Rock 50

Stewart Francke

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:54:00 +0000

Stewart Francke is one of those artists that somehow stays under the “big musical picture” radar with his great “blue-eyed soul” sound that in his words “sounds something like if Jackson and James Brown(e) were brothers.”

I was fortunate enough to spend a couple hours with Stewart last week during one of his rare visits to Southern California from Michigan. I will be “re-cutting” the interview into an hour special to air somewhere down the line on my “Rock 50” show, but wanted to give you a taste of this wonderful artist.

I’ve pulled sections from the interview that spotlight four of MY favorite Stewart Francke tunes to give you a feel for what you’ve been missing. Listen - then check out his full story and buy his music at StewartFrancke.com.

http://www.rock50.com/Rock50digest37.mp3

Rock 50 Digest #35: Danny Vera with co-host Che Zuro

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 22:31:00 +0000

"Rock 50" welcomed from the Netherlands, Danny Vera for an in studio live acoustic performance. Co-hosting with me for this hour was Che Zuro, a "singer-songwriter & fit model", who has performed on Tee-M's UNsigned Music Show a couple of time over the history of the show. Che brought us Danny and tracked a couple of her favorite indie artists as part of her co-hosting duties. The hour was full of great conversation and lots of great music.

Click Here to listen to the podcast of this very special hour.

Boss Radio 93 KHJ

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:21:00 +0000

KHJ's Robert W. Morgan and The Real Don Steele, both members of the Radio Hall of Fame, were two of those LA radio voices that sent me towards a career in radio. During the years that followed the start of "Boss Radio" in 1965, if you went to any crowded beach on a summer day in Southern California, you'd hear the majority of radios tuned into to the station that played "more music", had "20-20 news" and, most importantly, played the music that was the soundtrack to our high school lives.

Click HERE to listen to an hour of memories with two of the "Boss Jocks" taken directly from master tapes recorded in the studios of KHJ and remixed and edited for this presentation.

Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion Podcast (Part 3)

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:43:00 +0000

Click here to hear part three of the July 28 Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion.

Part 3 includes: Thrasher, Brian Schock, Stew, Ron "Pops" Russ, Gonzo Greg, Long Paul, Razor, Craig Williams, Eveready Ed, "The Insane Darrell Wayne" (KROQ), along with, yet more, clips from the loudest station in the nations 9 year history.

Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion Podcast (Part 2)

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:33:00 +0000

Click here to hear part two of the July 28 Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion.

Part 2 includes: Thrasher, Bryan Schock, Stew, Ron "Pops" Russ, Remy "The Max" Maxwell, "The Animal" Analee, Craig Williams and Mike "Jack the Ripper" Davis, along with more clips from the loudest station in the nations 9 year history.

Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion Podcast (Part 1)

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:17:00 +0000

Click here to hear part one of the July 28 Pure Rock KNAC-FM On Air Reunion.

Thrasher, Brian Schock, Gary Price, Stew, Jack Trash, Philthy Phil, Gregg Steele and Ron "Pops" Russ, along with clips from the loudest station in the nation's 9 year history.

Rosie "Angel Baby" Hamilin of Rosie & the Originals visits WPMD.org

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 03:16:00 +0000

On his July 7th WPMD.org "45's Show", Steve Propes was visited by Rosie Hamlin of Rosie & the Originals.

Steve talked with her about the origin of the group Rosie & the Originals and the song "Angel Baby". She discussed the recording of the song in an airplane hanger and how the final version that became the big hit is flawed. Here "the" record (the original vinyl recording), the follow up record and a newly recorded "tribute" to Rosie by the Storytellers.

"Angel Baby" reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960 and remained in the charts for twelve weeks. John Lennon recorded a version of the song in 1973, eventually released on the Lennon box set.

Hear an edited version of the interview at: http://rock50.com/Rock50digest30.mp3 (approx. 30 minutes)

The entire 2 hour show will air until July 21st, daily, at 9am, 5pm and 1am on the "alternative stream" at WPMD.org.

Don't forget to tune in for, Black Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward's monthly visit to WPMD.org on July 21st (11am to 1pm pacific time) and the Pure Rock KNAC-FM reunion on July 28th (9am to 1pm) on my "Rock 50" show.

Tawn Mastrey Benefit and KNAC-FM "On Air" Reunion scheduled for July 28th

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 05:54:00 +0000

Tawn Mastrey is fighting to stay alive. Tawn worked at KNAC/fm from 1986-89 and then was part of Scott Shannon’s Pirate Radio, KQLZ. “She suffers from Hepatitis C. and is in need of a liver. She recently quit her job at Sirius radio due to her health," according to Tawn’s sister, Cara Mastrey. She is spearheading a fund raiser for Tawn, who has no insurance.

“Back in October of 1989 when I started my time at KNAC/fm, Tawn Mastrey followed my first shift as Pure Rock Talkback host. I wanted to let her off the hook in having to do a lengthy ‘crossover’ with the ‘new guy’ between shifts, but she wouldn't have it,” emailed Mike Stark. “She wanted to know all about this new ‘family’ member and wanted the audience to know as well. She made me feel welcome and part of a culture that I was just getting to know.”

Tawn was known as "the Leather Nun" who became a legendary figure in the metal scene. “She ‘represented’ the metal culture in the 1988 Penelope Spheeris film, Decline of Western Civilization 2, while, from 105.5 KNAC, played, promoted and partied with some of the biggest names in metal music. Tawn and a small handful of others at KNAC/fm were ‘heavy metal.’ The rest of us just worked there.”

"I have taken upon myself to do a major fundraising charity concert for Tawn's operation and hospital bills. She has no health insurance,” wrote Tawn’s sister. “Benefit concerts are being planned and further info will soon be available at TawnMastreyBenefit.com [as of this writing that site is not up yet].”

Besides KNAC and Pirate Radio, Tawn also worked at Classic Rock KLSX, KMEL-San Francisco, KSJO-San Jose, KUFO- Portland, and KXXR (93X), Minneapolis

Rock & Rap Confidential, Editor, Lee Ballinger says of Tawn: "I know firsthand that Tawn Mastrey was a key promoter of the metal scene at a time when it was under vicious attack from Democratic and Republican politicians alike. Please help if you can."

A on air reunion of KNAC-FM personalities that worked with Tawn will take place on July 28th, on WPMD.org between 11am and 1pm (pacific time) (times may expand as this event grows). So far scheduled to appear are: Thrasher (the longest surviving morning man at KNAC-FM), Stew (now production genius at KLOS-FM in LA), Gregg Steele (now Senior Director of Music Programming for Sirius Satellite Radio), Mike Stark (now with the Tom Joyner Morning Show), Razor (now at Big 105.9 in Florida) and Remy "The Max" Maxwell (now at remymaxwell.com). This list will grow as refugees from the great Pure Rock 105.5 KNAC can be located. A benefit show for Tawn will also be held that same night at the Martini Blues in Huntington Beach. More info to follow on that event as well.

"Rock 50" Digest #28: John Sinclair

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 05:51:00 +0000

If you don't know who John Sinclair is, then this 45 minute piece will give you a starting point. I spent an hour interviewing him, then had dinner with him and took him to and from a poetry reading, but there are more stories to tell about my day with him than I've been able to capture in this short overview. At some future time I'll share more of that day with you.

In the piece I've focused on the things in his life that have made him famous or infamous -- depending on which side of the world you are on. If you know about John already, then you might get a new prospective about those crazy times with the MC5, dope and revolution.

He has re-released his work from 35 years ago "Guitar Army" which includes additional photos not in the original printing and a 17 track CD of various sounds and songs. My piece contains several cuts from that CD from artists that John was associated with including Up!, Rationals, Uprising and the MC5. From the starting point my piece gives you, the next stop is this book.

You can hear the piece at: http://rock50.com/Rock50digest28.mp3

Rock 50 Digest #27: The Will Hoge Interviews

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:32:00 +0000

This year I had two opportunities to interview Will Hoge as his, nearly, never ending tour schedule brought him west to play the Troubadour in LA.

I think the world of this artist and I've struggled with exactly how I wanted to present these interviews in the right way. Because Will works so hard at what he does, I felt I owed it to him as an artist to "do the right thing" with his story. The two interviews run almost 90 minutes and if I were going to include his music it would take, at least, 3 hours to tell his story in words and music. This is far too bulky to "sell" to the masses who, generally, have little patience with anything more than a 3 minute single and just want the artist to "shut up and sing", so I have held these interviews -- trying to figure a way to present them.

Now I see he is coming west again and I sit with these wonderful interviews. What do I do?

I gave up, for now, on any kind of slick presentation and decided to release the interviews in a very raw form, only slightly edited and without any music. Without the music? Have I gone crazy? An indie artist trying to get the word out there about his MUSIC and I'm not going to play any of it during the interview? No, I'm not crazy. I WILL eventually do something a little slicker that will mix his music with the interviews, but for this initial presentation I wanted to focus on one of the most important elements in the "Will Hoge mix" -- his current fan base. These are people that know his music, love his music and live with his music everyday. The one thing missing for these folks is any in depth interview with him. There are interviews out there, but I've found nothing this in depth and revealing of the "heart" that this great music comes from.

This interview is a combination of a radio interview that I did with Will on my live "Rock 50" show on the phone as Will and the band was heading west -- somewhere in Texas. The other interview was conducted on his tour bus just prior to the LA show in front of the Troubadour.

As I said before, this interview has legs and will be presented with music again -- down the line, but there really is no hurry because Will's story is just starting and he'll be with us for many, many years to come. So to Will's fans, the folks that fill those clubs and halls every night -- this one's for you.

Click here to hear the interview.

Rock 50 Digest #26: WPMD.org's "The Beatles Show" host Casey Piotrowski on the new "Love" CD

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:37:00 +0000

Click here to hear WPMD.org's own Beatles expert, Casey Piotrowski analyze the new Beatles CD - "Love". Casey stopped by the "live" November 11th "Rock 50" show - spending an hour discussing this new release. This podcast highlights his thoughts on two cuts from the CD.

Casey host "The Beatles Show" which is heard on various stations throughout the country, including, on the Internet, at WPMD.org, Tuesday nights, 8pm (Pacific time).

Rock 50 Digest #25: A Tribute to Sandy West & the Runaways

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:37:00 +0000

In the early 80's, my college radio buddies and I planned to do a show called "Audiobiography" and the first artist that we planned on spotlighting was Runaways drummer Sandy West.

I had met Sandy through another friend and attended a few of her "showcases" for "The Sandy West Band" and felt that between the story of the Runaways and the hard work she was putting into her solo work that there was a good story to be told. We did a two plus hour session with her and her band, but like many other projects at that time, it never happened, for God knows what reason.

That band broke up, we all went on to various careers (two of us did end up in radio) and the cassettes of that interview sat in a box in my garage until last night.

With the death of Sandy West I decided to revisit the interview. I loved her honesty. I loved her drive. I loved the respect she gave the other musicians in her band, a band made up of a great lead guitar player named Greg Michaels who has since vanished from the music business. Even Google can't seem to locate him.

I hope at some point to edit that interview into a long form piece that will properly tell Sandy's story, but until then you can click here to hear a portion of that interview about the birth, growth and death of the Runaways, mixed with three of their greatest hits.

****Since I first posted this "mix" rock writer Dave Marsh played it on his Sirius radio show. I've "reposted" the "mix" to include Dave's intro and outro, which include his thoughts on the Runaways and Sandy.

Rock 50 Digest #24: 9/11 Tribute - Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" Mix

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 17:51:00 +0000

Click here to hear a special mix of Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising"

Rock 50 Digest #23: Huggy Boy Tribute

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:45:00 +0000

In memory of the passing of legendary LA DJ Dick "Huggy Boy" Hugg, click here to hear one of his final radio appearances with Steve Propes on WPMD.org's "45 Show" which aired "live" on 2-23-03.

Steve Propes writes: "He had just gotten out of Rancho Los Alamitos after being rehabilitated for his severe head injury after a fall and was hoping to restart his radio career. As far as I know, this was the final time Huggy cracked open a microphone.

According to family sources, long time radio oldies DJ and Long Beach resident Dick Hugg, Huggy Boy, 78, a mainstay of L.A. radio since about 1951, died at about 4 a.m. on Aug. 30 after an extended illness.

He was the original DJ-in-the-window at Dolphin's Of Hollywood Record Shopin South L.A. and had been heard on at least a dozen L.A. and border radio stations, including KRLA from 1983 to 1999 and KRTH 101 after KRLA went talk. He was responsible for the success of many rhythm and blues hits including "Earth Angel" by the Penguins and "Gee" by the Crows.

Huggy Boy was also well known in the Hispanic community, having promoted many East Side rock acts like Thee Midniters, and was also well known for aseries of oldies record albums, which he promoted on-the-air and often delivered in-person to his listeners. His final radio appearance was on the 45s Show on WPMD Internet Radio at Cerritos College in 2003."

The "'Huggy Boy' 45's Show" is also, currently, playing on the WPMD.org "Alternative Stream".

Also playing on the "Alternative Stream", in memory of the 5th anniversary of 9/11, a song-by-song examination of the "The Rising" from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with legendary rock writer and Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh. Dave Marsh, writer of two biographies on "The Boss", was the cofounder of Creem magazine, worked for many years at Rolling Stone and for the nearly 20 years has been editor of Rock & Rap Confidential.

...and if that wasn't enough, ALSO on the "Alternative Stream": On Saturday April 15th, 2006 fourteen artists performed live in front of the WPMD.org microphones -- their interpretation of a Beatles song. The arrangements ranged from beautiful to bizarre, but all with a lot of heart -- making for a great second anniversary celebration of Tee-M's UNsigned Music Show. Included is a special performance of "Blackbird" from Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, with Keith Lynch from the Bill Ward Band.

"Rock 50" Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Mix 2

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:29:00 +0000

Tom Joyner will be doing his show from New Orleans on the 29th, the first Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As part of that show I've assembled a "mix" that mixes soundbites of the event with a beautiful song by Allen Watty called "The Hurricane Song". Today, Tom previewed the "mix" as part of the discussion about Spike Lee's new HBO documentary "When the Levees Broke"

Click here to hear this special "Rock 50" Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Mix.

"Rock 50" Digest #21: Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Mix

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 03:25:00 +0000

Click here to hear a special "Rock 50" Hurricane Katrina Anniversary Mix, featuring Will Hoge's "Washed By the Water" and the voices caught in the hurricanes literal and political fury.

"Rock 50" Digest #20: Will Hoge Interview

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 00:35:00 +0000

Will Hoge is a superstar from the unsigned artists ranks -- and he likes it just fine that way. I talked with him about how he's doing it without the help and hindrance of a record label and about the music that makes that possible.

This very special "Rock 50" interview airs again all this coming week, in it's entirety, along with an hour long tribute to Syd Barrett on the WPMD.org Alternative Stream daily at 11am, 7pm and 3am (pacific time) or Click Here for the podcast version of the interview.

Go to WillHoge.com for tour dates, including a July 18th show at the legendary Troubadour.

Will Hoge in LA

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 02:36:00 +0000

"In 1974, music critic Jon Landau walked into a small Boston club and witnessed rock n’ roll history in the form of a 24-year-old from New Jersey who restored Landau’s faith in rock n’ roll through the magic of live performance.......Earlier this year, I had a musical revelation of unimaginable significance. It was so monstrously momentous that for the first time in my life, I know exactly how Jon Landau felt when witnessing Bruce Springsteen over thirty-years ago."

--Anthony Kuzminski's "The Redemption of Rock and Roll" review of Will Hoge's House of Blues Chicago performance.

This Saturday, July 15th, from "on the road" Will Hoge will guest on WPMD.org's "Rock 50" (11am Pacific time) as he rolls across Texas towards a July 18th headlining show at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles -- his first LA performance in two years.

You won't want to miss this powerful artist on "Rock 50" with Mike Startk or his show at the Troub.

"Rock 50" airs live at 11am (Pacific Time) every Saturday, with replays three times a day, everyday, on the WPMD.org "Alternative Stream".

Tee-M's UNsigned Thanks The Beatles - Video

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 24 May 2006 10:38:00 +0000

Click Here to watch highlight clips from "Tee-M's UNsigned Thanks The Beatles" 2nd Anniversary Show.

Tee-M's UNsigned Thanks The Beatles

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 23:30:00 +0000

On Saturday April 15th, fourteen artists performed live in front of the WPMD.org microphones -- their interpretation of a Beatles song. The arrangements ranged from beautiful to bizarre, but all with a lot of heart -- making for a great second anniversary celebration of Tee-M's UNsigned Music Show. The artists included Willies, Bill Reveles, Looks Like Rain, Brandon Schott, Arrica Rose, Scott Doherty, Dona Oxford, Plastic Soul, V.K. Lynne, Drool Brothers, Rin Lennon, Eleanor Academia and a special performance of "Blackbird" from Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, with Keith Lynch from the Bill Ward Band.

Click here for a "podcast" one hour version of the show that includes all the "live" musical performances. To subscribe to all of the "Rock 50 Digest" shows, point your podcasting software to the following address: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Rock50

"Rock 50" Salutes Hall of Fame Inductees Black Sabbath

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 00:25:00 +0000

On Saturday, March 11th, "Rock 50" salutes Black Sabbath -- who on Monday the 13th will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. "Rock 50" host and author of "For the Record - Black Sabbath: An Oral History" will spotlight the band that originated heavy metal music with exclusive interview excerpts from the tapes used to produce his "oral history" of the band, mixed with the Sabbath's most important music.

Black Sabbath's Bill Ward will return to "Rock 50" on the 25th to talk about the induction and, as he does every month, share his favorite tunes.

"Rock 50's" salute to Black Sabbath airs on the WPMD.org Alternative Stream until April 25th at 11am, 7pm and 3am (Pacific Time) everyday.

A 40 minute sample (uncensored for podcast) of the Sabbath salute can be found here.

"Rock 50" Digest #18 - Wilson Pickett

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 21:30:00 +0000

Click here for the "Rock 50 Digest" #18, a Rock 50 Radio Network production, saluting Wilson Pickett.

First, a montage of his biggest hits, then Steve Propes mixes an interview he did with Pickett from the late 80's with the actual vinyl 45's that contain that unmistakable sound.

The montage is a piece I put together for my friend Dave Marsh who is doing a weekly show on Sirius (Sunday - 7am to 9am Pacific time and repeats at 10am and 10pm Pacific time). Dave did his entire two hours today on Wilson Pickett, which included a wonderful interview with the legendary hit maker, Jerry Wexler. If you've just gotten Sirius, check out Dave's show. It's the most intelligent exploration of music I've heard.

Wilson Pickett in life and in death was pretty much ignored by most of terrestrial radio, so here is a real indicator as to why, Howard Stern aside, the new radio technologies of satellite and the Internet are the future.

Rock 50 Digest #17

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 03:48:00 +0000

Click here for the "Rock 50 Digest" #17, which is a one hour look at the three showcase shows on the Rock 50 Radio Network.

Rock 50 Digest #16

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 22:11:00 +0000

Click here for "Rock 50 Digest #16, featuring interviews with groupie Pamela DesBarres and the late Dr. Timothy Leary - together in a segment called "Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N Roll"

Will Hoge

rock.n.roll@verizon.net — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 23:40:00 +0000

I know little about this guy, but I found some of his music on the Internet after reading a review of one of his live shows that compared the excitement of his live performance to that of Springsteen in the mid-70's. According to his management company he won't be venturing out to the west coast for a few months, so I'll have to wait on finding out for myself, but I do like what's in the "grooves" and will definitely be playing a lot of his tunes on future "Rock 50" shows.

I'm going to open the show this Saturday with two of his tracks. In the meantime visit http://willhoge.com to find out more.