WFNU 94.1 “Evolation Show”

So in October of this year I met and talked to Russ a Local DJ on WFNU 94.1fm “Frogtown Radio”, he and I began talking, I had mentioned I had a Radio Show on WDGY every Sunday covering a different artist each week since June 2017. Russ asked “How did this come about?” I said “It all started as a yearly guest spot on the Radio Show “The Pop-Shop” with  DJ Izzy & Liberty Finch for 2 hours on KFAI 90.3am & 106.7fm doing a show focusing on music from 1965 to 1969 called “The PsychoGello Show” since October 2012, and every year since. In May 2017 the Show Producer for “Ground Breakers” on radio WDGY 740am  & 92.1, 103.7, 107.1 fm approached me about doing a music history show using vinyl records. I came up with a theme of 1 artist per show, playing 1 song (usually a deep cut) from each of the artist’s albums in order from beginning to end. Since Keith was the show’s producer I was able to side-step the long standing FCC rule from 1962, “A radio station may not play more than 2 songs by 1 artist in a 1 hour period”, allowing me to make a half hour show on a single artist every week.

Russ said “That sounds really cool, we should have you guest on my radio show on WFNU 94.1 fm “The 90 min Radio Hour” Wednesday mornings at 7 am. So on Halloween of this year I made my 1st guest appearance, the 1st show I did was the “Mr. Zero Show”
1. “Mr. Zero” by: Keith Relf/ Yardbirds a #50 hit from 1966; (we named our store after this song that we opened in 2009)
2. “Words” by; The Monkees a #11 hit from Sep 1967 (my favorite song by my favorite band)
3. “Kissin Time” by: KISS from April 1974 (I perform in a KISS tribute band since 2013)
4. “Someday Will Bring Our Love Home” by: Tommy Bolin from Sep 1976 (this artist is from my hometown of Sioux City, Iowa)
5.”It’s All Too Much” by: The Beatles from Jan 1969 (the mascot for our store was created by the man who worked on “Yellow Submarine”)
6.”Nerd Is The Word” by: PsychoGello from Jan 2017 (one of the many theme songs for our store, this one I wrote & performed)

This show went over so well, Russ asked me to come back each week, but he wanted a theme for us to follow moving forward. I suggested a we do a version of the last show I did on KFAI in March 2018. I titled the new show “Mr. Zero’s Evolation” taking and combining the words “Evolve” & “Revelation” we focus on 1 band each and how they evolved, then upon hearing the show, the listener may arrive at a revelation of “I did not know this came from that” the problem still being you can not play more than 2 songs per artist in a 1 hour period.

So I decided to start with The Beatles, as the are probably the most influential bands of all time and defiantly the best selling artist of all time. The premise of the “Evolation Show” is a studio track, a live track, a cover version, and 3 to 5 solo songs from the band’s members. Here we go;

“Nerd Is The Word” by: PsychoGello from Jan 2017

1. “Fixing A Hole” from May 1967 from the album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band”

2. “How Do You Sleep?” by: John Lennon from Sep 1971 from the album “Imagine”

3. “Junior’s Farm” by: Paul McCartney from Oct 1974 a #3 hit from the album “Wings Greatest”

4. “Beware Of Darkness” by: George Harrison from Nov 1970 from the album “All Things Must Pass”

5. “Photograph” by: Ringo Starr from Nov 1973 a #1 hit from the album “Ringo (I’m the Greatest)”

6. “Baby’s In Black; Live ” from Aug 1965 from the CD “Anthology Vol.1” Nov 1995

7. “It’s All Too Much” by: Journey from Jan 1976 from the album “Look Into The Future”

8. “You And I” by: The Monkees from Feb 1969  from the album “Instant Replay” (Neil Young plays Lead Guitar on this track)

“Mr. Zero’s Recordstore” by: Norell from April 2014

“Mr. Zero’s Recordstore” by: Norell from April 2014

1. “Love Is Only Sleeping” from Nov 1967 from the album “Pisces Aquarius Capricorn & Jones Ltd.”

2. “Look At Me” by: Davy Jones from 1971 from the album “Bell”

3. “Mama Rocker” by: Michael Nesmith from Feb 1972 from the album “Tantamount To Treason”

4. “Love War” by: Micky Dolenz from 1973 from the album “MGM”

5. “Cuckoo (jack of diamonds)” by: Peter Tork from 2006 from the CD “Live at the Coffee Gallery”

6. “I’m Not Your Steppenstone; Live” from Aug 1967 from the album “Live 67” originally a #20 hit

7. “Words” by: The Boston Tea Party from Jun 1967 from  Challenge Records

8. “Sweet Burgundy” by: Tommy Bolin from Sep 1976 from the album “Private Eyes”

“Mr. Zero’s Zero” by: Westside Mikey from April 2015

“Nerd Is The Word” by: PsychoGello Jan 2017

1. “Sun’s A Risin” by: Zephyr from 1969 from the album “Probe”

2. “Stratus” by: Billy Cobham (& Tommy Bolin) from Oct 1973 from the album “Spectrum”

3. “Standing In The Rain” by: James Gang from Sep 1973 from the album “Bang”

4. “Carbon Dioxide” by: Alphonse Mouzon (& Tommy Bolin) from 1975 (recorded Dec ’74) from the album “Mind Transplant”

5. “Fantasy” by: Moxy from 1975-76 from the album “Black”

6. “Gettin Tighter” by: Deep Purple from Oct 1975 from the album “Come Taste The Band”

7. Wild Dogs” by: Tommy Bolin from Nov 1975 from the album “Teaser”

8.”Slow Driver” by:Kimberly Dahme from 2010 from the CD “Mr. Bolin’s Late Night Revival”

9. “Long Time Gone” by: Crosby Stills Nash from 29 May 1969 the B-Side to a 45 Single that hit #21

“54321 Zero” by John X & Snellebration from April 2014

“54321 Zero” by: John 10th & Snellebration

1. “Ohio” from Jun 1970 a #14 hit from the album “So Far”

2. “Yes, I Will” by: The Hollies from Jan 1965 from the album “Greatest Hits”

3. “Lady Friend” by: The Byrds from Jul 1967 a #82 hit from the album “Never Before”

4. “Bluebird” (version #3)  by: Buffalo Springfield Nov 1967 a #58 hit form the album “Again”

5. Cinnamon Girl” by: Neil Young from Apr 1970 a #55 hit from the album “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere”

6. “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes; Live” from Aug 1969 a #21 hit from the album “Woodstock; Soundtrack”

7. “Wooden Ships” by: Jefferson Airplane from Nov 1969 from the album “Volunteers”

8. “Land Of Confusion” by: Genesis from Nov 1986 a #4 hit from the album “Invisible Touch”

“Some People Just Don’t Get It” by: Phil-Tyr from April 2016

If you miss the “Live Broadcast” you can hear the shows on-line @ MixCloud.Com under “RussTheDJ” on Thursday the  following day after the show. Shows planned for the rest of 2018 are: