The Origin of Spike

[Carver]

Hope this isn't too newby-ish...but I'm listening to the 2004 archives right now, and on the 3-2-2004 show a guy calls and hangs up over and over making comments about "debbie the dominatrix" and "beatings" and other weirdness.  It really sounds like Spike.  Is this the origin of Spike and the Best Show?  If so that is awesome (and bizarre) and I'm really stoked to hear how it develops into the full conversations of later years.
Any suggestions for other key shows about this would be great...

[Kormodd]

Yes, that's Spike. Auspicious beginnings.

[Carver]

By the end of the show Tom is saying "Come on, don't hang up, just talk to me" but still can't get anything out of him but the weird non-sequiturs.  I'm guessing it's a long and rocky road to the Democrats and Doo-Wop conversations.

[buffcoat]

Imagine if Tom and Kid Kansas had eventually bonded over Preston Sturges films.

Or if Tom and Mr. T Guy had spoken urbanely of the ups and downs of Barsuk Records.

[Crusherkc]

I've been listening to a lot of shows circa 2006-2008 lately and Tom's genuine fascination with Spike peaks around the winter 05/06.  After a year or two of non-sensical calls about Debby the Dominatrix and The Dungeon, Tom breaks through and discovers all the fundamentals of the Spike Universe: Doo-wop, daytime television, his anti-youth anti-women stances, his "I Don't Do"s (malls, "Satan Island"), his Mad Magazine style of satire ("Seance"), love of slasher superstars Chucky, Freddy, and Jason, and his support of the Democratic Party. 

Unfortunately, Spike's calls rarely broke this pattern for the next 8 years, the exceptions being his fandom of soap/"porn" actor John Wesley Shipp ("was he Flesh Gordon? So's he's a porno actor?") and his ill-fated "Weirdos Exposed" "book", which for some reason only kept at his job.
Spike was good fodder on those slow Goshin summer nights.

February 21, 2006: Craig Cooper From Radio Hut Checks In, The 'Build A Movie Game' Is Birthed, Some Theme Song Songs, Another Revealing Call From Spike And More!

PS I also think this might be Dave from Knoxville's first call as "Ezekiel from Locust Ridge Tennessee" who asks about the metrosexuals in Wash DC. at about 40 mins in.

[Carver]

Thanks Crusherkc.  Consuming a massive amount of the new archives out there, and it's great to be able to follow show developments like this. 
And the Spike laugh, when heard in an anonymous threatening tone?  Yiiikes!

[roman]

Going through the archives, and I stumbled on the 3/2/2004 episode.  That's definitely Spike.  It's funny because Tom does his Droopy Dog impression of him right from the get go.

[AspiringCanadian]

To somewhat go along with this, I've marked the episodes regarding Weirdos Exposed, and plan to compile them in one audio file to encapsulate the rise and fall of Spike's work.  I'm a novice with mp3 editors, so any help here would be great.  I have everything marked up and ready to go.

[ndmvhc]

To somewhat go along with this, I've marked the episodes regarding Weirdos Exposed, and plan to compile them in one audio file to encapsulate the rise and fall of Spike's work.  I'm a novice with mp3 editors, so any help here would be great.  I have everything marked up and ready to go.

I will help any way I can. The Weirdos Exposed saga was one of the best things.

[Omar]

I'm legally obligated to re-post the blurb I wrote for the Spike trading card at least once every two years, so this thread seems like an appropriate spot:

"Ah, yes, the mystique. Spike initially repulsed and intrigued Tom by promoting pain and barking about fictional colleagues “Debbie the Dominatrix” and “Sexy Sadie.”  The baffled host dubbed him a cross between Droopy Dog and elderly outsider poet Bingo Gazingo.  But a funny thing happened on the way to the dungeon over the next six years: They became buddies. Spike penciled himself into the leadoff spot—giddily greeting Shop-ling!—and unwittingly became one-half of a modern-day Abbott & Costello.  From atop an orange crate in his basement apartment, the lozenge-mouthed raconteur regaled listeners with his favorite talking points: doo-wop, slasher films, The Sims, the joys of public transit, and his daytime “stories.” His ever-growing “don’t-do” list gets equal airtime: reality shows, Staten Island, pop stars (from Puff Dimwit to Jenny from the Bedroom), and a deeply held belief that children under 25 should neither be seen nor heard.  The Proud Democrat and devout disciplinarian cemented his legend with Weirdos Exposed, a would-be lidblower on metro area malcontents that was in fact a spoken-word memoir of the man himself.  Bans are issued, but Spike will be forever humming a girl group classic b/w a spine-tingling cackle that Tom hopes is not the last thing he ever hears.  All hail the real King of Queens!  Fade to black." 

[AspiringCanadian]

Thanks for that beautiful reminder Omar.  Good work as always.

[AspiringCanadian]

To somewhat go along with this, I've marked the episodes regarding Weirdos Exposed, and plan to compile them in one audio file to encapsulate the rise and fall of Spike's work.  I'm a novice with mp3 editors, so any help here would be great.  I have everything marked up and ready to go.

I will help any way I can. The Weirdos Exposed saga was one of the best things.

Just an update on this--I've isolated all the segments for Weirdos Exposed and am now compiling them into one large file.  Unfortunately, I'm having problems with certain segments.  When pasting segments into the large file, certain ones get warped and it sounds as if Tom and Spike are using some sort of voice modulator.  I'm not kidding!  I'll continue to work on it and hopefully get everything wrapped up by tomorrow. 
ndmvhc-  I will send you a PM with some ideas as to what I'd like to do with it once it's complete.

[AspiringCanadian]

Another update-- I have everything edited for the most part and all of Spike's calls are compiled into one file.  It's over an hour and a half long! 
The good news is that I also made a sound collage of the good parts, and that file is about 20 minutes.  I'm pretty proud of it considering it was my first attempt editing audio.  I think other FOTs will find it amusing as well.  I'm in the process of converting it to a youtube compatible file and should get something put up very soon.  I asked for Tom's permission as well, but I don't think it should be a problem.  If it is, just let me know.  I'll post the youtube link once I have it.
If anyone is interested in the complete calls, let me know, and I can email it over. 

EDIT: It's easiest for me if you have a gmail account.  That way, I can just share the file through google drive or whatever they call it.

[nrt4]

Another update-- I have everything edited for the most part and all of Spike's calls are compiled into one file.  It's over an hour and a half long! 
The good news is that I also made a sound collage of the good parts, and that file is about 20 minutes.  I'm pretty proud of it considering it was my first attempt editing audio.  I think other FOTs will find it amusing as well.  I'm in the process of converting it to a youtube compatible file and should get something put up very soon.  I asked for Tom's permission as well, but I don't think it should be a problem.  If it is, just let me know.  I'll post the youtube link once I have it.
If anyone is interested in the complete calls, let me know, and I can email it over. 

EDIT: It's easiest for me if you have a gmail account.  That way, I can just share the file through google drive or whatever they call it.

I might take your idea of compiling all of the calls of a 'story arch' and apply it to the Zach from Richmond/Mitt Hamine saga...Depends on how my schedule goes once I'm back on campus though.

[AspiringCanadian]

Another update-- I have everything edited for the most part and all of Spike's calls are compiled into one file.  It's over an hour and a half long! 
The good news is that I also made a sound collage of the good parts, and that file is about 20 minutes.  I'm pretty proud of it considering it was my first attempt editing audio.  I think other FOTs will find it amusing as well.  I'm in the process of converting it to a youtube compatible file and should get something put up very soon.  I asked for Tom's permission as well, but I don't think it should be a problem.  If it is, just let me know.  I'll post the youtube link once I have it.
If anyone is interested in the complete calls, let me know, and I can email it over. 

EDIT: It's easiest for me if you have a gmail account.  That way, I can just share the file through google drive or whatever they call it.

I might take your idea of compiling all of the calls of a 'story arch' and apply it to the Zach from Richmond/Mitt Hamine saga...Depends on how my schedule goes once I'm back on campus though.

Let me know if you need help!  I got the hang of Audacity and had a lot of fun with my project.  Although, I think I'm done listening to Frankie Tear Drop for quite awhile.