Good Bye Indie 103.1

This week LA lost indie 103.1 probably one if not the best radio station I have ever listened to on the terrestrial airwaves. You can read more about it here, but long story short the will no longer air and instead stream only online.

 

About a year and change ago I moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. I loved Chicago and everything about my time there, and it's easy to get to LA and knock everything. It's very easy actually, especially when you lived somewhere that is great without even fufilling it's full potential. However as someone who has moved as much as I did in my life you learn that it isn't worth mulling over the shortcomings of a location when potential exists as well. So I started thinking about things I really liked about LA and try to focus on those until everything else grew on me (or wore me down depending on opinion), plus you always need positive talking points when interacting with people who've been here longer. Things like weather and landscape are obvious. My entertainment related career benefits are greater  here.

 

But one of the things I really enjoyed was Indie 103.1. It made a"musically retarded" person into something more savvy by mere osmosis. Sure there were times they played certain songs ad nauseum, some which drive me f-ing insane , and occasionally the corporate influence could be noticed (don't tell me an Amy Winehouse song is new when we all heard the album a year and half ago), but it was still the best option out there and the shortcomings were forgivable. 

 

Since this hole appeared in my life I've been at a loss for what to listen to on my commutes or occassional runs to the valley. I've been listening to my iPod a lot but I know even that can hit a saturation point quickly. I suppose I'll just have to pick up the pieces and move on.

 

 

Farhad2000 says...

That sucks. What about internet radio and pod casting? That's how I get by. Deepmix.ru and Bluemars are my foundation of internet radio.

At least you have good radio to listen to. In Kuwait we have AFN, VOA, Marina, RKFM, EasyFM and a shit load of Arabic radio stations that are essentially interchangeable as Arabic music is in a huge creative sink (90% of the songs start with HABIBI, which means my darling and is always orchestrated the same goddamn way).

AFN and VOA are really standard American corporate music fare, though its hilarious to hear a 40 plus announcer try to show enthusiasm for Soulja Boy's Superman song.

RKFM is the worst, its state owned so they really don't need to try at all. They had this woman announcer for donkeys years now that loves playing shitty country music all the goddamn time and keeps replaying songs that were considered new when I was learning to walk. They have the worst music selection and the worst announcers in every time slot. Oh and someone really fucking loves Sugar Ray over there because I know the entire lyrics to Every morning... argh.

Marina FM is okay but it tries to hard to be hip and comes off totally square. The over enthusiastic announcers talk to their audience wayyyy too much.

EasyFM is the most bearable as they simply play classical music, but sometimes someone fucks up and they play what sounds like Elevator muzak.

darkrowan says...

Sadly, this isn't the first time 103.1 and closure have been in the same sentence. This has the be the most contested/flopped station on the dial, having been flopped a good number of times in the last 15 years. Going from memory:

MARS FM (Dance/Techno, never knew it existed until Groove was on the air and mentioned it)

CD 103.1 (Adult Contemporary)

Groove Radio (Dance/Techno, possibly the first time I really loved a station format. But it wasn't until KDL that I was into dance/electronic music)

Super Estrella (Spanish Music. Entravision owned KDLE and KDLD at the time)

KDL 103.1 (LOVED the station. Dance/Techno. Rico Banana has yet to be topped in morning radio IMHO. Used both KDLE KDLD sticks/call signs)


Independent Radio (ClearChannel <read: assholes> bought KDL, fired staff, set up station to specifically compete with KROQ. They had to ditch/sell when the FCC complained they had too much of a monopoly in Southern California)

Indie 103.1 (What became of the above after ClearChannel left. Listened in a few times, but admittedly never was a fan because of the bad taste ClearChannel left me at the killing of KDL)

And now, like before, 103.1 is a Spanish station. To shorten the drama, I pray to ever god that has ever been worshiped that it stays like that. Miss dance stations, but can't for the life of me want to go through more pain/drama.

[Edit] Something to add to the story at this point: I remember the actual shutoff of KDL and the starting of Independent because I actually held a vigil, staying up until midnight and having a shot of Cuervo in memory of the fine station. Really left me bitter about ClearChannel.

rottenseed says...

We do have a major problem with radio here in Southern California. All the good stuff isn't trendy enough to stick around. Only the corporate giants have enough presence to be able to shove what's "good" down your throat. On top of that, they have to sneak dance music in at the wee hours. I've given up all hope for some entertainment over the radio. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Whenever you start getting homesick for Chicago, remember it's like fucking -30 degrees there right now.

futsin says...

sniffle...I'm going to miss Jonesy and hearing Rollins and the others live. No more DJs, which some I hated some I loved. Still playing god damn kings of leon on the internet channel! Argh!

I don't like scientology, but I'll miss Feel my heat...I still play "So Lonely" on Monday nights. Sounds like it is about that time now...sniffle again.

Just put this up, to remember the good times...
http://www.videosift.com/video/Indie-103-1-off-the-airwaves-The-Police-So-Lonely

E_Nygma says...

man, i remember when kdl went off air and i was disappointed. but then it was replaced with independent radio and i rejoiced. it was altered slightly to indie 103, and i again suffered through minor discomfort until realizing the great station it had become. now another injustice... maybe an even better station will follow, as seems to be the trend?

volumptuous says...

I hated this station and was happy to see it go down the tubes.

KXLU, KSPC, KUCI, and good old CDs and MP3s will long live. 103.1, to me, never played anything decent. What they considered "the best" music, seemed like a lot of washed-up old punk and grunge nonsense with an occasional good tune here or there.

I've got thousands of pieces of vinyl at home, 100's of GBs of mp3s and a huge CD collection that I'm quite happy with. Combine that with podcasts and streaming radio, I don't ever see the need to ever listen to a corporate radio station laden with commercials ever again.

Good riddance, 103.1. I hope you take your jackass DJs with you.

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