Craig later worked at EMI (shh, don’t tell Johnny Rotten) and is now Director of Music Partnerships at ReverbNation. Please read the entire piece. I love Craig’s passion for the music, and how he’s encouraging all of us to rage against the machine(s):
Amen to that, Brother Craig! Taking his cue, I’ll mention yet again that the new album from Jesse Malin is fantastic, and I’m offering my Double D Money Back Guarantee™ for his show at Southgate House on Friday, November 15th. If you go to the show and aren’t completely satisfied by Mr. Malin’s music and stage presence, I’ll refund your ticket price out of my own pocket.
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 allowed us to get away with stuff that other stations couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Not just with our music playlist (or lack of a playlist, really), but also with the other stuff that made its way to our airwaves, like having a 5th grader do the weather report…
… doing live “remote” broadcasts from the lobby, throwing birthday parties for Abe Vigoda, and sharing secrets from romance novel cover model Fabio.
Sexier than Fabio
In this episode of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, Dave and Damian chat with the 5th grade weatherperson, play some bits, and also announce the winner of the 97X 10th Anniversary “Name the 4th Band” contest.
“Others”?
Congrats to Colin Miller for winning the trivia contest by correctly identifying the 4th band: Sleep Theater.
You can listen to the latest episode via the player above, and you’ll find all the episodes on Podbean, Spotify and iTunes.
Louie Pérez gets it. He knows what being in a band and making music are all about. I’ve been reading the book More Fun in the New World, co-written by John Doe of the band X. It features essays from several early 80s luminaries from the L.A. punk/cowpunk scene: Dave Alvin (The Blasters), Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Gos), Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks), Mike Ness (Social Distortion), Maria McKee (Lone Justice), Sid Griffin (Long Ryders), Peter Case (Plimsouls), Chip Kinman (Rank & File), plus contributions from now-famous fans such as Shepard Fairey and Tony Hawk.
Louie Pérez of Los Lobos wrote about how they became part of that scene. On May 4th, 1980, they opened for Public Image Ltc. and got pelted with spit, beer bottles, loose change… whatever the punk fans could get their hands on. But they didn’t let that dissuade them. Shortly thereafter, they met The Blasters, and became friends with that band. Their big break came when they opened for The Blasters at the Whisky a Go Go. According to Louie, there was a bit of hesistation from the audience, but at least there were no projectiles:
Community… spirit… a good vibe. Yeah, that’s the stuff. Tell us more, LP:
Having a great time with new friends, bonding over a shared love of music. Man, I totally understand that. I feel like the community he’s describing in L.A. in the early 80s also existed among the people who worked at and/or listened to a tiny radio station in Oxford, Ohio, from the early 80s through the mid 2000s.
Our humble abode
That’s why Dave Tellmann and I do our podcast – to share stories, reconnect with the tribe, and keep the flame alive.
The book is well worth a read. And the music made by those bands is certainly worth revisiting.
John “J.J” Jesser worked side by side with The Bakerman on the original Breakfast Club morning show in the early days of 97X… and he’s got the coffee mug and t-shirt to prove it.
JJ started out as a part-timer during his Miami University undergrad days, and did news, DJ shifts, production… and played in local bands like The Vagrants as well.
JJ on the left, his friend, roommate and bandmate Mr. K on the right
In this podcast episode, Dave and Damian talk to him about those early days, find out what he’s up to now… and discuss his “metal name” and pet poop.
These days, John works for a company that makes an app that connects patients with doctors for live online visits. He’s still rocking too, playing guitar and singing in the Cleveland band Verve Daddy.
Barb Abney spent more than a decade at 97X and woxy.com, starting in the summer of 1994 and doing middays from 1998 through 2006, when she moved to Minneapolis to work for The Current for 8+ years as woxy.com moved to Austin.
In this podcast episode, Dave and Damian talk to Barb about dressing for success, her collection of 97X paraphernalia, stalking the Afghan Whigs, and lessons learned in the station’s bathroom.
Barb continues to play great music and support local bands as the morning show host at KFAI-FM in the Twin Cities. You can stream KFAI, so check out Barb’s show weekdays from 6-8 a.m. CDT (7-9 EDT). You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
Barb on the air at 97XBrian J., Mike Taylor, Shiv and Barb on the final day broadcasting from Oxford. Here’s Barb in the outfit she wore to her 97X interview… which she described as “VIP at Lilith Fair”
In the second part of our chat with Dan Reed (a.k.a. “Danny Crash”), he tells more hilarious stories from the early 97X years, including tales about his band Chem-Dyne, his friends Mr. K and Greg Dulli, working at Bogart’s, and learning life lessons (sometimes the hard way) from 97X owners Doug and Linda.
Here’s a video of Big In Iowa, a local band featuring Mr. K and Bob Burns, who later gained fame via his always-entertaining “Blogger Bog” Instagram account for the TSA. Sadly, Bob also passed away suddenly last October.
Let’s get right to the tunes, because we also have a lot of non-concert ground to cover.
Monday, Amigo the Devil is at Southgate, with Cory Branan. And for all the phloppy Phish dancers, the Trey Anastasio movie Between Me and My Mind is showing at Bogart’s, and there’s a two-for-one deal on tickets. Please note that the showing is BYOFDGCSPFASHITPL… bring your own five-dollar grilled cheese sandwich purchased from a smelly hippy in the parking lot.
Tuesday, Los Lobos and The Mavericks are playing Rose Music Center. (Oh sure, Rose and PNC’s lineups are 99% identical but this is the one of the few shows that isn’t playing both venues… so unfair!) Emily Wolfe is playing Southgate, Matisyahu and Tribal Seeds are at Bogart’s, and Stanley’s hosts an all-star tribute to Dylan & the Dead (more grilled cheese for my tie-dyed friends!). Speaking of the dead, the man who has looked like a corpse since the 70s (and is now IN his 70s) will be playing Riverbend:
No more Mr. Vincent Furnier.
Halestorm is the opener.
Train rolls into Riverbend on Wednesday (see what we did there), with the Goo Goo Dolls and Allen Stone also on the bill. True story: Goo Goo Dolls nearly came to blows with the sound man at 97X’s “Day in Eden” concert in Eden Park back in 1993 (Superstar Car Wash era), but list member Mighty Joe Sampson intervened (all 140 pounds of him) and cooler heads prevailed. So basically, if not for Joe, Goo Goo Dolls would have wound up behind Si Leis’ iron bars instead of enjoying multi-platinum success. Also on Hump Day, Drivin N Cryin is at Southgate.
On the day of Thor, Conor Oberst is at Taft, Ben Levin Trio is playing The Phelps rooftop (close to where those stately trees used to be in Lytle Park), and the Cincinnati Music Fest (nee Kool Jazz Fest and Macy’s Fest) kicks off at Paul Brown Stadium with hip-hop night, featuring Slick Rick.
Friday is a feast for your ears:
Holly Spears plays Camp Springs Tavern (more on this venue later)
Angela Perley plays a freebie at Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
IDKHow is in Taft’s Ballroom (here’s a fun video from them)
Aztec Sun and Krystal Peterson & the Queen City Band are at MOTR
Fretboard Brewing hosts a Whispering Beard Preview with Chelsea Nolan (8 pm), Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle (9:10 pm) and The Winetree (10:20 pm).
Urban Artifact hosts an NPR Tiny Desk Concert preview night
The Cincinnati Music Fest continues at PBS with Maxwell and Earth, Wind and Fire
Terrapin Moon plays Stanley’s
The Sonny Moorman Group and Chuck Brisbin & the Tuna Project play a free show at Sawyer Point (6-10 pm)
Uncle Kracker is at the old Annie’s
Lizzo plays the Coliseum
Zedd plays a post-game concert at GABP
The Righteous Brothers & the Temptations are at PNC
Last, but certainly not least, Air Supply will be playing Rose Music Center
On Saturday, Heart plays Riverbend with Elle King, Sylmar has their EP release show at Woodward Theater, with This Pine Box also on the bill (with an asterisk), and Pop Empire has an album release show at Northside Tavern. At PBS, Ohio Players are on the bill.
You’ve gotta see the poppin’ and lockin’… it’s killer!
If you’re hankering for some fun instead of funk, Stanley’s hosts a standup comedy showcase from 6-8.
Sunday, Southgate is hosting the Cosmic Honky Tonk Review featuring Jim Lauderdale, Jason Ringenberg (from Jason & The Scorchers) and Chuck Mead (BR549). And the week winds down the same way it started, with a jam band: moe. is playing PNC Pavilion, with Blues Traveler and G. Love.
OK, now let’s move on to the TWILM mailbag. Dan “The Reds are wild card contenders!” Lewis would like everyone to know that the Avett Brothers are playing after the Reds afternoon game on Saturday, September 7th. List member Andy Block surely will be in attendance, as he is an Avett groupie and saw all three nights of their recent stand in Red Rocks.
Todd Butler sent in this rave review about the Camp Springs Tavern:
List members Ben Brawley and Joe Sampson are the new Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, they have been looking for clues to the whereabouts of the band Sons of Bill after we put out an APB in a recent post on 97Xbam.com. Joe says lead singer James Wilson has been focusing on his Faulkner studies, but Ben reports that James is playing a solo show in Charlottesville on August 7th, so there is hope of more tunes in the future.
So bad it’s good….
List member/proud papa Dave Tellmann informed us that his son Joe won’t be playing with This Pine Box at Woodward on Saturday… because he’ll be in Europe playing two shows at the Notodden Blues Festival in Norway, and attending a music class led by Little Steven. Not bad for a college sophomore.
Meanwhile, proud son Joe Tellmann would like everyone to know that his dad Dave co-hosts a podcast about the old days at 97X called “Rumblings from the Big Bush,” and in the latest episode the guest is Dan “Danny Crash” Reed, former 97X and WNKU DJ, and former Bogart’s manager, and former local band member (Chem Dyne, Dock Ellis) who is now the afternoon host and music director for WXPN in Philly, and the talent booker for World Cafe. Joe says it’s a very entertaining show, despite the fact that Dave’s co-host is an asshat (Joe’s words, not mine.)
Shout-out to list member Dave Roberto for hooking me up with a Hootie & The Blowfish/Barenaked Ladies ticket (and get-well-soon wishes to list member Kevin Sullivan, who was originally supposed to attend). It was like 1992 all over again:
Dan “Danny Crash” Reed is the self-described “Forrest Gump” of the music business. A proud native of Hamilton, Ohio and eventual grad of Ohio University, he was a young DJ at 97X when it changed formats in 1983, and later became program director (while also playing in local bands). After leaving 97X, Dan worked at Bogart’s, WNKU, WFPK (Louisville) and is now the afternoon host/music director at WXPN in Philadelphia and talent manager for the syndicated World Cafe program. He has 101 stories about the old days – which is why we had to make his interview a two-parter. You can follow Dan on Twitter and Instagram.
As a special bonus, here’s the world famous “Black Concert T-shirt” track from Dan’s band Chem Dyne, courtesy of 97X superfan Mark Griffin.
Matt Shiverdecker, a.k.a. Shiv, ran the gamut at 97X… from boyhood superfan/long-distance listener to station intern to part-time DJ to full-timer at 97X, then woxy.com, where he worked until the bitter(sweet) end in Austin, Texas. Dave and Damian talk to Matt about his journey, get his take on the online station’s untimely demise, and find out more about middle school broadcast camp and the top-secret WOXY historical archives.
Jae Forman ruled the evening shift in the early to mid 90s, and also served as the music director during the grunge era, a pivotal point in the station’s history. She also was the Queen of 97Xtrabeats, bringing her club DJ skills to that popular Saturday evening show. Dave and Damian chat with Jae about how she got the job, the grunge explosion, picking songs as music director, her first in-studio interview with a band, life after radio and… yes, Dave’s favorite topic: butt coolers.
Jae and Dave with a record rep (center) enjoying the butt cooler at LollapaloozaJae interviews Kim… no big Deal. Swag galore!
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