Breaking Format

[DToTheJ]

KOOL 101 morning host Jim Reed just told a very interesting story, after playing the Chambers Brothers' "Time Has Come Today," because it's one of the band members' birthday today. Jim recalled how years ago, when WCTY was playing beautiful music under the WICH calls, he and another jock (I forget his name, but he said he now works at a Boston station - Steve Crowley or something or other?) broke format every Saturday night/Sunday morning in the 3 AM hour and played rock songs. After about four weeks, when management discovered this show existed, they cut the other guy loose but Jim stuck around. In short, he says, playing songs like the 18-minute version of "Time Has Come Today" on a beautiful music station almost got him fired!

 

[freightliner]

Actually the fella referred to in the story claimed to have worked at 'BCN in the early days but not sure. He may have interned there. All I know is he had the best record collection stashed in the back of his '67 Chevy Biscayne station wagon. The songs for his "special" hour came from there. He was hired by my Dad who ran the Norwich station at the time to pretty-much "baby sit" the automation overnights and take readings on the AM "sister-station". Being directional, WICH required someone with a so-called "First-Phone" to be on duty in those days. He was just a young guy who wanted to be on-the-air. He was'nt fired for the "overnight" stint. That came a few weeks later when he played the long version of the Chambers Brothers song on the AM while filling in on a Sunday afternoon. The station was mostly M-O-R at the time. Thinking back, some of the best talent passing through were those who often "pressed the envelope". When I get into a "funk" I think of those who used to "color outside of the lines" a bit....and reach for something in a box instead of a hard-drive.

 

[DToTheJ]

He was'nt fired for the "overnight" stint. That came a few weeks later when he played the long version of the Chambers Brothers song on the AM while filling in on a Sunday afternoon. The station was mostly M-O-R at the time...

I can see how Jim got these a little mixed up when telling this story on the air (still a good story, though, re: the "special" hour) as both of them happened at around the same time. At any rate, thanks for signing up and sharing - and hey, if you want to set the facts straight with Jim, he's probably standing by at the "KOOL Phone" this morning, ready to take your call! ;D