10 Questions with ... Mike Taylor

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

80's college radio PD/MD, P/T at a CHR, started P/T at WOXY in '89 while working for a multinational. Got tired of the corporate BS and joined WOXY F/T in '99 as APD before adding MD and PD duties. Part of the team that transitioned the station online-only in '04 and stayed 'til the bitter end in 2010.

1. I'm stunned that you have never answered All Access 10 Questions until now. 97X Bam! The Future of Rock And Roll. Let's do this. How did you become interested in radio?

Thanks for the invite, Shawn. Like you, I loved baseball as a kid and did play-by-play in my bedroom with the sound on the TV turned down. Jack Brickhouse, Al Michaels and Marty Brennaman were all super influential to me. I thought I'd be a sportscaster but by the time I got to high school, I was more into music. My high school had a station that offered a 2-year vocational program but being selected was tough. Lucky for me, I fooled 'em! Life may have been totally different had I not made it in.

2. You spent a decade at WOXY 97X. The station signed in 1983. You were PD from 2001-2010. What are some of your fondest memories from this chapter in your radio career?

Too many to mention. Just very fortunate to have been involved with such a unique, one of a kind place that doesn't seem to exist anymore. Doug's famous line was that 97X was "51% commerce and 49% art." He never told us what we should be playing. I think I'm the proudest of being able to march to our own beat and our vision of alternative or modern rock was. We never went down the Staind / Limp Bizkit / Nickleback path. In the end, to quote Todd Snider, that's the alternative to alternative. One of the best-selling t-shirts we ever printed simply had the words Corporate Radio Sucks on the front with our logo on the back. Sold like hotcakes.

We loved new music and being first. Our audience wanted it. The Strokes, Coldplay, The White Stripes, The Hives, countless others. Labels would call us to inquire about what was on our playlist. It was more about what we chose to play, not how often we played it. We didn't wait for singles, add dates or marketing campaigns. The industry used to respect and cheer our independence. As time rolled on, those supporters faded away and tended to reward outlets that played ball or had the bigger stick. Pulling back from pushing forward wasn't part of our DNA.

By the time we went online-only, we were more spiritually aligned with a lot of non-comms. When we'd get mentioned in the same breath with the likes of KEXP, KCRW, The Current, all insanely well-funded entities, a lot of people didn't know we were just 4 people in Cincinnati operating with two tin cans and a string. WOXY always had to fight for its turf and punched well above its weight. In the end, we lacked the resources to operate as a radio station on the internet (rather than an internet radio station) and there you have it. A dozen years later – everyone offers a subscription model. Perhaps we were ahead of our time.

3. 97X was a one-of-a-kind radio station, owned by Doug & Linda Balogh and broadcasting from Oxford, OH. The station spent 27 years on-air as "The Future of Rock And Roll" from 1983-2010. What made the station so special?

The people. And their dedication to the station's values. The Balogh's created a Mission Statement that was a rambling, all-encompassing philosophy about what the station was about: a place for open-minded music lovers who were also environmentally and socially concerned. 97X had loads of prime talent that passed through its doors and found success in larger markets. As time marched on, like-minded stations became few and far between and those of us that stuck around were there because it was where we wanted to be. It was home.

4. A couple months ago, you sent me the exciting news that former WOXY's DJs are reuniting for a Special Modern Rock 500 Countdown on what would've been the station's 40th Anniversary on Memorial Day

Weekend. Explain how this came together and give us a rundown of everyone involved.

My friends and fellow WOXY alums Dave Tellmann and Damian Dotterweich have had a WOXY-centric podcast called Rumblings From The Big Bush (referring to a large shrubbery on the WOXY property) for the past few years and had mentioned plans to end it after 100 episodes or so. I also knew that a book titled The Future of Rock and Roll: 97X WOXY and the Fight for True Independence by author Robin James was in the works, plus this year was the 40th anniversary of the station's sign-on. Just too many WOXY-related things converging at once. But it was the music that we did best, and I got the idea for one last "everyone into the pool" project that we could collaborate on. The Modern Rock 500 was our signature program, so why not a 40th Anniversary edition? Dave and Damian agreed. Doug and Linda gave us their blessing, so we sent up the bat signal and found over 30 alumni to sign on. It's been a total labor of love.

A rundown of everyone involved? Hoo boy…I believe there's only a handful still actively employed in broadcasting. It's been a while. Dan Reed (WXPN), Barb Abney (The Current) and Steve Baker (Miami University sports) may the most high profile of those that are. But everyone you'll hear on the 500 played a part in WOXY's history: from drive time jocks to long-tenured part-timers, listeners will get 500 of 97X's greatest hits counted down by the DJ's who played them. Staffers from the 80's, 90's and the woxy.com years – we'll all be there.

5. I loved your social media tease… "In the very first hour of the 2023 97X Modern Rock 500, you'll hear: an Ohio based artist; a shoegaze classic; Chicago based artist; a song used as the theme of a popular TV series and maybe a few 97X DJs." You mentioned, "The new Modern Rock 500 will be limited to those songs that landed on the countdown in the past." It goes live next week. Tell us more.

Over 1300 different songs appeared on the 500 during its run from 1988-2009 (save 2004). Damn son! That's more than enough to choose from right there. We never gave any thought to considering music the station never played or appeared since we signed off the last time in 2010. We're gonna dance with the ones that brung us.

6. The Modern Rock 500 was an annual Memorial Day Special for 97X. Explain the decision to debut this special broadcast on May 22nd with a repeat broadcast on Memorial Day Weekend.

In the online-only years, we learned that streaming surged during work hours and cratered on evenings and weekends. So, we'll offer the best of both worlds: 5

days of 100-lap broadcasts during the week, which will repeat during the traditional Memorial Day weekend timeslot afterwards.

7. Where can everyone listen, and will we be able to hear an archive of this historic broadcast on-demand?

We've partnered with Cincinnati's Inhailer Radio to air the 500 via their site, which also airs on WGUC-HD3. Plans to archive the audio are still up in the air but I hope it can happen.

8. Take us behind the scenes on the time and execution of one final Modern Rock 500.

A LOT of emails. We're in a time and place where everyone can be a DJ on their laptop, phone or tablet. We couldn't have attempted this otherwise. We drew up the 500, gave everyone their assignments and went to work.

The best thing about all this, Shawn, was collaborating with all the alumni who knew that WOXY was a special place. The reaction to the initial plan was pretty enthusiastically off the chart. Whether 97X was just one stop on your journey or the destination you always sought, this has been a pretty joyous reunion that's conjured a lot of good vibes and fond memories of a special fraternity. I think that if you were a fan of the station, it will be like hearing it come back to life. It's your radio Brigadoon.

9. You're a loyal, passionate music fan. You have a fulltime job out of the business at Velocity Credit Union. How hard was it for you to leave the radio business?

Not very. I told folks for years that WOXY would probably be my last radio job because I wouldn't be able to find a place that would allow me that kind of artistic freedom and satisfaction I got from it. And I was pretty much right. I spent a few years at KUT / KUTX here in Austin afterwards, and my last radio gig was hosting a weekly new music show on Amazing Radio in the UK for 2 1/2 years. When they told me to stop sending content in August 2014, that's been it until now. I've had a great time.

10. What would surprise people most about you?

I don't know, brother. I've never wanted to be anyone but myself. I'd wager that no one at my regular job has any inkling of the extent of my radio career.

What are weekends like for you?

The usual. Stuff around the house. Been there, done that, got all the t-shirts…

Favorite food?

A juicy filet, please.

Favorite drink?

A bold cabernet.

What are your favorite places to eat in Austin?

There's a few mom-and-pop taco places like El Secreto de mi Abuela and Aranda's that we like. But whatever my wife Jennifer is cooking will be better than anything I can find elsewhere.

Favorite radio station?

Hate to say this but my Spotify playlists rule the roost. I listen to their State of Jazz playlist regularly. I'm a big fan of Gilles Peterson on BBC 6 Music and listen to classical on BBC Radio 3 a lot.

I know you're a big Cincinnati Reds fan. I'll never forget going to The Great American Ballpark with you over 20 years ago. Rank your sports teams in order of passion.

That was fun, right? Shout out to Jonathan L.

Cincinnati Bengals
Tottenham Hotspur
Cincinnati Reds

First record ever purchased?

The 45 of "Hello Goodbye" b/w "I Am The Walrus". Goo goo goo joob.

First concert?

Boston at the Univ. of Dayton Arena in 1979. Sammy Hagar opened.

Favorite band of all-time?

The Beatles

Favorite new band over the past year?

Oof. The beauty about listening to so much jazz and classical these days is just enjoying the music without worrying as much about the artist. Amyl & The Sniffers is one of the last bands to really fire me up.

Anything else you would like to add?

Hello and best wishes to all out there in radio and record land! Thanks for giving me the space, Shawn. You're a true gent.