Let’s Listen to a Clip From Adam 12’s First Radio Show, 25 Years Ago

June 18, 1996. My first radio show: 5-8 p.m. on Northeastern University's 104.9 WRBB. That means I've been on the radio for 25 years.

Quick story about that first show: I prepped the hell out of it. The 5-8 p.m. block on WRBB at the time was for alternative and indie rock, right in my wheelhouse. I gathered a bunch of my favorite CDs and records from home, planned out my sets by genre, and even brought along a notebook to write it all down for posterity. You know what I didn't bring? Headphones.

No worries, I thought. I'll wing it. I cued up my first song right around 5, hit my music bed, potted up the mic, and started my very first talk-break. As I was yapping, the co-op student working in the station's office poked her head into my open studio door and gave me a quizzical look. I wrapped up my break, potted down the mic, and was informed by said co-op that my break didn't go out over the air.

You see, I had potted up the mic, but I had neglected to TURN IT ON. Of course, had I been wearing headphones, I wouldn't have made such a gaffe. 25 years on, I've at least figured that out.

You can hear audio from my first-ever radio show below. My first paid radio show? That's a different story: you can hear that here. In the lead up to that anniversary, I celebrated by spotlighting some of my favorite albums, radio stations, and DJs from my 25 years in broadcasting, so dig into those memories with me, too. Eternal gratitude to erstwhile ROCK 92.9 Program Director Ken West, as well as Beasley Boston's Mary Menna and Cadillac Jack. Thanks to them, I'm on the radio in Boston, celebrating 25 years and counting. And thanks to you for listening, of course.

My first break with the mic ON, that is.

DJ Shadow's Endtroducing..... is still my all-time favorite album.

Mogwai has perhaps my all-time favorite band, 25 years on.

RIP WBZ's Neal Chayet, a true gentleman in broadcasting.

I got to be a DJ on the Z. You can never take that away from me.

I've always done everything in my power, no matter where my radio journey has taken me, to shine a light on Boston-area acts.

RIP Mimi from Low, who we lost late in 2022.

I got to see Karate's reunion tour in the summer of 2022. I'd like to go back in time to 20 years before that and tell myself that it's totally worth the wait.

As I type this, these two albums turn 20 this year and that's wild.

Broadcasting live from the 2004 Red Sox World Series parade? Career highlight.

Played as much Boston punk on BCN as they'd allow me to. Which was more than I was probably supposed to.

Toucher & Rich ended up doing all right, as it turns out.

Even at a quarter-century, I'm still not worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Charles. Legend.

It was harder to force my indie-rock will on the air at BCN toward the end, but I always tried.

And now Jaybeau and I work down the hall from each other!

Tai still inspires and mentors, as great broadcasters do.

LG is "Auntie Laurie" to my kiddos, now and forever.

Adam 12: rock on the streets, jazz in the sheets.

Speaking of jazz radio, RIP Eric Jackson, the best to ever do it.

John Funke is my favorite radio DJ ever, period.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out what we were doing on RadioBDC a decade ago and how far ahead of the curve we were.

Boston Calling memories. And they continue now at ROCK 92.9!

Shout-out to stations like WMVY on the Vineyard and WMWV in North Conway, who are able to do on commercial radio things I can only dream about.

indie617, still going strong 5 years on.

Now that I'm a Program Director again, I REALLY have a say in what I play!

That's all for now. If I'm lucky enough, I'll get to do this again to celebrate 30 years.