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(11/09/18 7:31pm)
As college radio DJs, we’re often told how much of an impact our airplay has on the music industry. What we find out for ourselves is the impact it has on our local community.
Mark Lyvers embodied this community as Uncle Gram, the host of Red Bank Bar and Grill. For more than 20 years, Uncle Gram gained a following in Columbia and beyond playing Americana music to loyal listeners. The show first aired in 1978 – until his retirement Lyvers saw the station through some of it’s most vital historic moments: the shutdown of 1995, the WUSC feature in Rolling Stone Magazine and the infamous world record for simultaneous yo-yoing. He watched the station become what it is today, influencing nearly every DJ he crossed paths with along the way.
When the time came for him to hang up his headphones in 2015, it became even more clear to us how much Red Bank Bar and Grill had woven itself into the Columbia community. Mark witnessed a lot of history at WUSC, but more importantly he made history. His show was a constant in a market known for its inconsistencies, and a presence like his is not something that most college radio stations can claim to have.
This is why every WUSC disc jockey - past and present – felt the weight of his death this August. DJs like Mark keep our station’s identity rooted in our history and community, and WUSC will remember and honor Uncle Gram for years to come.
Tomorrow morning WUSC will host a final tribute to Uncle Gram Tupelo on air from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friends and fans alike are invited to tune in and listen as his family, fellow DJs, musicians and dearest friends gather in-studio - as he often did - and "play tribute" to Uncle Gram.
How our DJs and listeners remember Uncle Gram:
Mark—Uncle Gram Tupelo—and I crossed paths a lot by sharing Americana artists who passed through Columbia, mainly those who appeared at folk venues, on our respective radio stations, WUSC and WQXL. There was never any kind of "competition" but mutual sharing and respect for the artists we enjoyed, since Americana was for "The Red Bank Bar and Grill," and Christian folk was for WQXL. Mark and I really loved seeing each other at the concerts, and he was the most genuine guy you could ever meet!
He was truly one of the good guys. I never heard him speak an ill word about anyone. He was positive and reticent and spoke when he meant it and he always meant well. The word for him - in my mind - is FIDELITY. In his music, his friendship, his deep and sweet love for his wife, whom he always called "BabyDoll," and his family. He was a treasure I am so fortunate to have known.
In my second semester at WUSC, in the late ‘90s, I lucked into snagging the show that followed Uncle Gram’s, and I’m forever grateful for that. Mark’s knowledge of all genres of music, his appreciation for his listeners, his professionalism on the air, and his welcoming persona off it are traits that many young DJs and I could aspire to but probably never equal. He turned me on to many artists that I might not have discovered otherwise, and he is the main reason I set out to do an Americana show many years later. I’m fortunate to have been able to call him a friend.
He was always so generous with the undergraduate DJs. I filled in for him a few times, and I knew I seriously had to step up my game to come close to his listeners’ standards. One show was a tribute to Gram Parsons, and another was to Jeff Tweedy. (Uncle Gram’s) influence was immense, and his show kicked ass.
I never had the pleasure of getting to meet Uncle Gram, but his impact on WUSC and the Columbia community through his love and dedication to Americana is unquestionable. WUSC will fondly remember him and all that he did for college radio in Columbia.
Uncle Graham was the epitome of WUSC-FM alumni DJ. His was the second longest running alumni show and he was one of the anchors of the station, those voices that were there year in, year out. You could count on hearing his voice every Saturday morning when you tuned in. He was a bright voice on the bright point on the dial.
Jordan Smith
(11/08/18 2:28pm)
WUSSY Bios - Carly Mihovich
Weekly Updated Staff Spotlights of the Year, or WUSSY Bios, is a weekly column where we highlight the station’s fantastic DJs through a short, informal interview. For our first WUSSY Bio of the year, get to know Carly Mihovich!
Carly Mihovich, “Car Car Binks” on The Feminine Musique, Tuesdays 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Hometown: Greenville, SC
Major & Minor: International Studies, Social Work
When did you join WUSC?
Fall semester, 2018
How would you describe your show?
Women. Mostly. Sometimes a man for good measure - some seasoning. It’s a bunch of indie shit and it’s pop. I don’t know. Like a quintessential teen-movie soundtrack. But also some sad stuff.
Any other hobbies?
Rock climbing. I do art. And swimming.
CD or vinyl?
Neither please!
Favorite artist you’ve found from rotation?
I’m still looking for them.
Most memorable WUSC moment?
We did karaoke and Caleb [last year’s Station Manager] did Sinatra - and that made me lose my mind.
What’s your secret pleasure band/artist/genre?
I love musicals, but it’s not a secret! I literally adore musicals.
One thing you want people to know about you?
I want to remain anonymous.
(11/02/18 9:01pm)
Come support WUSC and local artists in our Fundraiser Kick Off Show by listening to some great tunes from Slush, Smoke Detector, and John Bias!!!
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Tickets - $8
Doors - 9:00pm
Music - 9:30pm
Slush
https://slvsh.bandcamp.com/releases
Smoke Detector
https://smokedetector.bandcamp.com/
John Bias
https://johnbias.bandcamp.com/
(10/23/18 7:48pm)
(10/08/18 4:00pm)
Cam Cokas is an up-and-coming independent artist from Raleigh, NC who reminds listeners what music is really all about. From an early age, Cam was drawn to the piano, and by age eight began experimenting and writing his own instrumentals. Since then, he has evolved into a singer/songwriter, collaborating with other young artists, including his twin brother. Inspired by iconic artists such as Billy Joel, Bon Iver, Ed Sheeran and James Blake, Cam’s music draws on R&B and pop influences, producing tracks with rich, deep vocals, emotionally charged yet simple lyrics, and rich beats you could sink your teeth into.
I had the chance to interview Cam and learn about his journey as a musical artist.
When/how did you begin to view music as something more than just a hobby?
When I was in 9th grade I started to take music a little more seriously and really wanted to make an album, but I wasn't really a singer. Also, I didn't have any producers or money for that either. So, I decided to produce it myself on Garageband... In 11th grade, I started playing at open mics and getting paid shows and that's really when my singing became part of my music so yeah! I'd lug around my 50 pound keyboard and play around Raleigh/Wake Forest. Yeah, I’m glad I started doing that!
What do you want to accomplish as an artist?
My goals as an artist are to express myself and my feelings towards certain situations and emotions as well as create something that is therapeutic for people including myself. I also like to make people dance! So, I’ll usually put my songs over danceable beats. I want to be able to make people emotional all while having them bounce up and down…so, yeah.
I hope to bring authenticity to the music industry because it's full of a lot of s*** played for 10 year olds which is what makes the labels money. I'm all about truth and what sounds good to me. The second I start making music for my fanbase or for the general public, that's the moment I fail myself and everyone as an artist. I will continue to develop and improve and money isn't going to drive that… people shouldn't be out here just for the money!
What projects did you enjoy creating most or feel most connected to?
My favorite project to work on was me and my brothers recent collaborative project called "Out the Blue" which has production and singing from me and rapping from Zack! … It definitely has something for everyone with a heavy Atlanta trap influence! Also, I'm very connected to my song "Upset" because it just flowed out of me within an hour when I was recording and writing it. I just felt all of the lyrics and it was super simple for me, which is nice.
While studying music production at UNCA, Cam Cokas is currently working on his biggest project yet – a full album written and produced by him with featured artists from both Raleigh and Asheville. It is set to release in late October. He also plans to start doing more live shows in the future.
In the meantime, you can listen to Cam on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.
By Jessica Gustines
(09/11/18 10:43pm)
Dark Entries was born in the spring of 2009 to release out of print and unreleased underground music as well as contemporary bands. A project of Josh Cheon, a vinyl-focused DJ and collector, Dark Entries takes great care in preserving sound quality and respecting the aesthetics of its artists. All of their releases are a carry over from the DIY days of the 1980s independent record labels.
(09/04/18 7:07pm)
Single Review
J.S. Terry - "The Unmistakable Sound of a Heart Beating in Love" (Self-Released)
Folk can be predictable, cliché, and safe. Even for a fan of the genre like myself, it can be enjoyable, but not substantive. But when folk is done right? It can be breathtaking.
Indie folk artist, local Twitter celebrity, and king of long song and album names, J.S. Terry hits all the right notes in his single “The Unmistakable Sound of a Heart Beating in Love,” from his sophomore album, And You Loom Over Me Like a Mountain.
Jonah Terry’s self-branded “feral folk” has been fine-tuned over the years as his project developed from a solo bedroom act into a culmination of the talented members of The Pablo Generation, a music collective based in Clemson, South Carolina.
For full disclosure, I admit I’m friends with Terry and know a few members of his backing band. I also admit that I was worried it would be hard to write an unbiased review because of this. But then I listened to the single, and Terry’s talent speaks for itself.
“The Unmistakable Sound of a Heart Beating in Love” is J.S. Terry at his best. It’s immediately captivating – it’s polished, but unique and enjoyably messy at the same time. Its melody is unpredictable, as it experiments with its own sound every second. Because of this, it’s never boring and invites countless repeat listens. Each member of Terry’s backing band also performs the hell out of the song – I especially enjoyed Dan Fetterolf on violin – and their backing provides listeners a sense of urgency on top of the story being told. Terry’s vocals are warm and clean, and the voices of the “mischievous beings” frolicking in the background were a nice creative touch. The entire arrangement gave me Where the Wild Things Are vibes in the best way possible (remember that movie? It was weird).
The single also affirms what the freshman album Rose already proved to his fans: Terry’s greatest strength is in his lyrical ability. His power to string together a wistful story about loss and one’s inability to move on from the memory of a loved one is what grounds his otherworldly music. As the song unpacks these complicated emotions, there’s never a feeling that it’s contrived. Just like him, J.S. Terry’s music is entirely genuine.
“The Unmistakable Sound of a Heart Beating in Love” is the kind of music you want to run in a field to. It’s music you want to go on a road trip to, and music you want to fall in love to. And as I hit replay for the hundredth time, I realize it’s the music I want to finish this review to. My expectations for this single were high, as they are for every project coming out of The Pablo Generation. J.S. Terry didn’t just exceed them, though: he created something entirely new, and proved he knows exactly how to make folk go right.
Stream J.S. Terry’s single “The Unmistakable Sound of a Heart Beating in Love” off the album And You Loom Over Me Like a Mountain now on all major streaming platforms.
By Carly Mihovich
(08/30/18 10:20pm)
Come train to become a certified WUSC DJ in Russell House Room 305!
(08/30/18 10:18pm)
Come train to become a certified WUSC DJ in Russell House Room 305!
(08/30/18 10:15pm)
Ever been told you have a great face for radio??? Doesn't matter come join us in Russell House Room 302 to learn how to join the self proclaimed greatest college radio station in the southeast ;)
(08/30/18 10:14pm)
Ever been told you have a great face for radio??? Doesn't matter come join us in Russell House Room 302 to learn how to join the self proclaimed greatest college radio station in the southeast ;)
(08/23/18 1:37am)
Album Review
Mitski - Be the Cowboy (Dead Oceans)
Mitski makes it look easy. Whether it be her lyrics, her voice or the way she weightlessly jumps around on stage during live performances, every aspect of performance seems to flow effortlessly into the next. Her compositional skills have put her in the spotlight as one of the most advanced songwriters of our time, and her newest album, Be the Cowboy, only solidifies her reputation. Stepping away from indie rock roots, Mitski floats into an entirely different sonic realm that only she could exist in.
A bold leap from her earlier work, Be the Cowboy proves that today’s innovators belong in the realm of pop music. Once buried in distortion, Mitski’s smooth vocals shine over glamorous synthesizers, jittery disco guitar and a newfound confidence that shows her melancholic lyrics in a new and brighter light. The shift in sound takes her out of the ever-diluted arena of indie-rock and into the forefront of the slow but sure return to disco-infused pop. From the wobbly synths on “Why Didn’t You Stop Me” to the romantic static of “Pink in the Night” her ambitious exploration into this new territory pays off with a perfected balance – her persona, while somewhat restrained, is radiant. She is vulnerable yet poised, forlorn yet independent, at the mercy of her lovers yet totally in control.
Lyrically, the record is similarly confessional to her previous releases. Mitski has always been an exceptional songwriter, and Be the Cowboy is no different. However, the tone of her words has taken a subtle change of direction. Where her lyrics were once diary-level specific to her own experiences, they are now artfully crafted to to showcase both personal experience and relatability. While hard-hitting lines like “Just how many stars will I need to hang around me / to finally call it heaven?” and “Nobody butters me up like you / and nobody fucks me like me” can be found on every track, there is a simultaneous lightheartedness that pervades the record. Rather than basking in her own loneliness, she channels her woes into a polished pop that is universally danceable.
Lyrically, compositionally and sonically, Be the Cowboy pushes every possible boundary it can, making it Mitski's most powerful album to date. Undoubtedly, Mitski has found her voice with unwavering aplomb. As she teases her new sleek persona, she lifts herself to epic heights of stardom without sacrificing her grounded outlook. She's expressed before that artists are not special or different than everyone else and writes with this in mind, the result an anthemic record that anyone can empathize with. Choosing to embrace self-assurance amidst heartbreak, Mitski sensationally gives us all the confidence we need to be the cowboy, whatever that may mean.
by Jordan Smith
(08/21/18 7:27am)
Our second annual muffin eating contest with Mad Yum Muffins will be at Soda City Saturday, October 27th from 10am - 12pm! Make sure to come out and for more details visit the facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/events/250608475652201/
(08/21/18 7:25am)
Back to School showcase with all of student media!!!
WUSC information table will be set up on Greene Street and tours through the station will be given
(08/16/18 2:49am)
(08/12/18 9:55pm)
Back to school party at Tapps!
Doors at 8 // Music at 8:30
$7 admission
John Bias
https://johnbias.bandcamp.com
Psychedelic sounds from Charleston, SC
"A man known to many as just Q. This is what he spends most of his free time doing, just Q-ing around. Music fun times!"
Spud Cannon
https://spudcannon.bandcamp.com
Sloppy Kiss Rock from Poughkeepsie, NY
"Spud Cannon wears fur to the party, brings summertime to the coldest winter day, and makes you move like you haven't before."
(08/09/18 6:33am)
(08/09/18 6:32am)
(08/08/18 8:44pm)
ARTIST: Wire TITLE: 154 YEAR: 1979 LABEL: EMI/Harvest/Warner Bros.
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After forming in 1976 and releasing their debut album Pink Flag in the epicenter of the first wave punk movement, Wire were originally pigeonholed as another punk outfit amongst a plethora of bands either being it or trying to be it. Pink Flag was Wire's entrance into a world they really didn't care for. Wire began as a group who wanted to fuse their passions for music and art into a new channel and while their creativity did set them apart from their contemporaries, being amongst this wave of new and exciting punk bands who were being scooped up by the national media brought the realisation that Wire could be something more than a punk band who had a few catchy hits. This dwelling in the midst of punk absurdity surely gave them a reason to morph Wire into a band with a concept beyond sticking two fingers up at the system and dressing to offend. This notion was clear due to the difference in sound in their second album Chairs Missing (1978) as they introduced synthesizers and developed their song structure into something more cerebral than a two-chord riff and a sing-a-long chorus.
154 is a matured product of both their sound and the environment in which they created it. It is a product which is considered the climax of their original trilogy of albums. Wire's collective interest in 60's Psychedelic Rock and German electronic music, as well as minimalist and abstract art clearly influenced their musical output to be a calculated process with a desire to produce something they could be proud of that would stand the test of time, rather than to be another English band playing punk music in a market becoming quickly over-saturated with safety pins and glue.
In February 1979, a few months before 154's release, Wire played the well-known Rockpalast in Cologne, Germany. They mostly played a mixture of material from Chairs Missing and 154 in support of the new record. There were no flashy gimmicks or fashion statements and no speeches between songs, just a small audience who weren't really sure what they were witnessing or whether they should understand it. The songs on 154 drew further away in structure from the regular verse-chorus-bridge-chorus formula that was prevalent in 90% of music in rotation on the rock and punk airwaves. 154 has certain callbacks to the punk brashness of Pink Flag mixed with melodic basslines and the experimental element of the synthesizer use and guitar effects. When analysing 154 alongside the previous two albums, it's clear to see the learning curve as they blurred the lines of which genre they fit into. They have been a profound influence on bands across the spectrum of rock genre's, from My Bloody Valentine to Minor Threat, who have both recorded and released covers of Wire songs.
Stand-out tracks from 154 are Map Ref. 41°N 93°W, I Should Have Known Better and The 15th. This album is catchy yet dissonant, daunting and thought-provoking. Economic instability and the effects of being in the 'No Future' generation perhaps prompted Wire to use their concept and music as their escape. A proverbial escape through crafting surrealist and strange lyrical themes to accompany the soundscape. In an interview after the Rockpalast appearance, singer and guitarist Colin Newman responded to a question about their music being depressing or negative by stating that their music should be "somewhat provoking and somewhat stimulating, even if it stimulates some negative reaction it's better than no reaction at all". It could be argued that the same negative stimuli in their songwriting process would ultimately lead to the band's separation through creative differences, resulting in an almost 8 year hiatus from releasing music.
Although the term 'post-punk' is thrown around a lot these days, with these three albums Wire were truly one of the pioneers of boundary-pushing music in the transition from one golden decade of music into another. Although they eventually reformed in some fashion and continued to release albums up to now, many Wire fanatics consider 154 as the closing statement of one band before they transformed over time into another.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aulVyCui5ss
(154 Full Album)
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By Ross McLean
(08/05/18 3:53pm)
Where It All Began:
Sure, people go nuts over celebs like Beyoncé, Rihanna, or even SZA. They might fantasize about the day they finally get the chance to meet their beloved idol, practicing over and over what they are going to say and how they are going to react. An underground artist usually doesn’t seem to get the same amount of… “clout” as the kids say. But for the people who follow their music and call themselves fans of the culture, these artists are highly ranked. To put it in perspective, Noname is my Beyoncé. From the moment I heard her verse on Chance The Rapper’s Israel I knew I had to figure out who this woman was. I became entranced by the rise and fall of her artistic monotone and knew there was a story there. This curiosity led me to her mixtape entitled Telefone. I became an instant fan. Before long, I knew every word and developed a one-sided friendship with the rapper. I hoped in the back of my mind that someday I’d be privileged enough to meet her.
The Day:
It was the second day of the Pitchfork Music Festival and I was pumped to see acts like Moses Sumney, Berhana, and Kelela. I had no intention of meeting Noname this Saturday since she wasn’t performing until the following day. In fact, I was tired and began to lose hope that I’d even get close. I realized the first day of my coverage that a press pass doesn’t guarantee access to artists. There were still a few layers to get through before meeting an artist of interest. Before the festival, I contacted Noname on Instagram, Facebook, and even went as far as emailing her publicist. I wanted to get a picture with her for WUSC’s blog, and I also wanted to chat with her if possible. It had been two weeks since I reached out and I still hadn’t heard back. I realized that if I had an encounter with Noname, it would either be by chance, or I’d have to make it happen on my own while I was there.
It had begun to rain that day adding to my discouragement but I wouldn’t let myself lose hope. I began to get crafty and made friends with a background vocalist for one of the acts. I decided to do so after watching him finesse his friends backstage with him. When I got the chance, I pulled him aside and asked for some tips. He told me to meet him at Green Stage after his set and he’d see if he could pull some strings. It seemed that things were finally starting to look up! Needless to say, I waited there at Green Stage as my new friend performed his set. I’d gotten tired of the tussle of the crowd and started to feel claustrophobic. There were people pushing, tugging, and jumping senselessly. I weaved my way through several bodies until I was on the outskirts of the massive and rather distracted crowd. Ahhhh fresh air! Once I finally caught my breath, it was snatched away from me once again because I looked up and saw no other than Noname herself.
Is This Really Happening?
She was walking up to Green Stage humbly joining the crowd of fans (many of them her own). She was so casual about the whole thing and was sipping on a beverage while chatting with friends. To my surprise, no one seemed to notice her, and the few people who did played it cool. My heart sunk into my butt and I couldn’t breathe. I had to gather my thoughts and make sense of what was happening. I wanted to play it cool too, but the reality that Noname was standing less than 4 feet away from me, just by chance, seemed too good to be true. Especially after all the hard work I’d put in prior. I think it was at this point that I left my body.
The Moment:
From across the yard I watched myself walk up to my favorite rapper and before I knew it I was standing in front of her. I told her that Telefone had been on repeat since I first heard it and she seemed to think that was funny. Her gaze was intense as she listened to what I was saying. I immediately went on autopilot. I could feel the words coming out of my mouth but I never completely registered what I was saying. I remember them in fragments “Noname"… "WUSC"… "huge fan"…. It was an unreal experience to be that close to the person I listened to in the car, got ready to in the mornings, and meditated to at night. I asked her for a picture and she was happy to take one with me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders as I snapped the pic. She was so kind and welcoming and that helped to make the experience even better. In the distance, I saw others approaching, hoping for their chance to get a picture as well. I can tell she probably just wanted to enjoy her time, and I didn’t want to be a menace so I said goodbye and that was that. It was a very brief encounter, but it meant the absolute world to me. As I walked away in a trance, thinking of how I accomplished exactly what I wanted, it suddenly dawned on me that I forgot to tell her my name. Oh well! I’m sure Noname didn’t even think twice about it. I chuckled at the irony.
By Autumn Smith
@strangefruitphotography