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Notes From the Underground

Radio Free UCSC: Campus hillbillies may hook up with SC Sound to kick down with live local stuff for the kidz WITH THE SANTA CRUZ ESTABLISHMENT making it nearly impossible to put on indie rock and punk shows in this town, it looks like music fans may have to rely on a neighboring sovereign to pipe in live musical propaganda. I'm talking about campus radio station KZSC (88.1 FM). As part of the station's unprecedented wave of support for local music, KZSC will begin broadcasting live bands from its studios on a regular basis. Several bands--including the Muggs, Unsafe and Junk Sick Dawn--already have played live on the hill as guinea pigs before the technical bugs were worked out (not to say they have been). The station is now talking with local equipment company Santa Cruz Sound about an underwriting agreement in which the company would contribute high-quality gear for use in the broadcasts in exchange for on-air acknowledgment of their generosity. Upcoming live music broadcasts will be hosted by the station's two music directors, Matt Peake and Andy Pitman. "We've been pretty busy trying to get all of our scheduling straight, trying to get all the bureaucratic stuff finished and convince all of the village elders that a live broadcast does not equate to anarchy in the USA," Pitman emails. Peake's show (Technophobic Planet) airs Mondays at 8:30pm. Slated for his show are Staple (Jan. 20), Nuzzle (Jan. 27) and The V.S.S. (sometime in Feb.). Pitman's show (Reverend Brady's Rock and Roll Revue) airs on Tuesdays at 8:30pm. Pitman plans to host Buddys Riot (Jan. 21), Exploding Crustaceans (Feb. 4), the What-Nots (Feb. 18) and Sweet Nothing (March 4). Check it out. And these are good radio shows even without the live tunes, so dial 'em in if you get a chance. Bands can send demos to Matt or Andy at KZSC, UCSC, Music Building East, Santa Cruz, 95064. Open Mic Your Mind Word is there are some interesting open mic sessions happening every Wednesday evening at What Is Art?--the little gallery at 2044 North Pacific Ave. It draws an eclectic lot of songwriters, poets and performance artists trying out new material and apparently a pretty full house most weeks. Bring talent (all ages, $2 donation). Rolling Pickles, etc. Slow Gherkin is outta here for a three-week tour through Southern Cal and the Southwest. Good luck, boys, don't lose anybody (there's so damn many of ya!). So ... Heckle came to town on tour from New Jersey to play the alleged Guttermouth show at the Vet's Hall, but nobody ever told them it was canceled (ahem!). Riff Raff bassist Paul Netto saved the day by hosting a last-ditch show at his house. New issues due out pretty soon from You Go, Skamm, Monkey Magnet and Spleen-A-Zine. New 7-inches from Fury 66 and Mock are out on the Sessions label. A new CD is out from Wyrm. New 7-inches coming soon from Riff Raff, Soda Pop Fuck You and, I believe, Reliance. Upcoming On Thursday, the Muggs and Buddys Riot play with Blackjack Action (all ages, $2, look for fliers). On Friday, Hangover, Noah and the Bagels (golly gee, that's a neat name), Abhorrance (and nice speling) and the Young Ones play at 2800 Porter St., Soquel (all ages, $3, 7pm). Wyrm plays a CD release on Saturday at Rosie McCann's (see Playing Around pages). Also on Saturday, a band from Japan called Sight Slappers is supposedly playing at someone's house. Don't ask me whose. Michael Mechanic [ Metro Santa Cruz | MetroActive Central | Archives ]