By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Inspired by the likes of the Kinks, the Sonics, and raw blues, the Stooges formed in 1967 but remained somewhat dormant until Pop experienced an inspiring moment. After seeing the Doors, everything changed. "I just thought, well, this is so brazen, there is no excuse for us not to do it anymore," he said in a 1995 interview. Originally called the Psychedelic Stooges, the band made their public debut on Halloween of 1967 and quickly became friends with fellow Detroit rockers the MC5, sharing the stage with them and helping to build the legend and legacy of the Detroit scene of the late '60s. It was the MC5 who helped push the Stooges further. When Danny Fields was scouting the MC5 for Elektra Records, they famously told him, "If you like us, you'll love our little brother band," referring to the Stooges. In the end, Fields signed both bands for a bargain-bin price of $25,000: $20,000 for the MC5 and $5,000 for the Stooges.

Though a more psychedelic and meandering tendency bogged down the band's initial attack, they quickly fine-tuned things into the attack they would be forever known for. The band shaped their debut with former Velvet Underground member John Cale acting as producer. As recording progressed, they soon realized they were short on salvageable material. At some point, label president Jac Holzman told the band they had five days to get it together. In that time, they came up with the album's second half, including 'Real Cool Time,' 'Not Right,' and 'Little Doll.' Elsewhere, 'Ann' was reworked from an earlier incarnation, and the eerie ten-minute lysergic drone 'We Will Fall' shone a light on the band's more experimental side.

History tells the true tale here. Though it seemed like a good match on paper, John Cale's initial album mix lacked the punch and power needed. Elektra rejected the mix, and Holzman returned to the studio with Iggy to remix the whole thing. That is the version we have known for years. Those original Cale mixes would ultimately surface on an anniversary re-master as bonus material. While those versions are interesting, they made the right choice back in 1969. 8 songs clocking in at just over a half hour, ten minutes of which was 'We Will Fall,' made for a take no prisoners attack.

Songs like 'I Wanna Be Your Dog,' '1969,' and ‘No Fun' set the standard for any band eager to disrupt the norm, from the Ramones to the White Stripes and beyond. Their attitude and aggression were unlike anything else at the time. The MC5 certainly brought energy, but they were more polished musicians and performers. The Stooges were simply punks with guitars and drums, featuring a raw talent front and center. Iggy was relentless in his style and delivery. 

While Iggy drew heavily from Jim Morrison, he distilled it down to a more primal essence. The intellectual nuances of Morrison are replaced by a caveman aesthetic—admittedly, a very articulate and intelligent caveman, but devoid of any clichéd pretense of 'art.' Even where the Stooges borrowed significantly from James Brown's showmanship, they simply threw it all on the floor and picked it up as they went. And let’s not overlook the raw and distinctive guitar style of Ron Asheton, with his brother Scott pounding the drums into submission and Dave Alexander's jazz-inspired, flowing bass. Unfortunately, Iggy is the last man standing.

In the instant information age, it's difficult to explain how new, strange, and groundbreaking someone like Iggy was. You would hear stories of his behavior or read about an incident in Creem Magazine, but it was a legend being pieced together. An interesting side note pops to mind here: Three of the most unique frontmen in rock and roll—Peter Gabriel, Steven Tyler, and Iggy Pop — all started out as drummers. Talk about cutting loose once free!

Of course, the album sold poorly, but Elektra held onto them for a second album, the even more mind-blowing 'Funhouse,' released in 1970, which is where everything was firing on all cylinders, making it truly one of the greatest rock and roll albums ever made. The self-titled 1969 debut remains hugely important. It was ground zero for many bands that followed and more intense than most of what it would inspire. They didn't break the mold with Iggy; he broke it himself and never looked back. The Stooges’ debut was primal, inspirational, brutal, and essential.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Peter Hammill
"Nadir's Big Chance"
(1975 - Charisma Records)
Released 50 Years Ago This Month 

"Peter Hammill is great. A true original, I've just liked him for years," John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten said in a 1978 Capital Radio interview. "If you listen to him, his solo albums, I'm damn sure Bowie copied a lot out of that geezer. The credit he deserves just has not been given to him. I love all his stuff." Lydon let loose this praise after playing two Hammill songs on the air, 'The Institute Of Mental Health, Burning' and 'Nobody's Business,' both from the 1975 LP 'Nadir's Big Chance.' Lydon had been invited on the radio to talk about his new band, Public Image Limited, and promote an upcoming concert. He also picked songs by Lou Reed, Can, Peter Tosh, Captain Beefheart, and Neil Young, among others.

To the casual music enthusiast, the name Peter Hammill likely means nothing, ditto his groundbreaking band Van Der Graaf Generator. To those who may be familiar, it might have seemed odd that this 'face' of punk rock would be championing a Prog rock genius like Hammill, but dig a little deeper, and it all makes sense.

1967, the seed from which so much would spring, was a Technicolor year full of amazing music, style, and ideas. For many of a certain age, those ideas would transform their musical and personal lives into other previously unexplored worlds. The psychedelic floodgates had opened, eventually leading to the storms of the progressive rock movement, with King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator being among the first in line to try and expand on the ideas set in motion by the Beatles, Hendrix, and others.

Unlike much of what would be wedged into cliché progressive rock territory, Crimson, and VDGG never let the flowers grow over the jagged rocks in the garden, but rather, let them all have their place. The music Hammill and company would create on their first four albums was challenging, complex, and in your face. That's not to say they were void of delicacy and beauty, but the harsh, sometimes ugly other side of the coin was given equal time.  No time for gnomes either, as Hammill's lyrics were often drawn from personal emotions and situations rather than Tolkien tales. Their music was, and remains, a challenge for many to listen to. Songs like 'Killer,' 'White Hammer,' and 'Lemmings' were at times brutal in their aggressiveness, while the side-long 'A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers' was never for the faint of heart. Because of that, the band built a devoted cult following across the globe, especially in Italy, where their 'Pawn Hearts' album topped the Italian charts in 1971, and their concerts were sold-out scenes of riots.

Following that tour and album, Hamill broke up the band, saying it had all gotten too intense. He had already released one solo album, the much more focused and melodic 'Fools Mate,' and kept on a solo path until late 1974 when he called in the band to back him on a new solo album. This would soon lead to a full-on revitalization of the band through the end of the 1970s. The album he had them play on would be unlike anything else in his solo or band catalog. Gone were the complexities, odd time signatures, long songs and anything resembling the heyday of progressive rock (though some elements would return with the band on their following releases). In place was a back-to-basics approach, connected to the beat groups so many had initially been inspired by but plugged into a whole other level. For some, this is where the idea of 'punk rock' first shows its face. That being said, much of the music here also has an equal sonic connection to the ‘post-punk’ stylings of bands like Magazine, Ultravox, and early Siouxsie & the Banshees.

Obviously, it's not that simple, and there are more intricate things happening: saxophones, backwards guitars, harmonies, and so on, but it's all assembled in a unique way. Recorded in December 1974, the LP hit shops in early February 1975. The very idea of recording and releasing ASAP was front and center as Hammill wanted to capture that bolt of inspiration while hot, and he and the band most certainly did. 

Opening the album is the title track, centering on the fictitious character of Rikki Nadir, an attitude-filled rocker and, some have said, alter ego for Hammill. The song is angry, in your face, and full of energy lacking in much of the music of the era. "The song Nadir itself, if not exactly a blueprint, fits in entirely with the ethos of '76 and '77," Hammill told Record Collector in 1993, "precisely in chord structure - and attitude, come to that." He rants against the superficial aspects of the pop and glam world of the day.

‘The Institute of Mental Health, Burning' is art rock with attitude, while 'Open Your Eyes' is a stomping rocker with the always excellent sax work of David Jackson in the spotlight. 'Nobody's Business' wields a metallic clang and venomous punk vocal long before the Bay City Pistols even made the papers. Not unlike Roxy Music on steroids! Next, a sharp turn with a soulful ballad, 'Been Alone So Long,' one of Hammill's finest ballads, something he was always so good with. 

'Pompeii' carries a very Lou Reed vibe, while the acoustic-driven 'The Shingle Song' and the majestic 'Airport' keep the listener guessing where things are headed next, with each adding different colors to the canvas. Next up is a re-recording of one of Hammill's earliest songs, 'People You Were Going To.' originally recorded for their debut single back in early 1969. The version here is much tougher and self-assured and makes more sense with this material.

It's the next song that truly tears the roof off. 'Birthday Special' is the most 'punk' sounding of the batch, so perfect in its simplicity and execution, it's almost not worth going into detail save to say, in many ways, it was a blueprint for what was to come. It simply sounds so unlike 1974. It is like prime Who meets all that was around the bend. Just listen to Hammill's voice! So full of attitude! In fact, he even went as far as to say it was "attitude, rather than the music" that 'Nadir' really set in place for the punks. The album ends with the sublime 'Two or Three Specters,' capping an LP unlike anything else in the Hammill catalog, and it is a very massive catalog, one that continues to this day.

From the original LP liner notes, Hamill concedes that the Nadir character is simply a part of him that he had wanted to let loose. "An ice blue Stratocaster, spinning through space, Nadir crashing his way through distorted three chord wonders. The anarchic presence of Nadir - this loud, aggressive, perpetual sixteen year old has temporary yet complete dominion, and I can only submit gladly and play his music - the beefy punk songs, the weepy ballads, the soul struts. With the state the world in, there's always room for another Nadir."

I first fell in love with this album back in the early 80s, already well aware of VDGG, but not having dove into his solo work. This changed all that and turned me from fan into obsessed fan. I love how some music can do that. Sometimes, it's the right song or album catching you at the right time, other times it’s much more involved, but it’s always about that connection to the listener. Of course, it may not hit you the way it has always hit me, (certainly one of my favorite albums ever) but, if nothing else, perhaps it will get you to turn up the volume and enjoy!

By Sarah Swirsky, MSW, LISW, Summit Wellness Coordinator

Mid-winter is here, bringing crisp air, twinkling frost, and shorter days that invite us to slow down. While the cold and darkness can sometimes leave us feeling drained, nature is giving us a gentle nudge to rest, recharge, and embrace a different rhythm. This seasonal slowdown—often called wintering—is a chance to reflect, reset, and find comfort in the little things. (Curious about the idea? There are some great books on the topic!)

If winter’s chill has you feeling sluggish or low, you’re not alone. But there are plenty of ways to brighten your mood and keep your spirits up:

🌞 Let in the Light – Sit by a sunny window, take a bundled-up stroll, or try a light therapy box for a boost.

💡 Check Your Health – A quick visit to your healthcare provider can ensure your vitamin levels (especially Vitamin D) are where they should be.

🎶 Turn Up the Music – Play your favorite tunes to lift your energy or create a calming playlist for cozy moments.

🎨 Get Creative – Paint, knit, write, cook—whatever sparks joy and brings warmth to your days.

🛌 Balance Rest with Movement – Give yourself permission to slow down, but don’t forget that gentle movement, like stretching or a short walk, can do wonders.

📞 Stay Connected – Reach out to loved ones, plan a game night, or join a group—community makes the season brighter.

Wintering doesn’t mean going it alone. By taking small, intentional steps, you can find warmth and joy even on the coldest days. And if your low mood lingers, reaching out for support is always a smart choice.

Looking for resources? Your local ADM Board is here to help. If you’re in Summit County, visit admboard.org for support.

Celebrate Ohio's Rich Musical Legacy at the 
8^th Annual Summit FM 330 Day Concert
A Special Night of “Ohio Greatest Hits” at the Akron Civic Theatre

The Summit FM is proud to present the 8th annual 330 Day Concert on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at the Akron Civic Theatre. This year’s event promises to be a memorable one, featuring an exciting lineup of beloved 330-area musicians performing iconic hits by legendary Ohio artists.

The 330 Day Concert, a free, all-ages event, celebrates the vibrant music scene in Northeast Ohio, focusing on the rich local talent that defines the region. This year’s concert will feature 330 favorites performing covers of hit songs by Ohio legends such as Devo, The Black Keys, The James Gang, John Legend, Walk the Moon, The Pretenders, Nine Inch Nails, Tracy Chapman, Michael Stanley, and many more.

The Summit FM invites you to this exciting, one-night-only performance where twenty-plus local artists will unite to honor Ohio’s musical heritage. The event will also feature an eleven-piece house band, providing the perfect backing to these one-of-a-kind performances.

“We’re beyond excited about this year’s 330 Day Concert,” said Mark Greer, Executive Director of Akron 200. “As part of the Akron Bicentennial calendar, there’s no better way to celebrate our amazing musical legacy than with many of the iconic hits that put Akron and Ohio on the musical map.”

Featured Performers:

• Alex Bevan
• Anya Van Rose
• Brian Lisik
• Candace Campana
• Carlos Jones
• Cody J. Martin
• Don Dixon
• Emily Bates (The Shootouts)
• Hannah Crandall (Truss)
• Jackie Popovic (The Vindys)
• JD Eicher
• Jeff Klemm
• Jeri Sapronetti
• Katy Robinson
• Lauren Brabson
• Marc Lee Shannon
• Michael Weber
• Ryan Humbert (The Shootouts)
• Shanna Delaney (By Light We Loom)
• Tracey Thomas
• Willis Gordon

The eleven-piece house band will feature John Anthony (The Vindys) and Erin Vaughn on guitar, Kevin Martinez on bass, Tim Longfellow on keys, Dylan Gomez on Drums, Justin Tibbs on Saxophone, Mark Russo on Trumpet, as well as Klemm, Brabson, Humbert, and Bates on backing vocals. 

“The Summit FM takes great pride in producing The 330 Concert right here in our hometown of Akron, especially during the bicentennial celebration,” said Summit FM General Manager Tommy Bruno, “While this event is exciting, it represents just one day in our nearly 40-year legacy of discovering and championing local music talent – past, present and future.”

The concert will be held at the Akron Civic Theatre, an iconic, historic venue in the heart of downtown Akron. Doors will open at 5:00 PM, and music will start at 6:00 PM. Admission is free, but a $10 suggested donation will be collected to support The Summit’s mission of promoting local talent and commercial-free music. 

Preferred seating is provided for Summit FM members, who can RSVP through an exclusive event link sent via email.

In 2015, the cities of Akron, Youngstown, and Canton officially declared March 30 as “330 Day” in recognition of The Summit and their local music-only radio station, The330.net. 

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, March 30, 2025
• Time: Doors open at 5:00 PM, music starts at 6:00 PM
• Location: Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St, Akron, OH 44308
• Admission: Free with a $10 suggested donation
• All Ages Welcome

The Summit FM would like to thank the Ohio Arts Council, the City of Akron Bicentennial, Stella Artois, Woodsy's Music, Eddie's Famous Cheesesteaks, and Summit member Ken Robinson for supporting this event. 

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

RIP Marianne Faithfull (December 29, 1946 - January 30, 2025)

Of all the amazing female artists in the history of rock and roll music, there are few quite as intriguing, captivating, or simply beautiful, as Marianne Faithfull. She has long been a tower of strength, and her journey has been a long and interesting trek through a variety of musical and human adventures. To many, she is instantly remembered as this striking young woman who won the heart of a young Mick Jagger, and became half of one of rock and roll's most celebrated couples in the mid-1960s. While her recording career ran side by side to that of The Rolling Stones, and her first hit, 'As Tears Go By,' was a Jagger/Richards composition, Faithfull was always her own musical soul in search of her own expression.

Initially discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who thought he could make her a pop star, she signed to the Decca/London label, and between 1965 and 1967, issued a total of seven albums and ten singles, four of which cracked the Top 10. Over the course of those records, she tried her hand at pure pop, folk, a more sophisticated style of pop, and a tinge of psychedelia. Her voice was pure and honest throughout, despite a slight lack of identity at times. During this time frame as well, her life took a major turn, as she became romantically involved with Jagger, a relationship that would both benefit and damage her.

Covering songs by Jackie DeShannon, Bacharach/David, Jagger/Richards, and Tony Hatch, her 1965 debut was classic British pop, but by her second offering, 'Come My Way,' she was off on a musical adventure of her own. With songwriter Jon Mark, the duo reworked an album's worth of traditional folk songs. This approach would follow on her third LP, 'North Country Maid,' which also included compositions from Donovan and Bert Jansch. Her fourth and final album of the '60s, 'Love In A Mist,' would draw from both pop and folk influences.

By 1968, she had somewhat backed away from her music career, though it was a 1969 single that would forever change the way people viewed and understood Faithfull in musical terms. Decca issued a single, 'Something Better,' written by Brill Building mainstays Barry Mann and Gerry Goffin, to promote a best of album, 'The World Of Marianne Faithfull.' It was, however, the B-side that caught attention. 'Sister Morphine,' co-written by Faithfull with Jagger and Richards, made its first appearance on her solo single, with her vocal, nearly two years before The Rolling Stones would issue their version on 'Sticky Fingers.' The record biz, being the cruel and questionable place it was (is), failed to give her credit for the song upon the U.S. release. This issue was not rectified until the early 1990s!

For the next decade, Faithfull only recorded two albums. 'Dreamin’ My Dreams,' in 1976 (later reissued as 'Faithless’) and 'Rich Kid Blues,' recorded in 1971, with songs by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Phil Ochs, Cat Stevens, and others. A phenomenal album that, for legal reasons, remained unreleased until 1985.

It was, however, in 1979 when Faithfull found her true voice with the release of the legendary 'Broken English' album. Combining elements of new wave, reggae, and electronic music, it helped put her music in clubs around the world, while it earned the most glowing reviews of her recording career. "As bracingly full of venom and spite as anything her punk admirers could muster,“ and “from a sweet pop star to a legitimate rock songstress who is both mature and empowering, while the album itself being a masterpiece."

The musically adventurous album is also a no holds barred lyrical trip, with zero censorship. I mean, zero! The lyrics to the LP's final track, 'Why'd You Do It?' were so explicit in its description of an affair, that workers at the EMI plant walked out, refusing to press the album. The song still resonates, and shocks, today. It is possibly the most vicious flip off song ever recorded. You think Taylor Swift, Beyonce, or any of these other prancing little pop stars have attitude? You have no idea!

Released 45 years ago this year, 'Broken English' was a definite turning point in her development as an artist. “I made a decision to really, completely give my heart to the whole thing, and that’s what happened," she told the Guardian. "I was quite smart enough to realize that I had a lot to learn. You know, I didn’t go to Oxford, but I went to Olympic Studios and watched the Rolling Stones record, and I watched the Beatles record as well. I watched the best people working and how they worked and, because of Mick, I guess, I watched people writing, too – a brilliant artist at the top of his game. I watched how he wrote and I learned a lot, and I will always be grateful.” The title track became a club hit and critical triumph.

She would remain musically active and adventurous through the 80s and 90s, performing with everything from a jazz combo to a rock band to an orchestra. She would hit a genuine gold streak in the 2000s with albums like 'Before The Poison,' 'Horses And High Heels,' 'Give My Love To London,' and 'Negative Capability,' many of which she teamed up with members of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, who proved to be perfect musical companions to where Marianne was at. The world weariness of her voice went to suit the songs, and her performances, better with age.

Throughout her life, she has battled everything thrown at her, from being berated by the press in the UK, to dealing with the male rock and roll ego, and the complications of the music industry, not to mention a serious heroin addiction that left her homeless at one point. There was also a battle in later years with cancer, Hepatitis C, a broken hip, depression, and lastly, a serious battle with Covid, which, sadly, left damage to her lungs and, therefore, making singing a difficult task at this point. Her most recent album, 'She Walks In Beauty,' from 2021, featured her own reading of some of her favorite poems, with musical accompaniment from Warren Ellis, of the Bad Seeds. Marianne Faithfull was and still is a tower of strength, with battle scars and a vast catalog of music to prove it. An eternally interesting songstress and human being, her story is one of strength, survival, and sonic adventure. "I don’t know why I believe in miracles. I just do," she surmised. "Maybe I have to, the journey I’ve been on, the things that I’ve put myself through, that I’ve got through so far and I’m OK.” One of a kind and just as cool, if not cooler, than her male counterparts and companions, Marianne Faithfull shines on.

By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Digital Media Specialist

 “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

Voltaire 

We could hardly see. The snow piled up, and the roads were noticeably worse since we arrived for Mass an hour earlier. Leaving St. Peter’s, my father, though, would not be deterred.
 
He was going to check for that damned license plate number!
 
Early in our youth, my father adopted an additional Sunday morning ritual. Almost immediately after receiving Communion and waiting for the recessional hymn to end, we would practically sprint to the car so that, on the way home, my father could stop briefly at the Sohio station on 9th street. This filling station was never open on Sunday. 
 
However, it posted a printed poster with a series of license plate numbers on the glass window. Should our number be listed, we would win free gas. It was his ‘lottery day’, a chance to pull into the empty station, run over to the window, check to see if his future would be augmented in some way, and then return to the car, usually deflated, and head home, with high hopes for the next weekend.
 
On that snowy Sunday, my father, again, pulled into the Sohio. “I’ll be right back,” he announced before opening the door and releasing an Arctic blast of air into the car’s interior. Mark, my twin brother, was in the front seat, and I watched as my father sprinted to the front of the building and touched his gloved finger to the glass, moving up and down between the rows of numbers.
 
“We didn’t win,” he exclaimed on his return, turning up the heat and rolling our car back onto 9th street towards home, turning right and heading north on Shorb Avenue. 
 
Suddenly, through the blurry, wintry onslaught, a figure emerged. Plodding ever-so-slowly, this person shuffled along on the sidewalk, inching southbound on Shorb. Though draped in a parka and other winter accessories, my 8-year-old sensibilities could detect her ample, voluptuous curvature.
 
“I can’t believe she’s out walking in this weather,” I mumbled. My brother, Mark, in the front seat, turned his head back to the sidewalk, struggling to catch a glance. Shortly after, she walked up a set of steps and disappeared into the morning chill.
 
“How did you know it was a girl?” Mark asked.
 
I stole a glance at my father in the rear-view mirror, and we briefly made eye contact. My dad then looked back at the road. “Matt and I know it was a girl,” he said.
 
These tiny episodes have been invading my cerebral cortex over the past two months. I’ve been struggling to find a deeper meaning in them, while at the same time attempting to understand this phenomenon called ‘the grieving process’. But I admit to a foreign numbness, a kind of ‘grief PTSD’ that I can’t understand.
 
Losing both parents three weeks apart seems to have caused my gratitude antennae to lie dormant. But every once in a while, small episodes like the one above will materialize, like a July afternoon shower, and briefly drench me in an enormous tidal wave of thankfulness.
 
I was preparing eggs for Donna and me the other morning, and suddenly, I was transported. Mark and I had just finished our roles as altar boys for the morning’s 6:30 a.m. Mass. Long before the days of multi-car families, my mother would wake up extra early before even starting to get us ready for the day, and she would prepare breakfast, knowing that once we were driven (by her) to Mass, we would have to wait at the school for class to begin. We had one car, and my father needed it for work.
 
So that we would have breakfast, my mom would make our egg sandwiches, carefully dropping the scrambled eggs onto Wonder bread, cutting each of our sandwiches in half, and wrapping them in tin foil so that they would remain hot until we could eat them later in the morning.
 
I chuckled at this memory while making Donna our breakfast. Mark and I would trudge over to the darkened cafeteria connected to the school so that we could eat my mother’s concoction. Under one solitary row of lights sat the bus drivers, having coffee while their buses warmed up. “There’s those Sedmock boys!” they’d cackle. “Mom made ‘em those scrambled egg sandwiches again!”
 
We would stare at them and happily munch away. Didn’t everyone’s mother do this, I thought.
 
"Those whom we love and lose are
no longer where they were before.
They are now wherever we are."
- St. John Chrysostom

Yes, their gifts to us as parents are wide and plentiful. But as this grief-and-gratitude phenomenon introduces itself to my world, I feel like I’m most thankful for the seemingly insignificant acts that they bestowed on us. Like my mother splitting a grapefruit in half, taking a small knife, and separating each quadrant of fruit from its sheath so that we could easily extract the juicy fruit with our spoon, unimpeded. (not to mention the dash of sugar that she would spread across each half to temper the tartness!)
 
We’re sometimes told that we can fully experience gratitude when we finally conquer the loss. But this seems too large for my brain to handle, at least so far. I’m content with the microscopic things, being open to their memories, attempting to figure out how to share what they taught while still trying to move forward through the fog.

By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director

What's everyone been listening to out there? So much new music coming at us, so little time... However, these songs that might fly under the radar to most are what I've been diggin' these past few weeks!

Like what you hear? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm and let me know what you think!

By Summit FM Contributor Marc Lee Shannon

Like many of us, I look ahead with intentions, wishes, and resolutions when the new year begins. Last year, 2024, was a tester. I mean that there were so many changes, some expected some, eh, not so much. I more than once found myself in situations reminiscent of that feeling, like when you slip on the kitchen floor, in a slow-motion ballet of limbs flailing, screaming sounds like a cheap horror film Saturday matinee, and then, the final crash of my bouncing of the head on cold tile floor.  Or, in my case, super convincing Lowes special-on-sale faux vinyl. 

I am so over 2024. It was a challenging year, and I had to draw on my resilience and durability more than once and on more than one occasion. I am sure that I am not alone in this. Can I get an Amen?

So, looking ahead to 2025,” What's the plan, dude?” says my rational, practical side of that twin voice conscience engine, the constantly critical, rarely helpful devil of a bully in my lacking-confidence spinning head. 

I have a plan that starts with a mantra. In 2025, I will:

Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Full stop. Let that one wash over ya. Now reread it. 

I don’t want to get all zen on you, dear readers, but I like many of the teachings in Buddhist wisdom, and one that holds dear to me is that we all have to suffer. That is human. However, remaining attached to suffering is a choice. We are all floating downstream more or less on this planet and cannot control the current, of course, but we can pick up the darn oar and steer. Oh, rocks or rapids coming up around the bend? Ok, steer. Are you struggling with health, family, or financial issues? Ok, Steer. Sudden problem with a significant other that is recurring? Ok, Steer.  In fact, I have adopted a little spurt of a saying when I feel uncomfortable. I say, “Bring it on.” I say this as if by turning and facing the difficult situation, I can admit that it is game time, and I can deal with whatever twisted sister tsunami by saying Ok, you are here. You will make it through this and now turn and face the uncomfortable. Breathe.

Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable means that we are rarely going to have the river slow and easy, and when it's not, we can deal with it. A sudden shift in thinking will change your world. What we think about, we bring about. So why not look at change, challenges, and cheap life punches with a new set of glasses?  Sometimes, most of the time, all we can do is change our view. Opinion matters in that self-talk, self-assuring coaching moment with ourselves.  

So, in 2025, I will get comfortable being uncomfortable. How about you? What can you change your perspective on within the next month, week, or moment? 

Well, wish me luck! Send me a line or two at marcleeshannon@gmail.com with your thoughts about this column or if you have an idea for another. Love to hear from you! 

Until then... Cheers, stay standing, and, as always, steady on!

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Of all the blues legends in history, few, if any, have the magic and presence of Chester Arthur Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf. His transformation of acoustic blues into an electric-charged storm was a major factor in creating rock and roll music. His guitar playing was raw and captivating, and his harmonica skills would charge any given song, but it was his voice, with its almost otherworldly growl, that truly put him on the map.

Legend has it that he learned initial guitar licks from blues legend Charly Patton and harmonica prowess from Rice Miller, aka Sonny Boy Williamson (#2), but that voice came from the big man himself, and there was never another quite like it! His mere presence would shake the room. 

Born in 1910, Wolf was a bit older than most by the time he dove into the music game. It wouldn't be until the late '30s that he started to take flight. Following the aforementioned schooling from Patton and Williamson, Wolf had found a musical calling. After brief stints in prison and the army, Wolf focused on his music. In 1948, Wolf and his band began performing on radio station KWEM in West Memphis. These broadcasts caught Sam Philips's ear. So, in the spring of 1951, Phillips brought Wolf into Memphis Recording Service, soon to become Sun Studios, to record a demo. An entire session followed a couple of months later.

Guitarist Willie Johnson, and drummer Willie Steele backed Wolf. Initial tracks laid down included the classic 'How Many More Years and the haunting 'Moanin' at Midnight' Phillips then sent the finished recordings to Chess Records in Chicago for release. A single featuring those monster songs would rise to No. 4 and 10, respectively, on the Billboard R&B chart in August of 1951.

Wolf's reputation and catalog continued to grow with the release of several singles for Chess from 1951 through 1958. At the same time, Ike Turner's involvement with Howlin' Wolf led to a handful of singles on the Los Angeles-based RPM label. Some, in fact, were variations on the Chess hits with modified titles, but that's a whole other story.

With an ever-growing discography and the rise of this new music called Rock & Roll, (that Wolf had arguably had a significant hand in creating), Chess Records decided it was time to release an LP of some of his finest moments, so in 1959 'Moanin' In The Moonlight' became the first Howlin' Wolf LP. Featured among the twelve tracks were songs as early as 1951 at Memphis Recording, and as recent as 1958, recorded at Chess Studios. Far from sounding disjointed, however, the entire batch of songs jumped out of the speakers, threatening everything else in your record collection!

All songs were written by Wolf, except the classic 'Evil Is Going On,' penned by another blues legend, Willie Dixon and 'Forty-Four' by Roosevelt Sykes. Songs like Baby How Long,' 'I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline),' 'Moanin At Midnight,' 'How Many More Years, and 'Smokestack Lightning' would become blues standards over the decades. The list of session players on these recordings reads like a who's who of the history of the blues with Hubert Sumlin, Willie Dixon, Ike Turner, Otis Span, and Willie Johnson among those taking part.

The thing about any classic blues records is that modern technology still can't replicate what primitive technology captured way back when. The warmth and power remain fully intact. Other heroes such as Captain Beefheart and Tom Waits have tried to replicate that Wolf howl, but the original still reigns supreme. Wolf is a legend, and it wasn't just his recordings. His stage manner was also ahead of his time. "Wolf was the greatest that I've ever known," says his longtime saxophonist Eddie Shaw. "Wolf was not only a musician, he was an entertainer. He routinely rolled around the stage in simulation of sexual ecstasy or climbed the stage curtains like a deranged madman. That's what I respected him for."

'Moanin' in the Moonlight' is not only essential but also a cornerstone of American music!