The internet is a great way to pick up on new music. There are great sites that do a terrific of job promoting bands with free downloads, interviews, articles, mentions, and features. In an attempt to discover even more new music, we’re enlisting the help of radio station personnel across the country to give us some tips on bands in their scene.
We’re beginning with Seattle’s KISW and the station’s music director Jolene. Jolene and the entire staff at KISW are deep-rooted in the city’s independent music scene with different members of the station staff playing in bands, interns playing in bands, and a staff that genuinely loves music and enjoys going out to local shows.
Jolene has been at KISW for about eight years. She’s hosted the station’s 'Load & Local' show for about six years and has done a great job of promoting local, independent bands around Seattle.
“As far as local music and the amazing local scene is concerned there has been local shows and specialty shows on this station for decades and decades,” said Jolene on KISW’s involvement in Seattle music. ‘Loud &Local’ came back after a hiatus about eight years ago. That’s every Sunday night without fail and the idea of that is to play a great variety of the local rock that we have. Whether it be mainstream, punk, or metal-leaning stuff- just running the gamut. If it’s good and it rocks, we want to play it.”
In addition to the station’s primary local music program, KISW offers other great opportunities for independent bands to get more exposure in and around Seattle.
“We sponsor countless shows under the ‘Loud & Local Presents’ banner or the ‘Load & Local Welcomes’ banner,” said the KISW music director. “We give them exposure on our concert calendar. I talk about different local shows constantly, especially on Thursday and Friday nights.”
“We also do something that we’ve done for a number of years now called ‘BJ Shea’s Featured Loud & Local Band of the Week,’ where every week I take a different band that’s been submitted to Loud & Local, give the band’s CD to our very talented production guy Taz. He will then in a really respectful way make bumper beds out of some of the different songs. Then the morning show on Friday mornings will then use those bumper beds coming in and out of all of their commercial breaks. And, several times during the show they make mention of the band’s name, we make a web page designed for that band on our site, and after talking about them on my show on Friday night. I then turn around and make sure we play that band on Loud & Local on Sunday night. It’s really awesome for the bands to get some of their music played and their name mentioned on the radio, drive-time, on a highly-rated morning show.”
To submit your music for consideration on KISW’s ‘Loud & Local’, if you’re in the Northwestern United States, head over to the station’s official page and navigate around to find more information- http://www.kisw.com
KISW’s Jolene on the band’s you need to know in and around Seattle
What I love so much about the local scene here is just under the umbrella of rock there’s so many different genres and sub-genres and so many different sounds. There’s not dozens of bands going for the exact same sound. There’s completion but it’s a really fun, inspiring completion. I’m forever floored by the relationships that I see with local bands egging each other on. The people within the local community and the people with local bands are the first to go and support somebody else at another local show.
ReignWolf http://www.facebook.com/reignwolf There’s a lot of really cool mystery surrounding him right now. The man is a blues-rock one-man demon. Look him up. There’s something really special there with him.
Girl on Fire www.facebook.com/girlonfiremusic A band that’s done some television stuff and they’ve got an element of pop and punk and they’ve got a really cool energy. They’re worth checking out.
The Spittin’ Cobras www.facebook.com/thespittincobras The Spittin’ Cobras are one of the most-energetic, over-the-top live acts you’re going to see here in Seattle. The frontman, Alex, hangs from the rafters. The fact that he’s not in a wheelchair by now is just a mystery.
Witchburn www.facebook.com/witchburn Another band that’s done incredibly well locally and they’ve toured Europe. They’ve got soulful, heavy, deep-fried witchy rock. Their latest album was produced by Jack and Deano.
Red Fang www.facebook.com/redfangband I’m totally game to support bands from Portland because it’s like our brother/sister relationship. They went out on the road with Mastadon. They’ve got a new album out, they do fantastic videos and they’re just a great band.
Fall From Grace http://www.facebook.com/fallfromgracemusic Another band that’s been touring nationally and has a great sound and is a little bit more modern and mysterious leading. I recommend these guys.
Window Pane https://www.facebook.com/pages/Windowpane/20915332006 A band that is just straight-ahead in the middle rock who can play with a band that’s a little more mellow or a band that’s really heavy is Window Payne. These guys are going out on the road with Five Finger Death Punch.
We’ll have another one of these very soon with a different station from a different city. If you’ve got a suggestion for a station to feature next, tweet, post it on Facebook, or just drop it in the comment section below.
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