Welcome to the Zone

by Leroy Grey

Each month, we'll bring you an inside look at the music you hear on The Zone @ 107.1 and the artists that make it.

Insider here, getting some jam cram time in before my brain cells have better things to do. To commemorate the back to school vibe permeating in your hands, I've put together 26 neat facts for you to consider called:

A TO ZONE

A stands for All-American Rejects, the rockers with their hearts on their sleeves. Long ago, lead singer Tyson Ritter was a double-wide bass player in a Stillwater, Oklahoma ska band; now, he's a pop-punk poster boy (and a pyromaniac!) The AAR are doing double duty on the Zone with "Swing Swing" and "Last Song".

B stands for Bondsy, the Zone's news source (on-air). He also likes to sing along with No Doubt's "Just a Girl" when no one's looking.

C stands for Canada, which is still the new Seattle. Sure, it's the land of girls like Alanis, Avril, and Nickelback, but it's also the homeland of Kittie, Sum 41, the New Pornographers, and Hot Hot Heat.

D stands for Damone. I'm telling you, these guys are the shizznit!

E stands for Evanescence, whose stop in St Louis should be the concert of the month. They're playing August 23, with Cold, Revis, and Collapsis opening. And if that's not enough, they got Nintendo at the show! Dude!

F stands for "Faint," which is something Linkin Park's Chester Bennington doesn't need to do anymore. Soon as the Summer Sanitarium tour wraps up, he's scheduled surgery to take care of his acid reflux situation. So, if you've been wanting to catch some of Chester's vomit in concert, looks like time's up.

G stands for Grey. Staind's got "14 Shades" of it. Ehh.

H stands for the "Hardest Button to Button." Catchy tune, but is this all Jack White has to worry about?

I stands for The Indie Zone welcomes Panic Attack and 12oz. Prophets (both bands from St. Louis) to Our House on Saturday, August 16th.

The Indie Zone welcomes In Review and Sevenstar (from St. Louis) to Our House on Saturday, August 23rd.

The Indie Zone welcomes Tribal Dust to Our House on Saturday, September 13th.

J stands for Jane's Addiction. Why? "Just Because."

K stands for the K-Virus, a disease that hit new bands in the 90's that made it impossible to use the letter C in their name (Korn, limpbizkit, Kottonmouth Kings). First diagnosed in Tori Amos, who rid herself of it by leaving the band. Treatments were developed in 1999, but they're still looking for a kure.

L stands for "Low", the controversial new video from the Foo Fighters. Starring Jack Black and Dave Grohl as a pair of kinky mulletheads, the video got banned from MTV - but don't worry; it's all over the internet (even VH1.com)

M stands for Morris, Jim Morris, the newest voice on the Zone. He is the lizard king!

N stands for Nine Inch Nails. Trent, we miss you.

O stands for "Oxygen's Gone", the new spin by Die Trying. The video features blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearances by members of Hoobastank and Papa Roach, and features the foot race of three dudes that look like they got out of Jackie Chan boot camp...

P stands for "Princess Diaries", that G-rated movie that Disney brought out two summers ago. What makes it Zone-worthy? The movie co-stars one Robert Carmine, nee Schwartzman, frontman of Zone artists Rooney. Besides acting, he got to sing one of his own songs in the film. The song he chose? "Blueside"

Q stands for Quint, the Morning Boner. He thinks the new Metallica rawks!!!!!!

R stands for Radiohead. Okay, I stand corrected. Their St Louis show on the 24th is the show of the month.

S stands for "The Scientist", Coldplay latest single and the coolest video on this list. Dude learned to sing his song backwards for the video. If you haven't seen it, it's better than anything you paid $8 to watch this summer.

T stands for Tabatha. She carries a lint brush that she works over the rest of the crew. It's kinda annoying.

U stands for the Used, the band that epitomizes the music of the moment, Screamo. They're also the biggest thing to come out of Utah since Donnie and Marie. Hey, did anybody around here get to see them play?

V stands for Vendetta Red; your ears know them for "Shatterday". Lead singer's got my respect; in one interview, Zach Davidson talked about his affinity for Pearl Jam growing up: "I remember sitting in the juvie holding tank - where it's freezing cold and you're in your underwear because they don't want you to have anything on you - just humming over and over again the lyrics to 'Alive.' I kept Pearl Jam in my mind the whole miserable time."

W stands for www.1071thezone.com. Check it out.

X stands for me, because I'm mysterious like that...

Y stands for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They're a trio out of New York, and their new tune "Date with the Night" is keeping our ears warm until the new Strokes album comes out. Oh, and there's 32 'chops' in that song, if you're wondering.

Z stands for Cape's new rock alternative, The Zone, of course.

Well, there's your primer. Don't know what's coming this fall, but I can tell you that my love for you will still be strong, after the boys of summer have gone. Keep your ears open.

Quote of the Month:

"We started this band to get free drinks, and we still live by that spirit." -Chris Shiftlett, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.