97X - Rumblings from the Big Bush

David Groff: a 97X Lifer

Geography, fate -- and a cool dad -- turned David on to 97X in his preteen years. He never stopped listening, through high school (he and his dad went to a PiL show at Bogart's together!), his college years at Miami University and afterward when he moved back to Cincinnati. We chat with David about how he got hooked, and his 97X memories of college concerts, Oxford bars, local bands and dorm room hijinks. 

Michael Winstead: Modern Rock Stead(y)

Mike "Stead" Winstead grew up in Oxford and dreamed of working at 97X. When he got out of the Army in 1994, he "bugged" (his word) the station until he finally landed a job as Director of First Impressions ("Mike the Modern Rock Receptionist"). He also did weekend and fill-in shifts, and helped out at nearly every on-location promotional event that 97X did during his time there. We chat with Stead about singing the Miami U. alma mater (without knowing the words), pizza payola, his first time on the air, and the sweaty mass of humanity at Lollapalooza.

Bill Douglas: Hot tunes and Cold Beer

Bill Douglas (a.k.a. "Billy D the Fresh MC") spent most of the 90s working at 97X, starting out as a weekender back in 1990 when he was still in school at Miami University, and continuing on (in two stints) through December of 1998. We chat with Bill about the Free Music Break that gave him his 97X break, as well as his current radio gig(s) and his longtime side hustle with the Cincinnati Reds (trust us, you've heard him).

Craig Snyder, lifelong promoter of indie music

Craig Snyder grew up in Oxford, Ohio, listening to 97X and making mixtapes for his friends. That love of music stayed with him as he interned at EMI, worked as a producer at Little Steven's Underground Garage, managed and promoted indie bands, and in his current role at Lyte.com helping venues and festivals get more music fans to shows. We chat with Craig about his how his love of 97X and his mixtape mastery led to his future music gigs, and why human recommendations will always be better than algorithms.

Ali Castellini - from punk rock girl to professor

Ali Castellini got her 97X gig by accident, when a fellow Miami student phoned her early one Friday morning and asked her to do the weather forecast on the Breakfast Club. She wound up spending a few years on the air at 97X in the early-to-mid 90s before moving on to a station in Virginia Beach, VA, then hosting the nationally syndicated radio show "Todays Women" and later working as an on-air host and producer for World Cafe at WXPN in Philly. Now she's "corrupting minds" (her words) as a comms professor at Temple. We chat with Ali about all the lessons she learned during her radio days... as well as Matchbox cars, Dick Clark and Lenny Kravitz.

Joe Long, Dot-com Dude

Joe Long grew up a 97X fan and started his "Each Note Secure" music blog in 2004... right about the time the terrestrial station signed off. But when woxy.com got its second wind in 2006 (the Lala era), he joined as an on-air personality. He revived Local Lixx, started The Futurist blog, and uprooted his family to stay with the station as it moved to to Austin in the summer 2009. He was still on board when woxy.com ceased streaming in March of 2010. We caught up with Joe to talk about the dot-com era, his Frank Black shuttle service, and his current gig as "Vices Editor" for Uncrate.com.

Howard Cohen, Cereal Killer

A self-described "97X listener/scenester/scruffy little punky New Wave dude," Howard started playing in bands as a teenager and has never stopped rocking. His current band, Cereal Killers, played their first gig at Sudsy Malone's on Short Vine in 1989, and their current set list consists predominantly of songs that graced the 97X airwaves back in the day: punk, New Wave, garage rock... We chat with Howard about dropping The Village People for Generation X, college parties and car wrecks (they go together), what 97Xposure meant to his bands, the Modern Rock 500, and his side hustle as a jingle singer/voiceover artist.

Rob Fetters is never boring

In this coronavirus "Local Lockdown Lixx" bonus episode, singer/songwriter/guitarist Rob Fetters (The Raisins, The Bears, psychodots and solo releases) talks about the free house concert live streams he's been doing every weekend, provides some Zen guidance on how to cope during COVID craziness... and tells the tale of the time long ago when Ted Nugent ("The Motor City Madman") brought him from darkness to light.
You can find links to Rob's upcoming house concerts via his website, RobFetters.net. You'll also find links to the YouTube recordings of previous shows, and a great video for his song "Not the End." 
(Due to scheduling conflicts, Dave couldn't participate in this interview. You're stuck with the schmuck.) 
 

Robin James: Philosopher of Music

Robin James is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at UNC Charlotte and the author of three books... with a book about 97X in the works. She grew up listening to the station from age 11 on, including her time as an oboe major (yes!) at Miami University. Robin still has a fond place in her heart for the 97X/woxy.com music community, and the DIY ethos that made it truly unique. Dave and Damian talk to Robin about her research for the 97X book, the Modern Rock 500 and intersection of philosophy and music.
You can check out some of Robin's writing on her blog, It's Her Factory. She also wrote a great piece about the Modern Rock 500 for Belt Magazine.

John Curley of the Afghan Whigs

Musician. Producer. Recording Engineer. Photographer. Non-traditional college student... John Curley is best known for his work with the Afghan Whigs, but he's also played in a few local bands, and produced and/or engineered music for hundreds, mostly at Ultrasuede Studio. He's still playing, still producing, but recently went back to college as well. We chat with John about all those things -- and the worst radio promotion the Afghan Whigs ever did --- in this episode.