Knoxville Radio—961, Knoxville Listeners—2

"Dear Metro Pulse," reads a letter dated April 3, 1999, "Please find out for me and all the devoted fans of WXVO why they changed their format abruptly on Friday, April 2, 1999. They never said anything on the radio—no warning whatsoever.

"Where did my favorite DJs go? I noticed Krutch on 100.3 'The Eagle' the other day and I heard Sir Matthew as 'Tony' on The Eagle, also. Where are Mel and Ripley?

"Why did the politicos at Dick Broadcasting do this to us? Were the ratings not high enough? How do I get ahold of Mike Hammond?

"Please start a campaign to get 'the X' back on the air with our old DJs.

"Sincerely,
Sheila Henderson"

Well, Sheila (and all of the other rabid X fans out there who have been ringing the phone off the hook), Zippy got a call at 2 p.m. or so on Friday. It was Mike Hammond, Director of Operations, who then informed me that the station would be changing formats at 5 p.m. Really? Asked I. Really, he confirmed. The new format would be—and I quote, simply because the phrase amuses—"smooth jazz." You know, he explained, like Kenny G., George Benson, Phil Collins, and Anita Baker.

Hammond offered some reasons for the sudden 180-degree change, namely that the rock arena in Knoxville had gotten a little crowded and there was a want for this type of programming—which is, actually, true, since there wasn't a station that specialized in smooth jazz until the change. (But, coincidentally enough, wasn't that the same reason they cited when starting up 98X—the market's "need" for hard rock programming?) The X's DJs were given the option to stay on with the corporation in a different role, but Hammond was unsure which ones would choose to do so.

As to the larger reasons why such a change would occur, Zippy has been forbidden to reproduce exact Arbitron numbers (Metro Pulse doesn't subscribe to the service) but can say that a substantial drop in the overall ratings for WXVO from the Summer '98 to the Fall '98 ratings period left them almost neck and neck with WNFZ 94.3 (which also had changed to a hard rock format after 98 did). But the listeners who left the X did not tune in to what Extreme Radio had to offer; instead, WIVK (107.7) and WJXB (97.5) were the big winners. (If you want to do a little research on your own, check out www.rronline.com. Knoxville is market #69.)

Mike Hammond can be reached at 588-6511, for those who would like to register a complaint.

Oh, I Get It: It's Art!

The charges against Michael Sonnie for dropping his pants Dec. 19 at the A-1 Artspace's closing show were dismissed last Thursday by Judge Brenda Waggoner when the arresting officer didn't show up in court. The judge apparently kept Sonnie and his attorney, Mike Whalen, sitting around from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., while the prosecution tried to scrape together a witness, Whalen says. "They didn't have a witness, so they had to dismiss."

Whalen was confident Sonnie would have been exonerated anyway, since it was part of an audience-participation art piece. As part of the show to say good-bye to the A-1's home (the building had been sold), people placed items in the middle of the floor and smashed them, and set off fire works. Police shut it down when Sonnie bared his privates, charging him with indecent exposure and resisting arrest.

"You can't be arrested in a theatrical performance," says Whalen. "They said, 'Well, he was part of the audience.' Well, everybody was a part of the thing. That's the whole point."

Whalen points out that the event was publicized beforehand to include "Nudity, fire, chaos, and baked goods," along with "live sex acts. Absurdity. People intoxicated on various semi-poisonous substances."

Don't you wish you had been there?

Dig the Lava

Plague Records, the local punk label, will be hosting/booking "punk weekends" at the Lava Lounge. The weekends will consist of two all-ages matinee shows—one Saturday, one Sunday. Three bands will play each show and the cover has been lowered to $3. Not a bad deal and the kids will dig it.

But the shows need bands to fill them. If the idea of playing one of these gigs mustards your pretzel, drop a line to Plague at [email protected] or send promo stuff to PO Box 10911; 37939.

We Love Gripes

Got a complaint? Bummed by Knoxville "Anti-fun" Tennessee? Hate this paper? Vent already and log onto the brand-spankin' new Metroblab discussion page. Give it to us. We can take it. (Note: Metro Pulse will not be held accountable for any death threats made by your fellow Knoxvillians. Be sweet.)

Alternatives to Drinking Beer at The Underground

Thursday: Rockwell Church at Barley's. Joti Rockwell and Nathan Church Hubbard bring their unique D.C. folk to the Old City. And they've even done a Polo/Ralph Lauren radio campaign. How hip can you get?

Friday: Big Ass Truck with Honeyrods at Moose's. We want the funk. Give up the funk.

Saturday: Laura Chandler, Karen Reynolds, and Kit Rogers at Bird's Eye View. Sisters are doin' it for themselves.

Sunday: The Hobbit at Bijou Theatre. Sure it's a kid's show—but it's the coolest kids show you'll probably see this year, with dragons and wizards and Steve Dupree.

Monday: The Hershey's Kissmobile at Wal-Mart, Walker Springs. Into every life, some kitsch must fall.

Tuesday: Cabaret at Clarence Brown Theatre. Just don't call me old chum.

Wednesday: The Ahn Trio at UT Music Hall. Classical, schmassical. Music is music.

—Zippy "Wilkommen" McDuff