Alternating Currents

Alternating Currents features new and experimental music from the 20^th century into the present: from electronic to acoustic, from composed to improvised, from high tech to ad hoc, from analog to digital, from local to global. Alternating Currents is our weekly search for the needle of creative music in the haystack of 21st century radio.

DJs Robert Szocik and Jason Wietlispach (also the host of The Modern Chamber) alternate Sundays hosting this incredibly unique program.

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DJ Robert Szocik

I began listening to WMSE around 1983 when I was in high school. I was immediately drawn to its unique programming, introducing me to stuff I normally wouldn’t hear on the radio. As a music enthusiast, I never had a favorite band or artist, but was always on a constant search for “the next song” and WMSE helped feed that obsession.  I remember around the mid-80’s, driving around town in my 1977 Buick Regal, my friends (bunch of clowns) would continuously screw with the car radio, switching the stations. True story: I programmed every button on my car stereo to 91.7 FM leaving everyone tricked and confused, but also giving me the upperhand on choice of music played in the car.

My current musical preferences range from Funkadelic to Minor Threat to Anthony Braxton to Michael Yonkers to Marc Bolan to Nina Simone to Oxbow to Television to Sly Stone to Hüsker Dü to Buck Owens to Frank Zappa to Milford Graves to Karen Dalton to The Melvins to D’Angelo to The Rolling Stones to DEVO…. the list just keeps on going… and changes daily.  As you may have guessed,  I  listen to WMSE whenever I’m not playing my own music.  I am extremely honored to be in the great company of the best dj’s in the world.  Rarely does a week go by without getting my fix with The Chicken Shack, The Tom Wanderer Radio Experience and/or Radio Drill Time.

In college, I developed an obsession for free jazz, which stemmed from the Mothers of Invention track, “The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue”.  Around 2007, I became more active in the Milwaukee Improvised/Experimental music community, developing a mailing list/website called “IMprovised SOund – Milwaukee” to help spread the word on free jazz shows and act as a vehicle to host musicians and shows in Milwaukee.

My life-long music obsession led me to the DJ chair in Studio A, hosting Alternating Currents every other Sunday.  This opportunity was an unexpected surprise and a dream come true.  WMSE for life!