I'm watching Gran Torino. AMC is going on a spree playing The Matrix, its sequels, better than HBO.
The mainpage, www.joeviglione.com now has portals to all our webpages.
A couple of the books with my published works.
Stay tuned...the best is yet to come!
Rock Journalist Joe Viglione
Joe Viglione's been writing reviews since he published his own movie/music fan magazine in 1969...from there the Arlington High School "Chronicle" published his musical essays as did The Suffolk University Journal...from there it was on to Musician's, Goldmine, Discoveries, AllMusic.com, Radioworld and more. This is his ongoing essay of thoughts about the music he is reviewing - or CDs /DVDs/ entertainment items he feels need to be discussed...also read JoeVigTop40.blogspot.com
Friday, March 27, 2020
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Club Bohemia Nightclub Theme to new Documentary
402 page views past month 3:59 pm 12-12-19
Lyrics by Joe V.
Theme songWe’re doing a documentary on Bohemia
Lyrics by Joe V.
Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia.
In the dark of night/in a cellar full of noise / boston scenesters mosh /with our Eee Lectronic toys. Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia.
In the heart of Cambridge. Our favorite den of sin / you might meet new friends. Or Lady Carolyn at Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia.
A fun house below /a mass ave famous dive / the home of Mickey Bliss / where night creatures come alive : Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia.
Don’t piss off the q /not for no amount / just ask Carmelita after she pissed off the Count /Club/club/club Bohemia. Club/club/club Bohemia.
Malden Access TV in Newsweek
Malden Access Television makes NEWSWEEK 📷
(Sergiu) Parfeni is also on the board of directors for Malden's local access television station, MATV, whose executive director Ron Cox said: "First of all, I just can't believe it. It's totally not his character. This just totally blows me away. I can't believe it. He helps with cameras or he'll be there just to show support, so it just seems out of character for him." State troopers were alerted to the security breach at Boston's Logan Airport at 12.30 p.m. on Monday. They said that suspect Sergiu Parfeni, 31, from Malden, Massachusetts, went out an emergency exit door at Terminal C
(Sergiu) Parfeni is also on the board of directors for Malden's local access television station, MATV, whose executive director Ron Cox said: "First of all, I just can't believe it. It's totally not his character. This just totally blows me away. I can't believe it. He helps with cameras or he'll be there just to show support, so it just seems out of character for him." State troopers were alerted to the security breach at Boston's Logan Airport at 12.30 p.m. on Monday. They said that suspect Sergiu Parfeni, 31, from Malden, Massachusetts, went out an emergency exit door at Terminal C
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
About Being Famous - An Editorial on Yesterday's Reputation Attack
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE REPUTATION HACK MADE BY A D.J. YESTERDAY
- and thanks to my friends who a)alerted me b)know the truth. Love that line in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - "I'll stop telling the truth about you if you stop telling lies about me" and it is so true, isn't it? I'm happy in my life - those people are not, it's kinda the way it is. Moving right along...
On being (quote, unquote) Famous - so I called the Tree Warden about 3 years back because some dudes were running around cutting trees in Medford ...that they weren't supposed to be cutting down. First thing Aggie, the tree warden, says to me is "You're famous."
A neighbor had said that to me about a year or so earlier
"You're famous." and then she added "I don't want to be famous."
Gilbert Gottfried explained on Visual Radio during our interview what he believed fame to be, and that there are levels of fame. I go into a grocery store, a woman asks "Are you Joe Viglione" so my reply, paraphrasing Andy Pratt's bold declaration "Yes, I'm famous." She goes "You are." Look where fame got John Lennon. I was producing the band The Runes on Dec 8, 1980 when word came in to the Watertown studio that Lennon had been shot. One of the two songs we were recording "Do or Die." Now I've been in the studio 43 years, I can't remember names of songs - or dates - without looking at the tape boxes, yet the passing of one of my favorite artists - the murder of that artist - freezes that moment in time. The Flamin' Groovies have a song "You Tore Me Down" and the list of individuals, about 195 or so of them, going on the attack, the smear campaign, it was beyond vulgar. Threats of physical violence because I was the kind-hearted guy to take two cats in by a woman who left them in a groomers for two months. I paid for the food, the grooming, the medical bills, and you've probably heard this before, but the hate fest on her Facebook page yesterday was chilling. A T.K. who ripped me off chimed in and lied, a studio owner who stole money from me chimed in and lied, the people who cheat you and defame you all get attracted like rusty metal to a magnet. If you have noticed I didn't jump in yesterday, I contacted management and the corporate lawyer and showed the threat of physical harm and there you have it. Remember when a now defunct radio station (with a movie playing somewhere tonight, go figure) used to demand 25 copies of your record or you wouldn't get airplay? The crazed program director, a legend in his own mind, extorting people and threatening people. Ho hum, what a jerk. Well one of his protege types decided to lie about me yesterday. She praises two criminals on her Facebook page and the guy taking care of cats she assassinates. You see the logic at play here. Look at my posts and see how lighthearted they are (except for anti-Trump posts, for obvious reasons!!!! HA) ...well, I could go on and on. Many of you don't know the righteous political victories we've achieved on behalf of senior citizens and people in a couple of cities outside of Boston. That's because I keep them off this Facebook page. If an 11 pm to 1 am on-air personality has to resort to lying about people, making up false information, committing libel, and allowing threats of bodily harm to post on her Facebook page, shame on her. There are tons of recording artists who tune in, wait for airplay, but she's droning on and on with her flavor of the week, all about her ego, not helping the local community. Which is her prerogative, but how does that REALLY build a community? It doesn't. It's all about her, not about you. Meanwhile, for the past 5 days I've been working on a nightclub's Twitter - I don't get paid to do their Twitter, they hire me to do the calendar. Out of the kindness of my heart - and for the sake of the scene - I'm building up the Twitter. To see the abuse from people who believe they are "in" the music community spewing hate and stupidity, well, it's really telling. Here I am volunteering time to help the shows the club has and there they are on the attack, which is a waste of time and certainly a karma issue.
So while they are attacking me some kind-hearted soul comes by when I'm clearing the snow and he runs his snow blower over my sidewalk twice and my neighbor's!
I thanked him profusely, a ton of snow this elder person did not have to shovel. An angel swooping in...good karma.
And that's what good karma is all about.
You don't look for it, it arrives while you are doing a good deed. So do good deeds, pray for those who go on the attack.
The DJ was incensed about my faxes about an unethical program director. Well, it was the right thing to do, it helped the community, the individual was a scoundrel. And that DJ seems to like scoundrels.
Maybe she can relate to them, who knows? Not judging as much as making an observation. She always seemed to have low-self image and have questionable choices, but I never brought that up, a lot of allegedly damaged people in the music scene are depressed people. Sad that they have to try to "tear" someone down (Flamin' Groovies song!) to lift themselves up. But that's THEIR karma.
All I know is I volunteered to help the local community by promoting shows on Twitter and some dude comes by and clears the snow in a very cold environment which was dangerous to a senior person. God bless! There are angels out there, and you know what, Carmelita, Angels are lots more fun to be around. You're in my prayers but I choose NOT to have you and people like you in my life.
So while they are attacking me some kind-hearted soul comes by when I'm clearing the snow and he runs his snow blower over my sidewalk twice and my neighbor's!
I thanked him profusely, a ton of snow this elder person did not have to shovel. An angel swooping in...good karma.
And that's what good karma is all about.
You don't look for it, it arrives while you are doing a good deed. So do good deeds, pray for those who go on the attack.
The DJ was incensed about my faxes about an unethical program director. Well, it was the right thing to do, it helped the community, the individual was a scoundrel. And that DJ seems to like scoundrels.
Maybe she can relate to them, who knows? Not judging as much as making an observation. She always seemed to have low-self image and have questionable choices, but I never brought that up, a lot of allegedly damaged people in the music scene are depressed people. Sad that they have to try to "tear" someone down (Flamin' Groovies song!) to lift themselves up. But that's THEIR karma.
All I know is I volunteered to help the local community by promoting shows on Twitter and some dude comes by and clears the snow in a very cold environment which was dangerous to a senior person. God bless! There are angels out there, and you know what, Carmelita, Angels are lots more fun to be around. You're in my prayers but I choose NOT to have you and people like you in my life.
One of the Many, Many Letters of Support
From a Boston rocker of many years:
I'm sure nobody attacking you is going to do well at it.
You're way too good at getting your facts right and getting the right people on your side so it's not her I worry about.
_______________________________
My response:
Entercom needs to find a new DJ that doesn't go out on the web and generate hate - mean spirited people...and all she has in life is...the 11 pm - 1 am shift? Good luck with that!
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
WAAF Needs to Support the Local Music Scene or They Should Just Go the Way of WZLX
An Open Letter To
David Field
President, Chairman, CEO
Entercom
A Joe Viglione Essay
WAAF Needs to Get with the Local Music Scene or Get Out of It
__________________________________
SEE UNETHICAL OPIE & ANTHONY SAGA AT WAAF: https://rockjournalistjoevig.blogspot.com/2019/12/unethical-behavior-waaf-and-opie.html
____________________________________
WAAF has had a good run with local music. There was a time when Carmelita's program was in jeopardy and she asked her colleagues, myself included, to write a letter on her behalf. I was happy to oblige her. Carmelita was very kind - on air - to a song I had produced in 1986, "Don't Kick Me When I'm Down," and she gave it good praise. That was nice of her. The artist, still a dear friend, flew to L.A. with myself and the late Jimmy Miller, producer of the Stones, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, the famed producer with renewed interest these days due to Stones reissues and having the first track - "Dear Mr. Fantasy" in the Avenger's Endgame film.
From the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World to the biggest grossing motion picture of all time, at this point in time.
____________________________________
Thirty-three years later Carmelita is still on WAAF. Let's give her props for longevity.
The late Douglas Mascott went on air in 1984, see a story on him at the conclusion of this article. Doug - one of the nicest guys in the music scene and a close friend of mine, passed in March of 2014, within two months of Douggy helping me through a personal tragedy. The losses in 2014 were life altering - too many to list, and in 1986 you had Carmelita and Doug on the air, supporting the local music scene.
__________________________________
SEE UNETHICAL OPIE & ANTHONY SAGA AT WAAF: https://rockjournalistjoevig.blogspot.com/2019/12/unethical-behavior-waaf-and-opie.html
____________________________________
WAAF has had a good run with local music. There was a time when Carmelita's program was in jeopardy and she asked her colleagues, myself included, to write a letter on her behalf. I was happy to oblige her. Carmelita was very kind - on air - to a song I had produced in 1986, "Don't Kick Me When I'm Down," and she gave it good praise. That was nice of her. The artist, still a dear friend, flew to L.A. with myself and the late Jimmy Miller, producer of the Stones, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, the famed producer with renewed interest these days due to Stones reissues and having the first track - "Dear Mr. Fantasy" in the Avenger's Endgame film.
From the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World to the biggest grossing motion picture of all time, at this point in time.
____________________________________
Thirty-three years later Carmelita is still on WAAF. Let's give her props for longevity.
The late Douglas Mascott went on air in 1984, see a story on him at the conclusion of this article. Doug - one of the nicest guys in the music scene and a close friend of mine, passed in March of 2014, within two months of Douggy helping me through a personal tragedy. The losses in 2014 were life altering - too many to list, and in 1986 you had Carmelita and Doug on the air, supporting the local music scene.
We are losing rock stars and friends at an alarming rate. And the rock stars to us are pretty much unknown to the new crop of kids who would rather plug their iPhone into their ear buds and read the news rather than pick up a newspaper or tune in to radio - college, commercial or otherwise.
So the world has changed.
iHeart Radio and Boston Emissions
WZLX's Anngelle Wood appeared on Rock 101, WGIR 10 am - 3 pm Thanksgiving week...- and good for her! Resilience in the radio business identifies on-air personalities who have a passion for communicating.
We can debate Sound Exchange vs BMI/ASCAP/SESAC another time. The bottom line is that local music takes a hit in its own region while looking to a new frontier for exposure. The story here is if a commercial radio station based in Worcester, operated out of Brighton, has any current value to the local music scene.
Local area bands are prophets of a sort. They have the inner urge to put their vibrations on recordings and push them out to the world for whatever reason. To be heard, to be famous, to be a cult figure, to be an unknown... These prophets have better luck, and more opportunity, away from home. Flying their music around the world to energetic radio stations that love issuing a discovery system. It was vital on WBCN, WCGY, WZLX, WAAF - and it served a good purpose. When I was producer/ad rep/consultant to the program director at 93.7 FM WCGY the host's wife told me that we had hit #1 in the Arbitrons on Sunday nights. We had a formula, and it worked. We played Aerosmith, Boston, Cars, J Geils - the ABC - J - of Boston music, the Modern Lovers, as well as unknown bands. We had a major dj who moved from WZLX to WCGY, we had four hours of local music from 6-10 pm, we issued playlists, we had sponsors, WBCN even stalked our sponsors, an old radio trick and the sincerest form of flattery!
We gave our local prophets a huge platform, early on a Sunday night, surrounded by major acts (and interviews with major acts on my The Demo That Got The Deal (tm) radio show, written and produced by yours truly with the host asking the questions of the celebrity guests - Peter Wolf, Jonathan Richman, RTZ (whose "Dreams" live became our #1 song, a rare live version the band gave us of Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau, and did it ever get requests. To be a new band played along your local favorites was something no other station did before or after the host and I created the formula. The host likes to stay anonymous - and he's up to some amazing stuff these days outside of radio - a film script that is truly unique - but I'm not allowed to say more than that! It was a treat to have him on my internet show a few years back talking about the good old days...but that's - again - what we're circling back to - that the most advantageous time for local area artists on major radio was...the good old days for our lyricist musical prophets of today.
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home." (Mark 6:4) takes on new meaning when it comes to local musicians and major radio. And I can certainly relate to that, God knows! Nice to have something in common with the savior!
________________________________________
So let's get down to the nitty gritty. Is WAAF serving the community with a program that may have outlived its usefulness? Carmelita owns a 501c3 - the Rock n Roll Social - that usually happens at the Model Cafe, but it's been languishing. I haven't seen posts advising people when the "get together" is, despite it being a good promotional tool to promote Carmelita's Bay State Rock. Why the ennui? A feeling that the host is jaded evidenced by her not showing up to her own non-profit that - ostensibly - promotes the local scene.
Without having any of the facts - without even the courtesy of contacting me - Carmelita lashed out in an unprofessional and undignified way. She is generating a LOT of hate speech about someone who supported her, culminating in threats of physical violence. That's not the Terry Crocker (her name when she was married to a local scene maker) that I knew - the sweet gal from Cantones.
The individuals lashing out in concert with Carmelita are a true motley crew. We could sink to their level and play their game, but there are some truly damaged individuals out there, and Carmelita - the former Terry Crocker - appears to be enjoying the attention.
Entercom has to ask itself, if this grown woman is engaging in such vitriol because a certain whistleblower (that would be me) did the city a favor and helped remove a very poor excuse for a program director at a now-defunct radio station, do their advertisers, the FCC, and listeners think this is a good investment of their time and money?
These days I'm busy working on cleaning up community access TV and the politics surrounding it. My political blog is at 39,192 for the month, 1,470,705, about 29,000 from a million and a half views - and it has tremendous power. Opening a blog has changed the city in question for the better.
The Boston Emissions show on WZLX is a thing of the past, @iHeartRadio removing the Common Ground community-oriented show , the Beatles program on Sunday mornings as well as local music.
That's to be expected of corporations - and why local artists were best served by the independent stations, But with big business buying up all the competition that "independent" feel now flourishes on the internet.
We can debate Sound Exchange vs BMI/ASCAP/SESAC another time. The bottom line is that local music takes a hit in its own region while looking to a new frontier for exposure. The story here is if a commercial radio station based in Worcester, operated out of Brighton, has any current value to the local music scene.
Local area bands are prophets of a sort. They have the inner urge to put their vibrations on recordings and push them out to the world for whatever reason. To be heard, to be famous, to be a cult figure, to be an unknown... These prophets have better luck, and more opportunity, away from home. Flying their music around the world to energetic radio stations that love issuing a discovery system. It was vital on WBCN, WCGY, WZLX, WAAF - and it served a good purpose. When I was producer/ad rep/consultant to the program director at 93.7 FM WCGY the host's wife told me that we had hit #1 in the Arbitrons on Sunday nights. We had a formula, and it worked. We played Aerosmith, Boston, Cars, J Geils - the ABC - J - of Boston music, the Modern Lovers, as well as unknown bands. We had a major dj who moved from WZLX to WCGY, we had four hours of local music from 6-10 pm, we issued playlists, we had sponsors, WBCN even stalked our sponsors, an old radio trick and the sincerest form of flattery!
We gave our local prophets a huge platform, early on a Sunday night, surrounded by major acts (and interviews with major acts on my The Demo That Got The Deal (tm) radio show, written and produced by yours truly with the host asking the questions of the celebrity guests - Peter Wolf, Jonathan Richman, RTZ (whose "Dreams" live became our #1 song, a rare live version the band gave us of Brad Delp and Barry Goudreau, and did it ever get requests. To be a new band played along your local favorites was something no other station did before or after the host and I created the formula. The host likes to stay anonymous - and he's up to some amazing stuff these days outside of radio - a film script that is truly unique - but I'm not allowed to say more than that! It was a treat to have him on my internet show a few years back talking about the good old days...but that's - again - what we're circling back to - that the most advantageous time for local area artists on major radio was...the good old days for our lyricist musical prophets of today.
Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home." (Mark 6:4) takes on new meaning when it comes to local musicians and major radio. And I can certainly relate to that, God knows! Nice to have something in common with the savior!
________________________________________
So let's get down to the nitty gritty. Is WAAF serving the community with a program that may have outlived its usefulness? Carmelita owns a 501c3 - the Rock n Roll Social - that usually happens at the Model Cafe, but it's been languishing. I haven't seen posts advising people when the "get together" is, despite it being a good promotional tool to promote Carmelita's Bay State Rock. Why the ennui? A feeling that the host is jaded evidenced by her not showing up to her own non-profit that - ostensibly - promotes the local scene.
Without having any of the facts - without even the courtesy of contacting me - Carmelita lashed out in an unprofessional and undignified way. She is generating a LOT of hate speech about someone who supported her, culminating in threats of physical violence. That's not the Terry Crocker (her name when she was married to a local scene maker) that I knew - the sweet gal from Cantones.
The individuals lashing out in concert with Carmelita are a true motley crew. We could sink to their level and play their game, but there are some truly damaged individuals out there, and Carmelita - the former Terry Crocker - appears to be enjoying the attention.
Entercom has to ask itself, if this grown woman is engaging in such vitriol because a certain whistleblower (that would be me) did the city a favor and helped remove a very poor excuse for a program director at a now-defunct radio station, do their advertisers, the FCC, and listeners think this is a good investment of their time and money?
These days I'm busy working on cleaning up community access TV and the politics surrounding it. My political blog is at 39,192 for the month, 1,470,705, about 29,000 from a million and a half views - and it has tremendous power. Opening a blog has changed the city in question for the better.
Pageviews last month
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39,192
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Pageviews all time history
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1,470,705
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Personally, I'd rather be reviewing music and investigating city hall, former mayors, a former police chief, ho hum...and we just got a FOIA appeal granted so the high school has to fork over the pertinent documents...just a few hours ago.
If Entercom's Sunday evening host would rather go on a hate spree, she hurts the local music scene. We can have an army of people going at it. And that does what for the Boston music community?
Nothing, Carmelita, nothing.
Carmelita didn't grant me the courtesy of phoning me and discussing things like adults do. Oh her friend the program director that scammed the city for decades with a fixed battle of the bands that - proud to say - I'm the first artist to decline the offer to perform at - and who demanded 25 "cleans" - records without the For Promotional Use Only notice - so that he could (allegedly) peddle them to the stores before the local artists - like myself - could. The monies we made from selling the albums to the stores first paid the freight to the trucking companies. If you want to be a millionaire don't start an indy record label! HA!
And when you put out classic music by a member of the Velvet Underground, or promote an Alvin Lee classic with George Harrison and Deep Purple's Jon Lord on it, or take years to put out the first DVD documentary on a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist, or another 5 years to make a boxed set by a Grammy-winning artist, you do it for the love, the passion, the importance of documenting the magic for the world to own.
You help launch a punk band when the clubs won't book them but you produce them, you nurture them and "They Saved Hitler's Brain" is such a classic that the above referenced Program Director committed a little tortious interference and used radio to lure the band away from their launching pad. That's ok, we're friends to this day, and my production blows away Mr. Program Director's production, so that's the end of that!
You help launch a punk band when the clubs won't book them but you produce them, you nurture them and "They Saved Hitler's Brain" is such a classic that the above referenced Program Director committed a little tortious interference and used radio to lure the band away from their launching pad. That's ok, we're friends to this day, and my production blows away Mr. Program Director's production, so that's the end of that!
But... shame on him. He's irrelevant these days, say his name and people say "Who?" A true Greek tragedy, but I digress. He and his radio station went the way of the Titanic, ker plunk. And those in the know know that I'm the iceberg that he hit. He bragged that he didn't have eyes...we got news for him, he didn't have any ears either!
________________________________
________________________________
Carmelita should know better. Shame on her. She took some troubled woman's nonsense without investigating. She's using her name recognition from being on WAAF to, in my opinion, commit tortious interference herself, and she has come to the right customer.
Twenty-Seven police officers that this writer just outed can attest to that. I have bigger fish to fry than going after Carmelita Deerfoot, and if Entercom wants a woman who this writer alleges - based on information and belief - is inciting physical violence against my person, well, that's why God made lawyers.
Judge LaMothe "You're very logical"
Judge Fitzpatrick "You're an intelligent man"
I'm the guy who blows the whistle on radio, city government and more. Not for fun, but because it is the right thing to do. Few people have supported the local community as I have, and Carmelita, the former Terry Crocker, engaging in libel, alleged tortious interference, and inciting threats of physical harm against me is unacceptable.
I'm pretty good in a court of law without a lawyer. Be very careful if I hire a lawyer for this. As a member of the board of the now-defunct TV station said about me "he's deadly." I shut them down, and with a new mayor, we have a chance of having a real access television station.
Thanks entirely because of the hard work and honest efforts of this writer.
I don't have time for Carmelita's nonsense, but if she persists, I will re-contact my lawyer about this and deal with her in a court of law. I have the screenshots. I have the lawyers. I will defend myself.
Resident Mascott celebrates 25 years in radio
https://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20090222/NEWS/302229907
By Joe Viglione / Correspondent
Mascott also had some training in commercial radio.
Posted Feb 22, 2009 at 12:01 AMUpdated Feb 22, 2009 at 10:22 PM
One of the biggest supporters of New England music for the past quarter century is Marblehead resident Douglas Mascott, host of “Trax of the Town,” who marked his 25 years in broadcasting on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
One of the biggest supporters of New England music for the past quarter century is Marblehead resident Douglas Mascott, host of “Trax of the Town” every Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon on Salem State College’s WMWM, 91.7 FM.
On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Mascott marked 25 years in broadcasting, as evidenced by the FCC license he keeps in a frame, which was issued on that date in 1984.
For the first four years, Mascott spun jazz and other genres of music, but in the 21 years since, he has focused on mostly local recordings.
But “local” is hardly limiting, as Mascott’s programming runs the gamut from the hard rock of Aerosmith, Boston and the J. Geils Band to folk artists Livingston Taylor, James Taylor or James’ son Ben, singing with Carly Simon. The only rule for membership in Mascott’s “club” is that you at one point in time called New England your home.
Mascott brings a certain democracy to the airwaves as well, inviting anyone who performs or records locally to be part of Trax of the Town.
Along with playing three hours of pure local music on WMWM, the show also has guest DJs, like Mike Paolucci and Bob Nelson (who hosts The Juke Box on WMWM, which follows Mascott’s show), interviews with local celebrities like Bobby Hebb, the composer/singer of the song “Sunny”; Peter Calo, guitarist for Carly Simon; Sal Baglio of The Stompers, Louis St. August from MASS, Jon Macey of Fox Pass, Gloucester’s Willie Loco Alexander and many others, as well as up-and-coming singer-songwriters such as Jennifer Tobiasz, Springfield-area rappers YGO and KeelyB, and Larry Oak.
The beauty of the program is that Mascott gives every regional artist a chance for airplay, which few stations can boast.
“I give anybody a chance, from the 50-cent cassette to the $10-million-production CD,” Mascott explained. “As long as you have it, I’ll play it.”
Mascott was born in the Lynn Hospital — not the Union, but the facility that was torn down and became a Stop & Shop. Still, Mascott considers himself essentially a lifelong Marbleheader, as his family moved to town within about a year of his birth.
Before his 25 years in broadcasting, Mascott got his start on CB radio as a kid. He was on it before he went to school, after school, at night during the 1970s
The interest remained strong after Mascott enrolled at Curry College in the early 1980s and joined the radio station in 1984. Back then, doing so required an FCC license, so Mascott applied, got his license and did his first show on a Sunday morning at 6 a.m.
“It was a jazz show that went 6 a.m. to noon,” he recalled. “The first song I played on my show was Chuck Mangione’s ‘Feel So Good,’ and I remember playing the theme from ‘Taxi’ by Bob James, as well as a song called ‘Money Talks’ by local legends Roomful of Blues.”
During his college years Mascott also did an oldies show and many other shows before settling in with the local-music show on WMLN. He also served as promotions assistant during his years at Curry, later becoming promotions director at Curry College Radio.
Mascott also had some training in commercial radio.
“Many, many years ago, I engineered at WVVE, ‘The Wave: Your Good-Time Oldies Station,’ in Mystic, North Stonington, Conn.,” Mascott said. “My friend Sean Murphy was with WQGN, and he hooked me up with WVVE. Sean is now PSA director at ION TV in Connecticut and Rhode Island. At ‘The Wave,’ I made the sure the Saturday-night programming flowed smoothly and played the commercials.”
Mascott also interned at WZOU (now known as JAM’N 94.5) in the promotions department with Bev Tilden. It became “The Zoo” after it was WCOZ, a mainstream rock station in the 1980s.
“I answered the phones for DJ Karen Blake and met a lot of people at WZOU and the news-radio sister station when they were over on Stuart Street in Boston,” Mascott said.
Trax of the Town also aired on WNSH until 2007 and may soon return to the Hamilton-based radio station, another local outlet to which Mascott traces his roots. Among other assignments, he once performed man-on-the-street interviews during the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon at the Liberty Tree Mall.
“I did call-ins from the carnival that they used to have,” Mascott explained. “Basically I just started by hanging out with the DJs in the mid-1980s. The station was at Pickering Wharf, where I got my real start with my own show.”
Mascott’s familiar voice can also be heard during his appearances at benefit gigs or even promoting shows at local-area clubs. Like area legends Harvey Wharfield, Little Walter and Magic 106.7/WPLM DJ Audrey Constant (an alum of WNSH), Mascott is familiar to many people in the North Shore area.
To send your music for airplay consideration, Mascott can be reached at Traxofthetown@yahoo.com, Trax of the Town, P.O. Box 1307, Marblehead, MA 01945.
There Are Angels Out There
THERE ARE ANGELS OUT THERE...
I was shoveling snow for the 7th time in 3 days and an ANGEL guy with a snow blower did my neighbor's sidewalk and mine!
What good karma!...this just happened about 45 minutes ago...and it is so cold outside we ancient travelers of the Boston music scene ain't 19 years old anymore! That's for sure!
God bless him.
There are GREAT PEOPLE in the world...
And then there are damaged ones.
Last night at the MBTA there were some VERY strange characters...we say prayers for them. I asked the woman in the booth why they are allowed to congregate...she said "As long as they don't approach people they are free to stay here."
Damaged people. Wish I could help them right now...when this old guy's Best of collection goes platinum we'll come back and save the souls...
(the peanut gallery says "See, He IS delusional")....oh, I say it with a smile!
I was shoveling snow for the 7th time in 3 days and an ANGEL guy with a snow blower did my neighbor's sidewalk and mine!
What good karma!...this just happened about 45 minutes ago...and it is so cold outside we ancient travelers of the Boston music scene ain't 19 years old anymore! That's for sure!
God bless him.
There are GREAT PEOPLE in the world...
And then there are damaged ones.
Last night at the MBTA there were some VERY strange characters...we say prayers for them. I asked the woman in the booth why they are allowed to congregate...she said "As long as they don't approach people they are free to stay here."
Damaged people. Wish I could help them right now...when this old guy's Best of collection goes platinum we'll come back and save the souls...
(the peanut gallery says "See, He IS delusional")....oh, I say it with a smile!
Friday, November 01, 2019
Halloween Party Part 2 Friday Night Nov 1 @ Club Bohemia
______________________________
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 1
BLUE CATHERIUM
THE GUILLOTEENAGERS
THE RUN OFFS
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2
FROM DUSK TO DONE
DEEP HOUSE
JOSHUA from BUZZCOCKS TRIBUTE
October 31, 2019 @ Club Bohemia
IT WAS PACKED
PHOTO BY JOE VIGLIONE
DEEP HOUSE
JOSHUA from BUZZCOCKS TRIBUTE
October 31, 2019 @ Club Bohemia
IT WAS PACKED
PHOTO BY JOE VIGLIONE
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Fun Halloween at Club Bohemia! !!!!
Friday, September 14, 2018
Creating a New Documentary Film on the Boston Scene
THE STORY OF CLUB BOHEMIA
We've been privately collecting performances and are working on this event.
The proprietor of the club is one of the most popular figures in Boston music.
It's time for a real film on the Boston Rock and Roll scene.
Real support of the scene.
We work hard and the artists have a home.
Oh - And we already have the footage!
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