The Rage Against the Machine song “Killing in the Name”, played on a Vancouver radio station for hours beginning Tuesday. It was played on loop for at least three hours until Wednesday, but it is not clear who is behind this music marathon. Since then, the radio station has announced that it is “saying goodbye.”
According to Rolling Stone who tuned in to the occasional radio broadcast, the station would occasionally stop playing the song. Instead, it would play listener requests for that song.
Twitter users also reported that they would play “Killing in the Name” if a caller asked for another song.
After a lot of banter, the host took a caller who was getting sick of it. After a it of banter, she asked what they wanted to hear, caller said “I dunno, anything other than–” and then they cut her off and launched directly into Killing In The Name again https://t.co/TJ4FBNbYxm
Although it is not clear how long the song was playing, many Twitter users reported that it was still being played on Wednesday. The station was taken out of service on Thursday. KISS FM posted a brief statement on their website stating that Vancouver’s station had “saying goodbye” to them this week.
Sonia Sidhu–Kennedy, Tara Jean Stevens and DJ Kevin Lim all announced that they would be leaving the station’s radio show on Tuesday.
Lim and Sidhu Kenendy, who hosted Mornings with Kevin, posted a social media statement Tuesday announcing their departure. They said that their 5 years of service on KiSS RADiO had come to an abrupt end. “KiSS is changing, and we were told that we wouldn’t be a part of the new chapter. This is a mixed emotion, but we are grateful.
DJ Tara Jean Stevens posted that she was at the end of her show on KISS Tuesday.
Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine’s guitarist, retweeted the information about the song. Yesterday, a Vancouver pop radio station laid off all their staff. The tweet states that the person at the controls has been playing Killing In The Name Of every morning since 6am (it is now 9:30). “It’s beautiful.”
@RATM @tmorello Vancouver’s pop radio station laid off all their staff yesterday. The person at the controls has been playing Killing In The Name Of every morning since 6am (it is now 9:30). @KevinLimOnAir @Sonia_Sidhu It’s beautiful. pic.twitter.com/kXi9BLKWb0
Rodney King’s police brutality and subsequent 1992 Los Angeles riots inspired the lyrics of the song.
It’s unclear whether the song was put on loop by a disgruntled employee or if the station used it as a way to say goodbye. CBS News reached out to Rogers Sports Media, KISS FM’s parent company, and the DJs for comments. They are awaiting a response.
