REEL TOP 40 RADIO REPOSITORY
Mike Miles writes: "By middle school I'd built my first AM transmitter using a pair of tubes. It was exciting just to think that someone might be listening to me and the songs I would play from my 3 1/2" reel to reel tape player. I'd beg my sisters to change the tapes as I rode by bike around the block testing the reception. The excitement of hearing my "radio station" was incredible—knowing that the radio waves were traveling magically through the streets of Salt Lake City. One day I found an inexpensive wireless FM mic that I figured I'd mess around with and try to improve the transmission range. It occurred to me that I could simply put the entire mic up on a tall pole, running power and audio up to it, and I'd be in business. Now we were talking, my range jumped to blocks. Of course, I never realized the whole thing was illegal. The time finally came when I left home and ventured out. Junior college in California provided me an opportunity to work at KFJC. Licensed to Foothill Junior College in the bay area, KFJC was the "Dead Head" station. Working midnight to six, I remember the program director telling me to play lots of Grateful Dead music. Spinning the longest cuts I could find, I fell fast asleep. Waking to the skipping of the needle on the last groove, a caller told me that the music playing was cool. Yeah sure!
I never did own my own radio station. Different paths took me in different directions. Still, radio is where my heart is. Just to hear an AM station fading in and out as the ionosphere filters its audio frequencies makes me shiver. I wonder late at night if the DJs feel the same excitement as their voices travel past the cities, sometimes thousands of miles across the land to my radio."
The Repository thanks Mike Miles for sharing!
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[Descriptions by Uncle Ricky]
TOP STREAM 64Kbps (15 Khz STEREO)
John Van, Steve Carlson,KRSP Salt Lake City UT June 27, 1973 (43:28)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (18:43). . . I was going to give the weather forecast, but there isn't one . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] As this exceptionally rare recording of Salt Lake City radio history opens, we hear John Van ending his show and introducing Steve Carlson, who flubs his first set before John returns with a lengthy newscast. This is another REELRADIO EXCLUSIVE (we have the original tape), and we believe this news report to be accurate and that the aircheck originated in the local radio station, programmed locally, with local employees (at least two, John and Steve.) Otherwise, this is a cool wannabe original local radio station that was drawing from the fringes of everything most of us knew about radio in 1973. Why not present Top 40 music like an album rock station with jingles? Here we have the PAMS SOLID ROCK series (ie: WLS) used on a station with a female-focused Top 40 playlist (VARIETY, not diversity). They play 3-record sets (were they themed?) and the jock backsells each set. Then they play lots of spots with jingles between a couple of them. Notice how ONLY the newsman refers to the station as Crisp. |
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (15 Khz STEREO)
Dave Foxx, KAYK-FM, Provo UT. June 9, 1976
(63:07)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (11:07). . . Filling A Void, 24 Hours A Day . . .
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] And here's more rare Salt Lake radio with this hour of smooth-talkin' Dave Foxx on K-96, KAYK AM-FM/Provo Salt Lake City from June 9, 1976. Yes, it's stereo, but there's really nothing over 10Khz. "Stereo" and "hi-fidelity" are not necessarily the same thing, and this exhibit is a good example. There were lots of misaligned carts at the radio station, and fading on the mobile cassette recording side, mostly near the end. One song was restored at cassette flip. Dave is playing a young adult list, all familiar, with a decided preference for 25-49 females. The station had been previously known as KFMC, a mostly automated "old music" format, and there is even a Sound-Off segment featuring a letter from an angry ex-listener who doesn't like the new "MusicRadio" format! Check out that very casual newscast, during which Dave offers a special update from The Mormon Church. And is that Dave on the promos and "imagers", too? It almost sounds like a one-man radio station! | ||
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (10 Khz STEREO)
Ron Castro, KIOI-FM, San Francisco, 1978
(49:37)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (16:08)
. . . I just wanna kiss you all over, stroke you with peacock feathers, rub cream cheese on my elbows . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Ron Castro is featured in morning drive on KIOI-FM and KIQI — K101 in San Francisco, on September 7, 1978. Castro started his radio career in Levittown, PA in 1966. He did mornings at both K101 and KSAN in San Francisco. As of 2013, he oversees the technical operations of Results Radio, a twelve-station chain in Northern California. |
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TOP STREAM 132 Kbps (11 Khz STEREO)
Michelle Ross, KSFX-FM San Francisco, September 1978
(47:11)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (14:43)
. . . Looks like you could use some rear end work . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Michelle Ross plays R&B, Disco and Funk on KSFX-FM in San Francisco, probably on September 7, 1978. Ross is a classy host who even corrects Barry White on his grammar in a backsell. Rosie Allen presents a feature about bargains. Yes, the music is played in "sets" and for the most part, you'll hear the records identified after they are played. The old rules of Top 40 have been replaced by the "new" formatics of FM radio, though we do get ONE "layover". Comments on an earlier KSFX exhibit suggest some version of this format continued into the 1980's, when KSFX finally succumbed to the ABC Talkradio feed. In 2015, KSFX-FM is a station in Roswell, New Mexico. | ||
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (10 Khz STEREO)
Dana Lauren, KMGG-FM, Los Angeles, 1982
(01:27:07)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (10:04). . . This is NOT a school. I repeat - This is NOT a job . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Dana Lauren is real and very pleasant for the few minutes she is allowed to speak (less than 3.5 minutes out of 87..) Dana worked at WHN in New York before moving to Magic 106 (KMGG-FM) in 1982. Wow, here's just about everything that mattered in 1982, including a spot for the CBS-TV Friday night schedule. The AYDS diet plan, despite Dan Ingram on the spot, didn't make it. And the auditions at NBS Radio promised easy rewards for those who wanted to be a disc jockey who rarely talked on the radio, (if at all.) Those who choose the unscoped version will undoubtedly wonder why a "double golden" (Help and Help Me Rhonda) was included in the second "music sweep" - perhaps this station was subliminally calling for some programming assistance? C'mon, you play two tunes back-to-back that are completely out of context, and your talented and capable host isn't allowed to say anything? Tragic. There are those who believe top 40 started with a jukebox. There's no doubt that it ended that way. All but 3.5 minutes of this one could be broadcast from an I-Pod, and in fact, even that 3.5 minutes could be pre-recorded.
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TOP STREAM 96.5 Kbps (16 Khz STEREO)
Dave Murphy, KIIS Los Angeles, 1983
(42:23)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (04:52)
. . . Love is a Battlefield, so make sure you're protected . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Hopefully someone can identify the jock who opens this aircheck; we didn't get
his name. But most of this exhibit is
A variety of early '80's hit music (leaning urban) dominates this stereo selection (which sounds SWEET in broadband at 96kbps!) Whether you choose the 'scoped or unscoped version, you'll hear
And whose is the smooth ID voice over the Prince record (12:06 unscoped, 1:07 'scoped)? It's nice to hear a strong ID that doesn't growl. It's clean and friendly. Kewl. Finally, an aside to real-time programmers: Please note this successful radio station didn't play hits back to back without an ID (layover, jingle, jock) between or over them. If all your radio station does is play one hit after another, you are not a radio station, you might as well be an MP3 player. | ||
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TOP STREAM 96.5 Kbps (16 Khz STEREO)
Lou Simon, Rob Williams, Dave Donovan, KKHR Los Angeles, 9-26-1983
(43:54)
. . . Hey Rob! You're Great, I Love You! Don't ever change - let's have lunch . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Lou Simon and Dave Donovan (aka voice-over superstar Joe Cipriano) are heard on this very early unscoped stereo sample of HitRadio KKHR(FM) in Los Angeles, from September 26, 1983. This was the second month of the format, programmed for CBS by Between Lou (6-9 AM) and Dave (9A-12N), an energetic Rob Williams is featured with a newscast that includes several very clean clips of U.S. President Ronald Reagan addressing the United Nations. (Former employees of KKHR, including Lou Simon, commented in 1998 on a 1984 KKHR Jackson Armstrong aircheck.) |
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TOP STREAM 64.1 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Big Ron O'Brien, KIIS Los Angeles, 1983
(47:56)
. . . KISS-FM, What A Dump! . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
And KIIS is underway with the Daily Cash Payoff, billed as the biggest daily cash payoff in L.A. history. One Song, One Phone Call, and You're Thousands Of Dollars Richer. Really — there's a promo with a $4000 winner and another $5000 is up for grabs before 8PM. Geesh, how long could they maintain such a tremendously expensive promotion? Great (JAM) jingles, though, (even one for musicradio) and once again, you will NOT hear songs back to back without an ID. Yep, this is what genuine radio sounded like when government regulation forced authentic competition. You had to remind 'em what they were listening to. What a novel concept! Ron O'Brien died from complications of pneumonia on April 27, 2008. | ||
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TOP STREAM 64.1 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Carol Miller, WPLJ New York, 1983
(46:57)
. . . all your favorite music on one station . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
It's an "AOR" approach to Top 40, yielding lots of opportunities for listeners to have no idea what station they're hearing. Anyone can play tunes back to back without saying anything, and it's obvious that this approach assisted competitor Z100. | ||
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TOP STREAM 96 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Randy Lundquist, KCPX Salt Lake City, 1984
(45:16)
. . . Hit after hit after hit - the new KCPX 99 . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Ron Hart closes out his show and introduces Randy Lundquist in this FM stereo exhibit from (best guess) January, 1984. It's 20 degrees in Salt Lake City and this would be a near-perfect recording except for stereo alignment errors that were very difficult to correct. Like our first KCPX aircheck, we are delighted with the JAM jingles, some of the same as those in use at KKHR in Los Angeles. There's reverb on the mic only, but I consider this a mistake. It should be on the entire program chain if you're gonna use it at all. The jocks apparently have been told to speak briefly - because there is absolutely no idle chatter here. However, the format gets high marks because they identify the station, one way or another, before every song. Ah, those were the days, when the iPod format had not yet become mandatory. |
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Evan Lake, KCPX Salt Lake City, 1984
(44:17)
. . . Utah's Number One Hit Music Station . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
There's some contest that's a little complicated for me, I'm not sure if I would win a One Hundred or One Thousand Dollar Bill (though I would be happy with either.) Music mix seems to lean a little male anglo, but that probably fit the market at the time. It's great to hear this wonderful capture of Salt Lake City CHR in 1984! | ||
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Bobby Ocean, KYUU San Francisco, July 13, 1984 Pt. 1
(45:19)
. . . I went to a drive-in movie, in a cab - cost me $512 . . .
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (14:39)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Bobby Ocean is a great friend of REELRADIO, and this wonderful capture of his "fill-in" show from Friday, July 13 1984 on KYUU in San Francisco is a very pleasant surprise. LISTEN! JINGLES into HIT songs with a very hip and very friendly Bobby to connect it all. Did NBC own KYUU at the time? Later, 99.7 tried again as KXXX, KFRC-FM and with the debut of this exhibit, is now KMVQ. Bobby worked as weekend and fill-in at KYUU in 1984, so maybe he had license to sound so casual. It is truly amusing. Bobby is so cool. |
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Bobby Ocean, KYUU San Francisco, July 13, 1984 Pt. 2
(45:19)
. . . if a mistake is ever made, we have our official NBC Scapegoat, Sally, our lady of perpetual sorrow . . .
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (15:24)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Bobby Ocean's otherwise perfect and professional performance is sabotaged by a defective tape device in Part Two of this KYUU radio show from July 13, 1984. Bobby takes it all in stride with good humor and a determination to obtain an "official" apology as quickly as possible. Flash forward 28 years: When the computer stops working, pretty much everything is broken. But that comfortable old-time technology allowed many more things to go wrong. How much do we miss tape carts, really? Nevertheless, this particular incident is terribly amusing, and when Bobby tries again, dead air says quite a bit. Wouldn't you think NBC would have had better-maintained tapes and machines? I love the way Bobby turns a technical difficulty into a gag, and an opportunity for fun — Instant Replay and all! |
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (13 Khz STEREO)
Jay Stone, KLRZ-FM Salt Lake City UT. 1985
(01:17:56)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (10:29) . . . We havin' fun now? . . .
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] |
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In January 1982, KLRZ-FM moved to from Provo to Salt Lake City as Color Radio. On February 8, 1985, they announced their new format as Z-95, and this aircheck was made shortly thereafter. This exhibit is an edited mix of two sides of a 90 minute cassette. Three songs and a couple of commercial announcements were removed. The late Jay Stone was top-drawer talent, and here he is in PM drive, but maybe not as happy as he would like to be. There is one embarrasing moment of DEAD AIR, about which Jay quips, "I love those short naps". Could have been a technical issue, or operator error. It would have been nice to hear more of Jay, but this was 1985, and the iPod format was everywhere. There are lots of music-to-music segues, but at least, a few infrequently "whispered" IDs. REELRADIO contributor Eric Rhoads owned KLRZ-FM at this time. |
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TOP STREAM 64 Kbps (13 Khz STEREO)
Sean Lynch, KKRZ (Z-100) Portland, Oregon July 1985
(46:02)
. . . you know, I think we can probably do that for you, Mom . . .
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (09:18)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] |
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KKRZ was originally KGW-FM in 1952, went through a few changes and eventually became CHR-formatted Z-100 in 1984. Sean Lynch has a great voice presence here as midday host in July, 1985. He became KKRZ Program Director in 1986, and a voice-for-hire in later years. Contributor Mike Miles made nearly all of his recordings from a moving vehicle. KKRZ moved their transmitter location in the years that followed this recording, but in 1985, coverage was a little spotty. As a result, this otherwise very nice-sounding recording becomes grungy and noisy a few times, as is the nature of FM multiplex in fringe areas. There's a tune by local favorite Jack Charles, notable first-tier commercial production, and this station was typical of good medium and larger market stations in 1985. They still had a "live" air staff and jingles, plus some great "imaging", as the kids call it. No music-to-music segues here - this station was holding on to a "sense of show", some community identity, and a healthy spot load. |
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TOP STREAM 96.5 Kbps (16 Khz STEREO)
T.J. Evans, KISN-FM, Salt Lake City UT, 1985
(47:00)
. . . dropping from number 12 last week - the New Edition . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
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Wowsers! This one has many of the classic "Top 40" elements - it includes part of a countdown, it has a live host, some sort of ID before and after EVERY record, cool jingles, promotional activity in the service area, great records that stiffed, bad records that were hits, even reverb (if only on the mic!) — and over-the-top audio processing. Someone loved putting this station together, it's a tight, clean presentation, even if the recording is a little fuzzy. And T.J. Evans is just the jock to make it work - not too friendly, but nearly flawless, quick and professional all the way. |
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TOP STREAM 96.5 Kbps (16 Khz STEREO)
Leslie Stovall, KMEL San Francisco 1986
(44:17)
. . . Variety Makes The Difference . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Those who make a nice living programming an "80's Format" should get all tingly over this one. It's mostly music, and that's why we have provided a scoped version of this aircheck, just for you. By 1986, radio stations were becoming jukeboxes, like just most popular music stations of today. In 1986, there were more commercial sets, but they were shorter. By the way, playing two tunes back to back without any ID (creative, entertaining, or otherwise) is just plain boring. At least this station had some nice jingles. | ||
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TOP STREAM 64.1 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Danny Romero, KFMB-FM B-100 San Diego, August 1986
(44:30)
. . . San Diego, America's Finest City . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Danny Romero offers a very friendly, natural performance here. There is a wonderful VARIETY (not diversity) in the music mix, lots of good R&B, pop & ballads, and overall, familiar music. Note also the heavy emphasis on recurrent and recent gold. This was a 1986 FM CHR station, still following *most* of the rules... There's only one element of this exhibit to which old, grumpy Uncle Ricky objects: the dead segue from Take My Breath Away to Let It Whip. Lord help us, it was only 1986 and the madness had already started. Two tunes back to back with NO ID. See, even in 1986, there was a belief that listeners were psychic and could somehow remember what they were listening to without being told. The trend continues today. I guess they've all signed on to some starship where listening is reported automatically. (sigh) But in all fairness, it only happens once (in this 45 minutes.) Both the unscoped and 'scoped version of this exhibit include a fresh, unscripted exchange between Romero and Ellen Thomas near the conclusion. It's just some of that "Human Interaction" that used to occur when Humans were actually at the radio stations on which they were broadcasting. | ||
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TOP STREAM 64.1 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Bruce Kelly & Company, KZZP Phoenix, Summer 1986
(41:39)
. . . It's a pretty good size party here this morning . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Bruce Kelly & Company and Alice Cooper are featured on KZZP, Mesa/Phoenix, on a hot summer morning in Arizona. You can tell this is 1986 FM CHR, because underwear is discussed within the first minute and they managed to work in "vomit" in just under 1:17. They are remote, "on location", in the home of a listener who won a "Home Entertainment System". (Sounds like "Wierer" or "Werez" .. ?) The theatrics by Cooper and Mama, involving rattlesnake heads and weeds, were undoubtedly for the MTV coverage. I hope. And what is that awesome TV-Themed sampled synthetic dance record (starts at 13:27) that's followed with Kelly's reference to Wallace and Ladmo? And what about this Iceman dude? Did Kelly & Company have a resident crooner with a keyboard? And certainly, The Hooded Hangman must have gone on to greater accomplishments. There's about 10 minutes missing between 7AM and 7:12AM, but that's the only edit in this otherwise unscoped (music intact) recording which begins around 6:50 AM and concludes around 7:45AM. I know nothing of what happened to any of the players (other than Alice Cooper), and your informed COMMENTS are welcome. But I must add that it's always impressive when a local radio station takes the show on the road. This is what local media does best, and only local media can do it. That's what makes this aircheck fascinating and one-of-a-kind. |
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TOP STREAM 64.1 Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Ron O'Brien, KIIS-FM Los Angeles Summer 1986
(45:37)
. . . Tina Turner is back with 'Typical Male', let's see, three bills, four flyers, a letter from my mother saying what are you doing working for KIIS-FM? Hey Ma, I dunno! . . . This Exhibit 'SCOPED (08:51)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] This exhibit was recorded from a moving vehicle, so it is scratchy and fuzzy in some places. The 'scoped version is highly recommended because there IS something between every tune. Yay! It's more than an iPod, it's a show, y'know. And in 1986, it was still radio, though the size of the stopsets matched those of man-size Big Ron O'Brien, according to Cheryl of Klymaxx. Our 'scoped version includes some notable spots: We Got The Juice .. whatever happened to that? Google it, it's all over the place, but nothing about "Apple Slice". Wierd. You'll also hear the Great One, the late Jackie Gleason for MasterCard, and a clever spot for Disneyland. Ron O'Brien died from complications of pneumonia on April 27, 2008. |
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TOP STREAM 96.5 Kbps (16 Khz STEREO)
Don & Mike, WAVA Washington, D.C. June 25, 1987
(46:10)
. . . and do you know if she has any animals, and a car registration . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Frank Murphy pulls parking lot duty on a Free Money Thursday with WAVA Morning Zoo dudes Don and Mike take to the phones with What's Your Nag and a listener reads a letter from a local newspaper calling them "halfwits". They try, but are unable to speak with John Hinckley at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. David David Haynes is heard with two newscasts — Jackie Gleason died the day before, and Washington, D.C. had the highest food costs in the nation. |
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Flash Phillips, WAVA Washington, D.C. 1987
(43:57)
. . . I was thinkin' this year, we could get Menudo for the 4th of July - that would be spankin'! . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Flash is terrific, but the station formatting falls a bit short. No jingles, first of all... c'mon! WAVA was a modern miracle - a Top 40 station on FM in stereo with REVERB! - still kickin' it in 1987 (and in one of the most "Urban" areas in the country...) In 44 minutes, there is ONE stopset - 3.5 minutes (but 4 units!) plus sweep intro. There's also a killer promo at the end, but you should NEVER play a promo into a commercial set. But they did. This is one of the reasons why they aren't around to give me (or you) a job today. Sadly AND furthermore: there are TWO of those bothersome music to music things with NO ID. (sigh.) How do people know where they heard the music unless you tell them?
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (13 Khz STEREO)
Linda Kelly, WPGC Washington, D.C. 1987
(46:16)
. . . Continuous Music (Continuous Music) . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Not much here, unless you like the music. Linda Kelly has two talk sets for a total of 40 seconds in this entire 46-minute recording of The NEW WPGC NINETY FIVE in Washington, D.C., most likely from June or July in the Summer of '87. Some guy named Al (?) gets one set opening this exhibit. There's a single stopset (at about the 30-minute mark) SIX units and SIX minutes and ten seconds (including a station promo), clearly demonstrating the programming philosophy that has continued to redefine "music radio" simply as "music." The "formatics" of this (the iPod format) haven't changed since 1987. A 16-year old then is 38 in 2008, and part of the Big Money Demo. They've been trained to believe there are two kinds of radio - talk, or music. Truly, the Radio Disc Jockey was already history in 1987. |
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Randy McDaniel, Tom Collins, KGGG-FM Hit 100, Rapid City SD, 1987
(26:52)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (12:53) . . . the dwarfs just threw Snow White into the hot tub . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Breakfast Flakes Randy McDaniel and Tom Collins are heard in the 7AM hour on Hit 100 (KGGG-FM) in Rapid City, South Dakota. This all-too-brief aircheck was recorded on June 17, 1987, and Collins does triple-duty as backup-flake, Sports and News guy. The first two bits are very entertaining - the Flakes place to a call to Garfield, and the hilarious Spam Dis-So-Lay spoof might be the work of the American Comedy Network. Note also the very high percentage of local spots voiced by the Flakes - genuine local morning radio, and excellent fidelity, too!
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (14 Khz STEREO)
Machine Gun Kelly, KODJ-FM Los Angeles, October 27, 1989
(46:30)
. . . gonna play this next tune for everybody's that gridlocked on the San Diego Freeway - little bit loco, but you got no motion, I know . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
And even better, they had a tight, brightly processed Top-40 presentation with hot jingles, great promos, properly placed ballsy imaging (who was that guy?) and exceptional air talent, like Machine Gun Kelly. He's featured here on the afternoon of the re-scheduled third game of the 1989 World Series. There's much more to be written about this exhibit from those who remember. And, a couple of those Gunner segues are really quite remarkable: Young Love to I Remember You, fr'instance. This recording wasn't made from the strongest signal, (in fact, it may have been made from a moving vehicle) and it suffers from some FM fading in spots — but it's more than fine in others. It's intact and in STEREO because we know many of our visitors enjoy the sound of authenticity. For that reason, we also recommend you listen with a Broadband connection (at 64 Kbps.)
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (15 Khz STEREO)
Whitney Allen, KQLZ-FM Pirate Radio Los Angeles, 1990
(46:20)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (02:28). . . Less talk, more music . . . [Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Less talk, more music? No foolin'! Out of the 46 minutes recorded, less than two minutes was something other than music. There are lots of Scott Shannon's recorded production elements to accompany this pre-iPod hard rock format, but Whitney Allen only appears twice for a total of 22 seconds! Could this format have been automated? Today, sure. Then, the technology wasn't ready.  Whitney Allen And it's a shame we don't get to hear more of Allen. What we do hear sounds great! Whitney worked in San Diego for 5 years before getting the call to help Shannon put his new Pirate Radio format on the air in L.A. A couple of years at the Pirate, and she was off to KIIS until 1995 when she moved to KZLA and then into the syndicated After Midnite. By 2000, she was working at a suburban L.A. station. Don't know the songs? Don't expect anyone to tell you what they are. Not ONE song is identified on this aircheck, forcing the question: What the heck is a DJ supposed to do? Listeners were supposed to be 12 to 20-something, most likely male, and it's unlikely they were anything other than caucasian. Pirate Radio played the music of their 1990 pimply-faced, testosterone-saturated MTV-driven lives. At least screeching guitars didn't rattle walls, windows and floors... |
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TOP STREAM 32Kbps (12 Khz MONO)
Rich Fields, KODJ-FM Los Angeles, 1990
(47:24)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (13:01)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Rich Fields is heard filling in for Machine Gun Kelly, and he's playing Oldies, Top-40 style, on KODJ-FM. Best guess on the date: June, 1990.
"Imagers" (undoubtedly called something else in 1990) are voiced by Bobby Ocean and the jingles sound great, too.
Fields, who was the first DJ on the "new" KODJ oldies format in 1989, is having loads of fun, assisted by in-studio traffic reporter
Fields went on to several radio gigs in Tampa-St. Petersburg Florida before he returned to CBS in L.A. as weatherman for Channel 2 in 2003. (How appropriate that this aircheck features him poking fun at "big weather ratings"!) In 2004, he was selected to replace the late Rod Roddy as the announcer on The Price Is Right, TV's longest-running game show. Fields is an Emmy Award winner.
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TOP STREAM 132Kbps (12 Khz STEREO)
Jill Angel, KODJ-FM Los Angeles, 1990
(47:10)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (14:43)
[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles]
Like all of Mike Miles' contributions, this was recorded from a moving vehicle, so there are fuzzy dropouts from time to time. It's pretty rough up front, but settles down as it goes on. This station played some really old oldies! With publication of this exhibit in 2017, we know only that Ms. Angel was working in the Health and Safety section of the CHP, in Sacramento in 1997.
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TOP STREAM 64Kbps (15 Khz STEREO)
Chet Buchanan, KZZP Mesa-Phoenix AZ February 1991
(42:14)
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (13:43)[Description by Uncle Ricky, contributed by Mike Miles] Chet Buchanan is exceptional as the midday guy on this Phoenix suburban CHR with lots of soccer moms (and their daughters) - and it's 1991! Not only is there an ID or more between every song, there are promo-jingle hybrids *between* spots on this station! Listen to the (stereo) scoped exhibit and you will agree that this was a top drawer music radio format that allowed "The Talent" to step on stage. And that makes it a show. It was 1991, and we thought the best was yet to come... |
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Time and lack of money brought me back to Utah and school. KUER, the NPR station for the Salt Lake area provided me with an internship while I studied communication at the University of Utah. I worked as an announcer for classical and jazz music and music director.
After graduation, I got a job in television production, audio, and finally management for KUED PBS television in Salt Lake City. While traveling for KUED as a location audio engineer, I'd record FM stations wherever we'd travel in the United States.
This Exhibit 'SCOPED (05:03)
Here's Flash with just the one stop set, little bits of the music and a promo at the end.
