Life in the Old Scene Still

Zippy reported a couple of weeks back about a local music collective led by Knoxvillian scenesters Dave Whittaker and Jesse Courtney. The group met again at Stefano's on April 6 and has made greater strides in organizing and meeting the final goal of opening up its own venue. Some 10 newcomers were at the meeting, including Tom Pappas of Superdrag and Flesh Vehicle fame, as well as Benny Smith of AC Entertainment, both of whom offered the group advice based on their own vast experiences in the music scene.

A semi-official agenda was drawn up at the meeting as well, including an official name for the group, the Knoxville Music Collective. New member Mike McNeeley says that the group has elaborated on its initial fund-raiser idea. The members are currently looking to book several all-day festivals with some big-name local acts in order to get the venue up and running. Any band or current venue interested in participating in or hosting the events (or if you just want to get involved in the group) should call the Knoxville Music Collective Hotline at 637-6778.

After examining how other venues in this town have failed, KMC is looking at what it needs to do to survive once it opens its doors. It is looking toward sponsorships and non-profit status to keep it afloat, and is already making sure that local noise ordinances will not hinder its survival. The group has also decided on a possible location at 319 N Gay St. at the Hard Vinyl location across from Regas.

From the Mail Bag

In regards to "Zippy McDuff's" piece of several weeks ago regarding WDVX ["Trouble in the Trailer," Vol. 9, No. 6], I think an update is in order. First of all, volunteers come and go...That's just the nature of volunteering for a non-profit (non-paying) gig...If it becomes anything less than satisfying, then, by all means, move on and devote your time to something you like doing.

Next, I think anyone who listens to WDVX will find that the programming has gone on without interruption. New DJs have been added. The station still plays lots of bluegrass (on Tuesday evenings, Sunday mornings and lots of other times), old-time, Celtic, blues, swing, etc. I'm sorry Benny and Shane left the station. They were favorites of mine on the air, and still are good friends. But the station continues regardless. Believe me, Tony Lawson is not getting rich off of this venture...He's working long hours—sometimes around the clock—for very little pay. I do not believe that any of the ex-volunteers mentioned in your article have been willing to give up full-time paying jobs with benefits for the sake of a 200-watt radio station in a camper. Well, Tony has.

Further, WDVX is planning lots of activities during its spring fund-raiser...Free bluegrass and jamming all day adjacent to Market Square on Saturday, April 17; a fund-raiser at Rocky Branch Community Center near Maryville on Saturday evening, May 8; and the three-day Campout & Jam at the Fox Inn Campground (where the station is located) off the Norris-Clinton Exit of I-75 on May 14, 15 and 16. So WDVX will be taking the music "downtown" for all you diehard urbanites, and into the country for us "rurales."

Also, contrary to what Metro Pulse has implied in past articles, the WDVX signal is not weak at all...I can get it quite clearly at my home near Madisonville on a decent boom box, and I listen to it all the way from home and into Knoxville and beyond on my car stereo. I like WNCW a whole lot, but I can't pick up that signal very far beyond the I-40/75 split, or unless I'm actually in North Carolina. I wish them well in strengthening their signal.

But WDVX is the Knoxville area's own home-grown station, and it has become an excellent outlet for all sorts of musical talent. The "roots/Americana/folk/ bluegrass" music scene is absolutely thriving because of WDVX and the efforts of Tony Lawson. The Laurel Theater's programs have gotten increased exposure because of WDVX, even as WUOT has decided to all but put its association with the Laurel on ice.

Finally, I think "Zippy" ought to have the balls to use his own name when he writes his views of the local music scene. He took the words of a few disgruntled ex-volunteers as the gospel truth as to what was happening at WDVX. Did "Zippy" actually talk to any local musicians? Underwriters? He might have found many who have benefited from the station. Did "Zippy" bother to talk to any other volunteers? There are lots of us who love the station and have stuck by it, giving of our time and money. We had a meeting the other day attended by about 20 volunteers who want to help the station and make the spring fundraising a success. Then, a few of us stuck around and saw Fred Eaglesmith—all the way from Ontario, Canada, no less—perform "live" in the camper; that's what it's all about.

I'm really surprised that Metro Pulse, supposedly an "alternative" publication, would do such a hatchet job on what has probably been the greatest thing for "alternative" music in Knoxville in years. You've done a much better job in the past. Let's try again.

Steve Hooks
WDVX volunteer
Madisonville, Tenn.

Zippy Responds: I agree that WDVX is probably the best thing that's happened on local radio waves for quite some time. I wouldn't really categorize my coverage of the "Trouble in The Trailer" as being a hatchet job because I did indeed report both sides of the story. For the story I talked to around 10 people including present and former volunteers, board members, DJs, a local musician, and WDVX head honcho Tony Lawson himself. In the process I uncovered several instances of iffy business practices, bad blood, and a litany of allegations that were too trivial to even mention. Something must have been rotten at the station, or so many key players wouldn't have left at around the same time.

You'll also note the use of the word "alleged." That's one of those clever words us sneaky writer types use to indicate that a statement is what someone said, not necessarily the verifiable truth.

Quick and Dirty

Thursday: Free Tibet Benefit Show with Casey Jones, Audio Poolside, Judybats, and Martha's Thirst at Moose's.

Friday: John Prine with R.B. Morris at Tennessee Theatre.

Saturday: Apelife at Manhattan's.

Sunday: The new Rob Robbies, Tanger, the Come Ons, and Shattered at Axis Skatepark.

Monday: The Crucibleat UT Carousel Theatre.

Tuesday: Cabaretat UT Clarence Brown Theatre.

Wednesday: Battlefield Band at Laurel Theatre.

—Zippy "Ball-Free and Proud" McDuff