CASEY KASEM CALLS IT QUITS

[firepoint525]

They added more network commercials, long-distance dedications

"...and this one's about kids, and pets, and a situation we could all understand...whether we have kids or pets or neither. It's from a man in Cincinnati, Ohio, and here's what he writes..."

Another classic promo read:
..."Please join us this Sunday and every Sunday at Two AM. Two AM??!!"

The station I previously mentioned had a bonus airing at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, but I believe their primary airtime was 6:00 a.m. on Saturday. Still not much better, though! :

 

[firepoint525]

AT 40 expanded to 4 hours in the fall of 1978. The LDD made its debut in the summer of 1978...
The original 3-hour version of AT 40 was the best...

You're right about the expansion date, but I was not aware that the long-distance dedications started even before that!

 

[Robnoxious]

This is ponderous, man. Ponderous, f**king ponderous! ;D

 

[ChannelFlipper]

This is ponderous, man. Ponderous, f**king ponderous! ;D

Is Don on the phone? And where are my pictures? I want somebody to make a GD concerted effort around here...

 

[softmachine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6gPSSYxex0

 

[Doctah]

Things got a little awkward in the late 80s and early 90s (when Casey was doing "Casey's Top 40") when the hip-hop tracks got a bit risque. I remember when 2 Live Crew's "Me So Horny" made the Top 40, because I always wanted to see if he would say the song title. If I remember correctly, he never did.

 

[radioman148]

This is ponderous, man. Ponderous, f**king ponderous! ;D

Is Don on the phone? And where are my pictures? I want somebody to make a GD concerted effort around here...

Snuggles is quitting too.

 

[LKellerIII]

Things got a little awkward in the late 80s and early 90s (when Casey was doing "Casey's Top 40") when the hip-hop tracks got a bit risque. I remember when 2 Live Crew's "Me So Horny" made the Top 40, because I always wanted to see if he would say the song title. If I remember correctly, he never did.

Kasem has always been a bit of a contradiction. In the late 60s, KRLA was considered a pretty hip station. Listeners, and occasionally the station's other DJs made made fun of Casey for being the token "square" in the group.

Though he always kept faith with his unique format, and never spoke out on the air against the Vietnam War as many radio personalities in that era did, he's kept faith with his leftist political views longer than the others - he supported Nader for President in 2000, and Dennis Kucinich in 04 and 08. He's of Lebanese Druze heritage (real name Kamel Amin Kasem) and a long-time supporter of Arab American causes. He's also a vegan.

Before AT40, his signature sign off was even longer: "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. And until you get the one you want, I hope you'll stay with the station of the stars - KRLA."

 

[1069_KIFR]

Now Casey can take his feet off the ground and quit reaching for them stars!

 

[firepoint525]

Things got a little awkward in the late 80s and early 90s (when Casey was doing "Casey's Top 40") when the hip-hop tracks got a bit risque. I remember when 2 Live Crew's "Me So Horny" made the Top 40, because I always wanted to see if he would say the song title. If I remember correctly, he never did.

I never even heard him say "I Want Your Sex" when playing that one by George Michael!

 

[KPWRairchecks]

I remember hearing Casey's Top 40 on Power 106 in the late 80s. It was always funny to me because the show was so out of place compared to the station's heavy dance playlist. I remember distinctly once listening to the end Casey music bed, then the "72,000 watts of music power," followed by Rob Base's "It takes two." It just seemed so out of place to go from Casey to Rob Base, it was funny!!! Darn, I used to have that on a tape too.

By the way, if you have any airchecks of Power 106 from 1989 or around that time, hit me up. [email protected]

 

[Questor]

This calls for at least 40 Scooby Snacks for full recovery!

Casey Kasem (who's got a real name of his own) was the voice of Shaggy.

 

[jsu5381m]

Does this mean no more AT 20 either?

 

[calguy]

Does this mean no more AT 20 either?

AT20 is what he's retiring from. AT40 has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest for several years now.

 

[firepoint525]

Does this mean no more AT 20 either?

AT20 is what he's retiring from. AT40 has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest for several years now.

Wonder how long it will be until the anti-Seacrest backlash starts. He seems like a nice guy, but it also seems like he is everywhere, like there is just no avoiding him! This is bound to catch up with him eventually.

 

[michael hagerty]

I didn't live in LA in the 70's but am curious as to which station cleared the show in LA during the 70s. My guess is KIIS and that it did very well, but sometimes syndicated shows are not cleared in the largest markets. In my small town midwestern 70's radio experience, AT40 and Paul Harvey were both highly rated and always sold out.

In Los Angeles, AT40 premiered on KRLA. At that point, Casey had been with the station for about 5 or 6 years, and was the weekend and fill-in guy. His local Sunday afternoon show was also a count-down show, and Casey had been doing his trademark stories for a number of years. So it was not a stretch for AT40 to premiere on the same day in the same time slot.

I'm not sure how many years the show stayed with KRLA

Llew: Actually, AT40 didn't launch on KRLA..or even in Los Angeles. The closest stations to Los Angeles to air show #1 were KMEN, San Bernardino and KDEO, San Diego. Casey had left KRLA prior to the AT40 launch. A contract dispute with KRLA prevented it from airing in L.A. proper.

My memory had me believing it was on KRLA, too...but I can't find any evidence that it ever was.

By early 1973, it was on KGBS. That may in fact be where it began in L.A. I believe it went to KIIS-FM in 1975 or 1976...and was there until 1983.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[LKellerIII]

I didn't live in LA in the 70's but am curious as to which station cleared the show in LA during the 70s. My guess is KIIS and that it did very well, but sometimes syndicated shows are not cleared in the largest markets. In my small town midwestern 70's radio experience, AT40 and Paul Harvey were both highly rated and always sold out.

In Los Angeles, AT40 premiered on KRLA. At that point, Casey had been with the station for about 5 or 6 years, and was the weekend and fill-in guy. His local Sunday afternoon show was also a count-down show, and Casey had been doing his trademark stories for a number of years. So it was not a stretch for AT40 to premiere on the same day in the same time slot.

I'm not sure how many years the show stayed with KRLA

Llew: Actually, AT40 didn't launch on KRLA..or even in Los Angeles. The closest stations to Los Angeles to air show #1 were KMEN, San Bernardino and KDEO, San Diego. Casey had left KRLA prior to the AT40 launch. A contract dispute with KRLA prevented it from airing in L.A. proper.

My memory had me believing it was on KRLA, too...but I can't find any evidence that it ever was.

By early 1973, it was on KGBS. That may in fact be where it began in L.A. I believe it went to KIIS-FM in 1975 or 1976...and was there until 1983.

---Michael Hagerty

Michael - Memory plays tricks after almost 40 years, but I would swear on a stack of bibles that I heard the first AT40 show on KRLA. I AM absolutely positive that I heard the show numerous times during its first year or so, and my memory tells me that I heard the premiere show.

In 1970-71, I was involved with a woman who lived in San Dimas, and I'd make the long drive every Sunday from her place to my apartment in Santa Monica listening to a substantial chunk of AT40 the entire drive, given the vagaries of LA traffic. So I know the show was heard in LA.

KMEN's signal may have been strong enough in San Dimas, but the AM only radio in my VW bug sucked, so I doubt I was picking the station up in West LA.

So that's my story, and I'm sticking to it...

 

[briancraig]

Casey mentioned AT40 being heard on KRLA on October 24, 1970, January 9, 1971 and June 19, 1971.

KRLA is also listed as carrying the show in ads placed in Billboard on February 6, 1971, June 5, 1971 and July 3, 1971.

Casey welcomes KGBS as being the new L.A. station on the October 2, 1971 show. Last KGBS mention is on September 8, 1973. It appears AT40 was not heard in L.A. in 1974 or the first part of 1975.

He welcomes KKDJ as being the new L.A. station on the March 29, 1975 show. He mentions KIIS on November 1, 1975 and then numerous times through 1979.

The contract dispute Michael mentions is discussed as being the reason why KRLA didn't carry the show at first in Rob Durkee's book about American Top 40, but they settled it later in the year.

 

[cspotrun]

Does this mean no more AT 20 either?

AT20 is what he's retiring from. AT40 has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest for several years now.

Wonder how long it will be until the anti-Seacrest backlash starts. He seems like a nice guy, but it also seems like he is everywhere, like there is just no avoiding him! This is bound to catch up with him eventually.

there are alot of "Talented People" in radio, but ryan seacrest ISN'T one of them. seriously, does anyone think this guy is in the same league with Kasey Kasem? Dick Clark in his day, or Machine Gun Kelly, Charlie Tuna.... he isn't funny, he isn't interesting, i'm just not sure what his appeal is... if anybody knows PLEASE make your case for the great mr. seacrest...
well, there's your anti-seacrest rant...be careful what you ask for...

 

[OC Radio Geek]

Does this mean no more AT 20 either?

AT20 is what he's retiring from. AT40 has been hosted by Ryan Seacrest for several years now.

Wonder how long it will be until the anti-Seacrest backlash starts. He seems like a nice guy, but it also seems like he is everywhere, like there is just no avoiding him! This is bound to catch up with him eventually.

there are alot of "Talented People" in radio, but ryan seacrest ISN'T one of them. seriously, does anyone think this guy is in the same league with Kasey Kasem? Dick Clark in his day, or Machine Gun Kelly, Charlie Tuna.... he isn't funny, he isn't interesting, i'm just not sure what his appeal is... if anybody knows PLEASE make your case for the great mr. seacrest...
well, there's your anti-seacrest rant...be careful what you ask for...

I agree with you. I don't think Seacrest is very talented either. The only thing he has going for him is his voice. I was actually funny and interesting when he and Lisa Fox did the afternoon drive show on KYSR!