National Radio Day
Friends grab a cold one and enjoy the read as this is a little longer than most. August 20th is National Radio Day? Who knew? Not this guy. Well I didn’t know until I saw a friend make a post about it. What do I do on National Radio day? The same thing as everyone else. Absolutely nothing. I mean I think about my days in the radio business quite often, as I have some great memories of working in the industry as long as I did. I was also fortunate to work with some great people and learn from some of the best. Not only was I able to learn from the best, but I was fortunate enough to work and some legendary stations in my career.
Not even sure why I took the road I did into the radio business, but it was certainly a good fucking time.
My first radio gig was in Decatur, IL at 106.7 WZNX in 1996. They called it the Fox. Who even knows why. The entire staff was a bunch of rookie’s for the most part, myself included, except the program director. This place was a shit show. It was a good place to learn and sound like an idiot on the air without anyone really listening.
When I left there I never thought things could get worse. I was wrong. 92.7 WQLZ in Springfield, IL was even worse. The backstabbing and bullshit that went on behind closed doors was crazy. I managed to keep in touch with a lot of people over my time in radio, but not with any of these folks. Just horrible people at the time.
It was a short time after QLZ that I headed to Memphis, TN at 92.9 WMFS. The memories from this station are crazy. Fake orgasm contests, the MFS girls, and so much fun. Such fun times with good people. Jim Fox was the Program Director and he began to really help me out in my career and begin to develop my on-air personality. I met some great people here and have kept in touch with quite a few over the years.
After a short time in Memphis it was on to 96.3 WROV in Roanoke, VA and this my friends is where things really started to happen. I honestly can’t say enough about my time in the “Noke”, but what I do remember was it was a fucking blast. Bands, girls, booze, and work (if you want to call it that). Rinse. Repeat. Some of the most fun I ever had in my life was in the two years I spent at here. How can someone not have fun when you broadcast from a doublewide trailer in the hood with no locks on the doors?
I then headed to Los Angeles and launched my Internet radio station, MFNRocks.com. We were the first to stream 24/7 with audio and video. We launched that bad boy on a 56K modem. Hard to believe in this day and time when everyone has a cable connection.
A few years later it was on to 106.1 WRDU in Raleigh, NC. This station had quite the history as 2 time Rolling Stone magazine station of the year. This station will always hold a special place for me as this was where the “Roadie” personality was born. Thanks to longtime personality “Blade”. It didn’t get any funnier than this. Blade and I had some great times in Smoketree Tower as the only 2 live jocks on the station. After a format flip to Country, I was off to Phoenix, AZ.
So much to say say about living and working in Phoenix, AZ, but I will keep it short. The first time I was there in 2007 was short, but so much fun. I worked again for my friend Buzz who I had previously worked for in the “Noke”. I left in mid 2007 to go back to school and made returned in 2010 where I worked for Paul “Neanderpaul” Marshall. The station had a different attitude and vibe then, but more good times were in store. I left at the beginning of 2011 for a TV gig, but would once again return to KDKB in 2013 and stay until it flipped formats in late 2014.
I spent some time in Las Vegas working for iHeart Media behind the scenes off the air, and then I would hit WHOG in Daytona Beach, for some weekend work.
My time spent in the radio business was a blast. There are times like now, as an unemployed radio guy, when I think why did I choose that career path? Even through some of the difficult times I have had in the last 5 years or so, I wouldn’t change it. I had a lot of fun, consumed way to much booze, but damn what a ride it was. I thank those who gave me an opportunity when they didn’t have to, but maybe saw something and took a chance. I met some of my music idols and heroes and made some incredible friends on that wild ride and if it wasn’t for radio that would have never happened.
This does not even begin to note even a small portion of things that have happened along the way since I took the radio plunge in 1996, so you will have to wait for the book, “I’m Leaving Right After This Drink”.
At the end of all of this I consider myself one lucky mofo to have worked where I did and got to do the things I did in that business.
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