nostalgia

click on each photo

to see a larger version

the proud parents

The year is 1964.  C & G are lookin' pretty stylish on this plastic-covered couch.  The TV trays feature an endless wet bar and the hi-fi playin' the hits!

baby spike & mom

In 1971, Baby Spike was born in the suburbs of Philadelphia.  It was the last year that he would have "normal" hair and a quiet demeanor.

my first Christmas

1971 was coincidentally the last year that my parents bought me toys.

age 2

I'm not sure if this was the neighbor's sandbox or kitty litter box... but I was happy.

nice pants!

...and the "bowl cut" looks pretty good too!

with siblings at age 4

I wonder how my two brothers and kid sister dealt with having a genius for a brother.  Must have been a lot to deal with for such young minds!

with my Irish grandmother

My mom's parents were my heroes growing up.  My best childhood memories are with Memom & Grandpop.

9 year-old cub scout

Boy Scouts:  where I learned how to cut things, burn things, shoot things, and bury things.

Sea Isle City

My East Coast friends know all about going "downa shore."  It's the Mid-Altantic version of "going up north."

12 year-old karate champion

When you are the shortest kid in a class of 90, you have to learn Tae Kwon Do for bus-stop survival!

with my brothers

Nothing like an awkward, pimply 15-year-old in a tuxedo!

the hair!  age 16

By sophomore year of high school, I was already given the nickname "Spike" due to the various hairstyles... most of which would land me in the Principal's Office. (Catholic school!)

age 17

I thought I was cool.

I was wrong.

with Grampop

Gramps: my idol.

the college freshman

My only criteria for choosing a college:  "Do you have a radio station and how soon can I get on the air?"  Great use of $36,000, but anyway...

20 year-old radio geek

I spent about 18 hours a day in these three rooms of the CUB building.  WSYC was the reason I didn't get more girls in college.  Or at least, that's my excuse.

age 21

I met a girl in a radio class and had to be with her!  I invited her to join the radio station and hit on her any chance I could get.  When she wasn't interested, I went after her friend Kris.  ;)

the college roommates

Three's Company.  I think I was Jack Tripper.  

Or was I Mr. Furley?

more college radio geeks

I joined Jenny's staff at the Slate so that I wouldn't just be a radio geek.  Now, I was just a geek.  I guess radio wasn't the problem!

that's me... honest!

That's why

my hair is sticking up... it's just "wind-blown!"

senior year at SU

Ready to graduate.

fighting gravity with Deb

Anyone who thinks "Spike" was just a dorky radio nickname... it was a dorky nickname long before I got into radio!

I'm sure psychologists would find a connection between my hair and my being the vertically-challenged middle-school bully target.

May 1993

Am I smart now?

with Larry

I got graduated.. now what?

December 1995

This was the William Penn Inn on the night before our wedding.

with Vinnie & Sarah on the WTC

Right out of college, I got hired at WDRE in Philadelphia.  Before long, I was co-host and producer of a morning show in my hometown at an alternative radio station.  Does it get any better than that?

waking up Philly, 1997

"Sarah, Spike, & Vinnie" on WDRE.  It was a good run but after five years, the station was bought and flipped to a rap format.  We were shown the door in February 1997.  The morning after our final broadcast, I was on a plane to Texas... 

Rockfest in Dallas, June 1997

I took a job as Morning Show Host and Music Director at The Zone in Dallas.  "The Spike & Abby Show" was born and I got to host the MTV ROCKFEST concert featuring No Doubt, Bush, Counting Crows, Matchbox Twenty, Jewel, Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind, and more! 

in front of 450,000 people!

It was the largest one-day concert in history.  Only Woodstock had more people!  But soon after, I was asked to help create an alternative station in Detroit.  I took the job without ever having been to Motown!  I was on a plane after only ten months in Texas.

Nov. 1997: moving to Detroit

So I fly to the Motor City to help start this kick-ass radio station called The Edge.  I was morning show host and Asst. Program Director.  This was one seriously cool station!

Spike & Sara on The Edge

I found Sara to be my co-host and we hit the streets to spread the word about our new radio station.  The Edge quickly beat out 89X, 97.1 and WDVD in the ratings.  But it also started to take away some of sister station WRIF's younger audience.  And so... 

the jobless Edge air-staff

On Easter Sunday 1999, The Edge was changed to Groovin' Oldies.  We were all fired.  The airstaff (on my couch in this photo) all came over to my little Ferndale house and got wasted on Easter Sunday.  What else could we do?  (The Groove format failed and the station is now called "Magic")

NYC with Lar

I made the most of unemployment and decided to relax and wait for the perfect offer.  I was flown to Washington DC, Austin, and a few other cool cities, but decided that the best job was right here in Detroit...

Mojo arrives in Detroit

Channel 955 called and said they wanted to get rid of the "Q" format, make it a cool radio station, and pair me up with the #1 morning show host in Arizona.  Mojo and I met and immediately fell in love, haha.  Seriously, I knew this was going to be a successful morning show and great life choice.

2002 Olympics, Salt Lake City

Mojo In The Morning premiered in February 2000 and has since taken the Channel 955 morning show from # 14 to # 2.

We have interviewed Hollywood's biggest stars and even the President of the United States.  And William Hung!

skiing (obviously not Michigan)

I love Michigan and plan on being here a while.

As long as Detroit will have us.

hooray for babysitters!

Natalie was born in October 2001 and Nicole in May 2004, so we don't get out as much as we used to.  In fact, a Blockbuster night is a big night!  Pathetic?  You bet!

Mackinac Island

We still get out once-in-a-while, but not quite as exotic as a private jet to Vegas or a week in Ireland.  But hey, there's nothing wrong with Toledo!

Natalie

Our morning show is so busy with interviews and appearances, that most of my non-work time is spent at home.

Nicole

Plus I gotta give Mrs. Spike a break from time to time so she doesn't lock the kids in the basement!

at the Roostertail

See?  I clean up nice.  And I don't look like the troublemaker I really am... right?

Nikki & Joel in town!

I still enjoy getting out to have some fun with friends...

with Sara at the pajama party

and work...

neices and nephews, Nov. 2004

and family...

...and the listeners!

and most importantly, with the amazing people I get to meet everyday through work.  I've met some incredible people over the years while simply doing my job.  Some of them have changed my life!

My job is a blast and it's because of the cool people of Michigan that I enjoy -- alright, tolerate -- waking up at 4 AM.

click on each photo

to see a larger version