Bobby's Moment

The moment when an author gets to hold his or her book for the very first time is one of the main reasons we got into this crazy publishing business. It never gets old. Bobby Skafish had that moment yesterday when we dropped off the proof of "We Have Company: Forty Years of Rock and Roll Encounters". Congrats, Bobby!

(The book is available for pre-order now)

Woody and Dory

Magic Number is 8

Cardinals lost again last night, which means the Cubs magic number is down to Joe Pepitone or Andre Dawson.

Minitua Men, Episode 19

EP19 – Rick and Dave discuss balloon animals and mimes, the woeful Chicago Bears, the Steve Bartman of 1936, and Rick’s brush with Richard Lewis.

Listen to it here.

Happy Anniversary

54 years ago today these two lovebirds got married in St. Alphonsus church in Chicago. I was born eleven months later, Cindy Kaempfer arrived in 1964, and Peter Kaempfer in 1970. Dad passed away in 1989, but Mom is still going strong today!

More Pub for "We Have Company"

Thanks so much to Don Anthony & Jockline Daily for this nice mention of Bobby Skafish's new book....

Longtime Chicago Host Bobby Skafish Releases New Interview Book

THE MOUTH, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2016 –– Longtime Chicago host Bobby Skafish is releasing his first book this month entitled "We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters," reports crm.com Skafish's new book features transcripts of interviews he has done over his radio career with rock & roll superstars and cult icons. Nearly 100 interviews and behind-the scenes stories are included. Among those interviewed include David Bowie, John Lennon, Julian Lennon, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart and others. Plus groups, The Clash, Aerosmith, Styx, Van Halen, ZZ Top, and others.

The book promo states: "It's all here: Woodstock, Lennon's death, Band Aid, Live Aid, and even 9/11. Stories from first recordings to the Last Waltz, all carefully coaxed by a radio DJ who wants you to hear them told by insiders." "We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters" is being published by the Chicago-based firm Eckhartz Press.

Skafish had most recently worked on-air at WDRV-FM/97.1 Other previous stops included WXRT-FM/93XRT, WLUP-FM/The Loop, and WKQX-FM/Q101. To order CLICK HERE

At WGN Radio with Bobby Skafish

Had a great time yesterday afternoon at WGN Radio with Bobby Skafish. He was there to promote his new Eckhartz Press book We Have Company: 40 Years of Rock and Roll Encounters.

The hosts of the show were Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder. Wendy and Bobby (and I) are old friends going back to the Loop days in the late 80s, but Bill met Bobby for the first time yesterday. I got a big kick out of what he said to Bobby when he met him: "It's so weird hearing that voice coming out of a human head!" I had the same reaction to meeting Bobby in 1987. I had been a big fan of his before that, and it did take a little while to get used to speaking to the actual guy.

Skafish did a tremendous job during the interview. You can listen to it here.

I didn't realize at the time that WGN was live streaming. You could have also watched it while it was happening. Tony Lossano sent me some screen grabs during the show. If you look in the upper right corner, you can see me in the background snapping some pictures.



Here are the pictures I was snapping...

Trump Ends Media Blacklist

Somebody finally got to Donald Trump and pointed out to him that his media blacklist is a little Totalitarian-esque.

He wisely ended it yesterday.

Nothing to worry about here. He also praised Putin yesterday and pointed to his 82% approval rating in Russia as proof that Putin is a great leader.

Dave Logan

Dave Logan was my program director at the Loop during my last year or two at the station. He has popped up all over the country since then, but has settled back in Chicago. Here's what he's doing now. From Tom Taylor's NOW column...

Chicago’s classic rock “Hound” to make yet another frequency change. MB Capital Management first operated its translator at 106.3 (as W292DJ Lake Bluff), then 106.9 (the current licensed facility) and now it aspires to 107.1. New calls will be W295CG, and it will run 250 watts, fed by an HD Radio signal leased from Univision’s WOJO Evanston/105.1. Chicagoland Radio & Media has the story of the prowling “Hound” – whose translator is leased out by MB Capital to Anthem Broadcasting. The classic rock’s being programmed by veteran Dave Logan.

Magic Number: Randy Hundley

The Cardinals lost to the Pirates last night, meaning the Cubs magic number has dropped to 9. (Randy Hundley's number)

Eckhartz Press on WGN Radio

Big day for Eckhartz Press Wednesday on WGN Radio. At 9am, Spike Manton and Tim Clue will be on Steve Cochran's show to promote "Patty & The Stump". At 11:30am, Bobby Skafish will be on Bill & Wendy's show to promote his new book "We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters". Tune in if you get a chance.

Bear Down?

Good thing the Cubs are doing so well. SB Nation has a ranking of the best NFL teams, and guess where they ranked the Bears this season?

32nd.

Out of 32 teams.

That's as bad as it gets.

New York Magazine Takes Down Roger Ailes

This is a 7200-word story, so if you're not ready for some reading, don't click on the link.

But it is a great story written by a gutsy reporter, Gabriel Sherman. He knew that Ailes would respond by trying to destroy him (he's already hiring a libel attorney), but he went ahead with the story anyway. He obviously has some great inside sources.

And he absolutely positively evicerates Roger Ailes.

LATE UPDATE: Time Magazine reports that Gretchen Carlson settled the case for $20 million. I guess it pays to record your boss.

Another Late Update: The network also apologized! I'm sure that has never happened before...

Fox News' parent company issued a statement regarding the settlement with Gretchen Carlson: https://t.co/1A3eKLYDtw pic.twitter.com/fozyhA8YJ6

— NPR (@NPR) September 6, 2016

I Gotta Try This

#radio pic.twitter.com/0fsHrJakmp

— Valerie Geller (@vgeller) September 6, 2016

We Have Company gets a great write up

Thank you Robert Feder for this nice write up about our new book by Bobby Skafish...

"Chicago rock radio veteran Bobby Skafish has just written a great new book chronicling more than 40 years of interviews and impressions of the music world’s royalty. We Have Company: Four Decades of Rock and Roll Encounters, published by Rick Kaempfer’s Eckhartz Press, is available for preorder online. Skafish, who hosted afternoons on Hubbard Radio classic hits WDRV FM 97.1 until last year, writes with insight and wit about more than 80 of the greatest artists in rock history. The photos he shares are pretty cool, too."

You can pre-order it here!



Larz at Chicagoland Radio and Media also did a nice write up. You can check that out here.

The publicity tour starts in earnest on Wednesday, with an appearance on Bill and Wendy's show on WGN.

We've Got a Hit On Our Hands

Order your copy today.