What's This Called?

What's This Called? features experimental and eclectic music of all genres. From John Cage to Sonic Youth, Sun Ra to William Shatner. You shouldn't be surprised to hear a classic electronic composition from the last century, played back to back with a droning wall of post-punk guitar feedback, followed by a saxophone improvisation from one of the giants of free jazz.

Beginning life in 1993 at KAOS in Olympia WA, What's This Called? came over to KPSU after a two year hiatus on August 27th, 2005. The show and the station have been a perfect fit, and host Ricardo Wang continues to marvel at the daring of KPSU to allow such programming on Saturdays in the daytime - a timeslot most other college and community stations devote to the likes of bluegrass music or car talk.

While recorded music is the weekly focus, What's This Called? has hosted semi-frequent live musical guests as well including: Green Milk from the Planet Orange, Zoe Keating, Crank Sturgeon, Joy Wants Eternity, Mattress, METAL, Argumentix with Kitty Midwife, Childhood Friends, In Gowan Ring, A: Frequency, Mr. Pharmacist, Obe Skupla, L.A. Lungs, M.E. & Me, Eric and Ian Ostrowski, Pop Culture Rape Victim, Soup Purse, Blue Light Curtain, Mortal Engines, Paintings for Animals, Octagon Control, The Vibrarians, Your Drugs, My Money, and Howlin' Hounddog.