![Jimmy Fallon and Jed The Fish backstage at Acoustic Christmas](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jimmy-Fallon-cir01.jpg)
Years away from his gig as a late night talk show host, Jimmy Fallon has always been good natured. Here I am trying to have a conversation with people talking to me in my headphones. Hey Jimmy, do you remember me?
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Peter Bergman and Harry Shearer at USC in 1974](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Peter-Bergman-and-Harry-Shearer-USC-journalism-project-cir74.jpg)
Harry Shearer and Firesign Theater comedian Peter Bergman generously agreed to appear in a student project I did my freshman year, long before I became Jed The Fish. Paisley curtains in the tradition-steeped Hancock Hall. Many years later filling in for Jason Bentley at KCRW, I finished my shift and was about to leave, and he said from the next studio, "Oh, you're too big a star now to say hello?" Embarrassed, I had seen him but had no idea he would ever remember me. Funny guy.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 70s, All |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish and Bud Thomas in KPIN, Casa Grande, Arizona](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0056_a.jpg)
My first radio boss ponders the decision of putting a sixteen-year-old on the air. I had a Saturday show where I played what I want, at that time a lot of Chicago, Jethro Tull, and Frank Zappa. He was a most kind and thoughtful individual. KPIN was sold my senior year, and the person who took over was Kevin Weatherly's father, who hurled records at me when I played George Carlin's album track Shit, on the air.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station, Press |
Taken | March 9, 2019 |
Uploaded | March 10, 2019 |
![KROQ Music director Lewis Largent](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Lewis-Largent-cir92.jpg)
KROQ Music director Lewis Largent. He was a very funny guy and a treasure to work next door to. I need people like him around me to perform. This is Lewis goofing off at an radio station event. My photo.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish, Pasadena KROQ control room.](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed-in-Pasadena-studios-1980.jpg)
Baseball shirts were a thing. Jed The Fish, Pasadena KROQ control room. There were carts everywhere. Similar to the old 8-track cartridges, these had a continuous loop with a stop tone (to stop the machine the last time someone played it) just before the beginning of each recording. So when you plugged it in to play it, it was always ready. It was quite a reliable system, which is why the cart machines such as ITC existed for 50 years. Hassle recording the cart in the first place, but I did it for the Go-Gos, who gave me a demo lacquer of “Cool Jerk.”
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Djjedthefish.com 0043 A](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0043_a.jpg)
Category | All |
Taken | March 9, 2019 |
Uploaded | March 10, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish producer Rick Rippey](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed-the-fish-producer-Ricky-Rippey-95.jpg)
Rick Rippey was my producer for 12 years, in my opinion my best years. He encouraged diabolical ideas. Suggests things in just the right way to inspire me. Burbank KROQ control room. Now THIS guy could fix any piece of equipment put in front of him. Note the overbridge, which he and Scott Mason installed. It allowed the cart machines to be places directly over the control board for smoother workflow.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed at a beach remote, cir93](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed-at-a-remote-broadcast.jpg)
We did a ton of beach remote broadcasts, which were difficult from a technical perspective: we had to hear ourselves, we had to communicate with the person running controls at the studio, and we needed to make sure the audio was good, which was not easy. Since I usually could not hear the music at all, I had to hope I was back-announcing the right record. Even with today’s tech, PD Kevin Weatherly hates them, because it’s almost never a controlled situation.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed in medical scrubs, cir82](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed-in-medical-scrubs-cir82.jpg)
Debbie Leavitt contact sheet from 1982, KROQ control room in Pasadena. Never a fashion trendsetter, somehow the DJs picked up on the medical scrubs look.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Sigue Sigue Sputnik with Jed The Fish in Pasadena](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Sigue-Sigue-Sputnikcir86.jpg)
The KROQ mural in Pasadena. Tony James, left flat-footed by Billy Idol’s departure from Generation X, had to start a new band. No doubt inspired by the outrageousness of Malcom McClaren and his bands, they went big. Love Missile F1-11 was their only real hit. I bet they wish they had boobs.
Album | Everything Album |
Category | All |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![INXS Member Tim Ferriss and Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/INXS-member-Tim-Farriss-and-JTF.jpg)
Muscle shirt, no muscles. INXS drummer Tim Ferriss is the clowner-arounder of the band, and I love that they didn't always send Michael Hutchence for interviews. Fun guy.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![David Byrne and Jed the Fish good riddance note](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0058_b.jpg)
Warner Bros. obviously remembers the November 1989 interview as a harrowing experience for David Byrne. It was. I asked questions about creativity, which are the most difficult for an artist to answer. At One point, he replied with a distressed whine. "I - I - I don't know," uptoning on the last syllable.
![Jed The Fish, Cal State Fullerton's Daily Titan](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0074_a.jpg)
Jed The Fish, Cal State Fullerton's Daily Titan
![1999 Alternative Radio Personality of the Year award to Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/AlternativeRadioPersonalityoftheYearAlbumNetworkawardtoJedTheFish.jpg)
Between Kevin and Bean and Jed The Fish, we had a pretty good award run until Album Network, the trade publication, was bought by Clear Channel. I guess our competition couldn't bear to see us sweeping up awards, so they just bought the magazine. Now they are called I Heart. Do you think I Heart is a good name for a radio group?
![David Byrne with Jed The Fish in November 1989](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0058_a.jpg)
Don't be fooled by the smile. This was torture for David Byrne, and he's only smiling because the interview was over. He is one of the truly fascinating artists I have ever spoken with, and I am a huge fan. Not necessarily of the Red Momo album, which he was there to promote, but his work continues. I can't say that about all the greats. Sometimes being a fan does not serve the discussion.
![B52s Bouncing of the Satellites interview at KROQ](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Wild-Planet-release-interview-cir80.jpg)
Kate and Fred stopped by for an interview after I had carved a jack-o-lantern in the KROQ control room. It was a sad time for the band with Ricky having passed just months before. They did not tour for the album. Warner Bros. Promotion person Paul V. was outraged at my criticism of the album.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 80s, All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Danny Elfman, Vatos, Freddy Snakeskin, and Jed The Fish in Hawaii](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed-Danny-Elfman-Johnny-Vatos-Freddy-Snakeskin.jpg)
In those days, Danny always had a jovial mood for the camera. It was a time I will never remember. Honolulu, Hawaii 1983
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish's signed Duran Duran Patrick Nagel poster](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed_20.jpg)
One of the few distinguished examples of Duran Duran ephemera signed by the entire band, Capitol Records gave me this for my support of the first two albums. Funny thing, the label actually had unpaid interns promoting the band. I think his name was Danny, and he brought me my first copy of 'Duran Duran' in the summer of 1981. Money well spent?
![Title coming soon](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0009_a.jpg)
Album | Everything Album |
Category | All |
Uploaded | February 18, 2019 |
![Cal Shenkel, Zappa album cover artist, autograph to Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/INXS_0097_a.jpg)
By far Frank Zappa's most popular choice for album art, Cal Shenkel was a hero of mine from the time I was in high school.
Album | Everything Album |
Category | All |
Taken | October 24, 2018 |
Uploaded | February 14, 2019 |
![KROQ air staff at Acoustic Christmas](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/IMG_0271_4.jpg)
Moments before Bean fell off the stage, all of the joqs gathered. Just after Bean fell, I thought I heard someone sarcastically say "Bean fell off the stage." Absurd, right?. I laughed my ass off. But he really fell, as they introduced No Doubt. Sorry Bean.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Taken | December 14, 2014 |
Uploaded | January 21, 2019 |
![Scott Weiland, Kennedy, and Jed The Fish at the First KROQ Weenie Roast](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/INXS_0132_b.jpg)
The "Virgin" Kennedy, who drove me around for months whilst my license was suspended, is great in photos. Given to plaid design, her personality was huge. Scott Weiland of STP felt hopeless about being on heroin. He believed that unless someone was threatening your career, it was impossible to get clean. I guess I was lucky.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Taken | December 2, 2018 |
Uploaded | February 14, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish in Solana Beach, 1985](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Appearance-Solana-Beach-cir85.jpg)
DJ appearance at Sandpiper Square, Solana Beach. The chic facing me is so very 80s. Me? I look like I just went to see a dealer.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![KROQ Winners in a limo](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0016_a.jpg)
I don't remember who these people are, or which band they are going to see. But remember riding in a limo to a concert is pretty much reserved for the rich. Maybe I shall revise this text when someone comments on their memory, which I hope was good.
Album | Everything Album |
Category | All |
Uploaded | February 18, 2019 |
![Andrew Eldritch of Sisters of Mercy, in-store appearance 1992](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Andrew-Eldritch-Sisters-of-Mercy-Tower-in-storeSherman-Oaks-cir85.jpg)
When there was a Tower Records in Sheman Oaks, the corpselike countenance of Andrew Eldritch appeared along with two other guys in shades, Jed The Fish and Program Director Andy Schuon, already planning his escape to MTV. While a young lad living in Denver, Andy won a contest by AM/PM to name a thirty-two ounce drink. It’s STILL called the Thirsty-Two-Ouncer. A droll wit and brilliant marketer. 1990.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 90s, All |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jack Johnson and Jed The Fish backstage at Acoustic Christmas](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jack-Johnson-Acoustic-Christmas-cir01.jpg)
Surfers in general are easy to speak with. Unlike many though, Jack Johnson is articulate. Even though he did not grow up listening to KROQ, he was generous about my influence on him.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Warren Zevon with Jed The Fish, cir.1980](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Warren-Zevon-cir80.jpg)
Warren Zevon I miss. Alcoholism. Just adore his music. To Warren's right is KROQ Music Director Larry Groves. Larry was Program Director Rick Caroll's Music Director. He was known for the saying, "Ricky don like it." That's what he would say to promotional people to signal that he had played it for the Program Director, and it got a thumbs down. I call that KROQ logo the party hat logo. 1985. I just added banjo to Werewolves of London, so if you have me dj for you you get mutations like that.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 80s, All |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Seated between Stryker and Blade, KROQ Calendar in-store appearance](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Seated-between-Stryker-and-Blade-at-KROQ-Calendar-signing-cir04.jpg)
We were toast after visiting with each fan for 10 seconds, but they were fun. The KROQ Calendar appearances went on for a while, and we all did it just because we were supposed to. Great fun. We had a wonderful promotions person, Amy Stevens.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Events |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Fineman 4th](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Fineman_4th.jpg)
Album | Everything Album |
Category | All |
Taken | February 15, 2019 |
Uploaded | February 16, 2019 |
![Fat Boy Slim platinum award, detail.](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed_25.jpg)
Fat Boy Slim platinum award, detail.
![Baaaaybe Alice](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Baaaaybe_Alice.jpg)
At 8 weeks. I could take her anywhere at this age. She just went into a little bag, poking her head out, impressing people (girls especially).
Category | All |
Taken | March 29, 2005 |
Uploaded | April 20, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish's Depeche Mode 'Music For The Masses' gold record](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed_23.jpg)
DMode I began playing on KROQ because the producer was Daniel Miller, of The Normal (TVOD, Warm Leatherette, 1978). Mike Zampelli from Zed Records/LBC brought the single New Life to Pasadena with a dozen or so other records he wanted me to play on the Jed The Fish import show. Not a huge response but the band showed promise. Once Speak and Spell arrived, everyone on KROQ was playing it.
![Jed The Fish asks David Bowie if he's ever been fat](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed_05.jpg)
This was when David Bowie came by the station in advance of the 'co-headlining' NIN show, and I GOT TO INTERVIEW HIM. Thing is, as anyone will tell you, he is as kind and disarming as could be. It was near Halloween, and I had decorated the Burbank studio with oodles of scary, and one of my props was a battery-operated, undulating heart. He made sure I noticed that he had crammed it in his pants, power on, just as I opened the mic. To say I laughed is an understatement, as I'm sure you recall what I was capable of. This was when we were both in recovery. Meeting him in the Station to Station days might have been different. And yes, I asked him if he had ever been fat.
![Elvis Costello in the Pasadena studio with Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/E-Costello-by-JTF-after-Interview-cir83.jpg)
The one that almost got away was Elvis Costello. A fan since 1977, I thought of him as this elusive, difficult artist that would have nothing to do with me. Along came Trust and that changed a bit. True, the LP needed help, but I have rarely met such a gentleman. He brought albums, each cover in a plastic sleeve, and each sleeve in its own velveteen slot. I was impressed with just his record box! So much for the angry young man.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 80s, All |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Psychedelic Furs singer Richard Butler and Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Psychedelic-Furs-Richard-Butler-avoiding-camera-cir91.jpg)
I must have met with Richard Butler a half-dozen times, and we always had laughs. One night before a show at the Forum he asked if I had decent seats, and I said, yeah, not bad. When he came onstage and saw me dead center in the front row, his eyes jumped out of his head. Later he said, he remembered me saying I had decent seat, but he never expected me to be right under his nose whilst singing. I explained that, yes, I can always get free seats, but if I really want to see, I always purchase tickets. On this occasion, I actually asked Goldenvoice if I could buy front row center and they let me, knowing I never ask such things. Note long-time Music Director Lisa Worden on right, left below me is Assistant PD Gene Sandbloom, who today runs Roq of the 80s.
Categories | 80s, All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | January 15, 2019 |
![Jed's flyer offering to work for free at KROQ](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/INXS_0135_b.jpg)
Me in tights and tard sitting in a wheelchair in my USC dorm room. My theater major roommate was Gary Wissman, who became an accomplished theatrical stage set builder. Because of affirmative action, I was turned down at every other station I applied to, who all said I was the most qualified for the job, but sorry. A friend Robyn suggested I try KROQ. Before I started the name Jed The Fish.
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station, Press |
Taken | December 4, 2018 |
Uploaded | February 14, 2019 |
![The The (Matt Johnson) 1990 KROQ Interview Jed The Fish](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/The_The_Matt_Johnson_1990_KROQ_Interview_Jed_The_Fish.jpg)
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | 90s, All |
Taken | February 15, 2019 |
Uploaded | February 16, 2019 |
![Title coming soon](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/djjedthefish.com_0012_a.jpg)
Album | Everything Album |
Categories | All, Around the Station |
Uploaded | February 18, 2019 |
![Jed The Fish UB40 award for Labor of Love II](https://7m00cd.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/grand-media/image/Jed_27.jpg)
I have discarded these awards if they had no meaning for me. This one did, because I feel I have a relationship with the band. UB40 was an example of success by acclaim, not as much by promotion. That's why Jed The Fish support means something.