Sunny 102 morning host brings hometown feel to radio

By Lou Sorendo

Sunny 102 not only plays classic hits. It also has a classic radio personality spinning the tunes. Classic Hits Sunny 102 (WZUN-FM 102.1), headquartered in Syracuse, is anchored by “Big” Mike Fiss. It is 106.1 FM in Oswego.

Fiss is big in stature, and larger than life when it comes to local radio broadcasting. Since 1980, Fiss has been satisfying the listening needs of several generations of rock ‘n’ rollers in the Syracuse area, ranging from the heavy metal riffs of the early ‘80s to the more subdued soft rock sounds of today.

“Our generation grew up with radio, this is what we love. I think young people appreciate it very much too, but our generation loves it,” Fiss said.

For over three decades, radio listeners throughout Central New York have been living on a diet of coffee and “Big” Mike in the morning.

He has been affectionately referred to as “The Morning Mayor”, “The Duke Of Dawn”, “The Sultan Of Sunrise”, “The Earl Of Early” and “The Superintendent Of School Closings” since joining the Sunny 102 team in 2001.

“Big” Mike has already left an indelible imprint on the world of local radio. He has been nationally honored four times as Billboard Magazine’s Personality of the Year and is in the Syracuse New Times’ Syracuse Area Music Awards’ Hall of Fame.

“All day, I’m thinking and noting stuff to talk about on the air,” Fiss said.

Fiss said he gets his material from the Internet, magazines, TV, newspapers, “gossip, rumors, and stealing from other shows. But the kidding around is spontaneous.”

Waking up at 2:45 a.m. can be a challenge, but “Big” Mike says he loves morning radio.

“Traditionally, morning radio has been the place for current events, weather, listener phone calls, contests, guests, and team shows. Usually the rest of the day is focused more on music, though there are some great personalities outside morning drive, like Rick Gary and Steve Kelley on Sunny 102.”

“I like starting the day, getting people going in a good mood,” he said.

Fiss handles the daily dawn patrol from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. along with Melissa Midgley, who is also an elementary school teacher in Solvay.

“It’s always been fun and it’s great that every now and then I get to emcee at a community event, fundraiser, or help out a person in need,” Fiss said. “It’s the best job I’ve ever had and I’ve had a ton of other jobs.
Fiss has worked as a teacher, state labor standards investigator, unemployment insurance claims examiner, Department of Motor Vehicles investigator, cab driver, and also in Chinese food delivery and sales.

The evolution of rock— Fiss, who is 60 years of age, has seen rock ‘n’ roll evolve through several decades.
“Basically, rock music hasn’t changed all that much in the past 40 years. It’s the same basic instruments, same basic sound,” he said. “There are some fine indie (independent) bands and musicians out there today, but again not revolutionary. Yes, today we have younger, fresher performers, occasional hip-hop influence, new songs, but when I listen to modern rock, I don’t hear a sound that’s totally different from the hard rock and metal bands of a few decades ago,” he said.

Fiss has a diverse taste in music. “I appreciate and listen to all kinds of music, from classical to Broadway to cabaret to jazz to folk to Americana to modern rock and hip-hop,” he said. “I listen to as much diversity as possible. That being said, my favorite music is my generation’s; our music from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s.”

“Our generation tried to expand popular music, raising the levels of folk (Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Donovan), rhythm and blues (Motown, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding), rock (Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Grateful Dead), singer/songwriters (James Taylor, Laura Nyro, Paul Simon, Elton John, Billy Joel, Carole King, Dan Fogelberg), dance (disco, Michael Jackson), jazz-rock (Chicago, Steely Dan, Blood, Sweat and Tears), and using orchestrations (Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra),” Fiss said. “And of course, there were The Beatles, who experimented with so many different approaches. Every Beatles album was a true event. “And let’s not forget The Beach Boys. Ours is a pretty amazing generation, huh?”

The state of radio— The radio industry has certainly changed since Fiss took to the microphone. “First, I must tell you how fortunate I am that I work at Galaxy Communications, locally owned and programmed with our Central New York community in mind. Ed and Pam Levine started Galaxy 20 years ago, and we just had a lavish party to celebrate this,” he said. “Ed and Pam both went to Syracuse University, and now their daughter is an SU student and they still live here and work here. That’s why Galaxy is so locally involved with SU sports and great events like ‘Taste Of Syracuse.’”

But elsewhere, he said, radio has changed a lot over the past 30 years.

“Deregulation has allowed for the greedy, irresponsible growth of enormous radio companies, with no concern for the public interest,” he said.

Fiss said some of these larger companies are in serious financial trouble now, like Clear Channel, Citadel, and Regent. “They have reduced costs by taking it out on their radio product, cut local programming and fired local staff,” he said.

As an example, Fiss pointed to WSYR, which was “once a real asset to our community,” he said. “Around 80 percent of WSYR’s programming is not local anymore. That’s a shame,” he added.

When Fiss arrived on the Syracuse scene, Ed Levine was the nighttime disc jockey on 95X. “He’s worked for everything he has,” Fiss said.

Levine took a gamble 20 years ago and purchased his first radio station, K-Rock in Utica.

“He’s worked it from there. It hasn’t been easy. Everyone here at Galaxy is rooting for him. There is tremendous morale here. You don’t see that at the big corporate radio stations,” he added.

Fiss noted that “big corporate entities” have “swallowed up” smaller radio stations in the industry over the past several years.

Fiss characterized the Levines as being “hands-on” owners. They have acquired the “Taste of Syracuse” as an event and have turned it into a smashing success.

“It’s a big difference,” Fiss said. “The guys at Clear Channel haven’t even visited Syracuse and don’t even know where the town is.”

When Fiss first came to Syracuse in 1979, he worked for Newhouse Broadcasting and was the first voice heard on 94Rock, the first voice on Y94 and helped develop both stations to become highly successful. In 2001, he had the opportunity to work at Galaxy Communications.

“For me, it was an exciting challenge, the chance to help grow a new radio station, Sunny 102, locally owned and operated and community focused,” he said.

The holiday ‘guru’— Fiss has traditionally emphasized holiday programming during the Christmas season. “As for my love of Christmas, there is nothing during the year as beautiful,” he said. “For many, it’s an important holy time, sure. But for all, it’s a time to think about peace, love, family, community, mankind and all the wonderful things that are possible.”

“It’s a time for giving, sharing, coming together. And Christmas music is a beautiful part of all this. Do we start Christmas music too early? Probably, but the Christmas season is so short and goes by so quickly, what’s so wrong with trying to enjoy it more?” he asked.

As producer for “Big Mike’s Christmastime In Syracuse” albums, he has been to all the recording and mixing sessions at Hobin’s studio.

“Todd’s a great friend. Over the years we’ve managed to raise some money when possible for different charities, but the best part of the project has been working with and helping to promote many of our area’s finest musicians,” Fiss said. “And the music community we have in this area is as good as it gets anywhere. Great people and great talent.”

“To show my gratitude, I had been a member of the Syracuse Area Music Awards’ executive board for eight years, and helped organize the annual awards show to recognize the excellence we have in our music community,” Fiss added.

Fiss said his biggest hobby is being a record producer.

“I’ve had the pleasure of producing around 20 albums over the years, mostly music and a couple comedy,” he said.

Some of his most memorable moments on the airwaves involve the live Sunny 102 Christmas broadcasts. To date, Fiss has done 28 of them during his career.

It involves four hours of live music featuring the best musicians and choruses from the Syracuse community.
“Altogether, we have around 100 performers every year and it’s amazing how well it all goes. It’s very exciting,” Fiss said.

The CDs produced from the live shows are sold to local music fans. Proceeds from the CDs have helped secure more than $100,000 over the years, all of which has benefited either the Ronald McDonald House or the Elmcrest Children’s Center, which operates Casey’s Place, a short-term home for children with disabilities and serious medical problems.

Fiss has helped generate tens of thousands of dollars over the years for worthy causes.

“There’s a saying around here, ‘What goes around comes around.’ I have received much from so many, I’m just happy to be able to give back,” he said.

Sunny forecast— Sunny 102’s format is classic hits, which encompasses several different genres of music, including classic rock, pop and soft rock.

Fiss also hosts “Smooth Jazz Sunday” from 7 a.m. to noon.

“We have the most diverse and longest play list in town,” Fiss said. “That’s our advantage.”

He pointed to a sequence of music that was lined up to play in his broadcast booth, ranging from Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band to Sly and the Family Stone to George Benson.

Sunny 102 also pledges never to repeat songs from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the workday. “Some stations repeat songs every couple of hours,” he noted.

Galaxy Communications is a locally owned and operated radio company covering the airwaves from Syracuse to Albany with formats that include classic rock, new rock, soft rock, sports, and adult standards.

Galaxy-owned Syracuse-based stations are TK99/TK105, K-Rock 100.9-106.5, Sunny 102 and WTLA 1200. Utica-based stations include WOUR 96.9, K-Rock 94.9, Mix 102.5 and The Game 1310 AM.

“In a small way we are competing (against one another), but the bigger prize is how well the company does,” he said. “If I lose a listener to Gomez and Dave, that’s fine. We want the company to do well,” he said.
Gomez and Dave host the morning show on TK99/TK105.

Beyond trying to appeal strictly from a musical perspective, Sunny 102 looks for a particular lifestyle and demographic as well.

Competitors would include WSEN 92.1, Y94, B104.7 and even WSYR Newsradio 570. “We don’t have a talk format, but certainly if some of those people want to hear music, hopefully they will come to us,” Fiss said.
From a demographics standpoint, Sunny 102 tries to reach listeners in the 35- to 48-age bracket. “If you went to college in the late 1970s, this is your music,” Fiss said.

Staying competitive— In terms of being and staying competitive, Fiss said the No. 1 way is being topical and current. He said this holds true in virtually any field, but especially in the entertainment industry.

“It’s about trying to follow things that are happening,” he said. “I make it my business to find out what shows are new on TV and what movies are coming out. I don’t just live in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I live in today.”
Fiss said he is a huge fan of blockbuster hits such as “American Idol” and “Lost.”

“There are some folks my age that basically, all they know is what they used to know,” he said.

“I’m very much into what’s happening, trying to know who’s what,” he said.

“I try to keep on top of what’s coming out. If there is a movie with a lot of buzz or TV show that is hot, I’ll watch it whether I want to or not just to keep current,” he noted.

“That’s the only way to stay competitive. Other than that, there’s nothing else I can do,” he said.

Laid-back guy

‘Big’ Mike Fiss not your typical ‘party animal’

While radio disc jockeys may be stereotyped as “party animals,” “Big” Mike Fiss does not fit that mold.

“This might surprise the many thousands of fans who think I’m the ultimate party animal, but the real me is in bed every night by 9 p.m.,” he said. “Most of my life outside of radio has been doing stuff with my family.”
“I’ve been married to a beautiful woman, Willie, for 38 years. We met in college. She is a teaching assistant at Eagle Hill Middle School in Manlius, union president and she volunteers in a few projects, including The ABC (A Better Chance) House,” Fiss said.

What does he attribute their longevity to? “First of all, she is terrific. Not only do I like her as a friend, but I really respect her. She’s a wonderful, quality human being,” Fiss said. “On the other hand, it’s always a series of compromises. It’s rare that I always get my way or she always gets her way,” he said. “It’s compromising all the time. It’s making your point and then stepping back.”

“The bottom line, and I’ve said this about so many things, is you have to have a sense of humor,” he said. “If somehow you can continually find humor and fun in things, you’ll get through whatever.”

“If you can share a laugh together, whether it’s about how stupid things are or how foolish you can be, it really makes a big difference,” he said.

“The best friendships are based on a similar sense of humor. It’s how people look at the world,” he said. “A sense of humor is based on perspective. If you can share that perspective with someone else, you share a sense of humor.”

Their newly married son Andy is in graduate school. He teaches and is going for a doctorate in the history and philosophy of science and math at Indiana University.

Their daughter Julianna is a senior at Vassar College and works at the museum there.

Fiss exudes pride when talking about his two children.

“My son was voted most likely to become a Quaker,” said Fiss, referring to his son’s peace-loving ways.
He characterizes his daughter as being very funny, outgoing, with a lot of personality and quick wit.
“Most of our time is spent doing family things, and that has enhanced my life tremendously,” he said.
He and his family reside in Manlius.

“Also, I have good friends to hang with every now and then,” he said. His “crew” consists of musicians Todd Hobin, Joe Whiting, Freddy Crittela, Dave Hanlon, and Ronnie Leigh.

“We try to get together often, maybe once a month, to smoke a cigar and talk about politics, history, movies, books, and food,” Fiss said. “It really is important for a guy to have some guy friends outside of work to hang with once in a while.”

Now that Fiss is 60, does he intend on placing more emphasis on maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

“I’m happy you asked. I am planning to start exercising as soon as I’m done eating,” he said.

“Have you ever seen a ‘before and after’ poster? I’m the ‘before’ guy. Still haven’t become the ‘after.’ I admit I haven’t been very good. Over the past 20 years I have hiked around Green Lakes twice. Does that count?” he asked.

“This year I plan to do a lot more walking. Though I don’t exercise much, I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle by not drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or eating foods after the expiration date,” he said.

The wisdom of ‘Big’ Mike

By Lou Sorendo

Here are some thoughts and perspectives from the sometimes-serious “Big” Mike Fiss, the longtime morning host at Sunny 102. In Oswego, it’s 106.1 on the FM dial.

Q.: What is it about your personality that has endeared you to listeners for so many years?
A.: People have good taste.

Q.: How did you get the nickname, “Big Mike?”
A.: When I first started in radio, I was just Mike Fiss, but no one seemed to know what I was saying. I always thought having a nickname on the radio was easy to remember. There was a guy on the air I liked called Big Wilson, with a warm, friendly voice, so I took the “Big” part and added it to my name.

Q.: How do you manage to stay so upbeat from broadcast to broadcast? Is that one of the tougher aspects of your job?
A.: The only tough part of the job is waking up at 2:45 a.m. After that, it’s an easy day. It’s true that I’ve been tired since 1979!

Q.: Do you do anything special to prepare for the morning show? Do you have a particular routine that you follow?
A.: Shower, brush teeth, and drink coffee. Lots of coffee.

Q.: What are your all-time favorite rock albums?
A.: They are as follows:
1) Bruce Springsteen, “Born To Run”
2) Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
3) Simon & Garfunkel, “Bookends”
4) Otis Redding, “Live In Europe”
5) Chicago Transit Authority
6) Steely Dan, “Aja”
7) Bob Dylan, “Greatest Hits Volumes 1,2,3”
8) Time Peace: The Rascals’ Greatest Hits
9) Blood, Sweat and Tears (second album)
10) Jimmy Buffet, “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor”

Q.: What do you think are the keys to being an entertaining radio personality?
A.: For me, it’s keeping a sense of humor. My mom told me, “If you can’t say something nice about somebody, then it better be funny!”