Dear Basement Dwellers,
I am in much need of a break, so starting the weekend of July 01 you will hear shows from the archives. This is the first extended break I’ve taken in nearly 20 years.
I want to make something very clear: I will be back… refreshed and ready to roll the weekend of August 19, 2023. JJBS will continue to air at its regular time every week. Here are the schedule of shows you will hear from now until the end of August 2023.
July 01 – Beach Battle! Beach Boys vs. Jan & Dean (Show #062)
July 08 – Summer Means Fun! (Show #105)
July 15 – Forgotten Follow Ups (Show #075)
July 22 – Car Show (Show #156)
July 29 – Vinylthon ’21 B-Side Show (Show #099)
August 05 – Show #100
August 12 – Banana Splits! (Show #101)
August 19 - *ALL NEW SHOW* Songs that repeat the same word in the title (Show #204)
August 26 - *ALL NEW SHOW* First regular show – Jumpin’ Joe wants to play your requests! (Show #205) Call or text your requests for this show at 440-941-7075 or e-mail joe@basementradioshow.com
*Show selections are subject to change.
I know you have questions...I have answers. If you want further information and addition insight, please read on:
What about Retro Radio – The 70s Edition?
The show will continue to air every week from 1-3pm on WJCU. Many of the shows have already been taped, and there will be a few more recorded as requests come in. From the very beginning, Retro Radio – The 70s Edition was going to have a limited run as a summer show. With the return of football (and hopefully Dave Swanson and Vive Le Rock), Retro Radio will air it’s final show (as originally planned) on August 19, 2023.
“Why? Why are you taking a long break?”
There are many reasons, but what pushed me to make this decision is the fact that I’m just flat out mentally and physically exhausted. Outside of radio, I’m striving to be the best husband and father while working full time and taking a night class.
“Joe, there are 168 hours in the week, surely you still have 2 hours a week to do the show, right?
Yes, the radio show is only two hours, but that’s only the part you hear. Behind the scenes there’s much show prep that I put into the show. I don’t just show up with records and hap hazardly play records (though that’s what it may sound like at times!)
There are a million “oldies” shows out there. Anyone with a microphone, a computer, and an internet connection can host a radio show. I refuse to be like everyone else. I firmly believe the success of this show is you the listener and your participation in the show, and you are here because I give you a reason to listen.
I carefully plan out every show with you in mind. Every other oldies show out there plays just the hits, but I go a step further and mix in the lost and forgotten as well - records that are worthy of being played on the radio. In addition, I insist on having the best sounding show in terms of audio quality. Someone once commented that my show sounds “bigger, fuller, louder” than other shows. That’s because I refuse to play music from poor quality sources like watered down mp3s. Instead, I play records or properly mastered CDs. If possible, I play songs from the original 45 or LP, even with the occasional pop and scratch - it's part of the experience of listening to records! It’s easy to just quickly download or rip a poor quality MP3 and play it, but I take the time to properly digitize records so that no quality is lost in the process. That takes time, but it’s worth it. Plus, there’s a lot of research I do for the show. The trivia questions don’t write themselves.
Bottom line, it takes me 4 to 10 hours a week to properly plan a show. Now add that on top of working 40+ hours and going to school and being a husband and father. I’ve been doing it every week for the last 4 years! I obviously want to continue to do the show, and I will, but I must take some time to recharge. I will be back in the middle of August with new shows. In October, I will celebrate 20 years at WJCU!
I thank you for your understanding. If you don’t understand, please know that I get paid $0 for all the work I do putting on a top quality show for you every week. $0. I choose to do this show for you without pay because I enjoy doing it and I want to keep the music and this style of radio alive.
I thank you for your support and your incredible loyalty to this show. Basement Dwellers are the greatest listeners in the radio of history… and I sincerely mean it because it’s true. I look forward to hearing from you and playing your requests again at the end of August!
Sincerely,
Jumpin’ Joe Madigan