Welcome to the first edition of the L.O.V.E. of KDHX newsletter. This will be the place for you to keep up with all your favorite djs and other volunteers who, prior to the last few weeks, were featured on KDHX radio. We’ll have news, features, interviews, historical tidbits, and opinions. Yeah, we have lots of opinions.
As you may know, KDHX management decided to fire two programmers on Sept 5, and ten more on Sept. 22. Since then, 20 programmers and other volunteers have either resigned or declared themselves to be on strike. All of us would dearly love to go back to doing what we’ve done for years, sharing with you the music and information we have each accumulated with our obsessive focus on various genres and styles. Currently, station management, backed by the President of the Board of Directors, is refusing to admit they made a mistake in letting people go for the mere crime of sharing opposing opinions.
Many KDHX volunteers have been trying to organize a union to negotiate with management at the station. While that project has not been abandoned, a new organization, The League of Volunteer Enthusiasts of KDHX (L.O.V.E. of KDHX for short), has been formed. Our plan is to become an auxiliary to the radio station. For now, we will be working to change things for the better.
We’ll talk more in future days about the reasons things have happened, and what can be done to help. For now, though, just to get things started and encourage people to subscribe (for free) to this Substack, let’s talk about a couple of delightful protest songs the St. Louis music community has made available already. (Plans seem to be under way for even more coming out soon, including an entire album’s worth.)
First, the Mighty Pines augmented by Al Holliday, Funky Butt Brass Band, Emily Wallace, and Sean Canan have written, recorded, and released “Hey KDHX!”, a heartfelt and downright catchy plea to return to those thrilling days of yesterday, six weeks ago. The Mighty Pines are hosting their annual Pines Fest at the Big Top on Washington this Saturday, Oct. 14, featuring Aaron Kamm and the One Drops, Brothers Lazaroff, the Burney Sisters, Saint Boogie Brass Band, Moon Valley, and Emily Wallace. (Oh, hey, Oct. 14 happens to be the 36th anniversary of the first broadcast made on 88.1 KDHX.)
Brian Andrew Marek quickly wrote and recorded “Dead Air (For KDHX),” another of the seemingly infinite number of perky melodies that bounce out of his head on a regular basis. Marek’s band the Vertigo Swirl, along with the Whole Earth Ukulele Orchestra, the John McVey Trio (with a guest appearance by Papa Ray), Long Sweet Minute, Bob Case (featuring Chuck Loeb), Manos Pan America, Jesse Irwin, Soultown Organ Trio, Crucial Rootz, and Langen Elise will be performing at the S.O.S. Save Our Station Community Outreach Festival next Saturday, Oct. 21 at the Spine Bookstore & Café.
We appreciate to no end the efforts of musicians in the community who are supporting us in this difficult time. All of the DJs at KDHX have supported St. Louis area music for as long as we have been on the air, and we are so glad to hear these and other songs from people who love what we have done. KDHX has always been a part of the community, and we are honored that so many people are standing with those of us who have been dealing with these authoritarian moves from management.[Thanks for reading The Love of KDHX! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
"Our plan is to become an auxiliary to the radio station. For now, we will be working to change things for the better." A good plan and I applaud it, but I'd like to see more details on what being an auxiliary to the station means in practical terms. Still, a good first step.
I'm also not clear on how claiming rights which, as volunteers, we don't legally have (volunteers are explicitly not recognized as employees by the NLRB, case closed) advances those goals. We need a plan of action that is realistic and likely to achieve our goals.
The Gyres Society folks seem to have some more practical ideas. They have a Facebook page but no Substack. Maybe they need one.