Another Connecticut Radio BBQ 2024

(Bob Gilmore & Matt)

 Every three years, my friend Bob Gilmore throws his Tri-Annual Radio BBQ. He was going to make it every two years, but Covid and other things in his life got in the way. It's also a lot of work and costs quite a bit of money. I understand because my wife and I used to host a yearly BBQ for family, friends and radio friends. 

I met Bob over 20 years ago through my old friend Greg Monti. Greg was supposed to be there this year, but for some reason didn't show up. Maybe next time, unless we have something here at home.

It was nice to finally meet some of my fellow HitOldies DJ's, Steve Garren from Minnesota, and Daniel Coulombe from Canada. We're a fairly tight knit group, so it was great to see everyone again! Brett Provo even agreed to put New York's Best Rock on his internet station, www.wnbctimemachine.com !

(Daniel Coulombe, Steve Garren, Steve West, Matt, Brett Provo and Ron Carson)

Then I got to see one of my favorite funny guys, the one and only Famous Amos, AKA Russ DiBello. He has a radio resume longer than my arm, having been on some great stations like WTJM Jammin' 105, and WCBS-FM 101.1. He currently works as an actor, with one of his latest appearances was on FBI: Most Wanted as the consigliere to the "Boss." He's the guy in the glasses and black suit whispering to the boss. He also came with his better half, the supremely talented Anita Bonita. If you don't know who she is, go look her up. 

(Famous Amos aka Russ DiBello and Matt)

Then I found my wonderful friends Kristin and Scott Lowe along with Craig Allan who came from Pennsylvania. I hadn't seen Kristin since the last BBQ, and Craig since Big Ron O'Brien's funeral in 2008. Scott is also my go to guy when I need an aircheck restored that I am not capable of, or it needs some extra love. His expertise is always appreciated!

 

(Craig Allan, Matt, Kristin & Scott Lowe)

My long time friend from Rochester, NY Scott Fybush and his wife Lisa also attended. I always try to remember how long I've known people, but as brain cells die and shrivel, it really doesn't matter. But it has to been at least 24 years.

(Scott & Lisa Fybush, Matt)

Then I heard this voice...and saw the bearded face. It was my old friend Bob Perry, the creator of the original Jack format! He was in NY from Florida visiting family, and decided to take the 2 hour ride from upstate NY to CT. 

(Matt & Bob Perry)

When the BBQ was announced, I asked my old friend Brian "The Cannon" Bannon if he was going, and if so, would he take me. I was very happy when he said he was going, and he would drive. Brian worked for many years at WLNG, and is now the Chief Engineer for WLIW-FM in South Hampton, NY. It took us 3 hours to get there from Long Island, and only 90 minutes to get back. Traffic can be a real bear. We got all caught up on life, and it's alway a pleasure to spend time with him.

(Matt & Brian Bannon)

Notice the T-Shirt I'm wearing. It's from the former WSEN-FM 92.1 in Syracuse, NY. I got that in 2012 from my friend Gary Dunes when we first met. Yes, I collect lot's of old SWAG, and I always wear a classic shirt to these events.

Thanks to our host Bob Gilmore to once again having this BBQ! It was great to see all my old friends!

Saving The Legacy of Radio DJ's

I consider it one of my life's missions to preserve classic radio in the form of audio recordings, commonly referred to as airchecks. My site, www.bigappleairchecks.com has been up in one form or another for over 20 years.

It started out as just a listing of my collection to make it easier for other traders and collectors to see what I have, and to contact me regarding trades. I used to be a real stickler for getting the same amount that I sent. These days, that doesn't matter to me.

Over the years, I've been contacted by various people asking if I can convert their old tapes, (reels, cassettes, mini-discs, and DAT's) to digital files. The answer is always yes.

The first one to ask was Robert Jacobs, formerly known as "Fast" Jimi Roberts on various radio stations, but mostly known for WPLJ, and several stations in Baltimore.

Me and Jimi in 2007

We first became acquainted when he was at WPLJ, and i was working in the job/store from hell retail. The guy who ran the store was a slob and pig, and never cleaned it. Just to keep myself busy, I did it, but never cleaned that bathroom. It was truly disgusting, and I reported him to the main office for that.

Anyway, I started called PLJ and talking to Jimi, and we became fast friends. (Pun intended) I also got to know the guy that came after him, AJ Hammer. We got to meet AJ in the studios high above Madison Square Garden one night before a concert we were going to. We got some great SWAG, and the nickel tour of the station. 

Fast forward many years, and Jimi, now known as Robert, (but always Fast to me) and I are Facebook friends, and he starts telling me about his tapes, and how he wants them converted. So I tell him to send them up, and 5 boxes show up with all sorts of tapes. I think this was sometime in 2017, and I am slowly slogging through them. 

It's now 2020, and Covid hits, and I'm not working for 4 months. Woohoo, now is the time to finally finish this project! I do get all of the tapes done and uploaded to his Hightail account. One of the treasures that I found was the announcement on WPLJ from the various DJ's about the birth of his daughter, Andrea. 

In April 2023, Sally Byrd and her daughter drove a U-Haul up from Florida to give me her late husbands entire tape collection. My friend, and "older brother" Tim Byrd had died, and she knew I was the only one who would take care of it. It was 18 boxes of various tapes and CD's. Of those, 5 were video tapes, and I ended up sending those to another one of her friends in Hyde Park, NY who could digitize them.

I look at these boxes, and get totally overwhelmed. Where do I start? The easiest thing to do is start with the cassettes. I've hardly made a dent, since it is also very emotional for me.

Scott Bingham, formerly of WNBC, messaged me on Facebook, asking if I could convert a reel for him, and it arrived this past weekend. That's next in line.

Also this past weekend, Mark Magal, the son of radio legend Ron (Magal) Britain came to the house and gave me a box of tapes. I got through the cassettes, and am now working on the reels. Mark says he still has boxes of tapes, so I asked him to mail me some more cassettes.

I'm not the only person that does this, but I am probably one of the most well known along with Charlie Menut, Scott Lowe and Rob Frankel. Those guys can take a really bad recording and do miracles with it. I can make them sound somewhat better, but not like them.

Why do I do this? To preserve history is the simple answer, along with adding to my aircheck collection. Think of my site as a huge library, where you can browse the pages, and see a listing that will take you back to a place and time that will make you smile.

That is why I do what I do.

Crazy Cat Man

I readily admit to being a crazy cat man. It all started in 1986 when my roommate Mark and I adopted Domino from the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington. We decided to get a cat because Mark had agreed to watch his grandparents cat, and even though it wasn't loving and friendly, we missed the pitter patter of paws around the apartment.

So we headed up to The North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, and there was this little black cat meowing at us. The label said it's name was "Wilma," and it's brother was "Fred." We walked around a bit, and circled back and took "Wilma" out of the cage, and she purred and cuddled and wouldn't let go. The choice was made. We named her Domino because of the white spots on her chest and belly.

When we got home, she ran around, jumped all over the apartment, and got use to the place. That night we tried to keep her in the kitchen by blocking the opening with a large piece of luggage. She laughed at us, and jumped over it multiple time. That night she ended up sleeping on Mark's head. After that, he shut his door, and she ended up sleeping with me, and that's where she stayed. After Mark moved to California, she truly was my cat.

I had Domino for 16 wonderful years. She saw me go from being single to married with a daughter and loved everyone around her. She was a very social cat.

Domino had developed cancer from various shots given to her over the years, and had been operated on 3 times. When it happened again, we made the very hard decision to put her to sleep. She had lost a lot of weight, and wasn't her happy, loving self.

I took her to the vet, and my mother in law went with me. As I held Domino, crying into her, she looked at me with those beautiful gold eyes, and we said good-bye. We had her cremated, and she is buried in our backyard garden, and I still talk to her every day.

Afterwards, the vet took me into the back and showed me a little black kitten that had recently been rescued. While she was quite skittish and afraid, I immediately fell in love with her. I went back with my wife two days later, and we took her home. She also had two white spots on her chest and belly.

 

We named her Daphne, and it took about six months for her to really come out of her shell and become the purring, cuddling machine she really was. Once that happened, she was always by my side. 

She slept on my wifes pillow, always facing me, or she would be in my arms. If I was watching TV on the couch, she would be on my lap. Daphne was a real cuddlebug, always wanting to be with her person. My kids called her "Doopy," "Daffy," and various other nicknames. She came running when she her "food" or "treats!"

One morning around 6 am, I heard this wailing, and couldn't figure out what was going on. I jumped out of bed, and there was Daphne in the living room, convulsing on floor. I picked her up to try and comfort her, but she didn't stop.

I put her down, and ran downstairs to get the carrier, when my daughter yelled, "Dad, I think Daphne's dead." I ran back upstairs, and she was. I had someone get a shoebox, and we brought her outside, and we buried her in the backyard.

 

I still talk to her everyday.

The house was so quiet without a cat, and my grief was overwhelming. So my wife went on a search to find us another black cat. She connected with a woman who did rescue, and it was a divine intervention, as she worked out of the same building where I got Daphne in Westbury! While it was now under new ownership, it was a sign.

We met Kelly at the office, and she brought 3 kittens with her, two gray and one black. One of the gray ones hissed at me, so he was out. The other two allowed us to hold and cuddle them. I had no intention of getting two cats, but they were so cute! The gray was named Luna, and the black was Raven. We knew those names had to change. The black one also had two white spots on her chest and belly. Do you notice a theme here?

When we got them home a week later, Luna became Scarlett Rose, and Raven became Daisy Noel. Yes, we give our cats middle names. Daisy became Melissa's cat, and to this day I can only pet her if I give her treats. Scarlett is our ADHD cat. She cannot still still, but loves to get lots of pets and attention. She is our little mooch who always comes running when she hears the fridge open, or when we're eating dinner. She especially loves chicken and cheese.

Let's fast forward a year. I was still missing Daphne, and didn't really have a cat of my own. Scarlett was Miss Independent, and Daisy claimed Melissa. 

I came up with a plan. I decided to volunteer at one of our local shelters, Last Hope Animal Rescue, and had Melissa come with me as I thought it would be a good experience for her. Little did she, or my wife know what my real plan was.

My first day there, I met this little bundle of purring happiness. I was holding a little white kitten, and across from me was this little black kitten, who was meowing at me, "Me next, me next!" Okay, you're next. I put the first one down, and opened the cage and lifted her out. She meowed at me, "Please take me home!" Okay, I'll take you home. Her name was Tiny, because she was. It was love at first site! She has three white spots, one high on her chest, one lower and one on her belly.

Two weeks later, I called a supervisor at Last Hope, and told her I wanted Tiny. I almost lost her, because someone else wanted her, but they didn't let the adoption go through because she was quite old with an older cat already in the house. So Tiny was mine!

I made arrangements to get her on that Friday, but got a call on Thursday from someone saying she'll be over in an hour! I said that didn't work, it was supposed to be tomorrow. She replied I'll be there in an hour. No, I'm not ready. Okay, I'll be there in two hours.

I gave the girls a credit card and a list, go to Walmart and get this stuff. I'll explain later. Tiny shows up first, and then the girls with all the needed kitten supplies. Boy, were they surprised to see this little black girl kitten! We named her Dakota, which really fits her. She is a real cuddlebug, and I truly believe that Domino and Daphne brought us together, and I thank them every day for that.

I am the crazy cat man.

Loss and Grief

For some reason, this topic popped into my head last week and I haven't been able to get rid it. I'm reminded every day of the Loss and Grief I had in September 2023 every day by the tattoo I got after Jimmy Buffett and my mother, Sheila died.

 Please notice the bubbles coming out of the margarita glass. I did that in tribute to Jimmy after his song "Bubble Up" came out. Inside the bubbles it says JB, Mom and Dad. Jimmy died of skin cancer September 1, and my mother died of lung cancer September 9. My father died on March 26, 2020 from a heart attack at the age of 90, so this is my way of forever remembering them.

I have been a huge Jimmy Buffett fan since 1977 or so, and went to more concerts of his than any other performer. As it turns out, Jimmy was battling skin cancer for the last four years, and unfortunately, he lost that batter. All of his fans, known world wide as Parrotheads, mourned his loss and felt the grief like a family member died.

I had to go to Delray Beach, FL for my mothers funeral, and stayed at The Hyatt Place hotel in The Pineapple Grove district which is known for it's arts and food. Four blocks away from the hotel was Voodoo Tattoo, and I went on Wednesday to make an appointment for Friday. 

My mother and I had our problems over the years, and my daughter and I had traveled to Chicago in August to visit her and my sisters family. The week before we got there, my visiting uncle from Portland, OR, mother, sister and brother in law all got Covid. For a lung cancer patient, that is certainly not a good thing, but she survived and was over it when we visited.

After we left, mom got pneumonia, and in mind that was the beginning of the end. Unfortunately, I was right, and she passed away peacefully in the hospital surrounded by her family. My brother in law Tim called me on Facetime, and I got to say my last goodbye. It's not easy actually seeing someone die in front of you, much less your mother.

I let out a wail of grief, and my younger daughter came running into my room and gave me a much needed hug. I cried so much into her shoulder that it was soaked by the time I was done.

My friend Steve in Florida was a big help when both of my parents died, since he had gone through the same thing previously. His relationship with his parents was much different that I had, but having a friend help with the grief was truly appreciated. I doubt I would have made it through those times without his help.

When Dad died, it was at the beginning of Covid, so there was no in person grief counseling available and I didn't want to do anything virtually. The hardest part was cleaning out his room. We donated most of his clothing, and I had to go through mountains of paperwork that he had brought down from his apartment in Syracuse.

He had papers from cars he owned 20 years previously, along with medical reports that no longer mattered. The one thing I found that was interesting was the sales receipt and deed to 4 cemetary plots in Brooklyn, NY. My later grandparents bought then, and my grandfather Martin is buried there. My grandmother Dorothy is buried somewhere in Florida.

I called the cemetery, and asked if they could be sold, and was told NO because one was already used. So my dilemma is this; when I die, do I want to use it, or be cremated like my father?

Loss and Grief hits everyone differently, and I learned that by how I reacted when Dad and Mom died. All I can say is this, lean on your friends and family to get through it, and get counseling if you really need it.

That is why I got the tattoo, to always remember Mom, Dad and Jimmy.