WLSO.FM

ROCKOLLECTIONS: WOR-FM, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL FM ROCK STATION PT.8 CONCLUSION

This is it, the final chapter.
I’ll finish with that First (and last!) Anniversary Concert at the Village Theater on June 11, 1967.
And that venue is interesting for two reasons- first of all, I lived in that neighborhood at that time, and the Village Theater was nowhere near Greenwich Village.
Greenwich Village was on the West Side of Manhattan, the theater was on 6th St. & 2nd Avenue, what was then called the Lower East Side.
Now known as the East Village, but not then!
Secondly, it was the building Bill Graham later bought and turned into the Fillmore East.
The acts perfectly reflected what WOR-FM was playing by that time, and the station was a huge success with over a million listeners- and the best part was these were primarily college students and young adults who didn’t listen to AM or FM…they didn’t listen to the RADIO!
WOR-FM had created a new audience! But the greedhead suits and consultants always want more.
Here’s what Alan Sniffen and I have to say:
WOR-FM became extremely popular on college campuses.  It began to carve out an audience that had not been served by radio up until then.  It was achieving decent ratings (for an FM station) without taking audience away from the AM stations by appealing to new listeners.  This was significant.  Even so, owner RKO wasn’t satisfied.  Bill Drake had been consulting RKO’s two West Coast stations; KHJ in Los Angeles and KFRC in San Francisco.

These were both extremely successful AM Top 40 stations built around the “Drake-Chenault” philosophy of playing just the hits while minimizing almost everything else.  In July of 1967 RKO hired Drake to consult its remaining radio properties which consisted of CKLW, Detroit; WRKO, Boston; WGMS, Washington DC; WHBQ, Memphis and, of course, WOR-FM.

The first sense of change came when memos appeared from management dictating to the air staff not to play certain cuts. Next the disc jockeys were removed from the new record listening sessions and not allowed to have input on the playlist. Next the playlist became all singles with only an occasional new record and it had to be from an established artist.

Murray the K had the highest rated FM show in New York.  He would have no part of these changes and his protests cost him his job.  He was fired by the station in September 1967.  His parting comment about the changes at WOR-FM was “Who can live with that?  Music has reached a maturity… people in radio are still treating it as if it is for teenie boppers.”

Murray had a point. WOR-FM was different from the other RKO properties in that it was FM stereo as opposed to AM.  It had built a solid audience by attracting a different group of people.  Giving up on it after only a year seemed premature. Record companies had found the station highly valuable at influencing sales of rock albums especially of new artists and groups like Cream, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.  The format was noted for playing new records first, often playing new artists that the local AM stations wouldn’t play.

But by October of 1967 WOR-FM was changing and targeting the more traditional Top 40 radio audience. The playlist was down to about 30 records.  Other WOR-FM disc jockeys resigned including Bill “Rosko” Mercer who actually quit on the air while commenting that his action had nothing to do with the old management but with the programming consultants who had taken over. He spoke of honoring the respect listeners had for the station and described the new programming consultants (i.e.. Bill Drake) saying “what they’re doing is dishonest to us and to you.” If there had been any way to continue, he said, “we would have. I did a lot of soul-searching. This has nothing to do with the old management we started out with. We presented a lot of beautiful new things. This has been curbed.” He said he couldn’t go on with the new policy because people would say: “Hey, Rosko, you’re not the same any more.”

What is interesting is that it’s clear RKO had no idea just what WOR-FM’s strengths were.  It would turn out that its progressive rock format was a huge hit to younger rock radio listeners.  On college campuses, it was the single most popular station and its ability to sell new recordings was unmatched.
It was, indeed, the first niched radio station.

As Metromedia’s WNEW-FM went on to prove in the years that followed, the concept of an FM rock station that plays music beyond the hit list could attract a loyal and significant audience.

Thank goodness WNEW-FM was listening!
They picked up the ball WOR-FM dropped and ran with it.
WNEW-FM became the best Rock & Roll station in the country, probably the world, with the kind of musical freedom I dreamed of.
You will hear Rosko quit on the air in this episode.
But the sad story of WOR-FM will have a happy ending for most who were involved!
And it only took a few weeks for me to get over my depression and be thrilled I had gotten that AM/FM clock radio again, lol!
Hope you enjoyed this journey, and I thank you for getting on the bus with me!

Mike

Tags: AM/FM clock radio, Bill Graham, Cream, Fillmore East, First (and last!) Anniversary Concert at the Village Th, Greenwich Village, Jefferson Airplane, June 11 1967, Lower East Side, Manhattan, The Doors, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Village Theater, WNEW-FM

RockRoll360 #162 - Goodbye to WBCN (Part.47)

It’s been almost two years ago August 12, 2009, since the
last words were uttered from WBCN 104.1 before
the change to WBMX 104.1, here in Boston.
The words of course was BCN’s Cosmic Muffin, the late
Darrel Martinie mentioning “Over & Out”

This is also my last podcast featuring
the “4 Day Goodbye To WBCN” series.
This is somewhat ( see below ! ) the end of a great
revolutionary radio station. It has been fun and very
reminiscing to me placing these shows on podcast.
In the future I’m sure I’ll be featuring more
tid bits of BCN from my achieves and of course
what I can find on the web. But until then it’s
all over. Enjoy more extras on this show
I found and then the last 20 minutes of
WBCN FM 104.1 as we know it.

Bradley J.did a outstanding job of ending the final minutes
with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd ” and
I have to a great nod to Juanita’s Big Goodbye Song
“That’s Life ” by Frank Sinatra.

Of course I mentioned above “somewhat”. I need to
remind you you can still find WBCN The Modern Years
for you younger listeners - Nice Inch Nails to Nirvana to
Ozzy on WBZ 98.5 HD-2,
and of course my favorite The American Revolution.
WBCN anything go’s Free Form WBCN Radio with a very
eclectic format on WZLX 100.7 HD-3. The legendary
WBCN was known for its anything-goes spirit. Rock,
blues, jazz, politics… WBCN didn’t have rules.
The “Free Form” nature of the station is
back as WBCN’s first rock Program Director
Sam Kopper brings the spirit of the original WBCN
into 2011. He’s been working very hard on trying to
Keep this station afloat. He even purchased a bus
to promote Free Form WBCN.Please support his hard work.
WBCN Free Form often goes live Mon-Fri and Sundays
from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Both of these stations also can
be found on WBCN.COM to play on any of your media players.

If you have been enjoying this series and faithfully been
listening, I Thank You & Keepa Rockin.
                                                Enjoy The Show !
         Michael J. Andrade

Don’t forget segments with this symbol (*)
was not from the original 4 day broadcast.Tom Brady’s WBCN Promo - How many takes does it take  
CBS Announcement on WBCN Radio Shutdown      *
NECN - Broadside: Jim Braude with
                         Charles Laquidara on future of radio   *
WBCN Boston - Dwayne Ingells Glasscock         *
Tammie’s Tips on the Dwayne Glasscock Show      *
Alright T-Minus 25 Minutes
Bradley J. & Juanita with Big Goodbye Song
“That’s Life ” by Frank Sinatra
Last commercial on BCN - Dr. Pepper & Gene Simmons 
Time to say Goodbye from Bradley J.
                           & WBCN The Rock Of Boston
“I Feel Free”   by   Cream
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond ” by  Pink Floyd

WBCN radio over the air montage……..
Over & Out by Darrel Martinie
Off Air snow - and Intro to WBMX 104.1-  I.D.

Tags: aaa radio, cbs, charles laquidara, Classic Rock, Cream, darrel martinie, dr. pepper, dwayne ingells glasscock, eclectic, frank sinatra, free mp3, freeform, gene simmons, jim braude, juanita, mp3, music, pink floyd, progressive, Rock, RockRoll360, tom brady, wbcn, wbmx, WLSO

RockRoll360 #124 - raDiOaCtiVe (Part 1)

 

Again with another brand new compilation I put together here
in the month of October 2010. This one also features great underground
freeform radio icons Scott Muni of WNEW FM in New York and Jim Ladd
in KMET radio in Los Angeles. This show also features a great
cut by Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, along with a new tunes
by Kings of Leon & Remy Zero.

Please click play to listen or right click on the download button to download,share, pass on and subscribe.

Music includes :::

DON’T CRY NO TEARS  /  NEIL YOUNG
THICKFREAKNESS  /  THE BLACK KEYS
WHITE ROOM   / CREAM
HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN ( Live )    /  ERIC CLAPTON & BUDDY GUY
LAND OF A THOUSAND GUITARS    /   WILLIE NILE
I’M SO TIRED    /   THE BEATLES
RADIOACTIVE   -  KINGS OF LEON
AIN’T NOBODY BUT ME
            /  ( Intro from Scott Muni of  WNEW -FM ) / SUPERTRAMP
BLACKDOG (Acoustic)  -  ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS
TIL’ THE END  /   REMY ZERO

Sound bites include :::

The Outer Limits   /  TV Theme Announcer Opener
KMET – Let’s do some Neil Young   /  KMET Radio Sound Bite
KMET – The change of the day ( Midnight)  /   KMET Radio Sound Bnite
KPPC – Frank Zappa doing commercial ( Records )   /  KPPC Radio Sound Bite
Movie Promo: Escape From Alcatraz from 1979  /  KMET Sound Bite

http://wlso.fm/mp3/RR360/124p1.mp3

Tags: aaa radio, allision krauss, Classic Rock, Cream, eclectic, Eric Clapton, escape from alcatraz, frank zappa, free mp3, freeform, kings of leon, kmet, mp3, music, Neil Young, progressive, remy zero, robert plant, Rock, RockRoll360, Scott Muni, supertramp, The Beatles, the black keys, the outer limits, willie nile, WLSO, wnew

RockRoll360 #039 - Goodbye to WBCN ( Part. 1 )

RockRoll360 #39 - Goodbye to WBCN  ( Part. 1 )    

Hello Everybody and welcome to a new segment I will be presenting
here on RockRoll360. It will feature segments of the last 4 days of
WBCN radio in Boston, back from Aug 8th through Aug 11th of 2009. 
This station started in March of 1969.

The first rock song they presented was “I Feel Free” by Cream.
This will be a feature present to you once in a while along with
my regular 360 Compilations. So since this is the first of the Goodbye
to WBCN podcast,  I thought I start with the end of the broadcast
which is the last half hour of WBCN. WBCN - Last commercial on BCN - 
Bradley J. signing off - and the switch to WBMX which really took
hours after the BCN sign off.

Also please note Cream & Pink Floyd were re-recorded from my collection.
Don’t worry Bradley J.  Your still segued with the last WBCN Top Of The Hour I.D.

Also first segment of this show is not from the original weekend show
which features Dwayne Glasscock & Tammi Heide ( # ) was added
by me from my old WBCN collection from the years 1977 -1988.

Next week I’ll starting from the beginning of the special weekend show.
This show has been edited down from original. One big change is no commercials
except on this one because it is the last spot BCN presented. 
It will take quite a while here on WLSO before we land back to this last show.
So if you love rock oddities, rarities, great interviews with the rock greats,
radio stories with the retired & new personal of WBCN - You’ll love this !

Please check weekly along with my Regular 360 Podcast and ENJOY
                                                             - I know I did.

WBCN last Half Hour on the air ———

          — Tammie’s Tips on the Dwayne Glasscock Show      #
          — Bradley J. & Juanita Big Goodbye Song
          — “That’s Life ” by Frank Sinatra
          — Last commercial on BCN - Dr. Pepper & Gene Simmons 
          –  Time to say Goodbye from Bradley J. & WBCN  The Rock Of Boston
          — “I Feel Free”  by Cream
          — “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part 1 )” by Pink Floyd
          — Over & Out by Darrell “Cosmic Muffin” Martinie
          — Off Air snow - and Intro to WBMX 104.1-  I.D.
Side Note :::::

There is a new documentary film about WBCN being produced, entitled “The American Revolution.” The film is being produced by the Peabody Award-winning Lichtenstein Creative Media. It chronicles WBCN during the years 1968 and 1975, and examines the station’s role in covering and promoting the profound social, political, and cultural changes of that era.

Producers are filming the station’s final days for use in the film, and there’s more about the documentary at www.WBCNthefilm.com

—————————————————————-

Bill can be reached at Bill@LCMedia.com

Bill Lichtenstein
President
LCMedia, Inc. “Creating Media that Matters”
One Broadway; 14th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
www.LCMedia.com
617-682-3700 Direct: 617-682-3708 Fax: 617-682-3746

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Tags: bradley j., Cream, dwayne Glasscock, eclectic, frank sinatra, gene simmons, juanita, music, pink floyd, Tami Heide, wbcn, wbmx

RockRoll360 # 032 - Tin Pan Alley - Pt. 2

 

Welcome to Part 2, of Tin Pan Alley and the longest production I
have ever made on a podcast. This is one where you will
be part of radio history. Added to the end of this compilation
will be my tribute and goodbye to a Underground Radio
Station Icon of  WBCN FM 104. 1 here in Boston.

I should have split this podcast in two but what is done is done,
and in the near future will post another show with just this
WBCN tribute and added material.

Some of you out there might think ” Boy, this guy is
infatuated with classic WBCN & classic radio “ 

My reply   “YA THINK !!!!”  

I have to be their biggest listener fan for the first 25 years of BCN.
Visited twice with Laquidara in the 80’s.

WBCN tribute begins at the 38 minute mark. Also included is
the last 15 minutes of WBCN’s broadcast.

Also correction needed on the last broadcast of WBCN.
Last show was on August 11th ( not August 18th )
as stated on the podcast - Sorry about that folks.  

Music includes ………….

LADY - LENNY KRAVITZ
THE WALLS CAME DOWN - THE CALL
CARPET OF THE SUN - RENAISSANCE
DA DO RUN RUN - THE CRYSTALS
WEASEL AND THE WHITE BOYS COOL - RICKIE LEE JONES
ROMEO’S TUNE - STEVE FORBERT
*****unknown track - RIGHTEOUS  B
SLITHER - VELVET REVOLVER
I FEEL FREE - CREAM
SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND - PINK FLOYD

Sound Bites include …………

About the atom bomb - Sound Bite
CKLW  –The Motor City  ( Million Dollar Weekend ) - Radio Jingle
WFIL   (Philadelphia ) - Radio Jingle
If you mention extortion again I’ll  have your legs broken - Sound Bite from Animal House
Maybe the dingo ate your baby - Sound Bite from Seinfeld

Along with many, many, more sound bites from the WBCN archieves.

And remember ! - Along with instant play, each podcast is one large MP3 -
Feel free to download and load into computer, Ipod or Disc
to enjoy later.

        Side Note :::::

There is a new documentary film about WBCN being produced, entitled “The American Revolution.”  The film is being produced by the Peabody Award-winning Lichtenstein Creative Media. It chronicles WBCN during the years 1968 and 1975, and examines the station’s role in covering and promoting the profound social, political, and cultural changes of that era.

Producers are filming the station’s final days for use in the film, and there’s more about the documentary at www.WBCNthefilm.com  

—————————————————————-

Bill can be reached at Bill@LCMedia.com  

Bill Lichtenstein
President
LCMedia, Inc. “Creating Media that Matters”
One Broadway; 14th Floor
Cambridge, MA  02142
www.LCMedia.com
617-682-3700  Direct: 617-682-3708  Fax: 617-682-3746 

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Tags: american revolution, bill lichtenstein, Cream, eclectic, lenny kravitz, mixed, music, pink floyd, Renaissance, rickie lee jones, righteous b, Steve Forbert, the call, the crystals, velvet revolver, wbcn

ROCKOLLECTIONS: MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A FAT GUY PT.4 END

In this final chapter, I will examine the”supergroup” West, Bruce & Laing.
Jack Bruce coming in from the legendary Cream.
Just 3 years removed from that other “super” teaming of Blind Faith, let’s take a close listen to West, Bruce & Laing, shall we?
I’ll start off with the title track of the LP Why Dontcha?
From a review, “Jack Bruce mixes the blues of Cream with the hard rock of Mountain, while the label gave them maybe a third of Blind Faith hype.”
Flo & Eddie had a surprisingly nasty quote about Mountain keyboardist Steve Knight.
So we will be hearing some very interesting music, to say the least!
Got a terrific song called Pollution Woman.
Then there is the strange tale of Felix Pappalardi’s wife and songwriting partner, shooting him to death in their Manhattan apartment.
I cannot understand the charge nor the incredibly light sentence she received.
I will close it all out with some really good blues, and the favorite of Engineer Ken and I, called Third Degree.
Which may or may not have a particularly different meaning for New Yorkers, lol!
Hope you enjoyed the Mountainous ride!

Tags: Blind Faith, Bruce & Laing, Cream, Engineer Ken, Felix Pappalardi Death, Flo & Eddie, Jack Bruce, New Yorkers, Pollution Woman, Steve Knight, Third Degree, West, Why Dontcha

ROCKOLLECTIONS: MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A FAT GUY PT.3

As we open Part 3, I will dip back into that solo Leslie West album from 1969, back when there was no group called Mountain.
His version of a Bob Dylan song made famous by the Band, and also by Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & Trinity as the theme to the British comedy Absolutely Fabulous.
In an attempt to avoid being compared to Cream, the group added a keyboardist.
So we will return to Mountain proper, for a series of songs I have always liked, including one that has always had a touch of melancholy for me.
In the 70’s there were some personnel changes.
Also in the 70’s, Leslie West kept busy by also playing with The Who on their Who’s Next sessions- and he was on the demo of Won’t Get Fooled Again.
Also on a Bo Diddley 20th Anniversary Tribute All Star Album.
And in the 2000’s, he has contributed to an Ozzie Osborne album, plus had solo and group LP’s.
I will close this chapter out with a song dedicated to our next power blackout!
In the next and final podcast, Leslie West joins a supergroup- but were they?

Mike

Tags: Absolutely Fabulous, Bo Diddley Tribute Album, Bob Dylan, Brian Auger & Trinity, Cream, Julie Driscoll, Leslie West, Ozzie Osborne, The Band, The Who, Who's Next, Won't Get Fooled Again

ROCKOLLECTIONS: MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A FAT GUY PT.2

I will continue now with some Mountain proper.
West and Pappalardi shared vocals, and they added Corky Laing on drums.
Theme For An Imaginary Western was written by Cream’s Jack Bruce- hell, the vocal even SOUNDS like Jack Bruce!
And that will not be the end of a Leslie West/Jack Bruce connection.
Mountain’s 4th live concert was at Woodstock ‘69!
And they wrote a song about it- For Yasgur’s Farm.
My favorite album by Mountain is Nantucket Sleighride.
I will have some trivia about just what a Nantucket Sleighride exactly is, dating back to the whaling ship days, plus info about my friend who was a descendant of Owen Coffin on Nantucket Island.
Then the band doing an old Chuck Berry chestnut.
I will end this episode with a song for Father’s Day.
OK, so? It is dated. Check out early if you want, lol!
More Mountain ahead, so be on the lookout.

Mike

Tags: Chuck Berry, Corky Laing, Cream, Father's Day, Felix Pappalardi, For Yasgur's Farm, Jack Bruce, Leslie West, Nantucket Island, Nantucket Sleighride, Owen Coffin, Theme For An Imaginary Western, Woodstock

ROCKOLLECTIONS: MAKING A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A FAT GUY PT.1

We’ll begin a multi-part exploration of the music of Leslie West and Mountain.
If you are a fan of guitar playing wizardry, you should enjoy this.
Though not having anything on the charts in years, Mountain remains popular in this section of the East Coast.
And in fairness, Mr. West has lost considerable weight in the years since his heyday!
Mountain played hard rock, and were forerunners of Heavy Metal Music.
In the beginning there was no group called Mountain- that was simply the name of Leslie West’s 1969 solo album.
I leave it up to you as to why it was called that- but in my opinion it had much to do with his size.
The group name came AFTER its release.
Felix Pappalardi played bass on the LP, and produced it- and he had gained fame and fortune for producing the legendary group Cream’s albums.
West was a premiere guitar player who could always get down with the blues.
He was born in New York City, raised on Long Island, and started out as a member of the Vagrants.
Interestingly, Mountain played at the original Woodstock before they were formally were known as Mountain!
They were not in the movie.
At any rate, I will be playing mostly things from that 1st technically solo West album.
Some songs perhaps never heard by you, or at least not in long while.
This series is about a band well ahead of its time.

Mike

Tags: Cream, Felix Pappalardi, Heavy Metal, Leslie West, Mountain, Vagrants, Woodstock