FMX Memories: The Concerts, Bands, And Moments That Defined A Lifetime

This started out as simple gratitude for a life filled with live rock and roll. But so many of you were part of the journey with me that it felt worth sharing here too.

It all started when I bought an Alice Cooper album almost by accident, and that kicked off a lifelong journey through live rock and metal. In the beginning, it was backyard parties in California with bands called Van Halen and Foreplay cranking it up for neighborhood crowds. Things escalated quickly when I saw Blue Öyster Cult and UFO at the Forum. After that came massive stadium shows featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, and T. Rex at Anaheim Stadium. One of my final California-era shows was Aerosmith during the Rocks and ramp-up to Draw the Line period.

The Texas Years Began Loud

Eventually, I became a Texas transplant. I caught shows in Lubbock from Bad Company, Judas Priest and UFO, Triumph, and many others while diving headfirst into the club scene. The emerging new wave movement was exploding, and I got to see bands like The Cramps, 999, and some fantastic classic holdovers like Head East.

You may not even know who I’m talking about, but I also caught an incredible night with Nick Lowe and Paul Carrack of Squeeze.

Somewhere around this time, I fell into radio. I know exactly when because there are pictures of me with Terry Bozzio from Missing Persons and with Adam Ant. There’s even a photo of me dancing to The B-52's in the Texas Tech yearbook from that era.

The Midnight Metal Shop Era

Then came the metal years. Hosting “The Midnight Metal Shop” opened doors I never imagined. The artists were incredibly gracious and welcoming whenever I stopped by. I got to meet and spend time with Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dio, W.A.S.P., Bon Jovi, Motörhead, and countless others.

I once spent a very long night at a Wendy O. Williams show hanging with George Lynch of Dokken. I was also honored to work on multiple promotions for Iron Maiden.

During those years, who didn’t I see? Heart, Triumph, Night Ranger, ZZ Top, Rush, Billy Idol, Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne, Foghat, Huey Lewis and the News, and so many more. We bused and drove to more than a few Texas Jams along the way too.

Grunge, Grit, And The Next Explosion

I eventually took off to Austin for a while, and if nothing else, I’ll always be grateful that it led to seeing David Bowie and my beloved Ramones. Spokane wasn’t exactly my favorite chapter, but I did catch two incredible back-to-back shows from Steppenwolf.

I returned to town right around the time Smells Like Teen Spirit exploded onto radio. We may not have gotten every A-level grunge tour in West Texas, but we still had great shows from The Nixons, Toadies, and The Reverend Horton Heat. Pantera were frequent visitors, and Jackyl always rocked.

I also snuck out of town to catch Soundgarden and the incredible Arc Angels. Somewhere in there were Bruce Springsteen on the Born in the U.S.A. tour and Tom Petty twice, including the Southern Accents tour, which remains one of my favorite albums of all time. After that show, I even got to smoke a few Marlboro Lights and share a couple of beers with him. Seeing Pearl Jam in New Mexico during the Yield tour was absolutely epic.

Full Circle In The Hub City

Then things exploded again. Rob Zombie, Bush, Metallica, Motley Crue, Linkin Park, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Papa Roach, Slayer, Slipknot, and Marilyn Manson all rolled through.

I even got to hang out with Corey Taylor from Slipknot before most people even knew who he was. I also caught Stone Sour two nights in a row and loved every second of it.

Around that same era, I developed the Bloody Holly Festival, while Lane Arnold helped bring some of the biggest metal lineups the Hub City had ever seen, including Lamb of God and many more.

Eventually, things slowed down a bit, but that was okay too. There were still amazing nights with Pearl Jam, Creed, Three Doors Down, Evanescence, Deftones, Nickelback, and KISS. I was invited onstage during one of Metallica’s big returns to Lubbock. I soaked in every second of seeing Steve Miller Band and Robert Plant when they came through town. I saw multiple shows from Korn and was part of an unforgettable trip to Amarillo to catch Stone Temple Pilots and Cheap Trick.

And in a beautiful full-circle moment, Alice Cooper eventually came to Lubbock too.

Thank You For Walking This Road With Me

I know I’m forgetting dozens of shows and memories, so forgive me if I left out one of your favorites. Still, I can’t fully explain what all of this has meant to me. If I had lived a more “normal” life, I probably still would have experienced some of it — but nowhere near to this extent.

So thank you.

Thank you for listening to me on the radio. Thank you for supporting me through all these years. Thank you for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with me at these concerts, festivals, clubs, parking lots, arenas, and unforgettable nights.

We’re not done. It’s not over.

We’re just standing here for a moment, feeling the wind at our backs.

Places We Miss: The Winchester Twin Theater