97X Bam! The Future of Rock and Roll (Back on the Radio!!!)

In about a month or so, my favorite radio station will be back on the airwaves via HD Radio. In 2004, Oxford, Ohio based 97X WOXY signed off of terrestrial radio and became an Internet only station. (Possibly the first radio station to ever make the switch)

The loss of WOXY on my car radio led me to purchasing an i-Pod as well as XM Satellite Radio to fill the void. (For the most part, Cincinnati Radio sucks) Now I guess I'll have to purchase an HD radio!!! It'll be well worth the money.

What's all the fuss over a little radio station you might ask? I've told the story many times, but as a young whippersnapper of 13, I was getting tired of the music the top 40 stations were shoving down my throat. At 13 I really had no money to go out and start experimenting with music, so the only music I had access to was the radio and my parents record collection. I credit my parents collection by the way for giving me my eclectic taste and my willingness to try to find something new. They had everything from Jazz, to Folk, to Celtic, to Country, to Classical and a little bit of Rock.

So, one day I took a trip to the left of the dial and found a station called 97X. I instantly fell in love with all of the different and wonderful sounds and programs WOXY had to offer and began a relationship that has lasted until this very moment. 97x WOXY has consistently provided an eclectic mix of new music. The older I get, the harder it is to impress me (I've heard it all) but WOXY continues to throw stuff at me that I like.

I just looked at my record collection, and I would say that I own about 75% of it because of 97X. That's how much of an impact they've had on my musical tastes.

For the full history of 97X WOXY, go to the WOXY web page.

For more information on WOXY's move to HD radio, click here!

If you found yourself asking "what is a WOXY" then I suggest you take a listen.

RIP Fairfield Jolly's

Jolly's Fairfield has closed. The two Hamilton locations (Brookwood Ave. & Erie Blvd.) remain open, but this one was about 5 minutes from my house. It has been around for years, so it makes me sad to see it go.

It's going to be a super sized Taco Bell. Jeesh... It seems like everything that's remotely cool about any city eventually gets swallowed up by some huge corporation. The entire world seems like it's trying to conform to Casey Kasem's top 40 list. But, I can't blame the Jollivette family. After all, it's Capitalism and I guess Taco Bell made an offer they couldn't refuse? I really have no idea why they sold. I haven't been able to find a decent story on the web.

Having no luck finding a picture of the Fairfield Jolly's, I posted a picture of the Brookwood location. It gives you an idea of what Jolly's Fairfield looked like. It's kind of sad. I drove by the other day and the sign had been taken down and all of the drive up menus and two way radios had been removed. It kind of reminded me of a stripped aircraft left to rust in a field.

Jolly's Fairfield was a drive-in joint where you could get some killer chili burgers and foot-longs and wash them down with Jolly's original root beer in a thick heavy glass mug. Kids got free root beer in tiny glass mugs! The root beer floats were as good as a float can get. Mmmm... Think back to the 50's style drive-ins and that's Jolly's. Rollerskating Waitresses and all... That's Jolly's.

When I was 16, I'd pull my battleship grey Pontiac J-2000 hatchback into Jolly's and check out the cute teenage rollerskating waitresses. I was always too shy to ever talk to them, but by God... I enjoyed the scenery while I was sipping on my root beer and listening to some tunes. I'd always have the music just loud enough so they could hear that I was playing cool bands like the Smiths, R.E.M. and U2. I'd also sit and listen to 97x WOXY out of Oxford. I actually thought one of the roller-girls would appreciate my taste in not only root beer, but music too. The sad thing is that they were probably big Debbie Gibson fans. Most people in 1986 had no clue about the bands or the radio station I just mentioned. It took them a few years to catch on. On a side note, I remember being made fun of in high school (Hamilton High - Big Blue!!!) for listening to U2. Prior to the Joshua Tree album, most folks had never heard of them.

I also remember having some fun at Jolly's by placing small pieces of bread on the hood of my car. When the birds would land on the hood, I 'd give them a second to enjoy the first couple of nibbles and then I'd pop the hood. Give me a break, I was 16...

I've also had recent memories there with my Wife, Daughter and Dog. They all highly approve of Jolly's.

I guess we're lucky to still have the Hamilton locations. If you haven't "Got Your Jolly's" this summer, you had better go now. You never know... you might drive by one day to find them all closed.

I Have Sold My Soul to the God of Corn...

Folks, I've tried my best for the last few years not to play the game that has swept Southern Ohio like a biblical plague, but as of this evening (4th of July) in a very weak moment, I gave in. I played Corn Hole. Not once. Not twice. But several times. I had used every last bit of strength I had left and I just didn't have any more to give.

After tossing the very first bag of of corn (nicely ordained with NFL markings I might add) I could feel all of my guilt leaving my body and following that little bag of corn all the way through the hole.

After I tossed a few more bags I was free of guilt and I realized that this was nothing more than a cross between horseshoes and shuffleboard.

For the rest of you Corn Hole virgins, the God of Corn awaits your souls... Muhahahahahah!

Safes, Nukes and Gorilla Suits

Every now and then, I drive past the corner of Dixie Highway and Grand Blvd. in Hamilton where the Mosler Safe Company used to be.

There's a new Kroger there along with a Sonic Burger and of course, you can't build a new strip mall without a check cashing joint.

Every time I drive by, they've got some poor bastard on the street corner with a sign around their neck pointing towards the check cashing center. How bad does life have to get before you're standing on a corner with a sign around your neck?

Are these the folks that can't pay back their loans? Every now and then one of them will be in a strange ill fitting suit such as a statue of liberty or gorilla suit. At least they have the opportunity to hide their identity I guess... I suppose the most important question to ask is would the Statue of Libery actually make you say "Hmmmm, I think I'll start getting my pay day loans here, if the Statue of Liberty Endorses them, they must be kosher...?"

My new goal in life is not to end up on a street corner in a gorilla suit.

(Speaking of Mosler Safe Company, they were one of the greatest safe makers in the world. I still see Mosler Safes all around the world. I remember how nice it was to be in a strange land and see "Mosler Safe Co. Hamilton, Ohio" stamped or painted on a safe. In fact, Hamilton used to be known as the "Safe Captiol of the World." Here is a little trivia bit for ya: After the US dropped the Atom Bomb on Hiroshima, 4 Mosler safes that were located at the Teikoku Bank survived the blast and all of the contents remained intact.)