I just ain’t got time to post much these next couple of weeks. So every once in awhile I’ll hit you up with a previous post. Like this fantastic day Reid and I spent with George Gimarc. It was one of those days that makes all this crap worthwhile…

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I’m pleased to start the New Year off with a chat with one of my personal heroes, George Gimarc. Here is a man that was such an intricate part of the local music scene, that he literally helped shape it. He practically started the original KDGE The Edge and built it into one of the best local stations in town – back a couple of decades. He was an on-air powerhouse on other local stations (KZEW, KNON, WRR, KNTU, etc.) as well…a little history ferya…

George Gimarc spent 29 years in radio working for a variety of stations. Among them WRR, KNTU, KDNT, KZEW, KRQX, KZPS, KNON, and KDGE. Way back in March of 1977 George went on the air on the College station (KNTU) with “The Rock & Roll Alternative” which was one of the first regular “new wave” or “punk” radio shows in the US. The program was the only venue that new music was played on the radio throughout the late 70′s and early 80′s. Acts that George was responsible for breaking in the DFW area include R.E.M., the Go Go’s, U2, Psychedelic Furs, Sex Pistols, Devo, B 52′s, XTC, The Smiths, The Cult, and hundreds of others. The program moved to commercial radio on May 18th, 1980, the same day that Mt. St Helens exploded and Ian Curtis of Joy Division hanged himself. These two events were not meant to draw attention to the debut, and in fact might have contributed to the lack of National TV coverage that evening of the debut. The “Rock & Roll Alternative” continued through 14 years, until it was retired. It was broadcast on four different stations throughout its run in Texas, and at one time was on as many as twenty pirate radio stations throughout Europe, England and Australia.

George Gimarc also played music director and DJ on oldies radio, starting KRQX in Dallas in 1982. It was recognized as being the first “classic rock” station in the country, the birth of a prominent radio format that caught on like wildfire across the nation and was responsible for putting even more money into the vaults of dead rock stars.

After leaving the comfy confines of KZEW in the winter of ’87, George started up “Back Pages” on KZPS. It was an eclectic classic rock show combining rare records, intriguing stores and loads of listener requests. It was the only spot to hear those rarest-of-the-rare recordings.

In 1989 word leaked out that a new station was going on the air in Dallas and George jumped in with both feet. KDGE (The Edge) was musically designed by George and his new friend Wendy Naylor. A staff was hired and the station hit the air at the end of June of ’89. Though hampered by a dodgy signal at the first, it was an instant success, defining the cutting edge in rock and breaking new acts left and right. George hosted the afternoon drive shift and was music director for the station. He also put together and financed all of the station’s “Tales From The Edge” CD releases, eleven in all. As usual, all good things must come to an end and in the summer of ’93 the Edge was taken in a new “top-40ish” direction. Among the changes was changing out most of the staff, including those who started the station.

Beyond the Edge, George took full control of his role as President and owner of Reel George Prod. Inc, an umbrella organization that covers his present role as a music historian with two books (“Punk Diary 1970-1979″ and “Hollywood Hi Fi”) already in international release. He’s also the sole writer for the “Rotten Day” with John Lydon program now running in over 50 markets, consulting work on projects like the Time/Life “History Of Rock And Roll” series and putting together compilations and writing liner notes for several record labels.

Another outlet of Reel George is a radio promotions and CD manufacturing company. It’s an outgrowth of a project that George ran for KDGE radio for the last nine years. He assembles and produces compilations of unsigned regional bands for other radio stations. The collections that George did for KDGE were titled “Tales From The Edge” and run up through the current Volume 11. Many of the bands on the CD’s went on to get signed to national labels and others saw their careers flourish overnight. Similar records have been produced by Reel George in San Francisco, San Diego, St. Louis and Sacramento. In fact, it was from the KPNT St. Louis disc that the group Gravity Kills sprang to fame.

Although he’s best known for his contributions to the alternative music scene, George Gimarc is expert in many fields of music. His first show in radio back in the 1976 was hosting a 50′s radio nostalgia program playing requests from listeners and learning about the music from rock’s formative years. As his record collection grew, so did his knowledge about the music encompassing the genres of electronic music, reggae, vintage country & western, big band, blues, folk and psychedelic rock. Similarly, he’s built up a network of contacts in those fields who are experts only a phone call away, a wonderful research base that is a resource he treasures.

It would be difficult to find anyone more in touch with the punk music than George Gimarc. His passion for music explains his collecting some 65,000 records, and knowing something about each and every one of them. There are few that can put a work like this together working from real life experience and their own resources…Read more.

Since my days co-hosting with Chaz over at TexasRadio1, I’ve been trying to get a one-on-one with George. Finally my parter in crime managed to pin him down and land us a invite to casa de Gimarc. Please join us and enjoy our afternoon with George Gimarc. Thanks to Reid for setting this up – he da man! Be sure and check out George’s exciting new venture Radio Sass – he’ll tell ya all about it if you just click below.

Featuring music from Tales From the Edge Volume 11:
~Dooms U.K. “Heather Has Two Mommies”
Matt Pence, Mike Rudnicki, Ian Bjornstad, Matt Duncan, Mark Hedman, DJ Geeky C., John Freeman

~Funland “Angry Girl”
Peter Schmidt, Will Johnson, Clark Vogeler

George Gimarc Part I

George Gimarc Part II

George Gimarc Part III

I put together my own compilation from the Tales from the Edge series for your listening pleasure. You can find copies of your own by logging on to George’s site or at Bill’s Records and CD World.

1. Killbilly “Running Gun” (Volume 2 – 1991)
Craig Taylor, Alan Wooley, Harris Kirby, Stephen Trued, Richard Hunter, Mike Schwedler

2. Mildred “Knock on a Knail” (Volume 2 – 1991)
Reggie Rueffer, Chad Rueffer, Jim Cooke, David Prez, David Bickston

3. Pop Poppins “On a Moving Train” (Volume 3 – 1991)
Broose Dickenson, William Hitri, Michael Moore, Mark Hitri

4. Little Jack Melody “Lock Up Your Daughters” (Volume 3 – 1991)
Little Jack Melody, Steve Calhoun, Scott Loehr, Dave Darbin, Vic Anderson

5. Nervebreakers “I Confess” (Volume 5 & 6 – 1992)
Tom Edwards, Mike Haskins, Barry Kooda, Bob Childress, Carl Giesecke

6. Tex & the Saddletramps “Move It” (Volume 5 & 6 – 1992)
Tex Edwards, Mike Haskins, Russell Flemming, Linda Shaw

7. Big Big Drama “It Happened” (Volume 5 & 6 – 1992)
Paul Averitt, Rick Norman, Danny DeLa Martyr, Gary Laun

8. Tablet “Stop Freaking Out” (Volume 9 – 1994)
Steven Holt, Paul Williams, Michael Vegh, Dave Christopher

9. Moon Festival “Brighter Then the Sun” (Volume 9 – 1994)
Salim Sevres, Faris Sevres Brad Robertson
ED. NOTE: What’s with the Sevres and no Nourallah?

10. Lone Star Trio “Make Up Your Mind” (Volume 9 – 1994)
Matt Hillyer, Steve Berg, Steve Adkins

11. Shallow Reign “Last Chance” (Volume 10 – 1994)
Bob Watson, Pat Sugg, Mark Thomas, Brad Robertson

12. True Believers “Alone in a Crowd” (Volume 10 – 1994)
Alejandro Escovedo, Javier Escovedo, Jon Dee Graham, Danny DeGorio, Kevin Foley

13. Princess Tex “Crucifix” (Volume 10 – 1994)
Kim Pendleton, Hal West, Phil Bush, Reb Burall, Colin Marsh, David Lee

14. Dah-Veed “Sigh by Sigh” (Volume 11 – 1996)
David Garza, Michael Hale, Clay Pendergrass

The divine Jeff Liles shot some video of George for his documentary “The Last Record Store” – Thanks Jeff!

“Dallas writer/DJ George Gimarc, Idol Records’ Erv Karwelis, Hydronic Sound System’s Jeff Wade and Bill Wisener discuss how the record industry transitioned from selling vinyl to where we are now, and how difficult it is to operate outside the traditional business model.”

These pictures, taken at Gimarc headquarters, barely portray the extent of George’s collection.

Even the powder room is filled with goodies…