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Soundcheck

Friday, July 13, 2007
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  • Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp
    Terrill Province / Province and Co. Photography

    Not Just a Fantasy

    Rock 'n' roll fantasy camps let rock fans learn from bona fide rock stars. Author and radio host Katherine Lanpher talks about her camp experience, which found her singing backup vocals for The Who's Roger Daltrey and Cheap Trick. Plus: indie-pop group The Ladybug Transistor performs live in our studio.

Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp

At first, jamming alongside members of The Who and Cheap Trick was not exactly Katherine Lanpher's idea of a fantasy. But after five days at a Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp in Los Angeles, the author and radio host did just that -- and it changed her forever. We talk with Lanpher about her experience, which she wrote about in More magazine. Weigh in: Who would be your dream camp counselor at a rock 'n' roll fantasy camp? What would you want to learn from them?

Lanpher's story, "School of Rock," in More magazine
Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp website
Slideshow: Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp

The Ladybug Transistor

For 10 years, The Ladybug Transistor has explored the fertile fields of '60s pop first tilled by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean and the Walker Brothers. The group is an associate of the Elephant Six music collective, which yielded Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control and other indie favorites of the 1990s. Led by founder Gary Olson, the group performs selections from their latest album, "Can't Wait Another Day," live in our studio.

The Ladybug Transistor website
The Ladybug Transistor MySpace page

Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas

Soundcheck

August 22, 2008
New Orleans singer Irma Thomas has survived 50 years in the music business - and at least two hurricanes. She joins us to talk about her record, Simply Grand.

Bon Iver

Soundcheck

July 30, 2008
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon spent a winter holed up in his father's hunting cabin in remote Wisconsin, recording songs about solitude that would be released under the name Bon Iver. He joins us to play some of them live.

Billboard Chart

Who's On Top and Who Should Be?

Soundcheck

August 14, 2008
Soundcheck looks at the artists who are reigning atop the Billboard albums chart -- and what their rankings tell us about the state of pop music.

Janelle Monae

The Next Big Things

Soundcheck

Paste magazine editor-in-chief Josh Jackson joins us to talk about Johnny Flynn, Janelle Monae, Bon Iver, Amy MacDonald and other must-hear artists who made Paste’s list of "The Best of What’s Next: 26 Emerging Artists You Should Know."

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