I was in the first or second grade when I received my first action figure for Christmas, two to be exact. Prince Adam and Skeletor from the Masters of the Universe. I'd not seen the television series at that point but I loved both figures. Adam's pink velvet vest was definitely something that caught my eye when I first opened the box. Over the years, I had collected a lot of the original figures, minus the ladies because my mom thought they were too much like dolls and she was convinced playing with dolls would contribute to my already gay personality. By the time I made it into the 6th grade, I had lost focus on action figures and moved on to collection records and tapes but I still loved my Masters of the Universe collection...that is until my dad conned me into giving my entire collection to a kid whose dad had recently left him and his mom...I found out years later when my dad confessed the reason the man left his wife was because she was having an affair...with my dad. My life is complicated for a very good reason...anyway back to the Masters of the Universe. Over time, the original line was discontinued and new figures were released with each reboot but nothing seemed to interesting to me....until I walked through the toy department of Walmart a few Novembers ago and spotted some familiar figures hanging on pegs....
For fans of the iconic 1980s series, the Masters of the Universe Origins action figures are a nostalgic trip back to the days of epic battles between He-Man and Skeletor. Mattel brilliantly revived these classic characters, blending retro charm with modern design elements to captivate both longtime fans of the series and a new generation of kids. A Blast from the Past plus more...
The Masters of the Universe Origins line brought back the beloved 5.5-inch action figures, complete with the vibrant colors and dynamic poses that made the originals so memorable. Each figure features up to 16 points of articulation rather than the stiff legs and arms of the originals, allowing for a wide range of action-packed poses and storytelling possibilities. Whether it’s He-Man wielding his Power Sword or Skeletor plotting his next move, these figures are designed to bring the adventures of Eternia to life.
Modern updates with retro flair. While mostly staying true to the original designs, the Origins figures incorporate modern updates. Some characters come with additional accessories and swappable parts, like extra heads for more expressive play. The packaging itself is a nod to the past, featuring retro-style artwork AND mini-comics that will make any collector’s heart skip a beat.
Expanding the universe...The Origins line isn’t just about the main heroes and villains. It also includes a diverse cast of characters, vehicles, and playsets that expand the world of Eternia. From the mighty Battle Cat to the fearsome Panthor and iconic locations like Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain, the collection offers endless opportunities for imaginative play and display.
The original “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” cartoon, which aired from 1983 to 1985, had a profound impact on pop culture. It was one of the most popular animated shows of the 80s and played a significant role in shaping the syndicated cartoon market. The series combined elements of science fiction, fantasy and adventure, creating a unique and captivating world that resonated with kids like me and adults. Its success not only boosted toy sales but also inspired a range of media, including comic books, a live-action film and multiple reboots. The show’s legacy continues to influence new generations, proving that The Power of Grayskull is truly timeless.
For people like me, the Masters of the Universe Origins figures are more than just toys, they’re a piece of history. The attention to detail, the faithful recreation of beloved characters and the inclusion of mini comic books with each figure make them a must-have for any fan of the franchise. Plus, the figures’ affordability and availability make it easier than ever to build a comprehensive collection. Though at this time, to catch up with previous waves, you will spend a good bit of money on eBay or other 3rd party retailers.
The Masters of the Universe Origins action figures are a perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation. They capture the essence of what made the original series so special while introducing new elements that enhance the play experience. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the world of Eternia, these figures are sure to bring joy and excitement to your collection.
This YA romance was absolutely adorable, featuring a coming-out storyline that felt genuinely realistic, especially in regions of the US and the world where conservative religion still holds sway. I appreciated how Kai and Bryson were portrayed as real teenagers rather than exaggerated stereotypes. Their relationship reminds me a little bit of one I had with a classmate throughout middle and high school though our ending was nothing like Kai and Bryson. Often in YA novels, characters quote unlikely things or have peculiar hobbies that stretch believability. However, Kai’s aspirations to be a writer, his love for a band, his daily school drives with friends, and his struggle to keep his sexuality a secret all felt authentic and relatable. The romance between Kai and Bryson was incredibly sweet, showcasing some of the best chemistry I’ve encountered in a gay YA novel in a long time!
Some of the blurbs from various authors and booksellers include:
"One of the most adorable, big-hearted, charming books in existence." --Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
"I can't tell you how much joy [Date Me, Bryson Keller] brought me. One of the most adorable, big-hearted, charming books in existence." —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
“[A] fantastic love story. . . . Uplifting.” —BuzzFeed
"A poignant, cute queer love story that showers teens with support and shows that the hate will never win as long as we stick together." —The Nerd Daily
“An adorable featherlight romance.” —The Guardian
"A fun, feel-good story that shows the importance of having a strong support system, that love is love, and that everyone deserves to love and be loved." —School Library Journal
"This #ownvoices debut is scrupulously romantic. . . . A solid blend of swoon-worthy moments and minor injustices." —Kirkus Reviews
"[Kevin van Whye] writes a coming-out story with authority and empathy. . . . The execution is appealing, and readers, too, will want to date Bryson." —Booklist
"Debut author van Whye uses the dare to set up a book filled with good-natured sweetness." —Publishers Weekly
"A sweet romance and exploration of the ways we can accidentally fall in love. Adorable and authentic." —L. C. Rosen, author of Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) and Camp
The basic storyline for those who love spoilers would be:
What If It's Us meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this upbeat and heartfelt boy-meets-boy romance that feels like a modern twist on a '90s rom-com!
Everyone knows about the dare: Each week, Bryson Keller must date someone new--the first person to ask him out on Monday morning.
But Kai Sheridan never expected Bryson to say yes to him. As the days go by, he discovers there's more to Bryson beneath the surface, and dating him begins to feel less like an act and more like the real thing. Kai knows how the story of a gay boy liking someone straight ends. With his heart on the line, he's awkwardly trying to navigate senior year at school, at home, and in the closet, all while grappling with the fact that this "relationship" will last only five days. After all, Bryson Keller is popular, good-looking, and straight . . . right?
Drawing on his own experiences, Kevin van Whye delivers an uplifting and poignant coming-out love story. Readers will root for Kai and Bryson to share their hearts with the world--and with each other.
About the Author: Kevin van Whye is a writer born and raised in South Africa, where his love for storytelling started at a young age. At four years old, he quit preschool because his teacher couldn't tell a story. Kevin's love affair with stories led him to film school to study script writing. Date Me, Bryson Keller is his first novel. Kevin currently lives in Johannesburg, and when he's not reading, he's writing stories that give his characters the happy rom-com endings they deserve. Find him at kevinvanwhye.com and on Instagram.
The day this album was released, I was at the Walmart in Milton, Florida bothering the lady in electronics to check in the back to see if the album came in. The lady was super sweet and came back with 2 cassette tapes, one for me and the other to go on the shelf. By the time the Like A Prayer album was released, the song Like A Prayer was already a megahit and was in constant rotation on the radio and MTV, partially due to the Pepsi deal gone wrong.
Among Madonna’s discography, Like a Prayer stands out as her most deliberate artistic endeavor. While it’s clear she aimed to create a “serious” album, the dazzling array of pop styles is truly impressive. From the funk of “Express Yourself” and “Keep It Together” to the haunting melodies of “Oh Father” and the title track “Like a Prayer,” Madonna showcases her exceptional songwriting skills, making this her most cohesive album at the time.
Singles from Like A Prayer
The album opens with the title track, “Like a Prayer,” which blends pop and gospel influences, creating a powerful and emotive anthem. “Express Yourself” follows with its upbeat, empowering message and funky rhythm. “Love Song,” a collaboration with Prince, adds a unique, experimental touch to the album.
“Till Death Do Us Part” delves into the complexities of a troubled marriage, reflecting Madonna’s personal experiences. “Promise to Try” is a poignant ballad about the loss of her mother, showcasing her vulnerability. “Cherish” brings a lighter, more playful tone with its catchy melody and romantic lyrics.
“Dear Jessie” is a whimsical, fairy-tale-like song that adds a touch of fantasy to the album. “Oh Father” is another deeply personal track, addressing her relationship with her father and the impact of her mother’s death. The album closes with “Act of Contrition,” a weird, unique and experimental piece that blends rock and religious themes.
If you were lucky enough to get the first printing of the album, no doubt you will remember the scent of patchouli, included to give the album an immersive church-like experience.
While sorting a shipment of books to be shelved in Ink, the main bookstore I work in, a book caught my eye. The cover of The Darkness Outside Us, a young adult LGBTQ+ book by Eliot Schrefer, looked interesting so I read the back cover and the first couple of pages and the story drew me in. I'm not really into Sci-Fi but in spite of being a Science Fiction & Dystopian Romance, I very much enjoyed The Darkness Outside Us.
I recently read a few books by Adam Silvera as well as Becky Albertalli. If you enjoy their writing style, imagine it being remixed with episodes of Black Mirror or Twilight Zone. Schrefer brilliantly encapsulated a dark, foreboding atmospheric feel to the story, almost giving you a claustrophobic vibe due to the fact these guys are on a spaceship. The first couple of chapters are a little slow but not bad and you don’t want to put it down because it sets up with a melancholic mood that continually builds and all of a sudden, you are hooked and want to know what's going on and what's going to happen.
The story is set several centuries in the future with Ambrose and Kodiak on a mission to save Ambrose's sister from a fledgling colony on one of Jupiter's moons. I won't give away much more to this story because the less you know, the better your reading experience will be. As with most reviews I've read, the general consensus among all of us who have read it, it's a complicated story that the slightest of detail within the story could be a spoiler. I will say, it's classified as a romance book, and a love story is inevitable, the only thing I will say that doesn't spoil the story is about the journey and Ambrose and Kodiak finding themselves.
Some of the national trade reviews are quoted as:
They Both Die at the End meets Gravity in this mind-bending sci-fi mystery and tender love story about two boys aboard a spaceship sent on a rescue mission, from two-time National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer. Stonewall Honor Award winner!
Two boys, alone in space. Sworn enemies sent on the same rescue mission.
Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed—not when he’s rescuing his own sister.
In order to survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust each other . . . especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.
* Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books of the Year * A Booklist Editor's Choice of the Year * A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book of the Year * A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults & Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Book of the Year *
A film adaption by Eliot Page's Pageboy productions has been announced though no details of a timeline of when it will be filmed, released or who will star.
If you enjoy The Darkness Between Us, you will be happy to know that Eliot Schrefer's sequel The Brightness Between Us will be released October 1, 2024 available at Libro.Fm, HudsonBooksellers.com, Amazon.com or your favorite book retailer. I already have an advance copy and will review it soon.
Years ago, I posted a blog regarding my love for record stores. I revisited it and while I feel it's still relevant to my life, I figured I would write a new post about the subject from a fresh perspective.
Sam Goody Store "Goody Got It"
Oh, the golden age of record stores! 🎵 I would do anything to return to the hallowed aisles filled with music—where vinyl sat in upright shelves waiting for someone to flip through, cassette tapes lining the walls and CD long boxes that stood on it's own enticing music lovers to upgrade their collections from analog to digital. Tower Records, Record Bar, Turtles, Coconuts and Peaches—they were more than stores; they were portals to sonic wonderlands.
My memories of the limited-time being able to visit a record store during my mom's infrequent pilgrimages to the mall resonate with me deeply. If I was given a chance to pick out something, the clock ticking, the pressure to choose wisely—it was like a musical scavenger hunt. My sister’s lightning-fast genre coverage is legendary! Metal, rap (or '80s rap, as it was known), pop/rock, she was a musical connoisseur on a mission. And there I was, eyeing the “M” section, hoping for a new gem by Madonna. 🎤💫
Typical Set Up of a 1980's Record Store
The decline of vinyl hit hard, but oh, that snap, crackle, and pop—it was part of the experience. My Emerson dual cassette boombox I received in the 7th grade and Emerson stereo with a turntable and single cassette player I got for Christmas in the 5th grade may have mangled my tunes, but they couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for music, or creativity and ingenuity when it came to tape splicing and repair
And let’s talk about the evolution of record stores. From a team of knowledgeable staff to today’s sparse crew, it’s a different landscape. By gone are the days when you could walk into a store and say you are looking for a song that goes something like....blah blah blah...and the sales person knows exactly what you are asking for. Now you have to be specific and even still they will ask “Who’s it by?”—ouch! But fear not, because old-timers like myself and possibly you as well as vinyl freaks can find solace in used record stores, like Fantasyland Records or Media Mania if you happen live in the Atlanta area. 🌟
There’s something irreplaceable about the feel and sound of vinyl. The warmth, the crackle, the tangible connection—it rocks worlds and spins memories. So here’s to the vinyl groove, the hidden gems, and the joy of discovering music in its physical form. 🎶✨
By the way, have you stumbled upon any rare vinyl finds lately? Or perhaps there’s a specific album that still eludes you? Let’s keep the musical conversation going! 🎧😊
When I was a bartender, there were several different types of customers that could try your patience until you are ready to explode. The ones who would walk up to the bar and rush me because they think they are about to be sat were the worst, especially knowing they could just wait until they got to their table to order because most of the time, I would make their drink and rather than paying and tipping me they would want to get the check transferred over. We had a policy to pay at the bar and the customer would get mad and not tip based on me following policy.
There's a lot of other types that would be troublesome but the type that seems to be annoying for all bartenders are the ones who don't know what they want but they know they don't want beer or wine. I would ask questions based on various tastes and fruity seemed to be the one those people would settle on, if it were a manly man, I would totally blindside them with foo-foo garnishes on my go to fruity offering just for giggles. While I know I could have talked anyone into a Long Island Tea or a BMF, my favorite was Banana Rum Punch because they were super easy to make and it always put a smile on people no matter if it was their drink or someone else. So here's the recipe I used...not all bars have Banana Rum but ours did.
1.5 ounce banana rum 2 ounces orange juice 2 ounces pineapple juice top off with Sprite splash of grenadine Orange and lemon slices for garnish
Instructions Shake banana rum, orange juice and pineapple juice till foamy Pour into tall glass over ice, top with Sprite add a splash of grenadine, which will slowly sink to the bottom.
Serve with orange and lemon slices for garnish and enjoy your fruity drink.
I quit my job at Borders Books for more than two decades, and during that time, I stopped reading despite having bought numerous books with the hope of finishing them. It wasn't until the final days of Borders' liquidation sale that I managed to purchase a mass market paperback copy of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. It took nearly two decades for me to delve into the original story that my all-time favorite musical was based on. Since beginning my employment with Hudson Booksellers, which primarily serves travelers at airports, ports, and other travel hotspots, my reading habits have dramatically increased. This wasn't just for professional reasons but also because I rediscovered my passion for reading. In 2023, I read over 200 books, often enjoying them while listening to audiobooks provided by my company as well as titles acquired from Libro.FM and sometimes the library. Some might argue that listening to an audiobook isn't the same as reading, but I view it differently. Whether you're reading with your eyes or listening with your ears, if you're absorbing the words penned by an author, you're engaging in the act of reading.
As someone who rediscovered their love for reading after a long hiatus, I found myself completely captivated by Casey McQuiston's "Red, White & Royal Blue." This New Adult debut novel is a whirlwind of emotions, seamlessly blending humor, romance, and thought-provoking themes of duty and identity. The story revolves around Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Wales. Thrown together by a PR stunt gone wrong, these two young men find themselves navigating a fake relationship that soon blossoms into something real.
McQuiston masterfully crafts Alex and Henry as complex and relatable characters. They grapple with societal pressures, personal insecurities, and the weight of their respective roles. Their journey is one of self-discovery and acceptance, as they learn to embrace who they truly are and fight for their right to love freely. The supporting characters add depth and humor to the narrative. Alex's sister, June, is a fierce protector, while his best friend, Nora, provides unwavering support. The interactions between these characters are heartwarming and genuine, adding another layer to the story's emotional impact. A recurring theme throughout the book is the concept of duty: to one's family, country, and oneself. McQuiston explores how these obligations can conflict with personal desires and the importance of finding a balance.
"Red, White & Royal Blue" is a story that leaves you wanting more. While reading, I imagined various actors playing the characters if a film version was made, not realizing the film had already been completed and was slated to be released through Amazon Prime Video within the year. Of course the day Amazon released the movie, I was in front of my television enjoying every bit of it, including one my favorite parts of the book which involved the massive cake incident which led to the PR stunt. It's a hopeful and optimistic tale that celebrates love, acceptance, and the power of individual voices. McQuiston's writing is fresh, engaging, and emotionally resonant. This book is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of love to overcome any obstacle.
For those of you that love bonus material, be sure to check out the hardcover edition which includes some fun artwork on the dust jacket and book cover and an incredible bonus chapter.
Since it's release on Arista Records back in 1991, The White Room has been in consistent rotation in my CD collection. After success with their 1988 single "Doctorin' the Tardis" better known as the theme from Dr. Who, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty had money to employ talented musicians such as P.P. Arnold and Maxine Harvey instead of sampling other people's music as heard on their previous albums.
The White Room has been released in different countries with various configurations of the musical numbers, some featuring different mixes as heard on the North American edition. I have most of the international releases and in spite of it being a heavily edited version of the other recordings, find myself listening to the North American edition mostly because I associate it with my teen years.
I first heard 3 AM Eternal on WABB during an evening segment they called "Make It Or Break It?" and as much as I loved it, it unfortunately it was not as well loved by the listening audience of the Mobile and Pensacola area as a majority of callers opted to "Break It" and it was rarely played on the station in spite of it's position in the top 40 charts. To this day, I consider it one of the best club tunes from the early 1990's.
The White Room is an album bursting with hit singles that flow almost seamlessly with the tracks that didn't quite make it to radio or their own single release. Often overlooked as a classic from the acid house era, tunes from The White Room seems to hold up well on the dancefloor.
After charting with What Time Is Love, 3 AM Eternal and Last Train From Trancentral, The KLF had another trick up their sleeve. Nine months after The White Room was released in the US, a second edition was released as a 2 CD, featuring the original CD release as well as well as the Maxi-Single of the newly reimagined version of Justified & Ancient featuring country legend Tammy Wynette on lead vocals.
Back Cover of the North American Edition The White Room
Charlie and I met in Mrs. Parker's keyboard class. We were most definitely polar opposites with very little in common other than not being popular kids in school. I was introverted and he was a total extrovert. We had a degree of chemistry that I have never been able to recreate with anyone else. Charlie’s favorite movie at the time was Pump Up the Volume and never could I have imagined what I was walking into when I spent the night with him the very first time.
Pump Up The Volume movie poster
Charlie's younger brother was in a grade lower than us, good looking and sort of muscular and couldn't stand me and given the circumstance, the feeling was mutual. Charlie, on the other hand, was skinny, had unfortunate unmanageable hair and was a bit of a nerdy guy or in the words of my sister, a geek. Charlie seemed to find joy in making people laugh and also enjoyed the attention even if it was at his own expense and I admired that in him. Charlie's parents didn’t seem judgmental as mine were. His dad was American and his mom was Japanese. Charlie's mom was an absolute sweetheart and quite the cook. The first time I had dinner with them, she served the best fried chicken that had some sort of breading I’d never seen before and tasted unlike anything I had ever had up to that point in my life. It was basically what I would discover later on as chicken tempura. She also served steamed white rice, dried seaweed which I thought was weird but super tasty and a main staple with every meal was canned biscuits. I couldn't understand a lot of her English because of her strong accent but she spoke with unconditional love and I liked her the moment I met her. She allowed me to tag along with her and Charlie when she would attend what Charlie called "Buddhist Meetings" and I have to say, while I'm not a religious person, the concept appealed to me more that church ever did.
People assumed that Charlie and I were hooking up, I know my family as well as his brother believed we were but just for the record, Charlie and I were never interested in each other nor have we ever hooked up. I do have some fun stories about helping him fulfill some of his fantasies at school with unsuspecting girls. If you ever saw him sitting in the hallway with his hand stretched out on the floor, there was a very good reason for it. If you were one of the girls who stepped on his fingers or hands, you made his day, week, month or year. A totally different story that I will go no further about and let me just say no judgment here.
So after dinner Charlie took me to his bedroom where he had a table with some electronics set up including an old TV set without a screen, sides or back with some wires soldered to various parts leading to some sort of wireless microphone, a walkie talkie that suspiciously looked like the ones our school administration used and wires snaking through his window. Unrelated yet related to this story, one of the school walkie talkies was missing and though it couldn't be proven, Charlie was the prime suspect. No witnesses, no admission and no evidence on his person made our school's resource officer's blood boil knowing he couldn't close the case of the missing walkie talkie in spite of knowing who took it. The contraption looked like a weird kid’s science project based off of the Science Fair Electronic Lab Kits Radio Shack marketed towards kids. Most of Charlie's electronics were almost all Radio Shack branded with Realistic, Archer and if memory serves me right, Optimus. A black Realistic Mixer with 2 mismatched microphones sitting on the table as well as 2 dual cassette tape decks, an old turntable that needed a needle and a portable CD player were all wired up to his mixer.
Learn how to wire up electronics with Radio Shack's Science Fair Kits
He asked if I ever saw the movie “Pump Up the Volume” with Christian Slater, I said no, and apparently that was the wrong answer. He proceeds to tell me the entire plot of the movie and to this day I have never watched it. He told me that on the weekends and some weekdays when he feels like it he runs a pirate radio station which sounded like a total load of bullshit and kind of weird to me because I've never heard him on the radio. Then again, I didn’t usually turn my dial from Q-100 or W.A.B.B. when I’m not listening to my own records, tapes and after I got my CD player, CDs.
Charlie told me he needed to set up the antenna, which looked sort of like a crossbow, set up on a tall pole between his and his neighbor’s house. He said his neighbor ran a ham radio station during the day and didn't mind that he was using his antenna. It took a couple of minutes of switching the neighbor's wires with the ones leading to Charlie's bedroom window.
Charlie went to the bathroom and said I should do the same because it's gonna be a long night, we go on the air in 45 minutes and I'm all like what the fuck??? His answer was we are doing a radio show like John Garabedian’s Open House Party. I've actually listened to Open House Party on the weekends since the late '80s and hearing Charlie say we are going to do a show like that I was confused because how do two people create their own house party without a crowd?
The Realistic Mixer we used from 1990-1994
A Realistic SCT-74 Dual Cassette Deck like we used to play music
When I asked how he got all of the equipment his answer was “I got connections” which I had no idea what that actually meant but knowing him I suspect something like a five finger or 2 handed discount was involved or an unpaid Radio Shack credit account. At the time, I always assumed Radio Shack audio components were cheap knock offs of brand names in other stores but I was wrong, Charlie’s equipment sounded great, no tape hiss, no crackling or skips on the turntable and the CD player never skipped. We mentioned Radio Shack was our official sponsor, technically they were, unknowingly and unofficially. I couldn't say I was a loyal fan of the Radio Shack brands until Charlie introduced me to his set up. When I left home in 1992, I bought a portable TV, boom box and a fluorescent light that took 4 D batteries for the little place I stayed when I didn’t have a place to stay for the night. My first mixer, microphones and my first wireless handheld microphone came from Radio Shack, which I actually still have. While one of the cassette decks recorded our show as it fell into place, the other was used to play music on tapes Charlie and I had previously cued up.
The 2 microphones we used were may have been the one priced at $35.95 and the other at $23.95
Charlie warned me that we could not use our real names while on the air, he used Chuck, though everyone knows that’s another name used by people named Charles. The only name I could think of was Mike but I have an uncle named Mike so I decided it would be better and also look cooler to spell it M Y K, not that anyone would see it spelled out. From that weekend going forward Weekends With Chuck & Myk was born and believe you me I had no idea what I was doing, I was flying by the seat of my pants and every minute that I was speaking, I was nervous and scared and excited at the same time.
We played music from our own collections of cassettes, cassette singles or cassingles, records and CDs as well as songs copied from tapes from the library as well as from my sister's collection. I copied some of my records to tape at home on my little Emerson stereo I had since the 5th grade and we used a lot of songs recorded off the radio then edited to cut off any kind of radio bumpers or DJs talking over the beginning or end. To say we were low budget was an understatement, we had no sponsors and we offered prizes usually bought with our unused lunch money from school, so basically we were running with a negative budget. Wherever we got our music from needed to involve cheap or free, and we knew we always needed to play some new jams along with the old. If you listened to our show, you may remember commercials but they were just a smokescreen and we played the commercials to seem legit. We used commercials from an old tape I had called TeeVee Toons The Commercials which was filled with classic commercials from the 50s, 60s and 70s. We also transferred the audio of commercials from VHS tapes we recorded from mostly late night TV for things like Time-Life books, Sessions Records, various 1-900 numbers including the Crying line, New Kids on the Block and my favorite, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling hotline number, Matchmaker International, phone sex lines, other commercials running at the time and commercials from our “official unofficial sponsor” Radio Shack.
A random meme but many of these were a part of our playlist
The concept or at least the basic outline of our show was usually a format copied from what we heard on Open House Party as well as a little bit of Dr. Demento thrown in. Charlie and I had similar tastes in music though leaned more into the bubble gum pop side whereas I was on the club music and pop/rock side but we did have some favorites that were in common. We both loved the New kids on the Block, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Expose and I really loved Madonna at the time. We liked playing a lot of remixes and extended mixes which he always called house music even though technically house music was its own genre by that time but it all made him happy. To see him talk on the air was a bit strange because he became a completely different person and I wanted to be that way but I just couldn't get past my nerves.
A modern rendering of the stickers we thought about leaving around town
The speakerphone from Radio Shack we used for our real interviews
We got creative to seem connected to local DJs. We would call radio stations to request songs hoping to get on the air and record ourselves on the radio then figure out how to use it for our own show. In our minds this created the perfect smokescreen to our bootleg show. We got a great recording of the first Wanda Honey, the overnight DJ saying “You're listening to Chuck and Myk with Wanda Honey your honey of the night” on the air of the real WJLQ when she let us announce a song and we used that clip to it's full potential. We tried it with the second Wanda Honey but she just couldn't live up to the original whose real name was actually Kim Flood.
We would do contests where we would call random pay phones around town, we had ridden our bikes around Pace and Milton making a list of pay phone numbers and the location. We would offer things like a free tape or CD or a gift certificate to McDonald's, Hardee's, Burger King or Radio Shack, which we would leave stashed somewhere around the winning payphone for the winner to grab because we couldn't have them come to us. If no one answered the payphone, the prize would be reused the next week. We only had that happen twice. Charlie explained to me that the FCC is very strict and the fines if we got caught running a station without a license would be about 300 or 500 dollars. I guess that would have been a good deal compared to the fines of today but even still $300 was not something I could come by so anonymity was very important.
Thinking back, the scary part of the whole radio station was the fact that he said our listening audience was within approximately a 5 mile radius depending on the weather, which meant we were within listening range of our entire school district reaching into the neighborhoods of our rival school. We had to be very careful to not mention where we actually went to school, what geographical area we were in and slightly disguise our voices. I don’t even know what frequency we were on other than on FM in the middle of the dial. He joked that if someone comes knocking at the door don't answer it and act like we're having sex, which there was never a chance of. I guess that was his plausible cover up or perhaps his way of telling me he may have been bisexual lol which I don't think he was.
Aside from playing music we presented weather reports that were usually the opposite of what we were going through at that time presenting it as weather where we are and acting like we were somewhere else and the show was being simulcasted because Charlie liked the words like satellite and simulcast. We once pretended to be in the middle of Hurricane Bob. We read news reports out of tabloids like Weekly World News, Sun, National Enquirer, Mad magazine and weird sources from the library. Sometimes we would make things up. I actually got really good at creating fake news stories which became a useful skill when I worked as a creative writer and content provider for one of the old tabloid magazines that we read from, which has long since gone out of business.
Charlie's preference was Supertape and Concertape by Radio Shack
On Saturday nights while we were doing our live show we were recording the Open House Party on a couple of 120 minute Supertape or Concertape cassette tapes from Radio Shack and afterwards, we would high speed dub a second set so we could both listen throughout the week and also boost some of the remixes and borrow some of their content to use as our own. Friday nights we would mimic the Open House Party from the Sunday before since we were both at our own homes resting for school Monday morning. We would use the Long Distance Nighty Nights from the previous week’s Open House Party episodes for our own show and sometimes we would read fake love letters with made up names based on people we knew in school. Perhaps real connections were made.
Over time, my nerves eased up but my reading skills were not that great and I preferred pre-recording most of my segments. Charlie liked announcing songs and stuff like that which I was fine with because really it was his show. During my 10th grade year, I was selected to be part of the Broadcast Club at school. I think the teacher knew of our show and Charlie freaked out when he realized I was chosen over him. A perk with the Broadcast Club, it involved a whole period working in the media room of the library as well as access to good equipment to edit our recordings as well as I had access to restricted items like old educational films that were transferred to video tape which we would use sound clips from. I would also use the library computer to create a list of songs as well as a timeline for each hour and print them out on the dot matrix printer in the library.
One of the later segments I did, involved pre recording myself reading horoscopes photocopied from the USA Today papers at school and old astrology books I found in the library. During our reboot, I would lay down tarot cards and give an imaginary person a reading. I recorded a lot of my segments in my bedroom at home and my parents thought I was absolutely bonkers because they could hear me, reading and re-reading until I got everything just right. They either thought I was honing in on my reading skills, talking to myself or pretending to be something they never knew I was actually doing.
I preferred to record my segments on Memorex tapes. Is it live or is it Memorex?
Around holidays, we would present recipes I boosted from some of my mom’s cookbooks but give the wrong ingredients or cook times. Anyone who followed our directions was doomed. I also liked reading and talking about some of the really graphic parts of the romance novels my mom was reading. Johanna Lindsey may have been a bit too spicy for the airwaves but I didn’t care, we were jamming the airwaves illegally so why not go for gold? The whole operation was a violation and we had a blast doing it. Basically we weren't only violating broadcasting laws, we were using copyrighted music, reading copyrighted materials from books and magazines.
A Johanna Lindsey novel
Shortly into our run, we started playing long Hot Tracks or Disconet megamixes from records I found at the flea market or long versions of songs like the 17 minute version of Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby or the MacArthur Park Suite in a segment called The Pizza Run Megamix. We would call Crusty's Pizza, place an order, ride our bikes almost a mile to pick up our order then struggle getting 2 pizzas back to his house on bikes before the song ended. A few weeks into this segment realized we would have better luck to record a bunch of songs onto one side of a 90 minute tape to play while we were gone and eventually we just used compilation tapes like MTV's Party to Go or K-Tel Disco mixes to avoid dead air.
We ran together from October 1990 until May 1992 and during a brief period in the Spring of 92 when I temporarily moved over to Mobile, Charlie continued solo, playing material I had recorded that we either didn’t use or was generic enough to reuse. I'm not sure how it went without me but he had a good enough personality that I feel he made it all work until I came back before unexpectedly leaving the show when I ran away from home June 1992.
We revived the live show twice but without the longevity and energy we put into the first run. The first reboot happened in 1993 running Friday and Saturday nights. We were dead tired because we would do Karaoke on Thursday nights at a lesbian bar in Pensacola. We ended the revival in 1994 when I moved from the area to pursue an acting and singing career. During the 93 reboot, I insisted on replacing his Realistic branded Stereo Mixer with my newly acquired SSM-1200 mixer along with a sound effects generator and my own microphones, all from Radio Shack. We had access to more music than our first show, I had amassed a HUGE collection of disco, rock, pop and musical theatre CD’s and much to his disinterest, I would occasionally play showtunes because I liked them and thought our listeners could use a little culture.
Radio Shack SSM-1200 Mixer like the one use later used, OEM was Pyramid
While I’m not exactly sure how our final reboot in 1996 fell into place, I do remember he was recently discharged early from the Navy, I had returned home from a couple of acting jobs and had nothing else to do. He was no longer living at home, he was renting a small little house in the middle of nowhere with no telephone and no longer had the high powered antenna we used to broadcast leaving us with a reach of maybe a mile at best. Most of his equipment was gone, either sold or given away when he went into the Navy. Aside from my mixer and microphones, which I had to lug to his house, we sat on the floor playing music with very little participation, no interaction with each other, no creative segments, no commercials and it just wasn’t the same. The fun was gone, this felt like a chore and even though we had a mixer, better music sources, nice microphones, the rest of our equipment was downgrades. We were using his Panasonic boombox, my Discman and a Walkman to play mostly club mixes. I was obsessed with cover tunes and remixes from the European dance music labels Dance Street and ZYX Music so that was our main format. At this time, I was staying with my dad, who wasn’t too fond of Charlie, so I never suggested he come over to my place to run the show. Had we used my place, it wasn’t too far from where we had originally done our show and probably would have had more of an audience though not the far distance since we were without the crossbow antenna we had previously used.
I moved to Atlanta in 1997 and we kept in touch until around the time my dad passed away. We had spoken about another reboot by creating a website and hosting some sort of an internet radio station which would have brought us into a more legal venue as well as it would have allowed us to pre-record our shows and let them run on an uninterrupted loop, I guess that’s known as streaming in today’s standards. Unfortunately, aside from talking, we could never really agree on putting anything together. Perhaps distance worked against us or possibly my own ego. Acting and singing gave me the confidence that I could be front and center and I was more interested in being the headliner, using my own material for content rather than filler and taking the lead instead of playing the role of sidekick or co-pilot.
It was fun while it lasted and I hope the listeners we had back in the 90s had a great time listening to our nonsense. Last I heard, Chuck is running his own business as a Karaoke Jock in NW Florida while I am a Book Operations Supervisor for the company that runs most of the newsstands, bookstores and retail locations in airports, train stations, cruise ships and ports. Now that we are older, smarter and both gathered more knowledge of what people look for in entertainment rather than what entertains us and fills the void of our own boredom, perhaps one day Chuck and I will be able to reconnect and once again hit the airwaves...legally.
If you're curious about the sort of music we regularly played, check out this playlist.
