Here’s Part II of our second interview with 97X station owners Doug and Linda Balogh. (It’s like a Star Wars triple trilogy… the subtitle for this one is “Episode 5: Revenge of the Good Guys.”) In this podcast, we talk about 97X’s memorable artwork, the outside-the-box thinking that went on at the station, the diversity of programming, and we find out if Doug and Linda ever thought about getting back into the radio game after selling 97X.
Artist Mike Streff created a lot of the early artwork for 97X. Here’s his original “retro” logo art:
Photo courtesy of Marty Balogh
Mike Streff’s work also showed up in 97X ads and promotional items. Here’s an ad announcing the station’s move to College Corner Pike:
Here’s his art on a holiday ad that appeared in Everybody’s News back in the day:
And here’s his cover for the 97X Modern Rock Cookbook:
97X wasn’t the only station to feature Mike Streff’s work. Back when WEBN was actually cool (it’s been so long most folks don’t remember), they would release an album of local band’s songs each year. Mike did the cover art for this one:
During our interview, Dave mentioned the record store lists that Robin James unearthed from Shiv’s artifacts. 97X staffers would call local shops in the area and find out how many albums of 97X artists were being sold during a particular week.
Here’s the weekly schedule of shows on 97X, circa mid-90s:
Many 97X listeners fondly recall listening to Dr. Demento in the station’s early years.
Steve Roemer (affectionately known “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 the memory of his son Patrick, who passed away last May.
Breakfast club co-producers Joe Sampson and Steve Roemer also worked at Miami University’s student-run radio station, WMSR.
Former Breakfast Club co-producers Jessica Vahey, Steve Roemer and Joe Sampson.
Steve worked as a student manager of an apartment complex in Oxford, Ohio… just like his role model, Schneider.
Day in Eden: Steve is top row, center… before he got up close and personal with a Goo Goo Doll
Paws for Patrick is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting young people to emotional support animals to aid them as they live with mental health illness.
Our vision is to facilitate the acquisition of emotional support animals (ESA) for young people coping with mental health issues, by providing and sourcing the animals, as well as training and educating, and securing letters of certification for ESAs.
In addition, we provide opportunities for young people to interact with therapy dogs in group settings.
Learn more about this great charity at the Paws for Patrick website.
The 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast recently hit the 5,000 downloads mark on Podbean, our podcasting host site.
That’s not too shabby for a ragtag duo that started out a year and a half ago with ZERO expectations.
97X era… and now
We’re flying by the seat of our pants (provided Dave remembers to wear them), and working on a shoestring budget, with gear that would make a Mr. Microphone seem high-tech.
Since November of 2018, Dave and I have posted more than 40 episodes, and have interviewed dozens of station staffers and quite a few listeners from back in the day. It’s been a blast reconnecting with all the cool kids.
We’re not setting the podcasting world on fire, but we’re bringing back fond memories for a small squad of dedicated 97X fans (and having a blast in the process).
Hmm, we probably should read that someday…
97X station co-owner Doug Balogh had a list of “Balogh-ages” – simple suggestions for business success. #23 was “Remember to say THANK YOU.”
“The Falcon”
So THANK YOU for listening!
And if you have a friend or three that might enjoy some “Rumblings from the Big Bush,” tell ’em to click the 5K button below to get to our Podbean page. They can also catch episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Before we get to this week’s gigs, I need to apologize. I let you down. There was a free show on Fountain Square this past Wednesday, featuring 500 Miles to Memphis, the Bottle Rockets, and Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, and I failed to mention it in last week’s post. Mainly because I had no clue that it was happening until about an hour before the show started, when list member Whit G. mentioned it (he follows the Bottle Rockets on the socials and saw it posted there). Whit, his wife Barb and I hustled down for the Bottle Rockets. They were outstanding, as always.
Admit it, you’ve never heard of Brewmania either.
In my defense, the show was poorly publicized. But I’m sorry, and I won’t let it happen again. At least until the next time it happens again.
OK, as the celebrities like to say after reading a non-apology apology prepared by their PR firm, “I hope we can all move forward.”
Monday, The Fleshtones play Southgate House. They have been around since 1976, but they remain relevant today.
1976 flesh tones
2019 Fleshtones
More CBGB stalwarts will be in town that same evening: Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie will be at a book event at Walnut Hills. List member Howard Cohen (yes, THE Howard Cohen, lead singer of The Cereal Killers) will be in attendance.
On Tuesday, Young Thug and Machine Gun Kelly play PNC Pavilion, and young non-thug Ben Levin plays Arnold’s.
Pure sizzurp
Wednesday, Southgate hosts An Evening with Griffin House in the Sanctuary, and Whitacre in the Revival Room. List member John Sandman’s Tie-Dye Band will be playing The Lounge in Anderson. And Ludlow Garage welcomes a band from Nashville called Towne. They’ll fit right in here, with all the shopping malls that throw a superfluous “e” on the word Town.
The fancier it sounds, the more you can charge.
BLINK! starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, with six different stages in OTR, downtown and Covington (“Lov the Cov”), and their lineup of local music is rock-solid. By law, I’m required to mention that This Pine Box (featuring Joe Tellmann, son of my partner-in-podcast-crime Dave Tellmann) is playing Thursday at 10 p.m. on the 7th Street Stage in Covington, and Rob Fetters is headlining the Court Street Stage at the same time. Worlds are colliding:
Also on Thursday, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers are at Southgate, and Arielle plays Ludlow Garage. If you find yourself saying “Who is Arielle?” you’re in luck, because she has a page on her website called just that.
I’M A HIPPIE TRAVELING, GUITAR-WIELDING, SONG-WRITING, FLOWY CLOTHES WEARING LADY. I am a singer-songwriter, guitar player, and a lover of life. I’ve got a hippie heartbeat, with an edgy rocker spirit. 🤘 I was born in the USA, but the world is my home. A few of my favourite past-times are hugging fans, cuddling animals and traveling, whilst tasting the town’s tasty local kombucha.
Hmm, she was born in the USA but she spells “favourite” the Brit way… and throws in a “whilst” too…Methinks she’s had a bit too much kombucha. Or her publicist also names shopping malls in Cincinnati.
Friday:
Anders Osborne plays Riverfront Live
Smooth Hound Smith is at Southgate in the Sanctuary
Angela Perley and Harlot are in the Southgate Revival Room
Us, Today headlines the BLINK! after-party at MOTR.
Just Strange Brothers play Latitudes in Anderson
And maybe Michael Martin Murphey will finally find that damn lost pony Wildfire, if said pony is at Ludlow Garage. (Stranger things have happened there… just ask Jim Tarbell.)
Now THAT is a 70s hairdo!
On Saturday, Sean Geil of the Tillers plays Neltner’s Farm Fall Festival in the afternoon. Plenty of shows that evening too:
Here Come the Mummies are at Bogart’s
John Pizzarelli plays Ludlow Garage (don’t step in the horse doots!)
Kongos is at Top Cats with Fitness
Mike Oberst (the Tillers) has his album release party at Southgate
Automagik headlines the BLINK! after-party at MOTR
George Thorogood is at JACK Casino
The Charlie Daniels Band plays Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg
Sunday afternoon, you can check at The Redemptioners at Neltner’s Farm. That evening, the Pat Travers Band plays Ludlow Garage (great, now the lights are going to go out and we won’t be able to see where the horse manure is). Greg Norton of Hüsker Dü comes to MOTR as part of the band Porcupine (just Porcupine, not Porcüpine), with Knife the Symphony and Hyperstatic also on the bill. And Ballyhoo! plays Riverfront Live. As if the exclamation point weren’t enough, Ballyhoo! also bills themselves as #punkrockreggaesexmusic.
I’m throwing next Monday onto this list, because I’ll still be in Chicago. My lovely bride is running the full Chicago Marathon next Sunday, and I’ll be there to cheer her on whilst tasting the town’s tasty local kombucha… or more likely sitting on my ass and stuffing my face with Nacho Doritos.
On Monday 10/14, the Nashville band Ornament is playing MOTR with White Lighter and Coy Comer & the Wanderers.
Welcome, officially (but not officiously) to Fall. Monday, September 23rd is the Autumnal Equinox.
Summer's goingfast, nights growing colder Children growing up, old friends growing older (name that tune... without using Google search)
9/23 is also National Great American Pot Pie Day. We suggest you celebrate by cooking a Swanson’s pot pie in the oven for about 80 minutes, and then enjoying how the crust burns your tongue yet the veggies inside the pot pie are still ice cold.
Oh, and 9/23 is National Checkers Day… as in Nixon’s dog.
Almost makes you wistful for those carefree, PAC-free days, doesn’t it?
OK, enough meandering, let’s get to the gigs.
Monday, a Beach Boy and some Zombies walked into a theatre. No, it’s not the setup for a joke, it just means Brian Wilson and The Zombies are playing Taft. Also, Bad Religion is playing Bogart’s, with Dave Hause & The Mermaid and Emily Davis.
Jesse Dayton is playing Southgate on Tuesday, with the Taylor Shannon Band and Mike Stinson. Broadside is at Top Cats, and Scott Stapp of Creed is playing Bogart’s. (If you’re keeping score at home, that means Bogart’s has Bad Religion on Monday, and bad religious guy on Tuesday.)
On Wednesday, Patty Griffin is at 20th Century Theater in Oakley, with former V-Roy Scott Miller as the opener. I’ll be at that gig, because I adore Patty Griffin. Other shows that evening:
The Brother Brothers are playing Southgate
Dressy Bess is at MOTR
Joel Ansett is at Listing Loon
Chainsmokers are at the Coliseum
Andy Grammer performs at Bogart’s. (Update your scorecard with some bad grammer.)
Thursday, Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line play Southgate, and Felix Pastorius’ Hipster Assassins roll into the Ludlow Garage.
Friday night, our old pal Chris Comer starts what will be a recurring weekend gig at The View at Shires Garden, the new rooftop bar at 309 Vine Street.
I still miss the Chris & Rob Late Night Talk Show on WAIF-FM.
There are several other notable gigs that evening:
Devotchka and The Joy Formidable form a great twin bill at Woodward Theater
Tommy Emmanuel plays Taft with Jorma Kaukonen, making that show a picker’s paradise
Tracy Walker plays the grand opening of the new Braxton Barrel House in Ft. Mitchell
The Toasters, Scotch Bonnets and Newport Secret Six are at Northside Yacht Club
Stoney LaRue plays Madison Live
Warrick & Lowell play MOTR with Nick Dittmeier and Chelsea Ford & The Trouble
REO Speedwagon chugs into Rose Music Center
We also have two multi-stage festivals on tap Friday through Sunday. The Rhythm Brew Art & Music Festival takes over Riverfront Live.
And down in Louisville, Louder than Life rocks the Kentucky Expo Center fairgrounds.
Saturday, the Neltner’s Farm Fall Festival kicks off (pumpkins, games, corn maze, petting zoo… learn more here). It’s a great place to bring the family because A. it’s a legit family farm, not some hay bales on asphalt, B. the Neltner family is super-nice, and C. they’ll have live music every Saturday and Sunday through 10/27. Here’s the lineup:
Also on Saturday, a white trash guy and a redneck walk into a shed. That’s not the setup to a joke… actually it is… Kid Rock and Hank Williams Jr. are playing Riverbend. That same evening:
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper play Miami University-Middletown (affectionately known as MUM)
Filter plays the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg (affectionately known as Hoosier Hollywood)
Not a music show, but should be fun: Southgate hosts the annual beard and mustache competition known as Big Whisker Revival IV. In the Cartoon Mustache category, the smart money is on Dick Dastardly, Snidely Whiplash and Yosemite Sam… but Yukon Cornelius might sweep.
On Sunday, the Women of the Blues show in Southgate’s main room features Cheryl Renee, Kelly Richey, Kelly Walker, Alice Hoskins and more (doors at 1:30). The Cowpokes and Jane Rose & the Dead End Boys play a free afternoon show in Southgate’s Lounge. Amy Gerhartz and Jonathan Cody White play the Downtowne Listening Room, and Billy Alletzhauser (The Hiders, Ass Ponys) plays MOTR with Remnose.
If you listen to the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, you’ll note that my co-host Dave Tellmann and I try to keep each episode’s length to “two Bela Lugosi’s Deads”… or roughly 19 minutes. Oh, and since we mentioned that podcast, the latest episode features a 5th grade weather reporter, Abe Vigoda’s birthday, romance tips from Fabio and news about John Curley’s XXL t-shirt. You can listen via the 97Xbam.com website (which includes bonus content – photos, videos, etc.) or on Podbean, Spotify or iTunes.
Hot Ticket Alert
My main man Jesse Malin is playing Southgate on Friday, November 15th. Dude is brilliant. New album is stellar.
Pint-sized punk poet Jesse Malin
I’ve seen Jesse live several times and he always puts on a killer show… sadly, the crowds are usually pretty sparse in Cincy. Let’s change that, with my Double D Money Back Guarantee™: if you go to the show and aren’t completely satisfied, I’ll pay you back the ticket price out of my own pocket. I’m not rich, I’m just super-confident that Jesse Malin will rock your world. Here are two tracks from the new album that showcase his range.
