So, since yesterday when we posted the literal scoop about WLUW's potential future as an independent, community, listener-sponsored radio station, we've gotten some more information.

First and foremost, we got an email from Craig Kois, who relayed the following to us:

"Jocelyn...Thanks for your detailing of Monday's meeting. I have forwarded the link to our staff since I was not able to take notes that evening as planned.

I do want to clarify that I am not okay with not being here for this final year of delivering our
community-based programming because I am still committed to our audience and to the current mission of WLUW. The idea that Shawn and I will be gone did not come from us nor from WBEZ.

Again, thanks for being at the Monday meeting and for spreading the word about what is going on."

Craig Kois / WLUW

Second we found out that our good pal, Scott Smith, at Time Out Chicago wrote a piece, and he got the bigwigs to talk to him. Nice work, Scott.

Thirdly, we got an email from Robert Feder, lamenting the fact we didn't link to him (or use his first name). The first name thing should be a compliment -- we figured if you're into radio goings on, you know who Feder is. However, the lack of link was an oversight on our part, not an intentional slight.

Lastly, it has been noted several times in the comments of the original article that the students of WNUR are not required to participate in the radio station as part of their studies at Medill. Point noted.

So, that's all the news that's fit to print ... for now.

Image by kid static

After we saw an anonymous tip on our sidebar saying that WLUW (88.7 FM) would no longer exist in its current form, we were filled with a sense of dread. How? Why? More importantly, was this really true? We called Shawn Campbell, Program Director, to see what was up. She confirmed that the gist of the tip was true, but told us that the information had been leaked to Feder before WLUW and WBEZ had a chance to talk to their staff (no one from management had done this). They definitely wanted to do so before making a public comment, and Shawn remarked on the situation, "We wanted to wait until after Pitchfork so everyone's weekend wouldn't be ruined." Fair enough. Unfortunately, that privilege had been stolen by someone already.

However, when we went over to the station last night, we heard there was a meeting with the WBEZ higher-ups (Torey Malatia, General Manager of WBEZ; Ron Jones, Program Director; Daniel Ash, Vice President, Strategic Communications) and the staff to answer any questions they might have. We have done one or two airshifts at WLUW and have helped out with the pledge drive on several occasions, so we sat right down for the details.

First and foremost, we were entirely pleased that the voices from WBEZ were completely forthright, transparent and willing to answer all the staff questions. So much so that we had to leave before the then two-hour meeting was over. The meeting started off with Shawn Campbell and Craig Kois (Station Manager) giving a few personal remarks. It was soon to be revealed that they would no longer have positions with the station, which came as a shock and visibly angered and saddened the staff deeply.

Kois started by saying "the passion [they have for independent community radio] was challenged by Loyola [five years ago], and these fine folks from WBEZ saved our asses." Shawn was also quick to note that "they [WBEZ] did everything they could to prevent this from happening, and they've been with us every step of the way." It was an exact opposite from a meeting held with the staff five years ago when they were informed WBEZ was coming on board to start to help run the show. At that time, people were convinced WBEZ was going to be a repeater for their 91.5 signal or that they were interested in coming in and completely changing the station. Gratefully that was not true, and now WBEZ was now perceived as the station's biggest friend and ally. In fact, according to Malatia, the reason they got involved in the first place was because they believe in community radio and invested in WLUW in order to "preserve an art form and important voice that is largely missing from the dial."

Hear more about the details of the meeting after the jump. ...

...for Frisbie’s New Debut. Masters of the turn of phrase and worshippers at the altar of harmony, Frisbie is back in full force. Things look a little different, and the elements have changed. The local band that seemed destined for stardom had some things to work out. Through all of the uncertainty and doubt, the growing pains and a very pregnant pause – Frisbie has come out better for the wear. But they haven’t remained untouched by it, either.

The band that released The Subversive Sounds of Love in 2001 had been left wandering a bit after the dissolution of its original lineup. A keyboardist leaving to attend to personal matters, a bassist striving to make his way in a restructured band. But the most notable shakeup was the absence of drummer, Zack Kantor. Unlike other bands where the drummer plays the important role of holding each song together with the backbeat, Frisbie had been blessed to have a drummer that also rounded out a trio of very talented songwriters.

Although Zack’s lyrics could sometimes be obtuse, the overall orchestration of his songs were engaging and often complicated, as a song took many different turns within the span of four minutes. They ranged from achingly poignant ("Whirlwind"), lively and anthemic ("Another Story"), sprawling and multilayered ("Blowin’ Up and Tellin’ Lies") to downright pop masterpieces ("I Know What’s In Store"). You never quite know what you’d get with Zack.

Unfortunately, the wide variety of output from Kantor sometimes translated into inconsistent behavior regarding the band, and he and Frisbie (the band) ended up parting ways. Frisbie released an acoustic album of Kantor’s songs in 2003, entitled period. It was the punctuation to the end of an era. Steve (Frisbie) and Liam (Davis) continued to play out as an acoustic duo, opening for acts like Andrew Bird, The Beautiful South and Evan Dando. Fans were happy for a glimpse, but what they were all asking was – Will the whole band ever re-form? Will they ever make a new record? They had songs they had not yet released – "Yes, Impossible," "Divisadero," "Vibration Man," "Two Fists of the Onion Girl," "Supertaster," "Pardon Our Dust". Maybe an EP?

Find out what happened to Frisbie after the jump...