However, though WSOU would seem to be largely immune to outside pressure, there are other issues involved. Katchisin continued: "The University is a sensitive issue, especially since WSOU is part of a Catholic university. We have to make sure that our screening process for music is tight, so that we do not play any music over the airwaves that doesn't fit with Seton Hall University's and WSOU's mission statements."

A station DJ who broadcasts under the handle "The Captain" expanded on Katchisin's comments: "For example, the band Cradle of Filth was pulled because of the content of their songs. 'Opiate' by Tool was redlined because it talks about Jesus Christ raping people. We cannot say the name of the Nirvana LP 'Incesticide.' We're not allowed so say anything negative about the University or the Church. We cannot make racial, sexual, or ethnic comments. So, the university is a far bigger censor than the FCC is."

Of course, many would argue that such interference is reasonable. Running a radio station takes money, and if the funding is coming from a private source, such as the Catholic Church, then the private source does have a right to ask that the broadcast not contain material it finds objectionable. Such a policy may even work to the station's advantages, allowing a wider age range of listeners, as well as working to attract those driven away by the vulgar antics of big-station DJs. Finally, such an ideologically-based policy, so long as alternative outlets for non-censored speech exist, is far less onerous than censorship based solely on commercial reasons. CORPORATE MOFO may not agree with the Catholic Church on very many issues, but we will still defend their right to make their opinions known, through either speech or silence, on their own radio station. And, it should also be noted, even with this interference, WSOU is still given huge leeway with regards to content.

And what content it is. There's a certain charm to hearing a bunch of college kids play songs by bands that they're really into. You can tell these kids get a real thrill playing "met-ahl" over the airwaves. Tuning in to WSOU is a more real, authentic experience than listening to slick radio "personalities" shoot their mouths off. In an era of narrowly-defined market segments, WSOU easily plays the greatest variety of bands in its listening area, and gives a number of new artists an opportunity to be heard.

Daniel "The Raven" Spezzacatena, a DJ and assistant music director, gave voice to the concerns of many on one issue. "I personally think that we, WSOU, are the originators of many bands. We play the bands that commercial radio stations do not play and make them popular. A few years ago, half the bands on [a certain commercial radio station that shall remain nameless] started with us."

"Still, it is nice to see that the fans do not forget. At a great deal of shows, SOU chants break out. . . Many fans were wearing homemade "[a certain commercial radio station that shall remain nameless] Sucks/WSOU Rules" T-shirts. And that is what it is all about, the fans. As long as the fans know what the truth is, then that's fine. Rock and roll will live on forever, and it's nice to know that WSOU is a great part of it."

One could easily argue that it's only natural that a certain number of the bands that WSOU originates make it big, and are accordingly pushed onto corporate radio by big record labels, but Spezzacatena's comment is borne out by my own experience. Many moons ago, one of the first Limp Bizkit shows in New York was sponsored by a certain commercial radio station that shall remain nameless. My friend Luigi dragged me along to see this "great new band he heard on WSOU" (he had gotten great joy out of dedicating "Counterfeit" to his ex-girlfriend). When Fred Durst came out to thank that certain radio station that shall remain nameless, he was shouted down as almost literally the entire auditorium began a ten-minute-long chant of "S-O-U! S-O-U!"

Yet, the WSOU DJs seemed reluctant to think of themselves as musical mujahedeen. Katchisin also wrote: ". . . in regards to us thinking of ourselves as revolutionaries, I can't speak for everyone else, but for myself, I am just another DJ working for a really cool station. The station overall however, I do think is revolutionary. Going back 15 years ago when we first starting playing metal, all the way up to the present, WSOU is one of a kind. The station plays music that most commercial radio stations will never touch, or will play but only in a specialty show rotation."

The Captain, while also protesting his own lack of revolutionary fervor, nailed the issue right on the head: "Some people at the station. . . place high priority on spinning bands that normally wouldn't get played anywhere else, even during WSOU's regular rotation. . . I don't see myself as a visionary. I love WSOU to death and will do anything I can to support up and coming bands (such as D-9 and Dizneyfist) but I'm not totally in love with all of the music we play. However, even though I may not like it, I will fight for my fellow DJs' right to play that music and the right for our audience to hear it. . . . What bothers me most about [traditional, commercial music outlets] is the fact that it such a sanitized, focus-group derived form of entertainment. I could put a mooing cow on MTV and in three weeks the "Moo Cow America" LP will be at #1. Too many people in this country are drones of the constantly-consolidating industry. WSOU represents free will more than it represents heavy metal, and I think that's why it's so popular. WSOU is the anti-status quo."

The question remains, however: what can we, the consumers, do about the status quo, besides chanting at rock shows? The first is to write or e-mail your Congresspeople to have the Telecommunications act of 1996 repealed. The second is: Boycott commercial radio, or at least lie to Arbitron about what stations you listen to.

Down with commercial radio, up with goofy college kids!

About the Authors: Tristan Trout and Ken Mondschein, though crappy musicians, are avid music fans. More to the point, they're rabid about freedom of expression.