Monday, September 23, 2024

Radio show ending


From Beth Riley:

For the last 10+ years, my husband James has done 3 radio shows. It started with Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour, then went to Catching A Wave (2 different versions) and finally he joined me on my show Boppin' With Beth. He edited and produced all of them. We both put a lot of hard work into them, including planning, research and the actual recording part. There are a lot of things that you might not know about behind the scenes....the anxiety, the frustration, the stress. All you got to hear was the final products of the shows and that always sounded amazing.

James and I used to do radio promotions together but when COVID hit back in 2020, things kind of slowed down a bit due to artists not touring and/or recording as much or in some cases, at all.

In March of 2022, James went into the hospital after being sick for over a week. He was in ketoacidosis and almost died due to how high his blood sugar was. It was 607 upon arrival. He spent 6 days in the hospital and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (which he didn't know about before), he also had pancreatitis and was in stage 3 kidney failure. It was the scariest time of our lives. James was on insulin 3 times a day for several months (administered by yours truly). He was able to get off of insulin and just take metformin to control his diabetes but we haven't really been able to get over the 6 day hospital stay. He has severe anxiety, stress and to be honest a little PTSD from the days at the hospital.

At the end of 2023, we made the decision to stop doing radio promotions altogether because we had a lot of clients that we had given discounts to in the past, go with new promoters. We were a bit hurt by that but we still wanted to do radio shows and make scheduling music our main focus. To be honest, we were just burnt out. James has been doing Radio promotions for over 30 years and hasn't done anything else that paid in that time.

We stopped doing the radio shows because it was becoming too much. Way too much.....for both of us.

Here's the thing, we knew that radio shows didn't earn us any income but it was a labor of love....a hobby.... something we did to make people happy....and it made us happy. When it stopped making us happy, we knew we needed to make a change. I have a full time job. I am doing very well there and I want to move up at the company I work at.

I feel like I needed to explain everything BUT I also want to try to get James a little help too. If you read this and have appreciated anything that James has done in the last 10 1/2 years, show him some love and support. I'm asking for donations because although we did our shows for free....the quality of his work needs to be paid for. A dollar or 2 would go a long way. He would never ask anyone for anything but I would do anything for him. Your donation would go to whatever the next thing may be. Thank you for reading this!

Ways to donate:

Cash App:

$BethRiley050420

PayPal:

bethriley1969@gmail.com

Venmo:

@Beth-Riley-46

Mailing address available on request.

 

Sunday, September 15, 2024

Catching A Wave 09-16-24

 


Gotta take that one last ride on Catching A Wave! For our final show, hear both Billy F Gibbons and Los Straitjackets (with Mark Lindsay) take on a Roy Head classic in our Head 2 Head segment! Beth Riley has an instrumental deep track from The Beach Boys in her Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break. We hear a tune from an album by The Hondells celebrating it's 60th anniversary in our Good Time segment and we drop a coin in the Jammin' James Jukebox for our selection of the week (Annette Funicello...written by Gary Usher & Roger Christian). Plus, there's NEW tunes from Herb Alpert, Aloha Screwdriver, Jack White, The Riptide Rats, Ichi-Bons, Humanga Danga, Bloodshot Bill, X, Marmalade Wake, The Del Roswells, That Green, The Me Gustas and Dirty Quarantine!

Hear episode HERE:



Intro music bed: "Catch A Wave"- The Beach Boys

Aloha Screwdriver- "Turducken Of The Sea"
The Del Roswells- "Baltan"
Herb Alpert- "Dancing Down 50th Street"
That Green- "Heart Shaped Box"
Jack White- "That's How I'm Feeling"

Good Time segment:
The Hondells 60th anniversary of Go Little Honda (1964 Mercury Records)
The Hondells- "Hon-Da Beach Party"

X- "Sweet Till The Bitter End"
The Me Gustas- "Last Of The V8s"

Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break:
The Beach Boys- "Carl's Big Chance"

Marmalade Wake- "Big Kahuna"
Bloodshot Bill- "Slippy"
Humanga Danga- "Western Sunset (The Outlaws)"
Dirty Quarantine- "Sunglasses Gang"

Head 2 Head:
Billy F Gibbons- "Treat Her Right"
Los Straitjackets (with Mark Lindsay)- "Treat Her Right"

Jammin' James Jukebox selection of the week:
Annette Funicello- "Custom City"

The Sentinals- "Latinia"
Ichi-Bons- "Outsider"
The Riptide Rats- "Reef Rumblin'"

Outro music bed: Eddie Angel- "Deuces Wild"






Sunday, September 8, 2024

Catching A Wave 09-09-24

 


We board the Catching A Wave Time Machine again this hour for the week of July 1, 1966 to hear some songs on the chart for radio station WLS Chicago (including the song at the top). There's a tune from an album by Link Wray that's celebrating it's 50th anniversary in our Good Time segment. Beth Riley has a solo track by Carl Wilson in her Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break. We'll drop a coin in the Jammin' James Jukebox to hear our selection of the week. Plus, killer new tunes from The Fathoms, Secret Agent, The Boss Martians, The Scimitars, The Jagaloons, The Beach Berserkers, The Masonics, The Greasy Gills, The Yeggs, Dead Kampers, The Alley Oops and The Babalooneys!

Hear episode HERE:



Intro music bed: "Catch A Wave"- The Beach Boys

The Fathoms- "Hard To Fathom"
Secret Agent- "Mata Hari" (instrumental)
The Beach Berserkers- "Rumble"
The Masonics- "I Got It All"
The Bablooneys- "South Short"

Good Time Segment:
Link Wray 50th Anniversary of The Link Wray Rumble (1974)
Link Wray- "It Was A Bad Scene"

The Boss Martians- "The Sender"
The Greasy Gills- "Corn Cob Racer"

Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break:
Carl Wilson- "She's Mine"
Follow "Surf's Up: Beth's Beach Boys Break" HERE

The Yeggs- "Duck and Cover"
The Scimitars- "Hafla"
Dead Kampers- "Griselda"

Catching A Wave Time Machine
week of July 1, 1966 for WLS Chicago
#20 Jan & Dean- "Popsicle"
#2 The Troggs- "Wild Thing"
#1 Tommy James & The Shondells- "Hanky Panky"

Jammin' James Jukebox selection of the week:
The Surfettes- "Sammy The Sidewalk Surfer"

The Jagaloons- "The Rising Surf"
The Alley Oops- "Hang Ten"

Outro music bed: Link Wray- "The Wild One"









Sunday, September 1, 2024

Catching A Wave 09-02-24

 


It's back to school time and Catching A Wave is your "hall pass" for fun this hour (the title of the awesome new tune from The Volcanics later)! Your homework is to listen to all the awesome songs and segments in store. There's a Two-nami in the forecast with 2 in a row featuring my birthday buddy Ricky Fataar (let's hear it for September 5th birthdays!!). Beth Riley has a deep track from The Beach Boys in her Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break. There's a tune from an album by The Spotnicks that's celebrating it's 60th anniversary in our Good Time segment and we drop a coin in the Jammin' James Jukebox to hear our selection of the week (features a young Frank Zappa)! Plus, great tunes from Kris Bone, The Saskatones, El Nino Delta, The Police, Cameronoise, dayaway, Draculina, JD McPherson, Dave Del Monte & The Cross County Boys, Slowey & The Boats, Jenny Don't & The Spurs and Party Nerves!


Hear episode HERE:


Intro music bed: "Catch A Wave"- The Beach Boys

Kris Bone- "Brazil"
Draculina- "Sinhella (2024 Remaster)"
JD McPherson- "Shining Like Gold"
Jenny Don't & The Spurs- "Sidewinder"
Slowey & The Boats- "Almost To Tulsa"

Good Time Segment:
The Spotnicks 60th Anniversary of Meet The Spotnicks (1964)
The Spotnicks- "Western Guitar"

Dave Del Monte & The Cross County Boys- "Granada Bop"
Party Nerves- "Coffee and Muffins With Anton"

Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break:
The Beach Boys- "Had To Phone Ya"
Follow "Surf's Up: Beth's Beach Boys Break" HERE

dayaway- "beam me up"
The Volcanics- "Hall Pass"
Cameronoise- "Video Video"
The Police- "Goodbye Tomorrow"

Two-nami:
The Rutles- "Lonely-Phobia" (lead vocals by Ricky Fataar as "Stig O'Hara")
Ricky Fataar- "Drivin' & Jivin'" (from Spotswood Soundtrack)

Jammin' James Jukebox selection of the week:
The Hollywood Persuaders- "Grunion Run"

The Super Stocks- "Ventura"
The Saskatones- "Mariner 10"
El Nino Delta- "We Love Troubles"

Outro music bed: Link Wray- "The Wild One"



Ricky Fataar

Ricky with The Rutles (top right as "Stig "O'Hara")

Ricky (left) with The Beach Boys










Sunday, August 25, 2024

Catching A Wave 08-26-24

 


Our Head 2 Head segment returns with a fun take on a Ramones tune featuring the original as well as The Delta Ring adding a surfy version of it as well. Beth Riley has a deep track from The Beach Boys in her Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break. We hear a tune from an album by Evan Foster celebrating it's 20th anniversary in our Good Time segment and we drop a coin in the Jammin' James Jukebox to hear our selection of the week (a surf version of a 1951 Frankie Laine hit). Plus, new tunes from The Boss Martians, Jack White, Lisa Mychols, The Kaputniks, The Raveonettes, Jet Jaguars, The Minarets, Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets, The Surf Hermits, The Surf Junkies, Los Grises, The Desolate Coast and Bloodshot Bill!!

Hear episode HERE:



Intro music bed: "Catch A Wave"- The Beach Boys

The Boss Martians- "Gone Wild"
Bloodshot Bill- "Doomin'"
Lisa Mychols- "Mahala Aloha Kihei"
The Surf Junkies- "Clarissa Ward: Queen Of Danger"
The Desolate Coast- "Los Alamos"

Good Time segment:
Evan Foster 20th anniversary of Instrumentals
Evan Foster- "Hearse Full Of Souls"

The Surf Hermits- "Desert Beneath The Waves"
Los Grises- "Vertigo"

Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break:
The Beach Boys- "Karate AKA Beach Boys Stomp"
Follow "Surf's Up: Beth's Beach Boys Break" HERE

Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets- "Different Kind Of Blue"
Jack White- "Missionary (No Name Track 12)"
The Kaputniks- "Is This The Wrong Planet?"
The Raveonettes- "Wishing"

Head 2 Head:
Ramones- "We Want The Airwaves"
The Delta Ring- "We Want The Airwaves"

Jammin' James Jukebox selection of the week:
The Illusions- "Jezabel"

Jet Jaguars- "Club Zombie"
The Minarets- "In Los Lunas"

Outro music bed: Link Wray- "The Wild One"











Sunday, August 18, 2024

Back To The 80s! Catching A Wave 08-19-24

 


Catching A Wave goes back to the 80's this week! All the songs this hour come from this awesome decade. We'll board the Catching A Wave Time Machine for the week of June 15th, 1985 to hear some songs on the Billboard Hot 100 including the song at the top. Beth Riley has a deep track from The Beach Boys in her Surf's Up-Beth's Beach Boys Break. We have a tune from the debut album by The Bangles that's celebrating it's 40th anniversary in our Good Time segment and we'll drop a coin in the Jammin' James Jukebox to spin some wax from the early 80's for our selection of the week (The Malibooz). Plus, 80's tunes from The Raybeats, The Untamed Youth, Duane Eddy, Davie Allan & The Arrows (featuring Dick Dale), The Halibuts, Jon & The Nightriders, The Surf Raiders, Surf Punks, The Surfin' Lungs, The Wedge and The Neptunes!

Hear episode HERE:



Intro music bed: "Catch A Wave"- The Beach Boys/ Huey Lewis & The News- "Power Of Love" (instrumental)

The Raybeats- "Searching"
The Surfin' Lungs- "Pray For Sun"
The Surf Raiders- "Crash"
Jon & The Nightriders- "Geronimo"
Duane Eddy- "The Trembler"

Good Time Segment:
The Bangles 40th anniversary of All Over The Place
The Bangles- "Tell Me"

The Neptunes- "Hydrophobia"
The Wedge- "Night Of The Living Wedge"

Surf's Up- Beth's Beach Boys Break:
The Beach Boys- "It's Gettin' Late"
Follow "Surf's Up: Beth's Beach Boys Break" HERE

Davie Allan & The Arrows (with Dick Dale)- "Surf Trek"
The Untamed Youth- "One Pine Box"
Surf Punks- "My Beach"

Catching A Wave Time Machine
week ending June 15th 1985 on Billboard's Hot 100:
#43 The Power Station- "Get It On (Bang A Gong)"
#32 The Beach Boys- "Getcha Back"
#1 Tears For Fears- "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"

Jammin' James Jukebox selection of the week:
The Malibooz- "Surf Beat '81"

The Halibuts- "Church Key"

Outro music bed: Duane Eddy- "Rockabilly Holiday"