History Revisited...

One of the great things about music (especially for over-the-hill geezers like myself) is its profound ability to etch a detailed history in one's memory banks: the time, place, sights and smells...maybe even the state of mind you had when you heard some great song album, or some great movement that changed the way you felt about music forever. For me it was discovering a radio station in 1982 that, after years of being seeded in bloated corporate rock of the 70's, began anew with a fledgling new format called "modern rock". While that station (KROQ) still owes its existence to the corporate behemoth, it was single-handedly responsible for bringing a slew of incredible new sounds to geeky, potch-faced suburbanites like myself who desperately wanted more out of music than Journey, REO Speedwagon and Van Halen could ever hope to offer. Of course, a huge debt of gratitude is owed to Rodney Bingenheimer, the Godfather of the LA Punk/ Underground scene and still a current staple at KROQ. It was Sir Rodney who first brought those sounds to the airwaves, as far back as 1979, when he was brazen enough to play the first Germs record on commercial radio!

A great new book by Marc Spitz (SPIN magazine) and LA writer/scene veteran Brendan Mullen called We Got the Neutron Bomb: The Untold Story of L.A. Punk chronicles the people, places and events that shaped the LA underground punk scene through the late 70's and early 80's. To say "...you don't know what it was really like unless you were there..." is certainly a fair statement; but, regardless of that, any person remotely interested in music needs to immerse themselves in the kind of perspective this (and other) music books have to offer. Every locale has its special time and place for forging those great moments in rock history and there is certainly enough documentation out there to fill the heads of even the most cursory-minded music geeks. For me, it was LA/Orange County in the late 70's/early 80's; for others it may have been New York in the mid-70's, Chicago, D.C., or Seattle in the early 90's. There's a rich history out there; from the day Elvis first shook his hips on TV to the day Nirvana single-handedly de-throned hair bands from the airwaves.

As a DJ/purveyor of diverse and quality music, even a basic knowledge of that history is important. It's important for two reasons: 1) there's an immense library of music that deserves as much air time now as it did 20 years ago; and 2) to be vital and respected in the music community, a sharp perspective that stretches beyond10, 15, or even 20 years is important. Just listen to Raw Power by Iggy Pop and The Stooges. That album has as much relevance to punk rock now as it did when it was first released almost 35 friggin' years ago!

History is the great equalizer! Regardless of how old we are as individuals, a little perspective and reverence on where we've been will certainly help us know where we're headed...and perhaps make that next big moment or musical wave even nearer and dearer to our hearts and memory banks!