The End Of Y-Rock On XPN?
And so it was, in a time and place you will remember from the ill-fitting jeans and Alice In Chains album covers, that there was WDRE. And when WDRE died, so it was that Y-100 filled the void. And when it came to pass that Y-100 could not survive the rough and tumble of the commercial radio marketplace, Y-Rock On XPN was born. And there it has stayed for the last four years, delivering unto thee your Guster, your OK Go, your New Pornographers. But if we have learned anything from this story, it’s that nothing alt-gold can stay; and so, due to budget cutbacks at WXPN, the remaining core Y-Rock duo of Josh T. Landow and Joey O. have been laid off from the station, putting the future of Y-Rock in jeopardy once again. (Y-Rock co-founder Jim McGuinn moved on to 89.3 The Current in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the beginning of ’09.) What does it all mean? According to an email sent out by Landow and O., the Y-Rock on XPN FM feeds on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights are to be no more, but XPN intends for the station to remain online and on the HD-2 side channels of 88.5 and 88.7. Things will stay more or less as they are through June, but after that, much is unknown. We’ll keep you posted as developments arise.
Update: And look, there’s developments already! We talked with XPN program director Bruce Warren about the future of Y-Rock, and his response was emphatic: “Y Rock on XPN is continuing as a 24-7 alt/indie rock internet stream. We are absolutely absolutely committed to it,” he said. “The DJ volunteers are a passionate, creative group of music fans. We have a loyal, passionate audience. XPN is keen on multi-platform engagement with communities of people who are in to music discovery and Y Rock is one important part of our strategy around that. As I often say, ‘there’s a lot of amazing music in the world,’ and in the broad continuum of indie/alt rock, our mission to connect musicians with audiences Y-Rock plays an important part of that.”
To that end, Warren will be taking the lead for Y-Rock along with Assistant Music Director Mike Vasilikos; and, Warren added, XPN FM evenings will be hosted by Vasilikos on Monday nights, and Dan Guttierez from Tuesdays through Fridays.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:19 am
That was the best thing about XPN. Those dummies.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Part of the problem here is that they have become expendable because the best parts of the Y-Rock playlist are already part of the regular XPN vocabulary. I really hate to see Y-Rock go, and really like Joey and Josh and what they do for music in this city in general, not to mention the other DJs at the station…Heather, Amy, Reid, Andre, Jake, John, etc. Maybe there is a place for some of these people at 104.5? That station gets better all the time…they need some people to go in there and get the crap off there so the good stuff gets a push…but is it possible today on commercial radio to have a Modern Rock station that doesn’t pander to a mainstream audience?
June 10th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Yrock on xpn (and in their post y100 and prexpn days as an online venture) was infinitely better than Y100 and WDRE ever were. It was nice to listen to alternative radio and not hear the same radio-friendly hits played over and over again. Like all commercial radio, those two were pretty much unlistenable. It’s too bad we’re losing the fm broadcasts, but I’m glad that at least the streams will still be around.
June 10th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
This truly sucks. I sure hope, despite Mr. Warren’s comment, that this is not the first sign of a Yrock-less future.
All the best to Josh & Joey. Thanks for all your work to make something out of nothing.
June 10th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
89.3 The Current in St. Paul, Minnesota is one of the best radio stations in the country. I hear more bands from Philadelphia played on that station than anywhere in this area. XPN could learn a thing or two from them.