CHIRP is building an Associate Board for young professionals 35 & under. Interested? Please fill out this form.
The CHIRP Blog
SKaiser writesDark Matter Coffee & The 2015 CHIRP Record Fair
Photos by Christine Connelly & Shawna Kaiser
Music is synonymous with Dark Matter Coffee. Just like CHIRP Radio. So it makes perfect sense for our people to fall in love with their people upon meeting... at Pitchfork nonetheless.
“It’s only natural we collaborate with CHIRP Radio,” Kyle Hodges, Dark Matter Coffee’s Minister of Propaganda said. “We appreciate what CHIRP does in the music community and Chicago in general. We want to support anyway we can.”
The collaboration is next month’s 2015 CHIRP Record Fair & Other Delights where Dark Matter Coffee (DMC) is the Exclusive Coffee Partner & Sponsor. Five hundred bags of the exclusive CHIRP blend will hit shelves March 30th at all three DMC locations: The Mothership, Star Lounge, and Osmium.
“The energy and enthusiasm the people at DMC have for their coffee and community is contagious,” Jason Dempsey, Partnerships Director at CHIRP said. “I believe we draw on the same ideas of how to reach people in a very organic way. Talking with Kyle about the history of our organizations, and the paths we’re on, opens my eyes to all the possibilities and opportunities available in our communities.”
Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writesCHIRP Battle of the Bands 2015: Round Two
It's the third Friday in March, and we're nearing the midpoint of the greatest four days in American sports. However, just because we spent all day at work watching the NBA stars (and car dealership owners) of tomorrow battle for the NCAA championship doesn't mean we've forgotten our own barcket. Round Two of the 2015 CHIRP Battle of the Bands begins today, and with it come the results from Round One. Some matchups were close: #2 seed White Mystery eeked out a win against #7 seed Serengeti by only six votes. Others weren't quite nailbiters; thanks to a spirited social media campaign, #8 seed Flesh Panthers toppled Chicago legend and #1 seed Mavis Staples for this round's biggest upset. Fellow #1 seed Kanye West also fell, leaving the Panthers and fellow #8 seeds Modern Vices as our tournament's biggest Cinderellas so far.
How will they fare in Round Two? That's up to you. Voting for Round Two closes at 6pm on Wednesday, March 25. Check out the matchups below, weigh in, and argue your case in the comments section.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle – Happy Birthday Lee “Scratch” Perry Edition
He didn’t invent Reggae or Dub by himself, but from the fundamental influence he had on the music of his homeland of Jamaica and the world at large, he might as well have. If you’re at all familiar with the unique grooves that poured from the Caribbean islands, chances are you’ve heard Perry’s work. He was a creative force of nature who worked in a truly independent spirit, starting out with Studio One, "The Motown of Jamaica," then building the legendary Black Art studio in his back yard only to burn it down when he could no longer stand the trifling interference of lesser minds (that story may not be true, but it’s too good not to be, so let’s just say it is).
Celebrate the arrival of Spring and the birthday of the ultimate Upsetter by taking your MP3 player, pushing the “shuffle” button, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up:
SKaiser writesHere’s to Independent Media
Here's a good reason why we're here: independent media. We may love living in the land of the free but when the United States owns 90% of these ten global media companies, you may stop and ask yourself what type of filter are only a few hundred executives using to feed the world. If you're here, then you're probably thinking the same thing as us: who needs that kind of repetitive, predictably commercialized uninspiring cow dung?
Think of the first song you'll carry forever. It's likely more than one comes to mind. We know music is powerful in changing people but we're lucky it doesn't stop there. Maybe it's a film, a photograph, painting, or simply someone telling a story without music or art that awakens something inside. The narratives included in our diverse self-expressions propel us forward, from all over the world. Why should we settle for anything less?
Okay, so we went macro, now let's bring it back home. We're CHIRP Radio: a volunteer-driven community radio station focused on local music, arts and culture. The city is a key part of everything we do. CHIRP volunteers and staff are people from all walks of life committed to the exciting diversity of those around us. We have an exciting year in front of us. CHIRP is five years old, we've grown to roughly 240 volunteers, and we're building the broadcast operation at 107.1FM in the warm months of the year. Pick an event to join us in celebration!
Here's an opportunity to support us. Please visit chirpradio.org/donatenow and contribute. Or consider becoming a sustaining member and receive sweet CHIRP gear. We love you, thank you.
Now raise your hand (or wallet!) for CHIRP Radio!!!
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesTop Five British New Wave Songs About Money
Money. Cash. Moola. Dough. Cabbage. Lettuce. Cheddar. Scratch. You may love it. You may hate it. But there’s no getting around the fact that we all need some. And when you don’t have it, or you see someone getting way too much than they should, it makes great material for songs.
In the 1980s, the Western World’s views toward money (and who should get it, and how much) were changing, and artists were taking notice. Ronald Regan and Margaret Thatcher led the charge to reward life’s “winners” on Wall Street and in junk bond houses while slashing social programs and putting the screws to organized labor. Thus society started its Corporatist phase, sponsored by Ayn Rand and an undying belief that your bank balance is the ultimate gauge of your worth as a human being. Along the way, many people found themselves with less, while others found themselves with much, much, much more.
The disparity wasn’t lost on many of the musicians of the era, some of whom, in the aftermath of the Punk movement, were making use of electronic instruments to add to and compete with the prevailing guitar/bass/drum paradigm. In a decade where Lover Boy was Working for the Weekend and Madonna was declaring her status as a Material Girl, these artists had a different take on the Long Green:
“Money (That’s What I Want)” by The Flying Lizards (1979)
“Your love gives me such a thrill / But your love won't pay my bills.”
One of the first Synth-Pop hits to chart in the UK was the product of a music collective known more for their Avant Garde and experimental leanings. A song originally written by Barrett Strong in 1960 and covered by a lot of bands, including the Beatles, the Stones, The Doors, and Joe Cocker, it’s never been covered quite like this. Your enjoyment of this song may well hinge on how you feel about New Wave in general, as this song is nothing but New Wave. A quirky, pitch-perfect comment on materialism in the ultimate plastic age? Or cold, blippy, inhumane novelty track? You make the call…