Drugless Douglas says goodbye
You couldn't help but get choked up a little while listening to the tail end of the "Old Fart at Play" show on WMFO tonight. After 16 years of air at WMFO, DJ Drugless Douglas played one last show and will be heading to Denver on Monday. For the last few years, Douglas was sitting in for the ailing Mikey Dee, booking "On the Town with Mikey Dee," and covering for Mikey. However, in order to grow in life, change is sometimes necessary, and Douglas decided to leave WMFO, just as I did earlier this summer after 10 years on and off at the station. On the verge of tears, Douglas read from an email he sent out to people on his list earlier tonight:

"Tonight, I host my 769th and final regularly scheduled radio show on WMFO. The last edition of "Old Fart At Play" will run from 7-9pm, Eastern Time.

This marks the cutting of the final, and in many ways, most difficult, cord to cut before I head to Denver on Monday. For me, it's always been about more than spinning tunes. I wanted to be a dj since I was a little kid, and this has been one of those rare experiences where the reality was better than the fantasy.

I LOVE being a WMFO dj. Years ago, I adopted a policy of always leaving the station a little bit better than it was when I got there. Sometimes that meant filing LPs or CDs, repairing equipment, etc.; sometimes it meant picking up a piece of trash off the floor and putting in the wastebasket. I'd like to think after more that 16 years at The Mighty MOFO, my efforts will have left the station just a little bit better than it was when I got there.

The first song that I ever played on the radio was Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage." What will be the last one? I've had a long time to contemplate that question. You can get the answer tonight.

So please tune WMFO in tonight between 7-9pm ET at 91.5 if you're downwind, or http://wmfo.org if you're outside the signal range. And why not make a night of it? Check out Paul Day's super fine HBee, Inc. show directly preceding me from 5-7, and "On The Town With Mikey Dee" directly following from 9pm - Midnight. Jay Schuster hosts, and Verona Downs performs a live set from the legendary Studio Dee.

I'll be maintaining this email address, as well as the druglessdouglas.com web site for the foreseeable future. I still have several live performances I'd like to put up, as well as zillions of photos. That's the plan, anyway.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for your support. It's been a blast!

Best,
Douglas"

Douglas did an eclectic freeform show for WMFO and every week it was different. He will be missed at the station and will be missed by Boston rockers for all the work he did to promote local music. Good luck Douglas and drive carefully.

Edwards starts up the Clinton mojo
Earlier today, I was at Sen. John Edward’s open BBQ/rally at Manchester City Hall, and I am still puzzled by the event. It was part revival tent, part snake oil salesman, and part Clinton.
In fact, the similarities between Edwards and Clinton were pretty astounding. That same “awe shucks” grin, the southern charm, the populist overtones with little substance underneath, the one-on-one, hand-holding, look in to the eyes of the voter routine that comes with all good politicians – and people who can’t be trusted.
Edwards said a lot of good things today and from his remarks, he has learned from people he has already met. He also realizes the current trade problems America has. At a debate last week, he said he would not have voted for NAFTA. That is a start. It will be good to see if he learns anything else along the way.
One thing I learned from being in Manchester both today and two weeks ago at Kerry’s event – is that there is a serious problem in America. There were scads of homeless people in Manchester. The free food drew them to the rally. But from their worn faces – from the sun, smokes, booze, and whatever – were showing the strains of some tough lives. Things are not working in America, and something must be done.
Rumors have been circulating and Edwards has not tried to quash them. He is going to keep testing the waters in N.H. and make a decision some time after Labor Day whether he will stay in the race for the Democratic nomination or go home to North Carolina and run for reelection to the Senate. From the crowd response he received today, who knows where his head will be at.