Legendary XB-102 Returns With Original & New DJs
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:21 amOn June 9, 1987, Allan Kaye said the final goodbye on DWXB 102 in Manila, Philippines after playing Everything But the Girl’s “Ballad of the Times.” The Station That Dares To Be Different would be no more, drifting into legend. There’d be two other attempts at an all-New Wave radio format in the Philippines – one by XB’s early competitor DZBM 105 (“Power 105”) and the other by DWNU 107 (“The Cutting Edge of New Rock”). Both would carry the Spirit of 102 for a few more years until BM switched to jazz and NU sold out to mainstream rock.
A slew of specialty programs then appeared on Manila stations but the ghost of XB still haunted those of us who spent our adolescence listening to it. XB was the most adventurous New Wave radio station of all time, playing an unpredictable and stunningly comprehensive library of the familiar and obscure. XB introduced the Philippines to artists that would eventually become international superstars – U2, R.E.M., the Cure, Depeche Mode, the Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, New Order – long before anybody had heard of them. It also took New Wave artists that were sadly underrated – the Lotus Eaters, Friends Again, the Adventures, the Colourfield, Fra Lippo Lippi, Care, Seona Dancing – and made them spokespersons for an entire generation. XB championed cutting-edge Pinoy Rock, discovering bands like the Dawn, Dean’s December, the Introvoys, the Identity Crisis, and the Dead Ends, while clean-cut and corporate types such as Martin Nievera saturated commercial radio and local TV.
Now, 18 years after its demise, it’s my pleasure to present the resurrection of XB-102 in cyberspace. XB veterans Cool Carla, the Morning Man, and Mick Flame – otherwise known as Mickey the Clown – have all returned with brand-new programming, playing all of the 102 classics. They will be joined by Brent Sanders, the Sandman, who’ll be spinning New Wave rarities and 12” dance mixes from the Pacific Northwest, and I have a show on there, too.
Listen here:
www.live365.com/stations/xb_102
Questions, suggestions, comments, and requests should be sent to xb_102fm@yahoo.com.
This is a work in progress; there’ll be tweaks and additions made as time goes by. For now, enjoy the return of XB-102 as an Internet radio station, beaming New Wave magic to the entire world.
Michael Sutton
"We'll be as we are
When all the fools who doubt us fade away"
- The Icicle Works
A slew of specialty programs then appeared on Manila stations but the ghost of XB still haunted those of us who spent our adolescence listening to it. XB was the most adventurous New Wave radio station of all time, playing an unpredictable and stunningly comprehensive library of the familiar and obscure. XB introduced the Philippines to artists that would eventually become international superstars – U2, R.E.M., the Cure, Depeche Mode, the Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, New Order – long before anybody had heard of them. It also took New Wave artists that were sadly underrated – the Lotus Eaters, Friends Again, the Adventures, the Colourfield, Fra Lippo Lippi, Care, Seona Dancing – and made them spokespersons for an entire generation. XB championed cutting-edge Pinoy Rock, discovering bands like the Dawn, Dean’s December, the Introvoys, the Identity Crisis, and the Dead Ends, while clean-cut and corporate types such as Martin Nievera saturated commercial radio and local TV.
Now, 18 years after its demise, it’s my pleasure to present the resurrection of XB-102 in cyberspace. XB veterans Cool Carla, the Morning Man, and Mick Flame – otherwise known as Mickey the Clown – have all returned with brand-new programming, playing all of the 102 classics. They will be joined by Brent Sanders, the Sandman, who’ll be spinning New Wave rarities and 12” dance mixes from the Pacific Northwest, and I have a show on there, too.
Listen here:
www.live365.com/stations/xb_102
Questions, suggestions, comments, and requests should be sent to xb_102fm@yahoo.com.
This is a work in progress; there’ll be tweaks and additions made as time goes by. For now, enjoy the return of XB-102 as an Internet radio station, beaming New Wave magic to the entire world.
Michael Sutton
"We'll be as we are
When all the fools who doubt us fade away"
- The Icicle Works