Dean Katz of The Evergreen State College founded KAOS. When he traveled to Seattle to apply for the station license, his official papers had the radio station's call letters as KESC (for "Evergreen State College.") However, unbeknownst to his adviser and almost everyone else, Katz substituted the initials of the fictional spy agency in the TV show Get Smart.[4] The license was granted under his surprise application, and broadcasts began on January 1, 1973.[5]
The station has been a mainstay in Olympia's local music scene, including a famous early appearance by Skid Row (Nirvana) on May 6, 1987 (their fourth public appearance and first-ever radio broadcast) and a Kurt Cobain solo acoustic performance on September 25, 1990 (both included on the Nirvana box set With the Lights Out).[5]
KAOS instituted an independent music policy in its early years. The policy requires that at least 80% of the music broadcast on the station must be from sources other than the major record labels and their subsidiaries.[6]
Long-running programs
There are several programs that have been around for well over ten years and are still on the air, including:[7]
Over the years, the station has had many former DJs go onto more considerable fame, such as Victoria Hart Glavin (Victoria Barreca) hip hop journalist and founder of PileDriving Records, Bruce Pavitt (founder of Sub Pop Records), Chris Scofield (founder of Strange Attractors Audio House Records), Tobi Vail, Lois Maffeo, Mark Hosler (of Negativland), Arrington de Dionyso (of Old Time Relijun), Steve Fisk (producer and musician), Jeff Jacoby (sound artist & producer of The Traveling Radio Show), Tom Hood (founder of Hood's Woods Music), Calvin Johnson (of Beat Happening and founder of K Records), and John Foster (founder of OP Magazine).[3]
KAOS was also the call sign of an unlicensed AM radio station operating in Huntington Beach, California, during the late 1960s on 880 kHz.
