White's Bar News

Bob Goodman
A Whole ‘Nuther Thing

Bob Goodman is a true believer in the power of music. He is a DJ who creates moods with music as a painter would create on canvas. He has a wealth of experience dating back to the sixties and the age of Top Forty radio. He is New York City born and bred and was able to witness the creative spark of Greenwich Village and the East Village that led to a cultural re-vitalization amongst musicians, poets, sculptors, and actors. This was a golden age of creativity and experimentation. The sounds of NYC were brimming with a glorious diversity from Salsa to folk, country and jazz to rock and roll. Goodman was a radio freak from the time he could toddle over to mom’s transistor and change the station. He was the General Manager of Hunter College in New York and was one of the founders of City University Radio Network. His first professional gig was with WRCN/WHRF in Long Island. He also landed gigs in Los Angeles, Northern California, and Philadelphia before he got a “real job” with Consumer Electronics. But in the twilight of his career, he retired and enrolled in Saddleback College in Mission Viejo to take Communications and Broadcast related Courses. In January 2001, he returned to radio and developed the “Whole ‘Nuther Thing” concept, playing a mosaic of obscure as well as famous artists. Listeners responded so well to the format that Goodman began to dig deeper than the greatest hits and began playing the more obscure and forgotten material. He now has a worldwide audience for his weekly program on KSBR FM 88.5 or online @ http://www.ksbr.net/webcast.html each Saturday from 3-6pm PDT



How did you come to form A Whole Nuther Thing?
KSBR is primarily a Jazz Station and I'd been doing a show on KSBR for 10 years. Part of my show was an hour feature called The Whole Thing which featured one entire CD. I thought the concept was limiting and asked if I could change the format to feature an Artist not a CD and Whole "Nuther Thing was born. After year 4 I moved to Saturdays where we begin our weekend specialty shows. I had a little more freedom to play music from other genres and I inserted music that was not Jazz but blended well with our format. In 2007 The GM of our station allowed me to create a "Free Form" show where I selected all the material without any boundaries except "good taste".

What is your vision or intent in producing this radio show?

It's kind of like "Paying It Forward", I was inspired and educated in modern music by the DJ's of my youth and living in NYC I developed a "Melting Pot" mentality with regard to music. As a matter of fact my show begins every week with the track "Melting Pot" by Booker T & The MG's. Many of my listeners remark that I have turned them on to music they either missed or ignored.


Greg Shaw founder of Who Put the Bomp magazine and Bomp Records told me about 20 years ago or so that rock & roll was no longer the most popular genre in music but rock, blues , jazz etc would continue to flourish in small pockets around the globe. Do you agree? Do you see yourself as preservationist?

Preservationist? No, not really because the music doesn't need preserving as much as it needs exposing. In the last 40 - 50 years music has really blurred the lines and you can still hear influences dating back to the early days of R&B which is the genesis of Rock and Roll yet R&B borrowed heavily from the Jazz cats.



Do you have ties to the music industry?

I have quite a few who friends who are musicians and I worked for many years at JBL who is the choice of most concert venues and musicians for sound reinforcement. I worked in commercial radio in NYC, LA and Philadelphia when I finished college.


How did you become acquainted with Saginaw native John Krogman?

My wife Es Goodman, also a lover of music, created a Facebook page - Facebook Musicians Registry and John signed on and saw my posts requesting music from independent artists. I listened to his material, enjoyed it and notified him that I would play a few cuts on my show.


Why did you incorporate his songs with those of major artists?

I always try to frame certain tunes, what I mean is I try to surround them with similar tunes from artists that will complement the particular song and bring attention to it.


Are you collaborating with Krogman for future projects?
He will be sending me his new material with his new band Rustbucket.


In your view what are the chances for an independent artist like Krogman to make a living in the music biz?

I know many musicians like John that are making a living but it's not easy and they work unbelievable schedules with a lot of travel.


How many listeners do you have on your Saturday shows?

Since we are a non commercial station we fall under the radar of rating services and have no official gauge. My archived shows get downloaded 400 or 500 times a week from my website.


Do you have a particular memory of a favorite show...a surprise guest or celebrity call-in?

I try and make each one special but having one of my favorite musicians, John Batdorf debut his brand new CD on my show in 2009. Also, from time to time the legendary Music Producer and Writer Shadow Morton calls in to remind me he's listening. But most of alI receiving a phone call or e-mail from a listener that gets it, validates my efforts.


Do you have any plans to take your show on the road?

With our streaming on the internet we're already worldwide.
As Duke Ellington once remarked "There Are Only Two Kinds of Music, Good Music and Bad Music. Well, I choose the former.


Regards,
Bob