Ron Brown the Red Eyed Rocker on WBLM

[david3441]

I just started a job working all night and found myself listening to 102.9 WBLM in Portland, with Ron Brown the "red eyed" rocker. It left me wondering one thing...what is this guy doing on overnights? Get him on during the day...or at least evenings! His show actually had CONTENT for a change, in almost every break I heard. Usually it was facinating info on the artist and/or song he just played, but sometimes other things like sports and showbiz. A great set of music too. He must be allowed to go off playlist because he played tons of songs I've never heard any station play. Like "Joan Crawford" by Blue Oyster Cult, or "Beating Around the Bush" by AC/DC. He does a feature called "The 3'Oclock Break" with a different theme every night. This morning was "Off the Deep End" where listeners were invited to call and request thier favorite deep cut for an hour of nothing but deep cuts. Yesterday was "Before and After" doubleshots where the last word of the first song title has to be the first word of the second song title. The hour was excuted perfectly, with Ron mentioning actual names of people who called in and business names where they worked. It sounded like every third shifter in Southern Maine was listening to WBLM. Usually WBLM (and most every other station for that matter) is very generic, with the DJs only talking about the contest the morning show is doing and reading a list of songs they just played and what bands are coming up, usually the same tired "hits" or "classics" over and over. More stations need to do what Ron Brown is doing if they want to compete with satellite radio and IPODs. I even brought my MP3 player to work with me and never used it thanks to Ron Brown on WBLM. I can't wait to hear what he does tonight.

 

[jparsons]

> I just started a job working all night and found myself
> listening to 102.9 WBLM in Portland, with Ron Brown the "red
> eyed" rocker. It left me wondering one thing...what is this
> guy doing on overnights? Get him on during the day...or at
> least evenings! His show actually had CONTENT for a change,
> in almost every break I heard. Usually it was facinating
> info on the artist and/or song he just played, but sometimes
> other things like sports and showbiz. A great set of music
> too. He must be allowed to go off playlist because he
> played tons of songs I've never heard any station play.
> Like "Joan Crawford" by Blue Oyster Cult, or "Beating Around
> the Bush" by AC/DC. He does a feature called "The 3'Oclock
> Break" with a different theme every night. This morning was
> "Off the Deep End" where listeners were invited to call and
> request thier favorite deep cut for an hour of nothing but
> deep cuts. Yesterday was "Before and After" doubleshots
> where the last word of the first song title has to be the
> first word of the second song title. The hour was excuted
> perfectly, with Ron mentioning actual names of people who
> called in and business names where they worked. It sounded
> like every third shifter in Southern Maine was listening to
> WBLM. Usually WBLM (and most every other station for that
> matter) is very generic, with the DJs only talking about the
> contest the morning show is doing and reading a list of
> songs they just played and what bands are coming up, usually
> the same tired "hits" or "classics" over and over. More
> stations need to do what Ron Brown is doing if they want to
> compete with satellite radio and IPODs. I even brought my
> MP3 player to work with me and never used it thanks to Ron
> Brown on WBLM. I can't wait to hear what he does tonight.
>

I can answer that, since I see Ron every morning when I head into work. He does overnights becuase he loves doing it. It's where he wants to be. He and his girlfriend both work overnight shifts so it works out perfectly for them. When I show up at 5AM he's eating his dinner.

Ron puts a lot of work into his show, and always has. He's great at it, and has a huge base of regular listeners. He's also when hell of a nice guy too. I'll be sure to pass along the kind comments to him.

Jeff Parsons

 

[cooper]

> Ron puts a lot of work into his show, and always has. He's
> great at it, and has a huge base of regular listeners. He's
> also when hell of a nice guy too. I'll be sure to pass along
> the kind comments to him.
>
> Jeff Parsons
>

I usually check out his show while I am on my way in in the morning. He does a great job!! It is so good to see someone outside morning drive using content in their show. I am fortuneate enough to have afternoon and evening guys that are prep junkies, but I have heard many liner card stations.

 

[argytunes]

> > Ron puts a lot of work into his show, and always has.
> He's
> > great at it, and has a huge base of regular listeners.
> He's
> > also when hell of a nice guy too. I'll be sure to pass
> along
> > the kind comments to him.
> >
> > Jeff Parsons
> >
>
> I usually check out his show while I am on my way in in the
> morning. He does a great job!! It is so good to see someone
> outside morning drive using content in their show. I am
> fortuneate enough to have afternoon and evening guys that
> are prep junkies, but I have heard many liner card stations.


Just goes to prove how GREAT local radio can sound when a good air talent can "escape from inside the liner box!"

Incidentally...Ron ISN'T the first overnighter to feature something different at 3AM. I seem to remember an overnight jock at "Today's Country/WPOR" who did something similar under the header of: "THE 3 O'CLOCK SPECIAL!"

Pianoguy

 

[ChuckIgo]

> Incidentally...Ron ISN'T the first overnighter to feature
> something different at 3AM. I seem to remember an overnight
> jock at "Today's Country/WPOR" who did something similar
> under the header of: "THE 3 O'CLOCK SPECIAL!"
>
> Pianoguy
>

was that Hal Knight? Steve Mondor? Dr.Knob? Rick Russell? Bad News Brad Hughes? Ray Terry? Gene Terwilliger? it'll come to me.

a few other overnighters come to mind, aside from Ronnie...

Jerry "The Duke Of Madness" Goodwin (did anyone mention this is wbcn, boston?)

Mark "The Greatest Show From Earth" Persky

not just an hour here or there. back in the day, they had more than a little latitude to spread some attitude. always made late night rides or, in the Navy days, midwatch shifts, that much more enjoyable.

and on a semi-overnight, more of a swing shift (10p-2a) on the old WCOZ in Boston, circa 1976, Robert Desiderio (Mr.Judith Light) would have some fun with Boston Radio Theater. interesting experiment that actually got me to almost understand Jean Paul Satre. one night they performed "No Exit." one of those "you had to be there - at least they tried" moments. they did a few other plays on radio, but the one that had my buddies asking "what the f*** are we listening to???" most was the Satre thing.

and of course, there is Larry The Legend. sing along if you know the song:
"glick-nicks, hey all you glick-nicks!"

 

[argytunes]

> > Incidentally...Ron ISN'T the first overnighter to feature
> > something different at 3AM. I seem to remember an
> overnight
> > jock at "Today's Country/WPOR" who did something similar
> > under the header of: "THE 3 O'CLOCK SPECIAL!"


was that Hal Knight? Steve Mondor? Dr.Knob? Rick Russell?
> Bad News Brad Hughes? Ray Terry? Gene Terwilliger? it'll
> come to me.

OKAY???
>
> a few other overnighters come to mind, aside from Ronnie...
>
> Jerry "The Duke Of Madness" Goodwin (did anyone mention this
> is wbcn, boston?)
>
> Mark "The Greatest Show From Earth" Persky
>
> not just an hour here or there. back in the day, they had
> more than a little latitude to spread some attitude. always
> made late night rides or, in the Navy days, midwatch shifts,
> that much more enjoyable.
>
> and on a semi-overnight, more of a swing shift (10p-2a) on
> the old WCOZ in Boston, circa 1976, Robert Desiderio
> (Mr.Judith Light) would have some fun with Boston Radio
> Theater. interesting experiment that actually got me to
> almost understand Jean Paul Satre. one night they performed
> "No Exit." one of those "you had to be there - at least
> they tried" moments. they did a few other plays on radio,
> but the one that had my buddies asking "what the f*** are we
> listening to???" most was the Satre thing.

> and of course, there is Larry The Legend. sing along if you
> know the song:
> "glick-nicks, hey all you glick-nicks!"

And you've just described the difference between radio attempting to be creative (with a "personality" who doesn't sound like a robot) and the automatons that most stations are employing right now? Do you honestly believe the latter is better? CHEAPER? ABSOLUTELY!

argytunes

 

[phonebitsrock]

Wow... sure is nice to actually have a human doing an overnight shift...

Citadel should put some more humans on the air... even during afternoons and nights... which are tracked a scary amount of the time.


> > > Incidentally...Ron ISN'T the first overnighter to
> feature
> > > something different at 3AM. I seem to remember an
> > overnight
> > > jock at "Today's Country/WPOR" who did something similar
>
> > > under the header of: "THE 3 O'CLOCK SPECIAL!"
>
>
> was that Hal Knight? Steve Mondor? Dr.Knob? Rick
> Russell?
> > Bad News Brad Hughes? Ray Terry? Gene Terwilliger?
> it'll
> > come to me.
>
> OKAY???
> >
> > a few other overnighters come to mind, aside from
> Ronnie...
> >
> > Jerry "The Duke Of Madness" Goodwin (did anyone mention
> this
> > is wbcn, boston?)
> >
> > Mark "The Greatest Show From Earth" Persky
> >
> > not just an hour here or there. back in the day, they had
>
> > more than a little latitude to spread some attitude.
> always
> > made late night rides or, in the Navy days, midwatch
> shifts,
> > that much more enjoyable.
> >
> > and on a semi-overnight, more of a swing shift (10p-2a) on
>
> > the old WCOZ in Boston, circa 1976, Robert Desiderio
> > (Mr.Judith Light) would have some fun with Boston Radio
> > Theater. interesting experiment that actually got me to
> > almost understand Jean Paul Satre. one night they
> performed
> > "No Exit." one of those "you had to be there - at least
> > they tried" moments. they did a few other plays on radio,
>
> > but the one that had my buddies asking "what the f*** are
> we
> > listening to???" most was the Satre thing.
>
> > and of course, there is Larry The Legend. sing along if
> you
> > know the song:
> > "glick-nicks, hey all you glick-nicks!"
>
> And you've just described the difference between radio
> attempting to be creative (with a "personality" who doesn't
> sound like a robot) and the automatons that most stations
> are employing right now? Do you honestly believe the latter
> is better? CHEAPER? ABSOLUTELY!
>
> argytunes
>