9 JUNE 22-28, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | After a session, his depression and anxiety are lessened, and he says the periods of relief have gotten longer over the years — which is why he’s now getting a ketamine infusion every two or three months. Although Floorwax also takes other medi- cations to address his condition, he doubts he’d still be alive without ketamine, and Mar- key says he’s far from the only patient to reach such a conclusion. “I want people to know this treatment is available to them, and it really can be life-changing, and life-saving,” she says. Not that ketamine has miraculously returned Floorwax to the Denver radio throne he occupied prior to 2014. “During the dark times, during the lowest lows, I think Wax burned a lot of bridges in the industry — but he didn’t know he was burning those bridges,” says Goins, who’s currently the membership director at Bear Creek Golf Club. “He was frustrated and miffed that people weren’t calling him back, and he probably wrote some things that came across poorly. But I think he’s really grown and gotten better. He’s a different person than he was a year, year and a half ago.” McGrew concurs: “I have seen a massive, massive improvement to where he is today. And he’s just as funny as he ever was. I always tell him, ‘Wax is back.’” Goins hopes that when they’re ready for streaming, the podcasts will be the next step in Floorwax’s return to radio; a previ- ous iteration that featured iconic Denver DJ Gregg “Uncle Nasty” Stone in place of McGrew turned out to be a false start. “He just needs some program director to give him a second chance,” Goins says. Such a break won’t lift Floorwax into his previous tax bracket; with terrestrial radio under assault from Spotify, Pandora and more, salaries these days are a mere fraction of what they were during the glory days. But he should defi nitely be able to afford a few more Robustos. Meanwhile, he’s on a creative tear mu- sically. “Music has been his savior,” says Passarelli, who’s showcasing his new pro- duction, Forever Is Now, with partner Amy Loper during a July 26 date at Dazzle. “He writes every day. I’ve got a book of his lyrics as big as a phone book.” With the fi nancial support of Brad Coors, a scion of the famed brewing family, Passarelli helped Floorwax complete an album of spiri- tual songs dedicated to the heavenly presence he’s dubbed “the Big Cheese.” Among the highlights is “The Rev Says,” a tribute to anti- gang activist Reverend Leon Kelly. Next up for the pair is a country offering. Fox sees these assorted efforts as ben- eficial for Floorwax’s ongoing recovery. “For Michael, there’s hope,” he says. “He is very optimistic about his future, and that’s a good thing.” “I think I can sing with some of the bet- ter guys, and I can defi nitely write music,” Floorwax acknowledges. “I’ve proven that to myself. But I’m here to crack a few off. That’s the way it is. That’s what I’m here for. If you’re with me, it’s eventually going to end up in dick jokes.” Now he’s ready to leave the Holiday Inn behind and become an offi cial resident of Capitol Hill. “I’ve got a beautiful terrace overlooking the mountains and the old part of the city,” he says. “I can have a cigar and write my stuff, and I’ve been doing that.” After a pause, he adds, “I feel pretty lucky all of a sudden.” Email the author at [email protected]. EVAN SEMÓN Michael Floorwax is now at home in Capitol Hill.
