Interview: Kabot and Neon – “Pleasant Screams” Radio Podcast

Text © Robert Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2021
All images by Nick Zedd; from the collection of Nancy Neon

“Pleasant Screams” Radio Podcast
http://jeffandnancy.airtime.pro/

To be honest, I have not yet met Boston musician Jeff Kabot, who fronted The Superkools through all its incarnations, and The Downtowners. His co-conspirator for the “Pleasant Dreams” podcast, though, is Nancy Neon, and we have been good friends since the days of hanging out at Max’s Kansas City, frequently seeing bands like The Heartbreakers, and eating at the original Dojo’s on St. Marks Place.

Thing is, there is probably no one I trust more with music than Nancy. Her tastes have always been precise, and she has turned me on to some of my favorite bands, especially both the 1960s and ‘80s garage sounds. The music she has fixated on in the time I have known her has included the likes of The Chesterfield Kings, DMZ/Lyres, Bob Dylan, Jakob Dylan/Wallflowers, Marc Bolan/T.Rex, and said Heartbreakers. Heck, way back in the day, she was president of the North Carolina chapter of the Wayne County Fan Club, before forming numerous fanzines, including New Age and Groove Associates.

Now Nancy and Jeff have joined forces and have set up their own podcast radio station called “Pleasant Screams” at KABT FM 100.9 Hollywood, that focuses on, according to the site’s keywords, “Garage, Punk, New Wave, ‘60s-‘70s Pop, Rock Steady, Folk, Blues.” On one particular episode, they covered the likes of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, The Miracle Workers, The Swinging Neckbreakers, Timebox, Elvis, Mad Violets, Love, The Seeds, The Remains, The Ramones, Blur, The Breeders, X-Ray Spex, James Brown, even the Monkees, and of course, Dylan, Lyres and The C. Kings (my fave cut of theirs, “She Told Me Lies”). Not a clinker among them.

I sent Jeff and Nancy some questions to answer and comment on which to respond, so here they are:

FFanzeen: What were you guys working on before KABT?
Nancy Neon: When I met Jeff in April 2016, his band The Downtowners had been rehearsing for two years. I said "I gotta get you some gigs." I got him two gigs with Chris Horne, formerly of The Brood. One gig was with her cover band, The Flipsides. The other was with her all-girl band, Tiger Bomb;-both were a blast at the Bayside Bowl in Portland, ME. The band also was honored and flattered to play David Bash's IPO. The Downtowners played live on Brian Young's “Crash Course,” for The Ravers at Tufts' WMFO, as well as getting positive reviews in the legendary Boston Groupie News.

FF: Why radio? Why now?
Nancy: While the COVID-19 pandemic has been tragic on many levels, it has had a positive effect on our creativity. I have been bugging Jeff for almost 5 years to do a project or projects together, like writing songs and doing a radio show. Now we have done both.
Jeff Kabot: It started with Nancy wanting to do a radio show. When I started looking into the software, I found it would not be that hard to do a whole, automated station. Living in a seven-story building made it feasible, logistically. 

FF: What niche are you trying to fill?
Nancy: We created or are creating the station that we love; that we would want to listen to all the time.
Jeff: We are not shooting for a particular demographic except our friends and likeminded people on social media. Basically, we are creating a station we would like, and if others like it, that's great.

FF: How do you choose the songs for “Pleasant Screams,” as well as your general playlist?
Jeff: Nancy puts together the playlist for “Pleasant Screams.” As far as the general KABT playlist, I program songs that I like, and have liked throughout my life. There is some quirky stuff, but these songs have resonance for me as someone whose life was shaped by radio from my earliest memories.
Nancy: For “Pleasant Screams,” I pick out 20 songs for each of the two hours. The last four songs of the first hour is a segment called the "Scream Spotlight," highlighting songs people send us or tell us about. I pick a cool instrumental to close the show. That is the format, but if you listen and you know me, you will see there is a lot of free association going on. 

FF: I notice you go beyond the most familiar tracks by the artists you choose.
Jeff: We like to introduce listeners to music they haven't heard or don't often hear.
Nancy: While being known or popular is not an automatic disqualifier for me, I am always on the lookout for lesser-known artists and deeper cuts from known or lesser-known artists.

FF: Do you find yourself disagreeing on which songs to include?
Jeff: No, our tastes are similar enough to be compatible, but dissimilar enough to complement each other's. This broadens the variety for our listeners more than if we were clones as far as our musical tastes.
Nancy: Jeff Kabot has the most impeccable music taste of anyone I have ever known. I hope and believes he feels the same about me. 

FF: Where do you see KABT going?
Jeff: Tonight is only our tenth episode of “Pleasant Screams.” I hope the shows continue to sound better, include features, and expand our listener base.
Nancy: I hope to parlay “Pleasant Screams” and KABT into a horror hostess gig where I can successfully shill for a wide array of mass marketed “Pleasant Screams” merchandise!

FF: What would you like to add?
Jeff: I would like to thank: Shelly Ganz of The Unclaimed, Hyper Loop recording artist Art Guy, Bobby Hart of Boyce & Hart, Daryl Hooper of The Seeds, Paul Kopf of The Seeds and Strangers in a Strange Land, James Lowe of The Electric Prunes, Vince Melouney of the Aztecs and The Bee Gees, Barry Tashian of Barry and The Remains, and Tony Valentino of The Standells. 
Nancy: I would like to thank Jynx Lynx & Dino Sorbello (with the CDs Feel Free and Real Surreal), and Jonathan Lea of both the Jigsaw Seen and the Dave Davies Band, for the beautiful rock 'n' roll care packages. Also, I want to thank my artistic co-conspirator, Kabot. Whereas many men have promised me stardom, Jeff has delivered the goods!