I’m going to do something with this piece that I rarely do – I’m going to talk about Mike Dow.
Now Mike has been writing for us here at Edge for over a decade. He is as vital a part of the voice of this post as anyone whose signature has appeared in these pages, a key contributor to the success we have had.
He’s written on all kinds of topics along the way, but he’s perhaps best known for his work in the music business – probably because he’s great at it.
Of course Mike is also one of the most humble men you would have the privilege of meeting, a true gentleman. And as a gentleman, Mike isn’t the type to honk a lot… so I’m going to do a little for him here.
Admit I’m not sure if these are Mike’s favorite stories he wrote for us (although I bet a lot of them are at least in the conversation), but what can I tell you without equivocal is that these are the ones most people have read.
Seriously – just with the stories mentioned in this article, the dozen or so articles here, Mike wiped out a million pageviews on our website.
A million.
Isn’t that something? Take a look at what he’s done for Edge over the years.
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“Running with the devil” … and with Van Halen
This story isn’t just the most popular musical story we’ve ever released, it’s the most popular… period. An interview of Mike Dow with the former road director of Van Halen Noel E. Monk about Monk’s book “Runnin ‘With the Devil: A Backstage Pass to the Wild Times, Loud Rock, and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen “, this story has been viewed nearly 616,000 times.
Steve Hackett of Genesis and GTR
Now Mike has spoken to rock and roll legend Steve Hackett a few times for The Maine Edge, but one story has proven to be particularly popular. This 2015 conversation was a high-profile affair, which unfolded during a very prolific period for Hackett, with a new album, a box set encompassing his early solo works, a documentary and a remastered edition of the album. GTR. Hackett talked about all of this and more in this interview with Mike.
Debbie gibson
When Mike spoke with this pop icon in 2012, it became one of the most viewed stories in The Maine Edge website history. It wasn’t a conversation to promote anything in particular, which just meant that Mike was able to get from Gibson a truly fascinating glimpse into his music career – the early pop celebrity, the machine of the music industry, dealing with critics … even her. perform as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” on Broadway.
Rowdy yates
Country radio legend Rowdy Yates is another industry icon Mike has spoken to on several occasions. The most popular of these stories was the one that followed Yates ’ousting from his beloved“ Country Gold Saturday Night ”show in 2012. Yates shared his feelings about the dismissal as well as his plans for the future – plans that would come to fruition. The radio host’s success with his new show “The Original Country Gold” has been such that it made a triumphant return to these pages, gracing our cover in January 2020.
Phun with Phish
Anyone who reads these pages regularly knows Mike Dow’s affection and his encyclopedic knowledge of the Phish group. Well, one thing’s for sure: Mike knows how to get the attention of those who share this affection. Over the years he has written numerous stories about the band, all of which prove to be very popular – of the 15 most viewed musical stories on our website, three involve Phish.
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When it comes to popular music stories, there are a lot more where this came from. Mike Interviews with Legendary Industry Figures – Gregg Allman and George clinton and Brian Wilson; Gary Rossington by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Loverboy’s Mike Reno, versatile guitar god Todd rundgren, original MTV VJ Nina Blackwood – have been a staple of The Edge for over a decade, both in print and online.
Equally vital was his coverage of the Maine music scene – Mike’s efforts to showcase the multitude of talented musicians who call this state home continue. Profiles on Chris Ross and the North and Spencer albee have been very well received, but the truth is that every time Mike writes about local music it catches the eye.
Look, we know how lucky we are to have someone like Mike who has worked with us for so long. We are fortunate to have him with us, celebrating 15 years of our special brand of silliness. We know we are lucky – and you are lucky too.
