94 WYSP Philadelphia Radio Memories

[jmd]

Hi Guys and Gals! Flash back: Dateline Philadelphia. Does anyone remember the advent of the "digital audio" age? 1985? How about 1-800-CDINFO1. That was WYSP's information line to call to see if your favorite artist was available on CD "YET"! And yes I can't forget "CD SATURDAY" Every track played was from CD, you really couldn't tell the difference yet because most car and home audio equipment wasn't "digital ready " yet. Share yours and have a great weekend! Happy Halloween...Jim D

 

[DStroyerNEPA]

I remember All-Request Saturday Night. It was jockless, with just listener request calls being played over a music bed that was usually either a cartoon theme, or a 50's or 60's TV show theme.

The beginning of the Eagles Football coverage in 1991-ish. I remember the jocks going on at great length about how it great it was to have football on FM, with the "on-field parabolic microphones to pick up all the action!"

The day in 1992 or 93 where it seemed like ALL of the jocks (except Howard) had been replaced. I distinctly remember Cerphe (or, from what I was hearing, "Therf"), and Russ Albums (deepest DJ voice I'd ever heard). I believe, for a while, right around that time, they went with a 70-year-old-sounding female voiceover person.

Billboard campaign with a cartoon guy looking stoned out of his mind saying, "94 WYSP! Howard Stern All !@#$%&*#@ Morning, Classic Rock & Roll All @#!@#$%& Day!!!!"

The last song of the classic rock format: Doors "The End". And, I believe the first song of the active rock format (kicked off by John DeBella just about 10 years ago this month) was Toadies "Possum Kingdom". I still remember the rumor flying through the halls at Y100 - "WYSP's going hot talk on Friday!!" Haha!

The first day of Opie & Anthony in afternoons:

Listener: "Yo, man. Stop aw dis tawkin'! I wunna hear rock-n-roll!"
Jim Norton: "You can tell this guy's a real tool. Who the hell says 'rock-n-roll'?!?! What is this, 1955???"
O&A: "Bow-buh-buh-bow, ba-dang-a-dang-dang, dang-dah-dah-dang-a-ding-a-ding-ding!!!!......"<P ID="signature">______________
Hoo.....hoo.... Rob..........bin.</P>

 

[KlassikKountry]

Spring 1971, I worked in the Suburban Station Building and that day all these girls were giving out flyers about the new WYSP playing rock music. These flyers had a 6 jock lineup, their names, pictures, where they were from et al. In the studios they brought a big rock in with WYSP painted on it, in the front window, the studios were right in the middle of the first floor passway. I noticed Frank X Feller dressed in a 3 piece with a few other big wheels overseeing everything. T-Shirts were given out it had the logo 94wysp in the middle. I always thought this was a top 40 station to battle WIFI but when I went in my office to try it out I was surprised it was going after the giant in those days MMR.

 

[apco25]

> Spring 1971, I worked in the Suburban Station Building and
> that day all these girls were giving out flyers about the
> new WYSP playing rock music. These flyers had a 6 jock
> lineup, their names, pictures, where they were from et al.
> In the studios they brought a big rock in with WYSP painted
> on it, in the front window, the studios were right in the
> middle of the first floor passway. I noticed Frank X Feller
> dressed in a 3 piece with a few other big wheels overseeing
> everything. T-Shirts were given out it had the logo 94wysp
> in the middle. I always thought this was a top 40 station
> to battle WIFI but when I went in my office to try it out I
> was surprised it was going after the giant in those days
> MMR.
>


You mean spring of 74', both stations weren't around doing what they were doing in 71.

 

[EJ3]

My favorite memory of WYSP was around 1989 or 90, I had just gotten my wisdom teeth out. I called in on a whim, and the late, great Ed Sciaky answered. Could you play "Comfortably Numb"? "I'll see what I can do", says Ed.
A few minutes later...
Hello,
Is there anybody in there
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home
Come on now
I hear you're feeling down
I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again
Relax
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts...

 

[saund3461]

WYSP was a sort of Top40/Album Rock hybrid as early as 1972. I remember listening to it in the spring of my Freshman year in High School. I can't say for sure about WIFI, but WYSP was definately a rock station before 1974.



> > Spring 1971, I worked in the Suburban Station Building and
>
> > that day all these girls were giving out flyers about the
> > new WYSP playing rock music. These flyers had a 6 jock
> > lineup, their names, pictures, where they were from et al.
>


>You mean spring of 74', both stations weren't around doing
> what they were doing in 71.
>

 

[gethigh]

Maybe the deep voice chick you heard was Pam Merley.
that was back in the day when WYSP's playlist was soooooo close minded and narrow, that you would hear them Play rubber biscuit by the blues Brithers, and then play some CSNY tune and then followed by some John COUGAR Mellancamp song, most likely "I need a lover" that you heard 1 1/2 ago. WYSP previous to it's flip to currents, was notorious for repeats within one hour of the 1st spin.
Hell, I can even think back to When WYSP had Kotz Comedy Corner on Saturday late nights. LONG LIVE THE PAUL BARSKY SHOW!!!

I remember All-Request Saturday Night. It was jockless,
> with just listener request calls being played over a music
> bed that was usually either a cartoon theme, or a 50's or
> 60's TV show theme.
>
> The beginning of the Eagles Football coverage in 1991-ish.
> I remember the jocks going on at great length about how it
> great it was to have football on FM, with the "on-field
> parabolic microphones to pick up all the action!"
>
> The day in 1992 or 93 where it seemed like ALL of the jocks
> (except Howard) had been replaced. I distinctly remember
> Cerphe (or, from what I was hearing, "Therf"), and Russ
> Albums (deepest DJ voice I'd ever heard). I believe, for a
> while, right around that time, they went with a
> 70-year-old-sounding female voiceover person.
>
> Billboard campaign with a cartoon guy looking stoned out of
> his mind saying, "94 WYSP! Howard Stern All !@#$%&*#@
> Morning, Classic Rock & Roll All @#!@#$%& Day!!!!"
>
> The last song of the classic rock format: Doors "The End".
> And, I believe the first song of the active rock format
> (kicked off by John DeBella just about 10 years ago this
> month) was Toadies "Possum Kingdom". I still remember the
> rumor flying through the halls at Y100 - "WYSP's going hot
> talk on Friday!!" Haha!
>
> The first day of Opie & Anthony in afternoons:
>
> Listener: "Yo, man. Stop aw dis tawkin'! I wunna hear
> rock-n-roll!"
> Jim Norton: "You can tell this guy's a real tool. Who the
> hell says 'rock-n-roll'?!?! What is this, 1955???"
> O&A: "Bow-buh-buh-bow, ba-dang-a-dang-dang,
> dang-dah-dah-dang-a-ding-a-ding-ding!!!!......"
>

 

[apco25]

> WYSP was a sort of Top40/Album Rock hybrid as early as 1972.
> I remember listening to it in the spring of my Freshman year
> in High School. I can't say for sure about WIFI, but WYSP
> was definately a rock station before 1974.
>
> Are you sure? YSP was an Beautiful easy listening format that was known as "WISP" that competed with WDVR, WPBS, and a few others before it went any type of rock.

> > > Spring 1971, I worked in the Suburban Station Building
> and
> >
> > > that day all these girls were giving out flyers about
> the
> > > new WYSP playing rock music. These flyers had a 6 jock
> > > lineup, their names, pictures, where they were from et
> al.
> >
>
>
> >You mean spring of 74', both stations weren't around doing
> > what they were doing in 71.
> >
>

 

[Wexler]

Re: 94 WYSP Memories

Free concert with the Hooters at the Willow Grove Mall...I think it was 1983 or 1984.

The very first day Stern came on the air - I thought it would never work in Philly. A guy from NY doing a talk show here? Never.

The first time I heard Howard do his Ricky and Lucy skit...I could probably post about 200 Stern memories...like the first time I heard them play the Jackie laugh track to the announcement of some celebrities death...so, too many Stern memories to count.

Howard Stern on 911.

The announcement that WYSP was going all talk in prime the first time.

Anthony from O&A doing his Mike Tyson impersonation when Tyson went bonkers at a press conference - he had Tyson loose in NYC and climbing the Empire State building with planes flying by spraying him with Zoloft. I was laughing so hard I could not see the road in front of me and had to pull over.

The Sex for Sam incident, and the very real on-air reaction during that same show.

The day after Sex for Sam when Cousin Ed came on, played the Rage Against the Machine song and appologized to the audience that he had to do his show.

Howard's on-air announcement that he was going to Sirius.

It's all about compelling content, not the Station itself (other than that one Hooters event). I will not miss flipping to WYSP and hearing the same Ozzy, AC DC and Metallica songs.

 

[peppertree]

I remember a wacky guy on Sunday morning in 1983 named Pete Tilden. He played a lot of oldies and gave away prizes. The prizes were offbeat. I won one honeybun from some bakery on Bustleton Avenue.

I drove through DC later in the year and heard him on a station there after he left WYSP.

Does anyone remember Pete Tilden?<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>