Original "History of Rock and Roll" Available

[landtuna]

Does that version have jingles?

I haven't listened to the whole show but it does start off with two KHJ jingles*. That is also the place where Bill Drake identifies himself and credits the KHJ staff.

* - "93 KHJ...more muuuuusic" and "KHJ....Los Angeleeees".

 

[michael hagerty]

Also, no version voiced by Bill Drake ever aired on KHJ. Just the ones voiced by Robert W. Morgan and Humble Harve. Since 1992, however, KRTH has aired version 5 (voiced by Drake) several times.

Looks like I have V4 but they are not identical so perhaps someone along the line edited one of the copies.

The version I have though is clearly identified as being narrated by Bill Drake and he credits the staff of KHJ for the production. Why would he do that if it was never broadcast on KHJ?

Wow. I don't know, unless versions 4 and 5 used bits (interviews, music montages) from the original. While Drake owned the rights, the work on the original was done by KHJ employees, and it was Drake's move to air it with different voices on the other RKO stations that in part led to Ron Jacobs resigning three months later as KHJ's PD...condemning RKO's "Xerox mentality" to Billboard when he left.

Does that version have jingles?

From what I've heard the KHJ production department did the initial work and I read somewhere, perhap Don Barrett's LA Radio that KHJ producer Bill Mouzis worked on it as well.

Bryan: True. But everything I've read says that Drake-Chenault re-wrote darn near everything for the 1977 version (it had been 7 years since the previous update) and that D-C personnel re-mastered all the music (stereo had to be considered, since the syndication would involve FM) and re-cut most if not all of the interviews. The only thing I can think of is Drake making sure some credit was given to the people who worked on the original, especially if elements from the original survived into syndication.

 

[michael hagerty]

Does that version have jingles?

I haven't listened to the whole show but it does start off with two KHJ jingles*. That is also the place where Bill Drake identifies himself and credits the KHJ staff.

* - "93 KHJ...more muuuuusic" and "KHJ....Los Angeleeees".

I'm stumped. If you can ever rip an mp3 of the first five minutes (and the last minute or so leading up to it), I'd love to hear it. Apart from credit for surviving elements from the original, the only other thing I can think of is that Drake could have recorded a custom introduction for the airings on KRTH in the early-mid 90s. He was consulting KRTH at the time, the station was originally KHJ-FM, and was playing up its KHJ DNA (Robert W. Morgan was doing mornings, The Real Don Steele afternoons, Drake was doing imaging and Johnny Mann the jingles).

So I keep it straight, is this the one you taped off KOOL-FM?

 

[Bryan Simmons]

Also, no version voiced by Bill Drake ever aired on KHJ. Just the ones voiced by Robert W. Morgan and Humble Harve. Since 1992, however, KRTH has aired version 5 (voiced by Drake) several times.

Looks like I have V4 but they are not identical so perhaps someone along the line edited one of the copies.

The version I have though is clearly identified as being narrated by Bill Drake and he credits the staff of KHJ for the production. Why would he do that if it was never broadcast on KHJ?

Wow. I don't know, unless versions 4 and 5 used bits (interviews, music montages) from the original. While Drake owned the rights, the work on the original was done by KHJ employees, and it was Drake's move to air it with different voices on the other RKO stations that in part led to Ron Jacobs resigning three months later as KHJ's PD...condemning RKO's "Xerox mentality" to Billboard when he left.

Does that version have jingles?

From what I've heard the KHJ production department did the initial work and I read somewhere, perhaps Don Barrett's LA Radio that KHJ producer Bill Mouzis worked on it as well.

Bryan: True. But everything I've read says that Drake-Chenault re-wrote darn near everything for the 1977 version (it had been 7 years since the previous update) and that D-C personnel re-mastered all the music (stereo had to be considered, since the syndication would involve FM) and re-cut most if not all of the interviews. The only thing I can think of is Drake making sure some credit was given to the people who worked on the original, especially if elements from the original survived into syndication.

You know Michael I was thinking the same thing. Then again, Drake continued to note KHJ and other Boss successes in demos for his syndicated formats and specials for quite a while and this may have been his way of making sure people remembered what he was known for. One can only speculate why unless there's someone out there who worked for D/C with knowledge of why it is credited. I have a friend who worked for Drake/Chenault in the 70's, I'll try to contact him to see what if anything he might know about it. I sure wish copies of KFRC's version of "Evolution of Rock" aqs well as D/C's the "History of Rock & Roll" were available for sale. I purchased the 2 CD set of segments culled from THRR a few years back from Dave & Dave, but it's just 2 CD's. When I worked at KXOA we ran a Beatles special, the name escapes me, but it was several hours of programming and I could kick myself for not making a copy. But since I was the Production Director, Imaging Director and midday's I had my hands full and it just did not occur to me at the time. Hindsight, 20/20 for sure!

 

[landtuna]

I'm stumped. If you can ever rip an mp3 of the first five minutes (and the last minute or so leading up to it), I'd love to hear it. Apart from credit for surviving elements from the original, the only other thing I can think of is that Drake could have recorded a custom introduction for the airings on KRTH in the early-mid 90s. He was consulting KRTH at the time, the station was originally KHJ-FM, and was playing up its KHJ DNA (Robert W. Morgan was doing mornings, The Real Don Steele afternoons, Drake was doing imaging and Johnny Mann the jingles).

I'll get the first few minutes on the air tomorrow. It is already in mp3 format.

Also, the file came to me with a jpg of a poster which was, I assume, distributed with the original CD's. A copyright notice "1978 Drake-Chenault Enterprises Inc." is printed at the bottom. In between each group of mp3 files there is a text file which gives the sequence # and song names.

So I keep it straight, is this the one you taped off KOOL-FM?

After recording I burned the KOOL version to CD/DVD but have not looked for them yet. I am very sure the KOOL version was narrated by someone else and also had KOOL inserts and program ID's. I'll try to find that copy ASAP.

 

[bobgowa]

Bryan: True. But everything I've read says that Drake-Chenault re-wrote darn near everything for the 1977 version (it had been 7 years since the previous update) and that D-C personnel re-mastered all the music (stereo had to be considered, since the syndication would involve FM) and re-cut most if not all of the interviews. The only thing I can think of is Drake making sure some credit was given to the people who worked on the original, especially if elements from the original survived into syndication.

Michael, thanks for posting all this great info on "History." I have fond memories of working on pieces of it (can't recall which version it was) at DC in Canoga Park (where the FAA radar on Oat Mountain would insert a "bffp" every ten seconds or so when it was on and rotating!).

- Bob Gowa
(ex-KFRC and currently at KGO/KSFO)

 

[michael hagerty]

Michael, thanks for posting all this great info on "History." I have fond memories of working on pieces of it (can't recall which version it was) at DC in Canoga Park (where the FAA radar on Oat Mountain would insert a "bffp" every ten seconds or so when it was on and rotating!).

- Bob Gowa
(ex-KFRC and currently at KGO/KSFO)

Bob: Great to see your name! You are one of my favorite people (Carol Archer)'s favorite people! Can't believe we didn't meet back in the 70s/80s.

 

[landtuna]

I'm stumped. If you can ever rip an mp3 of the first five minutes (and the last minute or so leading up to it), I'd love to hear it.

Michael,

The HRR V4 I have has a lead-in without any station ID but Bill Drake does identify himself. There are no jingles or station ID's throughout the show that I can find.

There is a file at the end (was probably a separate file at one point as it is in different bitrate) that is identified as a tribute to Phil Spector and it does begin with KHJ jingles and sounds like a normal broadcast.

If I can figure out the latest incarnation of Youtube I will get it up there. Two attempts so far have not worked and now YT is asking for linked Google addresses which I am not fond of providing.

 

[oldtimeradio]

Back in 1970, somewhere between March and May, KTAR-FM (98.7 at the time) Phoenix carried the History of Rock and Roll. Alas, my friend and I didn't copy it.

I know it was then because I can remember where I (we) were living at the time. Also, the stereo FM receiver we were listening to was designed so that when the station switched off the stereo subcarrier all you would hear is silence. When the sub-carrier is (was) dropped you had to switch to MONO FM reception. We erroneously believed the station was off the air when in fact they had dropped the stereo sub-carrier and we had not flipped the switch to FM MONO reception.

I believe the station broadcasted the show in 12 hour blocks.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I can add that the 1969 version (version 2?) was not voiced by station staff on WHBQ in Memphis. I have a few hours of that show on small reels recorded off the air WHBQ also ran several specials called "The Golden Year 19xx", which was voiced by station staff but sounded as if copy and music sequence came from somewhere else.

Bob

 

[ComedyGuy]

I've acquired the Drake/Chenault "History of Rock and Roll", the original version from an estate sale. It's on a crateful of LPs (ETs actually). The records were acquired by the family of a production guy who worked on the series. The ETs look to be in good condition, probably only played once or twice.

Please email me to make an offer at [email protected]

This is just a box of vinyl recordings of the show. Naturally it does NOT come with any broadcast rights.

I have a friend that has the Version 4 50+ vinyl LPs. He was under the impression it was rare in vinyl form and only a few sets were distributed. Was it ever determined what these are worth or if they are indeed rare?

 

[DavidKaye]

I have a friend that has the Version 4 50+ vinyl LPs. He was under the impression it was rare in vinyl form and only a few sets were distributed. Was it ever determined what these are worth or if they are indeed rare?

Rare as in valuable? I doubt there is much open market value. I was offered $200 by someone, but this had happened only after I'd had no takers whatsoever for a week or two. By then I had given them to the on of someone who had worked on the series.

There probably weren't many of these sets pressed. I assume most copies were on tape given that D/C specialized in produscing automation tapes. I'd guess that these were originally done for faraway stations where the cost of shipping open reel tapes would have been terribly expensive.

 

[ComedyGuy]

I have a friend that has the Version 4 50+ vinyl LPs. He was under the impression it was rare in vinyl form and only a few sets were distributed. Was it ever determined what these are worth or if they are indeed rare?

Rare as in valuable? I doubt there is much open market value. I was offered $200 by someone, but this had happened only after I'd had no takers whatsoever for a week or two. By then I had given them to the on of someone who had worked on the series.

There probably weren't many of these sets pressed. I assume most copies were on tape given that D/C specialized in produscing automation tapes. I'd guess that these were originally done for faraway stations where the cost of shipping open reel tapes would have been terribly expensive.

Makes total sense. I haven't seen any on eBay in the few times I have looked. Thanks for the info!