"Terrestrial" radio stations are rapidly becoming nothing more than syndicated, pre-programed tools of corporate giants. The freewheeling, payola driven audio havens of my youth are now relegated to the last true frontier for personality-centered "radio" escapism, the podcast. A podcast is simply an internet radio show and often can be subscribed to for free on iTunes, MEVIO or on individual websites and blogs. Nobody embodies the spirit of the early/mid 1970's "freeform" progressive radio formats better than Michael Butler and "The Rock and Roll Geek Show". Butler was one of a handful of the original "podcasters", discovered and later hired by Adam Curry (of MTV VJ fame and credited with coining and developing podcasting technology) at his company MEVIO. Since 2004 Michael Butler has been producing and hosting "The Rock and Roll Geek Show" from his San Francisco home for thousands of listeners worldwide. His encyclopedic knowledge of power pop, heavy metal, hard, glam and punk rock, have earned him a devoted following of self-recognizied "rock geeks". While he would probably recoil at the term "tastemaker", that is what he has become for many who didn't grow up during the glory years of FM radio. The music he plays on his shows is often the type of rock that can't be heard anywhere else these days. Bands like Hanoi Rocks, Starz and Nazareth were hugely influential on recognized rock giants like Guns and Roses, Motley Crue, and Poison but virtually unknown to the masses. His background as a musician (American Heartbreak, Exodus, Jetboy) informs his interviews but it's his unabashed fandom that makes them unique. His subjects range from musicians, producers, artists, groupies, and authors; all delivered with the boyish enthusiasm of a true fan.
Boy Howdy!
Butler has since produced several different shows including his "Indiecast", "Good, Clean, Fun" "Bangin With Butler" and "Cooking with Butler". The forums for these various shows have developed into tight communities, bringing its members together under the common banner of a love of music with some melody and balls!...or, simply, the love of cooking. Many of his listeners have become a part of his shows with audio reviews and comments played on air. One listener in Australia has actually become Butler's "Super Producer" charged with booking guests and material for shows as far-reaching as legendary record producer Bob Ezrin to famed groupie Roxana Shirazi and graphic artist/record album designer and founder of HipgnosisStorm Thorgerson. His segments like "Trolling For Chicks on Match.com", built around sponsors have become something of an industry standard in the world of internet advertising.
I interviewed Michael Butler for a feature piece that will be completed early next month and was able to sit in on his most recent episode of "The Rock and Roll Geek Show". Simply watching him at work was not to be my fate, as he handed me headphones and placed my chair in front of a microphone. The spirit of radio is very much alive and being broadcast out of bedrooms, kitchens, storage spaces, and closets globally. Many would not exist if not for the inspiration of Butler and his "train wreck" of a podcast. Below is the end product...It was one of the best times I've had in quite a while and a real honor to be a part of something that has become ingrained in my weekly routine.
"Rock and Roll Geek Show" #421On this show I have a guy named Rob Celli watching me do my show. He’s writing a story on the Rock and Roll Geek Show. I find out some things about him on the show and also play a show review of Rush in Florida, play some audio comments, somePAYOLA/BEER FUNDrequests, read your emails and lot’s more crap.
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