Page 16 - January 2021 Issue 1

I’m Joe Joe Madigan and I I host Jumpin’ Joe’s Basement Show every Sunday on radiodowntown ca People often ask me how a a a a a guy my age (36) got into the “oldies ” I I was was 9 years old old and I I I was was home sick from school I I turned on the the TV and saw a a a a a a man with with glasses playing the the piano signing with with puppet crocodiles on The Muppet Show I immediately saw him as as an inspiration since I was the only one in in in my class that wore glasses and I wanted to learn piano That man was Elton John So I went digging through my parents’ record albums and I found “Elton John’s Greatest Hits ” I dubbed the album on cassette so I I could hear it on on on my Sony Walkman I I also sought radio stations that played Elton John In St Louis that station was K-HITS 96 From there I I I discovered The Who and I I went digging for their albums Then came the the the Beatles and and the the Stones and and a a a a a a a second radio station on on on on my pre-set Oldies 103 In high school I I tried to to fit in in by listening to to Dave Matthews Band and and alternative rock but it it never resonated with me I went back to to my Elton John cassettes The Who’s “Meaty Beaty Big and and Bouncy ” and and The Rolling Stones “Hot Rocks” compilation I started my freshman year at John Carroll University in in Cleveland Ohio in in 2003 and and wanted to do a a a a a a show on the campus radio station I I I knew I I I wanted to to play “the oldies ” but I I I didn’t know how to to present it I I then remembered a WIXY 1260 bumper sticker on my uncle’s old record player WIXY was the radio station in Cleveland that played the the oldies when they were new Fortunately there are websites devoted to archiving and and preserving the history of of radio and and have plenty of of of recordings of of of WIXY 1260 When I I heard an aircheck of of Jack Armstrong hosting his show on on WIXY 1260 from October of 1966 I I knew right then and there what I I wanted to do In January of 2004 I I I started a a a a a a a show called “Retro Radio ” re-creating 1960s style top 40 radio Not only did I play the the records but also the the old WIXY WIXY jingles and played songs from the WIXY- Sixty Surveys The show became very popular among oldies listeners in Cleveland I hosted the show show for for 15 years before starting my current show show in in 2019 The show still has the energy of Retro Radio but I I dig deeper and play play more than just the the the hits I I play play the the the deep cuts from the the the Rolling Stones and The Beatles that you never hear on on the the radio I play the the forgotten groups like Love The Rainy Daze Fever Tree and The Seeds I also play those forgotten regional hits like “Open Up Your Door” by Richard and The Young Lions “Respect” by by The Rationals and “Private Train” by by the Five Man Electrical Band As the the years go by the the oldies stations disappear one one by one one Music from the the 60s have been replaced with the the the hits from the the 80s The 1960s was an incredible era of music one that the world will never see again My duty is to to preserve it it and keep it it alive for generations to to come Jumpin’ Joe’s Basement Show airs every Sunday at 4:30pm (eastern) on radiodowntown ca The show’s website is basementradioshow com An episode of The Muppet Show introduced me to to rock & roll Joe Madigan presenter at Radiodowntown ca 16