One of the great things about hosting a weekly radio show on 89.5 KPOO San Francisco is sharing the music that I have been collecting for the past 35 years. The music that I share represents the soundtrack of my life. With each and every song that I program, especially if it a 12’ single or a Vinyl LP, I am able to recount a memory that is associated with the purchase of that piece of music or where I first played it or the people connected to it.
While growing up in Connecticut the greatest impact that I was influenced by was the connection my mother and I had to music and New York City Radio such as WBLS and WRKS. Because of that influence I was driven by the sounds of the city. My friends and I would each have $100. One of use would drive our car to New York City while the rest of use pitched in for gas and tolls. The feelings that we all expressed as we where heading to the big apple 75 miles from our home and 90 minutes south were beyond excitement and anticipation. Once we arrived in the West Village we parked the car and ran to Vinyl Mania Records only to be welcomed by a room of hardcore music enthusiasts. The joy, the joy, the joy. Records were flying off the racks onto the central listening stations the was managed by one of the rotating employees. At Vinyl Mania Records you would find world class DJ’s producers, and artist listening for new music , yet everyone was there under one roof sharing the same passion. Back in the 1980’s the average 12’ domestic single was valued from $3 to $5. My friends and I both would almost spin are entire $100 or 15 to 20 records however, we would save just enough to buy a slice of Pizza at Joe’s Pizzeria on Carmine and Bleecker Street. At the completion of our meal, we would finally head north back to the Constitution State. We would do all that we could to avoid all tolls and additional expenses to get back home because we only had coins left on our pockets and a feeling of purpose and excitement. We played out this ritual for years until I moved to San Francisco. When I visit the east coast and my friends and I try to recreate the pathway to our youth and music only to find that changed has replaced a way of life that was so real to us. If you were to tune in to my radio show the Fingersnaps Music Salon , Wednesdays 12midnight to 3:00am you will hear many of those Classic Disco, House, and NuJazz records.
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On 11.11.11, I was booked to spin a sweet 16 Birthday party in Tiburon California. The host of honor requested I show her a play list of the songs I would be programming for her party and I informed her that I don’t have play list, I play spontaneous. She responded that’s great but can I see a list. I told her I have over 7000 songs on my computer and that she was welcomed to look through them all. She was surprised by my response to her but I could to think of any other way of letting this young lady that I had things covered. She ask me repeatedly if she could see a list and I responded with the same answer. As the night started to take shape and as her school mates and peers begin to show their presents she came to me once again and ask if I was going to play “this” type of music for long. I was playing a current dance hit from the radio. The type of music that I was playing at the time were many of the songs that she requested along with current hits and genres of her generation. I assured her once again that I got the music covered and to relax and enjoy your party. Friends arrived. The music increased in volume and the room became completely dark for the exception of the glow sticks that were handed out as party favors to her guest. LMFAO Shots was the very song the solidified that her night along with mine was going to be unforgettable. That group of teenagers worked me all night long and I loved it!
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