WMMR 50

Tonight I’ll be attending the 93.3 WMMR Philadelphia 50th anniversary staff reunion. I can safely say that my life would be nowhere without that radio station. My entire career has been built upon a few lucky chances connected to WMMR, a radio station I grew up on in Central New Jersey.

As a teen, I worked theatre sound and lighting at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. It was a fun job and one of the shows we ran was a multi-media extravaganza called “The Rock N Roll Time Machine.” As my sound booth was in the audience, folks would often ask questions after the show. One day, a gentleman began enquiring about the rights to the clips in the program. When I mentioned he sounded like he was in the music biz, he introduced himself as Rod Carson from WMMR. I swear to God that at that moment a voice in my head said, “Opportunity is knocking. Open the door.” I told Rod I listened every day, that I was on my college station, and that I’d love to get my foot in the door. He graciously gave me his card, writing the name Bev Rohan on it. He said to call her and they’d see about an internship. I got it.

The internship was to be three months but they liked me and I interned for over a year before corporate said, “You can’t have him work for free anymore!” I left for several months but after a Grateful Dead show at the Spectrum one night, I stopped by to visit Pierre Robert who was then doing the overnight shift. John DeBella came in to set up his morning show and while he was prepping the phone rang. It was his producer calling in sick. John slammed the phone down and said to Pierre, “I gotta get a real producer for this show!” I jumped up and said, “Hi, John! I’m your new producer!” He laughed and said, “You got balls, kid. Go sleep on the couch and I’ll take you to breakfast when I get off the air.” We ate, talked, and a week later I quit college to move to Philly to start the job.

A few months into the gig, the program director gave me the Saturday night graveyard shift. I wouldn’t be on the air, I’d just be running pre-recorded shows. However, the extra money and responsibility were very welcome. Several weeks later on one of those shifts, the hotline rang. It was Larry Richman who was the DJ due to be on the air at 9am when the recorded shows ended. He said he was sick and likely wouldn’t make it in. I panicked. What would I do? I called the program director George Harris but he was away for the weekend. I then called APD Joe Bonadonna. “Joe, it’s me! Larry’s not coming in and we’re going back live soon. What am I supposed to do?!?!?!?” He very calmly said, “Sounds like you’re getting your big break. I’d tape it if I were you.” Then he hung up. After fighting back the urge to pee in my pants, I started to get organized. When the station went back live at 9am the first song was Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” I taped the couple of hours I did before Larry limped in and played it for George the next day. He said, “You sound really good. How would you like some regular weekend shifts?”

And that’s how my career began. Instead of working at small market stations, I started at one of the greatest broadcast outlets in history. I was a teenager rubbing elbows with Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, and the members of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. All because of blind fucking luck.

I don’t know who my guardian angel is, but I sure do appreciate them.

And I appreciate my years at WMMR. Whether as an intern, a morning show producer, a weekender, or when I returned in the 90’s as a full-time DJ. It’s an amazing place with amazing people. I will be forever indebted to them for taking my under their wing and teaching me the craft. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone tonight.

YORKIE SUBMARINE

Time to save Pupperland with the release of “Yorkie Submarine.” It’s a downloadable coloring book that parodies “Yellow Submarine,” the landmark animated classic from The Beatles, celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this week. Download it for free here.

The story stars Lou’s beloved yorkiepoo Darla the Wonder Dog and tells the tale of the “Idyllic Doggy Destination” of Pupperland being invaded by evil Blue Kitties. Darla escapes in the Yorkie Submarine and brings back LB to free Sgt. Pupper’s Hungry Hounds Club Band. First they travel exotic undersea locales like The Sea of Digging Holes and The Sea of Dogs Can’t See Green before batting canine-hating creatures like Crazy Cat Nippers, Dastardly Dog Catchers and The Fearsome Flying Vacuum.

Brutus wrote “Yorkie Submarine” with images provided by his longtime graphic artist Alan MacBain. Alan has provided art for several Brutus-related projects thru the years as well as other music-themed work for The B-52s and Dead Schembechlers among others.

Of the coloring book Brutus says, “I couldn’t help but notice that everyone on Earth has gone insane and want to beat each other into a fruit-juicy pulp. I thought, ‘What can I do to distract them for a few moments?’ Then I realized what the world needed was a totally whacked-out 50thanniversary parody of a trippy Beatles cartoon-movie starring my dog where she and I battle acid-casualty cats and giant, blood sucking ticks. Seriously, was there ever a better time for something so weird and silly? Hopefully, it will give people who download and color it a pleasant respite before they go back to yelling at one another. At least the price is right!”

Brutus continued, “The coloring book is free, but I encourage folks who enjoy it to donate their time and money directly to their local animal shelters and rescues. Our animal friends are one of the great blessings in life and we must be better stewards of this awesome planet we live on. I realize there are other problems that require attention, but with this particular project I thought it apropos to help our fellow creatures. Support the animal shelters and rescues where you live or consider adopting a pet of your own, even if it’s a wicked Blue Kitty, so you can join Darla and I on the Yorkie Submarine!”

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the coloring book here. Then just download the PDF file and print it out! Be sure to share your colored versions (hand colored or computer coloring) with us on social media using the hashtag #YorkieSubmarine.

Radio trade All Access covers the story here. Inside Radio with a mention here. Read the full press release here.

LONDON CALLING!

It was a whirlwind eight-day drip for your friend and humble narrator to one of his favorite places on the planet: London, England.

Here’s what LB had to post during his flight home to the USA…

“I must say that I had a splendid time in London. It truly is one of the best places on Earth. Although I would have liked to have seen more, I did make it to Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, the British Museum (where I saw the Lewis chessmen!), the Imperial War Museum, Big Ben, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Millennium Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Battle of Britain Memorial, and Paddington Station among other places. Got to watch the Changing of the Guard, do High Tea at Fortnum & Mason’s, and watch England in the World Cup down at the pub. Also managed to make it to Oxford where I caught the J.R.R. Tolkien Exhibition, visited the author’s gravesite, and drank at his favorite pub The Eagle and Child. There were also some film locations I saw including “The Prisoner,” “Notting Hill” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Finally, I got some Rock N Roll in with a visit to Abbey Road Studios as well as concerts with the Rolling Stones and Stone Sour. However, there is still much more to see so I hope to make it back soon, but for now it’s home to my little Darla! Many thanks to both Virgin Airlines and St. Ermin’s Hotel for being so awesome. Cheers, mates!”

To find Lou’s posts and photos from the trip, including his incredible images of the Rolling Stones, just search for the hashtag #BrutusOverLondon on his social media accounts.

ROCK FEST 2018

One of the most esteemed concert festivals in history, Rock Fest is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this week and LB returns as host.

Read the Rock Fest blog on Lou’s return here.

The lineup is incredible featuring Disturbed, Incubus, Godsmack, Rise Against, A Day to Remember, Halestorm, Seether, Bush, Black Label Society, Underoath, Nothing More, Sevendust, Ace Frehley, GWAR, Beartooth, Trivium, Adelitas Way, Skid Row, Fozzy, Powermac 5000, Autograph, Otep, Through Fire, Ded, SOiL, Deadset Society, Wayland, Shallow Side, Blacktop Mojo, and too many others to mention.

“This is my fourth year as host at Rock Fest and it is one of the highlights on my calendar each year,” said Brutus. “I. Can’t. Wait.”

The festival runs July 12th through July 14th in Cadott, Wisconsin with a special welcome gig the night of July 11th. Get tickets here.

Lou encourages you to introduce yourself if you see him at the show. He’ll have free pins, stickers and guitar picks featuring he and Darla!

ROTR GOES TO 11

Like a Nigel Tufnel guitar amp, Rock On the Range has now gone to 11.

The esteemed rock fest returned again to Columbus OH and Brutus continued his streak for attending each of them. With the exception of some hairy weather which caused him to cower like a drowned rat in the bowels of Mapfre Stadium, it was a splendid time for your friend and humble narrator. Lou connected with a long list of artists including Avenged Sevenfold, Alice in Chains, Godsmack, A Perfect Circle, Stone Sour, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Stone Temple Pilots, Bullet for My Valentine, Underoath, Asking Alexandria, I Prevail, Greta Van Fleet, Trivium, Red Sun Rising, Atreyu, 10 Years, New Years Day, Miss May I, Tyler Bryand & the Shakedown, Wilson, From Ashes to New, Like A Storm, Shaman’s Harvest, The Fever 333, Stitched Up Heart, Shim, and too many more to mention.

Watch Lou’s socials for exclusive vid of the interviews as well as his backstage photo portraits.

Many thanks to the artists, crews, management, record company folks, catering, and security as everyone does their jobs very well. Special thanks the staffs of AEG and Danny Wimmer Presents for having Brutus back. Extra thanks to Paul and James of hardDrive Radio for the selfless logistical support. Finally, a great debt of gratitude to those of you who came out to support live music.

Hope you bought a t-shirt, too! To see a video overview of LB’s adventures go here.