Better Living Through Blogging

Wednesday, December 8th, 2004

Radio Love

The first radio station that I identified with - that I felt was “mine” - was KMET, 94.7 FM, in Los Angeles. I lived about 90 miles away in the Mojave Desert, and at the age of 14, I was really getting into rock music (The Doors, Rush, etc), and in the LA listening area back in the early ’80s, you had two choices: KMET and arch-rival KLOS (95.5). I preferred KMET; I have very fuzzy memories of some of the names of the DJs/personalities: “The Burner” Mary Turner, Jeff Gonzer (of “Gonzer’s Grill”), Jim Ladd, and a few others. I distinctly recall hearing “Valley Girl” when it premiered on KMET, and the DJ played it three or four times in about two hours. I never understood the King Biscuit thingie, and Dr Demento was hit-or-miss, but what did I know back then?

So anyway…thinking about KMET the other day is what prompted the earlier post about “Hump Day,” because KMET had “titles” for each day of the workweek. If memory serves, it went like this:

Margarita Monday
Titillating Tuesday
Hump Wednesday
Champagne “Payday” Thursday
Finally A Friday

And that was my first Radio Love. There have been others since: KSOL, 98.9, in the SF Bay Area, circa 1994-97, which specialized in R&B/Old School; a college station in Oklahoma called “The Spy” back in 1997/98; another college station in Spokane (1982/83) with hosts Jeff & Julie; and my current favorite here in Great Falls, the nationwide “Music Of Your Life” format on 1310-KEIN am.

5 Responses to “Radio Love”

1. Sam Says:
   December 8th, 2004 at 11:44 pm

   God bless Marconi. If it weren’t for him, guys like Gonzer, Ladd and even me wouldn’t be eating. Great post!

2. Deliverance Says:
   December 9th, 2004 at 5:48 am

   90 miles away in the Mojave. That must have been Victorville, maybe George AFB?

3. david Says:
   December 9th, 2004 at 8:28 am

   Not far off the mark, Deliverance — Edwards AFB!

4. ms7168 Says:
   December 9th, 2004 at 9:51 am

   a college station in Oklahoma called “The Spy” back in 1997/98

   The station is now a top40 mainstream. The format was moved to Oklahoma City a few years ago to mixed response. Now it’s gone because it wasn’t commercially successful Dang corporate types.

5. pat walsh Says:
   March 8th, 2005 at 11:54 am

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   I have extremely fond memories of KMET. I was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, MI. I was always a huge rock n roll fan in the 60’s, but mostly in the 70’s. I recently saw a forum about how bad LA rock n roll is right now. You think it is bad there, you should see it here in Detroit. I was in the Marines in the late 70’s–stationed at Camp Pendleton, Ca. I remember the 1st time I was turned on to KMET. I was on guard watch in the barracks at about midnight, and one of my fellow marines had fallen asleep with his “box” on tuned to Jim Ladd. I don’t recal exactly what Jim was talking about that night, but whatever it was plus the great music he was playing got me hooked. After my stay in the marines, I lived in Carlsbad for 4 more years. The only problem was San Diego rock sucked compared with KMET or even KLOS, and it you weren’t on the coast, the reception to get the LA stations was horrible. I remember driving in land to Vista or Escondido and the mountains blocking the reception to get KMET. My favorites were Paraquat Kelly, Jeff Gonzer, Cynthia Fox, Mary Turner, Ace Young, Jackson B Snyderfish, and of course Jim Ladd. The noon surf report, the fish report. Anyone remember the “Sammy the surfer” series? I came back to Cali in 1984, to visit friends and go to the Worl Series between Detroit and San Diego, and I recorded 5 days worth of KMET so I could take it back and listen later and appreciate what real rock radio is all about. I have listened to rock radio in Detroit, NY, Fort Myers, FL., Atlanta, San Diego, Dallas, Chicago, and other cities thruout the country, and I can safely say KMET is and was the best. There will never be anything like it again. WHHHOOOOAAAA!!!!!!!

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