93/KHJ is Back! and it sounds great

[davideduardo]

KNAC "The Knack") was an "underground FM rock station licensed to Long Beach in the 1970s and 80s. - "Pure Rock" 105.5." They had a cult audience, but due to signal limitations, were never really able to take hold in the LA rock market against KMET, KLOS, etc.

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal.

According to Wikepedia, KNAC endured as an Alt-rock station until the early 90s, then went under. knac.com apparently carries on the tradition.

It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.

 

[scooty430]

You have the first parts of the KNAC story right: progressive, then alternative (at the time called Modern Rock.) But you missed the most famous incarnation, the heavy metal period. This was the "Pure Rock" period. The black KNAC shirt from that time was an icon for years, and the station rode the hair metal / Metallica era to continued cult status. That period ran 1986-1995.

It then went Spanish.

They were then one of the first stations to appear on the net, and I think they are still there.

By the way, I'm listening to the KHJ station right now, and it is LIVE. It's loaded with tons and tons of stiffs! It sounds good, except you can hear the guy's Windows program clinking in the back. Oops.

 

[beachguy3b]

Nice processing. Sounds fine as far as the audio.

But why is every song Jimmy Gilbert? I listened to 3 songs and they all said the same in the ID window.

 

[lpAZ]

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal. It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.
[/quote]

Not really. KNAC's signal was weak. No west side, no valley. In 94, Key Market who had aquired it a year earlier from Fred Sands had tried to aquire another FM freq in the valley to extend KNAC's reach. Once that deal fell thru they sold to LBI. LBI put their format on two frequncies, KBUE and KBUA explaining the ratings.

 

[qtpieislit]

KNAC "The Knack") was an "underground FM rock station licensed to Long Beach in the 1970s and 80s. - "Pure Rock" 105.5." They had a cult audience, but due to signal limitations, were never really able to take hold in the LA rock market against KMET, KLOS, etc.

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal.

According to Wikepedia, KNAC endured as an Alt-rock station until the early 90s, then went under. knac.com apparently carries on the tradition.

It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.

What were the calls and freq. of the AM?

 

[lpAZ]

KNAC "The Knack") was an "underground FM rock station licensed to Long Beach in the 1970s and 80s. - "Pure Rock" 105.5." They had a cult audience, but due to signal limitations, were never really able to take hold in the LA rock market against KMET, KLOS, etc.

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal.

According to Wikepedia, KNAC endured as an Alt-rock station until the early 90s, then went under. knac.com apparently carries on the tradition.

It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.

What were the calls and freq. of the AM?

KDAY 1580

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Wow I guess we all have our opinions but I thought the Gary Mora sight did not sound as good. I don't know what they have done on the Mora site but it doesn't sound as clean and clear as the KYA site. I agree the KYAF site does not sound as good.
On the other hand I like to tune in the Saturday night live Legends show with Chris Edwards White because it is live and plays requests, the music is great and it's fun to listen too.
Mr Akbar what do you have against this station. Oh yes I have read all the stuff about Chris Edwards White but I don't care about any of that I just like the music. He is a music genius.

If you're keeping score, Verne White (a/k/a "Grammy Award winning disc jockey Chris Edwards") is now calling himself "norcalreps" on Radio-Info.com, having dropped his most recent incarnation, "Bill Drake."

Most of his posts so far include a plug for his new artificial imitation KHJ, a slam at Ben Fong-Torres ... and Verne's standard misspelling of "website" as "web sight" or simply "sight."

 

[davideduardo]

KNAC "The Knack") was an "underground FM rock station licensed to Long Beach in the 1970s and 80s. - "Pure Rock" 105.5." They had a cult audience, but due to signal limitations, were never really able to take hold in the LA rock market against KMET, KLOS, etc.

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal.

According to Wikepedia, KNAC endured as an Alt-rock station until the early 90s, then went under. knac.com apparently carries on the tradition.

It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.

What were the calls and freq. of the AM?

KDAY 1580

It was formerly KDAY, and KBLA under Sands.

 

[davideduardo]

The signal limitations were such that the station has occasionally been in the top 10 12+ in LA since it changed format. The problem was mostly the format, not the signal. It didn't go under. The owner, a major commercial real estate broker, had lost money on the sister AM and just wanted out of radio. He sold it to LBI who took over in early 1995.

Not really. KNAC's signal was weak. No west side, no valley. In 94, Key Market who had aquired it a year earlier from Fred Sands had tried to aquire another FM freq in the valley to extend KNAC's reach. Once that deal fell thru they sold to LBI. LBI put their format on two frequncies, KBUE and KBUA explaining the ratings.

KBUE got large numbers... double and tripple those of KNAC... in 1995 and 1996 and early '97 when KBUA was not part of the operation.

KBUE started 2/95. KBUA was not even negotiated till 11/96.

 

[DrAkbar]

Wow I guess we all have our opinions but I thought the Gary Mora sight did not sound as good. I don't know what they have done on the Mora site but it doesn't sound as clean and clear as the KYA site. I agree the KYAF site does not sound as good.
On the other hand I like to tune in the Saturday night live Legends show with Chris Edwards White because it is live and plays requests, the music is great and it's fun to listen too.
Mr Akbar what do you have against this station. Oh yes I have read all the stuff about Chris Edwards White but I don't care about any of that I just like the music. He is a music genius.

If you're keeping score, Verne White (a/k/a "Grammy Award winning disc jockey Chris Edwards") is now calling himself "norcalreps" on Radio-Info.com, having dropped his most recent incarnation, "Bill Drake."

Is this the same Chris Edwards who has pictures of his home bar on the other KYA "websight"? At least Gary Mora isn't pretending to be Gary Mora...or a music genius with a playlist of 12,000 titles!

 

[bossbill]

Did somebody say this was live? What planet would one be on to think that? The first clue is Don Steels is doing time checks and he's about 25 minutes ahead.

 

[BossJock1947]

Could you elaborate? Why is it revisionist history, in your opinion?

Oh, golly gee, maybe because it's a wimpy FM and not the legendary flame-throwing AM?

It's a poser! A wannabe!

It ain't gonna set the world on fire.

Agreed!