Obituary: Indie 103.1 FM KDLD, et al.

Photo By Robert Gauthier.

When I first moved to Southern California, my only source of music in the home was my FM radio. On my first night I ran the dial and immediately came across a track from Bloc Party's Silent Alarm, who were just getting established in the United States. "Banquet" was followed by some Ramones and Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", and I was hooked on the station.

Over the next four years, 103.1 was my 24 hour go-to music source. Tons of new stuff, great old stuff ("God! Show Me Magic"), new old stuff, and great shows and programs. Although some found it to be the "Diet Coke" of independent radio, Indie was hands down a consistent source of choice quality music. That's all I really ask for in a radio station.

Now KDLD's terrestrial broadcast is no more, and the station is transitioning to some sort of web-based format. It sounds like the shows are gone, and there's no word if Big Sonic Heaven, Passport Approved, Head Trip or any of the other awesome programs will show up on other stations. KCRW? Perhaps. Raise KXLU's HATT by 80 meters? I don't know. I just pray that the online Indie will have a moblie app like Soma FM so I can at least pretend it's a real radio station.

Yuck.