Rock 100.5’s Axel Lowe moving back to 99X as PD and morning host
Cumulus has decided to beef up 99X at 97.9 by adding a morning show, plucking Axel Lowe from Rock 100. Lowe will also handle program director duties.
This is a reunion of sorts for Axel, a long-time afternoon jock at 99X’s original incarnation going back to 1993. He moved to Rock 100.5 when 99X was taken off the FM airwaves in early 2008.
Loading ...Another 99X alum Matt “Organic” Jones is set to take over for Axel at Rock 100.5, where Axel has been handling afternoon duties.
He starts August 16 at 99X.
In an interview, Axel said he will be a one-man show and the station will remain “music intensive,” though he promises more “content” than what he had been doing at Rock 100.5. “I’m used to working alone,” he said. He is also thrilled to be able to play new music again, being a guy who likes to keep up with current alternative rock.
Axel’s ability to survive the treacherous waters of radio in one locale has been impressive and has the respect of many of his peers. “Axel’s one of the nicest guys in the business,” said Jimmy Baron, a former 99X morning host who is now at Dave FM and will now compete with Axel head to head.
Since 99X moved to 97.9 (after a brief stint as an on-line only operation), it has gone without a morning show. After a strong start last summer, its ratings have fallen far behind the other rock stations in town. Of course, the station’s signal is also by far the weakest. And alternative rock is not exactly a hot format nowadays.
Axel briefly helmed mornings in 2006 after the Morning X was blown out and before the brief run with Sean Demery.
He said he was ready for 99X to die (at least on the FM dial) when it did in 2008. “People were tired of it,” he said. But “I got my three-year break and am ready to reinvest myself in 99X.”
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58 comments Add your comment
kage
August 6th, 2010
12:19 pm
People still listen to the radio?
99Xfan
August 6th, 2010
12:28 pm
Awesome! Glad to see the suits giving 99X more attention. Now PLEASE increase the signal so you can get the station outside of Atlanta proper!
LT
August 6th, 2010
12:31 pm
It would be nice if they could boost the signal. All I can get is project 96.1 and all its good for are artist and DJ’s that can’t produce without rehashing old cliche’s
Bobby
August 6th, 2010
12:33 pm
Not all of us can afford fancy satellite radio receivers and subscription fees, so yes, some of us little plebians down here do still listen to the radio. And I also hope 99X gets a stronger signal – up in Kennesaw/Acworth, I’ve heard other stations bleed in over 99X on 97.9…One time it was a country station from Kansas that bled in. I never figured that one out. A Tennessee/Alabama station, sure…But Kansas?
Ron Mexico
August 6th, 2010
12:34 pm
Agreed 99xfan, need to get a better signal. Can’t hear you too well out in Paulding. Will definately check this morning show out with Axle, the regular guys are getting a little stale nowadays. Its like 5 minutes of talk follwed by ten minutes of commercials. Boring.
Fireworks on the Third of July
August 6th, 2010
12:34 pm
XM radio here….Awesome
Ganners
August 6th, 2010
12:37 pm
I’m excited!
Has Chris Clark landed anywhere yet? Where did Kenard go to? He vanished.
Oh the days..
August 6th, 2010
12:38 pm
I remember back in the 90’s sitting in traffic listening to Barnes, Leslie, and Jimmy on 99X.. Sometimes they had this guy called the “Queen” on there. Too funny! Wish Atlanta was like it was back then!
tasha
August 6th, 2010
12:41 pm
i’d listen more if it wasn’t so scratchy!
I miss Toucher
August 6th, 2010
12:41 pm
I grew up on 99x, and as the cliche goes “it was the soundtrack of my youth.” I remember the day (I was riding in my mom’s car) Power 99 switched to 99x, and from the day I loved 99x. I really miss all the concerts they used to back, esp 99x’s Big Day Out shows. I still love the music from the 90’s and early 00’s (esp love 311) and its hard to find that music anywhere. Kills me that 99.7 is pure bubble gum pop. 99x needs a stronger signal!
IRISH25
August 6th, 2010
12:48 pm
now bring back Crash Clark!!!
ChippersLoveChild
August 6th, 2010
12:49 pm
Agreed, definitely miss Big Day Out, On The Bricks, Downtown Rocks, their stage at Midtown… oh 99x, what have you become?!
joe
August 6th, 2010
12:55 pm
Queen does some segments for Jimmy Barron’s show on Dave FM…not quite as funny as back in the day, more sad in a way cause he’s probably pushing 60 now…and doing the same ole lame queen bits.
Chris
August 6th, 2010
12:55 pm
99X needs to stay off the air permanently! It was good in the late 90’s then went to hell when they started to play the “new” rock and then eventually died. I heard the new 99X at the pool last weekend and it was if, it was still 2001. The exact same crappy songs that killed the station were still being played. We gave it 1 hour to prove that it was different from the early 2000’s and it failed. 97.1 went back on and everyone was happy. We now a notice that 99X is not to be played on the pool radio or any hip-hop, country or girl 100. I’m glad I have satelite radio because Atlanta radio is the worst in the country for public radio.
Rule .303
August 6th, 2010
12:57 pm
Good news, now maybe they’ll finally cut out the Red Hot Chili Peppers/Offspring/Nirvana/Foo Fighters rotation.
Hmm.
August 6th, 2010
1:00 pm
I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t know 99X still existed.
gttim
August 6th, 2010
1:01 pm
99X has never recovered from Will leaving. To be honest, I never liked Axel. If I had heard him do one more teaser before a commercial set, I was going to have to strangle him. So I just turned him off.
99x
August 6th, 2010
1:03 pm
yawn.
Kar
August 6th, 2010
1:05 pm
Strangely, I still miss Angry Brian more than most of the dj’s. “Damn I’m angry!”
So does this mean no more Organic Sunday mornings? That was practically an institution and one of the longest running shows on Atlanta radio.
IRISH25
August 6th, 2010
1:08 pm
still enjoy the House of Retro-Pleasure!!
dawggirl
August 6th, 2010
1:09 pm
I didn’t know it still existed either. I miss Steve from the Steve show, the Retroplex, etc. That 12-1 hour was such incredible music, and Steve really knew how to carry it.
Kenard's Neighbor
August 6th, 2010
1:10 pm
I live across the street from BJ Kenard. He moved to Myrtle Beach about a month ago. Nice family and a good DJ.
Billy Hill
August 6th, 2010
1:22 pm
Get Leslie Fram back to do this show with Axel! Also I can’t listen where I live, but I can at least pick it up on my way out of the city to Hamiliton Mill exit. Boost that signal!
rwk
August 6th, 2010
1:24 pm
Talk about bad signals with radio stations – my bedroom radio receives such a bad signal, I can hear the hamm operators! Loud and clear! (seriously)!! I feel like I’m back in the 60’s!
90s Rock
August 6th, 2010
1:26 pm
Please get the signal stronger!! I’m tired of the Macon station ruining my mornings going to work in Covington.
Reverie
August 6th, 2010
1:28 pm
OK, now bring back 96Rock. Seriously, 99X at 97.whatever is confusing. Why 96Rock was dropped in favor of Project 9-6-numb smacks of being a Marketing Decision made by someone that felt like if they didn’t do something big they would be back at the Sunglass Hut at the outlet mall. 96 Rock and 99X were institutions with fans that had more loyalty to the station than the employees of the station felt for them. I’m just sayin….
By the way, I have XM/Sirius and no matter how hard they try it is just formula radio with the fidelity of a Colby Boombox.
Wendy Pealver
August 6th, 2010
2:04 pm
Now if 99X would fire Shawn. Honeslty her lack of knowledge and enthusiasm is embarrassing. To go from Steve Craig to Kinard to Shawn? It’s get’s progressively worse every move. What happened to DJs knowing something about what they are doing? Her stupid cat noises are insulting.
JASon
August 6th, 2010
2:09 pm
The chili peppers and green day really didn’t get enough radio play for the past 15 years.
Tim's Tebow
August 6th, 2010
2:11 pm
I used to listen to 99X every morning and afternoon.
Then, I finally kissed a girl and got satellite radio.
Xlistener
August 6th, 2010
2:12 pm
eX is what it should be. They didn’t care about the listeners when they went digital. Why should we care about them now?
Disappointed
August 6th, 2010
2:38 pm
The thing that brought me back to 99x was the fact that it didn’t have a morning show. All I want in the mornings is music and traffic. If I wanted to listen to the stuff that is typical of morning shows, I’d go back to junior high school.
C
August 6th, 2010
2:44 pm
Bring back Crash!
Kar
August 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
Crash? Ugh. Only if it’s on some on-air version of Atlanta Rehab. Guy was a walking spiral downward.
bird dawg
August 6th, 2010
2:53 pm
Every time they play P.O.D. i swear i’ll never listen again. Did anyone ever like them, even back in 99?
There is way too much great new music and even local music that never touches atlanta airwaves. Its always funny to me how i see 99x tents at, say, wilco or i bet the upcoming arcade fire show, even though they have Never played it. I guess its hard to fit it in between p.o.d and bush songs
JP
August 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
Axel is a class act… I met him when I managed the original rock band MUSE from the US (not the UK Muse) he interviewed the guys right after performing on the 99X stage at Music Midtown. Cool guy and a great DJ…
RadionOneandTwo
August 6th, 2010
3:01 pm
To Chris @ 12:55 pm…….You say you turned off 99X and put on “the new” 97.1 the River because you were tired of the same crappy songs? I’m sorry but that’s just kind of funny…..
StingerSplash
August 6th, 2010
3:15 pm
Bad sign for the alternative rock format when Planet 107.3 in Jacksonville switched formats this week.
Koz
August 6th, 2010
3:26 pm
I’d listen to them if I could pick up the signal.
HSM
August 6th, 2010
3:43 pm
Use to love 99x back in the day. Axel is a great DJ. I can’t go back to radio though, hooked on satellite. It’s amazing!
finally
August 6th, 2010
4:45 pm
Please get rid of that monotone Debra or whatever her name is who does traffic, that would be a start in the right direction. If they can pay Jeff on Q100 what he was asking for then they can surely put some cash in the other stations for talent. I wish Axel the best.
Andrew
August 6th, 2010
5:12 pm
Get him on Lithium or First Wave channel.
Goofball
August 6th, 2010
5:22 pm
bird dawg, I totally agree with you. I’m in my mid-40’s and still want to hear new and exciting music, not some rehashed 2nd-rate Pearl Jam clone band that was stale 15 years ago. I can’t believe how safe and afraid rock stations are these days. Even ones that are “alternative”.
Guess that’s why my iPod gets way more play than a radio.
Lucas
August 6th, 2010
5:45 pm
Completely agree with ‘Finally.’ Debra puts me to sleep when she does her traffic. The new lineup of jocks is a great change. The station has that underground hip feel again.
Delia Rae
August 6th, 2010
6:15 pm
I’m so happy a cool, smart, hip person will be manning the boards in Atlanta…go Axel…congratulations
whm
August 6th, 2010
6:45 pm
Agree with reverie @ 1:26 about XM. I am not impressed with XM at all. The signal is actually worse than radio. I lose the signal if I drive under trees, cause the antenna can not get line of sight on satellite. XM has no more variety than local radio. They still play the same crap over and over. The only good thing about XM is no DJ yapping all the time, and no commercials. I would advise buyers to think twice before signing up for XM.
George Jetson
August 6th, 2010
6:54 pm
Where ever happened to Chris Calandro? He’s one that has been very absent for several years. Is he still in town?
BARNES
August 6th, 2010
7:28 pm
IT’S ME ANYONE FOR TENNIS!!
Radio is Dead
August 6th, 2010
7:38 pm
Seriously? WHy would you do radio when you get your iPhone with the Pandora App and pipe it into your aux jack? Radio and XM are dead!!!
Lefty
August 6th, 2010
7:59 pm
I tried satellite radio when I got a free 3 months subscription. I let it expire because it was so unimpressive. If there is no local content why wouldn’t I just plug in my iPod and listen to my own playlists? There are 7,000 songs on my iPod, I can skip anything I don’t like, and the sound quality is much better. I see why satellite radio is dying a slow death, simply because they don’t provide anything new. Throw in some local traffic and weather and maybe…………
Wes
August 6th, 2010
8:01 pm
Satellite radio is for people who haven’t figured out how to use their iPod.