There are a couple of interesting cuts on this month's Cassette, and a couple of interesting stories behind them. Read the info below, then check out this month's Cassette!
"Powerful Stuff"
When we heard the song, "Powerful Stuff" by the Fabulous Thunderbirds, we thought, "Boy, that'd make a great theme song for the station." Nothing really came of it for a while. Then, we were approached by a local recording studio, Rock Milam Studios, for some air time. We traded out sponsorship of our nightly "Classic Rock Power Hour" in exchange for some studio time.
Wes Henley, the owner of the studio, has been a professional musician for many years. He's played for and jammed with everyone -- Carl Perkins, Ry Cooder, Jimi Jamison of Survivor, Steve Cropper, and many of the biggies. His idea for the song was to have everyone who could make a contribution to the song from the radio station to do so. We're fortunate to have a very talented bunch working here. Most of the air staff had their own parts in the song. So, I rewrote the lyrics to promote the station, and we headed off to the studio.
Gregg Rivers, our morning man, played drums. Julie Rhodes, our mid-day girl, played keyboards and did backing vocals. James Rite, afternoons, played some lead licks. I, Tim Forrest, Production Director here at Power 92, did a rhythm guitar track and lead vocals. And thanks to Wes Henley for filling it out by doing a second rhythm track, leads, and bass, not to mention hours of studio time and mixing time. The result is something we're all very proud of, and I thought you might find it interesting, and it might be inspirational to other talented staffs to do something for their station.
We're hosting a Showcase of the Bands for local bands coming up in a couple of months, and we're planning on doing the song live to open the show! It should be fun. My next idea is to do a completely original song and maybe market it to the listeners. Maybe that could be an extra source of income for we struggling production people and jocks.
Tim Forrest, Production Director, WYNU-FM, Jackson, TN
"Therapy Spot"
This submission is what I call a "Therapy Spot." (Sounds like a Dennis Daniel thing, doesn't it?) You know what I mean; you've just done the millionth revision for that night club spot, and you wish, just once, you could say what you really feel about the place! Well, that's what the therapy spot is for! It doesn't go on the air, the client NEVER hears it (unless they have a colossal sense of humor), but you and your club-spot-cuttin' brethren will sure get a chuckle out of it! Afterwards, you'll be ready to dive back into that churning sea of ladies nights and two-for-one drink specials!
Rob Frazier, Production Director, B95, Fresno, CA
Side A opens with some remarkable production from this month's interviewee, Steve Hunt -- 16-track production at its best! Cut 2 gets the award for the most unusual promotion of the month as KSHE's morning man gives away his recently removed gallbladder. Cut 3 is a well done re-make of Powerful Stuff. We wrap up side A with a spoof spot for a travel agency. WARNING: If the mixture of alcohol and humor offends you, do not listen to cut 4! By the way, we planned to have a "Therapy Spot" from Rob Frazier/B95 on this month's Cassette, but we ran into a problem with the tape. If we can get another copy from Rob, we'll put it on next month's Cassette.
Side B is filled with some supreme commercial production work with the exception of the last two cuts. Those cuts (13 & 14) are from Rafe Sampson of WCFL in Chicago. You may recall that WCFL was shut down by the FCC in February for a couple of weeks because of a technical violation. Rafe explains the two cuts as follows: The first is a sweep we ran every hour for a week. It's purpose was to highlight our format for any new listeners and reinforce what we are for those that had to go two weeks without us. The second piece...is what I used to explain WHY we were gone. Even with the press coverage, few of the listeners understood. We wanted to come back on in an entertaining, rebellious, yet very legal manner...hence, "Radio Cops." Rafe also points out that the work is done in his "jerry-rigged 4-track studio with no mike processing, no Harmonizer, no EQ, no music library, etc.."
Side A
Cut 1 - Production sampler from Steve Hunt/SA-FM, Adelaide, South Australia
Cut 2 - "Smash's Gallbladder Giveaway" from Ed Brown(wpv)/KSHE-FM, St. Louis, MO
Cut 3 - "Powerful Stuff" from Tim Forrest/WYNU-FM, Jackson, TN
Cut 4 - "D.T.'s Bar & Grill Travel" spoof from R. Schuller(p), M.McDonald(wv), WCDJ-FM, Boston, MA
Side B
Cut 1 - "Captain Jack's Nursery" from Workhoven(vw), Campbell(v), Wingert(v), Rogers(vp)/WHO-AM, Des Moines, IA
Cut 2 - "Plant Mart" from Don Lane(wv), Rick Alan(vp)/WKJN-FM, Baton Rouge, LA
Cut 3 - "Spy Records" from Graeme Hart(p), Scott Scarborough(w)/WKQQ-FM, Lexington, KY
Cut 4 - "Mass. Audobon Society" from Rob Schuller(wvp)/WCDJ-FM, Boston, MA
Cut 5 - "Club Vertigo" from Craig Cornett(wp)/FM100, Memphis, TN
Cut 6 - "Spurs Club" from Rick Robinson/WEGR-FM, Memphis, TN
Cut 7 - "Original Comedy Night" from R.Calvert(wpv), D.Kaye(v), D.Warren(v)/KIOZ-FM, San Diego, CA
Cut 8 - "Sunburst Video" from Pete Jensen/KZZU-FM, Spokane, WA
Cut 9 - "Taco Town" from Alan Zarek/WOOZ-FM, Carbondale, IL
Cut 10 - "Open Sunday" from Bob Norris, Kevin Butler/KSEN-AM, Shelby, MT
Cut 11 - "Bull Shift Transmissions" from Steve Moore/KSJO-FM, San Jose, CA
Cut 12 - "Boston Seafood Restaurant" from Ed Brown(wpv)/KSHE-FM, St. Louis, MO
Cut 13 - "Super CFL Is Back" from Rafe Sampson/WCFL-FM, Chicago, IL
Cut 14 - "Radio Cops" bit from Rafe Sampson/WCFL-FM, Chicago, IL