Which Historic Legendary Radio Station Would You Want Recreated For One Day?

[BossRadioDJ]

I have to vote for the nostalgic sounds of the 1970's KMPX, when it covered music from the 1930's to the 1960's from 6:00am - where the transmitter was clicked on and the gentle strains of The Mills Brothers' catchy 1932 rendition of "Bugle Call Rag" started our broadcast day - to midnight, when the "Ol' Maestro" Ben Bernie's closing theme song, "Au Revoir, Pleasant Dreams" tucked in the station for the next six silent hours.

KMPX Big Band 107 (and, later, 99) was one of my favorites, too. As a teenager then, I had a big Magnavox tube FM radio, and KMPX sounded great on it. I'll try adding some Rick Wagstaff to our KMPX page today:

http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/kmpx/

Sidebar on Ben Bernie "and all the lads" (yowsa) and "Au Revoir": we play it at 11:57-ish every night on Classic KABL (http://www.radiokabl.com) as an homage to KMPX; it's one of those things that has significance to me and absolutely nobody else.

[Bowler Bob in Brisbane]

Now you have me wondering. I am curious, why those particular month and year? Any certain DJ's or what?
[/quote]

1) KFRC from August 1967 - As a 13 year old native San Franciscan this was my favorite radio period of all time as I skateboarded through the streets of San Francisco with my transistor radio in hand in search of old Marvel comics, listening to the hits of the day on the Big 610, presented by DJ's Like Sebastian Stone, playing songs like the Doors' "Light My Fire".

2) KDIA and KSOL from July 1965 - As an 11 year old washing dishes every night in the family kitchen after dinner, my mom had the radio tuned to either 1310 AM (Lucky 13), or 1450 AM, where I would listen to the Top 30 Countdown, presented by DJ's like Sly Stone (KSOL) & Bob Jones (KDIA), playing songs like The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself"

3) KOME from July 1975 - By this time in my life I'm a 21 year old rocker living in Hayward, and going to BGP concerts at Winterland Arena every weekend while listening to both KSJO & KOME on my car radio, with DJ's like Paul "The Lobster" Wells, and M. Dung, playing the hard rock songs of the day like UFO's "Rock Bottom".

[michael hagerty]

I'd agree that re-creating K-101 (chroma-key jingles and all) would be the most interesting.

I also wouldn't mind hearing a one-day reunion of KNBR from the late 70s/early 80s...Frank Dill, Mike Cleary, Carter B. Smith.

And I'd love to hear the Donahue-era KMPX and KSAN survivors turned loose and allowed to play whatever they want...up to and including today's music. That one might even have legs beyond a one-shot.

KFRC? As big a fan as I was, I think it's time to let that poor station rest. How many times has it been brought back from the dead, only to slip away again?

---Michael Hagerty

[skyrocker]

KFRC? As big a fan as I was, I think it's time to let that poor station rest.

I was a big fan, too, Michael, and I agree.

In case the news hasn't made it to where you yet, CBS executives, it has been recently determined by scientists involved at a local Livermore laboratory, are not human, but from the aviary kingdom. That's right, fowl. Well, of course, now it all makes sense...).

Thus, as long as bird brains in corporations who own broadcast facilities continue to try and recreate a legendary station (especialy one, that, year after year, consecutively won Billboard Station Of The year) they might consider doing it with with genuine talent, real human Boss Jocks. There are enough still living to staff maybe one station.

Won't happen though, they're chicken.

[only1deejayman]

Without a doubt, X-100 HITS HAPPEN!!!!

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

How about Bill Moen on KABL AM and FM.     

In the air everywhere.....(with the harps playing)....

[Lkeller]

How about Bill Moen on KABL AM and FM.     

In the air everywhere.....(with the harps playing)....

Not being a fan of Beautiful Music, I'm sorry to say that I didn't hear Bill Moen until KABL-FM's short-lived attempt to compete with KOIT, doing lite rock. He retired shortly after that in the mid 90s. I enjoyed his dry wit.

If you're ever up in Lake County (where Bill "retired") you can hear him on 1270/KXBX.  He's still looking pretty dapper, too.

Question:  why do so many talented radio people go through Fargo, North Dakota???! (Bill Moen, Bill Lee, Ed Schultz?)  Weird.

http://www.kxbx.com/shows/Bill%20Moen.shtml

[landtuna]

Question:  why do so many talented radio people go through Fargo, North Dakota???! (Bill Moen, Bill Lee, Ed Schultz?)  Weird.

Because, if you fail no one will notice.   

[BossRadioDJ]

How about Bill Moen on KABL AM and FM.     

In the air everywhere.....(with the harps playing)....

Not being a fan of Beautiful Music, I'm sorry to say that I didn't hear Bill Moen until KABL-FM's short-lived attempt to compete with KOIT, doing lite rock. He retired shortly after that in the mid 90s. I enjoyed his dry wit.

If you're ever up in Lake County (where Bill "retired") you can hear him on 1270/KXBX.  He's still looking pretty dapper, too.

Ah, come on, you guys! You're just doing this because there's nothing on TV and you like seeing my head explode, right?

Bill Moen has been the all-knowing voice of the museum's Classic KABL for the past couple of years:

http://www.KABL960.com/

Bill sends down a series of voicers every few weeks for us. The station is a sort of hybrid of KABL (in various iterations), with some touches of KSFO, Magic 61 and KMPX thrown in.

In addition, we have great archival imaging from the original KABL, going back to the early 1960s up through Clear Channel's ownership. In fact, Clear Channel licensed us to carry on the KABL "brand."

Trish Bell now does "Sunday Sounds" on Classic KABL from 10 AM to 1 PM. On Sundays, of course. Check it out.

Somebody please help me scrape up all this gray matter...

[BurnedOutOnTheBoards]

BossRadioDJ,

Ah....didn't know you used Bernie for your closer.....

You are not alone! I used it on my 90's KMPX "recreation", and must have stayed two hours after shift answering calls from folks wondering why music like that all but disappeared from the air during their lifetimes!
That recording of "Pleasant Dreams" will always have nostalgic value to me, too.

And, yes.......I have spent hours on the Museum's website, savoring fond memories.....