Golden Opportunities

Cleveland is rich in cultural gems like the Orchestra and Art Museum. It’s even got a Rock we cherish – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here to dig into our Rock history is Carlo Wolff, author of “Cleveland Rock & Roll Memories.”

Question: You're not from Cleveland. How did you find yourself writing about Cleveland's rock & roll past?

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>I moved to Cleveland from Albany, NY, in 1986. I had been writing about rock since 1971 and began covering it for Billboard from upstate New York in the early 80s. In '86, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and there was a lot of activity in the clubs. It was a great time to write about rock in Cleveland, so I started freelancing for the Plain Dealer and the Akron Beacon Journal.
The Cleveland rock scene had interested me for a while. I had met the Cleveland underground band Pere Ubu after a concert in 1978. It fascinated me that a city could produce acts as different as Pere Ubu and the Raspberries.

Question: It's so easy, when one thinks of Cleveland, rock and roll, and the radio, to really focus on Alan Freed. But there were many more major, influential personalities on Cleveland radio.

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>Bill Randle was a huge, early radio presence in Cleveland. He was actually responsible for "breaking" Elvis north of the Mason-Dixon line.
In the 60s, WIXY-1260 was a leading Top 40 AM radio station. They played short, catchy, and memorable singles. The DJs were allowed to really shape their play list, and to have a personality.
WMMS emerged as a flagship FM station in the 1970s. The station was really a national powerhouse, frequently winning Rolling Stone magazine's radio poll. In the 70s, WMMS was also really connected with local promoters (like the Belkins) and clubs (like the Agora). They all worked together, and that was a powerful combination for Cleveland's rock scene.

Question: So Cleveland broke Elvis in the north. I understand that we as a city were responsible for "breaking" other national acts. Can you tell us about that?

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>David Bowie had his first American concert here in 1972. No one had seen anyone like that before.
Springsteen played many early gigs here in Cleveland. The man who booked one early concert, at John Carroll University, paid him and his band $2200 for the concert. He also played a legendary, free concert in 1978 at the Agora that is heavily bootlegged.
Back in the 70s and earlier, Cleveland was really a place that broke a lot of national acts-it was not musically conservative. However, the last big group "broken" in Cleveland was Nine Inch Nails back in 1989. Now, it's more of a conservatory of classic rock.

Question: What were some influential Cleveland rock venues?

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>As mentioned before, the Agora was the site of many important concerts, especially in the 1970s.
Leo's Casino was a venue that many Motown groups played at. It was known as "Detroit South."
In the 60s, LaCave was an influential club where folk music really turned into rock. People like Neil Young and Tim Buckley played there.
Peabody's in the Flats was an important venue for the "underground."

Question: What about popular local groups?

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>In 1958, the Poni-Tails scored on the national charts, reaching number seven with "Born Too Late."
The Outsiders' great single, "Time Won't Let Me" went to number five nationally in 1966.
One of the bigger groups to go national out of Cleveland was the Raspberries, who came out of Mentor.
The James Gang and the Damnation of Adam Blessing are two other big acts.
The Michael Stanley Band had a huge local following.

Question: Why did Cleveland as a major rock promotion town start to die away?

<span class="QA">Answer: </span>Part of it is the way radio is run today. The true growth is in satellite radio, not the local markets.
The city itself has lost some industry and population. Acts tend to go to Columbus, now, before Cleveland.

I'd love to keep "rockin' around the clock," but, "time won't let me." You can read the stories of how Cleveland Rocks, in "Cleveland Rock & Roll Memories" Here's how.