Angel’s Last Week — Farewell Blazers

Hi, my name is Angel, I work at The Blaze. You've heard me say it every day for a dozen years, at every Blaze event and on stage at concerts. I've been a fan of radio since I was born, what I was never a fan of was how DJs think they are such celebrities that all they have to say is "Rick here" "Crazy Carl here" "Brownie and Butt Boy with you on this Tuesday morning" and people will know exactly who you are and what you do. So I've always gone with that line because it's honest.

You crazy a$$holes, thank you for listening to my show. For listening to my station. For laughing at my jokes. For being loyal. For being a genuine fan of rock and metal the way KC, Shawn, JC, Blake, Reverend Brian and me are. For coming to shows and rocking your effing ass off. For making bands want to return to Missoula time & time again because you're such a grateful, ass kickin' audience. For supporting local rock and local artists. For buying us shots when we should be buying YOU shots. For having our sticker on your cars, trucks, skateboards, tool boxes, snowboards and walls of your home. For stealing our banners. For being absolutely insane and giving us the most epic stories to tell on the air.

For instance, dedicated fan of The Blaze and live rock Red, broke both his ankles at the Foo Fighters show. 'Member when Dave Grohl came running down the ramp? Red was on the upper level and jumped over the railing to get up front, it was a long fall, but even with bone breaking injuries, Red army crawls up front and starts rockin' out.

This is what sets you apart from every other listening audience in the country. You guys are for real.

Loads of amazing things have happened to me because of 96.3 The Blaze.

• I met and bullsh***ed with Dave Grohl.
• I met one of my very best friends during a contest called Beat Brian's Meat. Listeners had to bring us their homemade BBQ sauce for a chance to meet Godsmack. Cherie & Danica's sauce rocked (that doesn't sound kinky!). Love you Cherie.
• Found soulmates among the office folks. Never say 'whoa' in a mud hole.
• I found my long lost brother. Without getting into details, I didn't know I had another brother, his mom was able to track down my family because she met me at the radio station one day while she was here on other business. Pretty amazing. Beyond amazing. I love that kid.
• A couple named their baby after The Blaze. Love you Jaxon Blaze and Courvilles
• A couple who met at a contest we were doing at the Iron Horse ended up getting married and now have several daughters. Just because I paired them up to shoot pool.
• I met and interviewed Art Alexakis and Joshua Homme. Two of my favorite song writers of all time.
• I know what really goes on in the champagne room.
• Shawn and KC. 'Nuff said.

Thank you to my amazingly supportive family. For putting up with late nights and early mornings. For understanding when I worked long hours and constantly tapped away at my laptop at home. For supporting my Foo habit. For forcing me to kick ass at times when I was sure I couldn't.

Thank YOU. A thousand times thanks to every one of you who have, in even the smallest ways, been touched by my radio show, and my radio station. Remember that one time when I told you exactly why I heart you?

And with that, I'm turning the keys and laptop over to Strip Club KC. Dude has been here since the beginning.

Sh**, now I have to tell another story.

I remember the first time I met KC.

I was doing a live broadcast at the Elbow Room (R.I.P.) and this kid shows up to set up the equipment. I go, in my super charming Angel way, :Who the Hell are you? And why are you touching my stuff?" He goes, "I'm KC, I'm gonna' set up your stuff." Boy was I happy, as this allowed more time for me to sit on my ass and drink my beer.

So he sets up the equipment and begins to leave so I say "Where are you going? I was going to buy you a beer for your help." Turns out he wasn't even old enough to be in the bar.

And that's how I got KC.

Love you brother, rock it.