Musical transformation

During our junior year, my college roommate and I decided to enroll in a radio class, which led to landing a 4-hour slot Saturday mornings from 2 am until 6 am on 89.1 KUOR. That began my career in radio. Even though we realized we had like maybe 3 listeners, we thought we were the coolest thing since sliced bread. Pretty much played anything we wanted, and what we wanted was rock and roll.

The tennis player who had led me to Jesus the year before suggested I include a Christian artist named Phil Keaggy--specifically, a song called "Time". So I did! After awhile, I got "promoted" to the coveted Friday night shift from 10 pm - 2 am, and actually, along with another classmate--Bob Ricks (who also had a late night shift on KCAL at the time)--developed quite a listenership.

The fraternities and sororities on campus started asking if we did parties (DJ music). "Sure" was our initial response, and booked our first gig for $50. We did this Friday night frat party in the pouring rain using albums from the radio station, setting up equipment on a pool table that would cause the song to skip each time someone danced up against it. From there, we graduated to all-school dances, formals out in Palm Springs, and at the height of the disco craze became quite the campus celebrities.

After graduating in 1981 I landed a job in the development office of the University and pretty much the radio shows and parties disappeared. My faith began growing in leaps and bounds, and Contemporary Christian music began to be a force to be reckoned with. I was encouraged to ask KUOR if I could have a one-hour slot to play Christian rock--they said "yes", and the Reality show was born. At first, I didn't really have much music to play, and was VERY liberal with what could pass as "Christian". Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming, Santana, some pretty questionable songs like the Doobie Brother's "Jesus is Just Alright" would occupy those 60 minutes right alongside Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, Rez Band and Paul Clark.

All the while, I was still struggling with what to do with all my secular albums. I still liked listening to them, but felt a strong pull to get rid of them. It was either dump them in the trash or sell them; I chose the later, justifying my decision by reasoning that I could use the money to purchase more Christian music, which I did. After awhile, that one hour turned into a 4 hour (9 pm-1 am) program on Monday nights, and about that time bands like Undercover, Stryper, Altar Boys and The Choir were making quite a stir in Christian bookstores across Southern California, and beyond. Berean Christian Store in Colton became Reality Rock's first radio sponsor.

Interestingly enough, right about the same time (early/mid '80s) an amazing band called U2 burst onto the music scene. The big question of the day was "is U2 a Christian band?" Regardless of how one answered that, they were a force to be reckoned with--both inside and outside the church. They influenced a slew of bands who recorded on secular labels, played in secular places but whose lyrics were full of biblical/scriptural/spiritual references--The Alarm, Simple Minds, The Waterboys, The Call, Face to Face, and many others who in turn influenced countless other bands and artists--including ones recording in the Christian "industry", which had really become just that--new record labels and bands were popping up seemingly everywhere.
Reality Rock basically jumped on a surf board and rode this wave for most of the '80s and well into the '90s. It was quite a ride, to say the least.

This post is part two of a three part series! More to come . . .

Reality Rock Rekindling

Back in the days of Reality Rock Ministries, I wore many hats. DJ, concert promoter, columnist, etc., etc. The one I enjoyed the most, though, was my "fan" hat. The best way I can illustrate this is in the midst of arranging a concert, running around like a chicken with its head cut off for hours before the first note is played, introducing opening acts, asking Jason Dean why the police cars pulled up outside, making sure there's enough water for the bands, etc., in the back of my mind was to get to that special moment where all "work" was behind me and I could become lost in the sea of other fans in the crowd. I would just slip into a row and allow the concerns of clean up, follow up, etc. to temporarily slip away and simply enjoy whatever music was being offered up. Whether for one, two, three songs or more, this was my most rewarding part of the evening. Deeply personal and wholly satisfying.

After Reality Rock faded into that thing we call time, the "fan" hat also began to fade away--for a variety of reasons, which I will return to shortly. Most importantly, though, is recently, I found that "hat" again. How this has happened I am not sure--perhaps a collection of things. During these past 12 months or so, I turned 50 ("time" has a way of messing with one's mind!); Jason Dean returned from two years in Australia and we began (half jokingly--but half seriously) talking about what it would be like if we had another radio program; I joined Facebook and reconnected with a slew of former Reality Rockers; I had to go through some things in storage and was "forced" to deal with literally hundreds of cassettes containing old (really old) Reality Rock programs, some dating as far back as 1982--yes, nearly three decades!

So my laptop iTunes now has been updated, iPod synched and as I listened to The Choir's "Chase the Kangaroo" and The Prayer Chain's "Whirlpool" while driving up to Big Bear Friday afternoon, I wondered (to myself) if there is any such thing as a musical orgasm. I'm sorry, but yes, it was that good! After so many years, I had perhaps a more seasoned perspective on this music that had had such a profound effect on my life. And it feels really, really good to "rekindle" that spirit. The "fan" hat has not only been found, but is now planted firmly on my head.

Now, back to where it went in the first place. After 15 years of Reality Rock, I knew the time had come for me to move on, and the next chapter was to enter the world of education. I became a high school English teacher (as well as tennis coach at the public school at which I taught--Cajon High in San Bernardino). It didn't take long to realize that if I were to be successful (translation: survive) in this new endeavor, it would take 110% of my energy. I dropped my connection with the youth group at my church, dropped anything Reality Rock related, etc. Also, in the process, I slowly began cheating myself of spiritual growth. Stopped going to church. Looking back, it was a slow fade not into disbelief, but indifference. I justified this by thinking, "Well, Reality Rock took 110% from me; now, it's time to give that much to my new career". Poor move on my part. Yes, I have been successful in this new teaching/coaching venture (teaching morphed into guidance counselor about 8 years ago), but at the expense of my spiritual well-being.
About 5 years ago, I realized what had been happening, and began to "right the ship". Fast forward to where things are now, and I feel like I have pretty much come full circle. And am excited to see where this "rekindling" may lead. Stay tuned . . .

cassette tapes

Within the last year I treated myself to an IPOD for the first time, ditching (once and for all) my Sony Walkman. However, on this warm, cloudy Saturday afternoon, I find myself listening to cassette tapes--yeah, those things that replaced 8-track cartridges back in the '60s.

The occasion--celebrating the survival of old Reality Rock program tapes!

A couple weeks ago, I reconnected with a friend of mine from Atlanta who is a college Chemistry professor. He asked if I kept any program air-checks from KLRD or KUOR. When I told him they had been in a storage unit in Yucaipa since last spring, he grimaced. "Was it air-conditioned?" Well, no. He told me there was no way they had survived the summer heat.

So today, while moving some other stuff, I was determined to take a sampling from the unit back home, pop them into the cassette player and see what I found. Lo and behold, chemistry professors aren't always right, I am happy to say!

Since joining Facebook, I have reconnected with many of the Reality Rock listening/program staff family over the past few months; this listening experience sort of completes the walk down memory lane. Mike Stand, The Call, King's X and Violet Burning are taking me back to some of the best 15 years of my life. Almost makes me want to hop back on the airwaves again--almost . . . .