When The Future Of Rock N’ Roll passed away a couple years ago, this time for good, I had to make a conscious choice to mourn it, but to move on. I think if you ask the other staffers who were on board when it happened, they might feel the same way. It wasn’t exactly a clean break, but that’s the best way I can describe it, like something you loved, which is now dead and gone. Don’t get me wrong, I miss my show and the station terribly, more than I thought I would when it ended, but I’m happy with where things are now.

Why am I talking about this? Well, a longtime WOXY fan, who has been talking about this project for awhile, is finally making a go at writing a book about the history of 97X/WOXY.com. His name is Phil Lacefield and he put a Kickstarter up a couple weeks ago in an attempt to get the project off the ground. Phil promises the ‘Untold Story Of The Future Of Rock N Roll” and I not only hope to read it, but contribute in any way I can. After all, I was a fan of the station alot longer than I worked for it, so it would be tough not to throw my support behind the project.

More from the Kickstarter page here…

My intention with this project is to travel where needed – Santa Fe, Austin, Cincinnati, Oxford, New York – to interview as many former employees, fans, clients and musical acts that were in some way affected by WOXY and 97X. I want this book to contain pictures of concerts and events, playlists from Modern Rock 500s, as many images as we can find to include that help tell the story.

This isn’t so much a story about the station itself – although that will be covered, in great detail, right up past the final air date and where WOXY currently stands. It’s a story about the people influenced by the place, and how their lives have been changed by being a part of it. This kind of scattered-family “band of crazies” is unique in the world of broadcasting, and the stories we have to tell are unlike anything you can imagine.

The hope is that this book will help get out the word to the world at large the power that WOXY had over so many, and perhaps show someone with a friendly ear that getting it back up and going in a true 21st-century manner would be a Very Good Thing Indeed. One can only hope…

As 2013 is the 30th anniversary year of the founding of WOXY, it is my hope to have the extensive interviews finished by the end of summer and and the book ready to go to press early this fall. With YOUR help, we can get this story out faster, and let the world know in plenty of time for the anniversary that the Future of Rock and Roll is alive and well!

About Joe Long

Joe started ENS in 2003 after most people he wanted to talk to about music were worn thin by his ramblings. The outlet this site provided helped out, and somehow is still going 9 years later. After a four year stint as a WOXY DJ, Joe returned to Cincinnati and continues to pioneer ENS. In addition to the overall look and feel of the site, Joe provides regular reviews, and kinda makes sure this whole thing stays afloat.