And welcome back to 35,000 Watts, the podcast. My name is Michael Millard. I’m the director of a feature documentary called 35,000 Watts, the story of college radio. It is a documentary about, believe it or not, college radio, and it is available for download right now at 35,000 watts.com. Today, joining me on the podcast One of my favorite interviews from the film, he appears in the film. He is one of those people that has like all he’s an actor. He’s a host. He’s he’s a little of everything. His name is Arvelle Poe AKA Mastermind
How are you doing today, man? Hey. Hey. Hey. Let me do it efficiently for youOnce you pull your mind 2 times to move your spine, it’s the hip hop and showstopping, fat phone dropping, master of the wheels of steel. I am Arvell Mastermind Poe, and I’m on 35,000 watts. Let’s go. Exactly what I wanted to hear. That was my, my first question was, can you, can you introduce yourself?
Cause you do it better than almost anybody. I love it. So right off the bat, we’re doing a podcast here. Obviously you’ve got your own podcast, but I almost hesitate to call it a podcast. It’s so much more than that
When I was on it, I had the most fun of and I don’t wanna I’ve enjoyed all the interviews I’ve done on other podcasts. I mean, don’t get me wrong. They’re all fun for different reasons, but you are doing something totally different. Tell me about your decision to to do a podcast and to kind of make it more like a. It’s like a late night showIt’s a, it’s like a game show a little bit. Like, tell me about, about what made you decide to kind of expand your podcast out a little bit. So first of all, I appreciate that love. That that really means a lot to me because it is definitely a labor of love. The indie show, All Things Indie, I like to say, is your new favorite podcast that’s secretly a late night talk showBack during the pandemic, I was just thinking about what did I want to do to use that time during the pandemic, and I missed being in radio. So I was like, what’s the best way for me to do radio and not independent radio? And everyone and their mom was talking about podcasts, podcasts. And I never really sat down and listened to a podcast. I had I knew what the concept was, so I started looking around to see what everyone was doingEveryone was sitting around just talking. And that’s not me. I would engage in a conversation, but I am not talkative. I’m I’m a bit it’s weird, I’m being an actor and a radio personality, but I’m a bit of an introvert. So I would sit back and listen to people more than I would lead the conversation and everythingSo I looked at this podcast as like a radio show almost. I was just like, okay. What would I do if I was to do this? And so I slowly I think over 6 months, it was just going over in my head how I would just the format of the show. What segments, because it had to be segments, and how I wanted to do everythingAnd then once I came up with the perfect idea in my head, I reached out to a friend of mine who I used to do Internet radio with. And he had moved on and moved to Baltimore, and he turned the Internet radio station in almost to, like, a TV. He was like, everyone is going visual. Because I was about to do radio. He was just, noNo. No. We’re doing visual. I said, oh, man. I gotta be back on camera againAlright. And so I told him my idea. He sat and thought about it. And he, as my executive producer, started coming up with all the images for my transitions and everything. And once I started seeing the stuff come together, I was like, yo, we got somethingAnd I started handpicking the people that I want to do the show with. Because I was like, I don’t know if I want to really do this do this. So I had a beginning and an end. I’m a do this this season. I’m a do this for about 3 monthsAbout 12, 13 episodes. Alright? If I like it, I’m a continue to do it. If not, at least I say I did a podcast and we have a complete series. That’s that’s the modelEvery 3 months is a is a season, and I look forward to every season. Right now, we’re on season 9, and I’m having way more fun. I have I have PR people sending me independent artists to be on my show. I didn’t even explain my show. Because so what we do is we spotlight entrepreneurs and showcase independent artistsSo I build my whole show around one person, and for about 90 minutes, I am interviewing them in secret with random games and segments. And then I have a segment called 1 on 1 with whoever my guest is, and where I really do the deep dive with the interview. And then I have a segment called mastermind games where we play games because it disarms people. People love games. They like to have funI’m still learning about that person, but you we get to see them relax as being themselves. And then we bring it all home with, the last word, and that person gets to say what they wanna say for the last time, and we just end the show there. That’s That’s what I was gonna say is you really get to know somebody better, I think, in your format because it does like, it takes them out of that interview mode where it’s question, answer, question, answer. I’m in PR mode. I’m gonna I’m gonna say my piece, and maybe I’m gonna say the same thing I said on the other podcast that I did last weekYou can’t do that on your show because you are you’re asking trivia questions. You’re like you know, there’s you’re getting people out of their comfort zone a little bit, but I I mean, I never felt uncomfortable. Yeah. But I was in new territory in terms of what we were talking about. You know?
If I remember right, like, we we also had, like, artists that were sending in stuff that we were listening to and, like, saying who we liked and what we liked about it. Like so I got to hear these brand new artists who probably, you know, were getting their shot kind of on your show. Yeah. And we got to weigh in on it. I mean, it was so much fun
And, so I’m curious. Do you have do you have a favorite segment that you look forward to, like the one that you really think kinda makes the show, or is it hard to pick? I do. So the fans, the audience loves, will be the judge of that. And that’s what you were talking aboutWhen we have 3 artists, and they get a mini interview, and then they introduce their song or their music video. After everyone have seen all 3 artists, then the audience gets to vote for their favorite artist. And if an artist wins 3 weeks in a row, they get to be in the hot seat. They get their own episode based upon them, so they become a featured guest. And then now we’re doing mix tapesSo if a person wins, we’re their song is definitely on our mix tape. I love that. That’s a great way to to highlight new artists, and it’s a great way as a listener to find new artists is to pop on a mix tape. Like, it’s a great just like, you kinda get this mix of stuff and someone I mean, the whole idea of being a DJ is to kinda curate music for people. Right?
Like Yeah. Your job, one of your biggest jobs is to go and find really great stuff out of this giant world of music that’s out there. And then you have people that start to trust you. Right? Like, they come to you because they know this guy knows music
This guy knows what I like. So now I’m gonna I’m gonna wanna listen to him. I does is that kind of fulfilling when you get that feedback? Yes. It is super fulfillingI really love it when people reach out to me, and they want to be on the show. Or I have people this goes back to when I was doing Internet radio as well. They will get on the show, not knowing what to expect. Like, I would always give somebody a link. Hey, check out my show, make sure this is did you understand what you’re getting yourself into?
They never do. They get on the show, and as they’re part of it, when they start seeing my transitions and all the special effects and everything that we do, I see this smile come across their face, like, yo, I like this is perfect. Oh my goodness. And when it’s over, there’s I really enjoyed myself. That was so much time flew by, and then I didn’t know what to expect, but I love it
I used to get that all the time when I was doing the radio show with my wife. And now I’m getting it again with the podcast. And so it makes me really happy to get those, type of responses. So I am proud. I’ve met a lot of peopleBecame close with a a bunch of artists who really respect what I’m doing. And just every time they give me shout outs and talk about you guys are doing a great job for the Internet I mean, for the, independent community, I’m proud. It’s the indie show. It’s, on all the, podcast places that you would go, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. We’ll plug it again at the end of the showNow it’s time to go back in time. We’re gonna rewind now. Alright. So we talked about, I personally think you’re a natural on the mic. It seems like you were kinda born with this abilityTell me about kinda how you found college radio and and what those first, few months on a on a in the station were like for you. Good question. So I let me start off by saying, Mastermind was born I think Mastermind was born in college, because I used to make my own mix tapes. Buying a lot of CDs. So for my Walkman, I needed mix tapesAnd so I didn’t have a a microphone, but I would use the headphones. I stick the headphones into the microphone jack and talk into the headphones, and I would be the DJ for my own mixtapes. And so I became DJ mastermind. When I went to University of Georgia, big shout out to the Bulldogs, 90.5 FMW, UOG. They were having, you know, a little get togetherHey. Come, you know, be a part of the radio station. I was just like, I think I’ve always you know, I want to do radio. I’ve always thought about radio. So I went in and I signed upAnd the first thing I had to do was work for a very boring show called Minority Matters. I was put on the Minority Matters group, and I didn’t know what to expect. It was me and this white kid named Spencer. Big shout out to my guy, Spencer. Man, that’s where it all startedImagine Urkel hosting a show called Minority Matters, and it is talk and the first episode we were on, they were talking about the young Republicans and something about I have no idea. It was just we’re like, what is this? This is terrible. It is so slow and dry. The room was darkI felt like 3 hours. I was just, dude, this is this is this is not me. And so me and Spencer, we put our heads together. It was just like, hey. We got to make this thing poppin’As time went on, you know, the show changed. It got a little bit better because we started putting in our 2¢. But that’s the way it started, and I worked my way up to finally getting my own show. And that was with Spencer. But what was funny about that, Spencer brought me along, because at this time, we are a duoAnd he was just like, we’re gonna get our own show. But first, we’re gonna go up to the powers that be. We had a meeting, and he has presentation all wrapped up. And he it was a old school show called sold out. Red haired white guy, doing a old school funk show called sold outAnd Spencer was just like, we are coming to resist this idea of starting our own show. We wanna call it the Players’ Picnic. It’s a old school show called the Players’ Picnic, and we wanna take over sold out. Because sold out is a negative connotation, and we think that needs to go. And we and I’m reading from my card, and I’m nervous and and everythingThat guy who has his own show is sitting there with the powers that be as we’re saying this. And then the next thing we know, okay, you guys got the show. They didn’t kick the man off, and now we are holding hosting our own show, The Playa’s Picnic. It’s crazy that you started kind of more on a talk show because those are to me, that’s more difficult than than hosting a musical. Like, trying to make a show like minority matters interesting, and we talk about it in the filmYou give a great kind of discussion about how you guys kinda tried to confront some of the frats and sororities on campus that were doing stuff that was like they’re dressing up like Confederate soldiers and, like, it’s just the crazy stuff that you just would not think would be happening in this day and age. And, like, I love that you guys did that kind of thing because it’s such a great example of how college radio is not just a bunch of people playing music. It is kids that have all a a variety of interests, and and some of it is is really serious stuff. You know, you can bring shine light on stuff that that a light needed to be shined on. But you could definitely hear hear Arbel talk about that in the filmAnd what amazes me though is, like, that’s like getting thrown in the fire right off the bat. Like, most people kinda start on the easy side. I look. I didn’t listen to talk radio back in the day. You know, it was just music, music, music, but you learn a lot about yourself in college, but definitely working in in college radioYou unless you know where your path is or where you want to go or what you want to do while you’re there, I always tell folks, just try a little bit of everything. See what you like. Learn behind the scenes. I learned this about myself after the fact because I didn’t really care too much about wanting things. I wanted to be a personalityI wanted to speak to the people. I love cracking open the mic, playing the music, having fun. It’s almost like an alter ego. Johnny Fever almost. You know, WKRP and Cincinnati type vibeOh, shout out. Yes. Yeah. So and that’s that’s what I’m talking about. And so I always felt alive and felt free whenever I’m on that microphoneAnd that’s what I wanted to do. And so once I got my own 8 o’clock shift, I was just like, yeah. This is what I want to do. It was nice, you know, when I had to work the 3 AM shift. You know, you got to get those graveyard shifts coming up and everythingThat was fun. I was skirting the rules from time to time. It got me ready to do what I wanted to do. And I think I’m more vocal. I don’t I’m not an introvert when I’m on the microphoneYou know? Right. Right. I don’t know where all this energy and conversation come from when they turn on the mic. But, that’s my superpower, I guessAnd people love it. They seem to be they seem to gravitate towards me. So, I’m here for it. Do you think everything really started to click when you got that, that show and really started to, you know, like you got to pick music, you got to share your love of music with people. Is that when things really started to come together?
Like I could, I can do this. Like, this is something that I can do not just now, but maybe beyond college or or later on. Or or when do you think that light bulb went off? I think the late night shifts helped because you don’t you don’t have to worry about how many people are listening. You just feel like it’s just you and the universe
So Yeah. You can practice, and you can experiment with a lot of stuff. You can listen to different you’re forced to listen to different types of music, and that enriches you as a personality and a radio host. So I think that was the beginning. And then when I started doing shows, like, I was the cohost of the hip hop show, Power of SoulBut once I had something that was my own, that it was my I shared it with Spencer, but it was it was my baby too. I was able to cultivate it and come up with segments. Like, one of our favorite segments of the Players Picnic was the Groove Session. It was just, like, from 8:30 to 8:45. We turned down the lights, and it’s 90.5It’s time for the group session. Get you guys to get your girl. And I’m telling we tell folks, if you if you end up getting pregnant because of these next 3 or 4 songs, just name your child, Trisha, or R. V. LAnd it was just hilarious and fun. And it is so and then we would have, regular callers call in. My man, from the ABB. I think his name was, Dwight from the ABB. That’s where he workedAnd he would call all the time. I don’t know who this old man was, but he loved our show. And the fast forward, when I started working in, corporate radio, he found me. I was doing my Saturday Sunday morning shift, and he was like, is this the same mastermind from 90.5? I’m like, waitWhat? Yeah. This is Dwight. I was like, Dwight, this is crazy. It’s like 7 o’clock in the morning on a SundayAnd he’s calling me, you know, just like, that touched me. I you couldn’t tell me anything after that. I was just like, man, he followed me from college and found me working on 95 5 to beat back when it was going on in Atlanta, Georgia. Big shout outs to them. YeahI love the regulars. I love the regulars on a radio show. Like, if when you start to cultivate them, you know you’re onto something. Yep. You know what I mean?
Like, you know you’ve, like, hit the right chord. These are my people. I love it. So what are some of the things that you learned during your time, whether it was on minority matters, whether it was on some of your your other shows that you kinda have still, like, looked back on and, like, man, I I still use that today or or, you know, I’m doing this thing and it’s I learned it because of college radio. That is a good question
And I don’t know how to to answer that question because in college, college was the wild wild west to me. Yes. There were rules, but I was an outlaw, man. I did what I thought was right, what felt good to me. I learned to listen to my heart, to my creative energies and everythingI know I was wrong sometimes. Once, I changed the name of a radio show that I did. Like, I was hosting I eventually took over the, talk show, Minority Matters. And we were talking about a lot of black issues on Minority Matters. And I was just like, so it would only make sense for this show to be specifically geared to black student, populationRight? And so I decided, on this day, I found me a new team. There was some intelligent black people that was on campus. Some of the coolest people on campus, and they was rocking with me. And I was just like, okay, we gonna do our showAnd live on the air, we come on, and I was just like, alright, we changing the name to Black Connection. I’m like, we clapping. Are you clapping? Black Connection was like the name of a song from Camp Lowe’s, debut album. So I was just like, okayCool. That’s a great name. And so we weren’t cheering. Usually, most people have their headphones connected to the boards in the studio. Not meI want to be able to hear what the people are hearing on air. So I have my own little boom box, and I have my headphones connected to that. No it was no time delay, so I can hear everything happening in real time. As we’re cheering and everything in my headphones, I hear nothing. I’m absolutely deadI’m like, what? And then, like, a second later, they kick in the door. It is the big guys, the bosses. They were just like, no. This is no everBut they don’t even work here. They did they they haven’t gone through any training. These are just regular people to us. You’re the only person that has signed up with the station. And I’m just like, so I was putting on suspension for about a couple of weeksAnd they were my my friends were upset. They was just like, because they because they started talking. It was like talking down to, like, to the black woman that was working with me. It was not cool at all. But, yeahI got back on the air. I guess I had to strike or whatever. I didn’t I understood what I did was wrong and everything, but in my heart, I believed that was the right move. I just decided. I decided, let me do it, and whatever happens, happensAnd so that’s what I don’t think I’ll learn anything about this industry until I got to commercial radio. That’s when I realized this thing is a business. Look, I love radio to death. I mean, I have so much fun. I don’t really look at it as a jobSo when I was on commercial radio, I started learning, yo, this is not a game. This is this is for real. And so that’s when I learned about the business. But before then, it was the wild west. And I’m just going out there having itI’m shooting 1st, asking questions later, and cultivating the following, I guess. Which is perfect for college radio. I mean, that’s what college radio is for. And that’s what I when I ask people this question, I don’t think anyone ever says, oh, well, you know, I learned how to run a board or I learned how to use a mic. Like, they don’t, they don’t say thatThey say like, I learned how to express myself. I learned how to communicate. I learned how to follow my heart and, like, get excited about something that I created. That’s what I love about college radio. I mean, yeah, you’re learning the basics of it, but like, it’s bigger than thatIt’s more than that. Like you’re, you’re, you’re tapping into something that you probably as an 18, 19, 20 year old haven’t tapped into before. Like, it might be your first time having those cup kind of opportunities. So I love that answer because it’s not, oh, I learned I learned what this knob does. NopeYou know? I learned what this button does. That’s that’s, like, tangential to what college radio is about, you know? I smile every time I think about college radio. But, dude, like, if I can help it, I go back for our anniversary at 90.5 every yearIt was good to a point. And my wife’s, wife and I’s anniversary will be around the same time as the anniversary for the station. So she was like, hey. So this has got to give. So you’re like, so at times when they shifted the time, so I was just like, alrightCool. So we don’t have to go to Athens for our anniversary this year. It was fun to be there. So when we did the shoot, we actually went, you know, during the 50th anniversary for WOG. So that was why we were able to get ahold of so many different people for the filmAnd I remember this actually leads right into my next question. I remember you actually got to go and visit with some of the current students while you were there. I think you probably do that when you’re at the back. What do you feel about, like, the current situation at at, say, WEOG or just college radio in general? I mean, do you feel like it’s changed a lot?
Do you think the kids are still getting the same kind of experience that you got when when you were there? I don’t I don’t have a great perspective on that, so I’m curious just kinda what your feelings are about it. I love the kids’ excitement. It was great. It was great talking to the kids
And, like, when I tell them that the artist, Danger Mouse, was at 90.5, and I just break down how he used to host the, hip hop show, and then renamed it the halftime hip hop show. This guy would come in when he first got to the station, would take hip hop music from the albums and he would just edit out all of the curse words so those songs could get played on daily rotation. That’s one of the first things that he did shout out to Brian. That’s what he did when he got up to this album. It’s like, that is geniusThat’s what I don’t even know why I didn’t even think about that. That was that is beautiful. Did you get because there’s not a lot of hip hop that’s in rotation. It’s gonna be a lot of rock and pop or it’s gonna be a lot of rock that’s going to be in rotation on college radios. So to get that into rotation was so smart because a lot of that music does have, vulgarity in itSo you got to bleep that stuff out. So so I was telling them stories about that. But the fact go back to the question, they are not getting the same experience as we got because and it breaks my heart. They are playing music from YouTube. When I went to do a set, they didn’t have the CDs readily available or anything up that could be potted upThey was looking at me crazy because I wanted to use my CDs. I had to do things digitally. I had to have a jump drive to plug in so we can play the music. Thank God they had some, record players, but I didn’t, it was dude, it was wild to wrap my mind around them only playing music from YouTube. I was like, this is not the essence of radio at allIt it it broke my heart, and I just I I don’t I don’t know where we’re going. And then watching your documentary, it was breaking my heart seeing all these college radio stations shut down and everything. It was just like, this is not what we need. No. Go backwardsDon’t sell the station. We need this we need the station. If not for the college, just think about the community outside of the college that listens. Something can be worked out. But YeahLosing the licenses in particular bugs me. You know, you have FM licenses that can be sold, you know, and universities look at them and say, well, radio’s dying and we can make some of those licenses are worth literally, you know, 7 figure, like $1,000,000, maybe more in a in a market like Atlanta or, you know, some of the bigger markets. Those licenses are worth a lot of money. And it’s a shame because I think they think, well, it’s the same, you know? Oh, we’re broadcasting over the InternetThat’s the same thing. And I mean, it’s great. I I I’m glad that students still get that opportunity if that’s what they have to choose from, whether it’s nothing or or an Internet stream. I think Internet stream definitely wins that battle. But, yeah, I think it’s shortsighted to kind of forget about FM radio and terrestrial broadcasting and just the fun of going in and spinning records and loading up the CDs and all the like, that physical that just maybe how how it is nowI I don’t know if I don’t you can’t rewind the clock. Right? They they don’t even have the late night shifts anymore. The last I heard, they weren’t even able to come in to do the late shifts. I was just that is part of the experienceIf I That’s the essence of the yeah. Yeah. Working for, like, 2 to 4, and then playing this song that sounds like, someone is scratching the top board with a male. That is why you do college radio. YeahLosing the overnight shifts is crazy because that’s, I mean, that’s that’s where you get thrown in the fire and just, like, go for it. You know? Because I think almost everybody’s first shift is, is usually like a late night shift. That’s where you, you learn and you can make mistakes. And like you were saying, you don’t, you feel like it’s just kind of you and, and you’re just kinda in the booth and maybe somebody’s listeningMaybe they’re not. Yeah. Losing that would be a shame. But like you said, as long as they still have the opportunity to do that, because you’re still learning, they’re still getting the music sent to them. So for them to review the music to see if it’s something that should be in rotation or whatever, a lot of the elements are still thereBut to me, some of the main important stuff is is disappearing, and it’s it just doesn’t feel right. It just Yeah. But I did I realized it was a totally different generation. I can imagine, like, the WKRP generation only had the the albums, and then we come with the CDs. And now it’s all digitalI don’t like digital. I don’t care for digital anywhere. I like stuff. I have to be able to hold it, hold it and own it, because if the power goes out, I have nothing. How am I supposed to listen to it without batteries or electricity?
Yeah. Yeah. I I I imagine some of the old heads would have come in while, you know, we were DJing back in the day and be like, oh, CDs or Yeah. You know, we had records or carts. You know?
We we still had a few carts laying around. So, yeah, I hate to I don’t wanna be like that guy. Oh, you know, it was it was better back in the day, but there is something I I mean, I think we all do. Right? Like, that’s just how it goes, but there is something very satisfying about pulling a record out and, you know, seeing the big the big artwork
You know? It’s not like a little tie it sometimes it’s got a gate full. Mhmm. Sometimes it’s got multiple, you know, pages to flip through, and it’s it’s just a physical, tangible thing. ThingAnd and, of course, as a as a also a former club DJ, like, where I physically manipulated records and, like, you use the turntable as an instrument, it really makes me sad to know, like, kids may not get that experience anymore. I know they have kind of, like, the controllers that that kind of fake that kind of thing. And I I like you said, as long as kids are getting the essence of the experience, the I it’s fine. Like, that’s great. I I I don’t want that to go away, but it is kind of it’s easy to to fall back into thatLike, it’s they’re missing out on some of the fun of running up because your record started skipping and you were you weren’t paying attention. You know, those kind of moments. Yes. They’re trying to catch a quick nap because your 23 minute song is about to end. RightDude, so I I miss it. It was this the station was my home away from it was one of my home away from homes because like you stated in your wonderful intro, I not only doing radio, I was writing for the school paper, and I was acting as well, with the Black Theatrical Ensemble. So I had different homes, but radio would always call me. No matter what, I built everything around being mastermind on the radio. So we talked a bit a little bit about the film, 35,000 Watts, the story of college radio available for download right now at 35,000 watts.comYou guys, these people, you guys You’ve seen the film. You’re in the film. I’m curious. How did you feel watching it? Was it was it nostalgic?
Was it sad? Was it exciting? So you, I got sent the the disgrader ahead of time. And so me and my wife, we didn’t know what to expect. You know, we my wife loves documentaries
And so you never know what you’re going to get when you’re watching the level of professionalism. Alright? Sometimes it looks good. The lighting is great. And sometimes it’s dim, and you’re using and it’s it’s looking like a old VHS tapeSo we didn’t know what to expect. So sitting on the couch, getting comfortable, we fired that thing up. And immediately, when it starts off, you’re heading down the road and everything. We look at each other. YoThis looks good. I I mean, just the presentation. It was just like, okay. I’m ready for this. Oh, we we sit upIt was like, okay, man. And as it’s going on, it is shot beautifully. It was that was drawing me in. I was looking at it with a directorial, at that point. I was just like, I love the shots that were used in this filmAnd everybody came off naturally. And, you know, whenever you see yourself on film, you’re always critical. You’re like, oh, man. I wish I would’ve set up or did this or whatever. But, overall, I truly enjoyed this filmAnd once I found out when it was coming to Athens, we made it. It was a family trip. We all went to Athens to watch it, and it was good seeing some of the old heads that I had never met before. So the people that were there, they really loved it. Seeing it on the big screen was was kinda coolAnd I am very happy that I was a part of it. That was my first documentary. Alright? So I’ve I’ve done some indie movies. I’ve done some big screen moviesBut to be in a documentary, I can check that off my list. All the materials, like old tapes and audio, I was like, yo. This is legit. Everyone needs to see this. Because I don’t think everyone understands how important and crucial college radio isBut the people who’ve done college radio, when they see it, I know they have to have memories of back in the day when they were on air and have to share with other people that was on the radio. But I had to tell people, hey. You need to see this. Every time I meet, someone that’s done college radio, I I’d let them know about this because this is this is something important that you did. I I don’t you know, you maybe thought it was fun ideaYou know, no one’s really in this lane, but I appreciate you showing love to all of us college radio alumni. Thanks for the kind word. I mean, I really appreciate it. We it was a labor of love for sure. Everybody that participated was fantastic, and that made it better than it would have been otherwiseAnd, you know, that was what we wanted to do. We wanted to 2 things really make a film where people that were in college radio would watch it and recognize it and see themselves in it and appreciate their place in this bigger thing that was happening. Because I think depending on when you were in college radio, you know, if you were in particularly pre Internet, you may not have really realized that what you were doing was was being done all over the country by other students. There were other students all over the place that were kind of part of this thing. You were part of something bigger than yourself, but you didn’t even really know itSo that was one goal for the film is to contextualize people like me who were stuck in West Texas and didn’t realize that something bigger was happening or that you were part of something. And then people who don’t know anything about college radio and don’t realize the role it played in breaking bands, breaking new musicians, training people who would go on to do, you know, David Letterman and those types of people who started in college radio and ended up becoming super famous, people like yourself who are in you know, you’re in movies. You’re on TV shows. You’re doing podcasts. It started with college radioThat was, like, that initial outlet that gave people their entry into that world. And so that was what we were aiming for, and, you know, you never know if you hit the mark or not. But I, yeah, I appreciate it. You were great, and you you have the mic drop moment in the film. You said that just in the course of the interview, and it may not have even I don’t think it was the end of the interview, but, like, you just you put a button on it so perfectlyThat was cool. That that was definitely cool because when I saw it, oh, I’m getting goosebumps thinking about it. And I was just like, to see that placement, I was just like, it was either me or my wife. She was just like, oh my gosh, you got the last word. I was just like, oh, this is crazyOh my god. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, spoiler alert. You know, you’re you’re talking about how you want to see what you got to do and the ex the experiences you had and the experiences you had. You wanna see that for the next generation and the generation after that, which is again, that’s what we wanted the film to accomplish was to to make people aware that this thing could go away. The you know, this this thing called college radio has been around for a 100 years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gonna be around for a 100 more yearsSo the way you expressed that was perfect of of, like, you know, I had this experience. I loved it. I want that for everybody else who comes after me. What a great thing to say, because that’s you’re acknowledging, like, there’s something that we all have to do to make sure that we keep this thing alive for the next generation. And I thought that was really coolWell, we are almost out of time, but I would not be able to let you out of here without putting you on the hot seat just a little bit. There we go. Because I, you know, I was I was on your show. I had to answer some music trivia. I was really nervous because I wanted to I wanted to do wellAnd your show is kinda live, so, like, there was no me getting edited out. Like, if I was an idiot, I was gonna be an idiot for everybody listening in there. So this is 5 trivia questions, and it is about Georgia musicians and Georgia artists. So I tried to kind of bring it home a little bit. We’re mostly in the hip hop R and B world, but a little bit outside of that, because I didn’t want to make it too easy on youSo let’s see how it goes. All right. Question number 1, here we go. What Atlanta based hip hop duo had a smash number one hit in 1993 with jump? That is I used to wear my did I wear my clothes backwards?
That’s crisscross. But I was just like, did I wear my clothes back? No. I didn’t get that far though. Crisscross
Final answer is crisscross. That is correct. Have you ever been put your pants on backwards? That is not comfortable at all. I don’t know how they did itI don’t know why they did it, but it it’s, it was unique. They stuck out. They the little kids could rap. It’s number 1, a number 1 billboard hit for those kids. Like, shout out to themAnd and Jermaine Dupree just found them walking around the mall. They already had a huge following. And he was just like, what do y’all do? And he was just like, we just do us. We just usSo he was like, man, I’m gonna take these kids who are already have some type of fame and make them rappers. And that’s what he did. He did. Yeah. Question number 2Alright. We’re we’re going a little bit further afield this time. Which country music star born in Newnan, Georgia, has sold over 75,000,000 records, and is known for his blend of traditional country with modern pop influences. Wow. Someone from Newnan, GeorgiaI think he had a song called Chasing That Neon Rainbow, maybe? Oh, yeah. No. I I’ll tell you the strike. I don’t know this oneIt was Alan Jackson. Alan? Alan Jackson. Jackson. NoFrom Newnan, Georgia. Yeah. No. I wasn’t gonna get that I had to give you one that was tough. I had to give you one that was toughSo I think I I think I Allen Jackson when he comes but he’s big, but I don’t even think about Allen Jackson. Okay. Apparently from Georgia. Yeah. I didn’t know thatAlright. Number 3, which influential musician, singer, and songwriter from Macon was known as the Georgia peach? This is old school. This goes this goes back. So This goes backI knew Macon was gonna come up. Georgia. Don’t be wrong. I’m about to be wrong. I’m just saying Otis ReddingAh, that’s a good guess. That’s a good guess. Now the Georgia peach was little Richard. Oh, what? YeahI didn’t know that nickname. No. I don’t no. That is a good one. I did not know thatSee, I’m learning something else from you. Let’s go. Yeah. And I should say I only knew the answer to, like, 2 of these myself. So so it’s not really fair for me to pretend like I know what I’m talking about hereI did not know. Alright. This one, this one’s right up your alley. I know for a fact you have interviewed these guys. I know they’re your favorite band, favorite, duo or rap actIf I’m not mistaken, we’re talking about Outkast. Yeah. And before the question, so we should, we should quickly mention you did get to interview Outkast. It was, I believe one of the highlights of your, how did that come about? This is my whole essenceI became who I am because one day, I just said, I want to be OutKast. I put that out into the atmosphere. Right? I’m working for the, newspaper, the the red and black. One day, I just get a messageHey. Outkast is coming, to perform. Can we get you to interview? What? YesYes. I will interview them. And I went to the show, and during the show, I’m trying to come up with questions. I’ve never interviewed anyone in my life. Very Oh, wowI’m thinking, this is real time. I’ve I’ve never interviewed anyone in my life. And I’m sitting around with people. I’m about to interview Outkast What’s some questions I should ask? I’m just compiling questions and stuffI’m thinking about lyrics from songs that I’m a ask them. And so I was smart. I had my, one of my best friends, Bryant. He came with me to record the interview so I can put it on my TV. I had a TV show called The HypeAnd I would play music videos and interviews and stuff. And so that was on The Hype. So I interviewed them and then put that on TV. So, I mean, I’m taking advantage of the situation. But that’s how it came aboutSo I went back to their, to their went in their hotel. And we just sat and talked for about 45 minutes to I well, talking till my battery ran out on the on the camera. But it was a great this is right before they blew up. And, you know, if you knew of Outkast, you were like truth truth fans. RightBecause they were just regional and everything. I don’t know. I used to say I had, like back in college, I just had this mojo. It’s just like whatever I wanted. If I put it out into the atmosphere, it would happenSo I wasn’t I was happily surprised, but I was comfortable in the moment. I was this is Outkast. I’m talking to they’re talking to me, and this is what I wanted in life. I’ve accomplished this goal. And okay, what am I going to do tomorrow?
What’s what’s going to happen on Tuesday? Right. Well, cause now you know it’s possible. Right? Like when something like that happens, it’s like, Oh, wait, I can, I can want to do something crazy?
I want to interview OutKast. Yeah. That’s crazy. But wait, no, it’s possible. You know, so kids, if you’re listening right now, this whole idea of like manifesting stuff, I mean, it sounds like kind of metaphysical sometimes, but it is actually real
Like if you put some thought and intention behind that, you can in fact meet like, Mark Mothers Bow was my hero. When I was, like, 8 years old, I would be in my bedroom, like, with a hairbrush pretending to be Mark Mothers Bow singing Devo songs. I got to meet Mark Mothers Bow. I got to go to his studio and see all his equipment and talk to, you know what I mean? Like so muchYeah. Yeah. He’s my hero. I mean, and so he’s also awesome and really well spoken, had a lot of great stuff to say, but like, you can think, oh, well, that’ll never happen to me. Like, I’ll never no, you can make stuff happen if you put it out there and then do the work that you need to put behind it to make you know what I mean?
Like, you can’t just say, oh, I’m gonna do it. And it just magically falls in your lap. But if you intentionally think through what you want and you kinda go after it, magical little things can happen, you know, along the way that suddenly it’s like somebody will put it in your path. And next thing you know, you’re interviewing OutKast. Next thing you know, I’m in a studio with Mark Mothers Powell
You just gotta be ready. You because when that, opportunity happens, you gotta be able to capitalize on it. Yes. You will be teething yourself like, oh, I wish I would have done x, y, and z. I don’t want to have those type of regrets because those hurtNow we’ve, we’ve established your OutKast Bonafides. So now we’re gonna come back to the question. Question number 4. I was trying to make you forget. All rightLet’s go. How many outcast studio albums? I believe they have 6 if I’m not mistaken. Okay. How many outcast studio albums have reached at least the top 5 of the billboard 200 chart?
All right. So, can I say, I want to say 4? It is 5. I was gonna say 5. It is 5
Yeah. Oh, my god. All of them reach number 2 except speaker box and love blow actually reach number 1. Mhmm. Technically, I guess that’s you could consider that 2 albums, I guessSo it’s 6, but I I think 5 is is the official answer there. Alright, my man. We have one more question before we wrap it up. Which Atlanta based hip hop group was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2013 with one of the members also being inducted as a solo artist at the same time. All rightSo I’m gonna just take a shot. I’m going to say, please, Lord, let me get this one right. Goody mom. Ladies and gentlemen, that and who was the solo artist, from there? The It was, CieloThat’s right. You got it. I’m gonna give you I’m giving you 2 points for that since it’s a double, since it’s a double. Yeah. I think you nailed the Georgia questions for the most partThe, the Georgia peach got me. Yeah. Georgia peach got me too. I I would not I would not have said little rich. Like, if you’d asked me that question, I I don’t think I would have said little RichardI never would have got the Allen Jackson one even though I’m I I g j’d even had a country bar for a while. So, like, I’m pretty familiar with country music from the nineties, but I did not know who he was from Georgia. So, yeah, I would have missed those 2. Definitely, I would have got crisscross. I I don’t think I would have got the Outkast one because I didn’t realize how well those albums didI I sometimes I think of Outkast as being still kinda underground, but, I mean, they weren’t. They were huge. They were huge. Like, to hit to have a an album hit that hard. And the Goody Mob answer was fantasticI would I would have missed I would have totally biffed that one. So I love me some, Organized Noise. Just that Cole Collective. This Dungeon Family, Organize Noise. It’s just it’s in my soul nowAnd so anything OutKast or Dungeon Family related, I got to check it out. Ladies and gentlemen, Arvell Mastermind Poe has been with us on the 35,000 Watts podcast. Where can people find you? You can find me every Tuesday at 8 PM Eastern Standard Time on The Indy Show, All Things Indie. Like I said before, it’s your new favorite podcast that’s secretly a late night talk showThe site itself is the indieshow.c0, or you can watch the show live on vvclife.com, like Victor, Victor, Charlie. Vvclife.com, Tuesdays, 8 PM Eastern Standard Time. It’s your man, Mastermind. Come show me some love and let me know that you heard me on 35,000 Watts, the podcast. Folks, check it outThis is not just like a standard plug. This is a really fun show to listen to. It is not your standard podcast. It’s it’s a lot, lot more than that. Great guests, great segmentsIt like moves along fast. You’ll listen to it for 90 minutes and it’ll feel like 15 minutes went by. And all of a sudden you’d be like, oh man, that was like a 90 minute show. It’s that much fun. Go check it outThere’s a movie out. It’s called 35,000 Watts, the story of college radio. You can find it right now at 35,000 watts.com. It is about college radio. It is a feature documentary, and I think you might enjoy itWe’re also on socials. You can find us on Instagram. You can find us on Facebook. We may even dip our toe into TikTok. We’re thinking about itI don’t know. We’re all old people here, but maybe. We’ll we’ll see. We’ll see. But you can see us, thereYou can go to the website, 35,000 watts. Com and give us some feedback. What do you want to hear us talk about? What did we mess up? What, you know, we, we need, we need you to tell us what, what you want to hearWe’ll probably do it. That’s just the kind of people we are. Thanks for tuning in. Thanks to my guest, Arbel, Mastermind, Poe, and we will catch you next time on 35,000 Watts, the podcast.