TOP-10 OF ’09 FREEWAY500

picture THIS crowd.... only 30X larger!

10. GOING SOLO#11 409
9. ROYAL BLISS 624
9. POP EVIL 704
8. TESLA 814
7. JET BLACK STARE 1,332
6.  HELI-LESSON#5 1,368
5. WASHINGTON PILOTS 1,428
4. IN THIS MOMENT 2,444
3.  SEATTLE SEA GALS 2,512
2. QUEENSRYCHE “AMERICAN SOLDIER” 2,522
1. SAVING ABEL 2,627

~ Geoff

Welcome to the lab.

Representing over 50 markets & seven countries, in this yearly compilation we hear some of the greatest Production/Imaging people in THE WORLD. These, the artists that color “the sounds you hear”, create the flavor of your favorite shows; bring life to disembodied words branding attitude, putting personality to the intangible, and leave a memorable impression that jumps at you from your radio.

Known simply in the trade as “the missing link”, these master designers live by one simple rule: A station (on a crowded dial) without identity, is just a number~ without a face.

Down for the count

Then it was off for some well deserved R&R with those fun-loving hotties at THE TORCH. Always a lot of fun in the Lake City; Bikini Bull Riding, Bikini Ice Shots, Bikini Racktober Parties, or, in this case~

Put up yer daisy dukes

the Bikini FOXXY BOXING

(seen here in THE TORCH album)  this would wind up being my last LIVE broadcast for a while, but *hey* it was worth it, and it was great to see our old “Bikini Stubble” winner again. TAKE IT TO THE RING, CARMINE!!!

she'd kick your ass

She is going to RACK IT UP for another crack at the RACKTOBER calander and I would hope for a year of whatever month she lands upon. That’s MY vote!

What month would YOU be? …I’m still kinda partial to Bunny Month ~ but am willing to negotiate. OW* stop hitting me!

OW!

Meanwhile, back at the radio-ranch, I’d been running a small “covert” operation, keeping me on my toes and doubly busy with additional pre-weekend duties. On Thursday, I actually (sorry!) pre-recorded my show and was escorted to a top-secret location on Fairchild AirForce base, where we provided live entertainment for 500 troops!

Beer-Goggle Run

It was awesome- all the E-1′s – E-4′s have some good memories with ROCK 94.5 on-base. I was SLIGHTLY humbled, as always, to work with these fine men & women who often give so much to protect our nations freedoms~ yet, seek so little in return. (And to think I complain when the traffic holds me up ten minutes in construction)

Food Is Served!

…So we played the AC/DC “WE SALUTE YOU”, as I tried to convey my personal feelings of gratitude the best I could; Mudvayne, Lamb Of God, and Killswitch CDs & DVD’s. There was the “Pie-in-the-face” of the Captain, The “Beer Goggles” obstacle course, The giant-Inflatable boxing-ring, and the ice-cold “dunk tank”.  Airman Roberts would be “dunked” like a trooper multiple times throughout the course of the breezy-cool & very dusty pre-fall afternoon. And all this, while sargents & command cooked the hamburgers, serving the long staggered feed-line. “better than M.R.E.’s, eh?”  Special thanks to the FIRST-FOUR program, SNAP (Ron Hardin), and Sr. Airman Peters for bringing us in for that truly memorable “company” event.

Its CAMO time

*** I actually miss hosting their “Open House” like I used to (for about ten years), so this was a great way to get back in touch with some of those old-fond memories I have of being a guest, in base-life. And, also, on a personal note: I was deeply touched by the many airmen who came up to me, took me aside, and mentioned how “you guys got me through~” or “When i was overseas, there was no base, but there was YOU guys online…” Or, “you’re my lifeline when i am not home”

Winners

… i kind of had no Idea. I know we stream online and the computer in the back of the room just sits there spitting out packets of music and program, while lights blink on and off below~ but I never really think of those on the other end like that, maybe I’ll start paying a little more attention to what’s going down that worldwide pipeline. JUST KNOW THAT WE REALLY REALLY DO…

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

-=Gs=-

Becky and Joe

of our ‘HIGH IN THE SKY‘ let’s-learn-to-fly-heli’s video series from last summer? (See the VIDEO HERE) Well, her &  Joe, “PhunBobby”, and I ~ went up in the Spokane Airways 172 for quite the little flight-reunion of sorts. I had recently gotten licensed and Becky was there through proxy, curious and learning right along… Call it “the big get-even” I guess, as she was the one to embarrass me in front of all the rock listeners when we found out I could fly an airplane solo to Missoula no problem, but when it came to hovering a helicopter; I could barely keep us from dancing an aerobatic slow-waltz for more than a minute or so.

Safety is #1 on the list. So, when i felt the 30mph gusts buffeting my car ~ I wasn’t even sure we’d be removing the tie-downs, let alone piling four people into the 1500lb aircraft and departing for the hazy azure colored smoke-filled sky.

captain Gee-off

Luckily, we had some weather smarts, planning this venture for later in the day, giving mother nature a chance to relax… As the Pilot-In-Command,  passenger comfort is #2 on that list. My instructor, Dave Du4,  just happened to be working this day, and happily looked over my paperwork. The biggest concern; besides the winds, were the four passengers in our 4-seat plane.  What if someone had “fudged” their weight a few pounds? Or had a 60lb camera? Dave made sure I knew the density altitude of our 2,475′ above-sea-level airport that day was 5,600′ and the Runway only 6,400′ long.

Spokane International

So, I added a “fudge” factor, determining we may be as little as 30lbs of max. So~ we removed some fuel. Now I had 80lbs to “play with”. Dave was satisfied with this, giving “thumbs-up” as we all slithered onto the 109-degree tarmac for pre-flight.

Hot, isn’t the word- It was a freakin’ oven in that plane, with one window~ about the size of a microwave.  I warned about “the bumps” assuring them we’d return shortly if things weren’t comfortable. We’d also scrapped plans for “touch & goes” at Deer Park simply not enough runway available, and instead, fly for “pleasure” over lake Coeur D’Alene.

Looking below it seemed everybody was out that evening! From numerous boats (looking like white caps on the lake), to the sold-out game at Avista stadium, races at Stateline & Spokane speedways,

'Lake City' ...invaded by tents

to the small “tent-city”  on Sherman Ave “Art On The Green”… (PICS POSTED IN ‘FLYBOY2′ ALBUM)

no puke stains, see?

Returning, we found the “big airport” through the haze of some thick BC Forrest-fire smoke, made a rather UN-eventful 12kt crosswind landing, commented to the ground-crew how we never did find any of those ’727 shaking’ bumps reported; Just happiness, smooth air, and the most beautiful summer’s sky one could hope to fly. “Go see Dave”, I said, and “get those wings, Becky!” …when she finished screaming, that is…  in pure delight of flight.

-=Gs=-

Smak-attack

GODSMACK RECAP: *Phew* finally got the DJ voice back, after an incredible show with GODSMACK sunday night at “the Factory”. It was a lean-mean somewhat stripped down show put pure GodSmack with all the essentials. (see set list below)  Prepared to open for Motley crue the very next day for Cruefest II, it was Sully, Robbie, Tony, and Shannon alone. No “Voodoo-girls”, No Pyros, No 20 minute Sully and Shannon Drum-off, or acoustic interlude. Like a machine, they came out pounding and kept the crowd pushing forward bouncing in a giant unison as if “the factory” floor had giant springs beneath it! Higlights included seeing Sully do the guitar solo (that’s new) and the crowd singing VOODOO so loud nobody noticed that Robbie’s bass had stopped working and he stood on stage pounding it looking at the stage mix crew waiting for them to outfit him with another in mid-song. Instictively, the band played on without seeming to even notice, masterfully Tony adopting the bass-parts betwen his etheral guitar chords (of all songs for this to happen on) to this bass-heavy song! Good job Tony!!! We fealt maybe Robbie wasnt having a good night but we loved him just the same~ the entire band was ontop of their game after too long of an inland-Northwest hiatus.  And the crowd showed it, with a crowd-surfer-to-mosher ratio of about 22:1. We saw some people get lifted forward across the sea of head, and tossed up over the barricades five or six times …and they were coming at a rate of six – ten a minute!  (PHOTOS)

mondo-jenn-geoff

100 YEARS OF MOTORCYCLES: G.A. is ‘the man” on this anual celebration of all things loud and shiney at the fairgrounds, but it’s safe to say the show this year was extra loud and shiney.

First Lady jenn

I have some shots i’ll post to my HOTSPOTS gallery later on~ but it was great to see all those bikes and bikers gathered in one location and the local bands, “battle-cage”, booths, the Inland-helicopter specially painted R-44, 100yr biker girls, and all those sweet sweet customs and classics~ I hadn’t planned on going to an exceptionally tight schedual this week (see next post) but was personally invited by “the First lady” Jennifer Scott, and therefore, like being invited to the Royal Tea-Party by the queen- one isnt actually being INVITED… but summonsed, and one must drop whatevere it was they were doing.  So, I arrived shortly after the appointed time and was treated to lunch with the world-famous master-chopper builder MONDO, followed by “some quality time” alone with the queen… I mean the FIRST LADY! woo-hoo!!  (PHOTOS)

THE TORCH: My wife had said “Honey, this is your anniversary gift.. so go have fun at the UH-UH bar.”  Enough said. Carmen, we hope to see you in our Miss Rock-Hard comp later~

Bullride Test pilots

WITH YOUR PNEUMATIC SHOES! (PHOTOS)

GODSMACK SET-LIST:

1. Whiskey
2. Faceless
3. Bad Religion
4. Straight Outta
5. Re-align
6. Awake
7. Time Bomb
8. Moonbaby
9. Enemy
10. Keep Away (with sully guitar intro)
11. Speak
12. Voodoo
13. Drum Solo
14. Whatever
15. encore: Good Times / Bad Times
16. I Stand Alone

…And the summer’s just begun!  -=GS=-