Rock Radio 50 Years Ago FEBRUARY 1974

1974’s Month Two … Rock On!   

Ah yes, a phrase we use often at Blast from Your Past. It’s also the subject of this month’s Song of Note, reminding us of the good ol’ days of Rock & Roll even before 1974. I finally put this article "mostly" together--more images still to come. For now … Rock On! 

FEBRUARY 1974 Radio Muse & News ♪ 

If I haven’t said it lately, I love writing these nostalgic Rockin’ articles—whether anyone reads them or not. It’s exhilarating to simply dive into the memories and research to learn anew or again, fun trivia tidbits about the music and times of my yesteryears. Keeps me young. 

There are still many pioneering Rock Radio DJs out there who feel the same, and a fave is my friend, Bill Gardner. He grew up kissin’ the mic to bring music magic and mayhem to tens of thousands of listeners over his many years in the business. I like to feature him here, and pass his memories on to you … did you listen to him at WIBG/Philly, KCBQ/San Diego, or maybe it was KVIL/Dallas-Ft. Worth …

Bill Gardner’s Music Memories ~ “It was exactly fifty years ago,” Bill emailed to me, “January and February of '74 that I joined KVIL/Dallas-Ft. Worth. I can still hear ‘Show And Tell’ by Al Wilson, and ‘Until You Come Back To Me,’ by Aretha, playing in my head. Also, for a one hit wonder, there was ‘Rock On’ by David Essex.”

For more nostalgic fun, let’s go back in music a bit with one of Bill’s KVIL on-the-air memories from my interview with him for the Blast from Your Past books. It’s a snippet coming soon in Book 3: The Psychedelic Seventies. Then, just as now, stations played some beloved “oldies” for listeners …

“KVIL (1974) was the first station in America where they were charging $1,200/minute for a commercial; I don’t think there’re stations nowadays that get that much for a 1-minute ad. I remember playing this song “Windy” by the The Association, and saying at the beginning of the song, ‘this is one of my all-time favorite songs, I absolutely LOVE this song, if I could only take five songs to a deserted island with me, this would be one of ‘em. I LOVE this song.’

“So my phone rings and I answer the phone, and this lady asks me, ‘Is this Bill Gardner?’
                 I said, ‘Yeah.’
                 She said, ‘This is Ruthann Friedman. I wrote that song … and I’m so glad you like it!’ That was just a real cool, cool moment” …

Thank you, Bill, for sharing your memories from back in the day when bein’ a DJ was da bomb!  Bop on over to Bill’s website where he usually updates his “Old Radio Pictures” and memories weekly, so there’s always something new about oldies!

February 4^th: Patricia Hearst, 19-year-old granddaughter of publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped from her Berkeley, California, apartment by the SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army). Are you thinking, hey, that has nothing to do with Rock & Roll history! 

Au contraire, Mon ami … but it does. Remember, radio was king 50 Years Ago and hot DJs Tom and Raechel Donahue’s KSAN/San Francisco was right in the thick of the Patty Hearst case. KSAN was known for its political candor and had the ear of the SLA. Coming up in BFYP Book 3 (1970s):

“The radical group chose KSAN to release a tape of Miss Hearsts’ voice after a long, anxious interval of ransom negotiations. A short news clipping (March 12, 1974) accompanied the original photo obtained online, back in 2019 [BFYP Collection]. The clipping did not go into detail and does not mention that Miss Hearst denounced her family and announced her allegiance to the SLA, becoming ‘Tania.’” (Image: News clip published March 12, 1974, of KSAN staff listening to SLA tape.)

February 19^th: Ever wonder who won the FIRST American Music Awards? It was on this date in 1974 that Dick Clark Productions asked Helen Reddy (forever known for “I Am Woman” [1972]) to host the AMAs first telecast with Roger Miller (forever tagged with “King of the Road” [1965]) and Smokey Robinson (today, affectionately known for a lifetime of hits, including “Tears of a Clown” [1970]. Helen was then presented with the first award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female artist! Jim Croce never saw his (posthumous) award for the corresponding male artist, but will always be known for his prophetic, “Time in a Bottle.” Unfortunately, the fate of the popular awards show is currently in limbo …

On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪  
Where were you listening to lovey-dovey tunes in Valentines month, February 1974? WABC/New York, KVIL/Dallas-Ft. Worth, or KCBQ/San Diego? Here’s a sample of what and who you were listening to …

Of course, love songs are a radio station’s mainstays, regardless of melodic genre. It seems, though, that we pay more attention to their heartfelt messages in February. What was at the top of most charts? Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were” and “Seasons in the Sun,” by Terry Jacks.

One song in particular, caught my eye … it tied up love and Rock & Roll with a tidy bow 50 Years Ago this Month.

Monthly Song of Note ♪  

… Hey kid, rock and roll | Rock on, ooh, my soul … Avid readers of this article won’t be shocked that I just had to make David Essex’s “Rock On” my monthly Song of Note. I use the phrase often and personally sign off on emails with it. Can’t help it—I grew up when “Rock On” was a trendy CYA. Essex graciously put it into music for us. 

Though it released late summer 1973 in the UK, “Rock On” took a while to make our top ten. But once it did, it zipped up to #2 on KCBQ/San Diego’s “Q Hits” for February 22, 1974. The song battled valiantly for #1 against Terry Jack’s “Seasons in the Sun” but never quite made it …

With “Rock On” Essex tapped into a quintessential Rock song, paying homage to early Rock & Roll, and revered bad-boy actor, Jimmy Dean, with a lotta love. ♪ … Still looking for that blue jean, baby queen | Prettiest girl I ever seen | See her shake on the movie screen, Jimmy Dean …  ♪    

Playing all the top tunes on KCBQ/San Diego, 50 Years Ago, pioneering DJ Rich Brother Robbin is known to family and friends as Richard Werges. Along with numerous other KCBQ jocks throughout its heyday years, Rich’s name proudly appears on the mighty monument erected in southeast San Diego suburb of Santee (August 2010).

You can read about Rich’s early days in BFYP Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. “A career DJ, Rich flourished in the Seventies. Popping between San Diego and Los Angeles, his addictive, high-energy, fast-rapping patter kept fans tuning in wherever he sat behind the mic.”

Quirky Band Names ♪  
Blue Swede is the lone Quirky Band Name on February 1974’s KCBQ/San Diego radio chart Top 25, and not so quirky, if you consider they’re from Sweden. The short-lived group first hit international charts with this month’s “Hooked on a Feeling” cover, originally made popular by B.J. Thomas in 1968. For a few years, they found their niche covering tunes with a built-in following, before fading away in 1979.    

I do, however, have a few Quirky Song Titles for your amusement. Some titles are simply quirky and some are downright obscure, becoming predominantly elusive over the decades … such is the case with “I Been Had By The Devil” by a mysterious Zell Black, coming in at #23 before disappearing altogether. In research, I only found it on Discogs’ or vintage vinyl sale sites. Black does show up on YouTube in a couple of 1975 tunes, “Fly Me” and “You Make the Sun Keep Shining.” Both danceable—a requirement of the era—but not particularly memorable.

Unusual song titles are not necessarily unknown tunes, though, like the Rolling Stones’ macabre “Dancing With Mr. D.” on KCBQ’s chart, coupled at #10A with #10B, their grisly “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo.” Pair a popular band with a catchy tune and you can sell anything.

On a more upbeat note, Rick Derringer was heading up the chart at #21, adding more love to Johnny Winter’s 1970 tune, “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” Recording it solo without Winter’s band, it was reportedly his only solo hit.

Today’s Rockin’ Events February 2024 ♪    

February 1^st: Speaking of Oldies … RAMP, a music reporting site, helped spread the news that longtime Portland, Oregon, radio station, 92.3 KGON, is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary! Now an Audacy station, its Classic Rock format has been around since late 1992, but it began broadcasting Rock album-oriented music on this date 1974, opening with the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun.” In celebration, feel free to share your memories of KGON via voicemail at 458-237-7972!

February 27^th: Everyone can get into the mood of this day regardless of age or era—it’s National Retro Day! “Retro” is a state of mind, especially when it comes to Rock & Roll. In the 1970s it was the 1950s & ‘60s bop. Along came the 1990s, and Retro became the 1970s & ‘80s metal. Sigh … and time marches on. Whatever you want to celebrate, just remember, “Retro” is always fun!

Speaking of Retro fun, set your clocks for June this year. That’s when the San Diego County Fair invites us to “Let’s Go Retro” for nearly a month! Click the link for details …

BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪  
FEBRUARY 22, 1974 ~ KCBQ/San Diego, California: Enjoy this copy of the “Q Hits” of not Top 40 or even Top 30, but Top 25 tunes, “Compiled by ‘Q’ – based on You!” While you were listening, DJ Rich Brother Robbin was swingin’ on the nighttime Q  … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate FEBRUARY 1974 and … Rock On!  

BFYP Book 1 (1954-1959) on Amazon        
BFYP Book 2 (Swinging ‘60s) on Amazon 
Blast from Your Past Gifts 
Share your Golden Oldies R&R fun on "X"/Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk 

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LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three planned) are published in her Blast from Your Past^TM series, available on Amazon: Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959^TM (eBook only; coming soon in updated print edition) and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties^TM (eBook & print). Coming soon-ish … Book 3 – The Psychedelic Seventies!^TM 

Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. Occasionally, since I often feature real people and/or singular sources there may be an unsecured link. As with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion and risk. This site is wholly owned by LinDee Rochelle & sponsored by PenchantForPenning.com^TM. No compensation is received for any mentions of businesses, products, or other commercial interests. *All holiday and special event days are found at Brownielocks.com’s calendar site. Enjoy! 

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Rock Radio APRIL 1972 Out of the Cave

We’re Goin’ Back ... Way Back ... Back in Time ...  

Feel like you’ve been living in a cave, only venturing out to forage for food? There’s a word for that and it resides in April 1972’s Rock & Roll ... 

Then & Now  Rockin’ News & Views 
Polish up your riffs, it’s International Guitar Month! The sponsoring site’s official link is a few years old. So here’s a link to their informative History of the Guitar instead, while we slap on some iconic guitar-centric songs ...  

♪ APRIL 1972 Rockin’ News Then …  
Bill’s Radio Reflections ~ BFYP DJ, Bill Gardner, took all the hits for a merry ride around the turntable APRIL 1972 at KING “The Big Eleven” in Seattle. “I thought about all the great songs you've mentioned,” says Bill, “like Roberta Flack ‘First Time Ever,’ and America's ‘Horse With No Name.’ ... but also thought about many wacky songs that were so right for their time fifty years ago, rarely heard today.” For a couple, there is apt reason for that.
       “Remember ‘Sylvia's Mother’ by Dr. Hook, ‘I Gotcha’ by Joe Tex, ‘Jungle Fever’ the Chakacha's, or ‘Troglodytes’* by The Jimmy Castor Bunch’?”
      McCartney and Wings wanted to “Give Ireland Back To The Irish’ and even Sonny & Cher had a weird one, never to be heard again. Remember ‘A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done’? I don't think I've heard THAT one since I plopped the 45 on the turntable at KING-AM Seattle.”     
       Bill recalled the heavy station competition in the ‘70s. “Back then, we were head-to-head competitors with TWO other iconic Top 40 Seattle stations, KOL and KJR.” He shared a great BILLboard pic of KING Broadcasting, KING-TV-FM- & AM building on Aurora Avenue North, no longer there. “KING AM-FM and TV were split in the early '90's, and all have different owners and new headquarters elsewhere.” Fun memories and great update, Bill!
      *Don’t know what a “troglodyte” is? This is the first time ever, BFYP has shared the Monthly Song of Note with its big sis site, Penchant for Penning's, monthly Wordplay Wednesday word! It was just too much fun to pass up. See below for a taste, and beginning Wednesday, April 6^th the PFP site for the full course definition. Warning ... nothing about this song is politically correct ...

With Guitar Month on the mind, a couple guitar-centric songs stood out on this month’s Featured Radio Survey for KAFY/Bakersfield, California, and another station down the road a piece, KHJ/Los Angeles.
      The pure guitar and poetry of Don McLean’s “Vincent” (Starry, Starry Night) boosted it up from #9 to #5 on KAFY’s “Big 55” April 18^th. McLean’s original handwritten lyrics, in tribute to famed artist, Vincent Van Gogh, hit the auction in July 2020 and reputedly sold for $1.5 million.

      For KHJ, Dennis Coffey & the Detroit Guitar Band picked its way up to #8 with “Taurus” which features Coffey’s considerable guitar skills, for sure; but I personally prefer their 1971 hit, “Scorpio,” probably ‘cause “I are one” 😊. Both tunes are heavy in drumbeats and very danceable in a hippie, freeform sort of way.
      But beating it out one notch up at #7 is the inimitable Sonny & Cher song with a dynamite guitar intro—“A Cowboy’s Work is Never Done.” It made a rather incongruous impression though, when the duo sang it on their TV show stage in glamorous evening attire. So where’s the horse? No matter. It was reportedly their final top ten hit together.
      Meanwhile, it’s worth a mention that across the country, WABC/New York City hit us in the heartland with a catchy guitar sound strumming throughout America’s #1 hit, “Horse with No Name.” The air was full of sound ... ♪ 

April 16^th: Electric Light Orchestra which, with our affinity for acronyms even fifty years ago, quickly became “ELO”, made their maiden concert debut in England on this date. For nearly fifteen years, they brought an ever-changing and enlightening presence to pop, boasting classical influence and mod-Rock melodies. Founding member, Jeff Lynne went solo, and is still making music.

♪  APRIL 2022 Rockin’ News Now …
We’re never without reason to celebrate Rock & Roll history ...

April 11^th: It’s party time! And the quintessential party song flows through BFYP this time every year as we celebrate International "Louie Louie" Day. Fifty-nine years ago this month, BFYP DJ, Ken Chase (aka Mike Korgan) of KISN/Portland, Oregon, fame, produced “Louie Louie” for The Kingsmen, and the rest is party history! We tell ya all about it here.

April 23^rd: It’s Record Store Day! It’s gratifying to see that vinyl records are still charting hit retail sales. Today is the day to show your love. Many stores across the country debut new and re-issued albums from a multitude of artists, new and old, in all their listening formats, for your pleasure and collecting. Though it is most often celebrated on the second Saturday of April, Easter has claimed that weekend this year and of course, it takes priority. Look for a record party at a new, used or vintage store near you! (Click on your state in the map.)

April 29-May 1^st: More Guitar Month madness! If you have a hankerin’ to scoot your boots down to Dallas, Texas, this month, check out their Dallas International Guitar Festival           at the Dallas Market Hall! In its 44^th year, you never know what guitar greats from around the world in every musical genre imaginable, might be in attendance. Get pickin’!

♪ On Your Tinny Transistor Radio    
APRIL 1972 ~ With two dynamic radio station surveys to draw from this month, only one can be the Featured Radio Survey. How did I choose? No contest ... KAFY’s flaunting Wolfman Jack’s image on the cover!      
       To be honest, it was still a tough choice. After all, it is the era of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll—and the Real Don Steele is half-naked on the KHJ cover ... can’t you just hear him and Todd Rundgren singing, I was feeling something wasn't right ... ¯!? (For the fun of it, you’ll also see the KHJ cover on the Featured Radio Survey page.)

♪ Monthly Song of Note 
“Troglodyte” (Cave Man) flew up the KAFY/Bakersfield music chart from #17 to #6 week of April 18, 1972. You might never have seen it, heard it or recalled this word/song since the 1970s, but even then, did you just like the way its title word rolled off your tongue to the tune, never caring what it meant?

     Dictionary meaning: “TROGLODYTE (ʹträ-glɘ-,dīt; 1555) n. ~ 1) a member of any of various peoples (as in antiquity) who lived or were reputed to live chiefly in caves; 2) a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded reactionary attitudes.”
      The 1960s and ‘70s were musically macho-man decades, so we kicked the novelty song up to #1 in some areas of North America. Enough to award it a gold certification from RIAA. Unfortunately for today’s liberals, it didn’t stop with just a cave man reference. Get more of the story when it’s available April 6^th on Wordplay Wednesday, PenchantForPenning.com.
      What we're gonna do right here is go back, way back, back into time | When the only people that existed were troglodytes... Cave men... | Cave women... Neanderthal... Troglodytes ¯

♪ Quirky Band Names 
Some band names of the era were more expressive than odd. Such is the case with Rare Earth, whose single “What’d I Say,” hit the bottom of KHJ’s Top Thirty on April 4, 1972. Beginning in 1960 as The Sunliners, by the late ‘60s they felt Rare Earth gave ‘em a groovier feel.
       Meanwhile, at the bottom of KAFY’s Top Thirty chart, The Chi-Lites were still going strong after thirteen years, with “Oh Girl.” They originally wanted the Hi-Lights name, but it was in use, so by 1969 settled on Chi-Lites with the “Chi” honoring their Chicago hometown.         Oh, girl | I guess I better go ...

♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey  
APRIL 18, 1972 ~ KAFY/Bakersfield, California ~ “Hey Baby, you got a favorite Oldie?” It’s Wolfman Jack! And yep, we were playin’ Oldies even back then. Wolfman Jack was spinning his magic in the heart of California’s farmlands … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played … 

Let’s Celebrate APRIL 1972 and … Rock On!  ♪  

Blast from Your Past Gifts
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk              

LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three) are published in her Blast from Your Past series, available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!

Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. Occasionally, since I often feature real people and/or singular sources there may be an unsecured link. As with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion and risk. No compensation is received for any mentions of businesses, products, or other commercial interests. *All holiday and special event days are found at Brownielocks.com’s calendar site. Enjoy! 

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