Back in 1994, I was deep in my own entertainment industry trial by fire — creator, host, writer, director, editor, and producer of the cable access series ZTV. Between 1992 and 1994, my ragtag crew and I cranked out more than 40 half-hour episodes, fueled by caffeine, passion, and pure Midwest grit (and weirdness) in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois.
On January 27, 1994, Phil Vernon and I set out to shoot a special with White Zombie — a story I’ve told before, but worth revisiting. Long story short: what was meant to be a full-band interview turned into a surreal hour in the Adler Theatre men’s room in Davenport, Iowa, with guitarist J. Yuenger. A bizarre moment of rock ’n’ roll history that only cable access could capture.
Now, for the first time since its original broadcast, that footage — the ZTV White Zombie Special — has been digitized. Clips will be hitting YouTube and my social channels soon. I may even drop the full episode, complete with music videos, short films, and a heaping dose of early ’90s amateur chaos only cable access could deliver. And if we find the unedited interview, I’ll share that, too.
First up: Phil handing J. a recently-acquired bootleg CD from the legendary Italian label, KTS.
Stay tuned for more from The Rock Father Archives!
