Superstars
In an earlier article on the Specs Howard site (written by someone other than me)  www.specshoward.edu, local radio guys, Deminski & Doyle were referred to as WAY COOL SUPERSTARS of the former WKRK.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that our superstars are not on the radio at the moment, having been unable to agree to contract terms with CBS in December.

With such a massive listenership, Deminski put up a blog site for the show and it can be found here: www.deminskianddoyleshow.com/

Thanks Jeff.   We never spoke – only left messages on each others voice-mails – but based on their new blog, and past correspondence I received from both Deminski and Doyle, I have come to the conclusion that they are NOT superstars! They are just regular guys like you and me, just doing a show (at least they USED to).  They happened to hit on a chemistry that was good enough to survive eight years on Detroit radio.  Being regular guys as they are is part of that success. 

Jeff’s former colleague, Gregg Henson (www.gregghenson.com), whom I’ve mentioned before, has been out of town for a couple years.  Gregg, however, has kept in touch with Detroit radio as well.  Gregg has been Program Director and host at KVET in Austin, Texas, but he is ALSO now off the air, although he promises to do more podcast shows “just for fun.”  

In the past, Henson managed to reunite for at least one podcast show with Michelle McKormick (his former on-air co-host from his WKRK days).  Our friend, Art Vuolo has even  been a guest on Henson’s podcast, revealing that he doesn’t like “dirty radio,” but variety is also what makes radio go ‘round (that's what I say!). 

Gregg, apparently likes it all, as long as the hosts’ name is not Jay Towers!  Best of luck, by the way, to the Henson’s on their new business, a “Jungle Java” franchise in Austin, Texas.  Henson still needs to be back on the radio, however, along with Jeff and Bill.  There’s way too much mediocrity on radio these days. It needs all the talent it can get. 

If they all just want to do podcasts from home, we’ll listen to whatever we can get.

Can’t wait for Ted “The Bear” Richards’ return to Detroit radio February 1.  Ted will be doing afternoons on WOMC 104.3.  The promos that have been running on the station are great!  I love the one where he’s trying to convince someone at the airport he really is who he is and the person doesn’t believe it… so he does his CKLW delivery, followed by one of the old jingles.   If you were around back then, and that doesn’t make you smile, nothing will!  Ted was one of my many heroes way back.  In fact I have his CKLW publicity photo signed to me in 1983.  I was doing a jazz show at Eastern Michigan University’s station when Ted was still on the air on The Big 8. My program director at WEMU said I sounded too “commercial.”  Thank you Ted for that influence! 

Catch you all later…

Bob

 

Next month, I have been asked to do a gig at a private party in Commerce Township, Michigan.  I have agreed to do it.  This area is familiar to me!

A couple months back, I became the bass player of the Tri-County Blues Band featuring Tom Scola on lead guitar.  I am now in two bands, which is pretty normal for local players.  The website is:  www.myspace.com/tricountyblues

Commerce Township was the site of a small AM station that several of us operated in the 1970s and ‘80s.  It had the slogan, “Power Rock,” when today’s “Classic Rock” was actually new music.  The signal reached the northern Detroit suburbs.  A later version of the station reached Flint.  I know personally, because we routinely would drive around the area to verify coverage.

We had great times, and many legendary New Years parties.  I took my first real girlfriend there once, and within a year, she dumped me!  I guess she didn’t like radio people. Today, I find that quite amusing because every female I’ve ever had anything to do with as a friend or otherwise was / is in radio like me (although there have been some band “rock girls” as well).   

Some of the best New Years celebrations of my life were spent in that studio.  I was always the straight guy, since I didn’t drink much or anything (which would apply today as well).  Because of that, I usually got the most air time including the “Midnight Hour” airshift. 

I would sometimes end up hanging around keeping the scene under control long after everyone had left. The most memorable years, I actually came WITHOUT a date and would find myself still on the air when the sun came up.  My “date” was with the microphone!  What a boring date I would’ve been (at least to humans)!  At the time, that’s all I wanted and it would give me the seasoning I needed to get some of my better on-air jobs.

It was that burning desire that led to my success.  If you want to be in that business, you can’t approach it in a leisurely manner.  There was NOTHING more important to me then than doing radio.

Now, I’m more active playing in bands than I was back then.  Having spent my career playing so many songs with a such a variety of formats, I am familiar with most of the songs people still want to hear. 

I haven’t been in the Commerce area for at least 10 years, maybe more, but I look forward to “Returning to the Scene of the Crime.”  This particular band, however, doesn’t play any Boston cover tunes, like we did on the “Power Rock” station.  Fleetwood Mac, however, is on the playlist and Kelly is of the best local female singers I have ever worked with.

Maybe we can eventually work in some Stones, too!

Happy New Year.

Bob