The Tim Buckley Archives

Etc...

Tim and the Dust Storm

Stephen Page
Bob Simmons Story #1

 
There was this time that Tim Buckley visited the station when it was on the Alameda. I was doing mornings at the time and Bob, who was on from 10a - noon was set to interview Tim who's new album, "Greetings From L.A." had just been released.

For those that were there you'll remember that at KOME's Alameda location the studio was in what was probably the master bedroom of this (at one time) grand old house and right next to the control board was this big old transmitter monitor that looked kind of like the obelisk from the movie 2001. It was green and VERY, VERY dusty. I'm talking dust balls in this thing the size of a baby's fist.

Anyway Bob was right in the middle of his interview with Tim Buckley when the chief engineer at the time, John Higdon, walks into the studio and decides to clean (or do something to) the monitor. This process involved him blowing quite forcefully into the back of the obelisk which in turn had the effect of causing all those dust bunnies and a huge amount of dust that had been living there to be blown out of the other side...and right on top of Tim Buckley.

Now I don't remember the exact exchange that took place but I do remember that time seemed to stand still as the dust was coating Mr. Buckley who stopped in mid-sentence answering a question that Bob had just asked to look around wondering why it had just started to snow...indoors.

Bob, who had this look of extreme horror on his face as everything was settling on his guest...live, on the air...was first to react, yelling out John's name in kind of a sickened and pained way. By this time Tim had realized what had happened and was in the process of getting out of his seat mumbling something about his foot and John's ass making some sort of cosmic connection.

Higdon, oblivious to what was taking place on the other side of the monitor, finished his dusting, turned around and walked out as if nothing had happened. This had the effect of causing both Bob and Tim to stop in mid-action, look at each other, sit down and finish the interview. Tim was dusty and Bob was probably wishing he was working in San Francisco.



John Higdon's Reply to Story Above

The whole reason I was there (and I was NEVER oblivious) was because some air-person couldn't figure out how to work something. I tried to explain it on the phone, but whoever it was refused to work with me on the phone and demanded that I come down to the station (on a Sunday, as I recall) and hold his hand.

John (I-still-get-called-on-Sundays) Higdon


KOME was a radio station in San Jose, California, heard at 98.5 FM from 1971 thru 1998.

Found at the Ted Copulos website


This website formerly used Adobe Shockwave , Adobe Flash, and Photodex Presenter to play photo slideshows.

Browsers no longer support these players as of January 12, 2021.
Please excuse limited navigation and missing audio files while modifications are being made.

 


Home Contact us About The Archives

Unless otherwise noted
Entire contents © 1966 - 2021 The Estate of Timothy C Buckley III
All rights reserved.