Normal Bias » 2000s http://www.normalbias.org Archiving old cassettes before they snap Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:10:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 2007 normalbias-org@laze.net (Normal Bias) normalbias-org@laze.net (Normal Bias) posts 1440 Archiving old cassettes before they snap Normal Bias Normal Bias normalbias-org@laze.net No no http://www.normalbias.org/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg Normal Bias http://www.normalbias.org 144 144 Remembering Tony D: My Memories (and Tenth Planet) http://www.normalbias.org/2009/04/13/remembering-tony-d-my-memories-and-tenth-planet/ http://www.normalbias.org/2009/04/13/remembering-tony-d-my-memories-and-tenth-planet/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:16:33 +0000 laze http://www.normalbias.org/?p=124 I figured I’d close out this week-long tribute to Tony D with a brief post about what he meant to me. (There may be a few more posts in this series in the coming weeks contributed by others.)

I first heard Tone on WPRB back in 1989 when flipping through local radio stations, looking for something to listen to. I was 13 at the time and absolutely obsessed with hip-hop. Back then in the Philly area, there weren’t a whole lot of stations playing hip-hop, so when I stumbled on a college radio show that was not only playing dope music, but also laying into the commercial crap at the time like Young MC, I instantly fell in love. Over the next four years, I’d listen faithfully every week to Club Crush/Raw Deal, taping almost every episode.

Tone’s presence on the show was always very big. He would never step to the mic and sound tired or bored. He was always hyped up about pushing his latest production or promoting an upcoming PRT show. Any time there was a Thursday Night Live session, he was in the thick of it, freestyling or dropping verses that would later show up on his solo album or the Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop project. You could tell there were times where he had some disagreements with Easy M or G along the way (like when his name was mysteriously chopped out of drops for the show), but he would always find his way back on the air and make some noise.

Back in 1990 I sent Tone my first (very) crappy demo tape and then pestered him for several weeks to see if he had listened. He told me one week that he had received it, and a few weeks later he told me that he didn’t have it. “It was in my bag,” he told me, but either he had lost it or it had been stolen. Looking back now, I realize that he was just being polite to a 14-year-old kid who had sent him a seriously awful demo. Rather than telling me I sucked and crushing my dreams, he chose the higher road and didn’t say anything. I really appreciated that courtesy, once I realized what he did.

Post-PRB, I kept up with his music and periodically listened to my old PRB tapes for old times sake. Then, in 2003 or 2004, I dropped him a line and we started talking about music and the radio show. He joined up with Paul from WPRB and co-DJed the “Tenth Planet” show for a while in 2004. His involvement there was unfortunately cut short — I think he said it had something to do with management. I ended up a recording a bunch of those shows as well.

When I launched Normal Bias, Tone was absolutely psyched. Anytime I posted a new show, I’d let him know and he’d download it. We chatted about behind-the-scenes stuff with the show and he’d share new tracks he was working on. Word is that there was even a “Raw Deal” reunion in the works. How great would that have been? I’m going to miss those chats.

The audio included here kind of goes against format in that it was recorded off of a stream directly to an MP3 file rather than cassette, but it’s a great 3-hour set from the September 11, 2004 edition of “Tenth Planet.” Tone’s on the wheels the entire time. The playlist for the show is still online (and included in the comments ID3 tag on the MP3).

RIP, Tone and deepest condolences to your family.

(Also, a few things you may have missed: comments from Tony here on Normal Bias: 1 2, and memories of Tone from G: 1 2 and Pumis.)

]]> http://www.normalbias.org/2009/04/13/remembering-tony-d-my-memories-and-tenth-planet/feed/ 1 233:33 I figured I'd close out this week-long tribute to Tony D with a brief post about what he meant to me. (There may be ... I figured I'd close out this week-long tribute to Tony D with a brief post about what he meant to me. (There may be a few more posts in this series in the coming weeks contributed by others.) I first heard Tone on WPRB back in 1989 when flipping through local radio stations, looking for something to listen to. I was 13 at the time and absolutely obsessed with hip-hop. Back then in the Philly area, there weren't a whole lot of stations playing hip-hop, so when I stumbled on a college radio show that was not only playing dope music, but also laying into the commercial crap at the time like Young MC, I instantly fell in love. Over the next four years, I'd listen faithfully every week to Club Crush/Raw Deal, taping almost every episode. Tone's presence on the show was always very big. He would never step to the mic and sound tired or bored. He was always hyped up about pushing his latest production or promoting an upcoming PRT show. Any time there was a Thursday Night Live session, he was in the thick of it, freestyling or dropping verses that would later show up on his solo album or the Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop project. You could tell there were times where he had some disagreements with Easy M or G along the way (like when his name was mysteriously chopped out of drops for the show), but he would always find his way back on the air and make some noise. Back in 1990 I sent Tone my first (very) crappy demo tape and then pestered him for several weeks to see if he had listened. He told me one week that he had received it, and a few weeks later he told me that he didn't have it. "It was in my bag," he told me, but either he had lost it or it had been stolen. Looking back now, I realize that he was just being polite to a 14-year-old kid who had sent him a seriously awful demo. Rather than telling me I sucked and crushing my dreams, he chose the higher road and didn't say anything. I really appreciated that courtesy, once I realized what he did. Post-PRB, I kept up with his music and periodically listened to my old PRB tapes for old times sake. Then, in 2003 or 2004, I dropped him a line and we started talking about music and the radio show. He joined up with Paul from WPRB and co-DJed the "Tenth Planet" show for a while in 2004. His involvement there was unfortunately cut short -- I think he said it had something to do with management. I ended up a recording a bunch of those shows as well. When I launched Normal Bias, Tone was absolutely psyched. Anytime I posted a new show, I'd let him know and he'd download it. We chatted about behind-the-scenes stuff with the show and he'd share new tracks he was working on. Word is that there was even a "Raw Deal" reunion in the works. How great would that have been? I'm going to miss those chats. The audio included here kind of goes against format in that it was recorded off of a stream directly to an MP3 file rather than cassette, but it's a great 3-hour set from the September 11, 2004 edition of "Tenth Planet." Tone's on the wheels the entire time. The playlist for the show is still online (and included in the comments ID3 tag on the MP3). RIP, Tone and deepest condolences to your family. (Also, a few things you may have missed: comments from Tony here on Normal Bias: 1 2, and memories of Tone from G: 1 2 and Pumis.) 2000s,,2004,,Hip-Hop,,Radio,,Remembering,Tony,D,,WPRB normalbias-org@laze.net no No DJ Mike 2600 – C’mon Man… Can’t You Just Play Some Hip Hop? http://www.normalbias.org/2008/12/03/dj-mike-2600-cmon-man-cant-you-just-play-some-hip-hop/ http://www.normalbias.org/2008/12/03/dj-mike-2600-cmon-man-cant-you-just-play-some-hip-hop/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:47:44 +0000 laze http://www.normalbias.org/?p=38 Here’s a great mix I picked up online six years ago. DJ Mike 2600 (aka DJ Mike the 2600 King) of the Litterthugz dropped this gem back in 2001 and manages to mix Hall & Oates with MC Shan and a computerized voice reciting Flavor Flav lyrics. It’s pretty bonkers and needs to be checked out.

What’s even cooler about this tape is that it appears each cassette was spray painted and labeled with marker, by hand. I wonder how many of these exist.

As far as I can tell, this mix is no longer sold anywhere, in any format.

Update: I got this when I dropped DJ Mike the 2600 King an e-mail about posting his tape:

OH SHIT! Big up dude! I have one copy of this on cassette and hadn’t gotten around to digitizing it yet. You might be the first one to do it. So cool to see the tape and the liner notes and sticker and everything!

How many did I make? Man… I’d say about 100. Between this and Yars Revenge, probably 300 altogether, all spraypainted and doodled on. I would love to do something like that again if I had the time for it!

Thanks for doing this!
Mike

]]> http://www.normalbias.org/2008/12/03/dj-mike-2600-cmon-man-cant-you-just-play-some-hip-hop/feed/ 2 30:10 Here's a great mix I picked up online six years ago. DJ Mike 2600 (aka DJ Mike the 2600 King) of the Litterthugz dropped ... Here's a great mix I picked up online six years ago. DJ Mike 2600 (aka DJ Mike the 2600 King) of the Litterthugz dropped this gem back in 2001 and manages to mix Hall Oates with MC Shan and a computerized voice reciting Flavor Flav lyrics. It's pretty bonkers and needs to be checked out. What's even cooler about this tape is that it appears each cassette was spray painted and labeled with marker, by hand. I wonder how many of these exist. As far as I can tell, this mix is no longer sold anywhere, in any format. Update: I got this when I dropped DJ Mike the 2600 King an e-mail about posting his tape: OH SHIT! Big up dude! I have one copy of this on cassette and hadn't gotten around to digitizing it yet. You might be the first one to do it. So cool to see the tape and the liner notes and sticker and everything! How many did I make? Man... I'd say about 100. Between this and Yars Revenge, probably 300 altogether, all spraypainted and doodled on. I would love to do something like that again if I had the time for it! Thanks for doing this! Mike 2000s,,2001,,Hip-Hop,,Mixtape normalbias-org@laze.net no No WMWC Carts, Station IDs, etc. http://www.normalbias.org/2008/03/17/wmwc-carts-station-ids-etc/ http://www.normalbias.org/2008/03/17/wmwc-carts-station-ids-etc/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:06:51 +0000 laze http://www.normalbias.org/2008/03/17/wmwc-carts-station-ids-etc/ A lot of the stuff I post here is of limited interest to a limited number of people, perhaps no more so than this tape.

This is a 90-minute tape of station IDs, PSAs, carts, and random other nonsense from the Instant Replay system at WMWC, the college station of Mary Washington College the University of Mary Washington. I DJed at the station every semester I was in school there, from 1994 through 1998. I was station manager for a year and probably more involved with the station than anyone else during those four years. Even though our listenership was about three (not three hundred or three thousand… just three), it was still one of the best experiences I had during college.

The content from this tape comes from 1995(-ish) to 2000. This is definitely not a complete collection of carts from those years, but it’s a start. At some point, I intend to break these into separate files, dig up older stuff, and then post it all to wmwc.org. Someday.

Voices on here include me (way too much me), Chandra DasGupta, Matt Wright, Sally Bean, Danielle Richardson, Natalie Illum, Brady Wassom, Olivia Synnott, Matt Montgomery, Dave Wrubel, Pastor Daphne Burt, Matt Dawson, Brian Petrack (sp?), and a few others I couldn’t identify.

The track listing for this tape is very long, so I’ve put it after the jump, with some commentary.


Tracks with an * feature me.

Side A

  1. * Sniff
    A 1-second clip of me sniffing. Just because.
  2. Ecology Club
  3. * Diggin’ in the Crates promo (2000)
  4. WMWC “Underground” station ID (2000)
  5. * Pietasters station ID
  6. * Algerian Dwarf station ID (1996)
    This clip came from one of the most bizarre news items I’ve ever heard about. Definitely a classic. Read by Dave Wrubel.
  7. Shudder to Think station ID
  8. * Sting “No Sun” station ID
  9. * Hip-Hop station ID
  10. * Overnight programming #1 (jazz) (1997)
    This series came from shortly after we got the Instant Replay system. We programmed it to air specialty shows and other music when we didn’t have DJs in the station. This series of carts aired intermittently throughout the night.
  11. * Overnight programming #2 (blues) (1997)
  12. * Overnight programming #3 (hip-hop) (1997)
  13. * Overnight programming #4 (reggae) (1997)
  14. * Overnight programming #5 (international) (1997)
  15. * Overnight programming #6 (classical) (1997)
  16. * Summer programming – NO DJs! (1997)
  17. * Rebroadcast notice: A Closer Look ’97 (ebonics) (1997)
  18. * Rebroadcast notice: Trancelike State (orig. Feb 20/27, 1997) (1997)
  19. * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#1, orig. fall 1996, Rob Thormeyer and Pat Broom) (1997)
  20. * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#2, orig. fall 1996, Keith Apgar) (1997)
  21. * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#3, orig. Nov. 17, 1996, Tim McDonald) (1997)
  22. * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#4, orig. Nov. 24, 1996, Now Defunct Dead Squirrels) (1997)
  23. Rusted Root @ MWC ad (1998)
  24. * Disclaimer – Before
  25. * Disclaimer – After
  26. * Rebroadcast notice: general
  27. Steve Watkins award ad
  28. * Jammin Dance and DJ Exhibition (1997)
    Interesting enough: I didn’t even meet DJ Ragz until three years later, but now we’re friends and work together on music.
  29. * Philadelphia FIRST convention ad (1997)
  30. Indigo Girls station ID (1997)
  31. James Taylor station ID
  32. Barron’s Best Buy – MWC ad (1998) (lots of laughing)
  33. Fredericksburg AIDS Walk PSA (1997)
  34. LE Smoot book sale ad (1997) (ends with laughing)
  35. Breast cancer PSA (pre-recorded ad council)
  36. Black History Month schedule (1998)
  37. Black History Month schedule pt. 2 (1998)
  38. News – “just messing around here” (3/3/1999)
  39. Jazz Til Midnight promo (1997)
  40. Danielle station ID
  41. RIGHT NOW station ID (1995 or 1996)
    Features former station manager (1996-1997) Brady Wassom.
  42. * Monty Carlo Night ad
  43. Mortar Board Senior of the Semester ad
  44. * Fredericksburg Singers ad (1997)
  45. Leon Golub symposium ad #1, take 1 (1998)
  46. Leon Golub symposium ad #1, take 2 (1998)
  47. * Indigo Girls show ad #1 (entirely too upbeat) (1997)
  48. * Indigo Girls show ad #2 (more mellow) (1997)
  49. Leon Golub symposium ad #2, take 1 (1998)
  50. Leon Golub symposium ad #2, take 2 (1998)
  51. * MWC Jazz Ensemble ad (1997)
  52. * Run-DMC show ad (1997)
  53. Birth control clinic ad
  54. Emmet Swimming station ID
  55. Hazel Virtue station ID
  56. Quick station ID
  57. * Playing with echo station ID
    This was originally an 8-track cart and had a sticker on it that warned, “Says ‘hell’ if you care.”
  58. Archers of Loaf station ID
  59. * Remember Alice station ID (edited from 540 AM)
    Originally recorded when we were 540 AM, I modified this one in a very obvious way. I still have the t-shirt that Remember Alice sent along with the station ID tape.
  60. * 2nd Annual Holiday On the Edge ad (1997)
    I got the name of my own show wrong.
  61. CCC Lent service ad (1998)
  62. Not By Chance CCC release party ad (1997)
  63. CCC ad
  64. October/November 1998 events ad (1998)
  65. Run-DMC station ID (1997)
    I love this station ID because I think DMC got the name of our station wrong (sounds like “WNWC,” doesn’t it?)
  66. CCC meal ad

Side B

  1. * Alcohol peer-educators PSA (1997)
    Shoot some hoop!
  2. Join the Crowd PSA
  3. * Roofies PSA (1997)
    I’m told this became somewhat of a classic in the years following my graduation. I’m so proud to have played the female in this ad so convincingly (the male being played by Sally Bean). There’s nothing like taking a serious subject and mocking it.
  4. * Hip-hop station ID (1997)
  5. Girlfriend station ID
    Girlfriend was a band we interviewed at the station. The woman in the band was Jon Cryer’s sister.
  6. Blue Yard Garden station ID
  7. February/March 1998 events (1998) (blooper reel material)
  8. Ball in the House show ad (1999)
  9. Iodine station ID
  10. Whirling Dervishes station ID
  11. Unknown (mic level was way too low)
  12. February/March 1998 events (1998)
  13. Kristin Page on Jeopardy ad
  14. Aubade ad (blooper)
  15. Faculty art exhibition ad
  16. Luminaria @ Maryes Heights ad
  17. Aubade ad
  18. February/March 1998 events (different reader) (1998)
  19. Fredericksburg Girl Scouts Child Abuse Preventation Blue Ribbon Campaign PSA (1998)
  20. CCC dance party ad (1998)
  21. News (October 25, 1999)
  22. Jepson Science Center ribbon-cutting ceremony ad (1998)
  23. CCC Holy Week ad (1998)
  24. Spring Heeled Jack station ID
  25. “Conflicting Perspectives on the Perfect Baby” lecture ad
  26. News (October 26, 1999)
  27. James Farmer Multicultural Center call for art
  28. * Hip-Hop Wednesday ad (1998)
    An ad for my final show before graduation.
  29. Outstanding Senior of the Week: Kristin M…?, April 20-25 (1998)
  30. Girls Against Boys show ad (1999)
  31. Screwy blooper
  32. What happened to my heroin?
  33. Class Council Fall Formal 1999 ad (1999)
  34. News: April 12, 2000 (2000)
  35. Jimmy Fallon show ad (2000)
  36. Circle K October 1999 events (1999)
  37. Circle K ad (great misprounced name here)
  38. News (December 1999)
  39. Birth control clinic ad
  40. Lots of great music, all the time station ID
  41. Annual employment fair (1999)
  42. Events (German club, Wyclef, etc.) (1999)
  43. * It’s a mess in here! profane station ID (2000)
    I recorded this one when showing Matt Wright how to use the Instant Replay.
  44. * Hey… (2000)
    No clue why I kept this one on there, but it cracks me up every time.
  45. Canned food drive ad
  46. * Returning for the fall semester station ID (2000)
  47. * Fell asleep station ID (2000)
  48. * WMWC web archive ad (2000)
  49. * Hey Bucky station ID
  50. * Sting/Brady “Brady has no gaps” (1995)
  51. * “Let’s get ready to rumble” Ned Flanders station ID (1995)
    Features Rob Thormeyer and Chevvone Bray.
  52. Montgomery Burns and Smithers station ID (1995)
    Rob and Chevvone again.
  53. * John Tesh is underrated station ID (1995)
  54. Jazz Til Midnight promo
  55. * Riot on Spaghetti Drive station ID (1995)
  56. * Off-the-air (1996)
  57. * WMWC web site promo (1996)
    The COOLEST site on the innanet…
  58. * Giveaway station ID
  59. * Hula for me, baby giveaway station ID
  60. * Voice mail station ID (1995)
    I think Scott Wise had something to do with this.
  61. Mother Earth’s Righteous Groove Ensemble station ID
  62. Ska Fest show ad
  63. * German Club ad
    Offending Germans everywhere with my attempts.
  64. News: April 29, 1997 (1997)
]]> http://www.normalbias.org/2008/03/17/wmwc-carts-station-ids-etc/feed/ 2 45:46 A lot of the stuff I post here is of limited interest to a limited number of people, perhaps no more so than this tape. This ... A lot of the stuff I post here is of limited interest to a limited number of people, perhaps no more so than this tape. This is a 90-minute tape of station IDs, PSAs, carts, and random other nonsense from the Instant Replay system at WMWC, the college station of Mary Washington College the University of Mary Washington. I DJed at the station every semester I was in school there, from 1994 through 1998. I was station manager for a year and probably more involved with the station than anyone else during those four years. Even though our listenership was about three (not three hundred or three thousand... just three), it was still one of the best experiences I had during college. The content from this tape comes from 1995(-ish) to 2000. This is definitely not a complete collection of carts from those years, but it's a start. At some point, I intend to break these into separate files, dig up older stuff, and then post it all to wmwc.org. Someday. Voices on here include me (way too much me), Chandra DasGupta, Matt Wright, Sally Bean, Danielle Richardson, Natalie Illum, Brady Wassom, Olivia Synnott, Matt Montgomery, Dave Wrubel, Pastor Daphne Burt, Matt Dawson, Brian Petrack (sp?), and a few others I couldn't identify. The track listing for this tape is very long, so I've put it after the jump, with some commentary. Tracks with an * feature me. Side A * Sniff A 1-second clip of me sniffing. Just because. Ecology Club * Diggin' in the Crates promo (2000) WMWC "Underground" station ID (2000) * Pietasters station ID * Algerian Dwarf station ID (1996) This clip came from one of the most bizarre news items I've ever heard about. Definitely a classic. Read by Dave Wrubel. Shudder to Think station ID * Sting "No Sun" station ID * Hip-Hop station ID * Overnight programming #1 (jazz) (1997) This series came from shortly after we got the Instant Replay system. We programmed it to air specialty shows and other music when we didn't have DJs in the station. This series of carts aired intermittently throughout the night. * Overnight programming #2 (blues) (1997) * Overnight programming #3 (hip-hop) (1997) * Overnight programming #4 (reggae) (1997) * Overnight programming #5 (international) (1997) * Overnight programming #6 (classical) (1997) * Summer programming - NO DJs! (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: A Closer Look '97 (ebonics) (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: Trancelike State (orig. Feb 20/27, 1997) (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#1, orig. fall 1996, Rob Thormeyer and Pat Broom) (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#2, orig. fall 1996, Keith Apgar) (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#3, orig. Nov. 17, 1996, Tim McDonald) (1997) * Rebroadcast notice: Live at the Station (#4, orig. Nov. 24, 1996, Now Defunct Dead Squirrels) (1997) Rusted Root @ MWC ad (1998) * Disclaimer - Before * Disclaimer - After * Rebroadcast notice: general Steve Watkins award ad * Jammin Dance and DJ Exhibition (1997) Interesting enough: I didn't even meet DJ Ragz until three years later, but now we're friends and work together on music. * Philadelphia FIRST convention ad (1997) Indigo Girls station ID (1997) James Taylor station ID Barron's Best Buy - MWC ad (1998) (lots of laughing) Fredericksburg AIDS Walk PSA (1997) LE Smoot book sale ad (1997) (ends with laughing) Breast cancer PSA (pre-recorded ad council) Black History Month schedule (1998) Black History Month schedule pt. 2 (1998) News - "just messing around here" (3/3/1999) Jazz Til Midnight promo (1997) Danielle station ID RIGHT NOW station ID (1995 or 1996) Features former station manager (1996-1997) Brady Wassom. * Monty Carlo Night 1990s,,2000s,,Carts,,News,,Radio,,WMWC normalbias-org@laze.net no No