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
