John Richards

Jarvis Cocker, frontman and founder of the band Pulp was born on this day in 1967! Following Pulp's hiatus, Cocker pursued a solo career and became host for the BBC Radio 6 Music show Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service.

According to the REM Project Blog, the term 'king of birds' refers to a Mayan folk legend about the quetzal (a colorful bird found in Mexico) who is chosen to be king. tinyurl.com

Oh, Tuesday.

Last year, Cat Power played a set recreating Bob Dylan’s legendary 1966 show at the Royal Albert Hall. Dylan’s 1966 concert was the culmination of one of the most consequential tours in the history of rock & roll – when he electrified his songs, and by doing so enraged his devoted audience. In November 2022, Cat Power brought those songs back to the Hall, performing them in the same order as Dylan himself: the first half of the show being an acoustic set before being joined by her electric band for the second half.

Neil Young released his album "After the Gold Rush" on this day in 1970! The album received a mixed initial reaction, however, the album has since appeared on a number of greatest albums of all time lists. In 2014, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Saint Etienne covering Neil Young from their 1990 debut LP. www.saintetienne.com

This single was released on this day in 1988! "A Little Respect" was written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, and released on Erasure's 1988 album "The Innocents". Andy Bell was one of the first openly gay pop stars. When performing A Little Respect, he would sometimes introduce this song on stage by saying: "When I was a little girl, I asked my mummy, 'Can I be gay when I grow up?' She replied, 'Yes, if you show a little respect." This song is known for the high note Andy Bell hits toward the end. bit.ly Here's Andy Bell in a wonderful live performance of "A Little Respect": www.youtube.com

Solo debut from The xx's Romy Madley Croft! The idea for the album was sparked by the song "Loveher," a collaboration with producer Fred again.. romyromyromy.bandcamp.com

Happy birthday to the one and only Nile Rodgers, producer, guitarist, composer, and co-founder of Chic, born on this day in 1952! Get Lucky was the first single from Daft Punk's fourth studio album "Random Access Memories", and features American rapper and record producer Pharrell Williams on vocals and studio legend Nile Rodgers on on guitar. -- Pharrell Williams refers to the duo as "the robots," often talking about them as though they had come from another planet, yet still able to write "human" music. In their first meet-up, according to Pharrell, when asked what he had been working on he replied that he was "in a Nile Rodgers place" at the time. Amazingly, the duo looked at each other and showed him a clip they had already recorded of Nile Rodgers previously playing riff for them to use.

Ladyhawke releases her debut self-titled debut on this day in 2008!

Joy Formidable released their single "Cut Your Faces" in August. Of the song, vocalist Rhiannon Bryan notes in a press release: “‘Cut Your Face’ is a reminder to myself that even in shyness, when that voice is telling you to hide away, that what I really want is deep, authentic connection. The only way to satisfy that longing is to be vulnerable, messy and imperfect…and life is all the more beautiful because of it.” Watch the music video here: youtu.be onerpm.link

Happy birthday to Daniel Lanois, Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter who produced albums for a wide variety of artists, born on this day in 1951. Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. After criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their direction to incorporate influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound. Thematically, Achtung Baby is darker, more introspective, and at times more flippant than their previous work. The album and the subsequent multimedia-intensive Zoo TV Tour were central to the group's 1990s reinvention, by which they abandoned their earnest public image for a more lighthearted and self-deprecating one.

From James Blake's new full length album! "On Playing Robots Into Heaven, Blake expertly weaves in house, dubstep, ambient, glitch and techno sounds with an avant-garde approach that is still well suited for the dancefloor," writes KEXP's music director, Chris Sanley. www.kexp.org www.jamesblakemusic.com

Collaboration of The National and Bon Iver. This single also features string contributions from the London Contemporary Orchestra, orchestrated by the National’s Bryce Dessner. Weird Goodbyes is “about letting go of the past and moving on, then later being overwhelmed by second thoughts.” pitchfork.com

For Syd - congrats on your new job! -- Good morning John! After almost a year of unemployment, I started my new job at REI this week! Can I request some Nirvana while stuck in traffic? Thanks! Syd in LA

New music from Big Thief! Big Thief made “Born for Loving You” at Teatre de ca l’Eril Studio in Guissona, Spain, during a European tour earlier this year. The band—Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, James Krivchenia, and Max Oleartchik— recorded and produced the song with Dom Monks. pitchfork.com

Good Morning! How about something from Emmylou Harris' 1995 release Wrecking Ball...produced (and played on) by Daniel Lanois Have a great 7th best day! John

Hey John! My 11 year old son Mac is home sick today and is laying on the couch listening to the morning show! If possible, could you please play Kate Bush- running up that hill. I think that would make him feel better and have a good day. Thank you and appreciate you! Brandon

Another great track featuring the contributions of Nile Rodgers! This is the song that plays during the dance scene in Donnie Darko with Samantha's dance group, "Sparkle Motion."

From Jungle's latest album Volcano! Here is Jungle's 2021 Live on KEXP performance: www.youtube.com jungle.bandcamp.com

Hey John! My buddy, Ed and I are bicycling across Illinois and listening to your show this morning. We just left Bloomington normal and are headed to morris Illinois. On our way to Chicago from St. Louis Missouri. Wondering if maybe you could play a little Jane’s Addiction ocean size because we’re seeing oceans and waves of grain and corn and soy beans. Cheers man! Joe

"The Trench Coat Museum“ is Yard Act's first new music since releasing their debut album in early 2022.- shop.yardactors.com --- Yard Act performed live in the KEXP studio in 2022. Watch the performance here: youtu.be

Cocteau Twins released "Blue Bell Knoll" on this day in 1988!

Brand new music! The debut album from this goth super group ever will be out November 3rd. The group is Cure drummer Lol Tolhurst, ex-Siouxsie and the Banshees drummer Budgie and producer Jacknife Lee. The album will also feature guests such as The Edge and IDLES Mark Bowen. -www.nme.com

Depeche Mode will be in Seattle on November 26th to the Climate Pledge Arena. --- "Ghosts Again" was Martin Gore and Dave Gahan's first new music since the sudden 2022 passing of bandmate Andy Fletcher. “It’s not often that we record a song that I just don’t get sick of listening to," said Gahan. "I’m excited to be able to share it.” www.depechemode.com

Take me to the top I need more not less And don't ever tell me when to stop

From Nation of Language's third studio album! Subscribe to KEXP's YouTube channel to get notification when we launch the video from Nation of Language performing LIVE in the KEXP Gathering Space last month:; www.youtube.com Here they are live on KEXP in 2022: www.youtube.com

Another Daniel Lanois produced song! Peter Gabriel has described "Big Time" as "a satirical story about a basic human urge... success." bit.ly petergabriel.com

Death Cab for Cutie will perform in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena on October 6 & 7.. with The Postal Service! This new single was remixed by CHVRVCHES. Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. deathcabforcutie.bandcamp.com

George Clanton will be playing tonight at The Crocodile! -- "Ooh Rap I Ya" is Clanton's first solo album in nearly five years. georgeclanton.bandcamp.com

Skinny Pelembe and Beth Orton's cover of Leonard Cohen’s 1974 track “Who by Fire.” Orton shared: "I have always felt connected to the work of Leonard Cohen. I toured “I’m Your Man” with an amazing cast of people, and every night I was intrigued by the mystery of “Who by Fire.” I was never totally satisfied that I understood the song. When Doya [Skinny Pelembe] sent me his version I was immediately taken by the Serge Gainsbourg quality of the drums and the overall feel, and I loved the cheek and punk-like spirit of this version, and seeing as I was in a studio in Paris, I didn’t give a second thought to throwing myself into Doya’s re-interpretation. Climbing inside the words this way brought the meaning of the song into new focus, the passion and heart-breaking inevitability of human nature that Leonard Cohen writes of like no other came alive to me finally" pitchfork.com

Struggler is the second studio album by Australian musician Genesis Owusu. In a press statement, Owusu said, "The struggler runs through an absurd world with no 'where' or 'why' at hand." www.genesisowusu.com

Janet Jackson released Rhythm Nation 1814 on this day in 1988!

Co-produced by Nile Rodgers. On the surface, this 1983 song is about dancing with a lover, but according to producer Nile Rodgers, there's a deeper meaning. He told Mojo: "When David wrote those lyrics, he was talking about the dance that people do in life; the conceptual dance of not being honest. He sings, 'put on your red shoes and dance the blues.' Like you're pretending to be happy but you're sad." With a song entitled "Just Dance", Nile Rodgers made sure listeners would do just that.

Chic's first single and first hit in the US in 1977. Nile Rodgers said: "Bernard (Edwards) came to my apartment one day and he had laid out the complete lyric, but we wanted to add a catch phrase, so we went through a few ideas like "23 skidoo" and "Oh, you kid" and all that stuff. We had in mind something like the old dance marathons, where the emcees made the people dance, and finally we thought of how Gig Young kept saying "Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah" in 'They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'"