On any given Saturday morning if you tune into internet radio station www.irieradio.com at 9:00am (98.1 WOCM FM in Ocean City, MD) you might hear a song by Neil Diamond one minute, Molly Hatchet the next, and maybe an artist you've possibly never even heard of (Tommy Roe anyone?).
And, as of two months ago, you could have heard a song by ABBA or even The Hollies. Not anymore. The latter two artists are soon to be Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees meaning Billy Bruce won't play them on his radio show any longer, although, in Bruce's words " the Sex Pistols could be an exception since they refused to show up for the induction ceremony."
THERE GOES THE LAST DJ
Bruce is a different sort of DJ. He'd never worked in radio until last year when he came up with an idea to host a show that would play ONLY artists who are NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He named the show "Rock Outside The Hall". After some discussion with management, the powers-that-be gave Bruce a three week try out. Now, nearly 30 weeks later--and apparently with thousands of dedicated listeners according to station research--Bruce is not only still on the air but is allowed to expand his show from 60 minutes to 90 minutes when he needs the extra time.
So, why pick a format that makes such a formal attack against the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Like many music fans, Bruce is not happy with the Hall of Fame or the "Hall of Lame" as he calls it. . He feels too many artists, particularly from the 1950's and 60's have been overlooked Artists like Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Barbara Streisand, Cher and 80's radio staples such as Sammy Hagar (pre-Van Halen), Journey and Foreigner to name a few. The difference between Bruce compared to your typical passionate rock music fan is that he started a radio show about it.
THE IDEA
Bruce told me about the day he got the idea for the show:
"I was curious about an artist named
Ronnie Dove I had met a few times back in the Sixties in my Mother's condo building and I went to a party of his one night. A few of his songs were my favorite back then, especially the song "Right or Wrong". So, I searched the Internet and found a petition of three thousand names to have him nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I was hoping he had been nominated but found out that he wasn't. And then I looked on the Rock Hall web site for who was in-- just for a bit of nostalgia--. WHOA! No Paul Anka, Neil Sedaka, Connie Francis, Pat Boone, Frankie "Teen Angel" Avalon, Neil Diamond or Sonny & Cher etcetera. Then I made a short list of the other missing: KISS, Cheap Trick, Rush, Doobie Brothers, Chicago, Deep Purple and on and on and on".
"I approached Bull Dog the station general manager at WOCM 98.1 about doing a show on these artists; and he referred me to Skip Dixon the program director to make the decision who decided to put me on the air."
HALL OF LAME?
During his show, Bruce shares tidbits about the artists he plays and admits that not everyone he gives airtime to is Hall of Fame caliber. For example, he'll play Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" during his "Bobble Head" set just so people can get their heads moving as they drive down the road listening to his show. And, he'll even play some oddball requests during his "Ladies Choice" segment.
On a particular Saturday I tuned in, Bruce played a version of "Suspicious Minds" by Rusted Root that I had never heard before.
But, he's careful not to get too preachy or too controversial. He'll say what he has to say about a performer like Jim Croce in 30 seconds or less and then launch into one of Croce's biggest hits: "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" Yes, Jim Croce is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bruce is particularly anti-Atlantic recording artists citing the numerous ties this particular record company has with the Hall of Fame and its relationship with Jann Werner, Rock Hall of Fame founder and CEO.
But, love him or hate him, there's some good music to be heard on his show, and its a show where the DJ actually gets to be heard! Isn't that a novel idea?
"My intent", Bruce says, "is not to change the Hall but to bring awareness to the ridiculousness that they operate under."
Somewhere in England, the Sex Pistols have tuned in!
LISTEN TO BILLY BRUCE THIS SATURDAY MORNING FROM 8:30 TO 10:00AM. at www.irieradio.com. THIS WEEK HE WILL FOCUS ON ARTISTS WHO HAVE SOLD AT LEAST 50 MILLION ALBUMS BUT ARE NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME.
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