Catch Spenny live every weekday on the air from 10am to 3pm, and his Blue Plate Specials at noon!
Monday 8-3-26
Def Leppard released their 4th album Hysteria 39 years ago today! It was built upon its predecessor, Pyromania, and its success, which saw Leppard go from a nighttime only band played on rock stations to a cross-radio format, Billboard charting powerhouse. Hysteria sold more than 12 million albums in the USA, and it was the first record to feature Rick Allen on the drums, missing an arm. It was also the last to feature their founding guitarist, Steve Clark, who died of an overdose in 1991. He was the primary songwriter for the band, and the only member who understood music theory and composition. Sadly, his passing not only robbed the world of a life but also robbed us of more music.
Tuesday 8-4-26
We celebrated 1984 on Tuesday. It’s the classic album from Van Halen. Critics loved it. Audiences loved it. It even reached the #2 slot on the Billboard 200, where it remained for five weeks. Michael Jackson’s Thriller came out the time as well, and it kept 1984 from reaching #1. Timing is everything!!! Funnily enough, Eddie Van Halen made a guest performance on Jackson’s album. So, in a way, technically Van Halen got the #1 spot in the end. Anyway, we rocked 3 songs from 1984.
Wednesday 8-5-26
A double Aerosmith anniversary!!! Back in 1972 the band performed in New York at Max’s Kansas City, a popular venue. After watching the performance, Clive Davis signed the band to Columbia records for $125,000 (worth roughly $985,000 in today’s currency) on today’s date. Also, the secondary anniversary for today’s theme highlights the time that, 17 years ago, Steven Tyler fell off stage at a Sturgis rally and injured himself. Broken bones. Bad bruises. And an unfortunate relapse into pain medication that interfered with the band’s dynamic for years afterward.
Thursday 8-6-26
On today’s date, the US military dropped the Little Boy nuclear device on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945. Another bomb, Fat Man, was detonated on Nagasaki on August 9th. Japan surrendered on the 15th. The Blue Plate Special rocked songs about bombs.
Friday 8-7-26
It was Bob’s birthday today! In honor of the man, the myth, the legend himself, Robert Donald Tristan Fonseca III, I decided we should rock some of his favorite artists. Also, no, that’s not his real, legal name. Bob Fonseca has been a radio legend in Austin for over 30 years. Never once did I think I would meet the man, let alone work beside him, and eventually even become friends. To go from hearing this guy on the radio to spending time with him is pretty nuts.
Now, Bob was never particularly a hero of mine or a role model or anything. Look, I was listening to other stuff at the time I entered into my radio career nearly 20 years later, okay? I was a sweet baby boy with different tastes at the time. So yeah, Bob – not a hero of mine or anything. Not until I met him, at least. Any time that I would drop by his previous morning show, Dudley and Bob, for a visit, he was always welcoming and much warmer than other personalities that I’ve worked with. He was a bit more chummy. Actually listened to my answers. Even went on a camping trip or two with him. He shared his premium whiskey with me. For a lack of better vocabulary or more poetic prose, he’s just an all around good dude.
Plus, he dresses sharp. He’s fit as hell. Has the attention of all the ladies. We played music from Bob’s favorite artists today – Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, and Tom Petty.
