This is New Wisco Weekend and I'm Lisa Hale your host. Have you heard of the
a better chance program? It was created back in the 1960s to provide college
prep classes to African-American high school students. Lawrence University in
Appleton was the first in our state to offer the program. Lawrence was also one
of the first to hold a civil rights education week on campus. We've come to the
part of our issue that sets us up for a fantastic weekend. Our musical guest this
week, it's the peer musician Mike Shabot who offers a fun mix of electric and
acoustic rock covers. He appeared on the Mino in the Mayor's show recently.
Here's a portion of that interview featuring Nicky Z and Dennis Peters.
Today's feature is none other than our very own Mike Shabot welcome. Hi guys,
thanks for having me. How long have you been performing in the area? I used to play
about 20 years ago and then funny story. I took a 20-year break, head kids, career, all that,
you know, all the adults stuff that happens. My wife one night we were out at Lovie Tavern just
having some drinks and she went up to the bar owner and she's like, can you book him? I'm sick of
his guitars just rotting in the basement. She had never heard me actually play other than just,
you know, jamming out in the living room, but I never actually played a full song. So they said,
sure. And so in about three months I had to learn about 30 songs to play. No pressure. And
that was about a year and a half ago. I thought it was going to be my only gig. I thought I was
going to stink the place up. And here we are a year and a half later. I haven't just a ton of fun.
So what is it that got you in the guitar playing business anyway? Well, when I was 12, I wanted to
be cool. And so I started my guitar and found out that it wasn't as cool as I thought. But I
just absolutely love playing. It's such a great release. And you probably know, just music,
have a bad day, pick up the guitar, start strumming, and suddenly you're over whatever stresses you
had. But just 30 years later, I'm still playing 90s. So I'm stuck in the 90s. And the cool thing
about it is I thought everyone was still playing 90s all over the place. And no, actually a lot of
people come up to me mid-set, sometimes even mid-songs. I was like, yeah, kind of playing right now. But
dude, I haven't heard this song played out a bar forever. Really? Like why not? Because my mind
still stuck in the 90s. I'm going to play a little and I'm going to have you guess the artist.
Okay. But this is a song that I'd loved growing up and I've never heard played before. So I
wanted to play it out at bars and people love it. So here we go.
In the end, we shall achieve in time. The thing they come up to me is I'm going to
wish I'd achieved in time. The thing they call to fight. And the stars, they'll shine for me.
And all is well, all is well for you, all forever. Living in the meantime, waiting to see.
I love the only of you. I love the fact that the sky's blue. Now and all we're just like you.
I love the all of you. When I cry for me, I cry for you. Tears of hope, joy. And all the days there, yeah, to come.
Did I ever say I'd never pray if I told someone? Living in the meantime, something's gone.
I love the only of you. Lands of green and sky's blue. And all in all we're just like you.
I love the all of you. I love the outside spot. I'll see you sometime give my love to the future of a human kind. That's okay. Not okay.
The wild time of mine is a cup. It's a cry for the future of dream. That I'm still to find. But in the meantime, I love the only of you.
Lands of green and sky's blue. And all in all we're just like you. I love the all of you.
Just like you. Just like you. Just like you. All in all we're just like you. I love the all of you.
All right. Name of the band. Space hog. Thank you, Google. But have you ever written anything on your own?
We're getting there. So actually, I had a band 20 years ago. We did all originals.
We recorded an album. It was really fun. And then just I don't know why we feel like bands just fizzled out the other artists that co-wrote the songs with me.
He lives in Tennessee. But I'm actually trying to get him to come up and do a little reunion show. Funny thing is we had like eight fans. So the reunion show, I don't know how big it would really be.
But I do a lot of 90s. But I also like 60s, 70s, 80s, and New Rock. So I'm going to do a song by the Allman Brothers on my own.
And then yeah, a couple other places as well. So what are your socials? Where can they find you? Mike, Shabo, music.
I got you, man. There we go. All of it. Here we are.
Thank you for being a part of New Wisco Weekend and our look at Black History Month. New Wisco Weekend is produced and written by Terry Barr and Lisa Hale, our executive producer is Todd Michaels directed by Lisa Hale.
Pete Correspondent is Terry Barr with features by Conrad Krieger, Brittany Merlot, Derek Tritz, and Pete Schwabba. Our commentator is Amanda Nimmer, special appearances this week by Nicky Z and Dennis Peters.
If you have a story you'd like to hear covered, email me anytime. Lisa.Hale at civicmedia.us. I'm civic media northeast Wisconsin bureau chief Lisa Hale for WGBW and WISS news.
The Unstoppable.
