Category Well…Hello There!

We’re pretty lucky here in Phoenix. A lot of celebrities & musicians make it their home. Many have vacation homes here. Some…like Nils, live here full time. Occasionally, they stop by the station to plug their upcoming things.  Or, in this case, Nils was playing a small club show, and wanted to show us his new career-spanning Box Set. He hung out for a while, and was a really good sport.

So, without further ado, here’s Nils Lofgren

Part I:

Part II:

Part III:

Part IV:

In case you haven’t heard, Lemmy isn’t doing so well health-wise. The band has been cutting short their shows, and it doesn’t look like they’re going to be around much longer.

Lemmy Kilmister Motörhead was my *first* interview. It was a Sunday afternoon in late 1986. They were playing with Cro-Mags & Malice. I was an 18-year old college kid, with a bad Boston accent. I arrived at the Channel at about 2:30 in the afternoon with my friends Mike & Buji. It was exactly like something out of “Almost Famous.” I knocked on the back door of the club, and a roadie opened the door. “Whaddaya want?” “I’m here for the inta-view” “Bus is over there!” SLAM!

So…I walk nervously to the bus, knock twice…the door opens, and I’m greeted by Michael “Wurzel” Burston (R.I.P.). He asks what I need. So polite. It was really disarming. I told him I was there to interview the band. He opens the door wide and says “C’mon.” So, I followed him, and shut the door behind me.

On the bus…the acrid aroma of sweat, and filth. I sat in the seat at the little table, which contained a plate of donuts…presumably from sometime in the past week or so. Wurzel goes behind the curtain for a second, and returns with Lemmy.

They sit, and we proceed to talk about the band’s latest album, “Orgasmatron,” and all that comes with it. During the conversation, a roadie walks on the bus with a 30-gallon rubber barrel. Which he proceeded to fill with ice…and Foster’s “oil cans.” Lemmy asks if I want a beer. I say “no” (because we’re recording), and nod “yes.”

At one point, Lemmy gets up to go to the back of the bus, and Wurzel says to me, “Don’ tell anyone…but I’m leavin’ the band.”

I just stared.

Then, he said it again. Told me he was quitting the band. And nobody else knew it. (Side note: he would stay in Motorhead until 1995). Said he was making a solo record, and was leaving after the tour. I was being given secret information. And I couldn’t tell anyone. Long story short, I spent the rest of the afternoon drinking with Motorhead. They were the coolest guys I’d ever met. Just salt-of-the-earth dudes.

My firmest recollections of the actual show are;

Motorhead guitarist Phil Campbell used to go to the bar with a Mr. Spock doll. So he could order *two* drinks at once. One for him. One for Mr. Spock. He would then hang the Mr. Spock doll from his amplifier during the show.

And…

Some skinhead kid, spit at Lemmy. This, was a bad decision on his part. Lemmy, took off his Rickenbacker bass, and clocked that kid in the skull.

It was awesome!

That night, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

If you were to ask me my favorite bands of all-time, Motorhead wouldn’t be my first response. However, they are certainly responsible for my career. That experience, was the first of many that I can thank Lemmy for. He was the right guy, at the right time. My only wish for him…is to be able to be happy doing what he does. He’s a legend in every sense of the word. And music is better because of his contributions.

If it means he calls it a day, he’s earned it.

It it means he presses on, and the sad day comes when it all ends on the road, that’s his destiny. He chose it. He deserves whatever he wants.

Thank You Lemmy! For everything.

So…I was sitting in the studio recently. Wondering just *how many* AC/DC songs, ended in a similar fashion. It’s been a long-running joke that the band have a “pattern” within their music. A “blueprint,” if you will. 

Now…if you’ve ever listened to me…on *any* of the stations I’ve been on over the past 30 years…you already *know* that I’m a massive AC/DC fan. My love for the band is both long-standing, and unending. I have been fortunate to have met them once. They are literally the *nicest* band I’ve ever met. They didn’t need to be as gregarious, and hospitable as they were. Angus & Malcolm actually grabbed a couple of stools, and sat with me for about a half hour…just to talk about their brother George when I mentioned I was a fan of his old band, Flash In The Pan. You would be hard-pressed to find a classier band in Rock.

So…it was out of love, and appreciation that I put together an audio montage of *every* AC/DC song that doesn’t fade out at the end. It was an innocuous joke. Completely meant as a tribute, and tongue-in-cheek nod to what a lot of musicians refer to as “the AC/DC ending.”

Little did I know that the website Ultimate Classic Rock would pick up the bit, and begin an avalanche of publicity, that made me internet famous overnight. Normally, you’ve gotta kill a guy, or fellate a 3rd rate rap artist to get the kind of fame I’ve been slammed with over the past few days. I never thought that VH1 would be interested in my stupidity. And the train kept a-rolling. I heard that Satellite Radio host, Eddie Trunk, did about ten minutes on me. Thanks for the love, Eddie!

Then…Reddit linked to the UCR story. Which is always fun. Because then, you get the real internet trolls to tear into you. And the fun really starts.

Hours later, I get word that Australian music sites, Musicfeeds, The Music, Tonedeaf, and Fasterlouder have jumped on board.

Which leads to the story trending on Twitter. and Flipboard.

…and Guitar World!

…and Guitar Player!

…and Metal Sucks!

…and AV Club!

…and Metal Injection! Who were nice enough to include my premonition of radio taking the bit, and using it. Thanks!

As of this writing, at least 2 dozen American radio stations (and growing by the second) are posting the story. Most of them are actually crediting me. Which is nice. Even WZLX in Boston, where I worked early on, posted the bit…and dropped a nice “alumni shout-out” my way!

On the way to a quarter-million hits on the audio. It’s all *very* surreal.

It won’t last long. But for now…

I think my favorite part, is reading the commentary from people. The Internet is hilarious when it comes to “people watching.” I know the bit has made an impact by the sheer number of people dropping hatred my way. As if I’m somehow attempting to discredit AC/DC. Or…I think I’m breaking some amazing new fact about the band, or music in general.

I would have to be an idiot to believe that.

I’m simply a fan of one of the greatest bands of all time. And I thought it would be fun to put it together.

So, I did.

It was.

And watching the reaction worldwide, has been pretty cool.

For at least one day, I’m “World Famous.” And…I didn’t have to kill/blow anyone to make it happen.

“Today, was a good day.” – Ice Cube

So, usually I spend my efforts on the site, to promote the things I’ve done in my career. I mean, it *is* my site. It’s truly all about satiating my ego, and self-aggrandizing behavior.

However…I was recently gifted a piece of my childhood. Thanks to documentary filmmaker Eric Green, I got to relive the existence of V-66! Now…unless you lived in Boston, during the period 1985-86, you have no idea what I’m talking about. See…due to whatever stupid political-business-backroom dealing that didn’t get done, Boston was slow to wire the city for cable. If you lived in the inner city, you either couldn’t see MTV, or it was so expensive, nobody could afford it.

But, even still…in early 1985, 4 years after MTV launched, Boston got something different. We got our own *local,* Music Video TV station! You heard me correctly. We had a local version of MTV. It was staffed with VJs, and took requests, and played music from *local* artists as well as the biggest videos of the time. Now, I know it sounds like nothing more than a public-access cable show…

WRONG!

It really was a professional broadcast station. Run by two ex (and future) radio guys. They had a vision. And, for a short time, they nailed it. The station was responsible for resurrecting Aerosmith’s career, during their leaner years. They also turned me on to great bands that would eventually break out of Boston. Bands like Extreme, The Del Fuegos, & ‘Til Tuesday. Plus, tons of unsigned local bands like The Drive, Axminster, O-Positive, and East Boston’s The Stompers. And they actually made Boston-based videos from songs that we all knew. It really was our own MTV. I wanted to work there!

I could go on forever about how cool it was. But, the DVD does that just fine.

I will say this: The guy that ran it, understood what it took to make a true impact in the lives of their audience. It’s a philosophy I’ve always admired, and try to espouse whenever possible. No matter how good the song, or in this case, the video, there *has* to be something more that snags the attention of your audience. V-66, did that. I’ve always tried to do it during my (now) 30 years doing this. I happen to be good friends with the station’s former Music Director (Hi Roxy!). 30 years later, she’s still killing it in the business.

So…I just want to say a huge “thanks” to Eric. For taking the time to put the film together. And, for tossing a copy my way. You’re the man!

Mostly…I want to thank John Garabedian, Arnie Ginsberg, and everyone who made V-66 so special. Check out the trailer:

 This isn’t a commercial for the DVD. I just appreciate the opportunity to look back. It reminded me why I do what I do.

Because, I love music. Part of the reason…was V66!

We’re under way! Week #1 of the new Morning Show, has been quite the adjustment. It all goes so quickly. Hard to recall all that happens between 5-10am. The response has been really fun to hear. Lots of people excited about what’s coming. We’re pretty stoked to get all the calls & e-mails. So, thank you for everything so far.

At some point, we’ll have enough audio to post up here. It’s only been a few shows so far. Thanks for being patient. I’d rather we *not* post anything, than post something half-assed. Y’know?

In the meantime, you can see our show page at KSLX.com now. We have that going. And, follow the show on Twitter. We got that working too!

Thanks again for all of the support. It means a ton.

-Paul