Jim McGuinn joined 89.3 The Current in January 2009 as Program Director and on-air host, moving to the Twin Cities from Philadelphia and WXPN. Ever since seeing the Clash during his first concert, McGuinn has been hooked on rock 'n' roll-whether he was working on radio programming, playing guitar, bass, and lapsteel in a long list of bands, or teaching university level courses such as "Rock and Roll Cinema at Drexel University. McGuinn has received numerous accolades for his innovative programming, including the 2008 Best AAA Air Personality, and being named the 2009-2013 Program Director of Year for Non-Commercial AAA at the FMQB Triple A Conference while leading The Current to win Station of the Year 2009-2014. He loves the smell of vinyl in the morning, and lives in Saint Paul with his wife Christine, son Jameson, and Woody and Webster, two gray cats.
Brandi Carlile's new album 'By the Way, I Forgive You' is an emotionally powerful dive into her worldview, impacted by events of 2016, but also about becoming a parent, watching your parents get older, and dealing with love and loss and self-reflection.
The Current's program director, Jim McGuinn, has lived in both Philadelphia and Minnesota. As we approach a big NFL showdown featuring the teams from those places, Jim weighs in with a perspective on both. 'People have been asking me who I'm rooting for this weekend, and if I still love the Eagles (the team, not the band),' Jim writes. 'And the truth is, it's complicated.'
Jim McGuinn has his ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2018 inductees. Which five artists would you vote for? Share your thoughts!
After a 24-year hiatus, the Dream Syndicate reunited in 2012 and realized they sounded like a new band. 'We were enjoying it and we figured, well, rather than keep playing the oldies circuit, let's make a new record,' says front man Steve Wynn. The resulting record is 'How Did I Find Myself Here?', and the Dream Syndicate recently found themselves in The Current studio for a session hosted by Jim McGuinn.
Given how difficult it is to maintain freshness as an artist 37 continuous years into a career, 'Songs of Experience' teaches us this is a thing to be celebrated.
Program Director Jim McGuinn shares his favorite songs, local songs, and albums of 2017.
Robyne Robinson is a former TV news anchor and is currently the director of arts and culture at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. During her time as a news anchor, Robinson enjoyed a professional friendship with Prince. On a recent visit to The Current, Robinson spoke with Jim McGuinn, sharing some memorable stories from her time working with Prince, revealing a bit about the artist's playful side.
Having spent several days exploring Iceland and its music scene during the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival, The Current's Program Director Jim McGuinn sums up his time there. 'At times in Iceland, when looking at fantastic mountains, lava fields, or northern lights, it feels like you are on another planet or on the moon, isolated from the rest of the world and able to foster your own reality,' McGuinn writes. 'That reality manifests itself in the creative music and culture.' See McGuinn's summary along with many photos by Nate Ryan.
The ninth studio album from Foo Fighters, 'Concrete and Gold,' is mostly more of the kind of catchy riffage we've come to expect from the Foo Fighters for more than 20 years now. And it works.
Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard says when he was invited to cover Teenage Fanclub's landmark 1991 album, 'Bandwagonesque,' he jumped at the chance. Gibbard first heard Teenage Fanclub as a 14-year-old. 'I just fell in love,' he tells The Current's Jim McGuinn. 'It felt like an album that could have existed at any time in the annals of rock history, but it was something that was very palpable to a kid.'
Enter for your chance to win a copy of the DVD 'Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae', following the musical path to Jamaica's Golden Age of music.
Paris-based singer ALA.NI recently made an impression on The Current's Jim McGuinn with her performance at the annual NON-COMMvention. Stream her new album here.
Harry Styles's authentically produced solo debut is likely to distance him from his former bandmates and could enable him to establish a credible, viable, long-term career as an artist who is both popular and critically important.
3RDEYEGIRL guitarist Donna Grantis does an interview with Jim McGuinn, Andrea Swensson and Tom Weber on Minnesota Public Radio. 'There is a whole mix of emotions I am feeling,' Grantis says. 'Just hearing that music really does give me so much joy, and it makes me feel so good. I think it makes so many people all around the world feel good and comforted to hear that amazing music.'
Celebrating her bandleader's memory, Donna Grantis of 3RDEYEGIRL assembled a playlist of special Prince songs.
André Cymone does an interview with Jim McGuinn, Andrea Swensson and Tom Weber on Minnesota Public Radio.
In town to play a sold-out show at St. Paul's recently reopened Palace Theatre, Regina Spektor stopped by The Current for a session hosted by Jim McGuinn. The session features fantastic song performances and deep conversation. 'I feel like with music, people have this idea that you either write about yourself or you just write using fiction and that's not personal,' Spektor says. 'But to me, I truly believe that fiction and surrealism and psychedelic thoughts are just as personal.'
Neil Young's 37th solo album (and his second of 2016) displays the hardworking singer-songwriter in his signature restless, angry, profound, busy and brilliant fashion. 'Peace Trail' finds Neil Young searching for whatever's next on his long journey from the '60s to forever.
Following the announcement of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2017 inductees -- Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur, ELO, Journey, Yes, and Joan Baez -- first-time Hall of Fame voter Jim McGuinn reflects on the winners, on who he voted for, and who's missing from the Hall. 'One of my hopes is that by reaching from the Boomer generation to Gen Xers like myself to contribute to the process, the make-up of the Hall of Fame will shift to acknowledge some other branches in the rock 'n' roll tree,' Jim writes.
The Current's Program Director Jim McGuinn shares his experiences after being asked to vote for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees this year. 'An email appeared out of nowhere, asking if I'd be interested in voting for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,' Jim writes. 'Of course! But then I started wondering ... What is this Hall of Fame really about?' Jim looked deeply into the process, and he shares what ran through his mind as he cast his ballot.