IVANA GOES BACK TO THE FUTURE

ALL MY LIFE: What a whirlwind month it’s been so far! Once Mercury was fiercely lodged in retrograde as of Aug. 2 (not that it’s possible there’s a cosmic power greater than myself, said the Leo), I vowed to not make any life-altering decisions, including acknowledging my MILESTONE BIRTHDAY (wtf?), but I couldn’t resist making it known (said the Leo), and the statement once made to me by the singer of the Arctic Monkeys: “you’re older than me mum,” can now be said by almost every musician I know. Thankfully, the ’90s renaissance is in full swing, and the charts are dominated by my near-peers, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, blink-182, Foo Fighters, Sublime, Incubus, Jane’s Addiction, Cake and my new BFFs Bush. It’s quite conceivable/likely that the summer will come to a close with the aforementioned bands comprising the Modern Rock Top 5. A year ago I would’ve thought that the surge of ’90s bands would’ve meant the decimation of the format. I now believe unequivocally that the arrival of COMPETITIVE songs by bands fronted by ROCK STARS is the best thing that could happen to Modern Rock. There’s been a seismic shift away from faceless Active-leaning bands whose singers you couldn’t pull out of a lineup if there was a gun pointed at your head. Replacing those bands, for the most part, have been an array of MODERN ROCK bands who write interesting, catchy songs that are HITS, appeal to both men and women, are critically esteemed, and SELL RECORDS. All hail Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Metric, Joy Formidable, Florence and the Machine, Naked and Famous (girls, girls, girls!), Foster the People, The Airborne Toxic Event, Arcade Fire, AWOLNation, Young the Giant, Sleeper Agent and GIVERS, among others, who are helping the format further differentiate itself from any other rock format. Throw in the star power of the ’90s rock gods, and you’ve got yourself some ratings!… After listening to the latest by RHCP, blink, Jane’s, Bush, etc., it’s abundantly clear that each of these bands were pushing themselves creatively, and were motivated to produce their “master work.” None of these new releases are retreads of early, glory days. There’s a song on the Chili Peppers record I’ve had on repeat called “Brendan’s Death Song” (written about an ex-boyfriend of mine), that is a worthy tribute to a man whose impact on the LA music scene was immeasurable. Well done…. I had no clue how the new Bush single “The Sound of Winter” would be received by radio, or how they would fare at radio shows, but Ted and I have been blown away by the response! The single is Top 10 after 4 weeks! Initial call-out is encouraging! KRBZ PD Lazlo said Bush “stole the show” at the Buzz Beach Ball on Friday (I was there, so I have to concur). The band played the 101X Birthday Show in Austin on Wednesday night and I witnessed a sold-out crowd of 2,500, fists pumping and girls screaming at the sight of Gavin (whose shirt was sacrificed in the 105-degree heat). Even the skeptics in my posse had to admit that this was a show for the ages!… Speaking of superstars from prior decades, our dear friend Paul Kriegler, who we’ve supported since his days running KRCK from his parents’ house in the mid-’80s, is the new acting PD at KMYZ Tulsa, following the departure of Kenny Wall. It would be fantastic if this appointment is permanent and I’m sure that, between Nan Fisher and myself, we can put together an Xmas show for him with Flesh for Lulu, The Lucy Show, Simple Minds and Kim Wilde…. Let’s also hail our bestie Leslie Fram on her imminent move to Nashville for a new SVP post at CMT! The channel has played a critical role in the success of my faves The Civil Wars, and I’m sure that Leslie will put her stamp on the place very soon!…. And three cheers to Dustin “Fletcher” Matthews on landing the PD gig at WRXL in Richmond! To think he gave up his “career” as the fill-in singer for The Airborne Toxic Event for this job! Who will replace him at WFNX? What changes will Dustin make at WRXL? All will be revealed….