Features / Series: On The Air

A radio DJ profile series created by Christopher D & Matt Hutchison.

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On The Air with Stella Stray Pop

Music / On The Air • November 30, 2023

By Matt Hutchison -- A Jesuit school might not be what the general population would consider a thriving spot for underground music culture, yet that’s part of the allure of KXLU 88.9 FM. Entering the radio station’s cluttered, vinyl-stacked, and sticker-tacked fourth floor production area is like stepping into another world outside the sleek white, palm-tree-lined idyllic confines of Loyola Marymount University, a private university and research center adjacent to Inglewood in the Westchester neighbourhood of southwestern Los Angeles. At least, that’s what I was thinking during my first station visit alongside an old friend in early 2011. The opportunity to visit stemmed from an invite by Alison Potoczak, one of KXLU’s then-DJs and General Manager, to guest spin on her early A.M. show. She knew we were prominent punk and underground rock ‘n’ roll record collectors, and knowing KXLU has an extensive history in that genre, accepting the invite was a no-brainer. It would be one of a few times we’d appear on Ali’s show throughout her tenure. Shortly afterward, I’d be appearing on several other late night/early morning and afternoon shows throughout the following years while working for various record labels. KXLU has a deep history within the Los Angeles underground rock world and independent music nationwide. Along with being the first station to premiere “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” press photos of Kurt Cobain and Dave Grohl performing live while wearing sweatshirts of the station’s white splatter logo circulate online, while Discogs is awash in recordings of live … Read more

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