Going back to Nicole Atkins' early days...next April 22 will mark 20 years since I first saw her live, opening for Mike Doughty at Mexicali Blues Cafe in Teaneck. It was the "Dan Chen transfer" show...keyboardist Dan Chen was leaving her band to join Mike's so he played with both of them. I don't even think the Bleeding Diamonds EP was out yet.
Ferocious Designs
Ferocious Designs is the mostly DIY music project of central New Jersey-based songwriter Brian Kelley. Influences: Peter Gabriel, Todd Rundgren, Kate Bush, Midge Ure/Ultravox, Howard Jones, Talk Talk/Mark Hollis, Tears For Fears, Simple Minds, Lo Moon. Pronouns: he/him/his
Forgot how that Appel Farm thing worked so I looked up the original post.
https://tandemwiththerandom.com/2011/05/04/get-3-off-appel-farm-arts-music-festival-tickets/
Yeah, and they had the two stages...at least they did one of the years I was there. They did a cool social media thing with Nicole Atkins where if you posted about her appearance and provided a specific code connected to you for people to use to buy tickets, it won the original poster and ten of those ticket-buyers a meet and greet with her and her band. Well, Pfeiffer (RIP) retweeted my tweet & Nicole RT'd his retweet so mine was the most-used code and...
Yeah, I know you know...I just like spreading the word when I can. XPN will ask listeners for NJ artists for Friday morning mixtapes or other special programming, and the first Janis Ian mention is, like, 200+ comments in...or I have to be the first.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ah, the old Appel Farm Festival? Went to a couple of those...got to see Sharon Jones at one of them.
And a Monmouth County, NJ, native! Born in Farmingdale and spent the first five years of her life on a chicken farm there before her family moved to East Orange.
Ferocious Designs boosted:
While the timing of our releases of Rock Against Hate Volumes 7 & 8 could not be more timely... I hate how timely they are...
Trump Admin cut funding to the suicide prevention hotline that caters for LGBTQ young people
The Trevor Project helped to run the LGBTQ option.
Rock Against Hate 7 benefits them: https://rockagainsthatetp.bandcamp.com/album/rock-against-hate-volume-7
BBC NEWS: Trump ends funding for LGBTQ youth option on national suicide hotline
Ferocious Designs boosted:
While the Supreme Court makes it harder for trans people to get the care they need, #NoMoreDypshoria's goal is helping trans + non-binary individuals financially through major aspects of their transitions.
You can help them by downloading Rock Against Hate Volume 8
https://rockagainsthatenmd.bandcamp.com/album/rock-against-hate-volume-8
BBC NEWS: US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on gender transition care for minors
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr7ej97y0eo
WTF? This has happened again…
🙄
From: @ferociousdesigns
https://musician.social/@ferociousdesigns/114570721086432543
Two years ago today, I released “Life's in the Balance"—my #Fedivision2023 entry—as a single. I wrote most of it in my head a month earlier in an emergency room when I wasn’t 100% certain I would survive a freak malignant hyperthermia crisis (temp spiked to 105.5º F). All proceeds continue to go to MHAUS.org
https://youtu.be/66B2sdGVW10?feature=shared
Stream/download: https://wp.me/PcZlvI-96
So...this is weird...as much of a huge Talk Talk/Mark Hollis fan I thought I was, I just found out minutes ago that Talk Talk also had a song called "Why Is It So Hard?" on the soundtrack for the 1984 film, First Born. I originally wrote my song of the same name about 5 years later, but didn't release it until 2024. A friend once suggested changing the title, but I stuck with it...maybe my subconscious mind knew about the Talk Talk song and kept it as a tribute? 🤔
Ugh...WXPN just played "The Warmth of the Sun" and it was one of my dad's favorite songs.
Was not emotionally ready for that.
Ugh...did you ever hear the cover of "'Til I Die" I recorded a few years ago...it was in my pre-FD days. Just love that song. An absolute genius. 😞
Ferocious Designs boosted:
A huge loss to the music world... 😢
VARIETY: Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder, Dies at 82
https://variety.com/2025/music/news/brian-wilson-dead-beach-boys-1236428336/
Ferocious Designs boosted:
Tonight @ 7pm ET on BlowUpRadio.com Presents New NJ Music
@ferociousdesigns
shin michaela thmaist
The Random Hubiak
Songbird
Timber Pater
ca'toons
Greg McGarvey
Val Emmich
Bamberdost
Anthony Walker
Hello Whirled
Lxnnnie
The Shape Study
Prop House
Only on BlowUpRadio.com, the most popular music site on the internet
Playlist: https://blowupradio.com/den/2025/060925.html
Ferocious Designs boosted:
New on BlowUpRadio.com, "The Most Popular Music Site On The Internet"
Newsletter for week of 6/9/25
https://blowupradio.com/newsletters/2025/060925.html
Ferocious Designs boosted:
2 new comps, each w/ over 20 previously unreleased songs
100% of proceeds go to wonderful #LGBTQ causes
Rock Against Hate Volume 7 benefiting #TrevorProject - https://rockagainsthatetp.bandcamp.com/album/rock-against-hate-volume-7
Rock Against Hate Volume 8 benefiting #NoMoreDysphoria - https://rockagainsthatenmd.bandcamp.com/album/rock-against-hate-volume-8
Many are streaming the songs on Bandcamp, but not a lot of purchases.
The problem is the non-profits don't receive any money for the streams
If you are streaming the songs, please purchase the albums to help the causes
One year ago today, I released my EP, Open Your Eyes, featuring "Beyond Forever," a song I wrote in 24 hours as a warmup about 2 weeks before the 2024 #xpnsongchallenge (for which I wrote "Summer's Not My Thing," which is also on the EP).
Ferocious Designs boosted:
The Rock Against Hate Radio Special is on the air!
Tune in All weekend to https://BlowUpRadio.com to hear songs from Volume 7 & 8 as well 30 minute live sets from Anthony Walker, Greg McGarvey, Happy Joe, @jasondidner , Mick Chorba, and The Winter Sounds.
& please purchase Volume 7 benefiting #TrevorProject and Volume 8 benefiting #NoMoreDysphoria
all info @ https://rockagainsthate.org
Ferocious Designs boosted:
And even if you do not care about the music, please have a look at www.thetrevorproject.org and consider donating to them!
Support Homepage
Ferocious Designs boosted:
Done!
That's one solid compilation!
@BlowUpRadio.gardenstate.social.ap.brid.gy assembled some fantastic artists for this one. 👍
For more where this came from, check out wherenjrocklives.com/rah.html
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zsoddw7ke7uxdcmdpbln5bwd/post/3lqwnq5nc7s2o
Rock Against Hate
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