For those of you who don't know... it's true... I got married! And the guys over at BLURT Magazine were crazy enough to include the below in a recent newsletter. AWESOME.



We Knew The Bride When She Used To Rock ‘n’ Roll (still does…)

To every thing, there is a season, especially at BLURT, and this fall it appears that the season is for nuptials. Specifically, our very own Kate Bradley, who heads up our advertising department (both online and print – record labels, get in touch), and who recently took a walk off the gangplank, er, down the aisle [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

It's that time again... it's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we adore to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a dear friend and wonderful singer-songwriter, Decker Sachse:

Dear Mr. T,

Not you "pity the fool", super-badass, A-Team Mr. T.... I'm talking to the other Mr. T... .Mr. Townsend, my music teacher from Barnard Elementary. Not that you weren't a bad-ass in your own right; you were equally as scary as the guy that beat up Rocky.

I know it was 1983 and you've heard plenty of struggling voices since then but maybe you'll remember me. I was the kid in your choir with the chili-bowl haircut, who you liked to refer to as "a lost gosling in the high weeds." I think that was a reference to the way I would streeeeeeetch my neck, trying to find my voice. The notes often escaped me and I thought that if I craned my head out, as high as possible, I might reach those notes, find my way out of the weeds, and maybe you wouldn't tell me how I looked like a baby goose in front of twenty other 4th graders [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

A recent excerpt from Bob Lefsetz....

Two things that make this great:

1. The photo, below, of Steve playing with said broken hand at my 2010 SXSW showcase.

2. "And also with you."

To: Bob Lefsetz
From: Steve Poltz

Wow! You sure get a lot of action at your blog. Nice work creating a community.

I love playing at The Blue Door in Okc. One of my favorite rooms anywhere on the planet. I either go out for Oklahoma BBQ or Vietnamese Pho with Greg Johnson. We talk baseball and politics and music. He loves his Orioles. I look forward to my next gig there.

I'm pretty lucky. I've got friends all over the world who own music venues. I work 200 plus dates a year. It only comes from repetitive touring and giving 100% each night even if you're sick with the flu or have a broken hand [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Perhaps one of my favorite editions this week... it's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we adore to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a friend and brilliant singer-songwriter, Ben Arnold:

Dear (Insert Financial Institution of Choice Here),

I realize you have been trying to contact me lately. I apologize for the delay. I believe you were attempting to reach me concerning some checks that may have been “underfunded.” I have every intention of covering these. In fact, I am sure this account will be taken care of soon, as I am patiently waiting for a few things to come through.

You must be aware I am an artist. Surely you’ve heard me on Non-Comm radio or seen me on local TV. Maybe even in the regional papers or on YouTube. Is it possible we may even be Facebook friends? Of course you must feel secure, knowing the full scope of my career, that the money is about to roll in any day now.

To ease your mind, I thought I would offer just a few examples of the money streams my music has been generating for me. For instance, MUSIC REPORTS Inc. has sent me countless letters informing me that my songs have been licensed by a litany of music service providers. I am under the impression that alone should be good for about twelve cents per song x... about 40 or so…well... I’ve never been great at math, as you know.

I have also received a multitude of personalized offers through MySpace by several agencies to “…directly place my music into the hands of programmers, music supervisors and producers” who are eager to use some of my original songs in their upcoming films and commercials.

Because, of course, everyone knows the only way to achieve commercial success, get noticed and heard is through advertisement sound tracks. Even my mother says “that’s how to get your career off the ground these days! You gotta get your songs in a commercial!” I’m positive that shortly after cashing my check for “a one time service fee of only $400” we’ll be splitting those 50/50 royalty deals like gangsters. After all, the going sync rate for an indie artist in a film or commercial is like $250!! As soon as I land even a hundred of those contracts, I’ll buy a small house and future financial security will be mine [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Yes, it's another edition of IN SHORT, our monthly cornucopia of stuff --- sometimes music stuff, sometimes not. This month's theme: The Good, the Bad, and the Badass.

1. The Devil's in the Quilt

Introducing "Quiltsrÿche: Heavy Metal Quilts, Made with Hate."



How can I put this on my wedding registry? Seriously. Thanks to Zed Equals Zee for the find.

2. Speechless. More Than a Drummer. Much, Much More.

From the Huffington Post:

Prepare to get your ass handed to you. While we're not sure what that actually means, we guarantee you that this guy is certainly capable of it [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

It's that time of year again (although I feel as though I'm still recovering from March)... prepping for SXSW 2011. And again, I'm asking for your help. Voting takes less than 30 seconds and while I realize it's a minor pain in the butt to create an account and sign in, I'm asking you to do just that. Your thumbs up = mega bragging rights for yours truly, and hopefully, increased client base, fingers crossed. After all, we've got a wedding to pay for around here!

Click HERE to vote.

I'm truly counting on you guys. Thank you from the bottom of my rock 'n roll heart,

--- Kate [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Welcome back to our guest post series, LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, where we invite artists we freak over to takeover. The deal is, they can write whatever they like, only 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week, featuring the musings of Pablo Cubrale, the brains behind Contramano, easily one of our favorite new bands (or at least, new to us). Think Argentine Clash with a whole lot of cello. Weird? Perhaps. But also woooooooooonderful. Like the below.

I mean seriously, how brilliant is this? Buy every record Contramano has ever made.

LETTERS FROM THE ROAD: Pablo Cubrale/Contramano

Dear Lou and Laurie,

Did you ever get my e-mail about the BBQ at home?

Man it was a real Argentine asado! And you were the only ones that didn’t make it. I guess it’s because you don’t read e-mails? Or maybe just my e-mails.

I mean, I understand if you don’t like computers, Lou, but come on, Laurie, I know that you’re pretty good with the knobs…

I really wanted you to come and talk about your song we are playing. That’s right, Small Town. I couldn’t figure out the piano part so I replaced it with the drums. I know, you might think that’s weird but it really works. Trust me. Now the song sounds more like Argentine Punk :). Can’t wait to show you [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Highlights of what's been running through the speakers here at OUTLANDOS HQ the last month or so:

1. The Kissaway Trail, Sleep Mountain

Danish outfit, very Death Cab for Cutie. Honestly, the jury is still out but so far, thumbs up; meaning, I didn't reach over to shut it off once through the first listen --- and that's saying something :-). I also did reach over to turn it up a couple of times, most notably for "New Lipstick" and the cover of Neil Young's "Philadelphia." Summary: take a risk.

2. David Chernis, Music for Super 8

Sure, sure... I might be biased. But this is beautiful. The guitar-balls behind the original Damnwells' lineup releases his first solo project, a complete 180. Instrumental. Restrained. Surprising. Eclectic. Enjoy [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Hey there! Off we go with another edition of IN SHORT, our monthly cornucopia of stuff --- sometimes music stuff, sometimes not. This month's theme: Laugh Your Ass Off (and Perhaps Squirm a Little). Enjoy.

1. Double Rainbow!

I found myself watching this, thinking, why am I watching this? This is stupid. Then: this is awesome. Then: this is stupid. Then: god dammit, this is really awesome. Trust me. Now, of course, I'm dying to have one of these. Full. On.



2. Yankee Prankee

It's painful. But you have to watch this one to enjoy the next one [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Hey there! Off we go with another edition of IN SHORT, our monthly cornucopia of stuff --- sometimes music stuff, sometimes not. This month's theme: Laugh Your Ass Off (and Perhaps Squirm a Little). Enjoy.

1. Double Rainbow!

I found myself watching this, thinking, why am I watching this? This is stupid. Then: this is awesome. Then: this is stupid. Then: god dammit, this is really awesome. Trust me. Now, of course, I'm dying to have one of these. Full. On.



2. Yankee Prankee

It's painful. But you have to watch this one to enjoy the next one [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Here we go with another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we love love love to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week featuring Daniel Tashian, lead singer of The Silver Seas, literally my favorite band in the world ( next to The Police). I'm totally serious. We featured them like gangbusters on the DAILY DOSe a few months back. Perhaps that's because I'm a shameless superfan. You think?

FYI, the new record, Château Revenge, drops today.

Take it away Daniel...

Dear Bob Marley,

Well you've been gone for a while.

I heard you used to get your news from the radio --- you and your homeboys in soccer shoes, huddled around a Jamaican transistor, listening to the BBC world service, strains of R & B from New Orleans.

I don't know why that matters to me --- I guess because I don't watch much TV (the bullshit hype of CNN adds more static to the overcrowded airwaves now). But brother, there's a lot of stuff you would dig:

• The Wire; you would like some of the technology.
• Sampling; you would probably do something really cool with it, sample some oppositional politician and make a song out of him.
• The Black Eyed Peas; I think you would dig them.

I remember seeing a photo of you (I think it was in South Africa) bringing white and black leaders together on stage, makin' ‘em shake hands. I don't think, in the end, it really did all you hoped it would but shit, you knew that. But the thing it DID do was to let everybody see that strange things happen. Me, I'm like a little lion cub...tugging on your mane. You are a big, beautiful, stately creature. There's no comparison, I'm not even in the same profession as you, in a way [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Typical Zippity Doo Dah morning here in what we like to think of as our upstate, modern Mayberry --- blue skies, warm breeze, birds singing --- the whole bit.

Then: "I fucking hate you. I'm going to fucking kill you," a woman shouts from across the street. At her four-year-old little girl. Sadly, also typical; these are our neighbors.

And, also typically, I'm conflicted about a response. Say nothing? Keep walking? Or, what I really want to do: call the bitch out.

As a 36-year-old entrepreneur, I'm confident in one thing: I don't want to be that woman, I don't want to create little monsters --- obviously, literally, but speaking figuratively --- think "output;" not only work achieved but energy expelled. I want to create value [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You guessed it, another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are FREAKING nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. Introducing my new sonic crush, Leo Blais, Buy everything he's ever made... seriously. FYI, we featured him on THE DAILY DOSE not too long ago :-)

Dear vocal cords,

I wanted to write you and say how disappointed I am with you and how you let me down during my performance of ‘O Holy Night’ during the Christmas Mass when I was 12. I practiced my ass off the whole month leading up to it and you failed me! Not to mention, you teased me with your beautiful sounds of song and then, unlike most kids on Christmas, you took back your gift and left me with no vocal cords at all.

I was alone. I was confused. Shaken. We tried everything to coax you back. I even made your favorite, but even tea and lemon juice couldn’t stop this train wreck of a rendition. My little brother had the 1st verse and nailed it like a champ. You, on the other hand, hit the high register like Don Flamenco taunting Little Mac in Mike Tyson’s punch out. Lets just say, you were not up to snuff [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Everyone has fans --- every individual, group, business and organization of any kind. But now, thanks to social media, everyone also has a stage, aka a broadcasting platform (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs). The challenge, for fans and online broadcasters alike, is the same: How do you cut through the noise?

As music industry veterans here at OUTLANDOS MEDIA, we turn to what we know --- and what modern music neuroscientists have proven: while processing music, our brains draw heavily on experience. Familiarity is the gateway to meaningful connection. The take away: music moves us by eliciting innate nostalgic emotion. How fans feel is directly proportional to how they act [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Hiya kids. Time for another edition of IN SHORT, our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff --- sometimes music stuff, sometimes not. A team effort this week (thanks for your suggestions).
And um, as they say: Rah-rah ree, kick ‘em in the knee. Rah-rah rass, kick ‘em in the other knee. Go team.

1. The Coolest Soccer Ball Ever



Brilliant and cleverly named. Meet The Soccket, a soccer ball that generates and stores enough energy to power a small LED light for three hours for each 15 minutes of play. Want one? Try e-mailing Team Soccket to see what's what re: retail. Just think. Socckets for everyone you know for Christmas. Those guys better get on it.

2. Facebook Time-Waster of the Week [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Knowing that people make decisions based on connections and caring overwhelmingly above any other factor, you'd think nonprofits would have it in the bag; after all, emotional value is precisely what inspires nonprofit work --- inherent emotional value in spades.

Yet there seems to be a general hesitation to adopt social media within the nonprofit landscape. Perhaps because social media strategy is so "entrepreneurial," so "for-profit." Indeed. Funnily, no one is more masterful at it than those clever, nonprofit rockstars over at NPR.

Case in point. The most listened to time on public radio stations across the country is during a fund-drive. Think about that. They remove what we love (programming) for an entire week or more and we keep listening! What's more is they ask us for money! And because we're fans, we give it to them. Again and again, year after year --- long before Twitter even existed.

Enter Web 2.0. Now, more than any other time in history, accessing fans --- connecting with them in real and meaningful ways, and then using this connection to achieve your goals has never been easier. Not just for NPR... but for anyone. Which is why it's also never been more difficult.

For one, the scale of competition has increased exponentially, dividing all of us into two teams --- broadcasters and fans --- many of us straddling both to the point where literally everyone is vying for attention/fans; from Coca-Cola to suburban mothers to the CIA (yes, really! FB login required). In short, social media is everywhere, and has emerged not just as a way to reconnect with old college buddies but as a defining litmus test of sorts --- a public measure of viability and integrity for both individuals and businesses. To be sure, if you're not involved, you're not relevant.

But it's not enough to simply participate. Because oversaturation is rampant, we all must fight harder to stand out [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Here goes with another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we genuinely adore to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. Proud to say this week's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a friend, a brilliant singer-songwriter, Beatles videographer, baseball biographer and more (words can never really do him justice)... Seth Swirsky.

MEET THE BEATLE!
By Seth Swirsky

Dear Sir Paul,

I thought you might enjoy a story of what it’s like when a very longtime fan of yours has the opportunity to meet you, unexpectedly.

When I saw you running on the treadmill at my gym, it didn’t register for a good, long moment that it was you in the flesh. I couldn’t help but walk over – not to get an autograph or a picture – but to see if the treadmill next to you was taken (it wasn’t!) in hopes that you would allow me a “hello” or something.

Could you ever really know how deeply you affected so many people’s lives like mine? I was born to 18 year-old parents in 1960. They bought Beatles records from the beginning in 1964, so I “got” it all at a very young age.

By 7 years old, in 1967, I was taking guitar lessons already knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up: you! By 8 years old, I was playing “Hey Jude” and “Yesterday” in front of my entire grade school assembly. At that age, I thought John was very cool, I liked George just fine and Ringo sang “With a Little Help From My Friends” and “Yellow Submarine” which both made me feel good as they do to this day. But, you were the coolest.

Inspired by you, I became a staff songwriter with Warner-Chappell Music and EMI Music for over 20 years, writing hits for a number of artists and becoming a recording artist myself. So, to have a chance to even just say “hello” to you would have been a major life thrill.

So, back to the treadmill [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Oh, I know... I'm being obnoxious. But he's dead wrong on this one.

And here's how strongly I feel about it.

You can pre-order hard copies of the new Silver Seas album Château Revenge here. If any of you are inspired to buy a CD and you don't like it, I'll buy it back from you.

I'm totally serious.

Why?

Daniel Tashian is by far and away one of the most talented songwriters and performers alive today [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Highlights of what's been running through the speakers here at OUTLANDOS HQ the last month or so:

1. Luke Doucet and the White Falcon, Blood's Too Rich



I think I'm in love. Seriously. Massive man/guitar crush. He is wicked. Don't let the fact that he's Sarah McLachlan's guitarist spook you.

2. Broken Records, Until the Earth Begins to Part



Edinburg seven-piece (apparently, Edinburg is having an uberchic moment), old U2 meets one fierce violin.

3. The Silver Seas, Château Revenge



Yes, still on this one :-). Just can't seem to stop. [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Here we go with another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest-post series where we invite musicians we shamelessly adore to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week’s LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a new friend, the kind that reeks of contagious inspiration, the multitalented Rob Giles. Take it away Rob...

I don’t think of my life as a career. I do stuff. I respond to stuff. That’s not a career --- that’s a life!
--- Steve Jobs

Dear Steve,

I am so excited about the iPad. I am probably going to even shell out the money to get one before we go on our summer tour. You had me at the Netflix app. I have been reading reviews voraciously, as if a lost Beatles album was just unearthed. Words like "interactive," "immersive," "intimate" can’t help but intrigue me. “Will it be the new model for media?!” “I’m not even sure what its used for, but I want to use it for everything!” And apparently iBooks is to Wii what Kindle is to the Atari 2600.

I didn’t read anything about it, but I am guessing there is also an iTunes app? You know, for music?…

It got me wondering, Mr. Jobs, do you remember listening to records? Did you spend any Saturday mornings or Friday nights studying the liner notes of your favorite albums again and again? The artwork!? The glorious mysteries and journeys that album art could catapult you through? (I learned Spanish one summer in Mexico by trying to describe Metallica and Iron Maiden albums to my “Mexican brother” Saul.) Did you ever get images seared into your mind by reading and rereading the pages of recording info and who played what? I can still see clearly that Nikki Sixx, in his musical genius, played not only the bass, but the 8-string bass, the 12-string bass, AND the bass pedals on “Shout At The Devil”!! I am still wondering if the legendary Russ Kunkel looks like what I think he looks like.

Imagine what stuff I could claim to have played on the new Rescues album (out this summer on Universal Republic --- Free Single of the Week please, Steve?) [...]



A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Some curious/humorous observations; conclusions, all you...

SxSW Interactive

• Strictly on time


• Panel/keynote speakers wear wireless/clip-on mics (most often)


• Panel/keynote production appears flawless (ex: nametags/hash tags clearly visible, high-quality sound, SxSW staff on-hand and in control)


• Open-door policy (attendees enter and leave panels/keynotes as they please)


• Multitasking assumed and celebrated (ex: tweeting, hash tag strains broadcast simultaneously on stage screens, taking photos/videos, watching videos/accessing links speaker mentions as he/she continues talking)


• Panels/keynotes packed to capacity, one-in/one-out entry queues outside most doors, attendees (literally) battling for panel/keynote front row seats


• Panel/keynote attendee questions usually benefit everyone in the room


• Panel/keynote speakers revered as "rockstars" as attendees vehemently Twitter speeches as "gospels" and rush the stage post events


• Collective, impromptu crowd reactions are frequent (from applause to walkouts)


• Attendees share uber-alpha networking gene, introducing themselves to each other at nearly every possible opportunity, whether seated or in queue... most even managing a pitch


• Attendees have business cards


• Attendees display exuberance in helping each other, openly sharing newly observed/learned tips/ideas


• Panel/keynote speaker metaphors run rampant, assuming attendees will connect dots rapidly (which they do)


• Conversely, attendees express frustration/impatience when panels/keynotes move "slow"


• Overall celebration/mutual admiration between panel/keynote speakers and attendees, each easily vacillating between roles as "students" and "leaders"


• Overarching business-casual fashion, geeky yet hip


• Parties attended mostly by men in khakis [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

... for those of you heading to Austin next couple of days:

1. For some reason all of the stores at the Austin airport have bankers hours and seem to be closed after dark. So forget grabbing a quick cup of coffee or a snack (if you're the type who likes to head straight from the plane to the party).

2. It's about $25 to take a cab from the airport to downtown. It's a one dollar to take the Austin Flyer (the local bus). The express bus picks up on the baggage level, one-stop the entire way until downtown. From the taxicab area, walk 25 yards directly to the right, you'll see the sign. Plus it's not even really a bus... it's more like a pretty trolley.

3. If you're unlucky enough to be staying at a hotel near the airport, make sure you get the cell phone of the taxi driver who brings you there. Taxicabs are nearly impossible to hail during SxSW. But if you have the celly of your guy, you can make him your bitch all week [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Serving up another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are utterly nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is a friend and brilliant singer-songwriter who we adore, Jim Boggia:

Dear Taylor Swift,

We need to talk.

I want you to know up front that I really tried to find someone else to write to - someone else who could ease my pain, someone else who might not make me feel so bitter. But I am bitter, Taylor - bitter about things you're probably too young to understand and that you probably, to be fair, are not so much responsible for as you are representative of.

You know where this is going. Yes, it's the Grammy thing. That performance. You can't sing. You took home four Grammys . . . . and you can't sing. There's a moment in the first chorus of 'Rhiannon' where you can see Stevie Nicks is visibly cringing at how flat you are singing. Let me make sure you understand this, because you're young and this might be lost on you. This is not Stevie WONDER we're talking about cringing at your performance, but Stevie NICKS, a woman who owes her career to sleeping with a genius guitar freak/audio architect. Because you see, that's how it was done in the old days and we didn't necessarily approve of it, but it got us laid, so ok - let the girl who likes to pretend she's a witch sing a couple of songs. But even she still had to hit the notes.

How can I make you understand?

A long time ago, we had a group called the Beatles. You might have heard of them as they are now a video game. Anyway, we loved them so much that we even liked to hear their drummer, Ringo, sing one song an album, even though he couldn't really quite hit the notes. But, the thing is Taylor, he was the DRUMMER. And we really loved the Beatles. And everything else they did was so groundbreakingly amazing. And it was only one song an album.

When you don't hit the notes it's different, and not in a good way. I know, I know, on your records, it sounds like you CAN hit the notes [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill. IN SHORT is our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff we think's worth mentioning... sometimes it's about music, sometimes not. This month, it's about live music (what's that? We kid, we kid), the interwebs, sort of:

SxSW Interactive, Film & Music Festival
Every year it seems someone is always questioning the validity of music conferences. And for good reason. Mostly they suck. The music panels especially. A bunch of know-it-alls who live at 30,000 feet and just like to hear the sound of their own voices --- seemingly never doling out any practical, useful advice. Sadly, the music panels at SxSW are generally no exception. But now that I've started going to the Interactive portion of the festival beforehand, I could care less.

SxSW Interactive, that's where you actually learn things. And generally, there's less drinking (then during SxSW Music) which makes for better brainwork. You remember people's names. Business cards actually find their way into your suitcase. You take notes. You have ideas.

Then, a funny sort of phenomenon starts to happen as the week wears on and Interactive flows into Music (Film is supposed to be the bridge but really, who goes?). Less green vegetables. Less sleep. Longer nights. The hotel staff now knows you by first name. Instead of sitting at panels you're standing all day shows. But your attention span is shot and your smart phone is blowing up. Plus, your feet hurt [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Highlights of what's been running through the speakers here at OUTLANDOS HQ the last month or so:

1. The Silver Seas, Chateau Revenge



So I've talked about these guys a billion times and in fact will be featuring almost this entire record on THE DAILY DOSE all next month... it's that good. This is their third release, the other two are equally brilliant. They had to change their name in the middle of everything which was a slight bummer, they used to be The Bees (US). Either way, I love them. I bet you will too. Daniel Tashian (son of Barry Tashian, of legendary New England garage rockers The Remains) et al.

2. Jets Overhead, No Nations



Canadian outfit, this is their sophomore effort. It took little while to grow on me [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Of all the things Lefsetz does that drive me crazy, you gotta admit, his shameless posting of even the most negative feedback is semi-endearing. A recent excerpt (re:The Who/Super Bowl):

Sorry Bob, your interesting and semi-relevant posts, which make up about a fourth of all your ramblings just aren't worth the other three-fourths in which you do nothing but remind us what a complete and utter asshole you really are.

The Who were not great. But your overstatement is just one more example of you trying to be bold and brash by overstating something and just being downright nasty. At some point, at your age, one would think you would have grown up and realized when you're just being an ass.

Let me see if I can put it another way.....if you were Roger Daltrey (and thank God you are not) you would have sang "Who the FUCK are you?" just to somehow prove you were still hip and relevant. (Which by the way, you are not.) [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Serving up another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are utterly nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. This week's LETTERS FROM THE ROAD guest author is one of our favorite singer songwriters, Tim Easton:

Dear Young Songwriter Who Wrote Me on MySpace or Facebook and asked for advice:

I have so much to tell you but I should probably distill it down to the basics. This is what I would tell any young artist or student who stands in front of me wondering what to do in this massive and confusing world of art and commerce.

Basically, I can explain it in three chunks:

1. Read and listen to everything that came before now. Films too.

2. Leave home. Travel.

3. Bring something new to the tradition of your craft.

I would have to advise you to read and listen to anything you can get your hands and ears on.

Poetry: you should read it every day. Short stories, novels, all the classics. Get to it.

With music, you are going to have to step out of your comfort zone and visit the sounds and songs of those that came before the songwriters you are listening to now. Go back to the beginnings of your favorite genre. All of the greats studied the greats before them. If you are an American musician, you are doing yourself a dishonor by not listening to and studying the first American musicians who gave us jazz and the blues and the folk music that teaches you the chords and stories you need to know. There is a foundation there that is absolutely necessary if you wish you be a part of the constantly evolving family of musicians and artists, rather than the disposable, flavor of the month variety.

In North America, our "classical" music is jazz. Through serious suffering and eventual liberation came the blues. Finally, we were very fortunate to be the birthplace of rock and roll (disco, hip hop, etc.) and although we've had to have its message of ass shaking freedom re-explained to us time and time again by different generations from both sides of the pond, you won't find any of the long term successful people in these musical genres that didn't go back and study the greats that came before them.

You want to learn to write good songs? Then learn how to play the great songs of history. You like The Beatles? Learn Motown, Buddy Holly, and Cole Porter. Learn McCartney's bass lines. You like M. Ward? [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill. IN SHORT is our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff we think's worth mentioning... sometimes it's about music, sometimes not. This month, three videos that have been forwarded our way multiple times --- we got the hint :-). So here goes, one to make you laugh, one to make you ooo and ahh, one to perk your interest about the seedy inner insides of the music industry.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody, The Muppets



Come on, I had you at Muppets. 60 seconds or so in... wait for it. Mama? (Animal).

2. Don't Stop Believing, Nick Pitera (five of him)



Apparently this is a Glee cover [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Live radio. Bit of a novelty these days for those of you who may not know... it's basically all prerecorded, robotic. No theater-of-the-mind, no vibe, no dialogue. A jukebox dictated by charts and numbers, not humans. And certainly, no one behind the mic picking a song and playing it simply because they feel like it, keenly led by that two-way street between programmer and listener that has to happen for radio to be magic.

By some strange collision of the cosmos, that's the kind of radio I grew up learning thanks to a team of seasoned programming mentors at my first station in Vermont. The pay sucked but still, we had the bug. It was simple. Find great music. Play it. Be human. Create compelling radio. Those were the unquestionable standards and we worked our asses off to achieve them. Hell, even the commercials made for great listening. No joke. All because, first and foremost, we were fans; fans of each other and fans of the ideal... the ideal being to "create a product or service that makes the world a better place" (Guy Kawasaki 101). Corny? Definitely. But powerful.

These days, it's rare for any of us to engage in true participatory listening [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

This week, LETTERS FROM THE ROAD features the legendary Pete Droge (OMG!)... we are MASSIVE fans here at Outlandos. Hopefully you will be, too.

Incidentally, for a refresher, LETTERS FROM THE ROAD is our guest post series where we invite musicians we are utterly nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. Three rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music, and the weirder the better. Fun stuff!

What I love about this post from Pete (and I hope I don't embarrass him too much) is that number one, he was a tad skittish, as a lot of folks are about publishing a blog, if blogging isn't your usual thing, perfectly human reaction (and its nice to know our idols are human). It's great though is that none of it has to be perfect, it just has to be genuine for me --- and for you --- to dig it. And Pete's got genuine in spades, as you can read below. But what's more is, this idea of his is quite smart... if you're going to dive into an iconic catalog, chronologically doesn't always make sense. This would make a good book actually, a guide to the best order in which to sift through iconic catalogs. You up for that Pete?

Thanks for letting me twist your arm to do this one!

Dear Music Fan Who Is Not up to Speed on JJ Cale, Leonard Cohen or Gram Parsons,

I find that where you enter an artist's catalog can make a huge difference on how they connect with you. Case in point, my friend who thought, "I really should check out this Bob Dylan cat that so many hipsters are into... hmm where to begin? How about his first album?" Seeing as Bob is so adored for his writing and his first record consists of mostly covers this is probably not the best place to enter his body of work (If you have not heard his version of Man of Constant Sorrow go get it right now... George Clooney, eat your heart out). I digress. I have many times served as mid wife in the birthing of a newborn Dylan fan. I am always shocked, outraged and ultimately jealous of anyone who is naive to all things Bob. Generally speaking, with Bob, I would point the newbie towards Bringing It All Back Home. Side One is Bob 101. Opens with Subterranean Homesick Blues, need I say more? Side Two, Bob 201. Opens with Mr. Tambourine Man and closes with It's All over Now, Baby Blue, and in between those two, Gates of Eden and It's Alright Ma, (I'm Only Bleeding). After that, I would point them to more records from the 60s like Highway 61, Times They Are a Changin', and Blonde on Blonde before sending them out to other eras (Oh Mercy, Time Out Of Mind, Infidel, Planet Waves, Blood on the Tracks, Basement Tapes and so on).

Enough on Bob. I'm sure you are all up to speed already. Let's get to some folks that some of you may not be into.

JJ Cale. I remember the first time I heard JJ Cale... or John as his friends call him... yes, that's right, the name John Cale was taken (ok musical hipsters, John Cale was a member of what seminal ban? Anyone... anyone? Yes, THE seminal band of all seminal bands, the Velvet Underground. Very good). I digress. Where was I? Oh yes, the first time I heard JJ Cale. In my Datsun 210, on the once great rock station KISW (Seattle's Best Rock). I know this song, but holy shit --- this is way swampier than Clapton's version, I thought. It was of course the original version of Cocaine that Eric had the big hit with [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

I have kind of a strange New Year's Eve tradition: I make a list of everything I'd like to be free of. Then, I burn it. And then I flush it. Double catharsis.

On that note, I thought it might be handy to have a list of the Top 10 CUT THROUGH THE NOISE posts of 2009 to not burn/flush and to hopefully (!) reread/re-forward:
1. Content Is Not King
It’s YOUR job to identify and celebrate your fans, to turn them into super-fans; your brand runs on super-fans.

2. The New Free
Free is dead. Over. Overdone. We killed it.

3. Size Matters
It's not the length that matters... it's how you use it.

4. I'm Broke But Here's $100 Anyway Sell me a shared experience. Not only will you get my money (even when I don’t have it to give) but also free publicity (as I brag to all my friends) [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Generally, we stick to music here on the OUTLANDOS blog. But once a month, we digress. The idea being that if we share the same taste in music, we likely share the same taste in other stuff, lifestyle stuff. It's kind of like what we do with THE DAILY DOSE; by associating music with "other stuff" --- in this case wine and cheese --- it adds a greater value to the music, an expanded aesthetic experience. So that's the theme for IN SHORT, monthly recommendations of "other stuff" that we think you'll like, will perk your interest or at the very least make you chuckle. Hence, a review of 2009, the Top Five:

1. Fans



It's a recurring theme around OUTLANDOS HQ, not only the power of fans but also what to do with it (more on that next week). But for now, just again touching on the idea that We can help.

2. Boxed Wine



Been trying it out this year and I can honestly tell you, it's not bad. As in, good. Especially for a table wine around the house. And both cheaper and environmentally more friendly with 4 to 6 bottles of wine condensed into one box. Less waste. Black Box is our current fave, if you can find it [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You read that right, it's the Top 9. Two qualifiers: 1) an album totally worth the price, your money will be well spent and 2) an album that's stood up on replay, ad infintinum. Hence, there were only nine. Trying to squeeze in a 10th felt like a copout. And we can't have that. So, just in time for your shopping lists, our faves around Outlandos HQ for the past year:

1. Michael Miller, I Made You Up



Awash in a melodic swath of near-psychedelic ether, Miller's sound teeters between that delicate dream state of newborn refuge and Milky Way haze. But don't let the SoCal singer-songwriter thing fool you: Miller's unassuming yet gumptious approach places him squarely alongside the likes of troubadours Pete Droge/Steve Forbert but with flecks of Supertramp/Bowie-style transcendental grandeur. No kidding. Which is why it's my top pick.

2. Chris Velan, Solidago



Solidago was on my tops last year because I had an early copy (the release was April 2009) but it's so good I'm putting it on the list again. The scoop: cunningly disguised as jangly chill-lax pop, Solidago reveals whipsmart songcraft and no-bullshit guitar rockers juxtaposed amidst easy-going ditties. Think Paul Simon, Tom Petty, The Wallflowers, Bob Marley. The kind of political/romantic moxie that makes me think hell yes, I too am a Hard Way Learner.

3. Mike Gent, Mike Gent



A pop masterpiece. Seriously. It’s easy, it’s smart, it’s fun, AND it has balls. Like Wilco used to (think Box of Letters, Monday). Speaking of balls, Mike’s other band, the Figgs, has long been one of my favorite badass live outfits.

4. Glasvegas, Glasvegas



Timeless Glasgow glampop at its uber-finest. Echo and the Bunnymen-esque, bigger drums. Shit-hot.

5. Gidgets Ga Ga, The Big Bong Theory



Fountains of Wayne meets Cheap Trick meets Strawberry Alarm Clock. Lots of bouncy, chimey guitars, and an authentic garage sound. Plus the album has a million songs on it. Loads of bang for your buck [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from Michael "Mick" Flores of my new fave band, Gidgets Ga Ga, self-described as a "Midwestern powerpop trio with grit, wit, spirit and musicality. Imagine The Replacements getting jumped by The Beatles and The Monkees then molested by The Who & Nirvana." I couldn't have said it better. Take it away Mick...



Dear 7-year-old Me,

I'm writing this letter to you because you are 7 years old and you don't know what life has in store for you. So I am going to fill you in on some things.

I'm still knocked out by the musical tsunami I heard in the basement. You know exactly what I am talking about. When you heard that song for the first time. It still happens to you when you hear it.

Music was and still is the answer. Music is your call. You will never have a doubt that music is calling your name. You were scratching before it was cool and an art form. (Note to self: scratching a record with a needle makes it skip!)

Remember when Mom gave you your first guitar? It was really a gift to Mom from Dad for Valentine's Day. Mom wanted to learn how to play but it was too hard on her fingers so she did what any good mom would do. She gave it to you. Remember her handing it over and looking you in the eye when you told her you wanted to be a musician? And her words of wisdom as she handed it to you were: "That's great son, just remember musicians suffer and a musician's life is a hard life. Great musicians have to suffer and you have to suffer to make great music. You my son, have not suffered enough." So you said what any smart-ass kid would say and told her, "Let the suffering begin!" Needless to say, that guitar wasn't any kinder to you than it was to Mom. It was a lot harder on your fingers as they blistered, peeled and bled out.

I still admire the fact that Mom has a deep understanding of the heart and soul of artists and musicians. Although she was not a musician herself, she sure knew how to enlighten you as an aspiring one. She still does to this day [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Lately, I grumble a little less every time a school loan payment is due --- even though, nearly 15 years later, I'm still paying the bugger off.

Who knew that a degree in Fiction Writing would be so handy? Not just English but English with a relatable plot, a storyline rooted by emotion/connection?

Now that everything's online, compelling equals currency. Suddenly, we’re all micro-broadcasters. And writing counts. E-mail, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, newsletters... the clever manipulation of the written word, when used to communicate both information and persona --- i.e., meaning --- has become increasingly valuable. Not only do you have to make great music, you have to learn to write about it.

Four overarching writing components to keep top of mind:

1. Present valuable information/idea [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill. In Short this week at Outlandos focusing on, surprise surprise, thanks.

For most of us, it's easy to remember the big things: life, health, happiness, friends and family, the end of Oprah, leftover turkey sandwiches. But then there's the day-to-day and the people who help us retain basic sanity.

So I'm going to get all touchy-feely on you. Take a moment to thank the people who work with/for you. From your postman to your VP. Without them, you'd likely be screwed.

1. Interns I don't know what I'd do without them. These guys do all kinds of banal stuff for me and in exchange, I pledge to give them as many free concert tickets as I can and someday plan to write them a recommendation that hopefully lands them their dream job. Mostly, I tell them how friggin spectacular they are ad nauseam. John, Jay, Elijah: I can't thank you enough. I'm incredibly fortunate to have you on the team and am grateful every single day for the outstanding work you do. Without you, I would most certainly lose my mind (even more). I owe you like, forever.

2. Partners People helping people. Oh boy, I told you, it's like I'm my own Oprah. But seriously, we're all stronger together. So it only makes sense to partner up with people who get it. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. It's all in good faith and Outlandos has some amazing partners. In part because we're such glass-half-full, anything's-possible, nothing-to-lose folks [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Been digging through the holiday stacks here at Outlandos HQ, getting ready to program THE DAILY DOSE for December. I tell you, it nearly killed me trying to figure out what to play next to the McKenzie Brothers doing the 12 Days of Christmas. But it's my favorite holiday song so I have to have it play it for you guys. Be sure to check in each day to see what we've got cookin’ for the holidays along with our hand-picked wine and cheese recommendations to go with each song. Yes, we are bonkers.

That said, if you haven't already, join THE DAILY DOSE on Facebook and become our friend (it still always feels sooooo high-school asking that). We'll look forward to checking out pictures of you when you were 12... or whatever it is you've got posted there.

Now for what's been playing at Outlandos HQ so far this month:

1. WDST's Unleashed



One of the best new music shows out there. Mostly new but they pipe in some older gems as well. Sound familiar? Ida and Dave have killer taste [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Even Donald Passman agrees, "the common denominator to all successful people is a blend of talent and drive, with (frankly) drive having the edge." Translation: just like any entrepreneur, you've got to drive the ship. You've got to lead the way.

The question then is... how? That's what everyone wants to know. For sure, owning a compelling product is only the beginning. What you do with it is then the challenge, creating a sense of more-than-music for your fans, leading them to/through it.

So, how do you attach meaning to your music? How do you assign value to it, above and beyond the music itself?

The easiest answer: exploit like-tribes. Your first instinct here might be other artists (co-bill, both sets of fans get introduced to your respective bands, etc.). Fine. That works [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Not so much a letter this go-round but... a guest appearance via e-mail interview this week from acclaimed author and entertainment attorney Donald Passman (REM, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, etc.). Holy beans, even we can still hardly believe it.

Don's latest version of All You Need to Know About the Music Business: Seventh Edition includes all kinds of Music 2.0 updates and is MANDATORY.

Take it away Don....

OUTLANDOS MUSIC: Radiohead, Trent Reznor, Jill Sobule... with historically built-in fan bases, these artists make giving music away for free, DIY fundraising packages and social media marketing look easy. But what if you're a complete unknown? Where do you start?

DONALD PASSMAN: MANY ARTISTS ARE NOW STARTING WITH A VERY GRASS ROOTS LEVEL. THEY BUILD A FANBASE BY GIVING AWAY THINGS (PINS, STICKERS, ETC.) AT THEIR SHOWS IN EXCHANGE FOR AN EMAIL ADDRESS, THEN THEY STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEIR FANS ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUILDING A FOLLOWING UNTIL IT REACHES CRITICAL MASS.

OM: Because so many artists have been quick to attempt the above model, “free” may, in fact, be dead. Now that we expect it; where’s the value in that? Which then begs the question [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

First things first, exclusive Donald Passman interview posted here next week! Sweet.

Meanwhile... you know the drill but as a reminder, In Short is our "tribal" feature here at Outlandos HQ. Meaning that, chances are if we share the same taste in music, we share the same taste in other random stuff --- lifestyle stuff. And by lifestyle, we mean drinking, bouncing or jumping up and down on the stairs for the fun of it. All in a day's work, so to speak.

1. Boxed Wine
Recently dabbling in it. After all, 4 to 6 bottles of wine for the price of one. Wine not? Apparently, boxed wine sales across the board increase 30% this year thanks to ye old recession. Our new fave is Black Box. Our least:



2. It's a Bird. It's a Plane. It's a Dude on a Rubber Ball.
Whoa. You might miss it the first time, keep your eyes near the upper right

[...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Just getting ready to program The Daily Dose for November, for sure, these guys will be showing up alongside older tunes we think make sense as well as our wine and cheese picks.

What's that you say? You couldn't stand to miss a single Dose? We hear ya. So, an RSS feed to solve your woes, because we love you. We really do.

Now for what's been playing at Outlandos HQ so far this month:

1. The Dimes, The King Can Drink the Harbor Dry



Portland Oregon 4-piece. Mellow but not in the annoying Gray's Anatomy way. Sounds a whole lot like John Stirratt's (of Wilco) side project The Autumn Defense. Simon & Garfunkel too [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

The last couple of years, I've been off meat, generally. If it's bloody, it's out. I know, kind of weenie. Believe me, I have tried. But unless it's stringy, in a pattie, in casing or bacon, no go.

But our friends have been raving about this local meaterie, Fleisher's. It's the next town over, about a 30 minute drive. High-end stuff, all organic. So we finally go on Saturday and at first, I'm a little wary. The vibe is well... all-meat, all-the-time. A hand-painted sign above a cabinet full of spices commands "Rub Your Meat." Five points for bawdy humor. Although, I steer far away from the ribeye and steak section, which, I know, if that's your thing, these babies are like the gleaming rubies of Meatville. But when in Rome....

About 10 of us were waiting around for 15-20 minutes while the clerk took what seemed like forever helping the guy in front of us (he'd never heard of kielbasa!). More and more people were piling in. Call me impatient [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Following in the Outlandos tradition of Letters from the Road, our guest post this week comes from Skip Matheny of my new fave band Roman Candle:

Dear Fanny,

I saw your band/show last night. Thanks for putting me on the list and asking for advice, critiques, etc.... I'm not sure what to tell you exactly. You all were great. In fact, I imagine you will be very popular, and maybe better --- very quickly. I don't have a critique in the world about your show or aesthetic. You all seem to have nailed that down pretty well. However I might say the same thing to you I usually tell any writer, including myself, which is: think in terms of "songs" and listen to a fair amount music made before the year you were born.

Off the bat, that might seem like a nostalgic thing to suggest. It's not. It's about finding and learning about good art. Your band's songs are great but if you want to make records for the next 10 or 15 years, artistically speaking, you will likely find more substance in songs than in guitar tones. I think there's a lot to be learned by realizing you are a writer in a long tradition that stretches back before your own time, even (way) back before recorded sound --- and the "thread" or the common thing through all of that tradition is the form of the song. It's an interesting and mysterious thing, and it repays the attention you give it.

If you go listen to any of the records that came out last Tuesday and then listen to, for example, Joni Mitchell,"The Gallery" or David Bowie, "Life on Mars," or Stevie Wonder, "Do I Love Her?" you'll probably hear some similarities (verses, choruses, 3 minutes long). In contrast to the new records which, for the most part, are a bit vacuous [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill but indulge me for a little reminder here....

We know, for example, that fans prize souvenirs --- a tactile take-away that reminds you of the feeling you have when listening to music. It's kind of like what we're doing with The Daily Dose --- further enhancing the "sensory experience" with rock 'n roll wine and cheese picks so as to emphasize "more than music." Certainly, a recommendation isn't exactly "tactile," but it does bring us closer, drawing upon multiple aesthetic experiences and uniting them in one place. So, perhaps upon purchasing the wine or cheese of the day, upon tasting them, you'll conjure up the associated songs, thereby giving the taste an added, well, taste.

All of that, the long way of saying: multiple aesthetic experiences rule the day. And things that you associate with music are likely the same things other people (who like the same music as you) might be curious about. It's a Tribes-thing.

Hence, this month's semi-random compendium:

1. Dunder Tchotchkes

Perhaps one for everyone you know this Christmas? Plus they have action figures, star mugs (sans Jim and Dwight), Office Clue... it was really hard for me to not buy one of everything. And it's totally overpriced. I don't care.[...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Yes, being great at whatever it is you do has merit (for it). But quality isn't nearly enough. You HAVE to huck it, kids. Every second of every day. Re: The Death of Marketing? Sorry Bob, respectfully disagree.

I don't care how friggin spectacular you are... if you don't have anyone to tell, it might as well not be true. It's a chicken and the egg deal. Almost. Because, you CAN have real, passionate, loyal fans at every stage of your career, from fledgling to Trent; if I like you, I'll help you. Period.

Think of it like this: the way you make me feel about your product handily trumps the actual product. In a heartbeat.

So... how do you do it? Um, it's called MARKETING.

Singer-songwriter Seth Glier recently quoted a fan who said it best:

"You know Seth, I know we don't see each other a lot but I consider you a friend.....Coldplay is JUST music to me."

And Seth is hands-down one of the most spectacular self-marketers I know.

It works like this, in this order [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

No one's a bigger fan of social media marketing than me. But lord, lord, lord... it is motherfucking exhausting. Imagine running 2 companies (including 21 people working for free, miracle of God, I am beyond thankful every day) and still finding time for newsletters, status updates, and of course, blog posts. Let's just say, more often than not, the basics (eating, cleaning, dressing, exercising, brushing teeth) take a backseat. Oh, priorities.

But the truth is, I count on YOU to help me keep at it. Your feedback (your e-mails, your retweets, your comments, your fandom, your forwards); that's the FUN part. And I can't do it without you. Just plain can't.

So, thank you.

Now on to what's been playing around Outlandos HQ:

1. One eskimO, One eskimO



Wow. Wow. Wow. Smart, clever and remarkably (I hate this word but it's true)... fresh. And it takes a little bit creep up on you, which is my favorite. Seal/FYC meets 70s Stones meets Tom McRae, translation: singer-songwriter-pop-dance-rock. What? Really. Buy it [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Half the battle of achieving anything is knowing when you need help (and let me save you a couple of hundred bucks in therapy here, you ALWAYS need help... think public radio model: "we're all in this together/I can't do it without you"). The hard part for some, then, is asking for it.

Obviously, shamelessness = a plus, i.e., just the simple act of asking is not for the tame-at-heart. SOL if that isn't your bag; you're going to need to acquire some assertive chops pronto. Because (say it together with me people) when you don't ask, the answer is always no.

But asking isn't even the hard part. First, you have to have people to ask. You have to have fans.

Whether it's your mom (or mine), your friends, your coworkers --- I don't care --- everyone has fans [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

More than a guest post this week... it's a guest Mad Libs. All their idea. In case you needed another reason to fall in love with these guys :-):



Photo by Anthony Byrd

Dear (name of person) Jeffrey,

Before leaving on tour, we made sure to pack the (noun) banana in preparation for two-weeks on the road in (name of country) Kazakhstan. At our first show, we were fortunate to have (name of famous person) Andy Warhol as a support act. By the time we went on stage, the audience, at first, was (adjective) outrageous but by the end of the show they warmed up to us and became (adjective) sugary [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill... taking our cue from Seth Godin with the idea that what unites us is more than music -- basically, if we share the same taste in music, we likely share the same taste in other stuff, as seemingly useless as it occasionally may be. Hence, this month's compendium:

Stuff That's Kept Me from Losing My Mind This Summer

1. Harry Potter Hangover



Seriously. It happens to me every summer. Another book comes out so I have to read all of the previous books again just to remember what the hell is going on. Same deal with the films. So in advance of the Half-Blood Prince's release, it was the usual deal: start reading around midnight, can't put the damn thing down til roughly 4 AM = bags under the eyes daily.

I don't know who that kid is but I like it.

2. Air Rifle



Friggin cool. My parents pulled it out of the basement and it was love at first shot. That's my dad (sporting silk boxers with silver dragons) getting in touch with his inner badass. Forgot to take one of me. I did good. Everyone should have one of these things. Yes, I'm still a Democrat [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Has summer even happened? Good Lord, it's almost over and it feels, with the recent swelter-fest (at least in the East Coast) that it just started.

Lots of good stuff cranked at Outlandos HQ to keep us feeling somewhat cool, see below.

But first, petite favor to ask you kids. This will literally take you 2 seconds, it's super easy and you don't even have to give a rats tail about SxSW but... would you vote for us? 30 seconds of your life. It's a BIG deal in our world and would mean so much! How could we ever do it without you? Seriously. Thanks zillions. If we get in, not only do I get a free badge (let me tell you, those suckers are expensive) but we get some handy-dandy publicity.

Help me, help me? Just click the three links below and then click the "thumbs up" next to each one:

The Value of Emotional Value (Interactive Version)
VOTE HERE

Doing It like Trent: DIY for the Little Guy
VOTE HERE

Leveraging Emotional Value (Music Version)
VOTE HERE

Now on to the fun stuff:

1. Contramano, Contramano


Buy it.
Argentinian chamber-punk. Go figure. It's spectacular. Seriously, you need to own this record IMMEDIATELY. In case you missed it, they were featured on the Dose last week.

2. Roman Candle, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear



Buy it.
The Bees (US) are easily one of my favorite bands of all time [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Revenge of the Nerds, Better off Dead, Risky Business... to say we simply "watched" them would be an understatement. We practically wore the strip out on the Betamax, memorizing every scene, every line, every song. From Booger to Fronch fries to Swamp, these films became heroic keystones, handily defining us as proud children of the 80s --- perhaps in the same way that Zeppelin or the Beatles were iconic backdrops to my parents' upbringing. The Hughes' films of course being mandatory [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

A timely, August-related guest post this week from legendary CBGB's engineer (among other endeavors) and friend, Robin Danar. FYI, Robin's recent record, Altered States is pretty freakin' unbelievable, a collaboration featuring up-and-coming indie artists you likely know (Rachel Yamagata, Pete Yorn, etc.). You should own it. More about Robin here.

Take it away, Robin:

Dear Hilly--

Well, it's been over 2 years since I've seen you and I think about you a lot so I figured I'd check in. I'm writing from Cali.....won't be in NY 'til around Xmas.

I'm actually still in touch with many of our old friends and associates via email and networks. It's fun to see that the deep impact you and CBGB's had on us in the 70's and 80's still exists today. I just saw the virtual tour that BG helped put together just before the club closed (http://www.bravadousa.com/cbgb/pano/pano.html) which was a pretty wild flashback. Every so often I’ll put on Patti’s closing show that was on satellite radio and yeah I listen loud!

Anyway, I owe a lot to you for helping this producer/artist find a direction. Since August 28 will always be a date I remember, I thought I’d send a copy of this NY Times blog I wrote a year ago. I look at it as a fun story with happy memories.(August 28, 2008 makes one year since Hilly passed away):

I was the sound guy at CB’s for years in the 70s and 80s. It was an amazing time and every so often I get sidetracked from what I’m supposed to be doing and end up spending hours looking at books, listening to music or just scanning the web and remembering. There are great books, amazing photos, YouTube videos and some classic stories, many of which are quite true and some that are, uh…… "lost in translation??"

I was lucky to be in NY for several months in 2007 and spent a bunch of time with Hilly before he went back into the hospital. He was tired. The chemo was quite a workout but I caught him on some "good" days and he was a bit slower but still moving along. He was never a speed demon anyway [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Good peeps, it's not very often that I ask something of you. But today, I am.

Perhaps some of you are still wondering what the hell The Daily Dose is all about (because we STILL can't figure out how to get our app to show up on our Facebook Fan Page. Argh. It is NOT easy).

The deal is this: wine, cheese and music. New music. Old music. Stuff I can't live without. And together, it's kind of like George Costanzas' TV/sex/food thing... a perfect trifecta.

The hope is to get other people to dig it as much as me and hopefully, you. Every bit counts. So, to all of you who've e-mailed the link around your friends, asked them to join us on Facebook, embedded the widget on blogs, retweeted our tweets [...]


A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

You know the drill... taking our cue from Seth Godin with the idea that what unites us is more than music -- basically, if we share the same taste in music, we likely share the same taste in other stuff, as seemingly useless as it occasionally may be. Hence, this month's compendium:

5 Freakin' Fascinating Ways to Waste Time at Work This Week

Oh, the painstaking research that's gone into this. But really, every last one of these is worth the on-the-clock-dilly-dally.

1. Auto-Tune the News

Prepare for your pretty little heads to be blown away. Seriously. Who has the time?



2. The Mystical Power of the Wolf-T

Lo and behold. It's more than just a T-shirt. Who knew? They could be onto something.

"I admit it, I'm a ladies' man. And when you put this shirt on a ladies' man, it's like giving an AK-47 to a ninja...." You know you want to read more. And you should. Be sure to scroll down to Customer Reviews [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Think about it like this. Not only are you competing with a bijillion other musicians out there --- both established and off the couch --- but now, thanks to Twitter and Facebook (MySpace is soooooooo last century) you're competing with my mom. Seriously. If her micro-blogging content is more compelling than yours, you're screwed.

After all, fans are semi-limited. There's only so much room we have in our hearts. And only so much time in the day. And only so much money to give/spend. And we are hella choosy [...]

Guest post this week from an astounding singer-songwriter, Peter Mulvey, whose new record Letters from a Flying Machine streets this August: "Eight songs, interspersed with four prose pieces over music, framed as letters to my various nieces and nephews written on airplanes. The first one sets the place and the theme and they go from there." Brilliant.

Hear Peter reading the below letter here. Hear the song that goes with it here.

17th of June 2009
Over the Great Lakes

Dear Edgar-

Last week your father and I hooked up trailers behind our bicycles, and trundled you and your sister into them over your initial strident protests. Then we all rode twelve miles along the Hank Aaron trail, down by the ballpark and through the Menominee River valley. As we rode along, I marveled, as I often do, at these extraordinary machines, which allowed us to cover the distance at a brisk but relaxed clip in a little over an hour.

But that is nothing: courtesy of a very different machine, I am at this moment hurtling Eastward, eight miles over Ontario -- over land, and water, and little herds of cumulus clouds far below.

Further, I am writing this letter with yet another machine; a mechanical pencil that would have flipped DaVinci’s wig. And who knows what he would have made of the pocket-sized computer that is currently playing a Bach sonata through tiny speakers hidden in my ears...

Oh, the gadgetry! To make this recording, these amazing sounds must have leapt from an Italian violin, into a German microphone, to be rendered as ones and zeros somewhere in the dark of a Japanese hard drive.

And I wonder, did Bach write these notes down with a goose quill? With ink made from [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Not unlike the rest of the world, Outlandos HQ has had Michael Jackson on perpetual replay. RIP the King.

1. Michael Jackson, Thriller



I'd forgotten what a monster album this was. I'd also forgotten [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

I can't say this enough. Assume everyone's a lazy idiot. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to find you. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to care. Make it as EASY AS POSSIBLE for me to give you my money.

No matter what your business (musicians included), it's your job to go out and find fans. Assume that they otherwise won't find you. So while putting up a website is nice, who cares? It's nothing if you can't get people to GO TO IT and BUY YOUR SHIT. Newsletters, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc... if you're still pooh-poohing any of these, wake the fuck up (and then call me).

Because it's not enough to just get out there... you have to lure your fans in [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

As always, taking our cue from Seth Godin... the idea being that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we're a tribe connected by a vibe... hence, this month's compendium:

1. Good Pairings

Simply put:

... and my guess is, many of you do as well. Which is why we are implementing something new on The Daily Dose starting next month. A wine and cheese pick each day to go with each pair of songs, stemming from our idea of making music tactile again. Spearheading the tasty tastemaking will be Chris Stamey bassist and Whole Foods specialty cheese buyer/wine expert John Chumbris. Cheers!

2. Good Filters

Naturally, that's in part what we aim to be with The Daily Dose. A trusted resource to cut through the noise for you. SmartBrief on Social Media has the same goal (they make my life easier every single day) and were nice enough to publish our piece on the value of emotional value last week. Invaluable exposure. Thanks Smarties! [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Every year I give my public radio station $100. It's not much but essentially, they guilt me into it. But what's more, I get something in exchange. Yes, there's the programming. But that's not the only reason why I give them money that, to be honest, as a fledgling entrepreneur, I frankly just don't have. One fund drive a year, early in the summer, they ply me with an incentive I can't refuse: two tickets to any Philadelphia Orchestra concert I choose at SPAC (my favorite venue in the world). What's more is you can bring a picnic, a bottle of wine, meet up with friends, sprawl out on a blanket and gaze up at the stars --- to the soundtrack of literally, some of the finest musicians in the world. It's become a tradition. An experience that, altogether, is worth the $100, if not more.

What's interesting is that they (public radio) go back to this well (my pocket) every year. And it never dries up. They are masterful. They have me (and my credit card) without reserve.

Two essential things are at play here. First and foremost [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest Post this week from another one of my faves, Salim Nourallah (who you heard on The Daily Dose 05/18/09) and who's been on tour in Europe recently:

dear Europe

thank you for these past 3 weeks
thank you for your lush green fields
nicely manicured highways
friendly people
bowls of cheese
castles
thank you for Casa Buskies and the Astra Stubbe in Hamburg
Basti
Gunther
Matthias
Lars
thank you for their smiles and hand clapping
thank you for Berlin and the double-decker bus tour
the Hotel Adina were I swear David Bowie must also stay
whenever he visits Berlin
thank you for the great Italian food we ate while the rain poured
thank you for making the rain stop in time for us to walk back to the Adina
thank you for Potsdam and the Sanssouci Palace
for the beautiful weather that day and plenty of time before Magdeburg
thank you for Jan and his nice comment about buying Nourallah Brothers 10 years ago
thank you for mysteriously fixing my video camera
for the Atlanta Hotel (instead of another dive!) in Neukirchen-Vluyn (where else?)
for Marcus at Kulturrampe in Krefeld
and the German fan who said he was attending Eastwood High
in El Paso in 1978
thank you for the Ulenspeigel in Giessen
and the nice promoter Toby who is going to Kansas soon
thank you for the Café NUN in Karlsruhe
the perfect sound and audience
my friend Mark and his family at the ex-convent
the man in the front row who said he loved all my records
and requested “It’s Not Enough”
thank you for scenic and peaceful Bacharach
our room in the tower
our walk up to the Castle
the nice lady who gave Gavin hot chocolate
Castle Burg Eltz and the knight show from Gavin
thank you Rastatte and Aachen plus a packed house
all the people smiling and singing along with me
for the 3rd time in 4 years now
thank you for letting me see my friends Jan and Walter again
and also for G to have a chance to play with Henri
thank you for our safe and pleasant drive to the South of France
and for our friends Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby
Le Lawrence D’Arabie and the great pizza from Nico and Sabine
Emmanual and his enthusiasm for the Clash and Gavin’s Wreckless E t-shirt
thank you for all the people who bought t-shirts and cds
and even asked for me to sign them [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

The Tribune has the story.

I knew Jay a bit (John was my boyfriend at the time) during his Wilco years, my favorite Wilco years; the Jay years.

Straight-ahead guitar-rock Wilco will always be my Wilco: Monday, I Got You (At the End of the Century), Outtasite (Outta Mind), I even loved Summerteeth, which almost no one did. And while Spiders (Kidsmoke) is definitely on my top 100 of all time [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Apparently, all shameless self-promotion all the time... which means no list for you this week folks. In part because what actually has been playing at Outlandos HQ, nonstop, is our little labor of love, The Daily Dose. Click the big ole fat white arrow below to hear today's two songs, in sequence. You'll see. It's kind of like bite-sized, old-school radio. Heads up that while listening, you can also purchase the songs via Amazon or iTunes (when available) by clicking their respective icons. For more info about each song/artist/album [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Dear Lameass Tweeps (self included),

You narcissistic bores. 140 characters or less (you'd think the limit would force creativity) and still the mundane prevails:

@lefsetz: Passing through Mohave

@oprah: Headed to Maya's for dinner

@outlandosmusic: Star Trek here we come!

#YAWN.

But still, we keep at it... a challenge, a game of sorts: can one be consistently compelling in so few words?

Just in case any of us presumed self-indulgent thought pollution was limited to the young & hip... Nielsen's recent poll has 49% of Twits 35+ equally bedazzled by the truncated screen and it's willy-nilly, up-to-the-minute broadcast ennui. Fascinating. Wisdom still doesn't necessarily come with age nor, apparently, with short, concise language (a.k.a. less vs. more).

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest Post this week from Bree Sharp (remember Bree?) whose new project with Outlandos darling Don DiLego, Beautiful Small Machines, came as a surprise to even them. It's fun. It's pop. It's dance. Apparently, it's even humpy. And they even got Simon Le Bon to hop in on it. No kidding. Take it away Bree...

Dear Closet Door Frame Humpers,

Although you may be humping the door frame of your closet, I am, however, referring to the clandestine nature of your habit, and not the location of it. You may be humping your closet door frame, your kitchen door frame, bathroom door frame, the door frame of your neighbor's attic, or favorite local restaurant vestibule door frame; either way, you're out there and you know what you're doing. And i'll tell you something...

I'm into it.

Big time.

So much so that I'm currently making a comprehensive documentary on the subject and using some of the footage for my next video.

Because I know that late at night, when Master Shake, Xander Crews, and Jan and Wayne Skylar have gone to bed... Or early in the morning when the first of five daily showings of "A Few Good Men" is starting to air on TBS... Or midday when you can hear Spanish radio drifting into your room from cars driving by four stories down as the first of spring's breezes blows in... I know you're thinking about it. Splinters be damned!

But you know, I'm not here to judge. I'm going gray and i still use Proactiv. So what can I say? It's an imperfect world. However, I can share with you this:

So far my research shows that while little is known about you, DFH (Door Frame Humper) and your growing phenomenon, it is thought that the humping is not necessarily sexual in nature and is mostly executed while the humper is, in fact, clothed It is also thought that age does not play a role in determining who will be a DFH and that participants are reported to be as young as pre-adolescents and as old as nonagenarians. Duration of the hump seems to be indiscriminate as well and can last anywhere from a few seconds to several hours (although the latter is supposedly much more rare and thought only to be present among DFH's who are single or unemployed).

My thought for today: research what the cow's milk (that is meant to turn a 50 pound calf into a 400 pound cow in 60 days) is doing to your body. And then maybe ask yourself how much space you think one chicken needs from another chicken before they start pecking each other out of madness. And when the answers blow your mind, go hump a door frame. But you know, it's just a thought...

For the DFH neophyte i've compiled the following small list of "Music- To-Hump-Door-Frames-To" suggestions: [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

The latest spinning at Outlandos HQ...

1. Mike Gent, Mike Gent

A pop masterpiece. Seriously. It's easy, it's smart, it's fun, AND it has balls. Speaking of, Mike's other band, The Figgs, has long been one of my favorite live outfits. Read more here. Hear it here. Buy it here.

2. Found, Let Fidelity Break

Scottish outfit. Couldn't get enough of them in Austin. This is off their new EP, The Fidelities EP. Quirky, catchy, techno psychedelia. And funnily/sadly, occasionally relatable. Hear it here. Buy it here.

[...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

As always, the idea is that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we're a tribe connected by vibe... hence, this month's economic self-stimulus compendium: 1. Razor Saver [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

The biggest idea I came out of SxSW with this year was that free is dead. Over. Overdone. We killed it. Because so much is free online, we expect it; where's the value in that? It seems to me that the folks in Austin weren't quite on this one yet... even SxSWi keynote speakers Guy Kawasaki and Chris Anderson seemed slow to the punch [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from an astounding singer-songwriter who mysteriously remains relatively unknown (working on fixing that!), my friend Michael Miller. Dear Hearts, I have a friend who constantly asks me how to be happy [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

As always, the idea is that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we’re a tribe connected by vibe… hence, this month’s compendium: 1. Nerdcore [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Good lord, perhaps the longest week of my life. It's kind of like camp. With no sleep. And lots of drinking. Predominant thoughts for me this year were: 1. Ach, my back is killing me... who knew that a top-tier hotel like the Driskill would have the worst beds ever. I slept on the floor all week. 2. Where is Glasvegas playing? (I saw them three times. Super-fan alert!) 3. Crap, I forgot to eat [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Day 2 for me here in Austin, surviving fairly painlessly thus far. Let's just say that the interactive folks are perhaps a little less wild and crazy then the music crowd. Case in point, this year's festival goodie bags: Highlight item in the interactive bag, a mysterious petite blue keychain-sweat sock --- in the music bag, let's cut straight to the chase [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

So it's off to Austin, Texas for me this Saturday. Going all-out this year for a 10 day stint, covering interactive, film & music at SxSW. If you've been before, you get that this is a fairly brave undertaking. Which is why I've got tons of Emergen-C, Tylenol, and eye-cream ready to go with. And I purchased an iPhone over the weekend to make it easier to navigate all those texts, etc., I feel so 21st century! God damn [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from co-lead singer Philip Price of Winterpills, who I shamelessly adore, as you know. dear hole in my head through which the foul winds of winter blow [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Ooooo! New record! No word on official release date. But you can hear tracks here. At first listen, I Will/With You, Everything’s Gone, Losin’ You, likey. She’s sultry, she’s wicked. Dangerously lovely combination. If you haven’t heard any of her older stuff before, buy all of it. Seriously [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

As always, the idea is that what unites us is more than music, an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. The point is, we're a tribe connected by vibe... hence, this month's compendium: [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Hell, the Grammys prove that year after year. Obviously, you don't have to make very good music and people will buy it. It can even be downright terrible. Here's why: Sure, the Internet leveled the playing ground for a lot of us but it also muddied the waters; now, everyone's an off-the-couch artist, writer, photographer, musician. Hence, content, i.e. music, is everywhere [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from a new fave artist (who I can't shut up about) Chris Velan. AND... he's Canadian :-):

Dear Frozen Winter Lake (a.k.a. Lac Mercier),

While you’re out there in the dark, crusted over with ice and snow, I’m in this warm lake chalet, cheered on by the requisite crackly fireplace. In this part of the world [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Who knew that's how it would turn out. I was in for the biggest rockstar moment of my life. Bigger than Andy even. I started out on the Sunday before, January 18, hopping the train down to DC which, miraculously, was on time. That alone seemed like a pretty good omen. Once we pulled into Union Station, as luck would have it, our train parked right alongside the vintage train that [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Well folks, please forgive the less than thoughtful musing this week. Still digging out from the holidays! Plus, it's my birthday on Friday (shameless self-promotion). And then it's off to DC for the inauguration! In the meantime, this is perhaps the funniest thing I've watched in the long time, oh my GAWD: [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from a new fave, singer-songwriter Denison Witmer (his 2008 CD Carry the Weight made the Cut through the Noise Top 10). Astounding [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Before we get to the list, a little self-indulgent get-to-know-me holiday montage.... Full disclosure, last year I actually set my parents house on fire Christmas Eve. No one was injured. The Harrington's ham was saved. We had to do a lot of cleaning though... damn, oven smoke is insipid. This year, however, although we did set off some smoke alarms, it was all for a good cause [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

2 feet of fluffy snow here in upstate New York this week and we are freezing our bums off. But I don't think that's what this week's guest post-er, Greg MacAteer, means. To take a page from Lefsetz, what would Christmas be without a holiday rant? Not to worry, Greg's a softy in the end: [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

This list shouldn't surprise you much, for those of you who've been keeping up. In no particular order (isn't that annoying), my favorite 10 albums of 2008. The main criteria being how long they spent in the car. Scientific. One quick diversion though, here's what I did Monday morning on the road in North Hampton (that's me filming) [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Naturally, it's been mostly Christmas music this time of year. Unavoidable. Although I used to try. Now, I'm more of the "can't beat 'em, join 'em" type. All-in. In very much a Griswold kind of way [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from yet another one of my favorites (can’t help it), Australian singer-songwriter Shane Nicholson. Buy his records. All of them.

Dear Pluto,

I’ve been thinking for a while now, that possibly you are finding it extremely cold and lonely out there at the edge of the solar system. Not to mention, with the time it takes you to orbit the sun, the years must surely feel to be moving very slowly [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

This month’s brief compendium of music/music-lifestyle related whatnot --- as it pertains to our tribal interests: a tribal shortlist. First things first [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

First, best e-mail I got last week (a haiku-ish reply). From my friend Philip Price of Winterpills, who've been on this list before:

sorry. election time got crazy. i had volunteered. what a time.

i drank too much.

then my hard drive crashed and i temporarily lost everything. but i found it. [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Perhaps I'm in denial. Yesterday while hearing "Stormy Weather" on Marketplace (yet again), I actually stuck my fingers in my ears and sang, "La La La La La Laahhhhhhhh! There's plenty of money and plenty of people who want to give it to ME!" Yep. I really did. Oh, I'm not completely delusional. I've got a 401(k is for KILLJOY). But just think. NO ONE ever hits a home run thinking "I suck" [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from Irish singer-songwriter and one of the nicest musicians I know, Colin Devlin of the Devlins. Look for his solo project A Democracy of One out 2009 (yay!).

Dear Kate,

i'm really not sure what to write in this guest blog, there seems to be too many people writing so much crap on the internet i'm not sure if anything i have to say is going to improve this situation! the election, the war in Iraq, the economy [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

First things first. THANK YOU for your feedback regarding The Daily Dose. Please do keep it coming because we can only achieve world domination together. I'm totally serious. That said, our winner is (through random selection) [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Who knew that when I moved to Saugerties, New York (think Big Pink) a few years ago that my next-door neighbor would be founding psychedelic art legend Isaac Abrams? Far out. And miraculously, close by. Just in the converted antique auction house loft adjacent to ours. Yes, I’ve borrowed sugar[...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Likely, you've occasionally wondered what exactly it is we do here at Outlandos Music (other than blog). The easy answer is that we've been plotting and scheming to remedy a lot of the stuff you hear me bitching and moaning about each week. Actually, the plotting and scheming was over ages ago [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Here's what's been keeping me company as of late: Lizzie Grant, Gramma SparkalerTrailerHeaven [sic]. Who is this girl? Un-freaking-believable. Don't let the bad graphics scare you away [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Guest post this week from one of my closest pals, musician, painter, fashionista, and all-around wickedly wonderful guy, Karl Mullen: Dear Kate, Thanks for the request to be a guest blogger. This is my first .... though back in the late 70's early 80's as an illegal alien I played in the punk band Carsickness under the nom de guerre ‘Joe Bloggs'. But that was old schooling blogging,....... ‘banging and shouting like a kid gone wrong' ....remember Patrik Fitzgerald? I had his record which was LP size so we used play it at 33 speed until some sober [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists. 

Perhaps it's inherently American, this idea that you CAN have it your way, an innate sense of entitlement --- even arrogance --- that, on the one hand, has its merits (the very foundation of our constitution, for example). A preemptory bumption perpetuated by Democracy. Capitalism. The American Dream. Liberal Arts degrees. Starbucks, among other things. So that on the other hand, it's this very country-born hubris/desire which induces the most insipid sort of denial, known to induce fabricated reworkings of reality from weapons of mass destruction to bedtime [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists. 

Folks, I'm slackin' on you this week. Truth be told, I'm neck-deep in writing a business model and let's just say that crunching numbers: not my favorite. So instead of the usual musings, I'll be following my own <advice. Here goes: "Before any of you start a band, or join a band, or aid or abet a band, it is better by far that you pump gas for sub-sub-minimum wage, fish pennies out [<...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of <Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists. 

Oops! I forgot last month... here's what was spinning at the Outlandos headquarters. You know the drill. Some of it new. Some of it new-ish. Some of it just plain new to me. And then there's the old and the just because.... Eef Barzelay, <Lose Big <Clem Snide front-man/main-man back with another solo project. Holy crap, it's amazing. Intense, smart, a masterpiece of sorts. Could Be Worse (reminds me of The Smithereens), The Girls Don't Care, Take Me, Apocalyptic Friend, Me No, I Love the Unknown. <Buy it. NPR, <DNC Astounding coverage, and since [<...]

LETTERS FROM THE ROAD: Jon Pousette-Dart

Guest post this week from legendary singer-songwriter and one of the best musicians I know, Jon Pousette-Dart.

Dear Wandering Musicians,

A few thoughts, from a road well traveled. The truly great thing about music, is that it transcends everything that is passing by. In the end, the ones who were focused on what they should be, the song, remain standing. Any young man who tells you he didn’t pick up the guitar to get laid [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Seriously. Even I'm over it. Not the novelty of Guitar Hero (God willing, that'll never wear off).... Rain forests, black rhinos, the ozone layer; now that shit needs saving. But the music industry? Puh-leeze [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

TRIBAL SHORTS

Certainly, what unites us here at Cut Through the Noise is music...but it's more than that...more than just something that goes on between your ears. It's an axiology that extends from the music to our music-lover lifestyles: how we vote, what we drive, what we eat, what we wear, etc. We are a tribe [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

FAHRVERGNÜGEN

I love driving. The freedom to just go, $4/gallon be damned. Inherently and wonderfully American, isn't it? But as carbon-footprint-conscious as I like to think I am (and although I've never [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

LETTERS FROM THE ROAD: ASHTON ALLEN

Guest Post this week from one of my favorite artists, Ashton Allen: Dear Music Industry, So, I have a question. I'm confused. Ok, so you got Miley Cyrus, right? And then there's Hannah Montana. Buuuuuut...ok wait. Are they the same person? Cause umm, one's a brunette annnnd...the other's blonde annnnd....but....I heard it was the same girl....but then I was thinking...wow...I guess that's working out well for her ...or them..or...her dad [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

THE NEW NEW

We just have to like it.

Great music isn’t always obvious. Think of it like this. Chances are (to quote a former colleague), your favorite song didn't become your favorite because you only heard it once. Which perhaps is why Coca-Cola --- arguably one of the most famous brands of all-time --- still advertises. Why then, if there's a decent band, critically acclaimed even, under the radar but the real deal... here comes release date, folks make a lot of noise... the record drops, it's great and [read more...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

R.I.P. ARTIE TRAUM

I AGE, THEREFORE I ROCK (STILL)

Rock against ageism.

Ageism is what it is. And I'm not talking about teenage-backlash or a twentysomething's glib naïveté.  Most of it comes from within; sabotaged by our own kind. Think about it. It's not that we grown-ups ever lost interest in music. Music (as dictated by industry mafiosi, radio, media, etc.) lost interest in US. [More...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

NOW PLAYING JULY 2008

What's on the air in Outlandos...

More or less the same deal as before: a list of music/music-related whatnot worth mentioning.  Some of it new.  Some of it new-ish.  Some of it just plain new to me.  And then there's the old and the [more...]

A Triple-A radio programmin g veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

FANS 2.0

In some cases, video really does kill the radio star.

My favorite band is old and ugly.

Or at least that’s the case for my favorite member. Harsh, I know. But compared to today’s annoyingly skinny, nubile poster-boys of rock, I could care less… in my minds’ eye, he’s hot, hot, hot. Oh, and also one hell of a guitar player. Call me smitten. Read more...

A Triple-A radio programmin g veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentati on of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

STRIPPING IT DOWN

'Nuff said.

As an industry insider, whining, while overrated, is mandatory. So here goes: radio sucks, labels are greedy, people have no taste, musicians are short on talent, and yes, Ticketmaster is demonic. Wah [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

POP. FOR REAL.

There is such a thing as good pop.

When the June issue of Real Simple arrived, I tore through it, my inner (and hopefully hipper and better dressed) Martha Stewart unfettered by the wistful yet impractical thoughts that such [read more…]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.