Remember KFWB before all-news began in March 1968?

[oldmanradio]

KFWB aired a strange, but interesting format during the day with mostly chicken rock -- Lohman and Barkley in the morning and Emperor Hudson in the afternoon. Joe Yocum about midday. B. Mitchel Reed with a sort of hybrid album rock format and a drastically toned-down delivery.

Who else was at KFWB in the months before the all-news change? Dave Diamond, Jimmy O'Neill, Reb Foster?

No, Rick Dees was not there, it just seems like he has been around that long.

Who did the all-night shift? Yeah, can you believe it? Stations actually hired an overnight guy (no females allowed then).

What an innovation that would be ... today.

Well, I mean the all-night thing, not the women.

 

[michael hagerty]

KFWB aired a strange, but interesting format during the day with mostly chicken rock -- Lohman and Barkley in the morning and Emperor Hudson in the afternoon. Joe Yocum about midday. B. Mitchel Reed with a sort of hybrid album rock format and a drastically toned-down delivery.

Who else was at KFWB in the months before the all-news change? Dave Diamond, Jimmy O'Neill, Reb Foster?

No, Rick Dees was not there, it just seems like he has been around that long.

Who did the all-night shift? Yeah, can you believe it? Stations actually hired an overnight guy (no females allowed then).

Oldmanradio:

You got most of it right. The final KFWB lineup (March, 1968):

6-10 AM: Lohman and Barkley

10 AM -1 PM: Joe Yocam

1-4 PM: Gene Weed

4-7 PM: Emperor Bob Hudson

7 PM-12 Midnight: Bill Taylor

12 Midnight-6 AM: Roger Christian


Dave Diamond bailed the month before for KFRC, San Francisco.

B. Mitchel Reed went to KPPC in 1967, and then followed Tom Donahue to KMET in '68.

Reb Foster had moved across the street and was Program Director at KRLA.

It looks like Jimmy O'Neill was replaced by Emperor Bob, who came over from KBLA in '67 (Jimmy landed at KRLA in '69).

Most of the album rock went away with BMR's departure though Dave Diamond still did some. PD Bob Oakes was deliberately trying to move KFWB to a position between Top 40 KHJ and Middle-of-the-Road KMPC...what later was called "Adult Contemporary".

After the flip to all-news, Group W (Westinghouse, which bought KFWB in late '66) rewarded Bob Oakes with the PD gig at WBZ, Boston, which became a pioneering Adult Contemporary station and a big winner.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[oldmanradio]

KFWB aired a strange, but interesting format during the day with mostly chicken rock -- Lohman and Barkley in the morning and Emperor Hudson in the afternoon. Joe Yocum about midday. B. Mitchel Reed with a sort of hybrid album rock format and a drastically toned-down delivery.

Who else was at KFWB in the months before the all-news change? Dave Diamond, Jimmy O'Neill, Reb Foster?

No, Rick Dees was not there, it just seems like he has been around that long.

Who did the all-night shift? Yeah, can you believe it? Stations actually hired an overnight guy (no females allowed then).

Oldmanradio:

You got most of it right. The final KFWB lineup (March, 1968):

6-10 AM: Lohman and Barkley

10 AM -1 PM: Joe Yocam

1-4 PM: Gene Weed

4-7 PM: Emperor Bob Hudson

7 PM-12 Midnight: Bill Taylor

12 Midnight-6 AM: Roger Christian


Dave Diamond bailed the month before for KFRC, San Francisco.

B. Mitchel Reed went to KPPC in 1967, and then followed Tom Donahue to KMET in '68.

Reb Foster had moved across the street and was Program Director at KRLA.

It looks like Jimmy O'Neill was replaced by Emperor Bob, who came over from KBLA in '67 (Jimmy landed at KRLA in '69).

Most of the album rock went away with BMR's departure though Dave Diamond still did some. PD Bob Oakes was deliberately trying to move KFWB to a position between Top 40 KHJ and Middle-of-the-Road KMPC...what later was called "Adult Contemporary".

After the flip to all-news, Group W (Westinghouse, which bought KFWB in late '66) rewarded Bob Oakes with the PD gig at WBZ, Boston, which became a pioneering Adult Contemporary station and a big winner.

---Michael Hagerty

Wow!

Great!

Thanks, Michael.

Gene Weed, "The Weedy One", was the one I could not recall. Three-hour air shifts always seemed to me to be the perfect length ... for the personality and perhaps the listener.

And I did not remember Roger Christian working all nights. Didn't he work at KHJ middays or early afternoons as one of the original "Boss Jocks". The word "boss" always bugged me. Sounded old fashioned to me.

KFWB aired a lot of spots for Westinghouse appliances in those days since the company owned the station.

So did Bill Taylor play A/C during his evening shift in contrast to BMR? I just don't recall and don't know anything about him.

BMR was just fantastic whether speaking at 78 or 33 -- "I'm not talking too fast, you're listening too slow." But it was not just his change in delivery, it was as if he had created a new persona.

At that time, KFWB and KRLA fascinated me more than KHJ -- probably since I had already grown in love with radio and was not an average listener though I thought Morgan and Steele were brilliant.

Somewhere, maybe in Ben Torres-Fong's fine book on top-40 I read that some jocks had problems adapting to Drake's format. Dave Diamond is one he mentioned I believe. What happened there?

Of course, others have said, "I could never work for Drake."

L & B seemed the perfect radio team. And "Beautiful Bob" could make me laugh almost before he said a word just anticipating that faux bored delivery.

Any ideas on books or airchecks available, besides ReelRadio, regarding this era in LA radio?

Thanks again.

P.S. For years, I thought a movie about the life of Brother John Rydgren would be interesting. Once, I tried to email his son, but the email address I had was no longer working.

 

[michael hagerty]

Gene Weed, "The Weedy One", was the one I could not recall. Three-hour air shifts always seemed to me to be the perfect length ... for the personality and perhaps the listener.

And I did not remember Roger Christian working all nights. Didn't he work at KHJ middays or early afternoons as one of the original "Boss Jocks". The word "boss" always bugged me. Sounded old fashioned to me.

KFWB aired a lot of spots for Westinghouse appliances in those days since the company owned the station.

So did Bill Taylor play A/C during his evening shift in contrast to BMR? I just don't recall and don't know anything about him.

BMR was just fantastic whether speaking at 78 or 33 -- "I'm not talking too fast, you're listening too slow." But it was not just his change in delivery, it was as if he had created a new persona.

At that time, KFWB and KRLA fascinated me more than KHJ -- probably since I had already grown in love with radio and was not an average listener though I thought Morgan and Steele were brilliant.

Somewhere, maybe in Ben Torres-Fong's fine book on top-40 I read that some jocks had problems adapting to Drake's format. Dave Diamond is one he mentioned I believe. What happened there?

Of course, others have said, "I could never work for Drake."

L & B seemed the perfect radio team. And "Beautiful Bob" could make me laugh almost before he said a word just anticipating that faux bored delivery.

Any ideas on books or airchecks available, besides ReelRadio, regarding this era in LA radio?

Thanks again.

P.S. For years, I thought a movie about the life of Brother John Rydgren would be interesting. Once, I tried to email his son, but the email address I had was no longer working.

Gene Weed also did the last hour of the music format on KFWB on Sunday night, March 10, 1968. And contrary to industry legend, he didn't sign off with "Stay tuned for more music after the news." A special called "Flight 98" aired following Gene and then the station was off the air overnight, signing back on with the news format at 5AM Monday.

Airchecks of both Gene's last show and Lohman and Barkley's Friday, March 8 (with "Flight 98" included) are on Reelradio.

I agree about three hour airshifts. The jocks could give it their all and not run out of steam...and the listener got a fresh sound frequently.

Westinghouse wasn't alone in advertising heavily on their own stations. There were a ton of General Tire spots on KHJ (General Tire owned RKO General).

I haven't heard tape of Bill Taylor in evenings, so I can't say what music he was playing. He was only in that shift two or three weeks, after Diamond left for KFRC in February.

There are differing stories as to Dave's reason for not being at KHJ long (about three months before being replaced by Johnny Mitchell). Some say he couldn't nail the format...others say Dave's artist management and other business interests got in the way. I'm inclined to believe the latter, since Diamond is tremendous, and was welcomed back into the Drake/RKO fold at KFRC, where he had a terrific four-year run.

I agree about Lohman and Barkley. If I could bring back one classic radio act to listen to on a daily basis, it would be them. They just make me smile.

And Hudson was a riot. One thing about him has always puzzled me, though. His date of birth has been given as 1936 and 1939...which is really hard to believe, since it would make him between 29 and 32 at KFWB. Wikipedia (which I never rely on without multiple confirmations) shows 1929, which makes more sense...but still would have him in his mid-30s at KRLA. He always looked and sounded older to me.

Ben Fong-Torres has written the definitive book about Top 40. I can't recommend anything better.

As for airchecks, how could you beat Reelradio? 26 KFWB airchecks, 22 KRLA, 124 KHJ, and those are just the majors.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[Lopaka]

It was a Croll-Collier (sorry about the spelling) station which included KEWB in Oakland and KDWB in Minneapolis. Its jingle--"K F Double you B, Channel 98...color radio" had to be one of the most successful jingles of all time. Who gets credit for creating it? KFWB boasted of being LA's most frequently frequented frequency, and it was probably # 1. A lot of credit is given to the Bartells and McClendons and Storz stations of the '50's for creating rock radio but to me the smoothest operation, the best sound was always KFWB.

 

[michael hagerty]

It was a Croll-Collier (sorry about the spelling) station which included KEWB in Oakland and KDWB in Minneapolis. Its jingle--"K F Double you B, Channel 98...color radio" had to be one of the most successful jingles of all time. Who gets credit for creating it? KFWB boasted of being LA's most frequently frequented frequency, and it was probably # 1. A lot of credit is given to the Bartells and McClendons and Storz stations of the '50's for creating rock radio but to me the smoothest operation, the best sound was always KFWB.

Would you believe there's a website (or at least a page of it) devoted to the story of the KFWB jingles? Told by Chuck Blore himself. http://www.jingles.org/TheStoryofKFWBsColorRadioJingles.htm

As for ratings, KFWB was #1 from 1958 until 1963, when KRLA passed them. KHJ's arrival in 1965 and leap to #1 in six months pushed KFWB to #3 in Top 40 with less than half KHJ's ratings by late '66. That's when Crowell-Collier (published of Collier's Magazine) sold to Group W (Westinghouse).

---Michael Hagerty

 

[LKellerIII]

Gene Weed, "The Weedy One", was the one I could not recall. Three-hour air shifts always seemed to me to be the perfect length ... for the personality and perhaps the listener.

KFWB aired a lot of spots for Westinghouse appliances in those days since the company owned the station.

BMR was just fantastic whether speaking at 78 or 33 -- "I'm not talking too fast, you're listening too slow." But it was not just his change in delivery, it was as if he had created a new persona.

At that time, KFWB and KRLA fascinated me more than KHJ -- probably since I had already grown in love with radio and was not an average listener though I thought Morgan and Steele were brilliant.

L & B seemed the perfect radio team. And "Beautiful Bob" could make me laugh almost before he said a word just anticipating that faux bored delivery.

Any ideas on books or airchecks available, besides ReelRadio, regarding this era in LA radio?

Thanks again.

Airchecks of both Gene's last show and Lohman and Barkley's Friday, March 8 (with "Flight 98" included) are on Reelradio.

Westinghouse wasn't alone in advertising heavily on their own stations. There were a ton of General Tire spots on KHJ (General Tire owned RKO General).

I agree about Lohman and Barkley. If I could bring back one classic radio act to listen to on a daily basis, it would be them. They just make me smile.

And Hudson was a riot. One thing about him has always puzzled me, though. His date of birth has been given as 1936 and 1939...which is really hard to believe, since it would make him between 29 and 32 at KFWB. Wikipedia (which I never rely on without multiple confirmations) shows 1929, which makes more sense...but still would have him in his mid-30s at KRLA. He always looked and sounded older to me.

Ben Fong-Torres has written the definitive book about Top 40. I can't recommend anything better.

As for airchecks, how could you beat Reelradio? 26 KFWB airchecks, 22 KRLA, 124 KHJ, and those are just the majors.

---Michael Hagerty

Miscellaneous comments now that you've gotten me on a nostalgic steak:

Lohman and Barkley had the best morning drive show of all time, as far as I'm concerned. They also had a very low budget, but funny local TV show for a couple of years - 11:30 Saturday nights on KNBC, I think - pre-SNL, when that time-slot was still filled by local programming.

One of those small memories that has stuck with me all this years - hearing Penny Lane...by the "K-F-W-Beatles"...for the first time on the L&B show, while getting a ride with my friend to high-school one morning in his crappy old Volvo (the one that looked like an elongated VW Beetle on steroids).

Also rattling around my brain - the General Tire jingle which ran constantly on KHJ: "Someday you'll own...someday you'll own...sooner or later, you'll own General."

Plug for Reelradio - I've paid my $12 per year for a number of years now, and listen to old air-checks once or twice a month. There are airchecks out there on the internet for free, but reelradio has more, and knowledgeable people (like Mr. Hagerty) post a lot of really interesting comments.

After KFWB, Gene Weed went on to a successful career in TV - producing and directing shows for Dick Clark. I probably picked up that factoid from Reelradio.

 

[michael hagerty]

Miscellaneous comments now that you've gotten me on a nostalgic steak:

Lohman and Barkley had the best morning drive show of all time, as far as I'm concerned. They also had a very low budget, but funny local TV show for a couple of years - 11:30 Saturday nights on KNBC, I think - pre-SNL, when that time-slot was still filled by local programming.

Memory's right, Llew...Lohman and Barkley started on KNBC in 1968 as filler after political convention coverage and it turned into a Saturday night 11:30 PM slot in 1969 and 1970....four and five years before SNL. Fellow KFI personality Jay Lawrence appeared frequently and was one of the writers, as was actor McLean Stevenson (pre-M*A*S*H).

And would you believe 7 minutes and 54 seconds of it survive online? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PBgwHhh20

Gotta love the internet!

---Michael Hagerty

 

[jonbruce]

KRLA's Bob Dayton was also one of the writers for that TV show.

 

[Lopaka]

Thank you Michael Hagerty for that information. I remember Bill Ballance also aired on KFWB for a few years before moving on to KFMB in San Diego. His dry wit always destroyed me.

 

[LKellerIII]

Miscellaneous comments now that you've gotten me on a nostalgic steak:

Lohman and Barkley had the best morning drive show of all time, as far as I'm concerned. They also had a very low budget, but funny local TV show for a couple of years - 11:30 Saturday nights on KNBC, I think - pre-SNL, when that time-slot was still filled by local programming.

Memory's right, Llew...Lohman and Barkley started on KNBC in 1968 as filler after political convention coverage and it turned into a Saturday night 11:30 PM slot in 1969 and 1970....four and five years before SNL. Fellow KFI personality Jay Lawrence appeared frequently and was one of the writers, as was actor McLean Stevenson (pre-M*A*S*H).

And would you believe 7 minutes and 54 seconds of it survive online? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PBgwHhh20

Gotta love the internet!

---Michael Hagerty

Wow - cool clip from L&B's TV show - thanks, Michael. It could easily be classified as sick humor, what with Gary Muledeer's 'suicide' - especially seeing him swing around 'dead' hanging from a noose next to Gisele MacKenzie while she's singing her upbeat song. Believe it or not, that was rather daring for late 60s TV. KNBC probably didn't waste a lot of time vetting L&B's show through Standards and Practices. I doubt they could have done that on any of the networks.

 

[michael hagerty]

Thank you Michael Hagerty for that information. I remember Bill Ballance also aired on KFWB for a few years before moving on to KFMB in San Diego. His dry wit always destroyed me.

Lopaka:

Bill was at KFWB for ten years (1955-1965).

He worked at three stations in 1966 (KGIL, San Fernando; KHVH, Honolulu and KGMB, Honolulu).

Back to California in 1967, Bill was at KNBR, San Francisco.

And then...in 1968...to KGBS, Los Angeles where he began a six-year run thanks to his pioneering "Feminine Forum" show (which began in 1971).

After that, KABC, Los Angeles in 1974 for three years, and KWIZ, Santa Ana in 1977.

KFMB, San Diego came 13 years after KFWB...in 1978...and was his longest run...15 years. He left in 1993.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[michael hagerty]

Memory's right, Llew...Lohman and Barkley started on KNBC in 1968 as filler after political convention coverage and it turned into a Saturday night 11:30 PM slot in 1969 and 1970....four and five years before SNL. Fellow KFI personality Jay Lawrence appeared frequently and was one of the writers, as was actor McLean Stevenson (pre-M*A*S*H).

And would you believe 7 minutes and 54 seconds of it survive online? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PBgwHhh20

Gotta love the internet!

---Michael Hagerty

Wow - cool clip from L&B's TV show - thanks, Michael. It could easily be classified as sick humor, what with Gary Muledeer's 'suicide' - especially seeing him swing around 'dead' hanging from a noose next to Gisele MacKenzie while she's singing her upbeat song. Believe it or not, that was rather daring for late 60s TV. KNBC probably didn't waste a lot of time vetting L&B's show through Standards and Practices. I doubt they could have done that on any of the networks.
[/quote]

Local stations (even network owned & operated) didn't have Standards & Practices then, and don't today (just Google "Ernie Anastos"). You did your show and you either were back next week or you weren't.

The line I remember was when Gary Owens was L&B's guest and Al, as W. Eva Schneider, asked him: "Is it true your voice makes women plotz?" Gary could barely contain himself.

Jay Lawrence has told me that while there were writers, a lot of the scripted segments of the L&B TV show wound up ad-libbed.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[pattiwacki]

Thanks for the memories! Lohman and Barkley and Emperor Bob were the best! I remember when KFWB went all news they kept Cleve Hermann on and I would tune in to his "Live Line on the World of Sports" just to hear something that sounded like the old days. As for the comment about "boss"-you are so right, not one teenager in SoCal used that word unless they were dorks-it was really uncool, like it was thought up by an out- of -it adult who thought that was how kids talked. KHJ still went to number 1 and we all listened to it but I forever missed KFWB and I always had a soft spot for KRLA and the Hullabalooer, Dave Hull.

 

[michael hagerty]

As for the comment about "boss"-you are so right, not one teenager in SoCal used that word unless they were dorks-it was really uncool, like it was thought up by an out- of -it adult who thought that was how kids talked. KHJ still went to number 1 and we all listened to it but I forever missed KFWB and I always had a soft spot for KRLA and the Hullabalooer, Dave Hull.

"Boss Radio" was coined by 38-year old KHJ promotions director Clancy Ismuslind. Time was running out and they went with it. Materials were already printed when KHJ's first PD, Ron Jacobs arrived and he was none too pleased. Quote: "Aww, man! That s***'s 1960, man!

But it worked, it lasted four years (as long as Jacobs did) and forty years later, if you say "Boss Radio", "Boss Jock', or "Boss 30", people instantly understand.

And before anybody judges Clancy Ismuslind, read this: http://yourwebapps.com/WebApps/mail-list-archive.cgi?id=74651;entry_id=30

Probably the most inspirational story associated with KHJ.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[Lopaka]

A memory of KHJ was their newsman pinned down by gunfire while covering the Watts riots--live, on air. Rather dramatic just to listen to, how dramatic must it have been for them!

 

[pattiwacki]

Thanks for sharing that Michael, Clancy was indeed cool after all!

 

[LKellerIII]

As for the comment about "boss"-you are so right, not one teenager in SoCal used that word unless they were dorks-it was really uncool, like it was thought up by an out- of -it adult who thought that was how kids talked. KHJ still went to number 1 and we all listened to it but I forever missed KFWB and I always had a soft spot for KRLA and the Hullabalooer, Dave Hull.

"Boss Radio" was coined by 38-year old KHJ promotions director Clancy Ismuslind. Time was running out and they went with it. Materials were already printed when KHJ's first PD, Ron Jacobs arrived and he was none too pleased. Quote: "Aww, man! That s***'s 1960, man!

But it worked, it lasted four years (as long as Jacobs did) and forty years later, if you say "Boss Radio", "Boss Jock', or "Boss 30", people instantly understand.

And before anybody judges Clancy Ismuslind, read this: http://yourwebapps.com/WebApps/mail-list-archive.cgi?id=74651;entry_id=30

Probably the most inspirational story associated with KHJ.

---Michael Hagerty

I know Michael the historian knows this, but for anybody who doesn't:

If I recall the stories about KHJ's flip to Top 40 correctly - KFWB got wind of the KHJ move, and started calling itself "Boss Radio" - which forced Drake and Jacobs to put the new "Boss" KHJ on the air faster than they had planned, before their jingles and imaging were co-opted by Channel 98.


Drake couldn't use "Boss" in San Francisco because KFRC's Top 40 competitor, KYA, was already "The Boss of the Bay." I don't know if the slogan originated when Drake was the PD there in the early 60s - or after that.

If you google Mr. Imuslind, you'll find many citations. As of a couple of years ago - he was still devoting his life to helping alcoholics and the addicted.

 

[oldmanradio]

Maybe this is impossible to answer, but what do you think?

If Emperor Hudson had remained at KRLA, what would have happened in morning drive between Morgan and Hudson?

Personally, I thought Hudson was funnier, but Morgan obviously had a wicked quick wit. In later years, Morgan said he caught a break when Hudson left KRLA.

Have any of you seen a student, short film documentary by George Lucas, The Emperor (1967)? It lists Bob Hudson in the credits.

Check the link below:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061621/

Earlier, Michael mentioned Hudson's age. 1929 seems more reasonable, although I figured he might even been a little older than BMR who was born in 1926.

Jane Fonda reportedly once said that BMR was her favorite disc jockey growing up in southern California.

Hey, this is a "boss" discussion lol.

 

[pattiwacki]

It sure is! BMR was great. I liked Ted Quillan, Gene Weed and Jimmy O'Neil too. Emperor Bob and Lohman and Barkley were the best. Don't know how it would have gone between Hudson and Morgan-Morgan was pretty hip and Hudson was so funny.