7 to 7

Not much more needs to be said if you were there.

I finally got rid of the yellow poster that we had up at the part with the schedule.  We wanted to make sure people knew what was coming music-wise.

Here are my notes for the schedule....

2.0

Not my grade point average...although close.  This was my coming back to school in the fall of 1985 and re-inventing myself as a different type of "music man"/DJ.  I was out of school for three semesters.  While I was out I kept up with music and I'm sure made notes out of habit classifying songs as "dance", "slow" and "pre-party".

I had no expectation of stepping back in and manning the post.  I purchased my first stereo system that summer and never imagined I would be using that equipment to make money.

I came back to campus in the fall of '85.  I ended up doing music for different sorority parties and some TKE events offsite including RCB in '86.  I also provided music for an All-Greek party in some metal building.  I still made the cassettes and ended up making copies to give the house (gave to Kris Greiner).  I don't think I ever went active so I could not be at the parties.  I remember setting up outside in front of Roberta Hall at night for something.  I even got paid to come to someone's house/apartment to play tunes from my ghetto blaster.  This is when Cameo's "Word Up" was big.

I did some part-time DJ work at Yesterday's which was run by frater Andy Espey.  I got the gig because my new neighbor (Cliff Crisanti) was working there as a DJ.  This would have been summer of '86 into fall of '86.

Did some TKE party at Shady Lady.  Blew something in my system.  Over heated.  Started using a fan after that.  I remember Todd Goforth and maybe Randy Wolf coming to my rescue.

There must have been a second party I did there because I borrowed some Bose speakers.  I remember testing my sound with a cassette of the Doc Severinsen Big Band.

That might have been the party that I borrowed the speakers...were they Bose?  I remember I had the Doc Severinsen Big Band Cassette and was testing with that.

James Brown Living in America and me walking through the crowd with the mic calling out towns and cities.

This can also be the place for my greek and sorority stuff.

I left school for good in December 1986. 

TKE WEDDINGS I DID THE MUSIC FOR

KEVIN SMITH

I provided music for Kevin Smith's wedding.  It was out of town and if I recall in Nebraska?  I had $40 in my pocket was driving.  I got a flat tire.  I opened my trunk and was reminded I was not carrying a spare.  I was close to a service station...maybe 1/2 a mile.  I drove on the flat to the station.  I told the guy I've got $40 in my pocket but I was on my way to a wedding and would get paid and could come back and provide the rest.  The bill was about $42 and he let me go for the $40!  That would be enough of a story but when I got there, I realized most of the tapes I made in preparation somehow we recorded either too fast or too slow.  Thankfully announcements and fun and games went long and I didn't have to play as long and I did bring the polka!

DALE CARSTENS

I provided music for Dale Carstens wedding in August of 1986.  I remember playing "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" without thinking about it until it hit me during the song.  No one said anything.

MARK WITTHAR

I provided music at Mark Witthar's wedding in Des Moines August 13, 1988.

MY OWN (in a way)

I got married in 1994 and did make tapes to give the DJ we hired.  This was very hard for me as you can imagine but he did use many of the tapes I made and certainly made sure to play certain songs.  I made his life easier I'm sure.

I declined doing music for Joe Saubers, Bill Adams and David Carlisle.  I wanted to be able to enjoy myself.

Behind the Music

When I first started, I had an interest in doing the music...an idea of what I wanted to do and had access to the music.  I know from looking at early playlists that I had some questionable choices.  There were songs I liked but didn't really factor in how others would like them.  That part I got better at.

 
This would have been Fall '81.  For the sorority mixers, I wanted to please the ladies (so to speak) so I would go talk to them and ask what they wanted to hear...if they had any special songs they danced to, etc.  I even borrower albums to record songs I wanted to make sure to have.

I remember I was in Maryville the summer of '81.  Trekker, Rinker and Judkins were around.  I remember setting my blaster inside the front door on a bench for some happy hour or summer party and that was probably my first gig.

Paul Haake would help me in the studio with selections early on.

I figured out soon enough that I could put usually 12 or 13 songs on a 45 minute side.  So for my #1 Tape, I would need roughly 25 songs and that was the heart of the party and dancing.  I don't recall using a calculator for mapping out the run times on songs to make sure they would fit but I must have done it long hand.