99XWatch.org

Crash on 99X

Crash's untimely departure from Atlanta inspired me to start SaveCrash.org.  It says something that I wasn't similarly inspired to start Save99X.org (still available.)  His WBCN bio gives a funny theory to his appeal, but I think his appeal stems from the fact that he's a big hearted guy who is comfortable  enough in his own skin  to share every embarrassing detail about his life.  He also has the perspective of having been a part of both 99X and Q100.  Here are his thoughts:

It's a mixed bag, on one hand the Bert show gets their much needed and deserved signal boost. There won't be a woman 18-44 from Warner Robbins to Helen who won't know about the Bert show. On the other I feel for my friends who are left to pioneer the face of the new world with, "visual radio". Right??? Steve Craig has amassed enough musical knowledge he should already have a gig by the time I finish typing this. I never met Jenners but he seemed like a good guy and one can only wish him well with a wife and three kids to provide for. I seriously doubt Leslie is going to have a tough time relocating to L.A. and jumping on board with any music related company. The woman has more contacts than Charlie Sheen and she's no dummy. She should take a year off, travel around the world and get a cushy job in a big office somewhere doing what she does best.

I came to town in 1989 and from Power 99 to 99X that was my life in radio. Almost 20 years watching people come and go, (including myself) and seeing that radio station evolve. Unfortunately like life on Mars something disastrous wiped it all out in a matter of no time.

As things unfold at 100.5 it will be interesting to see how much time and effort is spent keeping it alive. Q-100 reminds me of Obi-Wan in episode IV A New Hope. "If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine." No wait, I'll do you one better, "with great power comes great responsibility" yeah, that sums it up. 99.7FM, from Warm 100, to Power 99 to 99X to Q-100. I would imagine if the Dickey's are smart they'd sign the Bert show to a ten year deal and watch the cash come in. If the regular guys are indeed coming back they should be able to recapture their loyal fan base. However, if they get canned again they would have tied me for most times fired in the same city. I'd have to come back just to get fired again and hold the record.

I guess personally I'm glad things worked out the way they did. Had I survived after my little incident I too would have been a casualty of war. Instead I'm in Boston with my two friends having a great friggin time. Why I'm doing an event tomorrow night where I'm encouraged to drink to excess and I won't get suspended for it. You got to love what little of old school radio still exists. All I have to do is not show my nipples and CBS will take good care of me. Atlanta is a much different world than it was three years ago. I still remember the staff meeting we had when John Dickey was introduced. I had a bad feeling back then and I'm sure folks like Axel and Mark Owens are having that same feeling. The good thing about the people that worked at 99X is they were a collection of the best talents in the country, except Roach, he was a douche nozzle. It's not fun relocating but that's our business, we were fortunate to have a company like Susquehanna for so many years, it's the reason we all stayed as long as we did.

Good luck future radio on the internet, good luck Regular Guys with your smaller more intimate gathering of rednecks inside the perimeter and God Bless The Bert Show, the acorn that became the oak.

And don't forget to catch Toucher and Rich on WBCN.com from 3p-7p Monday through Friday.

Crash Brings Christmas Spirit to Boston: "You gotta love that guy"

Thanks to a reader who pointed this out to me:

Bye Bye American Pie, Crash Returns to 99X

Today marks the end of an era as American Pie closes.  I'll always remember American Pie has the venue for the now infamous screening of No Witness.  Crash Clark appeared on the New Morning X yesterday to wax nostalgic about The Pie.  He also answered my request for a comment:

American Pie was a staple for the Atlanta faithful who loved the libation and an occasional flashing. I was 22 when I first stepped thought the doors. I was engaged to one of the door girls, engaged to another girl I met on the dance floor and knew countless of late nights there with the lovely Pie girls. which is why I didn't marry either of them.

Richard the owner was the nicest guy you would ever know and no matter how much trouble you got into he would welcome you back with open arms and an open container.

Too bad the stiffs in Sandy Springs had to take away what little life was still in the late night scene in Atlanta. Between the Buckhead city council and Sandy Springs they've just about turned Atlanta into the boring Utopian society that old hags desire.

Many good people lost their livelihood because of the closing of so many wonderful establishments. I blame Ray Lewis for starting it all.

American Pie and all the wonderful people who worked there throughout the years will missed. When the Toucher and Rich program go national and we all start making the Big bucks I swear as God is my witness I will return to Atlanta and open up the wildest bar since the Pie and call it, The American Steamhouse Bait Shack Bar & Grille.

As the Indian stood on the garbage heap and wept, I too look out over the city of Boston and shed a tear for Atlanta.

Update 11/30/2007 1:49 PM

Kudos to Leslie and the New Morning X for having Crash phone in to participate in their funny, touching tribute to American Pie.  They even podcast it. 

Crash

Crash sent me the the following parody of a certain former coworker's latest blog entry.  Crash prefaced it by writing "I love Jimmy and wish him well but felt like being a smart ass."

Well I didn’t the gig at NPR; it came down to me and another guy who wasn’t labeled a sexual deviant in the city of Atlanta. I respect their decision and they were very complimentary saying, “we won’t press any further charges is you agree to stop sending us tapes and resumes.” The whole experience was quite exciting for me having a chance to come back to the city where I spent 20 years of my radio career. As I was being led away by the Atlanta police I asked if I could fill in part time for anyone, on air, behind the scenes, promotions, a baby sitter or even a copy boy in the mail room. You win some, you lose some right? Or as I like to say, “Hey, quit your bitching, you got front row tickets to 311 didn’t you?” I’m sure I’ll Blog more once I do something equally exciting.

Checking in with Crash...

I was checking in with Crash and asked him if he missed the south.  He sent me the following update:

As for whether or not I miss the south? If the wife and I hadn't moved to the beach side of Massachusetts I'd say yes but right now we're in paradise. Walking distance from the marina with boats, beaches and beach bars on the boardwalk. It's a shame to see Steamhouse lounge in Buckhead be destroyed but we're right in the middle of Steamhouse Lounge row here in Boston. It's too bad it took until June to finally warm up but it's worth it here.

Crash Clark: The Book

I received the following press release from Crash:

Despite a bizarre childhood, a career path that included more turns than a NASCAR event and a faulty education, I've grown tired of hearing so many people telling me to put my life in print.

So, with the aid of a really cheap publisher and spell check I, Crash Clark am going to attempt to ignite every brain cell I've laid to waste and recapture the events of 18 years of radio insanity.

From the very beginning in 1989 at Power 99, all the way through traffic reporting, sports, morning shows, overnight shifts, those ever popular appearances and just plain hanging out in Georgia, it's going down on paper.

Here's where you, the listener, come in. With so many memories, some good, some bad, some just downright wrong and a few worthy of jail time, I'm asking you to share your stories. There's a good chance we met at an appearance, a concert, in an alley way in Buckhead, at a charity golf tournament, or the unemployment line. I want you to share any and all stories to be included in the book. It's sort of a tell all, sort of, created from all the things that have happened in those 18 years and all the things I've forgotten.

If you have a story, no matter how big or small, write it down and e-mail crashclarkstories@yahoo.com and I'll certainly add my twist and give you credit, unless you wish to remain nameless to protect your family.

It's been a hell of a road and this seems so much more fun than just writing up a will. So Atlanta, here we go, give me while, I'll keep you posted and start e-mailing me your tales of Crash encounters.

If we're lucky they'll make it into a movie and Kevin Smith can direct it. No, maybe Brian Singer will and I'll have all kinds of kick butt superpowers like the ability to hold a job.

See you in print,
Crash Clark
crashclarkstories@yahoo.com

Crash Circa 1979

In response to my email about the picture, Crash writes:

Make sure you mention that it's a picture of me since moving up to Boston. Its a recent photo that's living proof how I've been getting in shape up here, Rocky IV style. I figure a few more months of fresh air, good clean living and my serious work out regiment and I'll be ready to reclaim Atlanta. Okay it was about 1978-80 I think I'm about 12-14 but not sure, maybe less since I look like a total dork.

via ToucherAndRich.com

Crashing the airwaves

From The Daily News Tribute (a daily community newspaper serving Waltham and Newton, Massachusetts):

If you listen to Crash, and his longtime buddies Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb, it might be hard to believe a man who treats 19-year-old sidekick Adolpho like a frat house pledge, or treats his weekend drinking games and bar crawls like an Olympic event. But there is a soft side to the intimidating looking man who probably is a teddy bear inside.

Crash Clark Controversy Streams Back to Atlanta

One day after WBCN began streaming, controversy has made it's way from Boston, through the Internet and back to our fair city.  At about 2:20 PM today, as a pretext for a his coming 40th birthday party, Crash Clark discussed his financial woes(1,071 KB, 1:09).  Coincidentally, AJC Feature Reporter and Radio Blogger Rodney Ho  listened and wrote about Crash's financial problems, pretty much as the on air conversation took place. 

Being unemployed was not good for Crash Clark. Crash, out of a job for several months after 99X fired him in December, he was hired in early June by Boston’s rock station WBCN-FM with Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb. He told Boston Listeners today that his house is in foreclosure in Atlanta.  He also said he's a month away from away from filing bankruptcy. 

About 20 minutes later, an angry Crash, having seen Radio Talk,  responded:

Rodney Ho, you're an asshole*...First of all my house is not going to be foreclosed on.  Second of all, I'm not going to file bankruptcy.  Third of all, Rodney, they take more taxes out of my pay check than you will ever earn, so take that you piece of crap.

Apparently that wasn't enough because he called Ho, off the air, a couple of hours later to yell further. 

It's been an odd few weeks for Rodney Ho and the old TJ&L Show.  Three weeks ago, Rodney got an angry email from Leslie Fram's husband/manager Lanny West for Ho's article about 99X.  Yesterday, Jimmy Baron posted a blog taking Ho to task for Rodney's Peach Buzz review of Jimmy's Late Night Lounge.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm friends with Rodney Ho.  In the interest of further disclosure, I devoted a substantial amount of time and money trying to save Crash's job at 99X. To my ears, it doesn't sound like Crash was joking. I suspect that it's one thing to air certain types of dirty laundry in a city where few know you, it's another thing in a city where everyone knows you.  I guess that's the downside of being on a national program.  On the upside, Crash is now part of a national program.

*Toucher tells me he dumped this part, so it's not clear how much of this actually went out on the airwaves.