91.7 WMSE | Events

 

Own a Piece of WMSE Online Auction:

CLOSED!

The 2009 "Own a Piece of WMSE", an online auction where you, the listening public, had the chance to sponsor the most important pieces of the station for an entire year, has come to an end. Each high-bidder will have their name and picture posted next to their item for all station visitors to see for a full year, and acknowledged right here on this page. Together, we raised over $2000 via eBay's Mission Fish program for this great non-commercial radio station. We hope you got to know the inner workings of your favorite radio station a little bit better.

CLICK HERE NOW TO GO TO OUR EBAY STORE!

The Auction items:

#01: On-Air Light -
Casting a warm, red Hunt For Red October-like glow over everything and everyone in its path, the WMSE On-Air Light is truly a thing of austere beauty to observe. When its steady glare is in the eye of the beholder, best pipe down. This means that the WMSE DJ du-hour is about to push the mic fader up and transmit their lovely voice over the airwaves to tell you, the listener, vital information. It also means that anyone in proximity to Studio A will also be heard, so if you mistakenly did not see the light go on, and were laughing about Billy’s latest “a guy walked into a bar” joke, or were Buzz, running into the studio with the latest copy of hott new music, exuberantly requesting you to play the first track! play the first track!, or were a flock of geese that got turned around in your travels down Milwaukee Street in search of Veteran’s Park, and took an unwitting detour into Studio A, you would be heard loud and clear over the airwaves. In some cases, this is pretty amusing, but in lots of cases it’s the cause for many ‘whoopsies!’ moments, and causes the utterers, whether they’re foul or fowl, to turn the same shade of red as the light. Be there to witness all the embarrassing glories for a whole year – if red’s your favorite color, you’re definitely getting a bang for your buck!
-SOLD to The Palomino
Winning Bid: $202.50

 

#02: Music Library/Live Room -
WMSE’s front and center space contains over 20,000 vinyl albums, 52,000 CDs and is host to over 100 live musical performances each year. That gives a whole, new meaning to the term ‘wall of sound’! There are multiple walls of sound going on, and in the center of it all, the local and national acts that pump up the volume during their live stints. This is where it all happens. You’ll be part of the action when you own this prime piece of real estate for a year, basking in all the live musical glory. Feel the vibrations of drum-kits pounding, the twang and growl of amplified guitars, the sweet lullabies of pretty vocals and the squalor of a punk-rock rebel yell. When the bands have packed up their gear and gone on home, scan the spines and stacks at your leisure. Where else can you get this much music for such a low price? You tell US. This is ridiculous. We’re telling YOU. Plus, it also magically converts to a dance floor when Dori’s on the air. Shhh.
-SOLD to Terry Rindt
Winning Bid: $162.50

 

#03: Conference Room Table -
Remember the Knights of the Round Table -- King Arthur and all that fantastic, magical fanciness that turned ideas into reality? Well, the WMSE conference table is no far cry from that storied table that was responsible for churning out ideas which spurred into motion exciting events and tales that would go down in history. Our own legends of exciting concoctions of Chili, electronics, and the lore of a gazillion and one bands were all discussed here, making this a very special table, indeed. The entire WMSE staff has bumped chairs into it, spilled coffee onto it, dropped cake and cookie crumbs all over it, lined up over eight crockpots on it in one go…you name it. Created by the ingenious Mark Winter, this beauty constructed of glass, metal and cement is crowned by an odd and totally essential moveable metal sculpture. If you get this table for one whole year, you’ll be right in the thick of the magic every day of the year. You’ll get in on the action of all of our business, and just might be surprised to find folks such as Robyn Hitchcock dropping by to hang out on one of the surrounding chairs. Feel free to laugh as he unwittingly picks the one chair that is constantly set in ‘recline’ mode. The entire staff already knows how to pick that one out…
-SOLD to Testa Rosa
Winning Bid: $100.00

 

#04: Our Crappy Doorbell -
“State of the Art Visitor Alert Technology at its 20th century Finest!” That’s what we said last year, and we’re saying it again this year. Emphatically. This sound-wave deliverer very essentially alerts us when an interviewee, pledger, performer or pal is about to cross the threshold. Too bad it doesn’t always ring one hundred percent of the time. You’d think we’d just give up on it, already, but we at WMSE are kind of sentimental, and we have every reason to be…that doorbell has been pressed and pressed and subsequently punched by everyone from Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate to Phil Alvin of The Blasters in 2008, alone. You can be the poster child for the unique sound of din&@#(*%g,  do@!(#*)*$ng! This is a very unique opportunity to represent a very unique sound for one whole year.
-SOLD to Judi Schauer
Winning Bid: $212.00

 

#05: Big Mike, the Mic -
Big Mike the Mic is an insanely-proportioned microphone which is completely dysfunctional. Why do we insist on having a gigantic microphone that doesn’t even work hanging on our only-painted wall (orange, mind you)? Especially one that seems to be a good candidate for poking folks’ eyes out? Well, the story is that Big Mike was an instantaneous gleam in the eye of Station Manager Tom Crawford when he found it hanging from an antique store in Fort Atkinson called I Love Funky’s. Hanging on the ceiling of one of the ‘funkiest’ antique stores, stateside, was Big Mike. Love at first shiny sight.  Let it light up your eyes, when you share space with the big guy for one year. Tap on this ginormous version of a ribbon microphone when you want to test if the staff is, indeed listening up. Our ears are not as sharp as one might think, so sometimes you’ve gotta bring the big guns out.
-SOLD to our very own Dr. Sushi
Winnin Bid: $102.50

 

#06: The Transmitter & Tower -
All fans of WMSE learned just how important this piece of technicality is when it got a little fried up some good old fashioned razzing by Mother Nature on August 4th. When it all comes down to it, when this little doo-dad is not happy, there’s nary a signal from the broadcast tower situated atop the MSOE RWJ Dormitory, downtown. One listener commented that “Life without WMSE is like a cold shower on Mars”. Indeed! So, it’s time to call in the reinforcements! As Bowie knows, life on Mars is pretty questionable…would you entrust your favorite radio station’s signal to an associated existence with a lifeless planet? Your face, alone, propped up next to our transmitter would be enough strength to sustain the life-force that our transmitter so intrinsically needs. Be top of the heap along with our strong signal by pledging your commitment to making our 3,200 watts of power keep on trucking. ‘Takes a licking, but *tries* to keep on ticking’? Let’s get that word ‘try’ out of the equation, shall we?
-SOLD to rock star volunteers - The Duris Family
Winning Bid: $202.50

 

#07: The Studio A Mic -
The Studio A Mic is the official portal for our 70-something DJs to let our listeners know of what they’re spinning on WMSE’s two turntables, four CD players, iPod hook-up, tape player and 8-track player (kidding). Whether the DJs spend six hours compiling a mix for their listening audience, pre-show, or are madly flinging CDs and vinyl around left and right in a flurry of ‘Oh crap, my show is in five minutes and I only blindly pulled five things!’, everything  musical that goes out over the airwaves is in need of a formal introduction with the song title, artist and album name. Sometimes the DJs even throw in the record label and interesting tidbits about how/where the CD was recorded. Sometimes they even play background music while they’re telling you these very informative things. Sometimes, some of the artists they play even come into Studio A to hang out and talk about their music. The DJ in charge of his/her particular three hour slot is talkin’ to you and it’s through that mic. It’s super-crucial. Wouldn’t you want your mug next to something super-crucial? You’ll be the first to be informed of everything musically-important here, on the Mighty 91!
-SOLD to [Dedication coming soon]
Winning Bid: $102.50

 

#08: Brent the Monkey -
Brent the Monkey is a funny little fellow. He is hard to describe to most folks who have never graced the WMSE offices, and those who have passed through, rarely take notice of him, because he very silent and shy. A little rubber monkey who is part of the WMSE monkey island habitat, Brent likes to separate himself from the other monkeys of the island and hang out solo, on his perch. Sometimes he wears his hat when he gets cold, and sometimes he slumps over when he can no longer support his own slight and jelly-saturated weight. His curiously-proportioned limbs, his indescribable smell that is neither bad nor good, his squish-able-ness that has consequently worn away much of Brent’s detailed features can all be yours for one year. Hang out with Brent on his perch and keep him company, put his hat on for him when he gets chilly, give his skinny human/monkey paw a reassuring squish when he looks sad. Who knows what will happen to this little guy if you’re not there to look after him? *Sigh*.
-SOLD to Steven Grieb
Winning Bid: $102.50

 

#09: Studio A Aquarium Window -
Is the Studio A Aquarium Window really for an aquarium? Well, not so much, but the glass is certainly of the thick variety, which is normally the best sort to view fishes and other aquatic life. The thickness is to withstand tremendous water pressure. Of course, none of the WMSE DJs are technically deep sea divers, equipped with oxygen tanks and wetsuits, nor is Studio A, nor is the library awash with anything more than waves and waves of pressed music, but still, the Studio A window is called the ‘aquarium window’ for reasons unclear. Perhaps it’s because the DJ is rather like a goldfish in a bowl when visitors pop by the station and peer in. Did you win the WMSE DJs at a carnival by throwing a penny in a glass of food-colored water? Nope. But, it’s cool to think of the DJs as prizes, for that’s what they truly are! Step right up and win a prize by sponsoring the one and only WMSE Studio A Aquarium Window, all 4’ x 2.5’ of it, for the year. Throw some of your pennies right this way.
-SOLD to [Dedication coming soon]
Winning Bid: $100.00

#10: The Neon WMSE Sign -
Bask in the rays of the one and only WMSE neon light, depicting the unique ‘meatball’ logo in an inert, noble gas form. This steady and faithful pal has been lighting up the lives of the staff, DJs, bands and visitors going on four years and is the first thing one sees, smack dab in the line of vision when you cross the threshold of WMSE. Uncannily mixing its red and blue primaries to create an odd purple haze, it creates a feeling of being in the small mammal exhibit at the zoo, or at your friend’s house – you know, the one with the tarantula in an aquarium? Created for us by our friends at Electric Eye Neon of Milwaukee, they have succeeded in creating a unique and eye-catching focal point that will last for the long haul (the average neon sign will remain charged for eight-fifteen years!). Join us for one of those years of purple fun when you sponsor the meatball, the glowing, neon heart of WMSE.
-SOLD to Wendy Gunderson
$177.50

 

#11: Kinder Egg Corner -
Remember when the United States was cool with mixing toys and food together? Now, we’re just no fun. The Germans have way more fun with their food, specifically with their ‘Kinder Eggs’ – delicious dark and white chocolate formed into the shape of a hen’s egg in which a ready-to-assemble tiny toy is nestled. How WMSE came to have this wonderful and small collection is not entirely clear; it’s as though they appeared by magic by a little fairy who had tucked them onto a very high and almost unreachable perch in the WMSE offices. These little Kinder-Egg toys watch the WMSE staff clomp up and down the stairs to the mezzanine portion of the office more than several times a day, never changing their stance nor commenting when some of us who are not gracefully inclined, trip up or fall down the stairs. You can’t beat having those strong and silent types around! Hang out with the whole Kinder-Krew for a years’ worth of play-dates when you sponsor WMSE’s very own Kinder Egg Corner. Just because ‘Kinder’ means ‘children’ in German doesn’t mean this is relegated to the small set, either. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission would prefer it that way.
-SOLD for the 2nd year in a row to Barbie Brennan
Winning Bid: $80.00

 

#12: The Yellow Library Ladder -
It’s literally the stairway to musical heaven – the WMSE yellow library ladder. This sturdy, day-glo apparatus is climbed by virtually every WMSE DJ at least once a week in search of that perfect song or for your special requests. With over 20,000 albums to choose from, eventually every DJ has to go in search of their favorite artists in the ‘A’s’, ‘B’s’ and ‘C’s’. These letters are nearly always filed at the top, according to our innovative library categorization system. Think of all the props you’ll get for sponsoring the ways and means for which our DJs can acquire these albums in the nosebleed section. You’ll be the person to coach them on their way to the top: “You can do it, buddy! Find me that Adam Ant record!” You’ll make the experience all that much more productive – kind of like an…ant.
-Unsold (contact us if you would like to purchase post-auction)-

 

#13: The Red Bat-Phone -
This phone technically doesn’t summon the famous caped crusader, nor does it submit a bat-shaped light into Milwaukee’s night sky, but it has action-oriented qualities that are very akin to the famous superhero’s mission of saving the world from disaster. In the radio world, this could mean anything from a hurricane alert to bad wiring to the oh-so naughty words the FCC wants us to ‘ear-muff’ our listening audience from. This red phone that rings like the proverbial bat out of hell is WMSE’s sonic watchdog and alert system. Think of it as a trusty guard dog, sentry or gargoyle. (One staff member claims that it turns into a snake after 3 a.m.!). If it’s yours for the year, you’ll be the reinforcement barrier to its already-amazing guardian qualities. Ring! Ring! It’s totally for you…
-SOLD to Joseph Tremayne Hall
Winning Bid: $94.00

 

#14: The Sh*t Shrine -
When you’re in the music business, it’s all about the visuals! That’s why our music department rarely gets CDs in the mail with just the one-sheet. The powers that be in the music industry know that it takes a little extra oomph to catch our eyes and ears, so that’s why we receive, on a daily basis, all kinds of trinkets and toys. Stickers, buttons, pencils, pens, bandannas, toys…man, it’s friggin’ Christmas every day of the year, here at WMSE! All these peculiar toys and treasures of the most high-quality plastic variety can be yours for an entire year if you just try hard enough. Do it. That Badly Drawn Boy eraser is totally calling your name…
-SOLD to Kelly Jurek
Winning Bid: $100.00

 

#15: "Pops" Krueger Framed Portrait -
No, he’s not your dad, but he’s technically the master of the house of WMSE. William A. (‘Pops’) Krueger holds the namesake for the building which we occupy at 820 N. Milwaukee Street. A buried treasure found in the caverns of the building during a 2007 MSOE remodeling stint, this gilt-framed, proper-portraited remembrance of Mr. Pops is a lovely addition to our office walls. You know what would be even lovelier?  A portrait of you to stick on the wall next to it! Have heart-to-hearts with your one and only ‘Pops’. Chat him up about how he came to be at MSOE, what he thinks about biomolecular research nowadays and who won the Raiders’ last game. Or, you could just have a Folger’s moment and enjoy each others’ stately company. You have a whole year to talk – what’s the rush?
-SOLD to Joseph Tremayne Hall
Winning Bid: $100.00

New items to the 2009 Auction



#16: The Staff Fridge -
This 2009 kitchen-related oddity is downright mysterious: on the outside, it’s simple, white frame is pretty standard when it comes to refrigerators.  As we all know, though, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And, oh, the bowels of the WMSE staff fridge contain odds and ends that would all be fine and good, if we’d all remember that those odds and ends existed past their expiration date! From ancient breaded shrimp to hot sauce, chocolate milk and various randomness swathed in Tupperware and plastic wrap, this Frigidaire contains hot and cold nuggets of mysterious quality. Come pledge drive time, this puppy is stuffed to the gills with Classic Slice and Transfer pizza, Beans and Barley’s quiche, Hector’s Mexican cuisine, and Maxie’s Southern Comfort food. Open it up and things threaten to tumble out, until our hungry volunteers come to annihilate everything on the cold and frosty shelves. Perfect for foodies or just those who get ramped on weird stuff, you can sponsor/own our treasure trove of Cherry Kool Aid pickles, leftovers, half and half and other snackage for one, complete year! That’s a lotta good eating, there!
-Unsold (contact us if you would like to purchase post-auction)



#17: The Men's Urinal -
Add this porcelain prize to your list of oddities that you absolutely must own before you die. Stately and essential, this delightful item will have your picture next to it for a whole year if you are so lucky. ‘Nuff said.
-SOLD to Joseph Tremayne Hall
Winning Bid: $80.00




#18: Ladies Stall #1 -
The other half to the porcelain prize pack in the WMSE auction arsenal. Have your photo adhered to the wall of this hub of gossip and covert perfume sprayers for one year. Maybe you can tell us who stole our yellow smiley face coffee mug and dish soap as our secret undercover agent presence…
-Unsold (contact us if you would like to purchase post-auction)-



#19: Crawford's Office -
The veiled environs of where it all goes down is at once disorganized and organized. Like a volcano crossed with The Smithsonian or maybe the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this room contains a supernatural force field, according to our Development Director, Jason Mohr. You can hang out with the big guy, T.C., as he answers phone calls, enjoys lunch from Real Chili, drinks massive amounts of coffee made with that caffeinated water stuff, and hangs out with Billy and Jules throwing around words like ‘analog’, ‘Pro Tools’, ‘interface’, ‘exciter’ and ‘circuit’.  Your kisser will be right there, all year long, to witness these goings-on and more as you ‘bro down with the Crawfinator for the entire year of 2009.
-SOLD to Dylan Schleicher
Winning Bid: $150.00



#20: Alien Andre's 'mail bin' -
Only an alien’s mail bin would be odd enough to vie for ownership. Containing perplexing and otherworldly items from highly-organized, rubber-banded CDs containing only artists starting with the letter ‘L’, to extension cords, posters, reading glasses, and various assorted snacks, these items are imperative to those of the alien kind. Kind of like owning an enigma, this mail bin will be an endless source of amusement as you get to view what goes and in and comes out. Maybe you can let him know when the mother ship has dropped in a tin of shortbread cookies, when it’s time to switch over to the ‘M’ section of the library or remind him to take his playlists out of the bin and put them in their proper place? (Well, you can’t expect a busy alien to pay attention to everything with all of this travels between space and earth). Step into the world/otherworld that is Alien Andre when you claim space to the one and only alien mail bin.
-Unsold (contact us if you would like to purchase post-auction)-