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AARON JERABEK

One of a handful of non-student DJs at the UW's WSUM, DJ Renton shares his love of music that spans nearly all genres. Rock, folk, hip hop, noise, electronic, reggae, punk, country, and world are just a few that can all usually be heard in his weekly 2-hour show.

His addiction to LP/CD purchases, coupled with a desire to get others to realize that there is more music in the world than just what they hear on commercial radio (and it is better than all of the stuff that is on commercial radio), played a large role in how he ended up on the air.

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Fuck Buttons
Street Horrrsing

Tall Firs
Too Old to Die Young

Nelson,Willie
Moment of Forever

Bon Iver
From Emma Forever Ago

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 09, 2008

AARON JERABEK

ARCHIVES

10...err...11 QUESTIONS FROM STRICTLY DISCS:

1. How long & why have you been shopping at Strictly Discs?

For over 7 years. I moved to Madison from Milwaukee in late 1999. It wasn't until late-2000 that I discovered Strictly Discs on a friend's recommendation - we were both BIG into listening to KEXP (Seattle) to get the tip on hot new music. The first trip down to Monroe Street was an hours-long perusal of almost every CD in the store - new and used. It's been a crack-like addiction ever since - even more so with the recently-expanded vinyl section.

Why do I shop there? It has everything to do with the great selection and the fact that they can have almost whatever I'm looking for in less than a day. Having listening stations packed with the latest music doesn't hurt either - I can't tell you how many times I've taken a new release for a test drive, only to find something unexpected that I liked better. Lastly, I tend to buy mostly vinyl.

2. Favorite release of 2008?

This is a slam-dunk so far - it's Fuck Buttons' "Street Horrrsing". It sounds like a mix of Lightning Bolt and the Field. I've had friends tell me they hate it, but there is a 'listening curve' to overcome. Once that happens, this 6-track LP is pure joy. Sorry Bon Iver.

3. First piece of recorded music you purchased and in what format:

Speaking as a child of the 70s, my uncle would take me to the local Zenith TV store on a weekly basis where I'd sort thru their selection of Top 40 songs on 45s - and my purchase of Tom Petty's "Change of Heart" (on red vinyl) is one that sticks out vividly. Up to that point, everything I listened to was "borrowed" from his collection - Kiss, REO Speedwagon, Boston, and Supertramp 8-tracks provided the soundtrack to my formative years.

Petty,Tom & Heartbreakers
Long After Dark

4. Music guilty pleasure:

I can't believe I'm admitting this publicly, but I'd have to say it's late-90s Goo Goo Dolls. There's no denying that this Buffalo trio has a knack for cranking out piece after piece of ear candy that's so catchy you can't turn the dial. Obviously, with any guilty pleasure there are personal reasons as well....I won't get into that here. Next question, please.

5. Favorite all-time concert/show:

Pearl Jam in Maui for the "Yield" tour. They played two nights in a row, but night 1 was by far superior - it's kind of hard to beat seeing your favorite band from 15 feet away with 4000 other fans in an intimate outdoor venue. I will admit that Wilco's most recent 2007 show at the Overture Center is probably a close second - song selection and AMAZING sound were the highlight of the first time I got to see them.

6. Favorite all-time album cover:

Beastie Boys "License to Ill" - a must-have on vinyl, if only for the cover.

Beastie Boys
Licensed to Ill

7. If I'm tippin’ one back, I'm probably at ________ having a ________.

If I'm tippin' one back, I'm probably at home having a whiskey/Coke. With two little kids in the mix, my wife and I haven't really had the chance to settle in to any local joints.

8. Consumer item I cannot live without:

My Mac - it is my window to the music world and is also home to my entire digitized collection. While I'd prefer to listen to everything on vinyl, the convenience of having tens of thousands of songs at my fingertips makes it the preferred means of entertainment in our home.

9. Percentage of time listening to music via the following medium:

CD PLAYER: 10% (only in my car)
iPod (Mac/iTunes): 70% (at home, at work, and in my wife's car)
TURNTABLE: 20% (at home and on-air at WSUM)

10. Favorite music website:

Stylus was my favorite until it shut down last October - solid reviews of music from many genres and good weekly/daily articles. I feel a void in my daily routine since they closed up shop. For quality free songs and interesting reading, Daytrotter has some GREAT exclusive live sessions updated weekly - in my opinion, they could be the MTV Unplugged of the 21st century.

11. Song you never need to hear again:

Barenaked Ladies ""

Blog Section

People tell me I talk too much. Here's further proof that they are correct:

A couple of years ago, I decided that making mix CDs for my friends wasn't fulfilling my need to share all of the great new music coming out. Taking my inspiration from John Richards at KEXP in Seattle, I managed to get involved with WSUM - 91.7FM here in Madison (www.wsum.org on the web).

I've been on the air for 2 and a half years now (Thursday mornings from 6-8am), and CANNOT begin to explain how much volunteering there means to me - if I won the lottery, I'd probably hang out there full time. It really is a great bunch of people to get to know, and almost everyone at the station shares the same love for music. I've also had the chance to meet cool people that listen in on a regular basis and discover new music based on their recommendations ( e.g., The Whitest Boy Alive).

For this Guest DJ spot, I was given the directive to provide Strictly Discs with 10 songs to share with the world. I came up with a 'bonus track' too. I'm crossing my fingers that they'll include it:

1. Little Wings - "Look at What the Light Did Now" - I discovered this as a bonus track on a surfing DVD from 2006 (A Brokedown Melody). It's simplicity is the key. I recommend headphones.

2. The Black Angels - "Bloodhounds on My Trail" - From the excellent debut Passover, this group has mastered dark, fuzzed-out rock one album into their career. One of my favorite albums from '06.

3. The Exploding Hearts - "Shattered" - Another instance of a band earning posthumous accolades - recently re-issued on CD and vinyl, this is some fun rock to shake your hips to.

4. The Dirtbombs - "Indivisible" - Churning out more neo-classic Detroit rock sounds - the Dirtbombs are back with a song you can (sort of) sing along with.
5. Blue Scholars - "The Ave" - One of many quality hip hop groups to come out of the Pacific Northwest (see also Cancer Rising and Common Market). This track is from their socially-aware debut.

6. Neva Dinova - "Supercomputer" - Dark, slow-burning rock in the vein of Black Mountain or Ladyhawk. Excellent 2008 release.

7. Tall Firs - "Hairdo" - Kind of hard to 'rip off' Thurston Moore when he puts your album out, wouldn't you say? With a wink of an eye, I'd call it a stunning tribute to late-90s Sonic Youth.

8. Future of the Left - "Manchasm" - All the fury of McLusky, wrapped in a shiny new package called Future of the Left. The aggression is still there - so is the whacked sense of humor.

9. Fuck Buttons - "Bright Tomorrow" - Electronic dance noise. How's that for a three-word description of my favorite song of the year?

10. Justice - "Waters of Nazereth" - French electronic duo adds in some arena rock elements and creates one of the most exicting, big-sounding releases in some time. It just sounds awesome.

11. The Extra Glenns - "Memories" - This song is another one that draws me in with its delivery. I can't imagine who /wouldn't/ let him see their naked body after hearing this.

Other things about me:

* My dad has been a tuba player in a polka band for almost 40 years - I'm certain that he is both the best AND most-entertaining tuba player in the state (nation?).
* The sound of chewing and swallowing are easily my two biggest pet peeves.
* I love getting tattooed.
* My son's middle name, Renton, was picked off a Seattle-area ferry map. I found out later that it is also the city where Jimmy Hendrix is buried.
* My favorite burrito ingredient is a tie between cilantro and lengua (beef tongue).
* I can't believe you read all of this. Thanks.

Peter Fahndrich
Brian J. Bushaw
Douglas Ferris
Jonathan Gelatt
Gavin Eagan
Claire Nelson-Lifson
Andy Pekoll
Matthew Krenning