97X - Rumblings from the Big Bush

Mike Jacobs, indie rock promoter extraordinaire

Mike Jacobs is a legendary independent record promoter who ran campaigns for alternative success stories like The Offspring, Rancid, Nine Inch Nails, Bush and No Doubt, among others. He also was CEO of MCA joint venture Way Cool Music from 1995-98, where he signed Blink-182, and was a lifelong friend of Rick Carroll, who started the pioneering modern rock radio station KROQ-FM in L.A. We chat with Rick about his time in the trenches, his memories of 97X and the modern rock format. 

Randy the Redneck, the Forrest Gump of 97X

"Randy the Redneck" - the name pretty much sums it up. He's like a hillbilly Forrest Gump, and had the uncanny knack for showing up at pretty much every 97X event ever. Concerts at Bogart's, B&B Riverboat Cruises, Rock & Bowl, Breakfast Club Home Invasions... somehow he even managed to attend an music industry convention with 97X program director Phil Manning. In short, if 97X was there, so was Randy.

Robin James is writing the book on 97X

Author and college professor Robin James is a self-described "philosopher of popular music." She grew up in West Chester, Ohio listening to 97X and is writing a book about the station and the community that formed around it. She's also going to give a talk about the Modern Rock 500 at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame once we get through the pandemic phase. In this episode, Robin gives us an update on when the book will be published... and turns the tables by interviewing Dave and Damian for that book.
On her blog, It's Her Factory, here's how Robin summarizes the 97X book project:
The Future of Rock and Roll: 97X WOXY and the fight for true independence. (Under contract with UNC Press). This is a book about the philosophy behind former modern rock radio station 97X FM/woxy.com. The station and its programming was driven by the idea that true independence is possible only when practiced with and for other people. The book argues that this idea of independence is what we need to fight the 21st century corporate mainstream, which is driven by the false idea that real independence is being left to fend for yourself.

Mark Abuzzahab: Music skills from A to Z

Mark Abuzzahab (who just went by "Mark" on air... we can't imagine why) was at 97X for a year and change (Jul '98-Sept. '99) at the dawn of the streaming era. He then served as music director at several other cool stations all over the map (Vermont, Boulder, Austin, Dallas) and still programs music and promotes cool artists today. We chat with Mark about his 97X memories, his current gigs and how he protected our ears from bad "alternative" music. 

Steve Roemer: Co-producer to the (non) Stars

Steve Roemer (a.k.a. "Roemie da Homie") served three tours of duty as a Breakfast Club co-producer in 1993, commuting to the station on a balky bicycle. He also started a heavy metal sport at Miami U., was the 90s version of "Schneider" from One Day at a Time... and even though he's a lifetime non-smoker, his two favorite stories from his 97X days involve generic cigarettes.
Steve shares his radio memories and also talks about PawsForPatrick, the charity that his family started to honor his son Patrick, who passed away last May.   

Steve Leeds: a music biz legend

Steve Leeds has had a long and illustrious (dare we say even Gump-like) career in the music business. Terrestrial radio (Murray the K!). Major labels (Led Zeppelin!). Indie promotions (Joan Jett!). MTV (Adam Sandler!). Today he's a VP of Talent for Sirius XM and a college professor. If it's happening, Steve was -- and still is -- involved. Steve shares his memories of working with 97X (and getting lost leaving...) and what stations like 97X meant to emerging artists.
Check out Steve's blog for his take on today's music business. 

Hungry for more Brett Heartz

Here's Part Deux of our chat with Brett Heartz, who bookended his long and illustrious radio career with stints at 97X in the late 80s and 2004. This episode includes the on-air banter between Brett and the late Kerry Grey when an earthquake struck the San Francisco area during a 1989 World Series game between the SF Giants and the Oakland A's, as well as Brett's tales of corporate radio (spoiler alert: it sucks). 

You Gotta Have (Brett) Heartz

Brett Heartz got the 97X bug when he was in high school, a fever that was aided and abetted by his interview with Danny Crash and Mr. K for a cable-access program. Thanks to his Mr. K connection, he wound up working on-air at 97X in the late 80s (and being roommates with Phil Manning). His long career in radio came full circle 15 years later when he returned to 97X for weekend shifts before the terrestrial station signed off in 2004. We talk to Brett about Hamilton's "Modern Rock Mafia," limo rides to REM, backstage at Bogart's, and random encounters with fellow 97Xers in The Big Easy.

Elizabeth Cannon: Our Riverbend Friend

The Lovely & Talented Elizabeth Cannon started working at Riverbend as an usher when she was 16... and wound up staying there for nearly 15 years. For most of her tenure, she managed Riverbend's marketing, working closely with local radio and TV stations and record labels on media buys, ad scripts, promotions (ticket giveaways, meet-and-greets), artist interviews, and more. As a 97X listener in high school and a Miami U. grad, she always had a special place in her heart for the tiny modern rock station in Oxford... and the feeling was mutual.
Elizabeth fills us in on her behind-the-scenes work at Riverbend... including why a mullet man was making a sick kid's heart achy-breaky, and who was cool and who was a tool in CS&N (and sometimes Y). 

Doug and Linda Part 2: More Fun in the New Radio World

In the second part of our interview with 97X station owners Doug & Linda Balogh, we find out why Steve Baker was the soul of the station, Dave was Mr. Sunshine, and Linda was the lady behind the curtain. Doug also talks about "buyer's remorse" at his welcome BBQ and Linda recalls the 97X mission statement and the baby in the file cabinet. Oh, and we hear about how the Rainman movie appearance happened... and how legendary record exec Howie Klein freaked out about it.