(Marathon + Boredom) × (Inspiration + Jovo) = New Website
Thursday, March 3, 2005

In the midst of WTUL Marathon '05 preperations I realized I had done very little to meet the obligations I promised to you, my few (but devout) loyal listeners. Thus I present to you this gift, a website with forums. Here you can check out the latest Descent Darkwave playlists, post your coments and requests, and connect with others (who have good taste in music and most likely prowl the night) just like you.

Fuck! I can't say that on the air so I had to get that out to you right away. Enjoy and Carpe Noctem.

I wish I could say the Darkwave radio show at WTUL began with me. It did not. Some alumni report there being a gothic and/or industrial show as far as 15 years back. I do know aproximately five years ago (Summer 2000) I believed WTUL was missing something. I felt if I heard one more whiney indy-pop record I was going to shoot myself. I asked for a late-night gothic/industrial show on a trial basis. I believed, and still believe, this city has a communtiy of people who create, spin, dance, and live by a genre of music that is underrepresented by the New Orleans media. Thus the Descent Gothic and Industrial show was founded. A year later that show was taken over by my apprentice, Seth, who later turned it over to his ex-girfirend and fellow DJ, Robin. Finally last year, in Spring '04, after a one semester without a DJ, I rescued my former show from destruction. The show has subsequently taken on the title Descent Darkwave to represent a wider variety of music played.

The Descent Darkwave Show is hosted by David "D-Rock" Levison, who also serves as WTUL's darkwave music director. D-Rock is a former Marathon 24hr DJ and Production Director of WTUL and has served as a member of the WTUL air staff since Fall '98. D-Rock currently spends most of his time with his band, dbop, yet can be found at WTUL on Tuesdays from 10pm to 12am for office hours and 12am to 2am on Wednesdays (Tuesday nights) for the Descent Darkwave radio show.

This is the section I am reserving for my apprentice's bio. His name is Andy. I know close to nothing about him, yet he is most likely the future of darkwave music at WTUL.

The Indefinable

Since I have taken over as darkwave music director of WTUL, many people have asked me what darkwave music is. I have a confession to make: I molest men. Ooops! wrong confession. The truth is I don't know. In my experience the label darkwave defines the listener more than any one particular style of music. It tends to represent the necromantic (necromantic ≠ fucking dead people) side of life and includes everthing from gothic music (most resembling classical music) to EBM (most resembling dance music) to industrial (most resembling metal and alternative rock) to digital hardcore (most resembling punk, rap, and hardcore). Because I believe this genre—or, more appropriately, genres—of music are ever-evolving, I have included a special section for us to debate and discuss the meaning of darkwave music, its inclusive styles of music, its labels, its bands, and its culture. No music exists in a vacuum.