WCBE Compilations

Although not exclusively local in format, WCBE 90.5 FM has been a massively important aspect of the Columbus music scene for decades. For a while, they were putting out regular compilation of their in-studio performances.

Across a dozen discs, you can find rare live-only tracks from Columbus artists such as Howlin' Maggie, Scrawl, Tim Easton, The Haynes Boys, Watershed, Big Back Forty, The Jive Turkeys, Jenny Mae and many more.

Video: Howlin' Maggie - I'm A Slut

Alive: Howlin’ Maggie revisits ‘Hyde’

Back in 2016, Happy Chichester reformed Howlin' Maggie for a pair of shows revisiting the 2001 album Hyde. The Alive interviewed Happy around that time to talk about the album and shows:

In 2001, Chichester and his wife launched their own label, PopFly Music, to release Howlin’ Maggie’s Hyde. On Friday, Chichester will celebrate the 15th anniversary of PopFly by performing Hyde in its entirety (plus a few Honeysuckle Strange cuts) at Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza alongside Smith, guitarist Ellison, original Maggie bassist Jim Rico and additional guitarist Joey Hebdo. 

Until recent rehearsals, Chichester hadn’t played most of the Hyde songs in 14 years, but fans were anxious to hear the tunes again: The Natalie’s show sold out in fewer than 12 hours, so he booked an encore Hyde performance at Ace of Cups for Thursday, Sept. 22. 

“The songs have aged pretty well in my estimation - even ones that I would not have expected to have a shelf life,” said Chichester, seated in a booth at an Old North bar for a recent interview. “Sometimes songs are totems almost. ... It’s like dream analysis. You gain some insights into your dreams when you have some more distance.”

New Additions: Hyde by Howlin' Maggie

Here's the weird thing about this album - the band I was in at the time played with Howlin' Maggie at Little Brother's in Columbus for this album release, I didn't pick up a copy of the album at that time. Maybe it was because I was seeing the band constantly around this time, and that I was a poor musician, but when I finally got the album, I recognized almost all the songs. It helps that Harold "Happy" Chichester is an amazing songwriter and can write a great hook, lodging these tunes in my brain for almost twenty years.

Know Yer Band: Howlin Maggie

Band: Howlin' Maggie

Members
Vocals/Guitar/Keys - Harold Chichester
Guitar - Andy Harrison/Lance Ellison
Bass - Jim Rico/Christian Hurd
Drums - Jerome Dillon/Carlton Smith

Releases
1996 - Honeysuckle Strange album (Columbia)
2001 - Hyde album (PopFly Music)

Columbus Alive: Creating Columbus 1993-2011

In 2012, the Columbus Alive put together an interesting retrospective - 200 Arts and Cultural Moments that Shaped the City’s History. Here are some notable moments:

1996
Critics hail Howlin’ Maggie’s Columbia debut
Former Royal Crescent Mob bassist Harold “Happy” Chichester forms a new band with bassist Jim Rico, guitarist Andy Harrison and drummer Jerome Dillon. “Honeysuckle Strange” - the band’s first and only release on Columbia Records - is a success. 

2002
South Campus bars demolished
Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment spent several years buying land and businesses along North High Street between Chittenden and East Ninth avenues. The group finally bulldozes everything, leveling some of the city’s grungiest and most memorable watering holes to make room for the South Campus Gateway. 

2004
Columbus Discount Records releases first single
The indie imprint unleashes “Sexy World” by Terribly Empty Pockets. It soon influences, records and/or distributes music by a treasure trove of local indie bands - Times New Viking, Necropolis, El Jesus de Magico, Guinea Worms and Cheater Slicks, among others. 

2007
Little Brother’s closes
When venerable rock club Stache’s and Little Brother’s vacated its original spot in 1997, it relocated to 1100 N. High St. under the name Little Brother’s. The esteemed club draws intriguing rock, folk, roots, reggae and country bands until its unfortunate demise.