105.9 The Pebble! Nashville's FM Rock Radio

[scottwmro]

SwissVol sent me the following message:

"Scott, God I hate to think about my ipod quiting on me. That might mean that until I got a new one, I might have to listen to The pebble @ 105.9
Anyway, Titans broadcast rocks!!!!"

Swiss,
Yesterday going home I was pre-set channel flipping in the market. 105.9 was playing Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", then straight out of that song to Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets". I asked myself "What kind of ROCK station is this? We're going from a kick-butt rock tune to a Top 40, Oldie but Goodie. I don't know who the consultant is for their format, but they need have their heads and rear ends checked.
I flipped it over to 102.9, The Buzz. No consistency! Everything that rocks, PLEASE! Some of that grunge rock is not music; it's as bad as hip-hop, rap.
Somebody needs to straighten out Nashville's Rock Radio Stations! 102.9 & 105.9 are both a mess, not jock wise, the jocks are fine. I'm talking "Playlist Wise".
Monday at 12 noon, 27 years ago was dooms day for the Rock Listeners of the Nashville Market. Sudbrink Broadcasting of Florida came into this market and KILLED WQKB, ROCK 106, the best damn rock station I had ever heard. It was so good; it kicked KDF's tail, and was #1 in this market in 1979-80. I'd love to kick those old men's a** for doing what they do and I would even did if today I had a crack at it. Then KDF hires a consultant during that time after Rock 106 was dead and he proclaimed that he would change KDF to an AC station within 3 years. This was to leave Nashville without a Rocker.
If Swiss and I had ahold of 105.9, the jocks would remain in place, but the music would be programmed right for a Classic Rocker, mixed with select current rock cuts from the metal and straight up hard rock bands. No unknown grunge rock like what is on The Buzz.
Swiss, you have mention Jethro Tull, I miss hearing that band. I haven't heard one song from them played on the radio since 1986, on 96 Rock in Atlanta. Billy Idol had songs that rock stations wouldn't play that were great tunes, so did Judas Priest, Kiss, Quiet Riot, Joan Jett, Metallica, Black Sabbath/Ozzy, etc.
What Is On People Minds? What do they think rock really is, Air Supply, Brittney?????....PLEASE! :-\

R.I.P.: "ROCK 106, WKQB, NASHVILLE, CRANK IT UP!"

 

[SwissVol]

I can not take credit for the name "The pebble @ 105.9. Someone in this very forum tagged them that very funny tag and I thought it was appropriate. The state of the classic rock format is in bad shape not just in Nashville, but in every market regardless of market size. Have you all read the LA board forums. They have griped about KLOS FM and some other classic rockers out in that market.

I thought the idea of listen to programmed music on an ipod was a silly until I started reading posts from those that were saying the very same thing. They did not need some big voiced guy telling them how great their station was while playing pretty much the same 300-400 songs. I think many of us would have an anxiety attack if the ipod shut down.

Oh no, I'd keep Mary Glenn and Joe Elvis and probably everyone else. I could never see myself turning people out the door into the cold especially just before Christmas. Even if they came from a Perry Como music background, I'd tell them go google every song and artist in our library of tunes and take notes, lots of em!!!

I'd drop John Boy and Billy and put Mary Glen on in the mornings. Leave Joe on in the afternoons. Tell them all to take that bigness out of their voices and speak like the FM underground rock jocks of old, not quite as hippy sounding with the far outs and hey mans, but more laid back and relaxed. Then as Scott said, we'd have some fun with that station. Ok ok, Since I am not a corporate radio Mogul, I am not going to do anything, but hey, I can dream.

 

[scottwmro]

I can not take credit for the name "The pebble @ 105.9. Someone in this very forum tagged them that very funny tag and I thought it was appropriate. The state of the classic rock format is in bad shape not just in Nashville, but in every market regardless of market size. Have you all read the LA board forums. They have griped about KLOS FM and some other classic rockers out in that market.

I thought the idea of listen to programmed music on an ipod was a silly until I started reading posts from those that were saying the very same thing. They did not need some big voiced guy telling them how great their station was while playing pretty much the same 300-400 songs. I think many of us would have an anxiety attack if the ipod shut down.

Oh no, I'd keep Mary Glenn and Joe Elvis and probably everyone else. I could never see myself turning people out the door into the cold especially just before Christmas. Even if they came from a Perry Como music background, I'd tell them go google every song and artist in our library of tunes and take notes, lots of em!!!

I'd drop John Boy and Billy and put Mary Glen on in the mornings. Leave Joe on in the afternoons. Tell them all to take that bigness out of their voices and speak like the FM underground rock jocks of old, not quite as hippy sounding with the far outs and hey mans, but more laid back and relaxed. Then as Scott said, we'd have some fun with that station. Ok ok, Since I am not a corporate radio Mogul, I am not going to do anything, but hey, I can dream.

Swiss,
I agree about dropping John Boy & Billy. It's nothing but a silly, stupid, red neck program. So is Rick & Bubba on WLAC-AM. What is Clear Channel thinking, that Nashville is nothing but full of southern, hee haw, red necks?

I would have hired Rick Marino away from Mix and team him up with Mary Glen in the morning. Now that would be a good morning team on a correctly programmed rocker. Leave Joe Elvis and the rest of them where they are, just move Mary to mornings with a male personallity. Even Coyote would work on a rocker of the sort we are talking about. Nobody would be let go, Christmas, nor any time of the year or any book, just re-adjust the music and become a "harder" rocker. What we need is a "modern day underground rocker, and it can be done.

The closest station I've heard in this area that rocks is 103.7, The Point, but you have to drive north to the state line just to hear them.

Consutants are just out for a buck, so they tell these stations to "play it safe" for job security. Thier example playlist are so tight, no wonder people are going to ipods, downloading from Napster, Rhapsody, itunes, etc. Hell, with Live 365, you can have your own internet station. It's getting to where people are forming an opinion of "Who needs terristrial radio", it sucks!

Back in the day after Rock 106 died, the "Underground Rock Format" was taken to the Non-Comms of Nashville. We tried to take WRVU (91.1) and make 91 Rock a model after Rock 106, but there was too much in the way. Myself, Tommy Franklin, Keith Coes, Dave (Britt) Parker, Eddie Anderson & Jeff Porter did everthing to convience the Vandy organization what the station need to be, but being we were non-students, we got kicked out.

I got with General Manager, Skip Sparkman at WVCP-FM, Vol State, and we tried to take WVCP (88.5) and model it at night to what Rock 106 was. Former Rock 106 personallity, Moby (James Carney) did some kick butt drops and liners for WVCP, Rock 88. Rock 88 went down the tubes in 1985-86 when the administration of Vol State fired General Manager David Beach. David was only there 1 year and made a mess out of the station, allowing the students do do what they wanted, and no consistancy.

Howard Espravnik, current GM of WVCP tried to revive the Rock 88 Format in late 1986, after the station was dark for a 1/2 of a year, and did well with it for about 15 years. Skip Sparkman went on to helping run 1010 WHIN-AM with his partner and my cousin, Jack Williams. Skip remained teaching classes at Vol State, but step down being GM of WVCP in around the early part of 1985.

A year ago, Howard has saw a gap in the market and during the daytime house and it progamming WVCP 60's, 70's and 80's pop oldies during the day (6 AM to 5 PM) and letting the students play grunge rock from 5 PM to Midnight. WVCP goes back to Oldies at Midnight and stays oldies until 5 PM the next day.

 

[SwissVol]

I agree about Coyote. He came up in the rock generation and not unlike the rest of us, probably had many a Jethro Tull, Allman Brothers 8 track in his car. LOL I could see him and Mary Glen in the mornings. Didn't they once do mornings on some station at one time. Seems as though I remember the two of them doing mornings somewhere? Maybe it was back in the Kicks 104 days.

Think we could get Dave Walton to come in and hold down that midday 10 AM to 3 PM slot?

Seriously, I know there is much much more to throwing together a cool radio station than just sitting around in a posting forum talking about it, but hey, it would be fun to see if it would work again. I know the rules of the game are so much different now than what they once were. Tom Donahue of KSAN San Fransisco fame used his radio experience to pretty much make a few calls and boom, he was on the air within one week. In this day of corporate, big lawyers, this dream just is not happening anymore.

 

[mattthepm]

I'd wish they would at least cut back on the amount of Guns N Roses. 'Sweet Child O Mine' and 'Knockin On Heaven's Door' come to mind. Throw Aerosmith and AC/DC in there for good measure:

While we're at it, nix (or at lease reduce the airplay) of these tunes:

Eric Clapton - I Can't Stand It (from 'Another Ticket'. . .good album, mind you, but gets tiresome)
Gregg Allman - Midnight Rider (PLEASE play the original Allman Brothers version every now and then!).
Ram Jam - Black Betty
Rush - Spirit Of Radio

Of course, this is all subjective.

But yeah, 'Cat Scratch Fever' going into 'Benny And The Jets (sssssssssssssssssss)'. . .yeah. . .rather odd.

That's almost like going from Wild Man Fischer into Bert Kaempfert.

Swiss,
Yesterday going home I was pre-set channel flipping in the market. 105.9 was playing Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", then straight out of that song to Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets". I asked myself "What kind of ROCK station is this? We're going from a kick-butt rock tune to a Top 40, Oldie but Goodie. I don't know who the consultant is for their format, but they need have their heads and rear ends checked.

 

[SwissVol]

I'd wish they would at least cut back on the amount of Guns N Roses. 'Sweet Child O Mine' and 'Knockin On Heaven's Door' come to mind. Throw Aerosmith and AC/DC in there for good measure:

While we're at it, nix (or at lease reduce the airplay) of these tunes:

Eric Clapton - I Can't Stand It (from 'Another Ticket'. . .good album, mind you, but gets tiresome)
Gregg Allman - Midnight Rider (PLEASE play the original Allman Brothers version every now and then!).
Ram Jam - Black Betty
Rush - Spirit Of Radio

Of course, this is all subjective.



But yeah, 'Cat Scratch Fever' going into 'Benny And The Jets (sssssssssssssssssss)'. . .yeah. . .rather odd.

That's almost like going from Wild Man Fischer into Bert Kaempfert.

Swiss,
Yesterday going home I was pre-set channel flipping in the market. 105.9 was playing Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever", then straight out of that song to Elton John's, "Bennie And The Jets". I asked myself "What kind of ROCK station is this? We're going from a kick-butt rock tune to a Top 40, Oldie but Goodie. I don't know who the consultant is for their format, but they need have their heads and rear ends checked.

You mentioned Clapton's "I can't stand it. The track Rita Mae from that same album is damn fine track. I know it is a deep track, but that is the point. Deeper cuts would dominate and the monster tracks, well they would be played, but the point is to have a station that can sound fresh and listenable. I also believe strongly that a station can mix certain artists best known for AAA radio that would not clash with artists such as Zz Top or Clapton. Chris Whitley, Joe Bonamassa, Chris Rea, Fred Eaglesmith and even Southern Culture on the skids would work in this kind of format.

Yes, the Nugent to Elton John is classic train wreck if there ever was one. Instead of playing the tired overplayed Benny and the Jets, why not "Where to now St Peter by Elton John? That Tumbleweed connection album was a fine album in it's day and there was not an FM album rock station anywhere that did not play tracks from that.

I agree that Midnight Rider the original version is by far the best version. Other tracks from that same album Hoochie Coochie Man, Leave my blues at home, Please call home are begging to be played again.

I have a name for the station "Deep dish rox 105.9" LOL

Or what about "In your dreams @ 105.9 It is a good dream though

 

[junebaby62]

105.9 The Rock is playing Elton John, huh. I remember back when they first came on the scene back in February of 98, they use to "DOG" Arrow 104.5 for playing wimppy music like Elton John, now their doing the same thing. Boy, times have changed. I use to like 105.9 back when they first started, but hearing AC-DC every 4 or 5 songs got old after awhile.

 

[scottwmro]

Swiss,
Scan reading over the comments you guys have made makes me wonder, who is WNRQ going after? It's not The Buzz and not Lighting 100. They are kind of alone out there by themselves.
I'll have to say, the only decent FM station in the Nashville Market is 96.3 Jack. The rest of the FM stations suck and can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned. Now Jack's playlist may be mixed with some old CHR hits and currents, but you do have to admit, I've heard some songs on Jack that 105.9 won't play, and I'm not hearing this red-neck crap 24/7.
Clear Channel has insulted many citizens in the Nashville Area by airing morning shows like John Boy & Billy on 105.9 and Rick & Bubba on 1510. But hell, what can you expect, thier corporate offices are still in Texas, the home of red-neck thinking. Come on, we all know the red-necks are a small minority and always will be.

 

[SwissVol]

Swiss,
Scan reading over the comments you guys have made makes me wonder, who is WNRQ going after? It's not The Buzz and not Lighting 100. They are kind of alone out there by themselves.
I'll have to say, the only decent FM station in the Nashville Market is 96.3 Jack. The rest of the FM stations suck and can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned. Now Jack's playlist may be mixed with some old CHR hits and currents, but you do have to admit, I've heard some songs on Jack that 105.9 won't play, and I'm not hearing this red-neck crap 24/7.
Clear Channel has insulted many citizens in the Nashville Area by airing morning shows like John Boy & Billy on 105.9 and Rick & Bubba on 1510. But hell, what can you expect, thier corporate offices are still in Texas, the home of red-neck thinking. Come on, we all know the red-necks are a small minority and always will be.

Scott, I am guessing that there prime targets are young males in the 30 year old demo range since that is where advertisers place much emphasis in that particular age group. Why not? It sells and it does make money for stations right?

So the ole demo thing rears back up again to spoil the dream LOL

 

[deltas69]

mary glen and coyote did the morning thing at kixx 104, (104.5) in gallatin during the early eighties when ron bledsoe owned it..was the number one station at the time, michael st john was pd..

 

[romer979fm]

The rest of the FM stations suck and can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned.

all the best to you, Scott...
those of us actually on the air on FM thank you for your input

 

[firepoint525]

For as bad as 105.9 may be now, at least they have not resorted to playing Cyndi Lauper and Culture Club, the way some of you said KDF did. I never heard those, but I heard Spandau Ballet during a "Velveeta Lounge" once. I like the song "True," but it is not a "rock" song, and does not belong on a "rock" station. If 105.9 does not do anything else, at least they forced KDF into a format change.

I really think 105.9 is turning into a sort of "classic hits" station. Maybe they are going after the Tower! ;D

 

[SwissVol]

mary glen and coyote did the morning thing at kixx 104, (104.5) in gallatin during the early eighties when ron bledsoe owned it..was the number one station at the time, michael st john was pd..

I knew I remembered those two working the morning show somewhere. Even though Coyote is more associated with "Oldies" radio, I know he could slide into a deep rock format thing easily and do it it quite well. I know some Canadians who tag anything played on rock or top 4o radio back in the day as oldies. When I try and tell them no no no, oldies is The Supremes, The Four season and Air Supply. Classic rock is Led Zeppelin, Zz Top, The Doors and so on. They say: Yeah, oldies" ??? LOL