Blast from Your Past

Sunday, April 1, 2018

50 Years Ago Waltzing with Hair April 1968

Breaking News 04/29/18: If you have never heard of “Radio’s Best Friend,” now is a great time to introduce yourself! With a lifetime love of radio, Art Vuolo started out decades ago on a selfless journey to video-record radio station DJs, their broadcasts, and special events. He’s finally getting his just rewards, with an exhibit dedicated to his life’s work in the Radio Hall of Fame.

Eastern Michigan University’s recent article chronicles Art’s fascinating life and says, “The Radio Hall of Fame, located within the Museum of Broadcast Communications in downtown Chicago, is developing a permanent exhibit, ‘A History of the American Disc Jockey’ with Vuolo’s collection as its nucleus.”

Blast from Your Past owes several of its DJ features to the contacts Art graciously provided. Thanks Art and congrats on such a prestigious legacy!

And now, flip on the mic, let’s Rock On back to 1968 …

BONUS April Featured Radio Survey!

Just added (04/15/18) … My BFYP DJ inspirational cohort, Bill Gardner, sent over a copy of his prized KLZ-FM/Denver April 5, 1968 survey for your viewing pleasure.
Says Bill, “We were three years into the KLZ-FM Denver launch and publishing a ‘Supersonic 70 Survey.’ Some of the ‘near misses’ we were playing back then are funny to see today. No doubt you remember ‘Fat Albert’ by the Fat Albert Orchestra? Probably one of the all time greats. And Steve Alaimo beating out ‘Lady Madonna’ by the Beatles with a song called ‘Denver’ at number one?!?!” Great memory, Bill thank you! Any wonder "Denver" was #1 in Denver? Check it out now … or read this month's fun retro writing and see link below.

The Waltz Returns with Hair

Swinging into Spring 1968, love is in the air! We proclaimed our affections singing with the Radio charts’ top tens including Bobby Goldsboro (“Honey”), The Beatles (“Lady Madonna”), and the Box Tops (“Cry Like a Baby”). *

You know, it just hit me … growing up Country until Rock & Roll really kicked into high gear, I was used to the down-home tunes often labeled as “cryin’, dyin’ and goin’ away” music.

But when you think about it, that’s what all music embodies, regardless of genre—feelings. So it was no stretch to find charts from both sides of the country throughout April 1968, giving us ample outlets to express our feelings.

In the film industry though, we were treated to a rebirth of a song even further back than 50 Years Ago this Month …

April 3^rd: We fell in love again with the flowing strains of Johann Strauss’s “Blue Danube Waltz,” an original big hit back in 1867. It brought Classical Music back to life in the future-forward film debut of 2001: A Space Odyssey. “I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.” What, he can’t dance?

April 29^th: By the end of the month, Broadway let down its Hair to wild acclaim, proving Rock (title song) was still king, and love isn’t the only emotion to write about. As we know, war inspires expression, too.

On the same day, WMMR/Philadelphia, shocked its listeners when it flipped from “beautiful music” to progressive rock/freeform as "The Marconi Experiment." Brainchild of its first Rock DJ, Dave Herman, the show led off with The Beatles’ “Flying” and away they went. "To have a radio station go 50 years without changing format is remarkable... and for a rock station, it is unprecedented," said PD Bill Weston. (Quoted by RAMP, 04/23/18) The experimental format proved successful and the rest is proverbial Rock history!

Do you have a Rockin’ April ’68 memory of your own? Feel free to share below in a comment, or choose a “reaction” to express your emotion. Keep the stories coming!

*Featured Radio Survey: KMEN/San Bernardino, California in its “Kmentertainer” magazine (vol. 3 no. 19), week ending April 13, 1968. Classic pics of DJs and vintage ads. Cool, man … 50 Years Ago This Month, recall that awesome day when …*BONUS KLZ-FM/Denver April 1968 survey with BFYP DJ Bill Gardner, added 04/15/18!

Celebrate APRIL 1968: 50 Years Ago and … Rock On!

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LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of three) 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!

* FYI, I know that over the years, some early artists’ reputations have lost luster for one reason or another. I am not glorifying anything of the era, or anyone. I simply report the way it was …

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Thursday, March 1, 2018

50 Years Ago FM Rebel Rock March 1968

Rebel Rock on Your Radio Dial

This 50 Years Ago this Month post can brag about a DJ featured in the Blast from Your Past series! Those of us who were “there”, know the 1960s is in many ways, an uncanny sister-era to the 2010s. But back “in the day” we had the added attraction of enjoying the birth of FM Radio and Rebel Rock.

The Swinging Sixties felt the change and upheaval in all aspects around the world. Rebel Rock really started to catch fire as FM radio heated up the broadcasting industry. A handful of innovative disk jockeys felt the vibe—especially those who heard the call of underground music, and the psychedelic siren of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Leaning into 50 Years Ago this Month 1968 …

March 11^th: With the progress of Acid Rock and early Progressive Rock on FM radio airwaves, several former Top 40 radio stations gave up the ghost for an all-news format, like KFWB in Los Angeles. It followed in the footsteps of KYW/Philly and WINS/NY. However, a Boston station took a go-with-the-flow attitude …

March 15^th: WBCN/Boston thought no one would notice if they gradually began switching from easy listening to freeform Progressive Rock. Right … just proved a point for a very vocal pioneering DJ …

March 18^th: Always the innovator and instigator, popular San Francisco DJ and program director, “Big Daddy” Tom Donahue (1928-1975), propagated the infant Progressive Rock march into FM stations like legendary KMPX. But he shocked management when he resigned, with attitude. He and wife, Raechel, pushed the envelope, taking much of the staff and DJs with them in a walk-out dubbed by locals as “The Great Hippie Strike.” More than a little partying flanked the picket lines, as the strike waged on for two months, with a lot of head-butting, but no resolution.

The Donahues didn’t let one stubborn station owner get in their way of Rockin’ progress. They morphed former KSFR 94.9 (now KYLD) into iconic KSAN/FM “The Jive 95.” Most of the former KMPX staff moved in with them.

As Raechel used to say, “This is KSAN in San Francisco. Sometimes we do it fast … sometimes we do it slow … but we al-ways do it!”

Tom spoke into the microphone with energetic glee, “You can see, we’re gonna be doin’ a LOT of boogie’n’.”

Featured Radio Survey: Top 40 still ruled many San Francisco stations, though, like popular KFRC. The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna” marched up the chart at #13. A far-out rendering of the Fab Four on the cover, fascinated fans. 50 Years Ago This Month, recall that awesome day when …

Celebrate MARCH 1968: 50 Years Ago and … Rock On!