Radio as it used to be

[crabwire58]

Hello all!

After browsing here for quiter a while, I thought I might offer some history. It may be self-serving but I have some photos of myself (as "Terry Collins") at WCMI, WCAK, and WTCR in the late 60s - early 70s. If anyone is interested, and I can figure out how - I will post them. Let me know.

[GlenBrannon1]

Welcome aboard! I wonder if the story I heard when I worked at CMI in the 80's was true:

WAMX was playing elevator music when someone (the name escapes me, but was a big player in radio then), started to bring in his own stuff. (AOR type). After a couple of weeks of logging the phone calls, he took it in to Dick Martin, and the switch was made and the "X" rocked. They used his record collection to get started.

Is this true??

[Greg Goodfellow]

Welcome aboard! I wonder if the story I heard when I worked at CMI in the 80's was true:

WAMX was playing elevator music when someone (the name escapes me, but was a big player in radio then), started to bring in his own stuff. (AOR type). After a couple of weeks of logging the phone calls, he took it in to Dick Martin, and the switch was made and the "X" rocked. They used his record collection to get started.

Is this true??

Sounds like a real-life 'WKRP in Cincinnati'! If this story is true, it's a good one.

BTW, 'radio as it used to be' is part of the mission statement of WRSG 91.5.

[David Paleg]

There was also a Terry Collins who briefly worked at WCAW in Charleston back when it played country music.

[Airwaves]

Welcome aboard! I wonder if the story I heard when I worked at CMI in the 80's was true:

WAMX was playing elevator music when someone (the name escapes me, but was a big player in radio then), started to bring in his own stuff. (AOR type). After a couple of weeks of logging the phone calls, he took it in to Dick Martin, and the switch was made and the "X" rocked. They used his record collection to get started.

Is this true??

Remember that WVAF was gospel before it was "Album Rock " in the 70's- didn't Stevie B bring his albums up one night and play a few album tracks regularly before they become a rocker (that is before WVAF become a CHR before they become what they now are)... WKLC was beautiful music then C&W then a Rocker in the late 70s...WCIR was Easy listening prior to Shane making it Top 40 in the mid-70s..WHAJ was beautiful music before becoming CHR in the 80s.......Also in the 80s Roanoke's WLRG "At Large" easy listening became K92 CHR...WPVR easy listening became C&W 94.5 ....the list goes on & on...etc...Stuff happens
BTW- real elevator music was bland MUZAK (google it) and was not the same as the sweet beautiful music stuff back in the 60-70s- perhaps the most misaligned format ever by the uneducated ears!

[zman]

Glen, I believe that the guy featured in your WAMX legend is John Davidson. It's my understanding that his day job was working for the phone company (only one, back then) as did engineer Dr. Don Rees, who had the station set up for automation. Carosel after lovely carosel. Anyhow, Davidson rarely cracked the mic, and when he did, one could barely make out what he said. One reason is that he spoke so very softly in the "Progressive FM" jock mode, another was that there really wasn't a lot to say about the station at that time (no flip cards, image liners, personal appearances, station events, bean dinner psas, etc.). It was said that the occassional party was held at the studio...Fizzies and chip dip and everything. But that was probably just a rumor. So it was pretty much let the Hawkwind album track into the Budgie album until it was time to run the "National Lampoon Radio Hour" (a half-hour program by the way), sluts from space and fuzzy duffel bags and all. It was, obviously, a much simpler time. I don't know what happened to Davidson, but our boy Bobby Leach kept things moving along the same lines with his personal record collection until a famous radio consultant sent the music back home but kept BLeach at the station in order to make him a KCBQ jock. Whether it worked or not is a matter of opinion. BTW, is Jo Robinson still on the air in Indy? Outstanding jock.[/quote]

[GlenBrannon1]

I remember Jo when she came to the X when Stoner took over and they were still on Morningside Dr waiting to move!

I think she is with Emmis on on-line stuff.

[Hoosier Daddy]

... a famous radio consultant sent the music back home but kept BLeach at the station in order to make him a KCBQ jock.

Chris Bailey.

[bleach]

Now let's try it here.

Z you are the voice of god.

It's probably just as well they changed formats. My Lp collection was getting too many seed burns and I have never been a 'BOSS" jock. I proved that when they gave you a copy of the home game at KEE and put me on nights.

Gary "Muuuuuuuuuuuusick" Miller cleaned my clock in the ratings, but then it didn't help that as music director I was more interested in anything put out by STIFF (if it ain't stiff, it ain't worth a ..") records, than I was Casablanca.

30 years later disco still sucks.

[Dave Loudin]

(Picks up Ian and The Blockheads single, spies Fanny single on shelf)

I'm with ya about 99% !!

[Bob Campbell]

Ian Dury, greatest hunchback rock singer ever! Where's my rhythm stick?

[Jay Nunley]

Now let's try it here.
My Lp collection was getting too many seed burns

[bleach]

BPJ

Not kidding. There was an explosion once while passing over Styx- Man Of Miracles as I recall. Melted a Crater the size of Messier or James Woods face.

Sent the big ass tone arm of the Gates transcription turntable careening into the inner lining of the Wooden Nickel label. I'm sure a listener with headphones on was even more surprised than we were.

Speaking of inner label. Anyone with vinyl ever read the etching on a Joe Walsh or Eagles LP? Between the last song and the label, both sides.

That's no Bananny, That's my nose.. was one

[NOMAD]

"Ian Dury, greatest hunchback rock singer ever! Where's my rhythm stick?"

Now there is a name that I haven't heard in a while..

[ErieDJ]

I also worked with a Terry Lee Collins at 95XIL back in the 80s. Think he went on to the Pittsburgh area.

[Zak Tyler]

Not kidding. There was an explosion once while passing over Styx- Man Of Miracles as I recall. Melted a Crater the size of Messier or James Woods face.

Sent the big ass tone arm of the Gates transcription turntable careening into the inner lining of the Wooden Nickel label. I'm sure a listener with headphones on was even more surprised than we were.

holy shit that's funny!

[genlock]

Real radios glow in the dark.
And they can KILL you.

[Zak Tyler]

i'm glad i got to work with some old equipment when i first got started. being able to appreciate where we've come from, i feel, makes us appreciate where we are, that much more. i worked with a gates yard board and a couple of those turntable cabinets with the gear shift levers to change the speed, and they took at least 3/4 of a turn to get to speed..... lol

oh and mono carts for sweepers and commercials. we did have a fine pair of those blue and white playtel headphones from pre-school...

[lastone]

Real radios glow in the dark.
And they can KILL you.

That's because you're still using that amp with the twelve 6L6GC's and the four 1,200MFD filters to run that 24 inch Electro-voice speaker in the four foot case! The damn output transformer weighs as much as the power transformer.

[genlock]

A 6L6 is an RCA designed Beam-Power tube.
It's heritage includes the 807 and 1625 and later tubes like the 6146 family.
6V6 and 6360 are releate and dual tubes like the 829b are relatives.