Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child

Series produced by Bill Childs

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Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, is a weekly radio show for kids and their grownups, broadcasting from Austin, Texas. It's indie music for indie kids.


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"Spare the Rock doesn’t, and that’s why everybody loves it."
- John Flansburgh, They Might Be Giants

"Remember how kids used to wake up on Saturday morning excited to watch cartoons? My kids wake up Saturday morning excited for the first strains of TMBG singing 'It’s Spare The Rock…with Bill & Ella…and sometimes Liam! Since we started carrying the show, it has become a local cultural phenomenon. Plus, Bill Childs is a nerd. So are his kids. And nerd is the new cool. Do you think they are going to let crappy kids music hit the airwaves? I’ve heard everything from Rush to Dan Zanes, The Pixies to Brady Rymer. Pete Seeger to The f****** Muppets. Yeah, I said it in a thing about kids music. I f****** love this show."
- Monte Belmonte, Program Director, WRSI (93.9 The River) For seven years, Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child has been providing the soundtrack to thousands of childhoods in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts and southern Vermont. The show plays “indie music for indie kids,” including the best of music aimed at kids (like Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell, Lunch Money, Caspar Babypants, and They Might Be Giants) right along side kid-friendly tracks from the likes of The Ramones, Mike Doughty, Ella Fitzgerald, Brian Eno, Pizzicato Five, Andrew Bird, Fishbone, and more. Throw in book reviews and exclusive in-studios from dozens of artists, including the likes of Jonathan Coulton, Asylum Street Spankers, Dan Zanes, Dog on Fleas, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem, Elizabeth Mitchell, They Might Be Giants, and many more, and you’ve got an idea of what the show is about. One thing it’s not is your typical kids’ programming. We’re radio nerds, and we want to raise another generation of radio nerds. That means a set that starts with Elvis Costello, switches to Brooklyn history-oriented family rock band the Deedle Deedle Dees, and then pivots to Guided By Voices, or one that starts with British folk punker Frank Turner, then family hip-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (featuring Cactus from Granola Funk Express), and finishes up with Earth Wind & Fire. Check out some recent playlists (at http://sparetherock.com) and you’ll get the idea. It’s Kidz Bop- and condescension-free, and genuinely curated, not randomly generated by the RadioCompuBot 3000. It is good radio, period, not just good-for-kids. Now, Spare the Rock is broadcast from Austin, Texas, and is available in a one-hour format to any radio station that wishes to air it, commercial or non-commercial, anywhere in the world. Listen here on PRX.org, read more at our syndication page, or send me an email at show@sparetherock.com for details. Hide full description


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"Spare the Rock doesn’t, and that’s why everybody loves it."
- John Flansburgh, They Might Be Giants

"Remember how kids used to wake up on Saturday morning excited to watch cartoons? My kids wake up Saturday morning excited for the first strains of TMBG singing 'It’s Spare The Rock…with Bill & Ella…and sometimes Liam! Since we started carrying the show, it has become a local cultural phenomenon. Plus, Bill Childs is a nerd. So are his kids. And nerd is the new cool. Do you think they are going to let crappy kids music hit the airwaves? I’ve heard everything from Rush to Dan Zanes, The Pixies to Brady Rymer. Pete Seeger to The f****** Muppets. Yeah, I said it in a thing about kids music. I f****** love this show."
- Monte Belmonte, Program Director, WRSI (93.9 The River)For seven...

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544 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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This week, we've got new music from The Twigs and the David Wax Museum's Suz Slezak, plus Ben Folds, Kimya Dawson, Laura Doherty, Kepi Ghouli, Kool...

  • Added: Dec 02, 2014
  • Length: 52:11
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Happy Thanksgiving! We've got new music from Nathalia, Todd McHatton, and In the Nick of Time, plus just a fun rest of the show!

  • Added: Nov 23, 2014
  • Length: 57:38
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With new music from They Might Be Giants, Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, Sara Hickman, Dave and the Boombox, Nick Cope, and Mista Cookie Jar!

  • Added: Nov 17, 2014
  • Length: 53:33
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With an amazing in-studio from Eef Barzelay, plus new music from Moona Luna (with help from Secret Agent 23 Skidoo) and Nathalia. It's a pretty gr...

  • Added: Nov 10, 2014
  • Length: 52:43
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With new music from Lori Henriques, Jason Didner & the Jungle Gym Jam with Suzi Shelton, plus Fishbone, Brian Eno, De La Soul, Elizabeth Mitchell, ...

  • Added: Nov 03, 2014
  • Length: 53:12
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With Ralph's World in-studio, plus new music from Lori Henriques, Key Wilde & Mr Clarke, Professor Presley, and OK Go!

  • Added: Oct 29, 2014
  • Length: 54:09

  • Added: Oct 21, 2014
  • Length: 53:32
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With an in-studio from SteveSongs, and the 2014 top ten of the Fids & Kamily Music Awards!

  • Added: Oct 16, 2014
  • Length: 57:32
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With a visit from the Sugar Free Allstars and Ashley Albert, plus world premiere music from Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke and new music from Todd McHatton...

  • Added: Oct 08, 2014
  • Length: 51:18
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With new music from Hullabaloo, In the Nick of Time, and more -- plus Willie Nelson, Frumious Snacktime (covering Jonathan Richman!), Husker Du, Ji...

  • Added: Oct 01, 2014
  • Length: 55:51
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New Steve Weeks! Exclusive Deedle Deedle Dees! All! David Byrne! New Caspar Babypants! Sakes alive, people.

Bought by KMXT


  • Added: Sep 24, 2014
  • Length: 54:00
  • Purchases: 1
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With new music from Charlie Hope, Okee Dokee Brothers, Mister G, The Not-Its!, The Good Ms. Padgett, Joanie Leeds, Brady Rymer and more!

  • Added: Sep 16, 2014
  • Length: 53:53
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New music from Caspar Babypants, Jazzy Ash, Whizpops, The Pop Ups, and Papa Crow -- plus awesome requests for Devo and the Presidents of the United...

  • Added: Sep 08, 2014
  • Length: 54:07
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With new music from Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band and MC Frontalot, plus many other good things -- including Rock Paper Scissors advice from Ella!

  • Added: Sep 01, 2014
  • Length: 53:26
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New music this week from Steve Weeks, Papa Crow, Rolie Polie Guacamole, and the Hipwaders -- plus Ella Jenkins, Brian Eno, De La Soul, Frank Turner...

  • Added: Aug 24, 2014
  • Length: 53:32
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With world premiere music from Recess Monkey and The Not-Its! collaborating to celebrate Zooglobble's 10th anniversary this year, and ours next -- ...

  • Added: Aug 19, 2014
  • Length: 59:20
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With new music from Gustafer Yellowgold, The Not-Its!, MC Frontalot, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo, and more! Plus Fugazi, The Julie Ruin, Junior Senior,...

  • Added: Aug 12, 2014
  • Length: 53:47
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With official niece of Spare the Rock Hope, plus new music from the Whirlygigs, Kristin Kellner, Sara Hickman, The Pop Ups, The Good Ms. Padgett, a...

  • Added: Aug 05, 2014
  • Length: 51:34
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ScribbleJim & ScribbleElaina bring the rock as guest hosts!

  • Added: Jul 26, 2014
  • Length: 53:26
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Guest hosted by the Belmonte Family from affiliate station 93.9 The River!

  • Added: Jul 23, 2014
  • Length: 55:24