Sunday, December 14, 2008

Nostalgia has a Playlist

And it starts off with “Glory Days” by the Boss . . .

Am I starting to go through one of those “What does it all mean” phases?? No, not really, but I am a bit taken aback that it’s been FIVE YEARS since I graduated from college?!?!? What happened?? Seriously, I can vividly remember the first night I moved my stuff into the J.A.M. House and had Cancun’s Mexican Grill for dinner, when I was a wee, baby freshman . . .

Well, not only has it been 5 years since I graduated from Auburn (I did go back for an extra year to get my MAc), it’s also the 5 Year Anniversary of the final “On the Backporch” broadcast (my weekly alt.country/bluegrass/folk/Americana radio program on WEGL 91.1 FM)!

My wife tries not to roll her eyes when I talk about my time as a “college DJ,” but it’s one of my proudest and fondest memories of Auburn. I started out as a freshman in the “prime” 12-2 am Tuesday and 2-4 am Thursday night slots, and eventually moved my way into, in my opinion, one of the better slots in college radio . . . 6-8 pm Sunday night (students are driving back into town, studying for tests on Monday, etc.).

I started “On the Backporch” my Junior Year, and took a very Accountant-like approach to the show. I had Excel spreadsheets with every artist and frequency of play. I typed up mailing lists with every record label I could find in No Depression and sent out e-mails asking for freebies. I had a (basic) HTML webpage set up where I posted my playlists every week, and I made flyers for the show in Word, to post around campus. I really liked being a college DJ.


I’m grateful Zandura101 helped capture my last show on CD (I put a lot of thought into what songs would be played on the FINAL broadcast) and hope you enjoy (reading) it. If I was real tech-savvy, I would stream the show on-line, but I feel like that may not “be cool” with the Music Industry and/or Google/Blogger. If any of y’all are interested, I can actually burn you a copy (complete with PSA’s and my riveting commentary).

On the Backporch - December 14, 2003

Neil Young - Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
Boys from Indiana - Call This Country Boy Home
Son Volt - Windfall
Be Good Tanyas - Lakes of Pontchartrain
Faces - Ooh La La

Whiskeytown - Dancing with the Women at the Bar
Ween - I Don't Wanna Leave You on the Farm
Jesse Malin - High Lonesome
Longview - Leavin' Tennessee
Bob Dylan - Girl from the North Country
Byrds - Christian Life
Patty Griffin - Long Ride Home
Wilco - Dash 7
White Stripes - We're Going to Be Friends

Blair Combest - Every Once in a While
Tom Petty - Angel Dream No. 2
Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
Big Star - Thirteen
John Prine - Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You
Catherine Irwin - Will You Miss Me
Wildwood Valley Boys - Heartbreakin' Devil
Bottle Rockets - Lawd, I'm Just a Country Boy in this Great Big City
Bright Eyes - You Will. You?Will. You?Will. You?Will.

Alison Kraus - Oh, Atlanta
Reeltime Travlers - Little Bird of Heaven
Tennessee Boltsmokers - Turn Out the Light (Love me Tonight)
Cory Branan - Crackerjack Heart
Cory Branan - (She's My) Rock and Roll
Gram Parsons - Medley Live from Norther Quebec: Cash on the Barrelhead - Hickory Wind
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Johnny Cash - We'll Meet Again
Uncle Tupelo - Acuff-Rose
Lucero - The Last Song

2 comments:

Unknown said...

That's a great read man. I had no idea you were a DJ in college! Of course, I've only heard of one or two songs on that list (that probably makes you cringe) but it looks like a great way to end the show!

Sarah Green said...

OH. MY. GOODNESS. How could I have forgotten about this? I VIVIDLY remember listening to you (via the internet I guess?!) with little Beth in our Chi-O room at Samford. Sweet playlist. Sweet Hi Fidelity allusion. Sweet J.A.M. house.