HOMEGROWN ROCKER 1/16/11 (THE UP DOWNS)

[Jim Price]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the recap of the January 16 edition of Rocky 99 and Rocky 104.9's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 9 to 11 PM on WRKW-FM (www.rocky99.com) and WRKY-FM (www.rocky1049.com).

Thanks to our in-studio guests this week, Morrison's Cove-based modern bluegrassers The Up Downs, for a fun two hours! (Thanks also to The Underground (www.theunderground.com) for providing the studio facility for this week’s interview!) We met the band members and learned their story, and these “good ol’ boys” brought instruments to make some noise, raise a ruckus and play some songs live for us! Along the way, we debuted new songs from Black Coffee, Click Clack Boom, East Coast Turnaround, Mountain Road, Kilmaine Saints and the Christopher Dean Band. We dug into the archive to pull out a 1993 song by State College’s Code: Blue for a “Local Music Flashback,” and we reviewed Jackson Monsour’s self-titled CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner.” Another busy week!

Here is this week's playlist:

HOUR ONE:

THE RUSTLANDERS – “Holdin’ On”
THE SUNFLOWER SPECTACLE – “Jetplane”
BLACK COFFEE – “Bottom of the Barrel”
CHRIS VIPOND & THE STANLEY STREET BAND – “Shine”
THE UP DOWNS – “Dehydrated Hangover Blues” (performed live on the air)
CLICK CLACK BOOM – “A Song”
THE UP DOWNS – “Got Love” (performed live on the air)
EAST COAST TURNAROUND – “Love, Life & Murder”
MOUNTAIN ROAD – “I Want You Girl”

HOUR TWO:

FULL KILT – “Ride On”
KILMAINE SAINTS – “Gold and Guns (Will Get the Job Done)”
THE UP DOWNS – “Ain’t Too Sure” (performed live on the air)
JACKSON MONSOUR – “Forgive and Forget”
THE UP DOWNS – “Shady Grove” (performed live on the air)
CODE: BLUE – “The Same Rope” (1993, Local Music Flashback)
BUSTED DRUNKS – “Paint It Black” (performed live on the air 7/5/09)
JOE KONIOR, ALICIA HRITZKO & BIG SOUL – “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”
CHRISTOPHER DEAN BAND – “Hole in the Wall

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ playoff win over Baltimore places them in the AFC Championship Game against the New York Jets next Sunday night, so the “Homegrown Rocker” will be pre-empted to make way for the game. If the Steelers win and punch their ticket to the Super Bowl, the show will then also be pre-empted on Super Bowl Sunday, February 6. In the meantime, the “Homegrown Rocker” will be back in two weeks on Sunday, January 30. Pending any late guest bookings, that week’s show will provide an opportunity to get caught up with more new local and regional releases that have arrived at “Homegrown Rocker” headquarters in recent weeks. So enjoy Steelers football next Sunday night, and join us when the “Homegrown Rocker” returns on January 30!

Upcoming guests and specials include:

FEB. 6 – LADIES OF LOCAL MUSIC SPECIAL (tentative, depending on the Steelers)
FEB. 13 – THE GOOD SEEDS
FEB. 27 – MILLENNIUM MUSIC CONFERENCE RECAP
MARCH 6 – RAIN MUST FALL
MARCH 13 – MILLENNIUM CONTEST WINNER
MARCH 27 – STERLING KOCH
APRIL 3 – MATT OTIS
APRIL 10 – EAST COAST TURNAROUND

For regular updates on what is happening on the area music scene, pay a visit to Rockpage (www.rockpage.net). Rockpage features band links, a message board, "Homegrown Rocker" updates, the online 'zine publication "The Final Cut," and other local music scene information.

Bands and artists interested in having music aired on "The Homegrown Rocker" are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: WRKY Radio, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; ATTN: Jim Price. Or drop the recordings off at the station during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. You can also email me with inquiries about the show at profjp@rocky1049.com.

Jim Price

In Local Music News…

The Verge will rock to the beat of a new drummer, as Mike Waksmunski takes over behind the kit, replacing Steve Stuckey.

Harrisburg classic metal rockers and former “Homegrown Rocker” guests Waysted Sylence have a new drummer. Mick Marx replaces Joe Steel behind the kit. Waysted Sylence will showcase at next month’s Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg.

Sterling Koch has moved up the release date of his forthcoming new CD Slide Ruler. The CD will now be released on February 15 instead of February 22. Sterling Koch will be a guest on the “Homegrown Rocker” March 27.