The times and tunes of a longtime Chicago rock jock
Rockin’ and rollin’ and “doin’ the cruise” is how on-air radio personality Mitch Michaels describes his life-long love affair with rock radio. This music-driven, often irreverent and unflinchingly honest biography, co-written with journalist Ken Churilla, captures the events and sounds of Chicago at a time when rock ruled the air waves and Michaels spun the tunes.
The legendary rock jock worked on virtually every station in the city during the radio heydays of the 1970s and 80s, including WXRT and WLUP. He has tales to tell of a backseat limo ride with Rod Stewart, a ground-breaking live broadcast with The Who, and on-and-off the air friendships with Mick Jones of Foreigner, Jim Peterik of Survivor, and members of the band REO Speedwagon. Michaels also gives life to events that shaped the music-scape of the city, from behind the scenes at its largest outdoor venue, ChicagoFest, to being asked by White Sox management to request over the PA system that all fans return to their seats at the infamous on-field riot on Disco Demolition night at Comiskey Park.
More than a cruise through encounters with the stars — Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr among them — this biography is a candid and at times painful personal memoir. Mitchell reflects on the helter-skelter of a career in rock radio, its impact on his marriages and relationships and even the heartbreaking loss of his son, Spencer, to whom the book is dedicated.
Hinsdale resident Mitch Michaels was at ground zero during the explosion of rock radio in the 1970s. Currently, he is an on-air personality at FM 95.9 The River, out of Aurora. Ken Churilla is a Chicago-area writer, journalist and magazine editor.
