KXLU

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KXLU
image:Kxlu splotch.jpg
City of license Los Angeles, California
Broadcast area Los Angeles, California
Frequency 88.9 (MHz)
First air date 1957
Format college rock, eclectic
ERP 2,900 watts
HAAT 3 meters
Class A
Owner Loyola Marymount University
Website www.kxlu.com

KXLU (88.9 FM) is an FM radio station broadcasting out of Loyola Marymount University in southwest Los Angeles, California. It was first on the air in 1957, and recently celebrated it's 50th anniversary. It is a non-commercial college radio station that plays many styles of music broadly classified under rock, specialty, fine arts, and Latin jazz. There is also one hour of Public Affairs programming. KXLU has a small, but cult following among music fans in Southern California, especially on the west-side of Los Angeles where its signal is the strongest.[citation needed] The station's most notable[citation needed] shows are "She Comes in Colors" hosted by the Minister Elvin X and Dr. Frederick Phases, "Stray Pop" hosted by Stella, "Music For Nimrods" hosted by Reverend Dan, "The Bomb Shelter" hosted by Uncle Tim, "Livation" hosted by Robert Douglas & Eric Stringer, "The Molotov Cocktail Hour" hosted by Cyrano & Senor Amor, "Neuz Pollution" hosted by Chris Candy and Maki, and "Demolisten" hosted by Fred and Octavius. KXLU has the same frequency (88.9 MHz) as KUCI on the UC Irvine campus in Orange County, but both are low-powered enough not to interfere with each other.[citation needed] In 2001, the FCC granted Life on the Way Communications (KTLW) a translator license to operate a transmitter, also at 88.9FM, located on Verdugo Peak in the Verdugo Mountains overlooking the Crescenta Valley. This greatly decreased KXLU's coverage and continues to frustrate listeners.[citation needed]

[edit] KXLU Demolisten History

The show began in 1984 when "DJ Agent Ava" took a couple reel to reel tapes of Jane's Addiction and Faith No More, and decided to start a radio show of nothing but demo tapes. Once word got out about the show, she soon acquired demos from The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N' Roses, The Jesus and Mary Chain and others.

Perry Farrell is quoted in the book "Whores: An Oral Biography of Jane's Addiction" said, "The cool thing about KXLU's Demolisten show was if you were a local band you could just call in, request your song and if you went down there, they would interview you..... I was listening to KXLU all day long because that's where all the good music was. The rest of the world was out of it."

The early 1990's DJs featured Fred Kiko, Chad, and Tony Kiewel. They've often been credited with the discovery of Beck, which donated a track to "Demolisten: Volume 2" CD, and also played music by Jimmy Tamborello (The Postal Service, Dntel), who was friend and fellow KXLU DJ at the time.

Tony Kiewel left the show for an A&R position at Sub Pop Records in 2000.

The early 2000's continued to feature Fred, with Devin Valdesuso and Doug Jones (label owner of Kittridge Records).

Other hosts have included the International Voice of Reason AKA IVOR, and others.

Since 2002 Fred was joined by Co-Host Octavius Poirier (former guitarist for Artichoke and Chewing Foil) Audio Archives of KXLU Demolisten have been saved online since 2003.

The members of KXLU Demolisten were interviewed on a TV show in Canada where they were interviewed by Laurie Pike in circa 1995. There is a nice writeup of the show in LA Weekly Feb 24, 1998. They were nominated as best radio show in Los Angeles by the LA Weekly: published June 2, 1999. They were mentioned in Slate Magazine as an influence on the authors music taste in Nov 29, 2004. Also mentioned in The Los Angeles Alternative, an independent Newspaper, when KXLU won one of the top 5 radio stations in the city in the people's choice awards: Published June 30, 2006. Demolisten has also been featured in an independent film called Destroy the Rocker about the Los Angeles Music scene.

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