Listened to the radio during the last 37 years? Then it's likely you've heard the voice of Ralph Renna transmitting across the airwaves. In this episode, the WABY DJ and singer/songwriter shares his memories of growing up in Troy, life in the Capital Region's hardcore music scene, and his encyclopedic knowledge of heavy music.

Watch the video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_p2ooJHYV6w

From his early years booking Type O Negative and Life of Agony at the South Troy Community Center, sharing the stage with Anthrax, Sebastian Bach, Agnostic Front, Prong, Dragonforce, Kittie, Atreyu, and Unearth as front man of Troy-based hardcore band Last Call, or decades promoting heavy music on WVCR, 104.9 The Edge, and now WABY, Ralph Renna has some incredible stories to share. 

Episode Notes:

• 93.9-FM WABY
• Biohazard - South Troy Community Center, July 10, 1993 https://www.instagram.com/albany_hardcore_archives/p/CJvxDH_JkKD/?img_index=1
• South Troy Community Center hardcore shows https://www.setlist.fm/venue/the-south-troy-community-center-troy-ny-usa-53d16b71.html
• Last Call "Wings Of The Northforce" - Live @ Altamont Fairgrounds EDGEFEST (Sept. 22, 2007)
• War-Time Manner - Preppers

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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On June 16, 2025, Troy’s city council gathered at city hall in the historic Hedley Building, located along New York's iconic Hudson River in upstate New York, to consider legislation which allows the city to borrow money for investments in Troy’s fire department.

While the council ultimately approved nearly all the borrowing requests that evening, Troy's mayor Carmella Mantello decided to single out a council member for their decision to abstain from votes due to a potential conflict of interest.

Using public records, videos of public meetings, and news reporting from the last decade, we scrutinize the mayor's claims and take a closer look at her own rationale for abstaining from votes when serving as council president between 2016 and 2023.

Episode Notes:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GX01VLzhfY (Council Meeting, June 16, 2025)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kislTE9xI_w (Council Finance Committee Meeting Aug. 1, 2019)
• https://www.youtube.com/live/_EaCER9Ji88 (Regular City Council Meeting, Aug. 1, 2019)
• Troy Record: Troy City Council reluctantly signs off on new police contract (Oct. 19, 2017)

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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Millions of metal fans celebrated the final live performance of Ozzy Osbourne during the "Back to the Beginning” global concert event this summer. The celebration culminated with the last-ever reunion of Black Sabbath's original lineup of Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi, and drummer Bill Ward.

But, did you know Ozzy's first short-lived "retirement" in the 1990s ended with a major worldwide tour which included a stop at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Houston Field House in Troy, New York?

On January 27, 1996, the Prince of Darkness brought his "Retirement Sucks!" tour to the Collar City with modern metal heavies Korn and Life Of Agony in tow.

Backing Ozzy in Troy that evening was an all-star lineup featuring drummer Randy Castillo, bassist Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, and guitar virtuoso Joe Holmes, tearing through a setlist of classic Sabbath and Ozzy tracks to a nearly-sold out arena of heavy metal fanatics.

Did you see Ozzy at the Houston Field House in Troy, New York in 1996? We’d love to hear your story for a future episode of Troy Story: A Podcast for the Collar City.

Visit https://troystorypod.com/ozzy to find out how you can contribute to another special installment of the show.

Don’t forget to check out our previous episodes on legendary era concerts at the RPI Field House by Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, and Slayer, featuring the voices of world-renowned drummer Jason Bittner, journalist and sports columnist Joyce Bassett, former Field House security staffer and RPI student Eric Haskins, then-teenage metal fan Kevin O’Connell, and Brick by Brick guitarist and owner of Upstate Black n Blue Productions owner Mike Valente.

Artwork sources:

• https://rocktourdatabase.com/sites/rocktourdatabase.com/files/1996-06-06ozzy.jpg
• Houston Field House (CC-BY-SA-3.0/Matt H. Wade at Wikipedia)

Audio Sources:

• Back to the Beginning - Black Sabbath - Paranoid - live in Birmingham
• Ozzy Osbourne - RPI Field House, Troy NY (1996)

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

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On the evening of June 5, 2025, Troy's city council held a symbolic vote on the annual resolution recognizing LGBTQ+ Pride Month. For many reasons, this year's vote had a heightened sense of importance for Troy's LGBTQ+ community and allies from across the Collar City and Capital Region, including a local councilmember's opposition to the resolution which drew the attention of residents and advocates who sought to change his mind.

This episode draws heavily on the public comment of countless Troy residents who spoke out that evening. The original audio source is here.

Listen to our 2024 interview with Meagon Nolasco (Collar City Pride): https://troystorypod.com/chapter-08

Show Notes:

• Troy councilman votes against Pride Month support resolution (Albany Times Union, June 7, 2025)
• Tensions over Pride in Troy on display at latest council meeting (WAMC, June 6, 2025)
• Video: A Message from Collar City Pride (Instagram)
• Collar City Pride to Move Festival from Troy (Albany Times Union, April 27, 2025)
• Collar City Pride Festival plans to leave Troy, orgs pull out of city-sponsored Pride events (Troy Record, April 29, 2025)
• Mayor Madden Signs First-Ever Pride Month Proclamation, June 2019
• Stonewall Uprising (Documentary) - AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | PBS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLwE45vd80A

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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In this episode, we take a closer look at the life and accomplishments of Garnet Douglass Baltimore, one of Troy's most famous Black citizens. Baltimore, a civil engineer and landscape architect, was the first Black graduate of RPI (1881) and designed Troy's Prospect Park. 

Many thanks to Suzanne Spellen for sharing her research and archive of materials for this episode.

Episode Notes:

• Spellen of Troy
• Video: Suzanne Spellen on Garnet Douglass Baltimore
• Hart Cluett Museum

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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Co-owner of the The Pickle, Collectiveffort, and Upstate’s Cold Brew, Jamel Mosely walks us through his decision to purchase a bar and music venue in downtown Troy, landing the front cover of Metroland Now, and the twists and turns that shaped his long career in multimedia, production and entertainment. We also explore his decision to leave the corporate world behind and become his own boss, along with memories of attending RPI.

Episode artwork photo: Adrian Lewis

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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In this extended interview clip, Eric Haskins—RPI graduate (Class of '91) and WRPI's DJ Toast—recalls seeing local act Attica open for Slayer, and seeing the Def Jam tour at the Field House in 1987 featuring Public Enemy, Eric B. and Rakim, Whodini, and LL Cool J.

Hear Eric's full interview here.

• Listen to Part 1 with Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Stigmata)
• Listen to Part 2 with Kevin O’Connell
• Bonus Video: RPI Grad Recalls Meeting Metallica Backstage in Troy, NY 1989

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

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This episode we welcome guest Eric Haskins—RPI graduate (Class of '91) and WRPI's DJ Toast—to revisit Metallica’s first and only concert at the RPI Field House on March 15, 1989. Haskins worked as a student security guard for countless concerts at the Field House, including Metallica's headlining show as a 19 year-old heavy metal fan.

During the episode, Eric takes listeners through the weeks leading up to the concert, his interactions with opening act Queensrÿche during load-in, security expectations for the show, and his meeting Metallica during the after-show. He also shares his memories of seeing some of the world’s most famous artists while working security at the 6,500 capacity arena, including Neil Young, Joan Jett, Slayer, Anthrax, and LL Cool J—the interview includes a hilarious backstage interaction with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughn—and special keepsakes he’s collected over the years from his time as working as event security.

The episode is the third in a series looking at Metallica's stop in the Collar City during their Damaged Justice tour in support of their latest studio album “…and Justice for All,” and was the band’s third performance in the Capital Region.

• Listen to Part 1 with Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall, Stigmata)
• Listen to Part 2 with Kevin O’Connell

Episode Notes:

• Bonus Video: RPI Grad Recalls Meeting Metallica Backstage in Troy, NY 1989
• Times Union: RPI Field House Girds for Metallica Band (Feb. 21, 1989)
• Times Union: Metallica Warns Fans: Mend Your Vandalizing Ways (March 12,1989)
• Times Union: Five Arrested at Metallica Concert (March 16, 1989)
• Rock Tomato - Metallica interview, March 15, 1989: VIDEO
• Queensryche, live at RPI Field House, March 15, 1989: VIDEO
• Metallica, Knickerbacker Arena, Albany - Feb. 28, 1992 https://www.metallica.com/tour/1992-02-28-albany-new-york.html

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

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Eric Haskins—RPI Class of ‘91–recalls his time as a security guard while a student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his backstage encounter with the metal legends that resulted in a special keepsake from the show in Troy, New York, on March 15, 1989.

Listen to Part 1 with Jason Bittner

Listen to Part 2 with Jason O’Connell

See the full concert video at troystorypod.com/metallica

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on:

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Part two of our retrospective on Metallica's first and only concert in Troy, New York, at RPI's Houston Field House. Then 14 year-old Kevin O'Connell saw the heavy metal icons during their Damaged Justice tour when it rolled into the Capital Region on March 15, 1989.

During our chat, we discuss the era of heavy metal in the 1980s, evolution of Metallica’s stage production during the Damaged Justice tour, the atmosphere in the arena that night, and explore some YouTube comments left by fans and fellow concert attendees. Kevin also revisits other concerts he‘s attended over the years, including Bon Jovi and Cinderella at the Field House, and some scary moments during Metallica’s set at Woodstock 94.

Live bootleg audio from Metallica and opening act Queensrÿche at the RPI Field House is featured in this episode to immerse the listener in the story.

Episode Notes:

• Setlist - Metallica at RPI Field House in Troy, NY (Metallica.com)
• Video: Metallica - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989
• Video: Queensrÿche - Live in Troy, March 15, 1989

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on:

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