The unfortunate news and sign-off of CD101 (I still call it CD 101 because that’s what it was when I lived in Columbus from 1991 to 1998) reminded of the only other time in my life I said goodbye to a radio station. 

The station was WRZR 103.1 FM in Columbus. Internet research tells me the sign-off was in 1995, which makes sense because I remember listening from my town-home in Reynoldsburg early that year. I stayed up until midnight to hear the station sign-off with the live version of “Highway To Hell” by AC/DC, which was definitely a poke at the new Christian format that was taking over that spot on the radio dial. 

For those who don’t remember or didn’t listen or couldn’t listen because of the not-so-powerful signal coming from Johnstown, WRZR’s format was Z-Rock, which was a national station that played ‘80s hard rock and heavy metal. 

I first heard Z-Rock when visiting Cleveland while I was still a student at Ohio University. I was amazed that a radio station would play “Shoot You Full of Love” by the Vinnie Vincent Invasion like it was normal. I loved the format. 

Fast forward to 1991, I moved to Columbus on Labor Day weekend from the smalltown of Jefferson, Ohio, the county seat of Ashtabula County. I was thrilled to reacquaint myself with Z-Rock. 

Z-Rock was mostly a national broadcast, but WRZR did have regular local content. The station promoted local shows and local music. Mark Adamz (you may know him as Blazor, but he was Z-Man back in the day) and Ron “The Metal Maniac” Michaels (not sure if that spelling is correct) were the personalities. 

WRZR had a contest every weekday at noon called “Don’t Get Me Started” where Z-Man would play the start of a song and caller number nine - or whatever number he chose that day - who could name the song would win a CD, restaurant vouchers, concert tickets or whatever the prize closet held. 

I became the all-time contest winner. The 30-day rule where the same person couldn’t win within 30 days was created because of me. Seriously. 

I won dinners, music, concert tickets. I was caller 69 once and had adult film star KC Williams record an answering machine message for me (back when my landline was 575-BEER). It was great times. I even got to record a spot as the all-time local contest winner that would play from time to time. It’s weird hearing yourself on the radio! 

Have a listen to me winning and winning and winning.

But the real magic was how WRZR impacted my life. 

One Sunday night in late 1991, I was caller eight to win a trip to see Guns N Roses/Soundgarden play at the Nutter Center in Dayton in early 1992. We were picked up in a limo, taken to the Columbus Mine Shaft for dinner & drinks, and then taken to the show that ended around 3 a.m. What a night/morning, but my 6 a.m. work shift was a struggle. 

The best part of that whole experience is I met Rick Soga that night. He was one of the six people in the limo. I would see his band Shock Tu play shortly thereafter, and a friendship was hatched. Rick became my go-to hair stylist and I’d get regular shout-out’s at shows from the stage during his gigs with Daddy Long Legs, a local supergroup also Mark Chatfield and the late Ronald Koal. What a great band and fun every Tuesday at Hot Peppers. 

After winning that contest, I attended another WRZR event at the Mine Shift and I met David Sivy, who was the singer of Tammer Laine, another local band. I started hanging out at Slapsy Maxie’s Neighborhood Pub at The Continent where he tended bar and met a whole bunch of fine people I still consider great friends to this day. I roadied for Tammer Laine for a few shows and got to meet Tora Tora and see Dokken soundcheck at The Newport. (Seeing Jeff Pilson singing “River of Love” during the soundcheck – Don was absent – was amazing.) 

I always wonder, “What if I wasn’t caller eight that night? Would I even know any of these people?” It’s strange how something that seems so insignificant can alter your life. 

Here’s a good history of Z-Rock

Nick Jezierny is a graduate of Ohio University and a former newspaper journalist who worked at papers in Connecticut, Ohio, Texas and Idaho. He resides in Garden City, Idaho, and is fascinated by all things music, mostly because he has zero musical skills minus his spot-on karaoke version of Tommy Tutone.