"Providing entertainment since 1984, working for companies, organizations, and locations including but not limited to the American Cancer Society, The Midwestern Regional Black Family Reunion, Kentucky State University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, Miami University, Jack Nicholas Golf Center, Princeton High School, Walnut Hills High School, Bogarts, Cincinnati Convention Center, Top Cats, City of Cincinnati - Seasongood Pavilion, etc. Opening up for and/or sharing the stage with groups including but not limited to Jagged Edge, Total, Staci Spencer, Flypside, Alexis Calloway, IsWhat!?, Ideal, RUN-DMC, EPMD, Lord Tariq and Peter Gunns, and many others."
From point A to to B(utch) Part One Chapter One
From point A to to B(utch)
Part One / Chapter one
Introduction:
Who is this Butch Gibson character? Just some dj based in Cincinnati Ohio USA. I started to get intrigued by this whole music industry back in the 80's after the debut of Rappers' Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang, . I would buy my music at the Record Arcade and go home to not only listen to the music, but to thoroughly read the covers of albums.
I started to get more and more interested in this whole disc jockey thing, but I didn't understand how two records could play at the same time. I was used to amplifiers and home stereo systems. This is one switch for each sound source (tuner, phono, cassette, dvd, etc.). You had to move that knob to what you wanted to listen to.
There was this DJ called Silk from around the way and his name was Michael White and he dj'dDJ Silk at Doc's Place in College Hill in Cincinnati, Ohio USA near the Record Arcade. He also dj'd at Golden Skates skating rink for awhile. I started to ask him questions and he eventually explained that the piece to allow two records to play at the same time was a mixer. He was a friend and a good guy. Not sure what has happened to Silk now, but he will always be remembered.
I've bumped into, worked with, and grown up with some good folks and some bad folks. It has been good to know the bad to appreciate the good. Some folks have moved on. Some folks have stayed. It has been an honor to be a part of this music thing and then turn around and watch television and see Shane Sparks on I Think You Can Dance and laugh about the times I used to run sound in the old Allison's West End Theater and he'd be dancing with that old group called Cold Crush or to turn on the radio and hear some song produced by HiTek and think about the times he was on stage when he was about 14 and called himself Little T.
There are many many more. Especially those who I don't see or hear on tv or radio. Those who are still on the grind. Still in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio USA . Those who have passed on to some place much better than any earth bound location. I pause at times to reflect upon fallen warriors inside and outside of the entertainment field. Peace and blessings to those who fought the good fight.
Some of the greatest moments of my life may have come through this music thing. I think there are too many somewhat musical moments to mention, but maybe a few:
1) DJ'in a party with DJ Charles Winston and leaving in the middle of the party to compete and win in the Golden Skates DJ Battle Championship (now called Skatetown USA ) and returning to finish dj'ing the party.
2) Receiving Gold and Platinum sales awards while working at WAIF 88.3 FM Cincinnati, Ohio USA.
3) DJ'ing at a high school reunion for the class of 1976, playing the theme from Swat and watching as a guy in a wheelchair beckoned for his classmates to help him out of his wheelchair and support him as he danced...and then got a standing ovation.
4) Working the various festivals including the Juneteenth Festival , The Midwestern Regional Black Family Reunion that lead to eventually getting married on the WIZF FM stage while working for WAIF 88.3 FM in Cincinnati, Ohio USA in Eden Park during the Day in Eden Celebration.
5) Working on the Community Strength Album Project that allowed many groups with many different music styles and give me my first experience with music contracts.
6) Completing the 1988-1989 Audio Collage
7) Getting a letter from KISS FM in London to compliment my skills.
8) Calling the day job to request time off after being selected as a member of the 5 Mic Council getting an invitation to the Source Awards.
9) Receiving a Cincinnati Community Legends Award .
10) Talking to and/or being friends with anyone and everyone from the Prophets of Rage ( Public Enemy ) to the Queen of Soul ( Aretha Franklin ).
From point A to to B(utch)
Part One / Chapter Two
Growing up, I always felt different. I used that difference in a way that kept me in the basement tearing up electronic equipment. I used to be into car stereo pretty heavy and used to go to Eric Steele's house or Eric's nephew, Kevin Steele's house to make crispy cassettes to test the car stereo.
The first and the most memorable was in a Dodge Colt. I had taken apart a Zenith console floor model stereo. Using a recipricating saw, I cut out the back deck of this Dodge Colt and mounted the front panels of the Zenith Console into the vehicle. 12" woofers in the back deck and 6"X9" speakers that normally mounted in that back deck area, I put those in the doors. I used the same 6"X9" speakers that I had installed into a briefcase while still in high school. With some suggestions from Kevin Steele's uncle Eric Steele, I built a healthy car stereo system.
The constant quest for music and the perfect tape to play in the car eventually lead me to trying to figure out how to make my own tapes. Combine that with the growth of hip hop, this lead me to work out a personal trade in a lot of my car stereo equipment to Ed Gowens who worked at Buddy Rogers in late 1984. With that trade, I was able to get a Numark mixer and continued collecting equipment and eventually started to dj parties starting in early 1985. I tried to learn more on my own and after working a few crappy jobs with various car dealerships, I started to go to Southern Ohio College at night to chase a degree in Radio Television Broadcasting Management. While there, I worked as an intern at 55WKRC ,
I did mixes for WIZF , and then WAIF 88.3 FM all in Cincinnati Ohio USA . I also worked at various clubs in and around the Greater Cincinnati area. A place called Night Winds where we used to run until 6AM. Eventually that got shut down since the place was always filled to capacity and the folks that couldn't get in seemed to cause trouble in the neighborhood. Another spot was Frankies (now called Brandy's) that was really outside of my zone. I was playing for people 10 to 40 years older than me, but I held it down.
I've always believed in the power and magic of communication. Like the web where we can all communicate and connect from all over the planet, radio can do the same thing. Usually on a local scale, but connecting and communicating in real time. I respect communication. Especially open communication. I don't always believe in gyration of the hips for the sake of gyration. I also believe in stimulation of the mind. I believe that a communication medium that is open, like the internet, but especially radio has a certain responsibility to the community that it serves, to be able to offer stimulation of the mind. I listened to all types of radio programming, including a guy called Rockmaster J.
It bothers me that to find out about really important news or information, I usually have to turn away from the radio station that may be the most popular and usually search for something on AM. Don't get it twisted, I enjoy music and understand the format of music intensive FM radio broadcasting and the even more specialized satellite and HD radio formats, but I just worry that all of us may be bobbing our heads while bombs are dropping on our bobbing heads. Folks complain about radio djs talking too much. I believe that they don't talk enough...about real issues.
Which is why I started a show on WAIF 88.3 FM to address these concerns and provide quality programming for those who listened.
I continued working on radio and doing bigger and bigger parties over time, and I continued to hack away at promotion and entertainment, and I still do today.
Anyway, there may be more to this. Maybe. Maybe not. We'll just have to revisit this page and find out.
Link disclaimer:
I can only be responsible for the things that may be contained on this page. I may know or indirectly know of all of my MySpace friends, but I cannot be responsible for the content of their pages.