I really miss...

[Maine-i-ac]

As I’m just slightly older than the so called “King of Pop” this year, I’ve reflected on some things and I’d like to offer some unsolicited advice to two of our younger members who hang out on this board, Jamie and benwnn91. Don’t lose your passion for the things you love about radio, but changes will occur and you will have to learn to move on. I used to think that my days wouldn’t be the same when a format changed or a personality left, and yeah the change sometimes sucks, but often it can work out for the better.

That being said, I miss the following:

WBME-AM 1230, Belfast. A nice local homegrown station that went dark.

WGUY-AM 1250, Bangor. “It’s 10 o’clock at 12 Rock!”

Tim Moore saying “News, five minutes sooner on Kiss 94.5. It’s 7:55, I’m Tim Moore.”

Humble-but-nonetheless Mighty John Marshall. Sure he has his website www.moneymusic.com, but come on MJ, get those pipes back on to a full time gig. Show the boys at Sirius/XM how it’s done!

Summer nights cruising around Toddy Pond and Acadia National Park bringing in WNBC 66, New York; WRKO 68, Boston; WBZ 1030, Boston, and the 3 1500 stations, WMEX 1510, Boston, WKBW 1520, Buffalo and WPTR 1540, Albany. Of course if Dad was in the car it would be tuned to 1170 WWVA, Wheeling, West Virginia.

WKBW. It’s first death was sad. It’s second death a couple of years ago was just plain pain filled.

Dr. Demento on WKIT 100.3.

Listening to WDEA or WDEA-FM Ellswoth at 12:06 a.m for the “CBS Radio Mystery Theater”, then the news and then the sign-off.

Heck, I miss sign on’s and sign off’s.

Test Patterns.

Listening to WBGW 97.1 (B97’s predecessor of 30 years ago and hearing the tape machines mess up the DJ and song intros constantly.

WABI-AM 910’s George Hale giving no school announcements (back when radio was the ONLY means to get no school announcements).

American Contemporary Radio news and it’s sounders.

Having to choose between “Saturday Night Live” on WLBZ-2, Wrestling on WABI-5 and “Stacey’s Country Jamboree” on WVII-7 on Saturday night.

“Dialing for Dollars” with Eddie Driscoll on WLBZ-2.

“Weird” with Eddie Driscoll.

Eddie Driscoll.

The Radio Free Europe PSA on TV with the foreign DJ announcing The Drifters “On Broadway”.

Eagerly anticipating “WKRP In Cincinnati” each week during it’s original run and wondering where CBS would put it each ½ season.

The joy of having Christmas specials and movies like “The Wizard of Oz” come on ONCE a year. No videos or DVD’s. Miss it? Tough! Wait ‘til next year.

TV Guide when it was local and digest sized.

The anticipation of the Fall Preview issue of TV Guide and devouring it cover to cover.

Buying LP albums, opening the wrapper and taking a deep breath of the inside, handling the virgin vinyl.

The Bangor Drive-In, the Brewer Drive-In, the Ellsworth-Trenton Drive-In.

The A&W root beer stand across from the Brewer Drive-In.

OK, there are more, but this is enough. Enjoy what you have now and remember what gave you joy but live in the present.

 

[rjoc]

OK, let me add my 3cents worth:

Gene Hooper on the old WMCS-1400 Machias; and when they went off the air from 1-4PM weekday afternoons (1973-74)

"Music for New England, from the top of Mount Washington, on WHOM FM-STEREO 95" (In the EZ listening days, and before WSYY ruined 94.9 in Northern and DownEast Maine)


Joe Laurence...."MMMmmmmmmmornin' there you" signing on weekday mornings at 5:30 on "WDEA or WDEA FM Ellsworth Maine"


I'll think of more, I'm sure...

 

[benwnn91]

i didn't know i was mentioned here, and I wish somewhere their could be a website where there is some old airchecks from Maine stations, i would love to listen to really old WCXU in Caribou when they first signed on in 1986, playing oldies (then AC)

 

[Chuckigo]

Maine-i-ac - great post!

having grown up in the Boston area, i can't relate to many of the memories, first-hand. i have had my share of great Maine radio teachers who have passed along many of the things you've noted, however.

and i can relate to the night listens to WKBW. that was a regular circumstance whenever i had to borrow mom's '72 Vega with the am-only radio in the dash.

i wonder if the MAB has an archive of materials that have been submitted over the years for the annual awards things. time would be "now" to get those digitized and uploaded before the tapes dry out.

and i've tried talking Humble-yet-Mighty into at least doing a weekly syndicated show. i've offered to produce it for him. he's still mulling it over. (i think he misses the live stuff. he's a radio guy - he must.)

great post.

 

[dabutler]

On the Maine Board I suggested that I might be willing to create a old Maine air check site, but only two people responded, so I thought interest was low. I put it on the Maine Board so the other New England states would be filtered out. I am sure they are just as good, but I am interested in Maine Broadcasting.

Now that we are on the subject, I miss when Chuck Fosters "All Hit Videos" was simulcast on 100.3 and on the air on WVII, in my teen years, I used to stay up late to watch the show. Sorry if that makes you feel old Chuck.

Chuck, your one of my favorite jocks!


Bill DaButler

 

[chuckfoster]

lol what a pain in the butt that was to pull off, but if some have fond memories, worth it. You just better not be one of those kids I have to keep chasing off my lawn! (shakes fist in the air)

 

[Ozman]

Maine-i-ac,
Very nice list I hope some of you can find some good old air checks especially some FM-92 WWLR air checks

 

[True Grit]

<Listening to WBGW 97.1 (B97’s predecessor of 30 years ago and hearing the tape machines mess up the DJ and song intros constantly.>

Yeah, that was a PITA. It would've helped if other parttimers had cleaned the heads occasionally

<WABI-AM 910’s George Hale giving no school announcements (back when radio was the ONLY means to get no school announcements).>

I never dreamed in the late 60s/early 70s, while listening to George, that 30 years later I'd be filling in for him doing the same thing. BIG shoes to fill.

 

[cooper]

>>>Tim Moore saying “News, five minutes sooner on Kiss 94.5. It’s 7:55, I’m Tim Moore.”

Is this the consultant? Or, the top dawg @ Citadel Portland?

 

[dabutler]

The Top Dawg At Citadel Portland, and a really cool guy!

 

[Gadon]

Joe Laurence...."MMMmmmmmmmornin' there you" signing on weekday mornings at 5:30 on "WDEA or WDEA FM Ellsworth Maine"

Is that the same Joe Laurence who was at WPEN in Philly and was a former PD of WJJR Rutland when that station was easy listening (Unrock) ??

One thing I miss (steady Jamie..) The old WTOS in it's form in the 1980's... Awesome music, good air talent, personality, and you knew you were not listening to something from a big city when 105 TOS pulled the plug at midnight, (1:00 am on Friday / Saturday).. Though the final hour(s) were totally free of formatics and just about anything went.. Good stuff..

 

[rjoc]

yes, that's the same Joe Laurence. last I heard he was in Vt, back in the 80s, wonder where he is now...

 

[buoy40]

Wow, WPTR signaled to Maine ( from the first post) That was a great station in its day. I saw a picture of their tower on line,the call letters that were attached to it are laying in the brush.
I remember tuning the dial in Vermont nights and hearing the Jim Lowe Show on WNEW.
Maine stations did not make it to the Southern Champlain Valley but I can relate to the memories.
Do they still broadcast " This is Vermont" WVMT Burlington on the hour?

 

[wthorne]

Willie Mitchell at WIGY Bath, Brunswick, Portland every afternoon at 5 telling me to "Take good care of my bod", and thanking me extreeeemly much for stopping by, then calling out for his mom to pick him up, the show was over. I don't know why, but I'll never forget that. I actually have a couple airchecks of it in my collection.

"Northeast New England....WIGY.....Bath, Bruuunswickkk"

Profesker Persky on WBLM

The "Mark and Mark Remarkable Radio Show" on WBLM ("EVERYTHING GONNA BE ALRIGHT THIS MORNIN.....OOON BEEEE ELLL EMMMM)

"W..R..K..OH...................BOSTONNNNNN"

The reverb on WCSH AM97

Falling asleep listening to WNNNNNBC on late night skip

"WJBQ...FM, Scarborough....AM, Westbrook/Portland"

MAGIC 93 WMGX ( BOY! DID THEY RUIN A GOOD THING THERE!!! )

The Robert W. Morgan show on 56WGAN Sunday nights

Dr. Demento Sunday nights on WBLM

THE DUKE....BOB ANDERSON  ( R.I.P. BOB, YOU LEFT US DOING WHAT YOU LOVED....SITTING BEHIND A MIC)

The Lucky 13 WLOB

Harry "Bud" Nelson on WJBQ or WPOR. ( We had a living legend in the industry here, and I sometimes wonder how many people never even knew that)

 

[Erie_Lackawanna]

Willie Mitchell at WIGY Bath, Brunswick, Portland every afternoon at 5 telling me to "Take good care of my bod", and thanking me extreeeemly much for stopping by, then calling out for his mom to pick him up, the show was over. I don't know why, but I'll never forget that. I actually have a couple airchecks of it in my collection.

"Northeast New England....WIGY.....Bath, Bruuunswickkk"

Profesker Persky on WBLM

The "Mark and Mark Remarkable Radio Show" on WBLM ("EVERYTHING GONNA BE ALRIGHT THIS MORNIN.....OOON BEEEE ELLL EMMMM)

"W..R..K..OH...................BOSTONNNNNN"

The reverb on WCSH AM97

Falling asleep listening to WNNNNNBC on late night skip

"WJBQ...FM, Scarborough....AM, Westbrook/Portland"

MAGIC 93 WMGX ( BOY! DID THEY RUIN A GOOD THING THERE!!! )

The Robert W. Morgan show on 56WGAN Sunday nights

Dr. Demento Sunday nights on WBLM

THE DUKE....BOB ANDERSON ( R.I.P. BOB, YOU LEFT US DOING WHAT YOU LOVED....SITTING BEHIND A MIC)

The Lucky 13 WLOB

Harry "Bud" Nelson on WJBQ or WPOR. ( We had a living legend in the industry here, and I sometimes wonder how many people never even knew that)

lots of folks, me included, still miss the Duke.

H.Bud is still in Maine, so he's not that far away... maybe he'll get back behind a mic.

and the reverb on 97 WCSH ? it was the small radio outside the studio in the news area set to just the right volume - and the studio door left ajar by a few inches. it sound great, though.

one thing i miss about Maine radio - the weekly gatherings at Jay's Oyster. anyone from any station would show up and just have a cold pop (or six) and chill. even in the cross-town CHR War days. sadly, most of us can't afford that anymore. ;-)