Simon: The Unexpected DJ
Driving up Route 9 towards Poughkeepsie in a snow storm was not something I wanted to do. The time itself—an hour’s drive—was elongated by the pretty, but dangerous, falling snow. As my Beetle and I plowed up through Fishkill and made our way to the town of Poughkeepsie, I started getting nervous. I would be interviewing a real live DJ! Since I was a child I had always loved music and the radio. I remember leaping up onto my kitchen counter and perching there, anxiously listening to who would be crowned Number One that week on the Top 40. Or I would be in my cool, newly-furnished bedroom listening to the most-requested five-song countdown on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 8pm.
For this assignment, I had emailed local rock and alternative radio station WRRV, explaining my situation and asking if there was a DJ interested in having a 30 minute interview with me. The next day, Simon emailed me back saying he’d like to take me up on that offer. I was to drive up to WRRV and we would conduct the interview in the station in two weeks time. I remember that on the night before the interview I was driving home from Pace, and I was able to clearly receive WRRV (unusual, as the station is normally out-of-range at that location)—and I heard Simon on the radio. How exciting it was, to know that I would be talking to him the very next day!
So there I was, thundering (or carefully maneuvering) my way up Route 9. After a quick stop at the local police station to re-orient myself (as I missed a left turn), I pulled into the small parking lot of the small, two-story, stucco-and-shingled building with an enormous satellite dish on it. I double-checked my questions, made sure my recorder was working, and headed in. I sat in the small waiting area as the secretary went to fetch Simon. Palms sweaty, I rubbed them on my jeans to calm myself and let out a little nervous energy.
“Melissa? I’m Simon. Nice to meet you.” A hand stretched out before me, and I rose to shake it. Simon, The Voice From The Radio, was a normal guy! He was taller than me, of medium build, had short, cropped hair, and a welcoming smile.
Charlie Phillips and his young friends thought their songs “Sugartime” and “One Faded Rose” they’d recorded months earlier at Bob Tucker’s garage were good enough for the big time, but Charlie’s employer at the radio station, Pop Echols, and DJ Jimmy Self were not convinced. Something just didn’t seem right. Pop had an ear for music and made Charlie an offer. Echols would pay to have the two songs re-recorded in a more professional environment under the tutelage of Norman Petty, but in exchange, Charlie would put Pop’s name as co-writer on the “Sugartime” song to recoup any initial expenses Pop incurred. Charlie excitedly agreed.
Simon is a relatable character to those who are scared of being themselves. He has a very stable family who are always there for him and he has friends who can understand him. Simon sees that he shouldn’t be afraid to come out to his friends and family, he shouldn’t care what other people say about him and let other people use him just because they have something against him. He discovers that he should just be himself and not let others get to him.
Charles Monroe Schulz was the creator and cartoonist of the comic strip Peanuts. Charles has won two Peabody awards, two Reuben awards and five Emmy awards on his comic strip. Charles is also a member of the Cartoonist Hall of Fame. When Charles was a boy, he started to draw when he was only six years old. In second grade, he was awarded one of the most outstanding students in his class. When he was older, Charles was so smart that he was allowed to skip two grades in high school. After high school, he took some art classes from the Art Institute.
The Beatles were finding new and unique ways to use the recording software that they had. People were loving The Beatles’ style, because it was something that had never been seen before. For instance, “The media only added to the band’s popularity… Writers gave them nicknames, such as the “Fab Four.” another nickname, “Loveable mop tops” referred to the band member’s haircuts… The Beatles style was considered quite long and a little outrageous. The style quickly caught on among their teenage fans.” (Roberts #39) Equally important, Their album Please Please Me shot to number one in March, 1963 and stayed there for thirty weeks. (Roberts #38) Beatlemania had started, They Beatle began to go on tours and perform to bigger crowds, until the concert attendance was unbelievable. Beatlemania took the music industry by storm, and suddenly everyone knew about the
Jessie and Megan each brought one suitcase, packed with necessities. The girls brought clothes, swimming costumes, and a toiletry bag. The rest of their things had been left in their room. Jay J brought less than his sisters, in his suitcase. His room had to be packed up, and moved to the basement in preparation for the building work. He was quite upset he could not bring Ginger to the Tumbleweed; however, chickens were not allowed. For the time being, h...
While there have been many successful musicians throughout the twentieth century, none have come to define the era in equal measure to the four men from Liverpool who called themselves The Beatles. Widely considered the most influential band in Rock and Roll’s history, The Beatles have made a lasting impression on the industry and the world at large. In order to better understand the immense impact The Beatles had upon popular culture, I will discuss the bands history within the music industry, the personal connection I share with the band and the societal changes their music inspired. By understanding these aspects of the band’s music, their legacy as the forefathers of popular music becomes ever more evident.
Did you know, The Beatles topped charts world wide? Plus, they sold millions of copies of their albums only a few weeks after release? Yes, The Beatles were a very famous rock group and produced a lot of songs in their time and rose to almost instant fame, and what’s really interesting, is their story. From how they started, to their path to global fame, and to the devastating break up.
The Beatles were originally four street bums from Liverpool. They all loved music and work together at music as teenagers. They were a
We often take for granted items that we use in our everyday lives. When I was a child, I never once stopped to think about the radio. It had simply always been there. I would record songs on a cassette tape off the radio. I would call into radio stations to wish my friends a ‘Happy Birthday’ on the air. When I started driving the radio was a constant presence. Even today on my daily commute to work I turn the radio on and sing along, not once wondering where it had come from. Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio was the documentary I never knew that I needed. It was interesting to learn not only how the radio we take for granted today came to be, but also the intense drama and fighting that the men who made radio went through.
While in England, The Beatles gained popularity by playing shows in clubs in Liverpool throughout 1960-1963. The band’s huge fan base became known as “Beatlemania”
I peered around through the rain, desperately searching for some shelter, I was drowning out here. The trouble was, I wasn’t in the best part of town, and in fact it was more than a little dodgy. I know this is my home turf but even I had to be careful. At least I seemed to be the only one out here on such an awful night. The rain was so powerfully loud I couldn’t hear should anyone try and creep up on me. I also couldn’t see very far with the rain so heavy and of course there were no street lights, they’d been broken long ago. The one place I knew I could safely enter was the church, so I dashed.
The Beatles had the biggest impact of any band in the 60s because even though they started off much like any other band they achieved huge popularity through their revolutionary styles. Their hard work quickly brought them to the top. From there they set themselves apart by mixing new styles of music to create the folk rock sound that defined the 60s. Their fans fell in love with the charismatic, british singers. The Beatles will forever go down as the biggest band in the
The Beatles were an influence to people in rock and roll music, and even though the band isn’t together anymore, their legacy lives on.
It all started in 1956 with a small “skiffle band” called the Quarrymen, named after the high school in which John Lennon attended, Quarry Bank High. The group consisted of John Lennon himself and his best friend at the time, Stu Sutcliff, who, at the time, could not play a musical instrument, but looked cool holding a guitar. The boys were known as rebels and often got enjoyment out of making cruel jokes. Lennon once said,” Other boy’s parents hated me. Most of my teachers hated me”.
Schulz always had been challenging the status quo by innovating in his comic strips. He moved into the direction of religion, psychology, philosophy, and classical art, all of which were thought as difficult to understand for comic strip readers (Johnson A15). Poniewozik says, when Peanuts debuted in 1950, Americans could begin to be more anxious than fearful. In other words, the stoic pioneer spirit changed into emotional self-awareness. His characters appeared in the victorious postwar generation, a time when vague wit and worry were acceptable. The humorous message of Peanuts is that “most of humans will lose more often than they win.” Schulz taught this message in a funny way with the characters who always lose – in love, kicking footballs, etc., and are resilient and curious (146).