You know him as “The SandMan”. He can be found at 103.1 on the FM dial. We all have welcomed his voice into our homes, factories, backyard grill outs  and drunken naked beach parties. Hell, he was probably  there when  a few legs have been “tapped” too in some of your backseats. He kicks ass and is above all the others. The # 1 voice on the radio . And…

KICKACTS PROUDLY PRESENTS

1. Mike, welcome to KICKACTS. To the three or four people out there that have been locked in a closet with no radio for the past 20 years. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I have been on air doing radio in Evansville since Dec. 1979. Most of my time has been with 103.1, either as KC103 which it was in the early 80’s or in it’s current incarnation of 103GBF. I have also been the station program director since 1996

2. You have been a part of the # 1 Rock station in this market since its debut as KC103 back in the day. How has radio changed since then?

Technically it’s been a quantum leap. From vinyl to digital. As far as being a dj, it’s still pretty much the same. Try and cut through the b.s. and get the listener back to the music asap.

3. In your spare time, what do you like to do other than radio?

Spare time? That’s funny!! I like getting tattoos, hanging out with chicks, listening to music, watching movies and sports.

4. Do you have any way of knowing how many people call in each time you open up the phone lines for a call in contest?

Nope. No way of knowing that.

5. You are the #1 rated DJ in this area, in fact you are a local celebrity in your own right. Do you get recognized in public with your voice?

Yeah, I do. It’s very flattering. I just consider myself a dude with a cool job.

6. Where is radio heading? Will it all be automated eventually?

In small markets, it is to a large degree. I think people in towns our size and larger still want local air talent who can give them local info.

7. Most baby boomers associate the life of an on air personality to the lives portrayed in the TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”. Is it anything like that at all? Are there any Doctor Johnny Fever’s or Venus Flytrap’s not forgetting to mention Bailey Quarter’s or Jennifer Marlowe’s?

Oh yeah. That show is definitely based in reality. I’m probably a more hyped up, tattooed version of Dr. Johnny Fever myself.

8. What is the craziest contest stunt you have ever seen in your career.

We had a guy walk down the median on Green River Road in front of the mall in a thong to win concert tickets. That was cool. Attracted lots of attention.

9.You probably have the southwest wing of your house dedicated to rock and radio memorabilia that you have collected over the years. What is the coolest thing you have?

I’m not really too much into saving stuff like that. I do have a few platinum album awards from bands we’ve broken over the years like Creed and Godsmack. I have a few autographed items as well. Mostly it’s good memories.

10.# 10 is called “SHOUT IT LOUD”. It’s where you get to say whatever you want to say… So go ahead Mike, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!!

Talk about Perks... Mike having another "HARD" day at the office :) ed.

Bonus Question:

Are radio personalities like Howard Stern, Bob and Tom,and John Boy and Billy still relevant today?

Yes. Howard Stern is of course on satellite radio which is fading into the sunset to a large degree. But syndicated personalities have the power to attract big name stars onto their shows, which is something a station in a market our size couldn’t do on it’s own. I’ve never enjoyed John Boy and Billy personally. Too southern…too NASCAR for me. Bob and Tom offer comedy which has universal appeal.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity, Chuck!!

to contact The sandman

sandman@103gbfrocks.com

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1195064207

http://www.myspace.com/sandman103gbf

Listen live @ www.103gbfrocks.com

1. Hello Ed Collignon and welcome to Kickacts. Tell us a little bit about
yourself and your band.

Hello Chuck and “Hello” to all of the Kickacts readers. First off, I’d like to say just how much I’ve enjoyed Kickacts magazine. It’s been a real treat and I’ve been going online to read past issues too!
To tell you a bit about the band, my partner Dan Beyl and I have been playing music collectively for well over 60 years. While we’ve both been played in tri-state bands for years, we’ve never played together in any bands other than an occasional gig to temporarily fill-in for an absent band member. I’ve always enjoyed Dan’s playing and his approach to music. He is quite the professional in all aspects and it’s such fun to work with him. We’ve often mentioned the possibility of playing music together someday but our timing has just never lent to it. It seemed that we were never “un-busy” at the same time! Early in 2009, I contacted Dan to see what he was doing musically and he indicated that he might be free to do something soon. He asked what I had in mind and I talked about my interest in taking an acoustic approach to music. I probably didn’t tell him that the “acoustic approach” also SCARED the hell out of me too! I’ve always been an electric guitar player and playing an acoustic guitar is a whole different approach to a gig. I’m so used to being part of an ensemble that the thought of being just two acoustic guitars/two voices was pretty new to me. I have a great amount of respect for musicians who do it with just one person. I take my hat off to all of them! While Dan has primarily been a bass player in previous bands, he has always been quite the closet guitarist. He often downplays his abilities on guitar but he is a very solid guitar player with a tasty technique. Please don’t tell him I said that! Anyway, we got together and ran through a bunch of song charts that I had been accumulating. It felt really natural to us and fun too. So, we started learning tunes and weeding out the less favorite ones. Thus, Strolling Tones was born. This has been the most fun I’ve had musically in a very long time.

2. You guys play everything, from the Beatles to ColdPlay. Do you have a
favorite type of music?

You know, we actually like ALL kinds of music. Now, I realize that sort of
statement sounds pretty cliché but it’s really so true. Pop, rock, reggae, metal,
country, jazz, eastern… there is usually something to appreciate and enjoy in any
genre. Some types of music just seem to offer a bit more to me than others. “To
each his own”.
My particular favorite type of music would be the blues. I found my love of the
blues through Eric Clapton when I was barely a teenager. Obviously, the blues was a
big influence to Clapton and he has performed many blues covers throughout his
career. Whenever I would encounter one of these covers on his albums, I’d go check
out the original artist and subsequently found that I liked what I heard! Through
Clapton, I gained a deep appreciation of Elmore James, Albert King and Freddie King
and others. The blues is such a huge part of American music. Music today would be
MUCH different and almost unrecognizable without it.
Now, Dan is a bonafide Beatle-maniac. Like me, he enjoys so many styles of music
but the Beatles have clearly been a big part of his musical upbringing. Seriously,
the following statement is true. Dan has a room decorated in “early Beatle”!! If
any of your readers get a chance, approach Dan at one of our gigs and ask about his
Beatle wig and boots. Yep, he has them! If the Beatles brand offered Underoos, Dan
would have those as well.

3. You guys have been in some really cool and popular bands over the
years. Care to fill us on some of them?

Well, Dan has been in Evansville for more years than me and has been in countless
bands. Probably, some of his more recent bands have been Open Road and Flashback.
He was a founding member of both bands. Dan was in Flashback for years and they
played EVERYWHERE. They were always playing at local clubs, private parties, and
festivals. Flashback is still playing.
I’ve played in a few local bands but had the good fortune of playing in M.B. & The
Flips for many years. We were the house band at the old Casa Gallardo (now Hacienda
east) for years and we played all over the Tri-State area. Anyone remember D.C.’s
Lounge? We played there a bunch. If we weren’t playing in your favorite club, you
just needed to wait a day or two and we would probably be there.

4. What is your “best gig” ever memory?

Personally, my favorite gig of all time would probably be a night with M.B. & The
Flips at the Executive Inn Showroom Lounge here in Evansville. We were playing for
a large national organization of women representing the oil industry. The room was
packed and very lively. These ladies came to party and didn’t bring their men
folk. I have never seen such revelers. The late former Texas Governor Ann Richards
was the event’s keynote speaker. I got to hang out with her that night at an after
party and she was a hoot. Quite an interesting lady!

5. And in the same frame, how bout the worst horror gig ever?

You know, I’ve been blessed with some pretty sweet gigs and audiences in my
lifetime. However, years ago there was a wedding reception where the bride’s father
had way too much to drink, became thoroughly obnoxious and wanted to fight one of my
fellow band members over some songs we had played. No kidding!! I’m not making
that up. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The guy kept
threatening him. I really thought that we were going to come to blows. I’m
thankful that it didn’t come to that. Luckily, some of his family members were able
to get him out of there.

6. Do you guys do any original music too?

Dan and I both write music but we hadn’t begun writing any “Strolling Tunes” until
recently. We’re currently working on a few tunes and hope to debut them soon!

7. You guys are really talented. What inspired you to play in the first place?

I’ve always been deeply moved by music and particularly live music. Dan is much the
same. My mother’s family was very musical. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play
with them much at all due to age and geographical distances. I can remember the
very first time that I heard some people playing music together. The hair on my
neck stood straight up. So, you know that if hair was involved with me… it must
have been a very long time ago!
Dan had a very musical family and an uncle who was pretty inspirational to him. The
uncle cut him a sweet deal on a brand new Fender Jazz bass and Fender Bassman amp.
It was very cool gear for a young man and gave Dan an extra push into his musical
future.

8. Hypothetical situation. Your stranded on Gilligan’s island and you get
to hook up with only one the girls… Is it Ginger, Mary Ann or Mrs. Howell
and why?

“Only ONE”??? Well, I had a major crush on Mary Ann when I was a boy. Since I’ve
gotten older, I see things from a different perspective. Mrs. Howell or “Lovey”, as
she was so affectionately referred to by Thurston, obviously made the old boy pretty
happy. Being rich and famous, I’m sure that beautiful women were constantly
throwing themselves at him. But, he was crazy about HER. A woman of experience for
sure!

9.Where can find you on the web at?

We don’t have a dedicated webpage but you can find us on Facebook. “Like” us,
please!!. It’s always kept up-to-date with gigs, etc. Also, some demo covers and
our schedule are listed on the Evansville Courier & Press webpage too…
www.courierpress.com/bands/Strolling-Tones/
Both of these places are great places to find us but Facebook allows for more
interaction and such.

10.# 10 is called “SHOUT IT LOUD”. It’s where you get to say whatever you
want to say…So go ahead Ed, and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!!

Okay, here’s a rare moment of seriousness for me… Any future isn’t a realistic
promise. At best, it’s simply a hope and a dream. Let’s be careful in each moment
we live. Treat others and our environment with courtesy and respect. We may not
survive today but waves of our essence can go on as our legacy. Make it a powerful
and good force!

1. Tell the readers a little bit about yourself and your musical background.

Well, I’ve been playing guitar since I was ten. That’s enough to say that I’ve been playing a LONG time…HA! I grew up around country and gospel, but, that all changed when dad bought me my first KISS record… “Destroyer”, if memory serves. From that point on, it was all about the “ROCK”! (no, not the wrestler…)

2. How did you come up with the band name?

I was in a band many years ago where the guy whose house we practiced at had this little dog named “Gonzo”. It used to leave chew toys all over the practice area and one day, in frustration, I just blurted out “Gonzo needs a toy box…” and that was it. I thought it was a cool name. The rest of the band didn’t agree and shot it down. That project never made it out of the basement, but, the name stuck with me over the next several years till GT was born.

3. Who are the members of the band and who plays which instrument?

I play guitar and backup vocals. Mark Goines is our lead singer and, along with myself, is the only other founding member left. Glen Foust is on drums and backup vocals. He was our sixth drummer in two years, but, has been with the band since 2003, I believe. Stuart Martin on bass and Ed Sein on lead guitar have both been with us for just over two years now. They came aboard during a time of upheaval and uncertainty in the band and really gave us the kick in the ass we needed to move forward. We really have become like a family and when we’re on stage together, it’s best to just stand back, cuz we’re gonna bring it!

4. What kind of gear does each of you use?

Ed uses Bogner amps with Mesa Boogie cabinets, and plays Gibson, Godin, and PRS guitars. Stuart and I both use Mesa Boogie amps and cabs exclusively. He plays Music Man and Carvin basses. I play a Gibson Les Paul and have recently been playing a brand of guitars called “Flaxwood” which are made in Finland and are just incredible instruments. To be honest, I’m not really sure what kind of drums Glen plays…all I know is they sound great miked up. I think we all use Shure microphones. Mark tends to go through a lot of mics. He’ll deny it, but, he’s always blowing them up somehow.

5. Do you do cover tunes, original tunes, or both?

We all write in this band and there are a few “Gonzo’s” originals floating around somewhere. However, there’s not much of a market for original music in this area, which is a shame because are a lot of great local artists out there. Our stock in trade has been playing covers, but, we try to do them in a way that is uniquely ours. We get told a lot by fans that they like our versions of certain songs better than the original artist’s…which always makes us feel great!

6. Who are some of your influences, musical or otherwise?

Wow! There are so many, it’d be impossible to even narrow it down. Although, I tend to gravitate away from what’s popular or trendy. I like artists who aren’t afraid to show who they are and what they’re about to the world. I’m also very impressed with great musicianship and thoughtful lyric writing. A great song is just a great song and will reach out and grab you no matter how it’s presented.

7. Tell us about some of the greatest and worst gigs you’ve experienced.

Playing the Freedom Festival in 2007 was off the hook! So was the Friday Concert Series in Owensboro before they tore down the the old Executive Inn. We miss that gig. The Haubstadt Bierstube is always a good time, as well. New Year’s at the old Woody’s was a great show as is nearly every New Year’s gig we’ve ever played. As for the worst, I really can’t think of any that stand out. The way I see it, the worst night of gigging is better than the best day of work!

8. Tell us about your impressions of the local music scene. What do you think could be done to improve it?

Well, I think that new clubs need to do a little more market research before sinking too much time and money into a concept that doesn’t have much shelf life. I’ve seen a lot of venues come and go because they try to come in and change the way people want to party. New ideas are great, but, know the limits and listen to what people want…and that means more than just a select few. Also, I’d love to see the local radio and television stations do more to promote homegrown artists. New music scenes pop up in the strangest places sometimes. Who would have thought Seattle would explode the way it did when Grunge came in?

9. What do the members of this band do when they’re not rehearsing or gigging?

We all have families and jobs. That, combined with band business and rehearsal, doesn’t leave time for much else, unfortunately…

10. This one really isn’t a question. This is the part of the interview where we ask you to say what’s on your mind or to give a shout out to whomever you want.

I would just urge musicians to stay true to themselves and maintain direction. It’s so easy to get caught up in what goes on around a little bit of success. There is nothing like buying into your own hype to bring down everything you’ve worked for. Most of all, remember this: the band you’re talking shit about today, may be the band you’re auditioning for tomorrow…this is especially true in our little neck of the woods. Aside from that, I just want to say “Thank you” from the bottom of our hearts for all the support and continued success that we in GT have been blessed with! May we be worthy! See y’all at the show!