WFMU's Emergency Plan - by Mike Lupica
Given its proximity to downtown NYC, 9/11 was an especially
lousy morning to wake up in Jersey City. With random road closures and a
panicked citizenry all contributing to the general chaos, it took longer than
usual for WFMU’s staff to arrive for work in JC that morning.
First onhand were
JM in the AM’s Nachum Segal and freeform DJ Michael Goodstein, both of whom
valiantly maintained the air signal during the crisis. Mike Lupica arrived next
via mountain bike and was soon joined by Scott Williams, who’d sought emergency
passage on public transit. DJs Rich and Tamar arrived later, and after watching
the towers fall, it was universally decided that a visit to WFMU’s smelly but
well-fortified basement was quite overdue.
As F-15s screamed overhead and social chaos reigned just beyond our foyer, no less a man than Bob Gruen (famed photographer who snapped the photo of John Lennon standing astride Lady Liberty) rang the doorbell and joined the fearful cellar-dwellers; earning his place as an honorary FMU staffer for the day. By mid-afternoon, overwhelmed with the dueling stenches of moldy records and raw sewage, the shaken group left the basement to seek the particular comforts that only aggressive drinking can afford. September 11, 2001.
Art by Robert Piersanti
Still want to know why most of the shows from 9/11 have been removed from the archive. I'd like to hear what was going on from your perspective.
Posted by: Listener David | April 18, 2008 at 01:45 AM