfball That Rules The Night... writesWhy I Volunteer: Dave Staples
I’m Dave Staples, CHIRP volunteer & DJ and I love being involved with CHIRP. I originally came for the music. For me, it’s all about discovering & sharing new artists. Being a loyal listener satisfies the former, and being a dedicated DJ satisfies the latter. CHIRP is a refreshing and consistently reliable (compared to non-commercial stations that switch formats from hour to hour) substitute for the standard FM stations that seem hopelessly redundant and frustratingly limited. These dinosaurs of FM play good songs, but they play the same ones over and over and over ad nauseum. This is common knowledge of course, but the point I’m trying to make is that being involved with CHIRP means that I’m part of the antidote, and I couldn’t possibly be more proud of that.
This is why I became a DJ. I’m compelled by the same drive that I’ve always had when I come across a new band or artist that captures my attention. My first reaction is to think “which of my friends would appreciate this album? Who can I share this with?” That’s what it boils down to at the core. Let’s ask that question again; Who can I share this with? Nowadays the answer is anyone. All you have to do is tune in.
Having a chance to share fascinating and awesome music for three hours per week scratches an itch that I’ve had for half my life. (and don’t get me started about all the like-minded friends I’ve made since joining!) -- Dave Staples (Volunteer)