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Local DJ Supports
Local Bands, Earn Respect
The Lantern - 12/4/2002
For
Andy “Andyman” Davis, CD101 program director and co-owner of Andyman’s
Treehouse, music has always been a part of life.
Davis
said his first memories of music transpired when he was 4 years old and he
thought every band was The Beatles. He said his early musical tastes were
influenced by his brother and then later by friends. He surrounded himself with
people who listened to various types of music.
Davis
said he was most drawn to music from rock’s underground.
“My
interests have always lied by things that might have been missed by the masses,”
Davis said.
Davis
made music his career when he joined CD101 in June 1991 as a disc jockey on
weekend and overnight shifts.
“I
always had this thing about wanting to be in music,” Davis said.
Later
in his career, he was approached about working the station’s local music show.
He agreed and suggested that it become a daily rather than weekly program.
“I’ve
always had a strong belief that radio should support its local music,” Davis
said.
Before
passing the show onto Jack DeVoss, Davis helped promote many local musicians.
Even with the help of Davis and DeVoss, many local bands have had a hard time
breaking into a bigger market.
Davis
said the Columbus music scene is full of talent that deserves a chance at a
higher level.
“Our
local scene is one of the best in the country. We have a diverse collection of
people doing their own thing,” DeVoss said.
One
major problem local bands have is getting noticed. Even if a band has paid its
dues in the local club scene, it still can remain relatively unknown.
“Bands
have a hard time getting people in the door,” Davis said.
He
added that the fault does not lie with the band alone, but many factors
contribute to the lack of attendance. He said both bands and venues are
responsible for a lack in promotion to attract people willing to use their time
and money to hear a band they are unfamiliar with.
“People
want a distraction that you don’t have to pay attention to,” DeVoss said.
One
place in Columbus that supports local music is Andyman’s Treehouse located at
887 Chambers Rd. Davis opened the establishment with his longtime friend Quinn
Fallon.
“I
brought Andy in the place a couple times before we owned it,” Fallon said. “It
was cool, but kind of rough. There’s a bullet hole in the ceiling and someone
supposedly died in the poolroom.”
Originally named “The Treehouse” for the 200-year-old silver maple that grows in
the building, the bar’s original owner, a fan of CD101, offered the bar up to
the two friends. “We were in there one night and the place was obviously
not doing so well, so the owner just says, ‘Hey, why don’t you buy this place
from me,’” Fallon said. “ We said yes without really thinking about it. In fact,
I think I’ve spent more time picking out a video than we did deciding to own the
bar.”
The two
bought the bar- rechristened Andyman’s Treehouse- and Fallon became the manager.
The new venue offers an original experience for both patrons and bands by
concentrating on local music.
“It’s
the setting,” Davis said. “It’s fun. It’s different,”
In
recognition of his work in the radio, Davis had been voted as the audience pick
for Columbus’ best DJ according to the “Best of Citysearch.”
“I’m
very flattered that has happened to me, and I hope it continues,” Davis said.
Davis
and DeVoss said that a good DJ has to have the ability to talk to the audience
and not at them.
“The
whole idea is sitting with someone, sharing music with them,” Davis said.
DeVoss
praised Davis by saying that listening to Andyman is like sitting across from
him at a table talking about music.
Davis
will host the 11th annual “Andyman-A-Thon” on CD101 this weekend.
Davis’s 48-hour DJ marathon benefits the CD101 “For the Kids” children’s
charity.
- Sam Karr
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