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X Co-Founder John Doe Remembers The Early Years Of L.A. Punk On Air Check

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56min 52sec

On this episode of Air Check we bring you a special in studio performance from a pioneer of American punk rock, the front man to X, Mr. John Doe. We also revisit the Bells of St. Vrain, a local group of musicians whose art has a lovely sound that fits in perfectly with the upcoming holiday season, and meet with a group of theater pipe organ enthusiasts working to keep the instrument alive. All that and our favorite new releases on Air Check. 

PART ONE: THE MUSICAL ROUNDTABLE

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Beck - "Colors"

Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile - "Continental Breakfast"

Destroyer - "Tinseltown Swimming in Blood"

PART TWO: IN-STUDIO WITH PUNK LEGEND JOHN DOE

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John Doe in-studio at 91.5 KRCC.
Credit Matt Chmielarczyk / Matt Chmielarczyk Photography
John Doe in-studio at 91.5 KRCC.

Recently, musician, actor, and author John Doe performed a concert in Colorado Springs to a sold out show at Western Jubilee. You may not be familiar with the punk rock group X, but you might just recognize John Doe from his numerous film and television appearances in Boogie Nights, Wyatt Earp, Roadside Prophets, Great Balls of Fire, CSI Miami and Law and Order, to name just a few. 

John Doe started his career with partner Exene Cervenka in the seminal L.A. punk group, X, which led the pack of west coast punkers in the 70’s and 80’s. In this segment of Air Check, 91.5 KRCC’s Vicky Gregor talks with John Doe about his book Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk, and Doe  performs the songs "Sweet Reward" and "Get On Board" from his latest solo album, The Westerner.

PART THREE: THE BELLS OF ST. VRAIN

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The Bells of St. Vrain handbell ensemble.
Credit Jake Brownell / 91.5 KRCC
The Bells of St. Vrain handbell ensemble.

In this segment, we revisit a story from April about a type of music particularly appropriate to the upcoming holiday season – handbells. Handbells have been around for centuries, originally invented for church bell tower players to practice their songs. Now, they’re usually found in church handbell ensembles – where groups of musicians play carefully choreographed arrangements on the tuned bells. 

For this story, Vicky and Jake payed a visit to First Congregational Church, to meet the Bells of St. Vrain handbell ensemble and learn more about the music.

PART FOUR: PIPE ORGANS IN THE PIKES PEAK REGION

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Pikes Peak Area Theater Organ Society Members (left to right) Dave Weesner, Keith Roberts, and Stan Destefan.
Credit Jake Brownell / 91.5 KRCC
Pikes Peak Area Theater Organ Society Members (left to right) Dave Weesner, Keith Roberts, and Stan Destefan.

In this story from last year, Jake investigates the endangered theater pipe organ, and speaks with members of the Pikes Peak Area Theater Organ Society about efforts to breathe new life into this vanishing musical species.

The Pikes Peak Area Theater Organ Society meets the third sunday of every month at the Immanuel Luthern Church school gymnasium in Colorado Springs. The Organ Society will also be kicking off its annual "Christmas Sacklunch Serenades" series at the City Auditorum on November 30 at Noon. For information about when and where to see a theater organ in action, click here.