MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP
(Note: this post is aimed mostly at former and/or current LA-area residents Karen, Ian, Gary, Troy, Romy, Tim and Mike. Which, come to think of it, is a majority of the people who read this blog).
MAYOR OF THE SUNSET STRIP
For those of us who grew up listening to 106.7 KROQ in and around Los Angeles in the late '70s, '80s, and right through the '90s to today, this sounds like a really interesting film. It chronicles the life and times of late-night DJ Rodney Bingenheimer.
Even though it's been more than a decade since I last listened to his show live, I can still hear him, speaking in that weird little high-pitched voice of his: "Okay, that was the Ramones here on the Rodney on the ROQ show, and next up it's the Bangles, then a new track by the Pandoras!"
It's in limited engagement owing to its "art" film status, but maybe stick it in the back of your head and check it out when it comes out on video.
posted by scooter @ 12:29 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
This does sound like an interesting piece. It's funny how someone can be so synonymous with not only a thing - KROQ - but a specific time for that thing - KROQ in the 80's and 90's.
I only met two DJ's from KROQ during all the years and events they had so near where I grew up in Glendale. I met Rodney at Numero Uno pizza when I was still in junior high - and he gave me and my friends a compilation album from Rhino Records. (Have to say, I found him a bit lecherous / pervie in real life.) Then I briefly met Jed the Fish at a sneak preview of Nightmare on Elm Street part 2, when my best friend Camille and I won a "dream date" with Freddy Krueger. That's it for my brushes with the music biz.
I also met Jed the Fish - he DJ'ed my senior prom, and he gave me a Spear of Destiny record for winning some sort of dance contest (or something or other - I double-dated with Ben and Amanda, so they might remember). I also met Michael the Maintenance Man at the AM/PM on Stearns and Atherton in Long Beach when he came out to hand out bumper stickers and keychains and stuff from the KROQ van.
Never met Rodney, but I had a friend, Kim Fuelleman, who supposedly was one of "Rodney's Girls" in high school, with all that implies. (She, incidentally, played bass for the band the Distillers, and, if the rumor mill in Los Alamitos has it right, she's now playing bass in the singer Pink's band). Romy might know...
Scott,
you were the kroq man as I recall. I think you knew more about the music than the people that worked here. And yes I remember Rodney. Actually, when I was still in high school, my girlfriend was a Bay City Rollers fan and they came to kroq and she went there to see them. Back then it was behind a dress shop I think she said. And she saw/met Rodney. Though I don't think the Rollers made it; I think she said a band showed called the popsicles.
Odd as Rodney's voice was/is, he really did break the cutting edge stuff. Didn't he first play the sex pistols on the west coast? I don't know, but he had a great ear for the cool alternative. I'll certainly check out the movie, or netflick it.
Troy
Post a Comment
<< Home