About Spirit of Resistance Radio
First going on-air March 1st, 2012, as of March 1st, 2017, the "SoR" in SoR Radio stands for the "Spirit of Resistance!" As a group, we are collectively horrified at what is being done to our country, and decided to re-dedicate our efforts toward bringing information and inspiration to those who, like us, continue to fight the forces that would regress our rights, our civil liberties, and our decision-making ability to what it was half a century ago! Thus, it is SoR Radio's current mission to be a switchboard of sorts, connecting people with each other and with the resources needed to stand up to the bigots, the xenophobes, the homophobes, and the sexists in the federal government. And to accompany this movement, we play music from the first four decades of rock, each of which saw its own rebellions and movements in the name of freedom, not only in the United States, but around the world. We take our strength from the millions of examples around the globe, mass and singular, of people treating others with kindness, of people standing up for what's right, and of people defending people they haven't even met yet because it's the right thing to do. We're with you, we eight owners of SoR Radio, and if there's anything we can do to help, please let us know!
Spirit of Resistance Radio - Owners
Nikki "Aurora Munroe" Grams is the station manager here at Spirit of Resistance Radio, and hosts "The Dirty 80s w/Aurora Munroe" Friday nights at 10pm Eastern US time! Originally from Colorado, she went to school in Michigan for her Masters Degree, and that's how she sort of "fell in" with this bumch of reprobates. She started out as a guest host on The School of Rock, and for the last several years has been one of the four "official" co-hosts of the show! Nikki is dedicated to her furbaby "Moose" and to her friends near and far. She's definitely a fan of the 80s, and an absolute afficianado for The Police and their lead singer Sting! She is also a frequen attendee at Comic-Cons across the country and is slowly collecting signatures from the entire cast of "Firefly."
Dr. Jeffrey "The Reverend" Smith is a professor at a Michigan university. He was ordained by the Universal Life Church, shortly after gay marriage was made legal by the United States, in the hopes of being able to help folks find someone willing and able to marry them to their love, whoever that might be. He first fell in love with radio in his early teens, doing his first radio internship when he was 15 years old. He was station manager of his undergraduate college radio station, and has worked in broadcast radio off and on since 1993. In 2012, he signed on as a founder of SoR Radio and serves as the station's webmaster and chief engineer. Possessed of a decidedly "ribald" sense of humor, Jeff's list of favorite musical groups is too long to list fully here, but they include Steely Dan, Tower of Power, Blood Sweat & Tears, Boz Skaggs, The Moody Blues, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and Chicago.
Dr. Lesley "Doc Blackburn" Withers - Lesley “Doc Blackburn” Withers is a geek girl and a university professor with interests in relationships and technology. She fell in with a motley crew who, with the help of a little moonshine, talked her into being on the radio and rekindled her love of gaming. She’s put her 80s hairspray away, but still loves the music generated by the hair and metal bands of those days. She counts AC/DC, Queen, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard among her favorites.
Buddy "The Budman" Allman is a certified film geek; no, really, he has a college degree in film and everything. He is also a professional musician specializing in composing music for film and television. He began in radio recording funny commercials and reading the local school lunch menus as a teenager back when the dinosaurs roamed free and wild, and has never looked back. In addition to deifying the prog-rock phenom that is Rush, the Budman loves Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, and almost anything '80s. And contrary to popular belief, he did NOT win the Lesser Galveston annual Miss Great Legs Competition in 1997. He came in third. How DO these rumors get started?
Chad "Special Chad" Roberts is the music director for Spirit of Resistance Radio. He got his start in radio when he realized that was under-qualified for any janitorial position yet overqualified for any position in government. Actually Chad was bitten by the radio bug at the age of 15 when he got a part time job working for a local radio station. After college, he did the proverbial bouncing from town to town before he got sick of that and decided it was time to educate those who wanted to make radio a career. He finished his Master degree in 2005 and has been in education since. Chad's favorite classic rock artist, by far, is one Mr. Billy Joel. Period.
Born of humble means, Jeff "Flipper" Kimble started his professional career at age 19 working at a major record lable and has not looked back since. He is a certified band geek having played the Trumpet, French Horn and when his overbite worsened, the Baritone (try marching with that thing in a three mile parade and tell me I don't love music). Jeff's musical influences are over the place - Oingo Boingo (most favorite), Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Chase, The J. Giles Band, The Byrds, Van Halen 2.0 (Sammy Hagar Version), Sammy Hagar, George Gershwin, Psych Furs, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, Steppenwolf (Get your motor running...), The Go-Gos and Glen Miller. And with the exception of Glenn Miller and George Gershwin, Jeff experienced all this music live when it was released (cue the video of Buddy and Jeff looking for dinosaur eggs for breakfast). Jeff did not compete in the Lesser Galveston Annual Miss Great Legs Competition, but he did win first place in the one and only Miss Band Camp contest in High School. Peace and Love!!
Tim "Dr. Jaigermaster" Jackson's first job was in radio, as the weekend DJ and news/sports director at WMPX in Midland, Michigan while still in high school. Many years later, he remains convinced it had nothing to do with talent but everything to do with the fact that he was the cheapest option! Well before that first job in radio, though, he discovered his love for music through such 70's mainstays as the Bay City Rollers and Barry Manilow, but before long he developed an appreciation for Steely Dan, Queen, ELO, Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, the Specials, Oingo Boingo and the Aquabats to name a few favorite artists. His love for music and radio continued through college and now as part of the epic School of Rock Radio. Contrary to reports that he was seen in the first row of a Barry Manilow concert in Las Vegas last year, that was actually someone else.
Mitch "Mitchapalooza" Anderson - Mitch remembers hearing his first record (Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer he thinks was the one...) while at his grandparents house during a family Christmas. That moment must of held some weight because he can't stay away from the vinyl nearly 20 years later! In 2009, Black Circle Radio was started by Mitch and his then co-host, Uncle Joride on Mitch's college radio station. Coincidentally, that was the same school where he had the entire school of rock crew as professors (now we know where he gets his bad habits and political views...) the rest they say is history. Mitch and wife/co-host DJ Crinkle are hooked on the snap, crackle and pop. Mitch's is a lover of mostly every genre, but the likes of Beast in the Field, Gentle Giant, Wishbone Ash, Captain Beyond, Al Di Meola, and The Mahavishnu Orchestra are some of his go to groups... to name just a few. Mitch is a full-time audio engineer by trade, a musician since the age of 5, and an avid pinball enthusiast. Now drop that needle and spin it!