97X - Rumblings from the Big Bush

Dorsie Fyffe: the Freest of Free Spirits

Dorsie Fyffe worked at 97X from 1993 to 1998, eventually winding up as Music Director (nominated by Billboard Magazine for "Music Director of the Year") and afternoon host. During that same era, he led the local band Johnny Smoke, and lived with Tim Taylor, lead singer of Brainiac, and Dave Doughman of Swearing at Motorists. Since then, much like Johnny Cash, he's "been everywhere, man" - San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas, Austin, Los Angeles. But he's still rockin'. We chat with Dorsie about his 97X days and his new Cincinnati-via-California band Beverly Hills Supper Club.  

More Mark Messerly

We continue our conversation with Mark Messerly, a key player in the Cincinnati music scene. In this episode, he talks about the genius of his Wussy bandmates Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker, and pays tribute to John Erhardt, who passed away earlier this year. We also talk about his tour blogging (Robert Christgau loves it and we do too!), his day job as a music teacher... and Superchunk.

Mark Messerly: Music maker for life

Mark Messerly has been a key player in the Cincinnati music scene for decades, and he's still going strong. Mark was the longtime co-leader of Messerly & Ewing, which won 97Xposure in 2002, and he joined Wussy as their bassist that same year when they expanded from a duo to a full band. He also released a 2018 album under the INERT moniker, and teaches music in the Cincinnati Public Schools district. In this first of a two-part interview, we talk to Mark about INERT, the perks of winning 97Xposure, and what 97X meant to local bands (and true music fans). 

Dan McCabe: Cincinnati's premier promoter of indie music

From 1991-1999, Dan McCabe booked local and national bands (and tended bar, and cleaned the washing machines) at the late, great Sudsy Malone's on Short Vine, fronting his own money to book the national acts. Decades later, he's still promoting great live music, as co-owner of MOTR Pub and The Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine. Dan shares some amazing memories from his Sudsy's days (Morphine, Jesus Lizard, Mercury Rev... and Reverend blood on the sidewalk), and talks about why indie venues are crucial to up-and-coming bands.
MOTR and The Woodward, like many indie venues across the country, have been shuttered by COVID-19 and need our help. All of us can #SaveOurStages by taking action (writing congresspeople, donating to an indie venue emergency relief fund, etc.) at NIVAssoc.org. 
(This episode also features special guest appearances from Rictile and Howard Cohen.) 

Tina Christina: a Radio Lifer

Tina Christina was on the air at 97X for more than a decade (1991-2003), doing weekend shifts, then overnights, and eventually middays with her distinctive New York accent. She's still in the radio biz... although she goes by a different name these days. We talk to Tina about her 97X memories, which include barking dogs, sleeping on the air, Bogart's stage fright, and a decoration from Cake. 

More Phun with Phil Manning

Dave and Damian continue their chat with Phil Manning, who joined 97X in the summer of 1988 and was with the station until December of 1994, spending most of those years in the program director role. This episode features stories about Bob Mould, Richard Thompson, comedian Chip Chinery, angry Goo Goo Dolls, Folgers coffee, fax machines, Hawaiian honeymoons, and other things that made the station so special. 

Phil Manning: Manning the airwaves

Phil Manning started at the very bottom of the totem pole at 97X shortly after he graduated from college in 1988. He began with a single weekend overnight shift but gradually worked his way up to program director, and had that role at 97X for nearly five years during the halcyon days of the early to mid 90s. Phil talks about how he got the gig, his interesting side jobs, his roommates, his "whopping" salary and how he became a "radio vagabond" in several major markets after departing 97X in 1994, including spending 10+ years at The End in Seattle and a stint at 91X in San Diego.

The fun stuff between the songs

There's no denying that the music is what attracted a small-but-mighty tribe of forward-thinking listeners to 97X. But the commercials, promos, contests, station ID liners and DJ breaks helped contribute to the freewheeling, fun-loving, anti-corporate nature of the station. In this episode, Dave and Damian play several bits and breaks from back in the day.

Luann Gibbs: Miss Kitty Forever!

Luann Gibbs started listening to 97.7 FM in Oxford in the pre-97X/Dr. Demento days of the late 70s. When 97X debuted in 1983, she became an avid listener. When the 97X message boards started, she was quite active on them (as "Miss Kitty"). Eventually, her college friend Mike Taylor recruited her to do on-air shifts at 97X/woxy.com. Luann's been with the Cincinnati Enquirer for 15 years (she's the queen of "Things to Do"), and also does shifts at Inhailer Radio. We chat with her about college radio, internet radio, her message board "family" and her ongoing promotion of new music.

Matt Soden: Your Little Green Amigo

Matt Soden moved to Oxford on Memorial Day weekend in 1990 and immediately got hooked by 97X's annual Modern Rock 500. He parlayed his college radio experience into a DJ gig at the station for a year and a half, first doing weekend shifts, then overnights, and eventually evenings. We chat with Matt about crazy callers, drunken door knockers, his Kermit the Frog inpersonation, and his massive salary... but we still can't figure out how he snuck past Department of Defense screeners.