Blast from Your Past

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Rock Radio APRIL 1970 Baby Wrote a Letter

Earth Day Cometh & The Beatles Go-eth

While President Richard Nixon put his John Hancock on a bill to limit cigarette advertisements (took effect the following January), Wisconsin senator, Gaylord Nelson founded our first Earth Day. Americans eagerly celebrated on April 22^nd and it’s grown into a movement, not just a day.

Rock and Roll related April celebrations once included an “International ‘Louie Louie’ Day.” Apparently, that fell by the wayside, but WE still remember it, don’t we? Blast from Your Past DJ Ken Chase (aka Mike Korgan) produced The Kingsmen’s version in April 1963 and it still endures as the ultimate party song! ♪ Louie Louie, oh baby | We gotta go …! ♪

Let’s get our dancin’ shoes on and head into a feel-good COVID-19 note about International Guitar Month! April recognizes the many outstanding guitarists and classic strummin’ tunes over the decades. Of course that features incredible Rock and Roll songs.

WMGK/Philadelphia’s Andre Gardner may be broadcasting from home (as are most radio pros these days), but he’s still “cranking up the volume” on this month’s greatest top guitar hits for Philly’s listeners. Watch for Blast from Your Past 1970’s Book 3 (hopefully later this year) with tales of Andre’s broadcasting debut!

And here, we'll pause as the music abruptly stops for this Public Service Announcement:

This month’s article WAS longer, but I guess being in lockdown means a police state in more ways than one. "The powers that be" don't care that I'm doing a service for those who love Old Time Rock & Roll--they arbitrarily removed three images I'd used to help us reminisce on history. No one notified me to ask nicely if I would remove them. I always use everything on my sites in a respectful, positive and hopefully enjoyable manner. Considering the amount of trash on Social Media sites that "meme" everything/everyone ... to hijack my website and remove images/blank them out without even allowing me to know who is behind the action and why, is reprehensible and cowardly. I have decided to remove text in this article that pertained to those images in question. There may have been a "glitch" on Blogger; if I find that's the case, I'll try to rectify it--but it's rather unlikely.

That said ... let’s see what's left of music on the radio played to make the world go ‘round …

50 Years Ago this Month ~ APRIL 1970

Which ... leaves us with nothing much happening in this month "back in the day," that I'm apparently allowed to comment on; so sorry. I'll look around again and see what I can find. This issue may also cloud my future articles ... so sad someone has to ruin the fun for others.

On Your Tinny Transistor Radio

This month’s Featured Radio Survey from KFRC/San Francisco not only showcased a playful McCartney on the front cover, but a shaggy-haired Joe Cocker on the back, advertising his upcoming concert at the Filmore West.

Joe recorded “The Letter” on St. Patrick’s Day the previous month and it already claimed #12 with San Fran fans, topping out at #3 by May 20^th. ♪ Give me a ticket for an airoplane | I ain’t got time to take no fast train … My baby she wrote me a letter … ♪

However, Joe was nowhere to be seen on WTRY/New York’s April 17 Big Sound Survey. On the other hand, were you listening to morning guy Jay Clark when you called to request “Let It Be”? It still held the top spot.

Featured Radio Survey: KFRC/San Francisco’s Big 30, April 22, 1970 … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played …

Celebrate APRIL 1970 and … Rock On!

Blast from Your Past Gifts

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LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and 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!

Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed sites of reputable note. However, as with everything cyber-security, use at your own discretion.

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Sunday, March 1, 2020

Rock Radio MARCH 1970 Breaking Up Hard to Do

Rocking Memory Lane on a Sentimental Journey

Every relationship that succumbs to “nothing lasts forever,” has a sentimental journey, whether we admit it or not. Just sometimes, it’s tough to remember the good times …

50 Years Ago this Month ~ MARCH 1970

March 6^th: The Beatles rolled out their swan song, "Let It Be" on this date, a full two months prior to the same titled album release, and a month before Paul McCartney announced his departure and dissolution of the band (April 10, 1970).

The Beatles grace the inside of KHJ/Los Angeles’s “Boss 30” Featured* music survey this month on which nary a Fab Four note is seen on the chart. It almost appears that sheepish George, Paul and John are peeking out from behind Ringo’s bravado, as another chapter ends in Rock & Roll history.

March 11^th: In case you’re curious about winners from 1970’s 12th Grammy Awards on this date, here’s a few for your tuneful memories – Record of the Year: “Aquarius”/”Let the Sunshine In” (The Fifth Dimension), Best New Artist: Crosby Stills & Nash, Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female: Peggy Lee for “Is That All There Is?”. Ah … ♪ Let’s just keep dancing ♪ …

March 27^th: Rather interesting is Ringo Starr’s release on this day, of his first solo album, Sentimental Journey. Considering only song titles reflecting their imminent break-up, The Beatles’ “Let It Be” (above) let’s them wash their hands of the band, while Starr’s “Sentimental Journey” gives it perspective. Awwww.

The album is a who’s-who of classic romance and love-lost tunes like, “Stardust” (1927), “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing” (1955), and “You Always Hurt the One You Love” (1944). Was he trying to tell his bandmates something? … ♪ It’s because I love you most of all ♪ …

On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ~ MARCH 1970

Many a Radio DJ has lamented self-deprecatingly, “I have a face only for radio!” It was just the opposite, when the Real Don Steele showed up at KHJ/L.A.’s door in the mid-Sixties. They soon took advantage of Don’s photogenic California style and tapped him for their “Boss City” TV show by 1970. Smart move.

Some stations of the era struggled with radio’s progressive changes and upgrades, like one that had a revolving door of formats and call letters, until finding its niche. KFMS/San Francisco began in 1968 at 106.1 as a new FM format for Top 40 power station, KFRC.

Not only stations, but the FM signal was still fishing for its true calling and KFRC 610 AM established 106.1 as an innovative automated system—one of the first in the country—KFMS. Playing “Late Great and Favorite Goldens,” without the familiar DJ chatter, its chart songs are alphabetical. It listed many of the current hits, but not a rank number in sight.

No doubt there was a call for simple, round-the-clock favorites, sans all the hype, which lasted until 1972 when it switched call letters again to KKEE, before reverting to KFRC-FM in September 1973. It rested, playing oldies and early soft rock as “K106,” finally finding its (somewhat) forever-home in the late ‘70s. Surely, if you were a NorCal resident then, you recall the KMEL! Yep—106.1 soon became another legendary Rock station of the 1980s.

Featured Radio Survey ~ MARCH 1970

Though many of us focused on the demise of The Beatles, another breakup was in the works with the duo of Simon & Garfunkel. They too were splitting after a #1 hit, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” calling it quits later in the year. It hit the top at *KHJ/Los Angeles’ “Boss 30,” March 4, 1970 … 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when …

Celebrate MARCH 1970 and … Rock On!