Hey everybody, first off I went and bought a new digital camera today, perhaps you can tell somehow (new profile pic, the last 1 was about a year old). This picture came after basketball today when I was sweaty Eddie- you know how it is, gotta check the email before hitting the showers. Secondly I just received an email invite to my old college station alumni weekend in April. I'm gonna be back on the air!!!
But if you'll indulge me, here is a little backstory in regards to my college radio DJ career (it will be a little long):
Cue the harp: It all started back in 1996...
I was returning to Buffalo State for a 2nd tour of duty after a brief stint at community college. Now that I was back at the school I wanted to attend, I wanted things to be different this time. I didn't want to have just good grades, but I wanted to be more involved in college life. Being antisocial and sarcastic I felt this left me 2 options: the school paper or the radio station.
First stop was the school paper: the Record. Now at this school, every student organization on the campus needs people. But the Record, or at least the smattering of people there that day acted like me and my friend Andrew were not only bothering them, but that we had some nerve to apply at such a place. Well, screw them I thought. Next stop the campus radio station.
So we walk into WBNY 91.3fm one building over. Again there was a smattering of people there receiving newcomers and/or hanging out, but these fine souls were elated that we wanted to join. They were too happy that we were nutty enough to want in.
I remember the first show Andrew and I did in late October 1996. We were on Saturday nights midnight to 3 am to start. We didn't have a clue about music, radio, doing mic breaks or creating a great flow for the listener. We simply were winging it. Through that winter and the following spring we honed our craft and somehow managed to know what we were doing and opened up our minds to a multitude of new music and ideas.
That summer of 97 came and we split up onto different shows. At this point I was intrigued by 70's soul, funk and oldschool rap. He was growing increasingly fond of 60's mod rock, and 90's alt-rock. This was how the 2 Dollar Ho Show was born and Parliament, Al Green, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield found their way into my heart.
I went from being just boring old Ed on the air and tranformed into the Pimp of the Airwaves. My schtick was that I was the radio pimp of the airwaves and all my listeners were my listening hoes. I read books, surfed the internet and bought a ton of old records so that not only the sounds would turn you out, but that my mic breaks were knowledgeable as well as funny. I even began to wear silly hats in the studio to "feel the character".
Later I became enamored with the editing equipment in the back studio and began writing commercials and creating recorded flair to add to my show. I still have about 14 of the 16 fictional sponsors of the ho show, which were really comprised of my (the pimp's) silly side businesses.
Soon my commercials were being played on other people's shows. You would hear spots for Superpimp, the hottest new video game now for use on your home video game system, and Le Freak, my new fragrance right in there on Indie rock, punk, metal, and brit pop shows. Things were good. I had creative freedom and I was living it.
I joined the local music show and became a big part of that as I interviewed local artists, hosted our live shows, and then later mixed live performances for the air on our Glorified Rehearsal concert series from our lobby.
After a few years the Pimp deal grew tiresome. I mean there's only so many times you can say "Don't make me cut chew(you)", or "where's my money" before you feel like a parody of yourself or maybe Pimpbot.
I hooked up with a friend, and also Andrew again (now affectionately known as Captain Pepperoni) to host an afternoon morning variety show for slackers called "coffee and crackers". The name came from us always bringing in coffee to help wake us up after oversleeping, and crackers because the 3 hosts of the show were 2.5 white (you know, crackers). We tackled drugs, racism, disease, brought in local artists for interviews and exposure, and we also played great records and had a good time. By this time I changed my name to the "Velvet Cracker", which is also how the name of the show came to be.
After leaving for 8 months in 2001, I returned in 2002 as Crazy Eddie, as in I'd be crazy to come back to this ridiculous place. I'm glad I did though because I met my first love during that stay, and finally built up the courage to host a live call in sports talk show called Sportsnuts. When I finally left after Spring 2002, I was burned out but glad I came back for that last year to finish everything I always wanted to finish before I left that place. It was time for new challenges.
I still bump into people on the streets, or in Target or something that recognize me and yell out "Pimp". It was so much fun, and there was so much room for creative freedom. Basically I was able to try anything I wanted. I wrote the most ridiculous commercials, programmed, mixed, produced, hosted, and even was in charge of the station for 1 year.
The alumni weekend is April 22-24. My old buddy Andrew and I asked for a midnight to whenever slot, hopefully on the Saturday night (the 23rd). I can't wait, it's going to be so much fun to be on air again. I'm already thinking about what CDs I want to buy before then and sweeps or spoof commercials I'd like to compose for the show.
Crazy Eddie and Captain Pepperoni will ride again. This time, we take no prisoners.
But if you'll indulge me, here is a little backstory in regards to my college radio DJ career (it will be a little long):
Cue the harp: It all started back in 1996...
I was returning to Buffalo State for a 2nd tour of duty after a brief stint at community college. Now that I was back at the school I wanted to attend, I wanted things to be different this time. I didn't want to have just good grades, but I wanted to be more involved in college life. Being antisocial and sarcastic I felt this left me 2 options: the school paper or the radio station.
First stop was the school paper: the Record. Now at this school, every student organization on the campus needs people. But the Record, or at least the smattering of people there that day acted like me and my friend Andrew were not only bothering them, but that we had some nerve to apply at such a place. Well, screw them I thought. Next stop the campus radio station.
So we walk into WBNY 91.3fm one building over. Again there was a smattering of people there receiving newcomers and/or hanging out, but these fine souls were elated that we wanted to join. They were too happy that we were nutty enough to want in.
I remember the first show Andrew and I did in late October 1996. We were on Saturday nights midnight to 3 am to start. We didn't have a clue about music, radio, doing mic breaks or creating a great flow for the listener. We simply were winging it. Through that winter and the following spring we honed our craft and somehow managed to know what we were doing and opened up our minds to a multitude of new music and ideas.
That summer of 97 came and we split up onto different shows. At this point I was intrigued by 70's soul, funk and oldschool rap. He was growing increasingly fond of 60's mod rock, and 90's alt-rock. This was how the 2 Dollar Ho Show was born and Parliament, Al Green, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield found their way into my heart.
I went from being just boring old Ed on the air and tranformed into the Pimp of the Airwaves. My schtick was that I was the radio pimp of the airwaves and all my listeners were my listening hoes. I read books, surfed the internet and bought a ton of old records so that not only the sounds would turn you out, but that my mic breaks were knowledgeable as well as funny. I even began to wear silly hats in the studio to "feel the character".
Later I became enamored with the editing equipment in the back studio and began writing commercials and creating recorded flair to add to my show. I still have about 14 of the 16 fictional sponsors of the ho show, which were really comprised of my (the pimp's) silly side businesses.
Soon my commercials were being played on other people's shows. You would hear spots for Superpimp, the hottest new video game now for use on your home video game system, and Le Freak, my new fragrance right in there on Indie rock, punk, metal, and brit pop shows. Things were good. I had creative freedom and I was living it.
I joined the local music show and became a big part of that as I interviewed local artists, hosted our live shows, and then later mixed live performances for the air on our Glorified Rehearsal concert series from our lobby.
After a few years the Pimp deal grew tiresome. I mean there's only so many times you can say "Don't make me cut chew(you)", or "where's my money" before you feel like a parody of yourself or maybe Pimpbot.
I hooked up with a friend, and also Andrew again (now affectionately known as Captain Pepperoni) to host an afternoon morning variety show for slackers called "coffee and crackers". The name came from us always bringing in coffee to help wake us up after oversleeping, and crackers because the 3 hosts of the show were 2.5 white (you know, crackers). We tackled drugs, racism, disease, brought in local artists for interviews and exposure, and we also played great records and had a good time. By this time I changed my name to the "Velvet Cracker", which is also how the name of the show came to be.
After leaving for 8 months in 2001, I returned in 2002 as Crazy Eddie, as in I'd be crazy to come back to this ridiculous place. I'm glad I did though because I met my first love during that stay, and finally built up the courage to host a live call in sports talk show called Sportsnuts. When I finally left after Spring 2002, I was burned out but glad I came back for that last year to finish everything I always wanted to finish before I left that place. It was time for new challenges.
I still bump into people on the streets, or in Target or something that recognize me and yell out "Pimp". It was so much fun, and there was so much room for creative freedom. Basically I was able to try anything I wanted. I wrote the most ridiculous commercials, programmed, mixed, produced, hosted, and even was in charge of the station for 1 year.
The alumni weekend is April 22-24. My old buddy Andrew and I asked for a midnight to whenever slot, hopefully on the Saturday night (the 23rd). I can't wait, it's going to be so much fun to be on air again. I'm already thinking about what CDs I want to buy before then and sweeps or spoof commercials I'd like to compose for the show.
Crazy Eddie and Captain Pepperoni will ride again. This time, we take no prisoners.
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[Edited on Feb 28, 2005 7:29PM]