John Richards

This Tears for Fears cover "Mad World" was featured on the Donnie Darko (2001) soundtrack. Donnie Darko, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a troubled teen who suffers from hallucinations, premiered in US theaters on this day in 2001.

The backing vocals are a unique feature of the track. Credited to Diane Swann, some have suggested that the female voice is actually a band member being put through vocal effects, and the name is actually a joking reference to a “dying swan.” However, in this interview Dianne Swann confirms that she did indeed sing with Thom on this track: youtu.be

Swedish indie-pop quintet is back with their first new album since 2017. För Allting will be released on 11/12 via Run for Cover Records. According to frontwoman Maja Milner, the name Makthaverskan has no real meaning. She stated that "The band name just came from Hugo’s friend who made it up (Hugo being a member of the band), and we thought it sounded cool, so we took it. The meaning is really hard to describe in English, but it’s the female form of someone with a lot of power." makthaverskan.bandcamp.com

Lala Lala, the project of Chicago-based musician Lillie West, new album, I Want The Door To Open, on Hardly Art. For 'I Want the Door to Open', West sought a new sound to serve her more cryptic and less confessional lyrics, and to help break her out of what she called “the indie rock box.” pitchfork.com lalabandlala.bandcamp.com

'The Beat' is from EERA's upcoming album, Speak, which will be released on December 3rd. The accompanying video is directed by Lewis Lloyd, who reveals: “I wanted to create this pulsating/repeating blue imagery to mirror the shady introverted mood of the song. A world where EERA is stuck like a ghost in VCR, watching glitching broken transmissions of her inner mind on repeat.” readdork.com Check out the official video for 'The Beat' here: youtu.be.

Deserta is the solo moniker of Matthew Doty, former Saxon Shore and Midnight Faces member. “I’m So Tired” is a sonically immersive track, featuring Doty’s voice a whisper shrouded in layers of synths and guitars that sit at a crossroads between new wave, shoegaze, and dream-pop. www.stereogum.com deserta.bandcamp.com

"Kate Bush, hounds of love, please John! Good music for a rainy day in upstate NY!" --Kara in Upstate New York === Check out the Hounds of Love official video: www.youtube.com The video, directed by Bush herself, was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's film The 39 Steps.

“The Killing Moon” has often been described as the best song the Bunnymen ever recorded, and the band isn’t likely to disagree with that assessment. Indeed, lead singer Ian McCulloch once said of the track, “When I sing ‘The Killing Moon,’ I know there isn't a band in the world who's got a song anywhere near that.” More from an in-depth interview with The Guardian on how this track was made: tinyurl.com

Melbourne-by-way-of-Tasmania band Quivers is the project of Sam J. Nicholson, who started it to keep singing after losing a brother in a free-diving accident. The song is about memory, loss, and resilience. John welcomed Quivers into the KEXP studio for a live performance in 2019. Check out the video here: youtu.be

Requested by Annie: "Good Morning, John and KEXP! I want to request a song for my husband Chris who is struggling with depression, loneliness, and feeling a lack of self-worth. I'm wondering if you can play Brandon Summers' you are not alone and/or Lea Porcelain's I am ok. Not sure if he is listening right now, but I'm sure many others need to hear that too. I'm also leaning heavily into music these days, dealing with loss and life and everything in between. Thank you for being there for us every step of the way.❤️" == "'I Am Ok' describes a time in everybody’s life that make you lose faith in yourself, in someone else, or in life itself and you just need to hear from someone that one day everything will be OK again. That no matter what, with time and patience we all will be OK.” Read more from our interview with Lea Porcelain about this song here: www.kexp.org www.kexp.org

"Running to Stand Still" by U2, is from their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree. The ballad describes a couple struggling with addiction, living in Dublin's Ballymun flats; the towers have since become associated with the song.

Elbow has shared their new single ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, which shares its title with the band’s 2008 LP of the same name, and is the first preview of their upcoming new album ‘Flying Dream 1’, which is set for release on November 19th. bit.ly

Aeon Station's 'Queens' was yesterday's Song of the Day on KEXP: www.kexp.org In a recent interview, Whelan said this song was inspired by one of his all-time favorite songs, ‘The Winner Takes it All’ by ABBA. www.stereogum.com Aeon Station is a new project from Kevin Whelan of the Wrens. "Observatory" will be out on December 10th on Sub Pop: bit.ly

Requested by Mary Beth: "Good morning from New Orleans! Hope you are all doing alright. Any chance we will hear the new Teenage Sequence single this morning? So excited for his inevitable album. Take care and have a lovely day."

Manchester band PINS write: "The track is about how sometimes we feel like we only exist to make money for other people, it’s a swizz. We are promised things by saviours, these people who have come to rescue us, but it’s not true. “Serve The Rich” was my opportunity to assert myself. I’m saying that we as PINS, musicians, women, Labour voters, and feminists, are here to save the kids, we’re here to save each other, we’re here to save ourselves." bit.ly

Le Tigre was formed by Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, Johanna Fateman, and Sadie Benning in 1998 in New York City. Their debut, self-titled album was released on this day in 1999. Check out this tour documentary about Le Tigre here: youtu.be

The Linda Lindas comprises sisters Lucia and Mila de la Garza, their cousin Eloise Wong, and close friend Bela Salazar. -- Enjoy KEXP's feature on The Linda Lindas, who have "the most fun job in the world.: bit.ly -- See their colorful video for "Oh!": www.youtube.com

This cover of this John Denver song is for the show Clarice, a sequel to The Silence Of The Lambs. Catch Brandi Carlile with Sarah McLachlan, Lucius and Celisse at the Gorge on June 11th, 2022.

“‘Come By’ is about the moment a long flirtation crosses over into more between two people who are both healing from long partnerships that ended unexpectedly. It’s a new beginning, that none of them envisioned for themselves. It’s a much-needed leap forward, and although there may be a lot of past relationship baggage hanging over, or seem too soon after a breakup, there is an ask to set that all aside and go for it. To let yourself enjoy the moment and take a leap with a new person,” says Biell. Read more here: glidemagazine.com

Woah! Went through a weird breakup a two weeks ago and I had no idea I needed that song. Thanks for playing it, thanks for the morning show, and thanks for always reminding us we are not alone! I love being a part of a music community over the airwaves. Thank you and have a good rest of the morning! Stefanie == boygenius, comprised of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, released their debut EP 'boygenius' on this day in 2018. It was written and recorded in four days at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles.

Happy birthday to Natalie Merchant, the singer-songwriter and pianist of 10,000 Maniacs! == Recorded in London, The Wishing Chair was the first major-label album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1985 by Elektra Records. Although the album did not achieve the commercial success some of their later releases would receive, the record brought the band more visibility than had their previous independent releases.

“There’s a tendency in my writing, because of my world view, to be very bleak.” Tom Mcgreevy explains. “A quality I don’t always see in myself and really appreciate in others is the courage to go on.” Read more about the Toronto jangle-pop duo and grab 'Modern Fiction' on vinyl and digital here: ducksltdband.bandcamp.com

Timeless Melody was released as the third single from The La’s self-titled album in September 1990. Pearl Jam has covered it on several occasions.

Wet Leg is comprised of friends Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. This cheeky track by was inspired by Chambers’ grandfather’s chaise longue. “I kind of inherited it,” she explains, “and it now lives in my flat. When Rhian stays over it’s also where she sleeps. She actually wrote all the lyrics to ‘Chaise Longue’ whilst sitting on the chaise longue (all day long).” www.undertheradarmag.com wetleg.bandcamp.com

Requested by Laurel, Elgin IL: "Hi John! My brother Tom just had major eye surgery and can't move around much for a few weeks. Can you please play some Dry Cleaning to let him know I'm thinking about him? He's the reason I love and support KEXP!" == Dry Cleaning plays the Crocodile in Seattle on Sunday, November 14! drycleaning.bandcamp.com

For Bernal in Iowa Falls, IA: "John if you could squeeze in some Throwing Muses that would be great! Maybe Counting Backwards- or if you can access it Santa Claus, something from the first album, or maybe a favorite of yours ? Thanks for inspiring our lives with Your Not Alone, I use it as a general FB and Instagram post, and my friends and many others love to see it every day. so even an image of it works too! Here are just a few I have made...All my original photography of the local area around Iowa Falls, IA. Thanks." == Throwing Muses was fronted by stepsisters, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly. See the Official Video here: www.youtube.com Check out Throwing Muses' live performance for KEXP VIP Club members at Seattle's Triple Door in 2014: youtu.be throwingmuses.bandcamp.com

"If it pleases the DJ, would you play Jack White Taking me Back (gently)? The old timey acoustic version of this song is amazing. " Spencer in Tacoma -- NEW MUSIC from Jack White, who produced and played every instrument on this track. It was recorded at his Third Man Studios in Nashville. The track was previewed in a new launch trailer for the upcoming video came "Call of Duty: Vanguard" -- youtu.be

From the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Run the Jewels! runthejewels.com --- Check out Live video from Run The Jewels' 2017 KEXP In-studio: youtu.be

'A Beautiful Revolution (Pt. 2)' is a continuation of Common (AKA Lonnie Rashid Lynn's) 'A Beautiful Revolution (Pt. 1)', which was released last year. The Emmy/Grammy/Academy Award winning artist teamed up with Black Thought and Seun Kuti on this single. The full album, released in September of this year, includes contributions from Brittany Howard, Markus King, PJ and more. officialcommon.bandcamp.com

Menahan Street Band's feature on this live set captured at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City. The Daptone Super Soul Revue Live at the Apollo was recorded during a three-night, sold-out run at the famed venue in 2014. Captured here are the label's best, showing off their immense talents to an extremely receptive New York City crowd. tinyurl.com menahanstreetband.bandcamp.com

Happy 70th to Bootsy Collins! Some history for you: In March 1970, after most of the members of James Brown's band quit over a pay dispute, Bootsy’s band, The Pacemakers were hired as Brown's backing band and they became known as The J.B.'s. (They are often referred to as the "original" J.B.'s to distinguish them from later line-ups that went by the same name.) Although they worked for Brown for only 11 months, the original J.B.'s played on some of Brown's most intense funk recordings, including "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine", "Bewildered (1970)", "Super Bad", "Soul Power", "Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing", and two instrumental singles, the much-sampled "The Grunt" and "These Are the J.B.'s". Bootsy joined up with Parliment / Funkadelic in 1974. -- This song was one of the first to bring together the songwriting team of George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Fuzzy Haskins. The line "get down for the up stroke", an inversion of this track's title, is used during the final section of Prince's 2004 song "Musicology."

A very happy birthday to singer, songwriter, and bassist of Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, who provided guest vocals on this track!

The first and solo practitioners of cheerleader punk. The Go! Team’s Thunder, Lightning, Strike is an explosion of color and energy that evokes images of high school sports meets, inner-city summer days and the liberty of youth. thegoteam.bandcamp.com The Go! Team performing "The Power Is On" live: youtu.be

For Christie... "Hi John and Team, Today I celebrate 12 years of sobriety. I had an army of tools and friends helping me that first year but KEXP and music were HUGE for me. I would listen to your podcasts, including those by Cheryl and Kevin - endlessly and often on repeat. I am currently getting teary eyed with gratitude. Thanks for helping us because music does heal. Could you play something from 2009 or 2010 - maybe Broken Bells, Vampire Weekend, Shins, or MGMT? Anything that KEXP would have played back then. Thanks! Xoxo Christie"

This early morning mosh session is brought to you by Amyl and The Sniffer's new single "Guided by Angels," from their sophomore album, "Comfort to Me," released on September 10th. -- In the video, Amy Taylor dances around and belts the song in various locales — a field, a storage unit, the ocean — as her bandmates stand cooly by.: www.youtube.com

From wych elm's new EP, 'Rabbit Wench.' The vocals on "Executioner" emerge first with the gritty guitar tone accompanying short after, the energy ramps up without warning and the soundscape intensifies and adds this fierce attitude into the mix. The instrumentation unites to bring this mighty kick into the complex landscape whilst devouring this distinct rebellious nature. The perfectly controlled yet crushing cymbal crashes and the scrappy yet rivetting percussive production adds yet another diverse attribute into the mix." Read more about the inspiration behind the EP and track here: tinyurl.com wychelm666.bandcamp.com

This was written as a cynical response to "Love Will Keep Us Together" by The Captain & Tennille. Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis wrote the lyric at a horrendous time in his life when his marriage was breaking up. -- The title of this song is inscribed as an epitaph on Ian Curtis's tombstone. -- In 2002, NME named "Love Will Tear Us Apart" as the greatest single of all time: bit.ly

The song is driven by a funky guitar sound Nile Rodgers came up with. Simon LeBon explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2011: "I remember him playing some notes up the neck of his guitar and it was the riff from 'Notorious.' That was the first time that any of us had ever heard it. We just said, 'Man, we've got to have that.'" tinyurl.com

"The Mother" is Carlile's tribute to the selfless women who raise us. Official Video Here: youtu.be Catch Brandi Carlile with Sarah McLachlan, Lucius and Celisse at the Gorge on June 11th, 2022.

"If you hear any noise, It's just me and the boys... Hittin' it..." Watch an entire Paliament-Funkadelic concert from 1976, live in Houston. The iconic Mothership stage prop (now in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture) descends midway through the performance during “Mothership Connection (Star Child).”: youtu.be