Rev. Andy On-Air for 15 Years
Rev. Andy celebrates 15 years on-air with several area stations including Album 88, DaveFM (no longer on-air), WREK, and Garage71. 15 years sounds like a good time span, but when you’ve been able to rock that on-air, it’s a whole new story. Today, nearly marks Rev. Andy on-air for 15 years. Starting back at Album 88 in 2003, Rev. Andy made his mark locally in Atlanta, Georgia. He shook the college station from 2003 to 2008. Rev. Andy’s last year at Album 88 was both a DJ/host and Program Director.
Rev. Andy replaced an on-air talent by the name of Odd Todd, who actually became an on-air talent at Garage71 years later. Odd Todd hosted a show on garage71 called 71 Pins highlighting Punk, Ska, and some oddities. Looking back, Andy remembers some questionable language on-air that help make the transition. This is one thing Garage71 in the favor of Garage71. We are not FCC regulated.
At the start, Andy was first known as Big Daddy Andy. It was a reference to Andy being so much older than other Album 88 dj’s. Notice we just said older and not wiser, right?
After a few weeks at Album 88, Andy decided it would be kool to try to register his name with the Universal Life church. So, on a whim, Andy, who thought it would be both fun and funny to be announced on-air a Reverend Andy, then by a miracle was “ordained” into the church. Thus, the Rev. Andy was born to the airwaves.
The show names was also kicked around for awhile. There were names like Longhorns and Long Boards, but the program director and the time and Andy wanted something different. At that time, there was a good number of shows focused on both, country and western. Though, Longhorns and Long Boards was a good mix of country rockabilly surf, they settled on Psychobilly Freakout, giving the Right Rev. Andy a new direction.
Other Stations
Rev. Andy then made his premiere appearance on terrestrial radio at DaveFM in 2007. The Reverend was quickly stifled by the grips of corporate radio (a slow dying monster). The station buried his show, and Rev. Andy had to conform to their expectations and on-air requirements or choose to leave, which he did in 2009. Oddly enough, the station made several failed attempts years later to mimic several show outlines that were airing on Garage71, including Psychobilly Freakout and the Chop House.
As a potential outlet during Rev. Andy’s last year at DaveFM, he took Psychobilly Freaskout to WREK from 2008 to 2009. Later, Garage71 would have a few fun run-ins with various program directors whimpering over names of shows etc. trying to lay claim to many shows on Garage71. There were some great conversations surrounding shows like Psychobilly Freakout, Wreckage, and the Junkyard. No less, the crew moved forward together, and still together today.
Psychobilly Freakout moves to Garage71
It was one long cold winter when Rev. Andy met then, station creator, Brian Whitcomb, of Garage71 at a show at the Masquerade created by Mon Chere. There the Rev. took the time to hear out a creative station that gave all the power and control to the show host. No rules, other than the task to find the right talent to fit a station all about Hot Rods, Motorcycles, and the Kustom Kulture Lifestyle.
The two hit it off well. Rev. Andy and Whitcomb would talk a lot (and still do) about direction of the station and it’s attitude. Whitcomb included in many of the discussion long-time friend and host of the Junkyard on Friday nights, Stretch. The three of them launch Garage71 radio, “Your American Radio Revolution” in July of 2009, and a new home of Psychobilly Freakout was created.
It’s been an amazing long road together. There are so many funny stories to share, but we can’t. No one would get them but Andy and I. All I can truly say, is it has been great professionally and personally to be a part of the Rev. Andy’s historical timeline in life. He is an amazing friend, father, and awesome ‘partner’ at both Garage71 and Grease Inc.
Brian “Big Boy” Whitcomb of Hot Pan Productions, Inc.
Psychobilly Freakout is a radio show broadcasting on www.Garage71.com every Monday night at 8pm Eastern. The show is helmed by The Right Reverend Andy, who spins music from the past 60 years, anything from Elvis Presley to Demented Are Go. It’s a mix of both genres, with a bit of horror rock and swing music mixed in to shake things up.
The Rev. Horton Heats give Rev. Andy his Blessing
There was one show, that the two reverends of Rockabilly came together, and Rev. Andy had the pleasure of interviewing the Rev. Horton Heat, aka Jim Heath. Basically paraphrasing, Jim gave Rev. Andy his blessing in an amusing way for the show. He thought it was kool and comical that someone would want to name their show after one of his songs. We all got to place it in perspective when this was a discussion about 14 years ago.
Since then, the Reverend Horton Heat has played shows and events in conjunction with some of the crew of Garage71, including the 116th anniversary of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, and has returned to Garage71 with show host Chris DiGanci on Psychoholic Extravaganza.
Tonight on Garage71.com we’re starting off a 15 year celebration of Psychobilly Freakout Radio! Tune in tonight to hear from friends and fans of the show! Music from Danny Dean, Gizzelle, Social Distortion, Willie Heath Neal, and more!
Let’s crank it up tonight at 8PM, EDT and celebrate with one of Rockabilly’s greatest hosts of all time for the beginning of his 15th year on-air. It’s time to let Rev. Andy cure our souls with a little bit of that good ole Rock n Roll. Click here to tune in to tonight’s show.
