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KMEL tribute.....

Is that the same KMEL that was around in 1980? Doesn't seem that way. Wasn't it a rock station at one time competing with 98.5 KOME and 92.3 KSJO? I remember one or two DJ's would (somehow, don't know how ha ha ) make noises that were supposed to sound like someone was snorting something into their nose through a straw. Nothing was mentioned, just implied.
 
"Is that the same KMEL that was around in 1980? Doesn't seem that way. Wasn't it a rock station at one time competing with 98.5 KOME and 92.3 KSJO?"


Yes, but that was in the 70s...maybe somebody else can provide the chronology. When RKO sold the original KFRC FM (then 106.1) in the early 70s, it became "Camel 106" with the KMEL call letters, and had a rock format that competed primarily with KSAN ("Jive 95"...94.9), and to some extent the two South Bay stations - KOME and KSJO. Alex Bennett first got big in the Bay Area on Camel.

I don't remember what year they flipped to "All Hit" KMEL (they killed the "Camel"). It was Top 40, but Urban oriented, similar to 610/KFRC at the time, and probably most responsible for putting the last nails into the coffin of the Big 610. I believe Marvelous Mark McKay defected over from KFRC. By that time, Alex Bennett had left for "The Quake" at 98.9, which had a similar rock format. And yes - Howard Hoffman had a funny afternoon drive show. I believe Ric Chase came in after Hoffman left.

After that, the station didn't "flip" to a Hip Hop format, it more or less morphed into Hip Hop as the genre got bigger and bigger.
 
I think it went to All Hit 106 KMEL around '84/'85. Rick Chase was doing afternoons at HOT HITS KITS as Flip Fryer. Then when he moved to KMEL he went (as his real name?) Rick Chase.

And yes you are correct as the station evolved into Hip Hop/ R and B
 
only1deejayman said:
I thought Rick's real name was Fred, or Frank something????
Click to expand...

From the AP newswire (December 18, 2002):

Dateline: STOCKTON, Calif. -- Rick Chase, a morning radio personality for KWIN-FM of Stockton, was found dead in his apartment Monday, San Joaquin County sheriff's officials said. He was 45.

The cause of death has not yet been determined, said sheriff's spokeswoman Nelida Stone.

His station tried unsuccessfully to contact him during the weekend and he did not show up for work Monday, according to Roy Williams, president and general manager of Silverado Broadcasting. A former roommate went to his home and found Chase, whose real name was George Fryer.

Chase was best known for his work at KMEL-FM in San Francisco from 1986 to 1998.
 
I remember KMEL when it was good. Rick Chase, Diana Steele, John London and Brian Cooley, Kevin Nash, Rich Ransom, Evan Luck, Michael Erickson, Cameron Paul. That was when radio was still fun and before the gangsta rap takeover. It was hip hop but more like "yo-mama" instead of I'm gonna get my (choose your assault weapon) and ...Maybe I am too old (33) but I have hard time listening to DJs that can't speak a correct sentence or talk "street" because they're just keeping it real.
 
I loved the old KMEL (Camel) back in th day. Alex Bennett and also Geno Michellini did the PM drive until 1984 when Geno went to KLOS in LA when KMEL went to CHR in that year. I still have some old KMEL (Camel) liners : KMEL- ROCKIN' THE BAY!!!. Sorry to see it go.
 
KMEL "the camel" changed formats in July of 1984 from its rock aor format to "All hits 106 KMEL" Nick Bazoo was the first PD brought in from New Orleans.

Mark Mckay who had been let go from KFRC back in "83 had been doing afternoons in Minneapolis and returned to the city by the bay as the APD, Mark had been lined up for afternoons and at the last minute a married morning duo from the East Coast had turned down the gig about 5 days before the switch over, so Mark was bumped to morning drive and Howard Hoffman was available and out of work and brought in for afternoons, sonny Jo Fox was doing evenings.

KFRC's Sue Hall was doing weekends/fill in work and would later join the morning show with London and Engleman.
 
KMEL was best in it's "hayday" at 55 Francisco St., IMHO...who can forget Club 106, The Morning Zoo, John London (Cigar Man), Renel, Rosary, Lisa St. Regis, Evan Luck (Love Lines, Battle of the Rappers), Rick Chase (Von Richards, Dinner Across America), Frazen, Theo, Efrin, Michael Erikson, The Latin Prince... and the days of D.B. Coopers in the southbay!!!:) too bad the good ol' days are long gone. anybody remember the black KMEL MasterCruiser remote vehicle???
 
blackhole said:
His real name was George Fryer
Click to expand...

As noted previously in this thread, in the Associated Press obit, which is why I posted it.
 
Aahh. Those were the days. My first fill-in shift was for Evan Luck -- and I remember soliciting for "Battle Of The Rappers" and "Lovelines." Good times indeed :)
 
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