You guys are all newbies. I remember WNEW with Martin Block and the Make Believe Ballroom Time. Put all your cares away for the gang's all here to bring good cheer your way, or something like that.
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WNEW FM NEW YORK
- Thread starter zappaa
- Start date
Some of the old DJs are still on Sirius XM. WNEW's Meg Griffin is on the Loft (Ch 30), Mark Goodman (from WMMR in Philly) on the Spectrum (Ch 28), Earl Bailey (also from WMMR) is on Classic Vinyl (Ch 26) and Mike Marrone (from Eatontown's legendary alt rock station FM 106.3) has been the architect of the Loft for years.
However, Dan-O (Dan Neer) from WNEW was dumped from the Loft a few months ago. And Matt Pinfield of Melody Bar/Fm106.3/MTV fame left Lithium for a gig on KFOG in SF a few months ago.
The Loft is the closest thing to free form radio anywhere - you'll hear blues, classic rock, indie, singer-songwriters, punk, and everything in-between, with much of the music being pretty obscure (i.e., very few hits).
I still love listening to real radio where DJs play music, especially on channels like the Loft, XMU, the Underground Garage (run by Little Stevie from the E Street Band), etc., where DJs still can play some songs they pick. And, of course, college/independent radio, like WRSU or WPRB or WFMU.
However, Dan-O (Dan Neer) from WNEW was dumped from the Loft a few months ago. And Matt Pinfield of Melody Bar/Fm106.3/MTV fame left Lithium for a gig on KFOG in SF a few months ago.
The Loft is the closest thing to free form radio anywhere - you'll hear blues, classic rock, indie, singer-songwriters, punk, and everything in-between, with much of the music being pretty obscure (i.e., very few hits).
I still love listening to real radio where DJs play music, especially on channels like the Loft, XMU, the Underground Garage (run by Little Stevie from the E Street Band), etc., where DJs still can play some songs they pick. And, of course, college/independent radio, like WRSU or WPRB or WFMU.
Yep PST was one of my favorites too ahh miss those days for more reasons than that.
I met Pat St. John visiting WPLJ on a field trip in the late 70s with my HS radio station. We were in awe. He told us WPLJ stood for "white port lemon juice." Still not sure if I believe him.
WDHA 105.5 The Rock of North Jersey. Had that bumper sticker on my 1975 Chevy Monza.
I graduated HS in June of 1982. Two days later I'm at Georgia Tech starting Summer Quarter. I come home in late August to find out that WPLJ sold out to Top 40.
I also listened to WNBC's 66AM last music broadcast. DJ, forget his name, was very emotional over it. Listened to 66 and 77 AM in the car back and forth to swim practice for five years. Unfortunately, You Light Up My Life, was played constantly back then. When it came on 66, we switched to 77, and vice versa. It was actually on both stations at the same time once.
Great thread Zappaa. Have not been back there in awhile. Probably the best part of my life (besides my kids).
Yes, listened as often as possible. I still have a tape recording of "Blondie" from KBFH, circa 1980, somewhere in "the archives" on TDK 120 minute cassette.
I met Pat St. John in a radio giveway (though it WNEW but maybe it was WPLJ) at VIP Honda in North Plainfield. The 1st 100 fans in line got free tickets for the Kinks at Byrne Arena. I think the 1st 10 got backstage passes. Tix were last row of the lower arena :>(
I met the QB?/Basketball player from the HS class right after mine in lne. He was behind me. This was about 1988-took my sister-went with her to a few shows around then. He also took his sister. About 2 years later late at night was listening to WMMR? or the other Philly station and he was the guest DJ. Called him and he played "Bruces" "The Detroit Melody" for me.
One thing I always miss seeing from that time, (late '60's/early '70's), are hand-held transistor radios. At one time they were everywhere, especially when you were on the beach at Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant, etc. You'd have an extremely difficult time finding a group of beach blankets without one or two...or more.
Of course, you couldn't control what was played or when, (unless there was some sort of call-in request show going on), but as a guy in his early teens, I thought it was beyond slick that you had the ability to take your tunes with you. All you needed to do was put a 9v battery in the back and you were good to go.
Probably still have one of those laying around somewhere, and if so, I'll probably find it some time when I'm not even looking for it. -Seems like that's the way it goes when you run across something from back in the day.
Of course, you couldn't control what was played or when, (unless there was some sort of call-in request show going on), but as a guy in his early teens, I thought it was beyond slick that you had the ability to take your tunes with you. All you needed to do was put a 9v battery in the back and you were good to go.
Probably still have one of those laying around somewhere, and if so, I'll probably find it some time when I'm not even looking for it. -Seems like that's the way it goes when you run across something from back in the day.
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I had about 10 Sony transistor? radios I used as late as 5-6 seasons ago at games. Used to BUY in Circuit City for $15-$20. The FM sound was incredible. The only problem was the battery covers kept falling off and Id lose-kept having to buy new.
Man this has this opened up a lot of trapdoors in my brain that I forgot were there.
Started out with the WMCA Good Guys but quickly switched over to WABC (W-A-Beatle-C). Would wake up in the morning to Herb Oscar Anderson (HOA), listen to Dan Ingram after school and of course Cousin Brucie at night. Remember sitting in the back seat of our 1964 Rambler station wagon on a Sunday evening coming back from down the shore hanging out the window listening to Harry Harrison play Beach Boys tunes. Couldnt wait to get to the bridge to see what was playing at the Amboy Drive-In.
My brother who was a little older than me went to a lot of concerts at the old Fillmore East when you got back from Vietnam. He would listen to WNEW and I started. I think the first song I heard was by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. From there on it was a rapid descent to depravity.
Started out with the WMCA Good Guys but quickly switched over to WABC (W-A-Beatle-C). Would wake up in the morning to Herb Oscar Anderson (HOA), listen to Dan Ingram after school and of course Cousin Brucie at night. Remember sitting in the back seat of our 1964 Rambler station wagon on a Sunday evening coming back from down the shore hanging out the window listening to Harry Harrison play Beach Boys tunes. Couldnt wait to get to the bridge to see what was playing at the Amboy Drive-In.
My brother who was a little older than me went to a lot of concerts at the old Fillmore East when you got back from Vietnam. He would listen to WNEW and I started. I think the first song I heard was by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. From there on it was a rapid descent to depravity.
Anyone and won a remember in the late? days of WABC (again where I got my start-surprised so many here did) when they had a contest with lottery type tickets? I once had 3-4 numbers out of the 6 digit ticket and won a cheap skateboard. Never used much but I felt pretty cool.
When I go to the beach now I miss hearing all of the radios all over the place. Usually WABC but also you'd get people listening to ball games. Now everyone is into themselves with their friggin earphones and earbuds.
All sense of community has broken down!!!!!!
All sense of community has broken down!!!!!!
When I was real little I remember my brother listening to The Swingin Soiree with Murray the K. I think that was on 1010 WINS
Yup, remember it well. Also remember Jonathan Schwartz in the evening who started my appreciation of Sinatra.
Last time I saw a transistor radio in use was almost 30 years ago to the day. Game 1 of Mets Astros NLCS 1986. Was taking a class in the basement of one of the River Dorms. Prof let one of the guys in the class listen to the game with an ear piece, as long as he gave updates. (i didn't get to the Shore much.)
Awesome thread..
British biscuits...
WABC... always tried to make it till they signed off in the summer
WFUV for sports talk...lots of 'names' were on way back as kids...then WABC > WNEW as
I grew up for music
Used to see Pat St John in Willowbrook Mall...not the nicest guy..oh well
Capitol Theatre for live shows...
All great memories...feel for kids these days on music front...we had it good
British biscuits...
WABC... always tried to make it till they signed off in the summer
WFUV for sports talk...lots of 'names' were on way back as kids...then WABC > WNEW as
I grew up for music
Used to see Pat St John in Willowbrook Mall...not the nicest guy..oh well
Capitol Theatre for live shows...
All great memories...feel for kids these days on music front...we had it good
Don't forget Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. In the summer of 1976 I remember seeing the Eagles, Poco and Seals and Crofts there. Ticket I believe was $7. This was when you could take whatever you wanted into the venue. Me and my buddies got this big water cooler and made a 5 gallon Tequila Sunrise. No problem. Bring it right in.
Now you can't have a friggin cap on your $8 bottle of water.
Most of those concerts at Roosevelt Stadium and the Capitol were promoted by the great John Scher.
Wasn't there at the staduim but if I remember correctly CSN & Y was playing there the night that Nixon announced he was resigning. My buddy told me that Stephen Stills told the crowd and and they went right into "Ohio".
That is similar to the format for Brookdale College 90.5 The Night in Monmouth county.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBJB-FM
Scher was the king...think he owned the Capitol..did the Meadowlands shows too later
was in Harmony Hut 5 minutes after the last Stones tix for Cap were sold..always a bummer
went to Roosevelt a few times...actually had a weird moment where I went right before they were tearing it down...was able to get in and have a few last vibes even though the place was a mess...lots of history there with Jackie Robinson and all....
Best concert sneak in for me was a full bottle of Yukon Jack in my friends arm sling when we went to see the Wall at Nassau (amazing show of course)
Know I'm driving all over the road but me and my friends do this all the time with old stories and memories...it was a cool time...
Warren Zevon in the barn? Won the tickets from wrsu trivia. Sold em for beer money. You're welcome if you're out there.
Forget Jackie Robinson, what about the Jersey Jays of the Atlantic Coast Football League and the Jersey City Indians who had a youngster named Rickey Henderson on the team.
Remember seeing the Beach Boys and Eagles there in one show during the summer of 75. Scher came out to introduce the Beach Boys.
I still listen to WDHA. Reception here in the Fair Lawn area stinks, but I stream it on iHeart.
And that was less refined then the era that preceded it where being Ozzie and Harriet "good" was the thing to be... Ladies and Gentlemen, young and old.
The slow march of glorifying the "bad boy" began then, however, and this is why I think we ended up where we are re: loud, obnoxious, demonstrative people.
Nostalgia for the hippie form of rebellion is understandable.
