I quite literally bugged a guy at WQSR in Sarasota, Florida for my first job, and he finally hired me just so he wouldn't have to take my calls anymore. My first gig was in 1977 running religious tapes on Sunday morning. Isn't that everyone's first job in radio?

> - When did you realize this(radio) was what you wanted to do?

As soon as I auditioned for "The Sound of Music" at a dinner theatre by singing, "I am 16 Going on 17" when I was 26. I knew then that I'd suffered enough humiliation as an actor, and it was time to find a new profession in which to humiliate myself. I chose radio.

> - How has the radio/dj business changed since you started?

The change has been radical in some areas and subtle in others. A dj still follows a play list, but no longer plays records, CDs or tapes as it's all digital. Deregulation has done away with the many mom and pop owners and put a majority of the radio properties in the hands of a few evil empires. Luckily, I work for one of the few remaining good guys.

> - Did you grow up in Chicago? If not, where did you grow up, and what brought you to Chicago?

I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and arrived in Chicago on a Northwest Orient flight in October (or "Rocktober" as we used to call it) 1979 as production director at the now defunct 95 1/2 WMET the Mighty Met! Hoo-ya!

> - Did you grow up listening to the local Chicago bands?

Didn't everybody? You betcha! Loved every last one of them. Even the Buckinghams (just kidding Carl!).

> - How does it feel being part of one now?

Like being in the movie, "Peggy Sue Got Married." (that's a positive reaction for those of you who have never seen the film)

> - How much influence do you think local radio had on the success of so man y of our local bands?

Obviously local radio had a great impact on the success of the local bands with the extensive airplay they gave them. That's an era we'll probably never see again, when local radio takes a chance on so many of its hometown bands.

> - What's your favorite Cryan' Shames song?

Oh man I hate questions like this as it's always impossible for me to narrow it down to one. For my money, I think "It Could Be We're In Love" may be the best, fully realized arrangement and composition the band recorded. Jim and Lenny perfectly aped a Beach Boys vibe and made it their own. It truly is a stunning accomplishment. On the other hand I love "I Wanna Meet You" because the mother just rocks with unbridled teen enthusiasm. And whenever I need some of that unbridled teen enthusiasm, I always reach for that one.

> - Are there any songs you'd like to see them add to their repertoire?

We're doing all the obvious songs and the ones that translate well to a live setting. Much of the catalogue is very involved and enhanced with studio trickery and would be difficult to effectively recreate. That is unless Jim wants to bring enough beer along to rehearsal where a serious marathon ensues and we all get drunk enough to think we can pull off not only A Master's Fool, but Symphony of the freakin Wind as well!

Who's your favorite non-local group? What kind of music do you enjoy most?

There's that "favorite" question again. Here are some of my all time favorite artists:

Beatles
Beach Boys
Todd Rundgren
Steely Dan
Frank Sinatra
Elvis Costello
Burt Bacharach
Joni Mitchell

> - How do you feel about the path that FM radio has taken since the early days of underground music?

It took the path that was needed to stay in business. There's nothing wrong with a great sounding, well programmed, commercial radio station. Of course I miss the good old days of "free form" radio, but it's not commercially viable in this day and age. You want underground music? Play your CDs from 1968.

> - Tell me about your most exciting experience that came as a result of your job.

So many. I've really been very lucky. I'd say an absolute gushing highlight would be meeting and interviewing Paul McCartney. My gawd, it's a Beatle!! But I'll tell you seriously, the fact that my business has allowed me to meet most all of the musicians from the local 60's bands and some have become my very best friends means as much to me as anything I've ever done in radio.

> - What do you think was the most exciting era musically, and why?

For me it was the 60's and early 70's. That's when the envelope was constantly being pushed in directions that I could relate to.

> - Who is your most important musical influence, and what would you most like to ask them if you could?

I'm a rather huge Todd Rundgren fan and I've had the chance to speak with him at length on a myriad of topics. Sometimes you're better off to admire your heroes from a distance, because when you get close enough to pull back the curtain, it's often ugly.

> - You were previously with the band Rockestra. What type of music did they play, and how did you get started singing? Were you in any other bands?

Rockestra was a loud, 11 piece, in your face horn band that didn't know when to turn the fun dial down. We slanted towards the R&B side of things and just plain rocked the joint. It almost killed me. It's the first and only band I've been in till now, and how Pilster dragged me back into this mess I'll never know. I started singing because I sucked at everything else.

> - Do you play any musical instruments?

Some people will tell you no, but I do play rhythm guitar.

> - How many Rock & Roll roots shows have you done?

23 years worth.

> - How much influence do you have on the playlist at a new radio station, such as WDRV?

Actually I feel I've had more influence on this playlist than any other station I've been at. My PD, Greg Solk and I have worked together before at the Loop and he's very familiar with my familiarity of the format and has encouraged me to make suggestions for the playlist at the Drive. I'm very flattered to be in that position.

> - You've been known to sing with the Buckinghams, the Ides of March, etc. How do you think this gig with the Shames will affect that?

Oh they'll probably make me turn in my fan club membership and take away my decoder pen.

> - Do you think there's a renewed interest in oldie music now? Do you think the popularity will last?

I don't get the feeling that it's a renewed interest so much as just a continual interest. I hope to gawd it WILL last 'cause I for one am hanging my career on it!

> - What have you done that you're most proud of?

Remained a loving member of my family.

- Do you think there'll ever be another ageless dj like Dick Biondi? If so, would you want to be it? What would you do if you retired?

Ageless? He's freakin' old. Have you seen him lately? Just kidding. Biondi is one of a kind and an absolute inspiration. His love and passion for what he does is a constant reminder that age is a state of mind, and you're never too old to rock. I can only hope to be doing what he's doing at his age. If I retired, I probably wouldn't enjoy it. I gotta be doing something.

> - What do you hope to add to the legacy of the Cryan' Shames?

I don't think I can add anything to the legacy of the Cryan Shames because it's already been cemented. What I hope I CAN do is live UP to the legacy of the Cryan Shames and be an intregal part of preserving the music as it was meant to be heard.

> - On occasion, some of the Shameless girls have been known to be just that, shameless, and have participated in a little activity known as "tuck-a-buck". What would your reaction be to that?

"Tuck-a-buck?" Does this have anything to do with the Kiwanis Club? If not, I'd say it's about time. I'm not gettin' any younger you know.

> Then there's the usual....What about your age, where you live (just generally), do you have any pets, family....things like that.

I'm happily single, unhappily 51, happily dwelling downtown, in love with my two cats, Margarita and Lucy, and right smack dab in the middle of my family who live on either coast.

Bob Stroud

97.1 The Drive