87.7 Cleveland's Sound

[Jim B.]

Well, I'm just glad that someone picked up this kind of format again, since 92.3 went talk.
I hear others mention stations I've never heard of tho. 99X? Who are they? The only Cleveland station between 99.1 and 99.9 is WGAR 99.5! 91.3? There is no 91.3 in Cleveland. You have WRUW at 91.1, and I think WOBC is still running at 91.5.
Meanwhile, no one mentions WBWC at 88.3, WSTB at 88.9 (hard to hear in Cleveland tho because of WUJC at 88.7). Those are the closest thing we've had in the interim.
And as for WMMS, I'm surprised they're still on the air. I know my radios all stopped working on that frequency in the 80's when they started playing that michael jackson/madonna crap. Not to mention all the crooked stuff they pulled...

 

[1sttimecaller]

Now I've seen it all. ALL.

 

[CleveFan]

Well, I'm just glad that someone picked up this kind of format again, since 92.3 went talk.
I hear others mention stations I've never heard of tho. 99X? Who are they? The only Cleveland station between 99.1 and 99.9 is WGAR 99.5! 91.3? There is no 91.3 in Cleveland. You have WRUW at 91.1, and I think WOBC is still running at 91.5.
Meanwhile, no one mentions WBWC at 88.3, WSTB at 88.9 (hard to hear in Cleveland tho because of WUJC at 88.7). Those are the closest thing we've had in the interim.
And as for WMMS, I'm surprised they're still on the air. I know my radios all stopped working on that frequency in the 80's when they started playing that michael jackson/madonna crap. Not to mention all the crooked stuff they pulled...

99.1 (a.k.a. 99X) is a 250 watt translator covering most of Cuyahoga County - at least much of west side through the near east side if I am not mistaken - with the Premium Choice (part of Clear Channel) Alternative Rock format. The station is also heard on 100.7 HD2 and online.

91.3 is an Akron station known as The Summit - WAPS. It has been AAA (Adult Album Alternative) for years and is very well-known.

They must not come in where you are because of their signal ranges.

I will say with the college stations, including the ones you mentioned and I missed, along with 87.7, 99.1, and Akron's 91.3 - not to mention the existing commercial stations, rock radio has gotten better in Cleveland to many who are fans of new and old rock.

 

[VODood]

Let's start the dead pool now.....

Baylor is on the board with March 2013.

It'll be on air til the FCC pulls the plug (2015) and they can cash in the DTV license for millions.

Or...unless the owners can LMA it. That's still probable.

 

[VODood]

Just saw on the 87.7 Cleveland FB page their partners meeting with the House of Blues to plan events. That might get the station more listeners. Maybe next is billboards.

Live Nation, I'm willing to bet, a trade deal.

Billboards cost money (and most owned by CCE+M). I doubt it.

 

[VODood]

People keep forgetting that the AAA format (Adult Album Alternative) with the emphasis on Album, means they can go alll over the spectrum of music. In the ancient classic prog era of using turntables. Disc Jockey's played any cut from the record . It could have been a rock track, a soul track, a jazz track, maybe Bobby Vinton ...no just kidding. But for heavens sake!! Stop tearing the station a new ***hole. If you love music and like listening long term to one station in a day ..Then let 87.7 do their thing. If you like repetition..Go up the dial..Take your pick. WLFM is playing the Cleveland Sound..Which means a broader playlist..Less boredom..

"Going all over the (music) spectrum" is a bygone era. Won't work in today's commercial radio, especially in a PPM market. Sorry, that's just the facts. You can have a broader playlist but every song needs to count and resonate with the target demo(s).

 

[FrankInCleveland]

Just for clarification, "You Shook Me All Night Long" is by ACDC.

Thank you, Casey Kasem.

"You Shook Me" is a Muddy Waters song recorded back in '62, and covered by Led Zeppelin on their debut album Led Zeppelin in '69.

The opening verse starts..

"You know you shook me, you shook me all night long" and is sometimes identified as "You Shook Me (All Night Long)"

Thought i'd mention it.. you know. For clarification.

 

[HHH]

After having to shut off the 87.7 morning show some time ago because the host ("Archie") was so bad it was embarrassing, I put it back on this morning for a while, figuring that maybe he found his footing.

No such luck.

Which owner does this guy have pictures of?

That is the only way that this person could have possibly got the plum airshift on the station.

 

[FrankInCleveland]

As a weekender who would love to have a shot at a "raw talent" opening on any day part (let alone a morning shift) I wanted to believe that a fellow "newbie" had been given a much deserved crack at the big show.

Sure I was a bit jealous that a guy who hadn't ever sat behind the mic was going up to bat, but hey, this station is making a statement, right? We're the renegade station with the Cleveland Sound, going to shake things up, break the mold, be different.

Besides, if some no name weekender had gotten the spot, you'd hear the same kind of criticisms and rumbling. So I gave Archie the benefit of the doubt, and listened to his broadcasts with eager anticipation.

Not that he would fail, but that he would knock it out of the park.

I WANTED him to do a groundbreaking show, a funny show, an entertaining show.

I WANTED him to go out there and prove to PD's not only in Cleveland, but across the country, that gone are the tried and true conventions of radio programming. You CAN pick a guy out of retaliative obscurity, stick him in the top slot, and make a home run.

Sure the first few shows are bound to be shaky.. maybe even the first few weeks.. but soon he's sure to find his footing and then show everybody.

What happened instead, is Archie set the "hire obscure raw talent" movement back about 140 years. The suffrage equivalent to electing a woman as president, then have her break down in tears on national television because the Russian president called her bloated.

In short, if Archie is "Cleveland's Sound", then Cleveland must be populated largely by deaf-mutes.

[ROLL CLIP OF DEAF PERSON SAYING, "I WIKE AHH CHEE! HE MAKE ME WAFF"]

But then again, I don't think Rachel Steele is anything but a liner reader, either.. and with the news Rocco will be spinning tunes from 7 till 10 fresh from the can.. it's making that renegade, rag tag group of radio rebels I'd had in my mind sound more like the corporate old boys club.

 

[dannykewl]

You're both right on "You Shook Me". There are 2 completely different versions, different lyrics. The old blues standard just called "You Shook Me" (but "all night long" is next in the lyrics) was written by Willie Dixon, and covered by John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, BB King, Led Zeppelin and countless others. AC/DC also did a completely different tune titled "You Shook Me All Night Long". Now hard to tell which version was played, as either would have prolly fit in their format, the Led Zep version as a lost classic.

EDIT: Guess it won't let me delete this, I just seen where this was discussed and I think resolved.

 

[CleveRadioInsider]

The only new air personality we have heard is this Archie guy. I've said it a thousand times that anytime a "new" station comes on board 95% of the people at least on here just want to hear the same names over and over and over ad nauseum. Nothing against anyone. I have no personal axes to grind with anyone but the reason WMMS succeeded is because the people on air at the time were eager to prove themselves. Now we get a new station in town people only want to hear the same people. Rachel Steele and Rocco are from failed operations. Rocco is a great guy and the Gonzo Radio broadcast he did on WMMS was some of the best radio ever put out but his time as a cutting edge on air personality have been gone since the end went off the air. Rachel Steele as someone said is a liner card reader. Why is 92.3 the Fan succeeding in this town for the most part? A lot of new names on the air that nobody knew other than (Phelps/Baskin). Give new people a shot and they want to prove themselves.

 

[Tim L]

Let's look at the 92.3 schedule:

Kiley/Booms-Long history of shows apart and together
Baskin/Phelps-Long radio/tv careers in Cleveland
Bull/Fox-Dustin I believe has been on other shows (I could be wrong on him) Adam The Bull-Long time sub host in NYC-Very popular, could have had his own show there..

Ken Carman-Own show in Akron-Former Aeros PBP guy

Weekends:Lima, Silverstein and Lull have been around..The only guys I've never heard of are J. G. Spooner and "Chico"..

Point being..Most of the 92.3 guys are not exactly "rookies"..

 

[rubberchicken]

What about one of the local comedians who are always in with Alan Cox. Mike Polk or Ryan Dalton? Brain fart on some other names. Maybe give someone like Dan Stansbury his own spot, focused on music with 8 or 9 songs per hour and show content the rest.
Anyone who works in a studio needs to be quick on their feet. More so in a fast paced morning drive setting. I haven't heard Archie but from what all of you have said, he's not that.

 

[74WIXYGrad]

How often is the lineup of a new station set in stone? Basically, these personalities will sink or swim on their own accord, while headhunters for this new station will be listening for new talent from the existing pool out there. This will be people with exceptional voices and personalities working for cheap elsewhere.

Bill Clark, general manager of the WIXY School of Broadcast Technique and also news director at WIXY/1260, told our class that he would go driving around on the weekend, listening to newscasts on smaller stations, to try to fill openings. He once heard a newscaster who did a great job with one exception-He mumbled his name.

Anyways I'm sure that people connected with 87.7 have their ears opened for those exceptional voices, practicing their trade, and not not mumbling their names, elsewhere. People whom they can get at a bargain basement price, who are obscure weekend personalities, traffic reporters, or news reporters at the small stations.

 

[CleveRadioInsider]

Tim L the only ones on that station with any history in Cleveland are Baskin/Phelps. Kiley was national and brought in to pair with Booms who had one show on 92.3 about a decade ago and was on a fledgling internet station. Fox was a former Ohio State player who made his name in sports not broadcasting. Bull was a fill in host in New York and Ken Carman was in Akron. None of those names are rehashed Clevelanders except Baskin/Phelps. Anthony Lima was in New York, Joe Lull nobody heard of outside of WEOL and Silverstein has not been relevant since late 90s at WKNR. So your argument if false.

 

[vjm]

Tim L the only ones on that station with any history in Cleveland are Baskin/Phelps. Kiley was national and brought in to pair with Booms who had one show on 92.3 about a decade ago and was on a fledgling internet station. Fox was a former Ohio State player who made his name in sports not broadcasting. Bull was a fill in host in New York and Ken Carman was in Akron. None of those names are rehashed Clevelanders except Baskin/Phelps. Anthony Lima was in New York, Joe Lull nobody heard of outside of WEOL and Silverstein has not been relevant since late 90s at WKNR. So your argument if false.

I'll even throw this in...Baskin and Phelps are more known for being TV guys than they were for radio.

So all told, the main weekday hosts at 92.3 The Fan have had at most, a cup of coffee in Cleveland radio before 8/28/11.

 

[CleveRadioInsider]

I think that is why the station is going to be successful they have the right blend of people you know and people who want to prove themselves.

 

[FrankInCleveland]

The signal sounds like a cheap transistor radio in all 8 car radios i've listened to the station on.. which is super evident when you A/B their signal with any other FM signal.

Archie is a promotions guy, not an on air personality, and it shows. One friend described his delivery, "As if he has mouth full of oatmeal". Maybe he just needs some time to dial it in. If management was really this confident about his raw talent, why not put him in the evening spot and get some footing and just run the station in sweep till midday?

Rachel Steele is a liner card reader with a porn star name, but let's be honest.. for middays that's all you really need. Intro or back sell the songs, do your liners, take a few requests, don't get in the way of the music. That's a great choice for a station you're listening to while waiting for a root canal.. but when I think, "Clevelands Sound", I don't think dental procedure background noise.

The one actual "personality" they have that could really bring some yum to the recipe is voice tracking his show.

Nothing says cutting edge, raw rock and roll than the Bee Gees, pennyloafer shoes, and voice tracking.

This isn't me disappointed as a broadcaster.. this is me disappointed as a listener.

It's a lot like meeting a super hot chick at a bar, going home with her, then finding out "she" is swingin' a bigger stick than you.

 

[dannykewl]

The signal sounds like a cheap transistor radio in all 8 car radios i've listened to the station on.. which is super evident when you A/B their signal with any other FM signal.

That's inherent in using analog channel 6's frequency as an FM station. The signal is actually on 87.75, and if you have a radio that tunes that exact freq., you'd be surprised in the quality difference. This is a problem with receiving any audio from any analog channel 6 on the FM band, as you could hear the TV stations this way on channel 6 before we had digital TV. You are actually listening to one of the "sidebands" on 87.7. However, to me it seems that WLFM has compensated for this best they can by adding more volume and EQ in their audio signal. The volume level seems to match the other FM stations at 87.7, and even louder and more "oomph" yet on 87.75. Normally, the audio to an analog channel 6 as heard on 87.7 would sound flat and be at a much lower volume level than the other FM stations.

Because of their amplified audio signal, use caution tuning them in on analog channel 6 on your TV, the audio will be very loud compared to other TV stations even on analog, like channel 35, which seems louder than the digital stations. Turn down the volume before you tune them in.

 

[dannykewl]

The signal sounds like a cheap transistor radio in all 8 car radios i've listened to the station on.. which is super evident when you A/B their signal with any other FM signal.

That's inherent in using analog channel 6's frequency as an FM station. The signal is actually on 87.75, and if you have a radio that tunes that exact freq., you'd be surprised in the quality difference. This is a problem with receiving any audio from any analog channel 6 on the FM band, as you could hear the TV stations this way on channel 6 before we had digital TV. You are actually listening to one of the "sidebands" on 87.7. However, to me it seems that WLFM has compensated for this best they can by adding more volume and EQ in their audio signal. The volume level seems to match the other FM stations at 87.7, and even louder and more "oomph" yet on 87.75. Normally, the audio to an analog channel 6 as heard on 87.7 would sound flat and be at a much lower volume level than the other FM stations.

Because of their amplified audio signal, use caution tuning them in on analog channel 6 on your TV, the audio will be very loud compared to other TV stations even on analog, like channel 35, which seems louder than the digital stations. Turn down the volume before you tune them in.

OK, I just came back from some shopping errands, and as I was driving, I tried to A/B WLFM against some of the other local stations. My car stereo don't put out tons of bass, sometimes it's not there at all, even with the bass slider all the way maxed. I have the OEM AM/FM/CD/cassette that comes in a 2005 Dodge Caravan. After several station flippings back and forth, I judge WLFM to have more bass than Majic 105.7, maybe even with 104.1/106.5. 99X seemed to blow all the stations out of the water with bass. WLFM played a few songs with more than adequate bass. They played a station liner that goes something like "We don't play the music that your kids listen to", and played a snippet of CRJ's "Call Me Maybe", and the bass in that snippet was incredible. WLFM maybe be lacking a slight tad in total dynamic range, but again, prolly due to them being a TV station in all actuality. Then again a lot of the alt music isn't known for dynamic range, more raw energy. I find WLFM, even at 87.7 (vs. 87.75) more than adequate quality. Much better than compressed HD2 and HD3 signals.