KBGA College Radio

  We are a College-Community based radio station located in the University Center on the University of Montana campus in Missoula. Our staff is entirely comprised of students, and our DJs are volunteers. 

[kbga]

Terror Pigeon

Partying with 1,000% Confidence: Talking with Terror Pigeon!’s Neil Fridd about what’s important about a wild party, how he writes his music, and the first Terror Pigeon show. “.. the more essential piece of a Terror Pigeon show is the people.” By Sam Tolman

Throwing a good party is an art, and this is what Terror Pigeon! encapsulates – taking people out of their element and welcoming them into theirs. That environment changes from show to show; one show you could be running through a makeshift TV tunnel, another you could be dancing with Neil in a costume made of stuffed animals. That, mixed in with booming, high-energy pop melodies and creatively optimistic lyrics, a Terror Pigeon! party is like an open hand into a dark, sweaty, fun-filled basement, it’s up to you to take that first step.

This first step is what Neil has worked tirelessly over the years to bridge, making it his pursuit to bring you into the wonderful world of feel goods. He talks about how to bridge that gap, among the many other things he’s learned over the last 7 years of Terror Pigeon!, check it out below.

Why don’t you start out by introducing yourself.

I’m Neil, I do this band called Terror Pigeon. It’s a natural based band, the goal is to be really, really, fun and make you cry. So what’s important about a Terror Pigeon show?

It’s to make sure that if people have any reservations about dancing like a dummy or screaming their brains out that they can lose those inhibitions. So how do you get people to that point?

So this is my life work, I literally study how to lead people in that direction. I find that going in with 1,000% confidence, that the experience is going to go well for people, is paramount. Using language that is welcoming but is not too authoritative.

Beyond that, there are all these weird rules, little details that have come into being over the years; like people don’t dance if the music’s not loud, people don’t dance if it’s not dark, the more you can tailor the size of the space to the audience, are all crucial. For me, I never like to have a lull in energy, the music never stops for more than a second. I want the music to be relentlessly pursuing. So, I heard Terror Pigeon got started at SUNY Purchase – Yeah. My senior thesis was a Terror Pigeon show. Really? What was your senior thesis?

It was called “Awesome Party.” It was basically a Terror Pigeon! show, but because it was my space I created, it had an avalanche at one point and the show ended with one of my friends bursting through a false wall in a laundry hamper cart, throwing fake money everywhere. Then we lead the audience out through this makeshift TV tunnel, and when you reached the door of the building, you were handed a slice of pizza and lit sparkler. And then the show ended outside with fireworks and pizza.

So what’s essential to have on stage at a Terror Pigeon show?

There’s so much production with Terror Pigeon, it’s hard to say – the thing I’m bringing to Missoula is this new set-up that has lasers. I think lasers are so cool. So will there be smoke machines?

Yeah – you can’t have one without the other. All of it is really in the pursuit of fan-fair you can include, the more it enables people to loosen up and go for it. It’s all under the notion that if you can bring people into a place that feels different world, they are more comfortable to go wild. All of it is basically to meet the end goal of making people feel comfortable. I would say the more essential piece of a Terror Pigeon show is the people. Is there an end goal, or an overarching idea in your mind when you’re writing your music? All my music comes from me needing to convince myself of the truth of what I’m singing. A lot of my songs are about trying to believe in an optimistic future or believe in the supremacy of love and hope.

I think a lot of times people see or hear about my band and think that I’m an unwavering paragon of enthusiasm and positivity, and I’m totally just a regular dude. The reasons the songs are about that is because I literally need to convince myself that it’s true, that the best course of action in life is to go and fuck the shit our of your dreams. So your website looks straight from 1998.

Heh. I’ve worked very hard to look like it’s straight from 1998. I’m curious about what the idea was behind such a website.

I’m just interested in making a place on the internet that’s fun to be at. Is there anything you want to say to the people reading this who will be seeing you at Birthday Bash on Friday?

There are strobe lights, so if that is something that is a problem for you, just a heads up.

And also thank you for coming. You can see Neil, a.k.a Terror Pigeon this Friday, September 30th at The Palace Lounge. Tickets are on sale here. Are you a fan of this interview? Tell your friends, and tell them to check out the other ones we’ve done.

Terror Pigeon was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Destroyer

Of Comedy & Tragedy: Destroyer’s Dan Bejar talks pop music, movie soundtracks and old words. “..tragedy forces you to come up with pure poetry in your writing. At least that’s what Shakespeare taught us.” By Sam Tolman

Destroyer never was suppose to be popular, so when Kapputt became the accidental breakthrough record, Dan Bejar tried to live down the hype. However, it’s hard to stand by Bejar to tone down Destroyer when you hear the music. It immerses you into Bejars theatre of the mind, whether you’re in Time Square, watching Bejar talking to the back of a missed lover, or parading through the streets, Bejar is a humble, storied guide in his music. It’s a beautiful, surprising musical journey Bejar takes you on, but you’ll be glad to stumble upon it. We got to talk about a wide range of topics, check out our conversation below –

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Dan Bajar, and I sing a little bit, and play guitar a little bit in a group called Destroyer. Speaking of being a singer, what does that entail for you? You’ve talked about it quite a bit.

Hmm. That’s a hard question. A singer is someone who opens up their mouth with some kind of noise or melody in the background. I think when I said that kind of stuff, I was really trying to conjure up some war about writers versus singer and trying to pick a side, but I don’t know if that war exists. Some people got it all, you know? Indeed. I’ve noticed that you seem to have a tangled relationship with pop music – you’ve spoken against overproduced pop music, but yet Poison Season has been seen some of the more poppier songs Destroyer has ever had. I’m curious if there’s a balance you try to strike in songwriting regarding a pop sound?

I feel like a lot of what songs maybe allowed for these days isn’t so much in the melody or in the lyric, but in the kind of vibe the producer conjures up. You want your song to be immediate, you want people to like it.

It’s weird – when I’m actually writing songs I don’t think about that kind of stuff at all, you know? I’m in a very thoughtless, automatic way. It’s mostly about coming up with a general feeling that you like. It’s only when you’re stuck in the studio when you start to grapple with that other stuff.

So, in another interview, you’ve spoken about how you’re against comedy –

(laughter) Did I say that?! Heh. Yeah. It was with FaceCulture, I think.

Damn. I don’t know how to defend myself. I think I was trying to get at a different version of comedy. Okay, good. It sounded like you were devoid of emotion.

Well, that’s not true! I’m into tragedy. That’s very emotional. I’m more of a tragedy guy. What’s appealing about tragedy?

I’m not a very tragic person, or write very tragic things. I like that tragedy forces you to come up with pure poetry in your writing. At least that’s what Shakespeare taught us. I like the old forms. Old forms?

By the old words? Terms that are 1,000 of years old. We still use them even though we don’t know if they apply to the world we live in. To stray away from music, I’m curious if you have any influences outside the musical realm.

Yeah – that was the whole point of Destroyer for decades, was to try to cram things into songs that you wouldn’t normally find in songs. Say things in songs that you wouldn’t normally hear in songs, but sound more like film. I’ve always liked film, I’ve been kind of obsessive with it, it’s kind of the thing I love most, more than music. Old forms?

By the old words? Terms that are 1,000 of years old. We still use them even though we don’t know if they apply to the world we live in. Interesting. What kind of films resonate with you?

When I was making a bunch of ambient music for Kaputt, a lot of my touchstones were Michael Mann movies or Nino Rota who did a lot of scores for (Federico) Fellini movies. I was thinking of him a lot when we made Poison Season. It’s kind of a recent thing. Cool. I’ve got no more questions. Anything else you want to add?

Not really. I’m looking forward to the show. Thanks for talking with us, Dan. We’ll see you in Missoula You can see Dan Bejar, with Destroyer at the Top Hat this Thursday, September 22nd. Tickets are on sale here. Liked this interview? Check out the other ones we’ve done.

Destroyer was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Junior Boys

Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys on Canadian Filmmakers, living in a bubble, and the difficult and incredible value of separating ego from art. “…create (art) out of a sense of play, a sense of problem solving, and not out of a sense of ego, or achievement.” By Sam Tolman

It’s quite an adventure being handed an interview for a band you’ve never heard of, such as the Canadian electronic duo Junior Boys. After thoroughly digging through a lot of articles, reviews and interviews, I found myself infatuated not with just the music of Junior Boys, but more so with the thoughts and concepts of Jerry Greenspan, one half of the band. In his past interviews he has had with other journalists, he has given such depth and well-chiseled out ideas that they felt more like those 1 A.M, slightly intoxicated, deep conversations you have with a close friend where at the end of it you look at the ceiling and say “Wow. Damn.” With Big Black Coat, this idea holds true. The duo explores the individual struggles of the people in Greenspans hometown of Hamilton, Canada, which can only feel like it can be applied to the loneliness and isolation that millennial generation feels sometimes, so Big Black Coat can be seen as an accidental, concept album of such. I got to talk to Greenspan about his music, Norman McLauren and much more. Check it out –

Ontario, Canada is where you were born and raised, and in your music, there seems to be quite a bit of nostalgia thrown in there. Is there anything in the mix that feels particularly indebted to your Canadian upbringing or history?

For me, music is all about place and time. There is an aspect of music making that is divination, and so it’s impossible to separate a piece from the context in which it was made. But on the subject of nostalgia, yeah, I definitely feed off of nostalgia, which predictably becomes more intense as you get older. And if you stay in the same place, your own history starts to follow you around, which I think that can be hard for some people. Fortunately I’ve had a very happy life. Junior Boys was founded in 1999, and you’ve remained at the vanguard of electronic music in the nearly 20 years since. Have you found it difficult to maintain the sound of Junior Boys in this ever-changing electronic music scene?

Not at all. One of the benefits of making music that is so technologically driven is that you can let the equipment do all the heavy lifting. I don’t ever think about my sound, outside of my process of working. From what I’ve read, your influences are quite interesting — particularly Canadian filmmaker Norman McLaren and his perception of ‘stream of consciousness’ when it came to his work on his films. How does his work and life play into your music, if at all?

McLaren is, to me, a sort of “perfect” artist. He is compelled to create out of a sense of play, a sense of problem solving, and not out of a sense of ego, or achievement. The creative process is the reward, for me that is truest form of art that we should all strive towards. You’ve also mentioned Neil Young and Steely Dan as influences on your music, which may come as a surprise to some of your fans. Could you expand on what you find in their music that influences yours?

Funnily enough those are both artists obsessed with this notion of perfect sound, but have two totally different approaches. Neil Young wants to document everything like a sort of musical vérité, and Steely Dan refine the studio into its own instrument. Truth be told, I think my process is probably closer to Neil Young’s, but I probably wear my Steely Dan influence more heavily on my sleeve.

There was a five-year gap in between 2011’s It’s All True, and your latest album, Big Black Coat, but you seemed to be keeping rather busy during that gap — working with Caribou and Jessy Lanza, to name a few. Did working with these other artists influence your new album, and if so, how?

Doing the albums with Jessy has had the biggest influence. I sort of see everything as changed through that process, because I changed my whole mentality about how I should work. These days I focus much more on speed — the ability to commit moments to tape fast, and not to get too precious with them. You’ve been quoted saying “I’ve made this album, and I really don’t care who likes it or not. I like it,” which obviously has worked in your favor, considering the favorable critical reviews. So, how do you separate the music you want to produce from the music others want to hear you produce?

I’m lucky that I live in a bubble. I don’t live in a place where I run into a lot of people who care that much about what I do. If I did, in think I would start to make bad decisions. For this album I made a conscious decision that I would stop reading reviews. I read a few of the good ones, because that’s obviously easier on the ego, but I think not reading reviews is a lesson that everyone should take. I am thrilled that people like the new record, I’m happy to come and play live, but my musical decisions are my own, and I love the isolation of the studio. What’s the biggest mental blocks or creative hurdles that you have to get over when writing music, and how do you alleviate them?

The biggest hurdle is trying to polish a turd, as they say. Being able to walk away from your own garbage material is important. Last question — we Montanians are always interested in hearing what people from outside the state think of Montana, particularly our city Missoula. Have you guys ever been here before, and if you have, what are your thoughts?

I have never been. I have always been in Montana when passing through. This is a weird tour, we have decided to go to all of these places that we have never been, and that a lot of our friends have never been to. It’s a real adventure! The Junior Boys will be playing in Missoula at The Top Hat Lounge, September 20th. Tickets can be found here. You can keep up-to-date with the Junior Boys by following their Twitter.

Junior Boys was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Crown Summer Series 2016

We went to the Crown Summer Series in July and here are some pictures. A racetrack, some hip-hop, and enough beers to get us through the day. By Theo Colt

Sage Francis

The Pharcyde

Want to check out more Sage Francis? We got to interview him. For coverage of the other festivals we’ve been to this summer, check out our photo gallery. These photos were produced in partnership with Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT).

Crown Summer Series 2016 was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Red Ants Pants Festival 2016

We went to the Red Ants Pants Festival and it was Montana’s hottest (literally and figuratively) festival of the year. The best party in a cow field we’ve ever been to. By Sam Tolman

Let’s get one thing straight – The Red Ants Pants Festival is a festival for woman’s clothing. Which, in turn, supports woman “…develop and expand (in) leadership roles…”, according to the foundations website. So, with this good cause in the back of our minds, we felt pretty motivated on the three hour drive from Missoula to White Sulpher Springs to get best dang photos and interviews for the station. Plus, RAPF announced a few days before the festival that we were in for good weather for the entire weekend, so things were looking up! Of course, we didn’t realize that when the weather was looking good, that would mean that we would would be in a dusty and shadeless field, under a 90+ degree sun, for three days straight. In this extreme weather I started to question why I was there, the fact that I don’t even follow country music all that much, and that I’m 27 and there’s cow pies a foot away from my tent. In heat like that, it’s not hard to start question your own sense of existence entirely. Of course, this attitude all changed when I hopped into the photo pit and I felt like I was one on one with the incredible and uplifting personalities of Corb Lund, Ray Willie Hubbord, the attendees and staff of The Red Ants Pants and the people of White Sulpher Springs (shoutout to the wonderful woman over at Dori’s Cafe). I had a wonderful time, and would say that the Red Ants Pants Festival, despite not being a huge country music fan myself, has been one of my favorite festivals I’ve attended this year and Montana, and believe me, I’ve attended a few of them. So, here’s some photos of the best weekend I’ll ever spend in a cowfield –

Hayes Carll

Corb Lund

The Mavericks

Wynonna and The Big Noise

For coverage of the other festivals we’ve been to this summer, check out our photo gallery. These photos were produced in partnership with Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT).

Red Ants Pants Festival 2016 was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Corb Lund

Alternative Country Artist Corb Lund on Montana, Songwriting and the ‘Vapid’ State of Popular Country Music By Eli Redeker

Corb Lund’s lanky frame seems cramped in the roomy front seat of his Jeep, seeming both at home and foreign. The duality of familiarity and obscurity is not a bad way to describe his music. He is a throwback, a singer more western than country, whose songs often sound timeless. His tunes, like the rocking “Getting’ Down on the Mountain” are simultaneously hilarious and authentic. Lund sings about life in the west, sometimes with his tongue planted in his cheek, sometimes with biting authenticity. Consistently popular Canada (With his band, The Hurtin’ Albertans, he has three gold records, and one number one record in his native country), Lund has more of a cult following in the United States. It is, however, a growing cult. His latest release is his highest ever charting record in America. You have described your new record, Things That Can’t Be Undone as an attempt to get out of your comfort zone, could you describe the different process that you took recording it?

There was more band input, I think. I just let the producer do whatever he wanted. Which is hard, because I’m kind of a control freak. It was interesting, this is record number eight, so by this point, I’m quite interested in other people’s input. There’s some people that are just a bottomless well of ideas. I run out of ideas sometimes. It’s not that I run out of song ideas, but the arrangements, and instrumentation and that kind of thing. It’s refreshing to have somebody put a soul vibe on a song, or a bluegrass vibe on a song, or a jazzy vibe. That kind of stuff- I can’t think of. I can sit there and play a song on an acoustic and think of ten different ways the song could go. It’s good to have someone provide ideas and suggestions. It’s kind of a philosophical question, too. Some people’s careers are made up of using the same sound over and over. Dwight Yoakam, AC/DC, The Ramones, those guys do that. But then there’s guys like Neil Young that try to do different things all the time. I think I sit somewhere in the middle. You just mentioned Neil Young, a Canadian artist, you are Canadian. Who influenced you more, Canadian artists or American artists?

It’s random. I never was conscious of where folks were from. This is your fourth year coming to White Sulphur Springs and the Red Ants Pants Music Festival. What makes this festival so special?

I really like Montana. It is my favorite state. I’m from Alberta- just over the border. I’ve been coming down here my whole life. It’s one of my favorite spots on the world. And I like the vibe of the people here, it’s really fun. Sarah (Calhoun), the woman who runs this whole thing is a good friend. She does a great job with things and treats us really well. Montana has really embraced us the past six or eight years. We’ve even started a festival in Western Montana, in Eureka. I get advice from Sarah about putting that on. It’s called Down from the Mountain, we’re in our second year. It takes place on August 19-20.

Hayes Carll is also returning to Red Ants Pants this year; you both collaborated on the song “Bible on the Dash”. Could you describe your relationship with Hayes?

We met about ten years ago, in Manitoba at a festival. We kind of run in the same circles. But we don’t see as much of each other anymore. We’re all so busy. But we’re old buddies. We’ve done a lot of touring together. He’s been really good to us in the states. He takes us on tour to the states and we take him up to Canada. It’s a good tradeoff, we’ve got a pretty big audience up there. Hayes has taken us out lots, it’s been great. That song, Bible on the Dash, I had the chorus and a verse of that song for about for years, and it just wasn’t going anywhere. And Hayes was like, you should do this. And then we finished it in an evening. The music video cost eighty bucks to make. Four years is a long time to wait for a song to develop. Could you talk a bit about your songwriting process?

It doesn’t always take that long, but for me it takes a while. Not years, usually, but sometimes it does take that long. I don’t get too many really quick, it’s just something I chip away every day. Sometimes, rarely, I’ll get one instantly, it’s pretty random. Is it true that you are a sixth generation rancher?

I don’t ranch, personally. But my family has been ranching forever and ever. They come from Utah and Nevada originally. My family moved north to Alberta at the turn of the twentieth century, and have been raising cattle ever since. What do you think it is about ranching, and western life that lends itself to songwriting?

The west does add its own flavor to music. People love western issues, wide open spaces, and cattle and stuff like that. The music I like the most is Marty Robbins, old trail ballads, stuff like that. That’s what I grew up with. There’s a big difference between Country Music and Western Music. Country music came out of Appalachia. Western Music came out of the open plains. With regard to the popular modern variation of country music, do you consider yourself an outsider?

I don’t associate with that much. I don’t know much about it. It’s not my thing. Corporate music has a different goal. Those people are trying to make money. Hayes and I are trying to express ourselves. Ideally, we make money expressing ourselves. It’s about stuff we care about. But it’s a different angle with the corporate scene. We cross paths with that world, sometimes somebody will ask us to open for them, and that kind of stuff. But I don’t really follow it or keep track of it. I just let them do their thing, and I generally ignore it. The stuff on the radio is formulated to sell records rather than express emotion. It’s the same with rock music. To get to the good stuff, you have to dig around under the surface. The stuff on the radio is often kinda vapid. In music the cool stuff is often bubbling under the surface.

You can find more Corb Lund by checking out his Twitter. For more Red Ants Pants coverage, check out our interviews and Photos pages.

Corb Lund was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

The Oh Hellos

Talking to the ‘Oh Hellos’ about Muppets and how to be helpful when being creatively critical of other artists. “The best part [about being an independent artist]: no one to tell you what clothes you should wear. The worst part: no one to tell you what clothes you should wear.” By Sam Tolman

It’s interesting when handed an interview with a band one has never heard of, because it’s like when a friend plays you a song so you can ‘…check out this band, they’re great and I love them’ – one runs the risk of not actually liking the band but then forcing out a smile and saying ‘Yeah. It’s cool.’. This is exactly how I felt when I was handed an interview with The Oh Hellos, but let’s just say I wasn’t forcing a smile at the end of my research, but had a genuine interest by the time I am writing this. I got the chance to sit in my house, listen to them on Spotify while reading about them on-line, and they’ve got a pretty cool backstory, but what stood out to me was that they were independent artists, which means they are unsigned, which means they’ve quite possibly taken the hardest route in music and done extremely well for themselves. Aside from landing themselves videos on NPRs Tiny Desk Concerts and Audiotree, they’ve also toured and sold out shows around the world with a fine tuned deep and soulful folk sound. I got the chance to talk to them for a bit – check it out. Who are you and what do you do?

By day, we’re a sibling singer/songwriter duo with a traveling-circus-sized touring band! By night, we are asleep. What are the best and worst parts of being an independent group of artists?

The best part: no one to tell you what clothes you should wear. The worst part: no one to tell you what clothes you should wear. What do you do when you’re in a creative writers block, so to speak?

We experience the least frustration with creative blocks when we take a few steps back and think about something else for a while. Another song, another project, a book or a movie, anything that takes our minds off whatever has us stuck. You find answers and inspiration where you least expect them. You listed ‘The Muppets’ as an influence on your music. So, uh….please do explain.

The Muppets are a ragtag band of misfits who come together in spite of their differences in pursuit of a simple dream: to entertain and encourage. They’re warm, funny, smart, and never take themselves too seriously. It’s inspiring! Have you guys ever been to Montana? If so, what do you like about it?

We haven’t! Our understanding is that Montana is one of the most beautiful places in the country, maybe even in the world? So we’re really excited to get the chance to experience it. Your new album, Wormwood, is somewhat like a book on tape – by that I mean you take stories from literature and turn them into song. How did you guys decide to go in that direction?

Our tendency seems to be to want to tell stories, and Dear Wormwood is the most recent and most obvious example of that desire. Our first full-length album, Through the Deep Dark Valley, followed a (much looser) narrative, with the songs connected mostly by theme/concept, and when the songs we were writing for Dear Wormwood seemed to be continuing that story, we decided that if we were going to do it, we should really commit – hence, the new album being structured more as a story than just a collection of songs. Has exposing your vulnerabilities through your music helped (or not helped) you as a person, or a group of people?

It’s therapeutic, if nothing else! Like journaling or writing in a diary, but significantly less private. Any advice for maintaining a healthy friendship and a simultaneously work relationship?

Communicate, communicate, communicate. We’re still learning!

You guys are artists – if you could write a short ‘How To’ guide on constructive criticism, what would be the main points?

Remember that fact and opinion aren’t the same thing, and that art is subjective. What works (or doesn’t work) for you doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone, so leave a little room for the possibility that you might be the only one who feels the way you do. Keep in mind that, ideally, the goal is to find ways to improve the object of your criticism, not just to poke holes in it! For more from The Oh Hellos, you can follow them on Twitter and Facebook. For everything else music oriented, check out our Facebook for up to date interviews, photos and more.

The Oh Hellos was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Moods of the Madison 2016

We went to Moods of the Madison 2016 and here’s what happened. Despite the severe lack of Pokémon, we still had a bitchin’ time. By Sam Tolman

When we hear names like Bassnectar and Young the Giant headlining a festival, we immediately think there will be long lines, overpriced tap water and seeing the musicans from a football field away. Fortunately, Moods of the Madison had none of that – it was like a large scale festival with a small town feeling. With a wide array of acts, ranging from The Wailers to Sol, there was a little bit of every genre for everyone. I had some trouble getting my camera in for the first day, so if you’re looking for photos of Bassnectar, I’d try Google images for that one. Otherwise, we’ve got some pretty dope coverage of Young The Giant, Sol and Wolfgang, alongside some Moods goers. Peep the game below, fam.

Wolfgang Gartner

Sol

Young the Giant

For more dank pix, follow KBGA on Facebook. These photos were produced in partnership with Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT).

Moods of the Madison 2016 was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

Sage Francis

An interview with Sage Francis on Montana, presidential elections, and advice for young hip-hop artists. “I’m a sucker for mountains in general. I want to fuck every single one of them.” By Sam Tolman

Sage Francis is back, baby. At least, that’s what most of us think when he releases a new album like Copper Gone, goes on another tour, or headlines a show near us. The fact is, Sage has been making moves in music scene for the last 20+ years, giving meaning to the Biggie quote, “Bad Boys move in silence”. With his off-beat record label, Strange Famous Records, he is helping other artists who would otherwise be cast aside due to ‘not being marketable enough’ to get their music out authentically without the pressures of main-stream labels. If you haven’t listen to Sages music much, it moves all over the place – from actively questioning todays status quo, revealing himself through lyricism that explores the deepest, darkest parts of his being, and then swinging back to a more original hip-hop sound in his newest album, Copper Gone. Despite being an incredibly accomplished and versatile emcee, he’s pretty cool guy to talk too. Here’s our conversation-

Photo courtesy of Prentice Danner

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Sage Francis. I’m an emcee, writer, performer, and label owner. Speaking of being a label owner, what’s good with Strange Famous Records nowadays?

We *just* moved physical locations, which was a daunting task considering how much stuff we needed to move. I made a down payment on a new place with my tour savings from last year, and now we’re in a much better place. It will help us expand in staff and roster, which is inevitable with the other kind of moves we’ve got coming up. We recently signed Cas One Vs. Figure from Indianapolis, but there’s are many more announcements on the way along with a new website. 2016 is definitely a re-building year for us, and, even though it’s been stressful and sleepless, I have high hopes for the new direction we’re about to take. Nothing of value comes easy, so I think it’s a good sign that we’ve all been on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Ever been to Montana before? If so, what do you like about it? Of course. The first time I played there was probably in 2000 and I’ve been back many times since. I played Butte last year and met the Mayor, which was exciting. Mainly because he’s Evel Knievel’s son-in-law. But I’m a sucker for mountains in general. I want to fuck every single one of them. Could you give us a walk through in the day of the life of Sage and producing his music?

It mainly happens in the head, and then sometimes, if it’s good enough, it makes its way to the page. And then if it works over the music I have available to me, I develop upon it. Rewrite, edit, rewrite, edit, etc… If it all meets my particular standards, I fire up the microphone and see how it sounds in the headphones. And then I usually amend from there until it sounds the way I want it to sound. This can happen over the course of a couple days or ten years. So, there’s no real “day in the life” answer when it comes to producing music. It’s a scattered process that involves a particular amount of neuroses, patience, and belief that it’ll all work out in the end somehow. How has your art, in your opinion, changed over time?

As I change, which is inevitable, I hope the music and the writing does as well. Otherwise, I’m trying to write from a previous place with a previous understanding. That’s more work than I care to take on. I’ve always wanted to be able to relay my human experience, so that remains a constant. One big change, which I may not always stick to, is how I’ve decided to not mention specific things from my business or personal life that I don’t want to answer to or explain forever. What hip-hop artists do you have your eyes and ears on currently?

Yugen Blakrok from South Africa is one of the main emcees I’ve been listening to lately. I’ve been working a lot with SFR artists, so that’s mainly the hip-hop I listen to. Prolyphic has a new album in the works, so I’ve been listening to his new stuff a lot. And I’m working on an album with B. Dolan, so we’ve been bouncing song ideas off of each other which we’ll start demo-ing while we tour the UK this summer.

You used to work in college radio. Any advice for people who work in college radio who are trying to transition to the career world?

Radio is obviously much different today than it was in the 90’s when I was doing my show, so this is well out of my depth. I’m surprised the radio is still around, but I’m glad it is because I love surfing channels while driving from town to town. It drives my fellow passengers crazy, but it gives me an additional sense of control. I’m the controller. What would be one thing that would stop you from making anymore music, starting today? (and death isn’t an option)

If death isn’t an option, maybe life would stop me. Having a kid. Never had a kid, and I can’t imagine I’d want to keep living the life that I do if I have someone else’s life to be responsible for. A big topic in todays generation is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media outlets and how, despite the social stimulation of it, it being over used, which is quite common, makes people feel more isolated, anxious and depressed. What do you think about the culture surrounding social media in todays society?

It’s changing us. That’s all I know. For better and for worse. It’s helpful in some ways and hurtful in other ways. We often hear about all the bad things, but one good thing is how people who would normally feel alone due to being a weirdo in their immediate company can now feel less lonely by seeing that there are others in the world who are like them. You’re known for not shying away from speaking your mind on the current situation of society. What’s your opinion on the current presidential election?

It’s been a total shit-show. What else can really be said? It’s scary and sad and I’m not voting for someone just because I don’t want another person to win. If this doesn’t end the “One Party System,” I fear nothing will. Lastly, any advice for the up-and-coming musicians reading this?

Always have backup plans. Even if this works out for you, there’s no telling how long it will last and whatever you deem “successful” in the music world, the reality of it most likely won’t be how you pictured it in your head. But if it’s in you, you do it no matter what anyone says or how it turns out for you. Sage Francis is a good dude. Follow him on Twitter.

Sage Francis was originally published on KBGA.ORG

[kbga]

A little late, but here are a few photos from our last FreeCycles event, with Ten Skip Stone and Local Yokel.

With an attendance of over 200 people, attendees had rolled out in full force to support FreeCycles and to have a night of fun and memories.

Photo Credit | Adam McCaw

[kbga]

Guitar Duel at the VFW last night was off the chain!

During the first night of FreeCycles Pedalfest 2.0, 8 separate contestants competed in taking guitar leads over a variety of genres and challenges, ranging from D minor guitar rifts over surfer metal to trying to recreate ‘Happy Birthday’ as best as they could on their given guitars. It fun, high energy and get the crowd excited - just check out the pictures above.

Pedalfest 2.0 starts tonight, for more information, check out the link below.

Pedalfest 2.0 - https://www.facebook.com/events/1704922309790381/

[kbga]

In case you haven’t heard, KBGA is asking the University Of Montana student to vote YES for the $1 Fee increase to support independent, free form radio. Aside from being Missoulas best independent radio, here’s a few more reasons to support KBGA: 

| A DJ body composed entirely of volunteers, bring you around-the-clock programming.

| A radio station that provides students with jobs, learning opportunities, and real-world experience to bring into the career world of media.

| Beyond the radio, KBGA supports the Missoula community at-large with bringing in big musical acts, support local artists and businesses and provide a creative outlet.

That’s just a few of many, many reasons to vote YES for the KBGA Fee increase. So log onto Cyberbear between April 27th - 28th and vote YES for creativity!

<3

[kbga]

We were at the VFW & KBGA Residency with DIVERS, WOJTEK, VTO and Sunraiser last night - and here are the results.

The VFW was a little dark, but was full of high energy, great music and friends. Next week will be Divide + Dissolve, Eat Strike, Dorothy and Teens from Alberton on 4.21, starting at 8 P.M.

[kbga]

Treefort 2016 was, in short, an incredible experience. It’s hard to say that one act is better than another, however, Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires was nothing short then astonishing - it’s unbelievable how one person can be so personable but entertaining at the same time. We’ve got some photos of The Screamin’ Eagle of Soul for y’all - keep it locked here - we’ll have more video and photography of Treefort soon!

Photo Credit: Sam Tolman

[kbga]

Didn’t get a Big Sky Documentary Film Festival pass?

Well we’ve got the thing for you! We’ve one more VIP pass on our website for, not $300, but $200! It’s the perfect gift for the film buffs in your life, especially if they’re into local art!

[kbga]

To all our new followers...

Thanks so much for checking us out! We’re a small non-profit station in Missoula, Montana and it means the world to us! If you want to get involved, or just learn more about who we are, go ahead and visit our website, or our Facebook.

[kbga]

New music, for YOU!

KBGA’s Music Directors have been working hard to bring you the newest music, so here we go...

Lily & Madeleine- Keep It Together                                                      Indie (New West) The third album from this Bloomington, Indiana based sister duo, who have come a long way since making their start recording their songs on Youtube. The duo skews the singer-songwriter approach slightly with simple but lush instrumentation over which they weave their interlocking vocal lines. Give tracks 2 and 5 a try!

Nevermen- Nevermen                                                                     (Ipecac) Nevermen is a self-described “leaderless trio” comprised of three well known musicians: TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, Faith No More’s Mike Patton, and Anticon founder Adam “Doseone” Trucker. Their music is eclectic and strange, but manages not to be off-putting or difficult to listen to. Interested? 4, 6, 2 should be right up your alley.

Pale People- Bright Ideas                                                                       Local (Self-Released) Pale People is the songwriting outlet for Missoula composer Mack Gilcrest. These songs are lyrically inventice, and often offer an unabashed glimpse into Gilcrest’s thoughts. Mack is joined by Drummer Brian Tremper and bass player Kurt Skrivseth. This is the first collection of their recordings.

No Wyld- Ascension                                                                          Hip Hop (Columbia) No Wyld describes their sound as a “sonic alchemy” of hip-hop, alternative rock, and electronic music. I can’t think of any better way to categorize their sound. There are plenty of hooks here, but the album manages to stay away from too many typical pop idioms. Tracks 4, 2, 1 are all hits!

Ra Ra Riot- Need Your Light                                                         Indie-pop (Barsuk Records) Need Your Light is the sound of a band reinvigorated about making music, but a band that is very much entrenched in pop music. This might be a turn-off for some, as the production is glossy and some of the tracks aren’t so memorable. However, when it’s good, the tracks are fun and catchy, easy to get stuck in your head and impossible to get out. Want some of this? 1, 2, 3, 4 start the album strong!