Bill Drake passes

[LKellerIII]

...many pre-Drake DJs were obnoxious "pukers."

Okay, educate me on what that term "puker" means. Is that a style of vocal delivery where the voice tightens up to the point you're ready to sell records on a low-budget UHF for K-Tel Records? Or sound like Bob Eubanks on the Newlywed Game?

Yeah, you've got it. I can hear that KTEL voice puking "30 Groovy Hits on One Stereo Album!" Eubanks was a bit of a puker in the early 60s on KRLA, and still had a bit of that in his voice as a smarmy game show host. A great illustration is the comparison of the pre-Drake puking Sam Riddle (KFWB, I think) and the more low key Riddle of KHJ and KDAY. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any pre-KHJ air checks of Sam available on the internet.

I can't think of any Bay Area examples - "puking" was passe by the time I got here in the early 70s. Some of the "Hot Hits" KITS jocks in the early 80s came close, but they were mostly just loud.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

...many pre-Drake DJs were obnoxious "pukers."

Okay, educate me on what that term "puker" means. Is that a style of vocal delivery where the voice tightens up to the point you're ready to sell records on a low-budget UHF for K-Tel Records? Or sound like Bob Eubanks on the Newlywed Game?

Yeah, you've got it. I can hear that KTEL voice puking "30 Groovy Hits on One Stereo Album!" Eubanks was a bit of a puker in the early 60s on KRLA, and still had a bit of that in his voice as a smarmy game show host. A great illustration is the comparison of the pre-Drake puking Sam Riddle (KFWB, I think) and the more low key Riddle of KHJ and KDAY. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any pre-KHJ air checks of Sam available on the internet.

I can't think of any Bay Area examples - "puking" was passe by the time I got here in the early 70s. Some of the "Hot Hits" KITS jocks in the early 80s came close, but they were mostly just loud.

I loved that Mike Joseph station!

RIP...Bill Drake. Thank you for bringing us the magic!

 

[LKellerIII]

RIP, Mr. Drake. Here's the link to an obit by Gary Lycan (one of the better newspaper radio writers) in the Orange County Register. Only one odd mistake - K-100 did not "become" K-Earth 101...2 different stations - 2 different frequencies.

I guess it's just a coincidence - not an irony - that he died of the disease that took his 2 biggest DJs - Morgan and Steele - a decade ago.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/drake-radio-khj-2243451-top-boss

 

[skyrocker]

Remember, we were all "baby jocks" when we started.

Bill took our fondest desire (to be on the radio with all that great
music) and gave it a roadmap. With this, he expressed a belief in us that
we felt compelled to live up to.

I met him in the latter 60s, was sent to "school" at KYNO in Fresno, and
eventually worked for him at all four of his California consulted stations.

Learned everything from Drake and the talented beings he attracted.
Most of what I learned is still very viable in any entertainment
presentation you can think of. Above all, I learned: Together we were,
and still are, unbeatable.

 

[LKellerIII]

According to laradio.com, today's "Celebration of Life" for Bill Drake will be led by the Reverend Charlie Van Dyke.

States the Rev. Van Dyke: “In order to cover the frame of it from the beginning of the Drake organization through its legacy, we’re going to feature some Goldens, Boss 30s and some Hit Bounds,” said Charlie who is coming in from Phoenix. "And if you go over your allotted time, the ‘Batphone’ will ring.”

For those who don't know - the Batphone was the direct phone line from Drake into the on-air studio for each of his consulted stations. If you were a DJ on air, you did not want that Batphone to ring.

 

[skippertthomas]

Goodbye Mr. Drake... You were to me, somewhere between Abraham and the Apostle Paul... Your theory and practice was liken to 'The Epistles'....The man who put the 'new covenant' into hit music radio... "Skip"