End Of An Era – “Passport”
I realize many of you missed this era entirely since I’ve virtually stopped promoting it altogether here on the MTR site, but if you’ve been tuned in for a while you have probably heard about my weekly radio show: “Passport”. For a long minute now, I’ve been faithfully spending one hour every week sharing obscure audible goodies from around the world. It’s been seven years to be precise. Right around this time in 2002, a young and eager version of me first went live over the FM airwaves on 89.1 WNYU. Before that, the same 18-year-old that you see in the photo above was waking up on Saturday mornings for a 9am show that could only be heard on the internet! That was right around the same time that Napster first got huge, so I don’t think too many people were listening, but you gotta start somewhere.
Over the years, I was lucky enough to have a number of great artists & DJs come through the station for live performances and interviews. So this past Monday night, instead of spending my last ever show playing some type of “Best Of”- which would really be impossible- I pulled together a collection of live recordings that I made and snippets of interviews from past guests. There wasn’t enough time for me to get to everything I wanted to play, and some of the recordings get cut pretty short, but at least you can get an idea about what the show was all about. If you ever wondered where I developed my refined taste for funky Bollywood or fuzzed out Brazilian psychedelic sambas- this show was my laboratory. Thankfully, I found a similarly eclectic-minded music enthusiast to carry the torch and keep the show going in my absence.
Big shouts to all the people who tuned in over the airwaves and online, and many thanks to the artists who came through and shared their souls in that stuffy little sticker-covered studio, making the most of two not-very-well-maintained vocal mics. In this episode you can also hear interview snippets from Gilles Peterson & Charlie Gillett from the BBC, who have done and continue to do SO MUCH good work in promoting music from around the world!
Listen:Â
Phil • September 2, 2009
I honestly loved your program on WNYU and listened for a long time. Also downloaded the program from the archives on the WNYU website religiously. I know there is an archive there, but is there anyway to package a torrent with each year? I would seed it forever, 24/7. Thank you and good luck with your further endeavours.
Chuck Wild • September 3, 2009
wow! Thanks a lot Phil, really appreciate it. Sadly, the vast majority of shows have been lost. The auto-archive is relatively new, and is currently down as you might have noticed, so it hasn’t been archiving every show. BUT, I’m not opposed to putting together a couple torrents worth of all the material I do have- probably around 60-75 shows. Maybe more. I’ll post any developments right here.
Bryan Vargas • September 3, 2009
Man, I’m really sad to learn about you leaving the show. You did a great job presenting music that was new, adventurous and just plain hot! The time I got to play on your show was a true pleasure for me. I hope there are many radio programs in our future and that you keep up the great work on the blog and at your live DJ sets.
Ixley • September 3, 2009
All hail the Captain!
Chuck Wild • September 3, 2009
Thanks Bryan! It was a pleasure having you, and definitely reach out to the new host Jared (passport@wnyu.org) anytime you want to get back on the show to promote an event or CD. Your version of “Vamonos P’al Monte” is still one of my all-time favorites (as you can hear in the show).
Ballantino • September 3, 2009
Big up Chuck Weezy, end of an era for real!!
Peter • September 8, 2009
Hey man, I’m sad to hear that your show will no longer be aired. You’ve turned me on to a lot of amazing music that I’ve been able to share with others in my own sets. And please keep this blog going; I follow it reeeeligously! Would love to get my hands on the Passport back catalogue (rapidshare?) with tracklists if you ever have the time:)
ant • September 8, 2009
end of an era indeed. big ups to the captain!
gate io • February 14, 2023
I read your article carefully, it helped me a lot, I hope to see more related articles in the future. thanks for sharing.
M~a gii thiu binance tt nht • March 7, 2024
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.