End of Days
I am Soundwaves. Soundwaves is me.
If you’ve never been on film or TV before, there’s a surreal aura that surrounds you when you’re watching yourself on a big or small screen.
Usually the “you” on the screen isn’t really you. If you’re acting, you’re usually portraying a character that someone else has created.
If you’re hosting though, especially on a show like Soundwaves, you do bring a lot of yourself to the table.
I appeared in around 150 episodes over those 20-plus years, and when I peer into those tiny little time capsules from days gone by, I’m smacked right between the eyes with a maelstrom of emotions. I can literally go from melancholy to embarrassed to having a big, shit-eatin’ grin on my face in just a matter of moments, but that’s the beauty (and some might say the curse) of doing a show every week.
And believe me, the 80’s was a dangerous time to be on TV. The videos, the styles, the hair really created some cringe-worthy segments. There are a handful of “What The Hell Was I Thinking” moments that I’ll be happy to never see again. But overall, as with life, we tend to conveniently forget the not-so-great and look fondly upon the good.
And there was a lot of good.
Sure, there was the weekly grind of coming up with material, setting up and striking the set, picking locations, schlepping equipment, etc., etc., but I have to really focus to remember those aspects.
What I remember easily are the people.
Some of the Soundwaves Rogue’s Gallery has been lost to the four winds, some are wandering around on the periphery and some are still an important part of my life and always will be.
People who have tromped through my life as a result of Soundwaves and left their little footprints in the sand include Jim Willis, Sarah Maginnis-Willis, Joey Mack, Andy Sherman, John Stanley, LaWonda Eastwood, Cathie Abogado, Jeff Gracia, Steve Willis, Suzanne St. John-Crane, Jennifer Stanonis, Kelley Wright, Marty Anaya, Chase Masterson, James Kerwin, Gerald Gorman, Marty! Vartanian, Angie Maestas and of course, Margie Jarvis.
But what of Dennis?
Dennis and I became a team immediately, and I mean on the very first day we met at the old Channel 8 studio. We instantly developed a rapport that continues to serve us well to this day. I have no friend that I would rather talk to, that I trust more or who I appreciate as much. We’ve been through death and life together. He was there when I lost my Mom. He was there with Vicki and I when the twins were born, he stood beside me as Best Man in our wedding. He and Sarah and Daniel are my family.
And in retrospect, family is what Soundwaves is really all about. Without Dennis, there is no Soundwaves. No rich legacy of 25 years of music and laughter and friendship.
Thanks to all those listed above, and biggest thanks of course to Vicki who for half of my Soundwaves life has put up with Dennis and I running off and shooting a show whenever we were both in the same place at the same time (like the weekend of our wedding, for example…), or for muddling through those long weekends away when I’m doing the annual Christmas Party.
Um…okay…now what?
If you’ve never been on film or TV before, there’s a surreal aura that surrounds you when you’re watching yourself on a big or small screen.
Usually the “you” on the screen isn’t really you. If you’re acting, you’re usually portraying a character that someone else has created.
If you’re hosting though, especially on a show like Soundwaves, you do bring a lot of yourself to the table.
I appeared in around 150 episodes over those 20-plus years, and when I peer into those tiny little time capsules from days gone by, I’m smacked right between the eyes with a maelstrom of emotions. I can literally go from melancholy to embarrassed to having a big, shit-eatin’ grin on my face in just a matter of moments, but that’s the beauty (and some might say the curse) of doing a show every week.
And believe me, the 80’s was a dangerous time to be on TV. The videos, the styles, the hair really created some cringe-worthy segments. There are a handful of “What The Hell Was I Thinking” moments that I’ll be happy to never see again. But overall, as with life, we tend to conveniently forget the not-so-great and look fondly upon the good.
And there was a lot of good.
Sure, there was the weekly grind of coming up with material, setting up and striking the set, picking locations, schlepping equipment, etc., etc., but I have to really focus to remember those aspects.
What I remember easily are the people.
Some of the Soundwaves Rogue’s Gallery has been lost to the four winds, some are wandering around on the periphery and some are still an important part of my life and always will be.
People who have tromped through my life as a result of Soundwaves and left their little footprints in the sand include Jim Willis, Sarah Maginnis-Willis, Joey Mack, Andy Sherman, John Stanley, LaWonda Eastwood, Cathie Abogado, Jeff Gracia, Steve Willis, Suzanne St. John-Crane, Jennifer Stanonis, Kelley Wright, Marty Anaya, Chase Masterson, James Kerwin, Gerald Gorman, Marty! Vartanian, Angie Maestas and of course, Margie Jarvis.
But what of Dennis?
Dennis and I became a team immediately, and I mean on the very first day we met at the old Channel 8 studio. We instantly developed a rapport that continues to serve us well to this day. I have no friend that I would rather talk to, that I trust more or who I appreciate as much. We’ve been through death and life together. He was there when I lost my Mom. He was there with Vicki and I when the twins were born, he stood beside me as Best Man in our wedding. He and Sarah and Daniel are my family.
And in retrospect, family is what Soundwaves is really all about. Without Dennis, there is no Soundwaves. No rich legacy of 25 years of music and laughter and friendship.
Thanks to all those listed above, and biggest thanks of course to Vicki who for half of my Soundwaves life has put up with Dennis and I running off and shooting a show whenever we were both in the same place at the same time (like the weekend of our wedding, for example…), or for muddling through those long weekends away when I’m doing the annual Christmas Party.
Um…okay…now what?
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