Alternative Live

Have you ever wondered what these alternative bands sound like live? Do people actually blog about concerts? It was very hard to find but I was actually able to find a little blog that was made up by concert goers. A blog that is maintained by a community of people, that are listeners of radio station 93-XRT, which is based in Chicago. This radio station also powers 93 XRT Concertgoers Blog. This blog consists of the radio station listeners views and opinions of mainly the alternative rock bands that they have recently had the opportunity to experience seeing live. On the blog website they have recent posts about concerts such as Bruce Springsteen, U2, Modest Mouse and Pearl Jam ( all of them mainly in the alternative rock category). It also allows listeners to give information on upcoming concert events that they may have heard of or may be getting the chance to experience live themselves.

My Concert Overview/Timeline

As a twenty three year old I will have to say that I have seen my fair share of concerts. The first concert I ever went to see was Shakira in the Fall of 2003. It was a very interesting concert, but it didn’t quite grab me. It was more for my friend because it was his birthday and he was infatuated with her. I had seen local music talent. I actually got to see Days Like These perform their little musical gigs that got them signed.

In the Spring of 2007 I went to my first two major concert events- MTV Campus Invasion and Bamboozle. MTV’s Campus Invasion was head lined by Alternative-Emo band Dashboard Confessional. I just remember being at Festival Pier and having the night air and breeze coming off of the water, the lights on the stage, and the sounds of Dashboard Confessional. It was amazing. A week later, my brother and I saw that Linkin Park was the Headliner of Bamboozle. Linkin Park is a band that I feel has a remarkable talent. I started listening to them in middle school and I have been hooked ever since.

We traveled up to the Meadowland to the Bamboozle Concert event. I think this still has to be the biggest concert event I have ever been to. There were four stages with a ton of alternative music acts. I was in heaven. I got to see bands such as The Brand New, The Early November, Aberlin, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Killswitch Engage, Yellowcard, Thrice, Taking Back Sunday, and of course Linkin Park. When Linkin Park played their hit single “In the End” I think I was almost in tears. It was a beautiful experience. If there is one song that just hits me- it is that one. It was just one of those songs that said it all for me.

The next major concert event for me was radio station WMMR’s MMRBQ 2. This concert event had acts such as Seether, Collective Soul, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Live. Once again it was another wonderful experience. In May I went to another concert event for WMMR, it was their MMRBQ 2008- this was the first of the three times that I saw Staind. I also got to see Everclear, the Hooters, and Stone Temple Pilots. I was blown away! The lights and the sounds and the pyrotechnics and the backgrounds on the big screen- I think the people that were drug induced really enjoyed that one.

In the summer of 2008 I saw Staind for the second time along with alternative rock band Hinder and Three Doors Down. It was just a great show in general. A week later I traveled to Toms River with my cousin to see Daughtry, Live, Collective Soul, and Avril Lavigne ( she doesn’t really fit in the alternative rock category). I will have to say it was one of the greatest concerts I have been to. When Live came on we were right at the barricade and Chris Daughtry made a surprise appearance as Live was playing their edition of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line”. My cousin was in tears and I was just in awe to be so close to two great musicians and being able to see it all.

Just this past August I was allowed the opportunity to see Staind for the third time. My boyfriend was able to see one of his favorite rock bands Chevelle and this was our first concert together. The last two shows performed by Staind were pretty much identical, but with this one they broke the mold. They played new sets and Aaron Lewis walked into the audience and did an acoustic performance of two of their hit singles. They also showed that they haven’t forgotten where they came from.

Now were in the fall…not really a concert season…but I’m praying my concert of 2010 will be Breaking Benjamin along with Three Days Grace. Keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Various Authors ( October 19,2009) 93-XRT Concert goers Blog. Retrieved Ocotber 19,2009
from http://www.concertgoersblog.com

My favorite Band - Breaking Benjamin

Breaking Benjamin was originally made up of band members Aaron Fink, Jeremy Hummel, Mark James Klepaski, and Ben Burnley. Breaking Benjamin formed in the year 2000-2001 when guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski left their alternative rock band Lifer. They then combined with Burnley (singer) and Hummel (drummer) and formed the band Breaking Benjamin. The band had many alternative rock band influences that included bands such as Live, Bush, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and Nirvana. It was said in the biography of Breaking Benjamin, located on Starpulse.com, that Ben Burnley taught himself how to play guitar by listening to Nirvana’s album Nevermind repeatedly.

In 2001 while doing gigs in their hometown of Wilkes – Barre, Pennsylvania, Breaking Benjamin’s talent was noticed by radio personality Freddie Fabbri. Fabbri started putting the band’s single “Polyamorous” in rotation on his alternative rock station WBSX-FM. He also financed Breaking Benjamin’s self titled EP which ended up selling over 2,000 copies in their hometown area. Later in 2001 the band signed with Hollywood Records and United with Ulrich Wild, which produced and engineered their first full length album Saturate. Saturate was released in August 2002; a follow up album, We Are Not Alone, was released two years later.

The band landed a spot on the Evanescence tour and three of their singles from their second album made the Billboard Charts. In August of 2006 Breaking Benjamin released their third album, Phobia. This album featured new drummer Chad Szeliga. The single “Diary of Jane” got immediate constant airplay on the radio airwaves, making Phobia debut at number two on the Billboard Charts. After touring to promote Phobia, Breaking Benjamin went back into the studio to start working on their upcoming fourth album. Their forth album, Dear Agony, included their new hit single “I Will Not Bow”, which was released to U.S. airwaves on August 17, 2009. Dear Agony was released on September 28, 2009 in Australia and September 29, 2009 in the United States.





I was introduced to the sounds of Breaking Benjamin in the summer of 2006. I have heard them before that time, but it was hearing their hit single “Diary of Jane” where I immediately fell in love with them. It is my favorite hit by them and probably always will be.How ironic is it that my favorite hit by them was the hit that made their Phobia such as success! I also found it very interesting that one of the bands that influenced them was rock band Nirvana, which was known as one of the best rock bands of all time.

In this century, Breaking Benjamin will known as one of the best rock bands of all time. I saw them live in September of 2007 and I will have to say it was one of the greatest concert performances that I have ever seen! Their talent is amazing- I have even heard an acoustic/ ballad version of Diary of Jane and it took my breath away. Even-though Breaking Benjamin is considered hard alternative rock, they have shown they have a little of a soft side to them as well. Their fourth album Dear Agony was once again no disappointment- it was amazing just like the band!


Henderson, Alex (October 19,2009). Breaking Benjamin Biography.Retrieved October 18,2009, from http://www.starpulse.com

Hollywood Records (2007, May 12). Breaking Benjamin- The Diary of Jane- Music Video. Video posted on http://www.youtube.com

The History of Nirvana

According to website Nirvana Syxx, Nirvana unwillingly brought alternative rock music into the mainstream. Krist Novolselic and Kurt Cobain met in their hometown of Washington in 1985. They first started out as the Stiff Woodies. Nirvana’s first album, Bleach, was released in June of 1989. In the summer of 1990, Dave Grohl replaced drummer Chad Channing.

In summer of 1991, they opened for fellow rock band Sonic Youth while they were performing on tour in Europe. Their landmark performance was at the Reading Festival in 1991. This was the beginning of their world wide recognition. The group signed onto Geffen Records and their second album, Never mind, was released in the fall of 1991. The CD went triple platinum due to the frequent airplay of their number one hit single “Smells like teen spirit”. The song became the anthem of grunge.

As the band’s popularity grew, so did the rumors of Kurt Cobain’s heroin use. Kurt went into his own drug induced world and the band started getting questioned by the media about the persona they were upholding. Kurt’s marriage to alternative rock band Hole’s lead singer Courtney Love only added fuel to the fire of the media frenzy.

In 1992-1994 Nirvana went through many trials. Their third studio album to be recorded was delayed due to Cobain’s chronic cases of stomach pains and hospitalizations. Their European tour was cut short in 1994 due to Cobain’s drug overdose in Rome. Kurt checked into rehab about a month after his overdose, and within a month escaped and retreated to his Seattle home. On April 8th Cobain was found with a gunshot wound to the head (believed to be self-inflicted due to the suicide note supposedly found with his body). Dave Grohl and Pat Smear departed from Nirvana in the wake of Kurt’s death and formed an alternative rock band known as the Foo Fighters. The Foo fighters are now one of the most popular bands currently in the rock industry. Nirvana will forever be known as one of the best alternative rock bands of all time.

Nirvana - New Music - More Music Videos

Yesterday when I woke up and started to get to work the first song that I heard played on the radio was Nirvana’s “Smells like teen spirit”. It is a song that has always got me pumped and will always be known as the teen anthem of alternative rock”. I was young when I found out about the death of Kurt Cobain, but I will never forget hearing the breaking news on MTV news. Many believe that he may have not even killed himself, that wife Courtney Love actually had him murdered. This is all a speculation in the fact that it will probably never be proven correct or incorrect. In October of 2002 when Nirvana record label holders released Nirvana’s Greatest Hits, I was in line at Best Buy buying it! No matter whether it was a studio recording or an acoustic set, Nirvana never put on a bad show. Nirvana will always be known as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.



The History of Nirvana


MTV Networks.(1991, September 29). Nirvana-"Smells Like Teen Spirit". Video posted on http://www.mtv/videos/nirvana

Nirvana Syxx(2000-2004). The Nirvana History. Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.angelfire.com/clone/syxx/history.html

Nirvana Syxx(2000-2004). Timeline. Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.angelfire.com/clone/syxx/timeline.html

Video killed the radio star

One Hundred and Twenty Minutes (120 minutes)first aired on MTV in 1986. According to The 120 Minutes Archive, 120 Minutes was a weekly aired alternative music video program that was broadcasted on the Music Television Station. Produced by Dave Kendall, 120 Minutes would play two hours of underground rock bands that were unknown or weren’t in heavy rotation on the airwaves. The show premiered on MTV on Sunday, March 10, 1986 being hosted by legendary Video Jockey J.J. Jackson.

The show went through many hosts but found one that was there to stay in 1989. Kendall left the show in 1992 and was officially replaced with Video Jockey Matt Pinfield. 120 Minutes found two homes that it aired on. It aired on MTV and M2 (later to be known as MTV2). As the years progressed so did the shows amount of mainstream music being added to the play list. It was one of the only official places rock videos and rock music in general could appear on TV at this time (besides the short lived rock show Mattrock Daily).

120 Minutes and music videos in general were rapidly being replaced with shows such as the Real World, Road Rules, Loveline, Undressed and many other shows in reality and drama television category. 120 Minutes aired its last show on MTV in 2000. MTV2 picked up 120 Minutes on January 1, 2001. The show came to an end in 2003. In that time the show went back to its original format, airing music videos from Underground Rock Band. The end of 120 Minutes was just the beginning of the end of music television programming.



I was born in 1986 so by the time I was able to realize what 120 Minutes was it wasn’t what it had started out to be. MTV had already started to air more than just music videos. They had started to air shows such as The Real World and Singled Out. They soon came out with other shows such as Total Request live (which branched from V.J. Carson Daly’s last night request show) and MTV Jams. However theses two shows didn’t mainly revolve around the sounds of alternative rock. Total Request Live revolved mainly around the music that viewers voted for throughout the day. It covered everything from Alternative Rock to Hip Hop and R &B. MTV Jams was strictly Hip Hop and R&B. There was no home on MTV in my later years for solely Alternative Rock.

The only shows that air rock now on music television that I am aware of are MTV2’s Head banger’s Ball and Rock the Deuce. Head Banger's Ball is a television program that airs heavy metal at 2 a.m every Saturday morning. The show showcases upcoming talent rising in the music industry of Heavy Rock. The closest thing that comes close to 120 minutes is a show called “Rock the Deuce”. The show airs every Thursday at 3 a.m. and every Saturday at 1 a.m. The concept of the show is to “Bring the Rock”. It’s the closest that you will come to seeing rock videos even though it’s not even at a decent hour!



MTV Networks(2009). Headbanger's Ball. Retrieved October 2009, from http:www/mtv.com/shows/headbangers_ball/series/jhtml

MTV Networks(2009).Rock the Deuce. Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.mtv.com/shows/you_rock_the_deuce/series.jhtml

Unknown(2008). Rock the Deuce with Linkin Park. Video posted on http://www.youtube.com

Unknown (2009,February 15). Radiohead Fake Plastic Trees 1995 MTV 120 Minutes.Video Posted on http://www.youtube.com

Philadelphia Alternative

Y100
As I had mentioned in the last blog Alternative Rock Music was mainly aired on college radio airwaves till about the late 80s early 90s. It was about that time that Alternative Rock Music started to be mainstreamed on commercial radio stations. Y100 originated on mainstream commercial radio in 1993. According to the Philadelphia Encyclopedia, it was the home of Alternative Rock Bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, and many more. By 1997 Y100 became the "solitary rock station of Philadelphia". They soon started a yearly tradition called the festival. This allowed alternative rock bands to come together for one of alternative’s major concert events of the year. Some of the bands at attended the event were Alternative Rock Group Green Day, Fuel, and The Mighty Mighty Bostones. The festival tradition lasted till about the year of 2005.

Y100 would also do what they called “Sonic Sessions”. A band would come into the studio while in town and record an acoustic set of their music. Y100’s most known program was their morning show originally hosted by disc jockey Preston Elliot and Marilyn Russell. They soon added disc jockey Steve Morrison and the show became an absolute hit. On February 24, 2005 Y100 became hip hop station 100.3 The Beat. Y100’s disc jockeys started to record from an undisclosed location, an online petition was started, but all the efforts didn’t pay off. Y100 was no more and Philadelphia lost their favorite alternative station.



WMMR
Originally WIP-FM, WMMR changed its call letters in 1966. The station played bands and artists such as Billy Joel and Yes. WMMR was also known for introducing Bruce Springsteen to the Philadelphia airwaves. The radio station has changed its music format throughout the years, going from classical to a mainstream rock station. WMMR is known for its coined phrase “WMMR- Everything that rocks”. It would promote grunge or alternative music. WMMR had competition with mainstream rock stations such as WYSP and Y100. WYSP had Howard Stern as their radio personality on their morning radio show and Y100 had the famous Preston, Marilyn, and Steve. In 2005-2006, Y100 was taken off of the airwaves and WYSP had the departure of Howard Stern. WMMR was free to rule the Philadelphia airwaves. WMMR soon became the new home to Y100’s Preston and Steve Morning Show. The show aired for the first time on WMMR May 16, 2005. WMMR was the new home of Alternative Rock Music.




Radio 104.5
On May 16, 2007 dial number 104.5 became “Radio 104.5”. It was introduced officially on May 23, 2007 as call letters WRFF (Radio One O Four Five). Radio 104.5 plays alternative rock music such as Nirvana, Gin Blossoms, R.E.M. and many other great alternative rock bands. It is becoming to be yet another great alternative rock station.

By reading on the history of these three major alternative rock radio stations I was able to come back to my roots. I pretty much grew up on rock radio station Y100. I remember going on camping trips as a little girl and listening to casette tapes that had hours of Y100 music recorded on them. I totally forgot that the Preston and Steve Morning show originated on Y100's airwaves. I remember the day that I turned to radio dial 100.3 and didn't hear the alternative rock music that I have loved to listen to for so many years.I am currently a religious listener of radio 14.5 and WMMR 93.3. They are what radio station Y100 used to be, They play old alternative as well as new alternative. They are the alternative rock stations of Philadelphia.


All Experts.WMMR:encyclopedia. Retrieved October 2009, from http://en.allexperts.com

Greater Media-WMMR.Wmmr.com. Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.wmmr.com.

Radio 104.5.Radio 1045.com Retrieved October 2009, from http://www.radio1045.com

Wikipedia. Y- Rock on XPN.Retrieved October 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_Rock_On_XPN

Every Story Has Its Beginning

So have you ever wondered where it all began? How Alternative Rock Music has become what it is today? According to the website Silver Dragon Records, the phrase Alternative Rock Music was used back in the early 1980s to describe the bands that broke out of the trend of pop and hair metal. However the website also states that Alternative Music was originally started in the 1960s with such bands like The Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges, and many other Alternative Rock bands. In the 1970s such music legends like David Bowe, T- Rex, and Knaftwerk started to hit the Alternative Rock radar with their intellectual music and expression of art being combined together.

By 1976-1977 Punk Rock Music was created bringing Alternative Rock pretty much back to its main roots. Through the years Alternative Rock Music was mainly limited to college radio stations but as the eighties approached Alternative Rock Music was about to rock the world. Soon Alternative Rock was not only on college radio stations, but it could also be viewed on MTV (a popular music television station) and other stations as well. In 1991 Alternative Music was changed forever when Alternative Rock Band Nirvana’s album hit number one on the charts. Alternative Rock Music finally hit the mainstream. Bands like Metallica, the Gin Blossoms, and Oasis were put in the category of Alternative Rock, a category in which they didn’t belong. Many other bands were put in this category as well. According to the Dragon Records website “the true definition of rock music is a way to express ideas and songs which fall outside the pop genre”. As long as we have this in mind Alternative Rock should go on to live forever.

I found this website and article really fascinating. I love alternative rock and I have been a fan of it for many years. It was my current knowledge that Alternative Rock Music had started in the 1990s with the birth of Alternative Rock Group, Nirvana, which also had a hint of Grunge in them as well. I had absolutely no idea that Alternative Rock Music came to birth as early as the 1960s. I will be the first to admit I have no clue who Iggy and the Stooges or The Silver Apple are. I have heard of the rock group The Velvet Underground. I was under the impression that alternative music did not exist back then.

I was also surprised when they said that David Bowe (musician) was discovered in the 1970s and that R.E.M (musical group) was discovered in the 1980s. When the article talks about everything being classified as Alternative Rock Music I will say I have to agree on that one. Bands such as Metallica, Breaking Benjamin, and Blink 182 are all classified as Alternative Rock bands, but at the same time they all have their different type of rock. So would they truly be classified as Alternative Rock Bands? I don’t know about you but I will have to say I learned a lot from the article. I learned I definitely have to brush up on my Alternative Music Rock History Time Line.

St Peters Staff Writer (1997). Soungarden's End Called the End of Grunge. Stargate.net (accessed September 27,2006).

Wikipedia.Timeline of Alternative Rock. Retrieved October 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org

Unknown Author. Silver Dragon Recors. Copyrighted 2003. History of Alternative Music. Retrieved October 2009, from http://silver-dragon-records.com/alternative_rock

Drums Please....or guitars

My name is Heather and I am a senior at Rowan University. I am majoring in Elementary Education and Writing Arts, with the plans of one day becoming an Elementary School Teacher.

For my writing class, Writing, Research, and Technology, we were asked to create a blog on a certain topic. The topic that I decided to choose is Alternative Rock Music. I chose this as my topic because music is one of my loves of my life. I feel that it is inspirational and therapeutic. Have you ever been in the car and heard a song and it just touches you? Have you ever heard the lyrics to a song and the words well you can totally relate to them? That is what Alternative rock has done for me. It has gotten me through so much as an adult and a teenager. I thought that it would be interesting to find out where it originally came from, how it became as big as it is today, and where it may possibly be heading in the future. I would like to share something that I love and that means so much to me with all of you.