Musical musings from aging hipsters
Aaron Borns started at 97X as a student intern (a.k.a. “co-producer”) for the Breakfast Club in 1993, then worked part-time shifts, answered the phones and worked with Julie Maxwell doing promotions. He wasn’t at the…
Continue Reading Episode 22: Aaron Borns, Record Biz Whiz Kid
Yes, it’s another double shot of TWILM… a Two-fer Tuesday on a Sunday! I’ll be out on the Left Coast next weekend for a Ragnar Relay (similar to a Bourbon Chase race). Our 12-person team…
Continue Reading This Fortnight in Live Music: October 21-November 2
Howdy kids, I’m back from the City of the Big Shoulders, the Windy City. I’d like to propose a toast to my wife, who ran the Chicago Marathon yesterday. And I’d also like to propose…
Before we get to this week’s gigs, I need to apologize. I let you down. There was a free show on Fountain Square this past Wednesday, featuring 500 Miles to Memphis, the Bottle Rockets, and…
Continue Reading This Week in Live Music: October 7-13… or 14
Wow, it’s nearly October. Or should I say Rocktober? You know the month will rock you like a climate-change-induced hurricane. Let’s get right to the rock. And the tober. Monday, Nashville band The Medium is…
Continue Reading This Week in Live Music: September 30-October 6
97X had dozens if not hundreds of part-time DJs over the lifetime of the station, but no one else can top the tenure of “Gentleman” Jim Mercer, who worked weekend and vacation fill-in shifts for…
Continue Reading Episode 21: Gentleman Jim Mercer, Weekend Warrior
A tip of the ol’ 97Xbam cap to Dan Reed (yes, THE Dan Reed of WXPN) for sending a nice essay our way. The Medium post decries the rise of music recommendations that are increasingly…
Welcome, officially (but not officiously) to Fall. Monday, September 23rd is the Autumnal Equinox. Summer’s going fast, nights growing colder Children growing up, old friends growing older (name that tune… without using Google search) 9/23…
97X was a small but mighty station in many ways. Being in the outskirts, in the fringes, left of center, off of the strip (to paraphrase Suzanne Vega) with a small (but dedicated) listener base…
Continue Reading Episode 20: World’s Youngest Weatherperson, Trivia winner and Wacky Bits
Yes, this time aroundwe’re covering a two week stretch, a.k.a a fortnight. But not Fortnite. Apologies to all our tween subscribers. I’ll be out of town most of next week, inspecting Hurricane Dorian damage in…
Continue Reading This Fortnight in Live Music: September 9-22