Quantcast
HITS Daily Double
It was great to spend the day among friends, watching awesome music and leaving feeling HOPEFUL that if kids have the opportunity to be exposed to EXCITING music, they will RESPOND.

POST TOASTED:
DANGER! HIGH VOLTAGE

Ivana Goes All the Way, Hitting BFD and the Weenie Roast, Briefly Feeling Upbeat and Bracing Herself for the R&R Convention
The alarm went off this morning just as Tyra Banks was handing me an 8x10 glossy of my face while saying, “Congratulations, you’re still in the running to become ‘America’s Next Super Model.’” In my dreams (literally). I was at Loveline with Interpol Tuesday night until after midnight, then I couldn’t go to bed without watching For Love or Money (although he’s kinda hot, this bachelor is, as Pat Ferrise would say, “creepy with a side of creepy”), and by that time it was almost 3 a.m. Guess I’m easing into my R&R Convention schedule a few days early… Flew up to San Francisco on Thursday for Aaron Axelsen’s club Popscene, with special guest DJ Carlos from Interpol. At this point, my presence at an Interpol-related event is somewhat expected, especially if I set it up. What really surprised everyone, from Aaron and the band to Popscene-sters Matt Pollack, Rick Morrison and Dayna Talley, was that I flew Southwest to get there (to Oakland, no less!). The next morning, I loaded up the Ford Taurus and drove the gang to Live105’s BFD in San Jose (yes, I knew the way). Once we got to the venue, Carlos slumped down in the backseat from embarrassment, as I yelled to every security guard, “Let me through, I’m with Interpol!” Sure, he was mortified, but guess who wound up parking within 10 feet of his dressing room? Once the band was situated, with a bottle of vodka on its way, I went in search of Aaron and Sean Demery. I allowed myself the momentary (but lasting) distraction of a hug from Tyson of The All-American Rejects, and a bonding moment with Columbia’s Stephanie Harty and Reprise’s Lynn McDonnell before I found Sean and Aaron behind the VIP area, playing basketball! A relaxed vibe permeated the festival—everybody was just hanging out, having a great time. (Damn, why didn’t I think to swab some DNA from Sean for future cloning?) Although the main stage wouldn’t begin for a few hours, there must’ve been 10,000 kids on hand to see Interpol play on the side stage! As critical as I can sometimes be about radio, there are few thrills greater than watching a surge of recognition permeate a crowd as they hear the first few notes of a song they recognize from the radio, and knowing you played a part in it… Dropped off the rental car, flew back to Burbank, retrieved my car from the airport (a two-week-old Caddy), and drove down to Orange County for the following day’s KROQ Weenie Roast. I was still buzzing from the day’s successful festival (plus many cans of Diet Pepsi), and I was overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude and confidence, which no amount of traffic on the 5 freeway could diminish. The Raspberries’ anthem “Go All the Way” was blaring on the Bose car stereo, and fireworks began to burst in front of my eyes. A seemingly endless array of color and explosions, each more spectacular than the next, lit up the sky, while I sang along to the greatest use of the power chord in rock! Once I ruled out unforeseen superhuman talents, I realized I was driving past Disneyland. But for a brief moment… Nothing like a night at the St. Regis in Dana Point to prepare oneself for the Weenie Roast (I knew there was a reason I had been saving those Starwood points). Thrice was about to open the side stage (Island’s Howie Miura was sporting an old-school Delicious Vinyl T-shirt), and there were already thousands of kids waiting for them to begin. This band has been KROQ MD Lisa Worden’s pick-to-click for ages (she must’ve been happy to see “All That’s Left” come in #2 Most Added this week), and it was great to see the KROQ audience’s response. Interpol absolutely nailed their set, despite the heat and the time (1:30 p.m.), as did Hot Hot Heat (I truly LOVE this band). Pete Yorn played at 3 (the crowd was swooning, and not only from the sun!). It was great to spend the day among friends (how does Amy Stevens walk in those heels?), watching awesome music and leaving feeling HOPEFUL that if kids have the opportunity to be exposed to EXCITING music, they will RESPOND. Aren’t the White Stripes among your BEST-TESTING bands now?… Ted Volk from Capitol just IM’d me that first-week sales for the new Radiohead CD were just shy of 300,000! That’s the band’s biggest debut ever—unbelievable! If you’re in town for R&R this week, Jane’s Addiction will be on the Jimmy Kimmel Show on Friday. Guess where I’ll be that night?... Hooray to our friends at Columbia for landing KROQ on Overseer’s “Horndog”—this song is A SMASH! KZON added Pete Yorn’s “Crystal Village,” and WBCN added Pete’s version of “Suspicious Minds.” How about an all-Pete-all-the-time format? I’ll program… Ross Zapin and Matt Smith had a tremendous week on A.F.I.’s “Leaving Song Pt. II,” including Q101, KTBZ, WXNR, WNFZ and more! Everyone was BLOWN AWAY by AFI’s performances at BFD and the Weenie Roast!… Our beloved Alan Galbraith and his Wind-up cohorts were #1 Most Added this week on the new Evanescence single, “Going Under.” Awesome.... SONG TO HEAR: Radiohead’s “A Punchup at a Wedding”… PEOPLE TO WATCH: Rae Kline, Lisa Cristiano, Max Tolkoff, Dan Connelly, Brian Beck, Spud, Phil Manning, Mark Hamilton, Garett Michaels, Tim Bronson and Jacqueline Saturn.