Music Art Culture Resilience April 2020 Vol. 2, Issue 4. Dweezil Zappa A Child of Invention spends a lifetime redefining the 20 experience of musical space. And we talk to him. Candlebox Success, roller coasters, and the Seattle grunge scene by 24 Candlebox’s frontman Kevin Martin. www.radioradiox.com FREE A Note to Our Readers We enjoy bringing you our paper every month. It’s a great chance to drive around and check out the bars, restaurants, coffeeshops.. you get it. So obviously it sucks for us right now too. This is the first wholly digital edition of Xperience Monthly. And it is pretty kickass, we hope you like it. WWe know that our advertisers are struggling to keep afloat right now, and we decided to just put our last month’s ads in at no charge. This pandemic won’t last forever, and our friends should be remembered through this time. Also, many of them are still open in some form. Please enjenjoy this digital edition. And go through our ads. Please excuse the outdated information - call them first. We make no guarantee that any business listed in here is going to honor any special from before the pandemic. We do gaurantee that if they’re open, they deserve your business. Enjoy the first Pandemic Edition of Xperience. Page 4 April 2020 Music Art Culture Revolution Uncle Vito and the Flow Dweezil Zappa Is music in the blood? If you ask Dweezil Zappa, he might say it’s more in the sweat. Page 24 Photo provided. Uncle Vito, for so many years, was synonymous with PYX 106. Candlebox A fixture on PYX 106 for decades, Uncle Vito has a lesson in how to The epicenter of a whole sneak great music past the goalie and onto the playlist. generation’s music scene was in Seattle. So was Kevin Martin and his band. or at least the leg we’ve joined listeners that goes beyond the Page 20 By Liam Sweeny them on. distance between a congested I’d never heard of Gary Lo- highway and the booth in the sta- catelli until about five years ago, tion. In your time on PYX, you ome of our favorite peo- when he retired from radio sta- became a beloved figure to many. ple are nameless. Okay, so tion PYX 106. Of course I, and Now you’re a listener. How is the Observations and Ramblings........44 Sthat’s not totally true; they pretty much everyone else in the grass on the other side of the have names, but we don’t know Capital Region, have heard of fence? Sassy Says................41 them. We know their personal- “Uncle Vito.” They are one in the U V: I love retirement and ities. We know their voices and same. have never looked back! Honestly, their turns-of-phrase, and the We sit down with Uncle Vito, I have never even turned the sta- throw off jokes with which they and we discuss getting a Zorro tion on once since I left. If there is spice their repertoires. mask that fits. one thing I miss it’s sharing good It’s such that when we hear RRX: There’s a pretty close music with others. There is so their real names, it’s usually relationship that develops be- much good music that a majority when they’ve ended their quests, tween radio personalities and Continued on Page 5 April 2020 Page 5 Music Art Culture Revolution Continued from Page 4 heard before. Of course, in continuous. important. classic rock, and in a large RRX: Radio has changed a lot RRX: I remember your brief of people will never hear because station, there are expectations – over the years. We have Spotify stint as ‘Ranger Danger’ on it didn’t and still doesn’t get air- what people want to hear. How and iTunes, and not to mention WXXA in the ‘90s. He was a love- play. Over my career I tried to were you able to bring something that new cars have the internet. able example of what not to do in share as much of that music as I new to people without veering too With so many choices in terms of the world, and it looked like a lot possibly could. One thing I want- much from their comfort zones? what’s out there, what there is to of fun. It’s illustrative of the in- ed to do in retirement is give back U V: I have always believed listen to, how does a radio station terconnection between radio and in some way and I’ve been able to there is a flow to music and that with a broadcast tower stay rel- TV. Do you think, at least locally, do that through our local Senior comes from the tempo and mood evant? Is it just making yourself collaborations like that are easier, Center. I joined a few months of songs. If you go with the flow available online, or does it take or tougher? Are there more barri- after retiring and soon became you can introduce the listener to something more? ers or less? President there. In that role I something new and unfamiliar as U V: Being online certain- U V: Not really sure how to an- have not only be able to do things long as it goes with the flow. For ly helps, but I think you need to swer this one. What I can tell you for the seniors in my community, an example say I wanted to play a have that local touch. These days is my radio personality got me but also lead our group in vari- song by the Cure on PYX, some- my favorite radio station is my the TV job. And then the TV job ous fundraisers and donations for thing they didn’t do. I would play local station that is staffed with ended the radio personality for a things in our community. it after a song by Lynyrd Skynyrd, live DJs and covers local news while. That was because I was a RRX: Being on the radio because it would break the flow of and events. I believe people like kiddie host and some of the ris- means having your hands on the music and seem like a slap in to be able to pick up the phone qué stuff I did on the radio didn’t some great music. the face. But if I played a song by and actually talk to the person fit well with that. I think under Sometimes, it’s something the Doors and went into the Cure they are listening to. It’s that hu- great that most people haven’t song after that the flow would be man connection that I believe is Continued on Page 6 16 Beers and Cider on Tap Award Winning Burgers and 2016 Wing Wars Winner 41 112th Street, Troy (518) 235-4141 Page 6 April 2020 Music Art Culture Revolution Continued from Page 5 some children from the shelf Anyone you have your eye on above the cradle to the all-night- musically? Any honors to bestow the right circumstances though er before they submitted their to anyone? Educate, enlighten, they could really benefit each oth- perience dissertation. You’ve been there emote – the floor is yours. er. Not sure if that really answers for people through their happiest U V: I really like the new Pearl Monthly your question, but that’s what I and darkest moments, and you Jam song “Dance of the Clairvoy- have. could’ve walked right by them in ant”, looking forward to hearing RRX: One thing I’m sure you the store. Anything ever happen the new album when it comes Art Fredette loved from your time on PYX Publisher that drove this home for you? out. If I was still on air I would be was making people light up with U V: Actually, quite a few trying to stress the importance giveaways. Stickers, t-shirts, and Liam Sweeny times. Many times I’ve been told of our upcoming election. I used Editor-In-Chief let’s not forget concert tickets – I by someone that they listened to to try to do that through humor Creative Director know from what we do how much me and that it made their day. I on my show, humor that would fun it is to hook people up. And Kit Haynes have actually received a couple of stimulate and make people think. there was a culture behind call- Associate Editor emails from people who listened It’s important that people become ing in and winning stuff – do you and said their lives were headed informed before they vote. You’re think that culture still exists in Dick Beach in the wrong direction and be- not going to get that way from our ‘on-demand’ world? Staff Geek cause of something I said on air what you see on Facebook, in a U V: I honestly don’t. it seems they turned things around. I can’t meme or a far left or right blog. to have disappeared. Even in my tell you how much those emails Search out the facts from solid Contributors final couple of years on air it was meant to me! sources before checking that box diminishing. Rob Smittix RRX: This is where you an- on Election Day. RRX: You were on air for swer the questions I didn’t ask. Josh Reedy thirty years. Your voice has raised Amy Modesti Gary Locatelli, a.k.a “Uncle Vito.” Photo provided.