Aaron Axelsen

Updates to playlist: Soundcheck July 2008 Top Records

Aaron Axelsen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 19:14:10 -0000

Updates to playlist: Soundcheck April 2008 Playlist

Aaron Axelsen — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:14:37 -0000

Updates to playlist: March 2008 Top Records

Aaron Axelsen — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:12:41 -0000

aaron's exciting weekly blog thing: Monday, February 4

Aaron Axelsen — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:07:00 -0000

NYC cool kids and hardcore NY GIANTS fans (dating back to when Phil Simms and his blonde power mullet was quarterback) vampire weekend killed it this week here in SF @ popscene, Amoeba in-store on Haight Street and at our expression session! the expression session video podcast should be posted any day now at www.live105.com and make sure to get tickets for their upcoming two SF shows -3.22 @ the independent and 3.23 @ rickshaw- before they sell out and see for yourself why this new indie rock outfit actually LIVES up to the avalanche of hype!

brand new music to spin and debut this week on soundcheck from flogging molly and anti-flag. (and free tickets to see anti-flag @ the fillmore on April 7)

also, i'd like to welcome our newest member of the soundcheck team Christina from Union City as our new show producer! (i want to personally thank all 106 interested applicants, too!)

finally, what should we feature this Sunday on the soundcheck spotlight? two weeks ago we did a focus on the emerging underground electronic music scene (justice, simian mobile disco, calvin harris, does it offend you, yeah?, new young pony club, bigface, lcd soundystem, etc) and i need idea's for this Sunday's show? should we spotlight extra tracks from an important soundcheck band? (muse, arcade fire, silversun pickups, nada surf, the mars volta), focus on a particular cool record label (anticon, sub pop, touch & go, fueled by ramen, merge records), or do an expose on a certain city's music scene? (Seattle, Manchester ,San Diego, Nyc, Austin?)

please email me your thoughts and/or create a cool themed playlist at www.soundcheck.imeem.com (the winning entry will get some mad on-air props from me and some other nice parting gifts, too)

word,
aaron axelsen
live105 music director

* top 5 most requested new tracks from Sunday's soundcheck show: (tally of phones/texts and emails)

1. AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT- sometime around midnight (unsigned)
2. THE KILLS- u.r.a fever (domino)
3. HOT CHIP- shake a fist (astralwerks)
4. LES SAVY FAV- patty lee (frenchkiss)
5. DOES IT OFFEND YOU, YEAH? we are rockstars (almost gold records)

* top 5 most requested local bands and local tracks of the week:

1. MORNING BENDERS- waiting for a war
2. LYRICS BORN- i like it, i love it
3. THE FEDERALISTS- city girl
4. LOVE LIKE FIRE- unlighted shadow
5. EXCUSES FOR SKIPPING- out of work early

* aaron's recommended gig/club guide for the week:

THURSDAY: ROBYN (Sweden) @ popscene (www.popscene-sf.com)
FRIDAY: EDITORS, HOT HEAT, LOUIS XIV @ the warfield
FRIDAY: BLACK LIPS @ great american music hall
SATURDAY: SUPER FURY ANIMALS @ great american music hall
THURSDAY, 2.14: THE KILLS (UK) @ rickshaw stop

* what's on aaron's stereo?

MARY ONETTES- s/t (Swedish import)
for fans of: doves, the cure, echo & the bunnymen, the verve, a-ha, kent)
FLOGGING MOLLY- float (side one dummy records)
for fans of: the pogues, dropkick murphys, swingin' utters, gogol bordello
HELIO SEQUENCE- keep your eyes ahead (sub pop)
for: the shins, mercury rev, caribou, flaming lips, built to spill, islands, why?
HOT CHIP- made in the dark (astralwerks) -
or fans of: kraftwerk, ladytron, lcd soundsystem, the rapture, !!!, new order
FOALS- antidotes (sub pop) out 4.8.08
for fans of: the cure, bloc party, gang of four, the glass, radio 4, the rakes, joy division

LIVE 105 Ex'pression Session - Silversun Pickups Q&A with the audience

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:35:07 -0000

LIVE 105 Ex'pression Session - Silversun Pickups "Well Thought Out Twinkles"

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 22:10:41 -0000

LIVE 105 - Kat's Stoopid Conversations with Rockstars by LIVE 105 - Kat

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:04:37 -0000

aaron's exciting weekly blog thing: Monday, January 14, 2008

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:59:33 -0000

Lupe Fiasco, Chicago hip-hop MC, visionary, Grammy nominee and all around cool cat, stopped by the Soundcheck studio this week for an interview (which is now posted on the Soundcheck page @ live105.com!) and chatted with me about a bevy of things, including his desire and plans to work on future projects and remixes with the likes of UNKLE, JUSTICE and DJ SHADOW and talked about his upcoming supergroup Child Rebel Solider, featuring Lupe, Kayne West and Pharrell. He then proceeded to lay on a pretty wicked guilt trip for me missing his Coachella show this year (yes, i'm guilty, i was lying by the pool dealing with a hangover and was too lazy to motivate) so, i decided to make amends and take a break from soundcheck, hand over the show reigns to the very capable Miles the Intern, and head over to catch a few songs at Lupe's sold-out Fillmore show. The show was absolutely insane, electric and energetic and Lupe worked the capacity crowd into a frenzy armed with a full 7-piece band! (very reminiscent of the legendary ROOTS show in the subsonic tent @ BFD in 2004.) Check out one of 2007's finest releases LUPE FIASCO'S THE COOL if you haven't already featuring the soundcheck smash 'superstar.'

Returned just in-time to the Live 105 studio's to giveaway passes to a very secret SILVERSUN PICKUPS concert this Wednesday here in SF and congratulations to soundcheck winners Mike Small of Napa and Brian Demain of Danville. I'll be escorting them and a friend into this private show this week and i'll have the recap and review this upcoming Sunday on soundcheck.

root for new music,
aaron axelsen

* top 5 most requested new tracks from Sunday's soundcheck show: (tally of phones/texts and emails)

1. Kate Nash- foundations (geffen)
2. Nada Surf- whose authority (barsuk)
3. MGMT- time to pretend (sony/red)
4. Lupe Fiasco- superstar (atlantic)
5. The Teenagers- scarlett johansson (xl/import)

* top 5 most requested local bands and local tracks of the week:

1. Foxboro Hot Tub- mother mary
2. Audrye Sessions- relentless
3. Morning Benders- waiting for a war
4. The Bruises- black and blue
5. Hot Challenge- wine

* aaron's recommended gig/club guide for the week: 1.14-1.21

MONDAY: BART DAVENPORT (of Honeycut fame) @ cafe du nord
THURSDAY: LOVEMAKERS w/ NYLES LANNON @ cafe du nord
THURSDAY: STEVE AOKI (DJ set) from Dim Mak @ popscene (www.popscene-sf.com)
FRIDAY: THE BLAKES and MAGIC BULLETS @ bottom of the hill

* what's on aaron's stereo?

1. The Teenagers- reality check (out 1.15 on xl)
for fans of: air, velvet underground, the rapture, tv on the radio, clinic, justice, sonic youth
2. From First To Last- s/t (new cd out 4.15 on interscope)
for fans of: my chemical romance, senses fail, saosin, armor for sleep
3. The Raveonettes- lust lust lust (vice/import)
for fans of: jesus & mary chain, the ronettes, my bloody valentine, liars, the kills, the cramps
4. The Virgins- rich girls ep (self-released/atlantic) Z
for fans of: strokes, arctic monkeys, phoenix, hot hot heat, jamiroquai, prince
5. Chris Walla- field manual (barsuk records)
for fans of: death cab for cutie, helio sequence, nada surf, matt pond pa, spoon

Happy Birthday LIVE 105!

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:45:52 -0000

aaron's weekly power blog thing-

first of all - many thanks to those who came out last week to 330 ritch street and experienced an amazing Live 105 party that featured four of the Bay Area's finest up-and comers: EVERY MOVE A PICTURE, THE FRAIL, SCENE OF ACTION and THE HUNDRED DAYS

finally, major props to EVERY MOVE A PICTURE for their epic headlining performance, complete with a mind-blowing 'rave like' lazar-light show to boot! (and their set hit a crescendo amidst all the fog on stage as Brent, singer of EMAP, smashed his guitar to pieces during a feedback-laden closing song.... insane!)

happy birthday 21st birthday to LIVE 105 as we celebrated this storied milestone by throwing an on-air party last weekend!

here are some of my personal Live 105 highlights:

* Listening to Steve Masters growing up in Livermore and hearing some of the forefathers of this format for the very first time on his 'modern mix' show, which aired on Sunday nights on the old crappy HOT HITS format- bands like THE CURE, XTC, TALKING HEADS, U2, THE CLASH, NEW ORDER, DEPECHE MODE, PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED, THE PIXIES, etc, all would define my musical palate for years to come, causing me to jettison all my old QUIET RIOT and DEF LEPPARD records for THE SMITHS and RAMONES! (Steve Masters' show would ultimately serve as the impetus for the very birth of Live 105 as the corporate powers decided at the VERY last second to switch formats from HOT HITS to this newly created MODERN ROCK format over COUNTRY!!! yes, Live 105 almost became a Country station, whew.) when Live 105 was born back on the first weekend of October, 1986 there were only like 6 Modern Rock commercial radio stations in the country, including KROQ in LA and WDRE in Long Island (not to mention the defunct QUAKE in San Francisco, which aired back in 1983-1985 and where Big Rick and Alex Bennet once worked as DJs)

* 1992: working at Mod Lang Records in Berkeley as the import/indie music buyer, i order an import CD single for a new, unsigned UK band called RADIOHEAD and give it to the Live 105 programming department... the song 'CREEP' would go onto become the #1 song of the year! (i also organized a meet-n-greet with RADIOHEAD, through my college radio station, at the old Rough Trade Records on Haight Street back in late 1992!)

* 1993: after working in local record stores (Tower Records in Dublin and Mod Lang) as well as college radio in Hayward at KCRH, Chabot, Hayward, i ecstatically landed my first internship at Live 105. (after 2 rejection letters over a period of a year.... thanks Spud!) my early intern years involved answering the request lines for Steve Masters and Sal Castaneda (now of KTVU mornings on 2) as well as a wickedly BRUTAL internship on the old Alex Bennet morning show. (every morning i had to be at the station by 6am and my daily duties included getting Alex a roast beef sandwich by 7am, making sure Alex's coffee mug was filled, and watching over the live in-studio audience... oh, good times)

* 1994: as i was simultaneously working at both Live 105 AND as a College Marketing Rep for EMI records, i helped orchestrate one of Live 105's most legendary on-air interviews of all-time: the fabled BLUR VS. OASIS in-studio battle with Steve Masters! I was working Blur's 'parklife' album (yes, featuring the smash 'GIRLS & BOYS') and scheduled a station interview for the band at 7pm. (Blur were playing The Fillmore with Pulp the following night) my best friend Adrian was a College Rep for Sony Music and ALSO covertly scheduled a station visit with the band OASIS, who were in-town that night for their first ever SF show @ Bottom Of The Hill. this was at the HEIGHT of the much publicized BLUR VS. OASIS conflict (both bands loathed each other) and i'll always remember Damon's piercing look at me when i brought him and Blur into the studio to an already awaiting, yet equally shocked Oasis. (both bands had NO idea the other would be there) Ultimately, this made HUGE headlining music news across the globe as it really became the only time these two behemoth Britpop arch-rivals would ever be in the same room together. (they hung out for an hour and played records, took phone calls and got drunk)

* 1996: with a box of crazy ass electronic records, including early progenitors of this format like Prodigy, Underworld, Aphex Twin, DJ Shadow and Chemical Brothers, the radio show SUBSONIC would launch on Saturday night/Sunday mornings from 4-6am. (yes, i would do the show live every week!) Subsonic, one of the country's first commercial underground electronica radio shows, would run for an unprecedented 9 years, mostly from 10pm-5am, before the show would call it a day back 2005. Subsonic featured some extraordinary live in-studio guest djs throughout its life, including EMINEM, DAFT PUNK, PAUL VAN DYK, PUFF DADDY, CHEMICAL BROTHERS, FAT BOY SLIM, GOLDIE, DJ SHADOW, et al, as well as a weekly bevy of SF's finest local DJs and club/rave promoters. Subsonic even once threw a xmas rave called ELECTRONICA HANUKKAH at the old Maritime Hall (corner of Harrison and 1st) which featured a dazzling live line-up, including CRYSTAL METHOD, MOBY, DJ SHADOW and SNEAKER PIMPS! (oh, RIP subsonic!)

* 1997: i land my dream job as Music Director of Live 105- replacing my mentor Steve Masters and becoming only the second Music Director in Live 105's illustrious history. (my favorite all-time Live 105 staffer, the incomparable Roland West, would also land the Assistant Program Director gig and together, along with Richard Sands, we would program the station until major changes hit in 1998. this is when CBS/Infinity Broadcasting purchased Live 105, merged us with South Bay alternative rocker KOME and ultimately, brought up Howard Stern to San Francisco)

* 1998: the birth of SOUNDCHECK!! this Live 105 weekly catalyst for everything new music and vital launching pad for new bands would debut on Friday's from 12-1am, before eventually finding its current home on Sunday's from 7-10pm back in 2001. (thanks to you and the tenacious support it received from music-savvy and passionate Bay Area listeners, the show would upgrade from an after-hours, one hour show on Friday/Saturday mornings to a much improved Sunday night 3 hour timeslot) Over this 9 year spam, soundcheck would impressively bring to the commercial radio airwaves, often helping Live 105 nationally debut and help break some remarkable talent, a litany of strong new bands- acts like ARCADE FIRE, COLDPLAY, GORILLAZ, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, FRANZ FERDINAND, WHITE STRIPES, THE STROKES, YEAH YEAH YEAHS, KILLERS, SILVERSUN PICKUPS, THE SHINS, MUSE, INTERPOL, BLOC PARTY, POSTAL SERVICE, etc, would all -at one point or another- make their first appearance on Live 105 via radio soundcheck!

anyway, i'm tired of writing now.

an emphatic thank you to all our spectacular listeners, much respect to everyone that i've had the privilege of working with here at the station and a funky fresh happy birthday to Live 105... may the Modern Rock Revolution continue for another 21 years!

-aaron axelsen

Aaron's Weekly Music Blog

Aaron Axelsen — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:43:50 -0000

Aaron's weekly recap about stuff and things:

hello friends of new music,

man, crazy barrage of shows here in SF as of late and i definitely got my red bull on and took advantage of a strong week of shows that included checkin' out these bands: BRMC, KINGS OF LEON, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA (great new Atlanta outfit www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra), RILO KILEY (i heart Jenny Lewis), IMMIGRANT (www.myspace.com/immigrantmusic), UNDERWORLD, PAUL OAKENFOLD (despite the funky long hair doo thing the guy can still spin a wicked set) and finally, a crazy after party on Friday at one of SF's coolest new clubs TEMPLE (www.templesf.com) where i got a long overdo fix of some bad add drum & bass in the basement. (formerly DV8 at Howard and 1st)

have an amazing TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL (www.treasureislandfestival.com) weekend and this Sunday on soundcheck i have the band FILM SCHOOL, performing on Sunday, stopping by the show for a live in-studio acoustic session. (www.myspace.com/filmschool)

* top 5 most requested new tracks from soundcheck last night- (tally of phones/texts and emails)

1. PINBACK- from nothing to nowhere (touch & go) http://www.myspace.com/pinback
2. RILO KILEY- the moneymaker (warners) http://www.myspace.com/rilokiley
3. M.I.A.- boyz (interscope) http://www.myspace.com/mia
4. COHEED & CAMBRIA- the running free (columbia) http://www.myspace.com/coheedandcambria
5. SHOUT OUT LOUDS- tonight i had to leave it (merge) http://www.myspace.com/shoutoutlouds

* top 5 most requested local bands of the week-

1. THE ACTION DESIGN- the scissor game (ex-members of Tsunami Bomb) http://www.myspace.com/theactiondesign
2. KARATE HIGH SCHOOL- what are those scientists up to http://www.myspace.com/karatehighschool
3. TWO SECONDS- an hour alone http://www.myspace.com/twoseconds
4. STREET TO NOWHERE- they're not like us http://www.myspace.com/streettonowhere
5. TWO GALLANTS- despite what you've been told (saddle creek) http://www.myspace.com/twogallants
tie. LOVE LIKE FIRE- unlighted shadow www.myspace.com/lovelikefire

* soundcheck single of the week: STARS- take me to the riot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxeIivNDtFU

* aaron's recommended gig/club guide for the week: 9.11-9.18

TUESDAY: THE BRUNETTES @ Cafe Du Nord www.myspace.com/thebrunettes
WEDNESDAY: WOLF PARADE @ Great America Music Hall http://www.myspace.com/wolfparade
THURSDAY: HOT HOT HEAT live @ popscene's 11-year anniversary (www.popscene-sf.com)
FRIDAY: VHS OR BETA live @ mezzanine http://www.myspace.com/vhsorbeta
SATURDAY: day one of TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FEST with M.I.A., DJ SHADOW, THIEVERY CORPORATION and much more
SUNDAY: day two of TREASURE ISLAND MUSIC FEST with SPOON, BUILT TO SPILL, MODEST MOUSE, FILM SCHOOL & more
MONDAY: THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS @ Warfield http://www.myspace.com/thenewpornographers

* 5 new releases dominating my live 105 office cd player

1. STARS- in our bedroom after the war (arts & crafts) for fans of: the smiths, belle & sebastian, cardigans, ivy, metric, loquat http://www.myspace.com/stars
2. BLACK LIPS- good bad not evil (vice records) for fans of: t-rex, rolling stones, death from above '79, wolfmother, the sonics http://www.myspace.com/theblacklips
3 HOT HOT HEAT- happiness ltd (reprise) for fans of: the cure, killers, xtc, Elvis costello, the futureheads, the french kicks http://www.myspace.com/hothotheat
4. PJ HARVEY- white chalk (island/def jam) for fans of: pj harvey, good music http://www.myspace.com/pjharvey
5. MINUS THE BEAR- planet on ice (suicide squeeze records) for fans of: pinback, american analog set, fugazi, velvet teen http://www.myspace.com/minusthebear