I’ve held off telling you about the recording of WTIT Tape Radio’s 40th Anniversary Show for a good reason. I don’t remember a minute of it. Okay, only kidding, and even if it were true (and it is not) I could cover it up by listening to the recordings. I hope to share them with you, but I will have to edit them a bit first and talk to the DJs involved. I’ve really held off on telling you the story because of the vacation I took and wanted to return with some of our regular features. I will also have to call Bond to find out how to put those recordings on this blog. He’s already told me once, but I am an old guy and I forgot!

This particular event had some interesting turns even before we sat down to record in the WTIT Studio. Twenty years ago when I was planning the WTIT 20th Anniversary Show I went through the effort of tracking down the addresses of all the DJs who were “full timers”. It was a lot of work, had some fun conversations with both the old DJs and their families, and three of those guys from the past showed up. It is funny how things change, as you get older. I had no more desire to look people up I haven’t seen since college. Plus at this point in our storied history, I would have been fine if it were just the current trio, Johnnie Walker, Rock Rolling and I. But I did invite a few others. Rock’s brother is The Midnight Plowboy. I did not know that they were estranged for some time. Rock said it was fine for me to invite him, but not to expect anything. I called Midnight, spoke with his wife and told her what I was up to. She seemed to think Midnight would want to come and told me he’d call me. This was a laugh since Midnight never returns calls. Well, that is not totally accurate, he seldom returns calls.

I received a rather random group email (for the first time) from Killer Joe’s sister. Joe was one of the original five along with Johnnie Walker and I. So I found Joe’s email address on it and wrote him a short note. He was in the “I wouldn’t have bothered” category, but it seemed the right thing. He mailed me back with a nice note and declined. I phoned Gregarious Greg after The Midnight Plowboy. Greg answered the phone. We had not spoke since he came to the WTIT 30th Anniversary Show. Greg is the only DJ besides Johnnie and I who has come to every major anniversary show. He said, “Bud, of course I’ll be there. Aren’t I always? Has it really been 10 years?” We spoke as though it were only a couple of months, not a decade. Midnight called me and told he worked (as I do) selling liquor. But as opposed to I who sell hard liquor in Massachusetts, he sells only beer in Connecticut. What kind? Budweiser! Small world! He had to work at a beer promotion but asked if he could call in and be part of the recording. Of course I said yes, and he did and the four of us here chatted a while on-air with him. But the best part, now get this, because Midnight tried to get out of work to come, he decided to call Rock and clear the air. Because of the party and show all is well again between Midnight and Rock! I am glad to have had a small part in it.

On the two show we recorded (shows are about 90 minutes, the same length that they were when we still used tape) we did only one comedy bit. A very unfunny News, Sports & Weather. Johnnie asked after if I were upset we didn’t record any good comedy bits. I said I wasn’t and it was the truth. We played our rock songs, talked about life, jobs, women, kids and me grandkids. It was perfect. The pictures came out great and now grace my wall and are on the WTIT Photo Blog. When Greg was leaving he said, “I can’t thank you enough for continuing to include me as you guys still make history. Forty years, I can’t believe it. How many have I been around for?” I did the math. Greg started in our sixth year. “Thirty-four, give or take. Can I sign you up now to join us in 2017?” Greg laughed, “If I’m still around, I’ll be here.” I laughed as well. “Well,” I said, “if I am still around I’ll invite you!”

I’ve held off telling you about the recording of WTIT Tape Radio’s 40th Anniversary Show for a good reason. I don’t remember a minute of it. Okay, only kidding, and even if it were true (and it is not) I could cover it up by listening to the recordings. I hope to share them with you, but I will have to edit them a bit first and talk to the DJs involved. I’ve really held off on telling you the story because of the vacation I took and wanted to return with some of our regular features. I will also have to call Bond to find out how to put those recordings on this blog. He’s already told me once, but I am an old guy and I forgot!

This particular event had some interesting turns even before we sat down to record in the WTIT Studio. Twenty years ago when I was planning the WTIT 20th Anniversary Show I went through the effort of tracking down the addresses of all the DJs who were “full timers”. It was a lot of work, had some fun conversations with both the old DJs and their families, and three of those guys from the past showed up. It is funny how things change, as you get older. I had no more desire to look people up I haven’t seen since college. Plus at this point in our storied history, I would have been fine if it were just the current trio, Johnnie Walker, Rock Rolling and I. But I did invite a few others. Rock’s brother is The Midnight Plowboy. I did not know that they were estranged for some time. Rock said it was fine for me to invite him, but not to expect anything. I called Midnight, spoke with his wife and told her what I was up to. She seemed to think Midnight would want to come and told me he’d call me. This was a laugh since Midnight never returns calls. Well, that is not totally accurate, he seldom returns calls.

I received a rather random group email (for the first time) from Killer Joe’s sister. Joe was one of the original five along with Johnnie Walker and I. So I found Joe’s email address on it and wrote him a short note. He was in the “I wouldn’t have bothered” category, but it seemed the right thing. He mailed me back with a nice note and declined. I phoned Gregarious Greg after The Midnight Plowboy. Greg answered the phone. We had not spoke since he came to the WTIT 30th Anniversary Show. Greg is the only DJ besides Johnnie and I who has come to every major anniversary show. He said, “Bud, of course I’ll be there. Aren’t I always? Has it really been 10 years?” We spoke as though it were only a couple of months, not a decade. Midnight called me and told he worked (as I do) selling liquor. But as opposed to I who sell hard liquor in Massachusetts, he sells only beer in Connecticut. What kind? Budweiser! Small world! He had to work at a beer promotion but asked if he could call in and be part of the recording. Of course I said yes, and he did and the four of us here chatted a while on-air with him. But the best part, now get this, because Midnight tried to get out of work to come, he decided to call Rock and clear the air. Because of the party and show all is well again between Midnight and Rock! I am glad to have had a small part in it.

On the two show we recorded (shows are about 90 minutes, the same length that they were when we still used tape) we did only one comedy bit. A very unfunny News, Sports & Weather. Johnnie asked after if I were upset we didn’t record any good comedy bits. I said I wasn’t and it was the truth. We played our rock songs, talked about life, jobs, women, kids and me grandkids. It was perfect. The pictures came out great and now grace my wall and are on the WTIT Photo Blog. When Greg was leaving he said, “I can’t thank you enough for continuing to include me as you guys still make history. Forty years, I can’t believe it. How many have I been around for?” I did the math. Greg started in our sixth year. “Thirty-four, give or take. Can I sign you up now to join us in 2017?” Greg laughed, “If I’m still around, I’ll be here.” I laughed as well. “Well,” I said, “if I am still around I’ll invite you!”

I’ve held off telling you about the recording of WTIT Tape Radio’s 40th Anniversary Show for a good reason. I don’t remember a minute of it. Okay, only kidding, and even if it were true (and it is not) I could cover it up by listening to the recordings. I hope to share them with you, but I will have to edit them a bit first and talk to the DJs involved. I’ve really held off on telling you the story because of the vacation I took and wanted to return with some of our regular features. I will also have to call Bond to find out how to put those recordings on this blog. He’s already told me once, but I am an old guy and I forgot!

This particular event had some interesting turns even before we sat down to record in the WTIT Studio. Twenty years ago when I was planning the WTIT 20th Anniversary Show I went through the effort of tracking down the addresses of all the DJs who were “full timers”. It was a lot of work, had some fun conversations with both the old DJs and their families, and three of those guys from the past showed up. It is funny how things change, as you get older. I had no more desire to look people up I haven’t seen since college. Plus at this point in our storied history, I would have been fine if it were just the current trio, Johnnie Walker, Rock Rolling and I. But I did invite a few others. Rock’s brother is The Midnight Plowboy. I did not know that they were estranged for some time. Rock said it was fine for me to invite him, but not to expect anything. I called Midnight, spoke with his wife and told her what I was up to. She seemed to think Midnight would want to come and told me he’d call me. This was a laugh since Midnight never returns calls. Well, that is not totally accurate, he seldom returns calls.

I received a rather random group email (for the first time) from Killer Joe’s sister. Joe was one of the original five along with Johnnie Walker and I. So I found Joe’s email address on it and wrote him a short note. He was in the “I wouldn’t have bothered” category, but it seemed the right thing. He mailed me back with a nice note and declined. I phoned Gregarious Greg after The Midnight Plowboy. Greg answered the phone. We had not spoke since he came to the WTIT 30th Anniversary Show. Greg is the only DJ besides Johnnie and I who has come to every major anniversary show. He said, “Bud, of course I’ll be there. Aren’t I always? Has it really been 10 years?” We spoke as though it were only a couple of months, not a decade. Midnight called me and told he worked (as I do) selling liquor. But as opposed to I who sell hard liquor in Massachusetts, he sells only beer in Connecticut. What kind? Budweiser! Small world! He had to work at a beer promotion but asked if he could call in and be part of the recording. Of course I said yes, and he did and the four of us here chatted a while on-air with him. But the best part, now get this, because Midnight tried to get out of work to come, he decided to call Rock and clear the air. Because of the party and show all is well again between Midnight and Rock! I am glad to have had a small part in it.

On the two show we recorded (shows are about 90 minutes, the same length that they were when we still used tape) we did only one comedy bit. A very unfunny News, Sports & Weather. Johnnie asked after if I were upset we didn’t record any good comedy bits. I said I wasn’t and it was the truth. We played our rock songs, talked about life, jobs, women, kids and me grandkids. It was perfect. The pictures came out great and now grace my wall and are on the WTIT Photo Blog. When Greg was leaving he said, “I can’t thank you enough for continuing to include me as you guys still make history. Forty years, I can’t believe it. How many have I been around for?” I did the math. Greg started in our sixth year. “Thirty-four, give or take. Can I sign you up now to join us in 2017?” Greg laughed, “If I’m still around, I’ll be here.” I laughed as well. “Well,” I said, “if I am still around I’ll invite you!”