John Richards

Moby told Billboard magazine in 2000 that "Porcelain" was inspired by an ill-fated romance. "I was involved with this really, really wonderful woman, and I loved her very much," he explained. "But I knew deep in my heart of hearts that we had no business being romantically involved. So, it's sort of about being in love with someone but knowing you shouldn't be with them."

From the local electronic duo's third studio album. odesza.bandcamp.com Local band ODESZA performed live in the KEXP studio in 2017 - www.youtube.com

M83 are releasing a limited edition double orange vinyl pressing of "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" in April for the 10th anniversary of the album. ilovem83.bandcamp.com

"One evening while shooting the Friday Night Lights film, Reitzell recalls the sun setting on Odessa’s Ratliff Stadium—home of the real Permian Panthers (and for several weeks, the home of the fictional ones too). It was just like the real Friday nights: the 19,000-seat stadium was filled to capacity, both teams were decked out in their uniforms on the field, the sky behind them was pink and orange-hued. Then director Peter Berg stopped for a moment and walked up to Reitzell. “Look!” Berg said, pointing to the sunset. “It’s explosions in the sky.”" - find the full article on how Explosions in the Sky became the sound of TV: www.texasmonthly.com

You are not alone Heather! We're all sending you positive thoughts!

In the video for this song, frontman Tunde Adebimpe encourages and consoles strangers he meets on the street. “I just happen to like looking at people and wondering what’s up,” Adebimpe said of the clip’s inspiration. “We got some people together, some of whom we ran into on the street while we were shooting, and did that. We asked if they could quietly (or not) go to brighter or darker places inside themselves [and] let us be there with them for a little while. Everyone’s sifting through something, right?” www.youtube.com

Gloria Gaynor suffered a back injury and spent six months in the hospital before recording this song. She had surgery and was still in a back brace for the session. She sees this song as just a simple song about survival, regardless of what you have to overcome. She said: "I love the empowering effect, I love the encouraging effect. It's a timeless lyric that addresses a timeless concern."

"Kylie Minogue is the most charming and unassuming pop superstar of all....The performer who was dismissively dubbed ‘the singing budgie’ when she broke through with The Loco-Motion in the late 1980s is now a gold-plated icon whose first name alone stands for joyous dance-pop brilliance." Read a tribute to Australian's best-selling female artist who released her fifteenth album, "DISCO," in 2020: bbc.in -- See the interstellar backdrop for Kylie on a horse statue in the video for "Say Something": www.youtube.com

"You Get What You Give” became the signature song of the New Radicals, released as the lead single from their only album "Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too." The song received critical acclaim, with VH1 calling it one of the greatest One Hit Wonder songs and later calling it one of the best songs of the 90s; a sentiment Pitchfork also agreed with.

Eddie Vedder and the Earthlings are playing February 21st and 22nd at Benaroya Hall. Pearl Jam's North American Tour has been postponed. Find the dates for both here: pearljam.com

Simple Minds' Jim Kerr on writing "Alive and Kicking": "We were in New York, it was summer, Manhattan. We could feel the band was really on the verge of something, and I think that positivity and that idea of hope formed the lyrics."

This was Beth Ditto's take on Tommy James & The Shondells' 1968 song "I'm Alive." Ditto said of the cover: "Being alive is radical right now. So let's live!" Mary Beth Patterson, known by her stage name Beth Ditto, is an American singer-songwriter and actress most notable for her work with the indie rock band Gossip. www.bethditto.com

The eighth studio album by Animal Collective was released today in 2009 on Domino Records. The album is named after the Columbia, Maryland venue, Merriweather Post Pavilion. A plan to perform at Merriweather Post Pavilion after the album's release in 2009 was ultimately discarded, though the band eventually did perform there on July 9, 2011.

This is Tears for Fears New Wave cover of the terrific Animal Collective song from 2009's "Merriweather Post Pavilion." . -- Just for comparison, here's the original: www.youtube.com

In the album's liner notes, Orzabal explained how the song came together: "Curt went to see the Thompson Twins when they were a seven-piece, and as he was telling me about it, I was playing it on the guitar - 'What? Like this?' - and that's how it started. The lyric? Typical feeling sorry for oneself and typical identification with the victim that runs throughout the album!" bit.ly

The Smile, the new group comprising Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons Of Kemet’s Tom Skinner, have today revealed their debut single ‘You Will Never Work In Television Again’. The Smile will play three consecutive live shows within a twenty-four hour period at Magazine London on the 29 and 30 January. Performing to a seated audience in the round, the three shows will also be broadcast in real time via livestream. Sign up for pre-sale tickets by joining the mailing list at: www.thesmiletheband.com

This Wolf Alice song was the KEXP Song of the Day in 2015. You can subscribe and/or download this track for free here: kexp.org You can watch Wolf Alice perform this track live in the KEXP studio here: youtu.be

As the band explains, “‘Sour Punch’ originated In the summer of 2019 when our lead guitarist Noe shared an experimental, crunchy chord progression he’d written, unlike any the band had previously explored. He said he was watching the movie “Clueless” and was inspired to write something he could see being a title track to some 90’s teen rom-com. Blushing are playing as part of Seattle's shoegaze festival - Seagaze on April 22nd. weareblushing.bandcamp.com

Brand new music from Widowspeak’s forthcoming sixth album out March 11th. widowspeak.bandcamp.com “At the beginning of something (a relationship, a project, a job, a new place) you have this very pure feeling toward it,” say Widowspeak about the song. “Everything feels less complicated because you’re oriented wholly toward that potential. It’s undefined, and that makes it easier to understand, because you can’t see the problems yet. As time goes on, you learn more, you experience more, and you see where the limitations exist: Not even necessarily ones imposed upon you, but where you draw your own lines. Maybe you can’t see what was holding you back until it’s in the past, and by then others’ perspectives contradict your own.”

This song was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. Read an in-depth exploration of this hauntingly beautiful song: ourculturemag.com

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

Often misinterpreted as a love song, R.E.M.'s first hit single is just the opposite. Michael Stipe describes this song as about using people over and over. It's deceptive because it could be a love song until the line, "A simple prop to occupy my time." Speaking to Mojo in 2016, Stipe said that he wasn't at all dismayed that so many people misinterpreted the sarcastic and spiteful lyrics as a straightforward love song. "I didn't like the song to begin with," he explained. "I felt it was too brutal. I thought the sentiment was too difficult to put out into the world. But people misunderstood it, so it was fine. Now it's a love song, so that's fine."

Morning, John! Fade Into You always reminds me of We Float, PJ Harvey. Could I hear that this morning? Thanks, and rock on! Aaron in Sodo =========

Japanese Breakfast performed live in the KEXP studio in 2018, opening their set with "Diving Woman". youtu.be Have you read Michelle Zauner's 'Crying in H Mart: A Memoir'? It was a 'best book' of 2021. bit.ly michellezauner.bandcamp.com

Stacey, who has just finished chemo writes: My way to stay sane has been to “find the positive every day” and I keep telling myself two things: Grow through what you go through, and This is temporary. I also seriously do not sweat the small stuff anymore! For real, that has helped immensely. Like, who has time for that? I used to run every couple of days, and haven’t had the energy or strength to do that since May, but I still make play lists so that once I can get back to that part of my life, I’m ready. That helps, too. *Could you possibly play one of these two songs (for me)? Small Heads by Lisa Germano OR This Year by The Mountain Goats ========== Thank you Stacey! Keep finding the positive every day! You are not alone.

Steve writes: Morning crew, an early COVID essential worker checking in below but more importantly requesting tracy chapman fast car bc it's totally gonna slap this morning and all those essential workers who still have to show up (thank you!!!!! tip 40 percent Seattle, you're rich!!!!) you are gonna love it!!! stay safe, wear filtering masks!!!! After COVID left me disabled…with the help of the Seattle community, I quit my job, started a (very successful) business, started DJing, built a sleeper van, traveled the country, watched Nation of Language in multiple cities, became friends with the band :), ate good food, drank good things, all while manifesting the healthiest life I could conjur for 2021. Thanks morning crew for all ya do. I sent (a note) at the beginning of COVID. It was a really sad request during a 45-day bout with acute COVID, which unfortunately turned into 9 months of long COVID. Please know that this shoutout meant a lot to me. I felt so alone, isolated and confused. ===============

Jeremy Enigk opened with "Abegail Anne" when he performed live on KEXP in 2018: bit.ly You can also catch him at The Crocodile on February 9th with Thursday, Cursive, and The Appleseed Cast: bit.ly

Debut album from Sunny Day Real Estate! They were one of the early emo bands in the Midwest Emo scene and helped establish the genre...despite being from Seattle.

A press release describes Dissolution Wave as “a space western in which an act of theoretical physics — the dissolution wave — wipes out all of humanity’s existing art and abstract thought. In order to keep the world spinning on its axis, songsmiths must fill the ether with their compositions. Meanwhile, the Spire and Ward of Song act as a filter for human imagination: Only the best material can pass through the filter and keep the world turning.” cloakroom.bandcamp.com

The song's lyrics features numerous references to Bellingham, Washington, which the band considers one of their hometowns, along with Seattle. Examples include "the air on Railroad" and "the shopfronts on Holly," Railroad and Holly being two intersecting streets in downtown Bellingham. The song also refers to The Beaver Inn with the line: "We peered through the windows, new bottoms on barstools but the people remain the same, with prices inflating."

The Beatles didn't play any of the instruments on this track. All the music came from the string players, who were hired as session musicians.

"Violet" is the first song on "Live Through This" and was written about the singer’s relationship with Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. The recurring issue, which unfortunately hasn’t lost its relevance, is the exploitation and (self-) abasement of women, in this case concealed under a veil of romance." Read more about this song: nbhap.com

This new standalone single was co-produced by Alicia Bognanno and her "Sugaregg" album collaborator John Congleton.: bullythemusic.bandcamp.com --- Enjoy Live Video from Bully's Live on KEXP at Home session last August: bit.ly.

Morning! Hope you’re having a rad Thursday, I would love to hear “Right Between The Eyes” by Garbage! I’m gonna refill my coffee and keep my ears open. Thanks!! Michael ==========

Perfect Teeth is the seventh and final studio album by the Washington, D.C. band Unrest, released on August 9, 1993! www.teenbeatrecords.com/artists/unrest.html