(Above: The December 12, 1991 Southtown Economist, framed and in my office. Students sometimes ask about "all the 8-tracks.") 25 years ago today, my hometown newspaper did a feature on me. I had left 97X in Davenport, Iowa a few months earlier, and was toiling away doing mornings at WLLI in Joliet. In one move … Continue reading Stop the presses: The Lemon Pipers, “Rice is Nice” (1968)
1990s
12+ Blogs of Christmas: “Sleigh Ride”
(Above: You can't go wrong with Santa Alpert.) Some of the annual Christmas selections cause problems for radio programmers. You can't just play the same songs too close to each other, no matter how many times they were done. While there are some unique versions that stand out, there are some Christmas songs that people … Continue reading 12+ Blogs of Christmas: “Sleigh Ride”
Greatest misses: Roger McGuinn, “King Of The Hill” (1991)
The Byrds were great. Tom Petty was and is great. Put those singers on the same record, and it's bound to be a hit, right? Not so fast. This is one of the reasons the pop charts fascinate me. (Well, one of the reasons is my belief that they are contrived, but that makes for … Continue reading Greatest misses: Roger McGuinn, “King Of The Hill” (1991)
Coming of age: 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up” (1992)
(Above: Gisborne, New Zealand, where I lived for about a year in the mid-90s.) It's weird to think that the song that starts with the line "25 years and my life is still/Tryin' to get up that great big hill of hope/For a destination" turns 25 years old next year. Released in 1992, 4 Non … Continue reading Coming of age: 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up” (1992)
Greatest Concert Ever, Unknown Band Division: The Exponents, “Why Does Love Do This To Me” (1992)
(Above: Maybe the best band you've never heard of, Americans. I highly recommend you find this album.) Any time you get a discussion going among music fans the question comes up: what was the greatest concert that you ever saw? Conversely, who did you see that didn't live up to expectations on stage? I was … Continue reading Greatest Concert Ever, Unknown Band Division: The Exponents, “Why Does Love Do This To Me” (1992)
Radio Memories: 97X… Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll (Part 2)
Above: Mixtape, Summer 1991. 25 years ago today - 9/20/1991 - I did my last radio show on 97X in the Quad Cities. The summer of 1991 was a magical time at that station. We were a solid #1 in every demo and every daypart. The Birch ratings for the spring book had the night … Continue reading Radio Memories: 97X… Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll (Part 2)
Radio memories: 97X…Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll, Part 1 (1991)
(Above: Top, Raymond Babbit giving the station ID. Bottom, commemorating the anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley in 1991. L-R: PD Guy Perry, production director Ray Sherman, Len as Elvis, and News Director Katie Cole.) Twenty-five years ago this week I left my job at 97X in the Quad Cities. In a career that … Continue reading Radio memories: 97X…Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll, Part 1 (1991)
Songs and ceremonies: Semisonic, “Closing Time” (1998)
Quickly, now - think of the last wedding that you attended. What was the song that the bride and groom danced their first dance to? Now, think again - can you name a song that was referenced in the ceremony itself? I'm guessing that the first question was a lot easier than the second one. … Continue reading Songs and ceremonies: Semisonic, “Closing Time” (1998)
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