For innovative musicians – those who’ve made it and those struggling to be heard – KXLU, Loyola Marymount University’s student-run radio station, has been one of the few places in the U.S. offering crucial exposure.
Legendary artists such as Jane’s Addiction, the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Beck, Silversun Pickups and Arcade Fire received early attention and airtime from this 3,000-watt college radio powerhouse because, says Peter “The Mystic” Ludwig, host of the station’s “In a Dream” program, “KXLU had the vision to put it on first.”
When LMU Magazine decided to make a video about the 55-year-old on-campus station found at 88.9 on the FM dial, a who’s who of indie rockers showed up to pay tribute to the small station with a big impact on music.
“I remember when we made our first record and I heard it for the first time on KXLU,” says Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the video. “I was so excited. It was just the greatest thing I could ever imagine happening.”
Also appearing in the video are Bob Bruno of Best Coast, Mike Watt of The Minutemen and Chali 2na of Jurassic Five, as well as Jimmy Tamborello of The Postal Service, an LMU graduate in the class of ’97.
KXLU’s playlist includes 80 hours of indie rock per week, five hours of classical music, two hours of folk, 24 hours of Salsa, eight hours of electronica, three hours of punk and seven hours of rock and roll among other genres.
Says Dengue Fever’s bass player, Senon Williams, “KXLU is LA’s only radio station in my mind.”