WATD’s Almost Famous Celebrates 5 Years on Air: Interview with John Shea

There is an abundance of songwriters, musicians and artists in the local music community…perhaps even an over abundance. It is a fact that there is no shortage of people creating music, a smaller amount of venues willing to play host to those people, and an even more minuscule amount of people who are there trying to support that music and those artists on a level that is meaningful or impactful. Lucky for all of us creating our art and needing an outlet for it, John Shea exists. His radio program on the Marshfield based station WATD will be celebrating its fifth year on the air, and while it has seen its changes over the past half decade the main goal of the program remains intact: to support local based songwriters and get their music heard.

Over the years John Shea hasn’t just been a guy I pass by at shows or occasional go on the air with, he has become a good friend and sounding board. We will pass songs back and forth to each other, give one another tips on a great up and comer or just say “hey man, I dig this…I think you will too”. And while our tastes don’t always align, there is a mutual respect that I can’t deny. I have a great deal of respect for this guy and what he does. We caught up with John to talk about the big 5 Year Celebration Show that is happening on Sunday May 22 at The Spire in Plymouth, MA. Read on up and get your tickets for the big show today!

RLR: So take us way back. Give us the story behind Almost Famous. Why did you start it? Who were some of the early guests and artists you were into?

JS: Well, Almost Famous basically started at a small coffee shop in Abington. I had just started as music director at WATD and I mentioned the idea of a show featuring exclusively local talent from the south shore and Boston. I had gotten the green light from the program director. And a pilot show date had been set. I also thought I needed a co-host so I asked Lisa Azizian of the morning show if she would be interested. So she and I met outside work one weekend and for hours just hashed out ideas, show name suggestions and format structures. And before the check was paid, Almost Famous was born.

I’m just a music lover at heart. And I had several friends who were songwriters trying to get their music heard. Also WATD is very community centered. They feature regular interviews with local athletes and politicians so I thought ‘why not music too?’ It’s something that was a regular occurrence on the airwaves years ago, but seldom heard today on commercial radio. Thankfully I work for a station who not only continues that tradition, but continues to improve on it year after year.

The first guest was Jake Hill and Deep Creek. He was amazing. Not many people know this but WATD has a concert hall in the back of the first floor. Not anywhere close to the master control fm studio. I had mic cables running all over the building. But the sound was perfect and I was able to mix the sound in full stereo. It wasn’t long after that I realized it was was too much work and we moved the stage to the upstairs conference room. I didn’t like it at first, but after time it made for some amazing, much more personal interviews that I probably wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.

Some others that come to mind early in the show are Ashley Jordan, who popped a string live on air and had to be rescued by a local punk band listening down the street in Marshfield.

Also Liz Longley was on the show I think while she was still a student at Berkeley.

And some dude named Brian Carroll. Some people may have heard of him…

RLR: Five Years is a pretty big milestone, did you ever think it would get this far? What was the initial hope?

JS: It still feels strange when I say I’ve been doing the show for 5 years! Feels like it was just yesterday. I don’t think I ever really thought that far into the future. The music and bands change and update so frequently that it’s hard to think ahead to the next week, not to mention a year or 5. I think my initial hope was to just do the best show I can and bring the best blend of the current music scene to the listening audience.

RLR: So here is a tough one, but try and narrow it down to maybe 3 or 4…what are the acts you are digging the most currently? Best local rocker? Best local songwriter?

JS: Most currently. That is tough. Hmmm…. I just had a Berkeley student on named Ava Suppelsa who was really good. Also Matt York from Pembroke, MA recently returned to the music scene with a cool cd called Boston Texas that I’ve been listening a lot to. And for just pure, raw musicianship, probably my favorite right now is Shun Ng.

RLR: What does the future look like for the show?

JS: I like to be surprised. So I’m hoping anyone right now who’s writing, recording, producing and promoting will help shape the music. I’m only pushing the buttons. It’s the music that tells the real stories. And I love it that way.

RLR: Tell us a little about the line up for the show? How did you come about those artists? Seems like a good mix.

JS: The show features a pretty broad range of local musicians. Honestly I picked a handful of people to play. And then started getting asked about openings. So I really just filled it around that. And I think it’s a solid lineup. It will start with two songwriting rounds. One South Shore, and one Boston. Each going for about 30 min each. Then there’s short sets by Ashley Jordan, Aldous Collins, Christa Gniadek and Dave DeLuca. And if there’s time some music networking.

RLR: Final Plug, go!

JS: It’s at the Spire in Plymouth. $15 at the door. Proceeds benefit the Plymouth Boys and Girls Club.

Hope everyone can make it out.