Local low-power alternative station KWSS has announced that it's moving to a new home on the FM dial, shifting from 106.7 to 93.9 on Sunday, March 10.

Home to shows like TMI (which I call into once a week to discuss music news and play selections), Mostly Vinyl with Johnny D, Driving with Gass, and Erratic Radio, the station has been broadcasting via a low- wattage signal since 2005.

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-A Band of Screw-Ups at KWSS-FM Work at Waging a 100-Watt Revolution

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Courtesy of Ashley Harris

Former Blaze DJ Ashley Harris looks on as locals get down on radio program The Basement.

A couple of cool things made their way onto the planet in 1982. USA Today went into circulation, the first permanent artificial heart began beating, Michael Jackson dropped Thriller, and Arizona State University's student radio station went live.

The Blaze 1330 AM celebrated its 30th birthday last week, and to mark the occasion, the current staff is inviting alumni in to broadcast some retired programs from yesteryear.

For years, the station has been a proud champion of the local music community through former programs such as The Basement and continues the tradition today with Raising Arizona. Tonight, the airwaves will be filled once again with the voice of former DJ Ashley Harris (who currently works for Sony in Los Angeles) for a one-night return of The Basement between 8 and 10 p.m. Local glam rock/power pop combo Ladylike will also join Harris for the trip down memory wave.

We caught up with Harris to talk about the show's ska/punk roots and the significance of tonight's broadcast.

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You don't need us to remind you that the Valley is a massive piece of land. Phoenix alone is a whopping 517 square miles, according to Wikipedia (which is never wrong, right?). That dwarfs metropolises such as Chicago (234 square miles) and Seattle (142 square miles). Even Los Angeles is smaller than Phoenix (but just barely).

All these numbers add up to one thing: We live in a city that requires you to drive (or take the rail, if you're lucky) if you want to grab a drink at a cool spot, find good eating, or catch great live music. Until now, the West Valley, in particular, has been devoid of such places. Sure, professional sports is in town, and you can get your drink on at Westgate, but where can you find the rock 'n' roll?

Well, have no fear West Valley residents, Beef Vegan, host of KWSS 106.7's morning show, The Morning Infidelity, is trying to change all that with a new monthly event starting Saturday, September 8, at Salty Señorita in Peoria.

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Westley Allen of Erratic! Radio and Echo

See also: Best Rock Radio Personality, 2011: Westley Allen
See also: Erratic! Radio Discusses Yus, Eastside Jets, and Muddy Moneys With Up on the Sun
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Westley Allen, Phoenix punk rock DJ, bartender, guitarist, and host of KWSS 106.7 FM's Tuesday night punk/noise/shoegaze/whatever program Erratic Radio!, is in celebration mode. Today's his birthday (35, he groans) and he's off to grab a free Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's as soon as he finishes his coffee and a 32-ouncer of Miller High Life.

But Allen is extending the party into the weekend, when he'll celebrate the three-year anniversary of starting Erratic Radio! on Friday, August 24, hosting Tucson's Lenguas Largas, Man Hands, Radio Crimes, Bobby Nobbit (members of Feeding People, and "raw and creepy," says Allen), and Plainfield Butchers, his rock 'n' roll combo, at the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe.

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Tim and Willy

See also: Dave Pratt's Out, MasterChef Contestant Monti Carlo Is In at 103.9, Plus More Radio News

It's been a strange week in Valley radio: On Sunday, July 22, KDKB-FM (93.3) personality and local concert promoter Danny Zelisko announced that his program, The Danny Zelisko Presents radio program (also known as the Regular Guy Radio Program) was being dropped by the station, and on Wednesday, July 26, country morning duo Tim Hattrick and Willy D. Loon -- better known as Tim and Willy -- gave word that their show has been dropped by KMLE-FM (107.9)

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See also: The Pulse on Power 98.3: Broadcasting Underground Hip-Hop to The Valley (Video)
See also: Dave Pratt's Out, MasterChef Contestant Monti Carlo Is In at 103.9, Plus More Radio News

They say bad things come in threes.

First Steve Nash decides to bolt from the Phoenix Suns (although, it's not a bad thing for me seeing that I'm a Lakers fan), and now radio personality Yaya Martinez is calling it quits as host of the underground hip-hop show The Pulse on Power 98.3.

I'm calling it right now: Before the end of the summer, don't be surprised if someone else, maybe one of our promising bands, makes the leap to another postal code.

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My 103.9's new morning host, Monti Carlo.

Welcome to Radio Roundup, a new series in which we'll occasionally check in with the ever-shifting world of the Phoenix radio (FM, AM, Internet). Read on for June's news regarding changes at My Phoenix Music 1039 (goodbye, Dave Pratt; hello, Monti Carlo), Magic City Radio on Power 98.3, and why low-power FM station KWSS wants your car.

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