Since 1984 the Chicago-based JBTV has provided a welcome alternative to MTV, earning its keep in the 90s by showcasing bands like Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, and the Smashing Pumpkins before they broke. Today the volunteer-staffed show stays true to that same mission, giving TV air time—and now stage time—to artists who otherwise might not be in the position to get it. Eccentric mensch Jerry Bryant tells the story of the channel he founded.
