"The Big 68" returns to WRKO this Saturday night!!!

[frankberry]

Cripes you'd have to be pushing 65 to remember from memory what WRKO was playing in the late 60's.

... AND .... your point would be?

 

[Deleted User]

... AND .... your point would be?

that they could play almost anything and nobody would know the difference, or the ones that could were already in bed with their teeth in the glass, and the leftovers from the blue hair special in the fridge.

The only thing I remember from WRKO with any clarity is Dale Dorman

 

[frankberry]

that they could play almost anything and nobody would know the difference, or the ones that could were already in bed with their teeth in the glass, and the leftovers from the blue hair special in the fridge.

That's insulting.

 

[CTListener]

that they could play almost anything and nobody would know the difference, or the ones that could were already in bed with their teeth in the glass, and the leftovers from the blue hair special in the fridge.

The only thing I remember from WRKO with any clarity is Dale Dorman

I'm 60. I was just about to turn 12 when 680 flipped from talk to Top 40. My teeth are still in my mouth, my hair's not blue, and I remember very well what I was listening to on WRKO -- and WBZ/WMEX the two or three years previous, not to mention the automated WRKO-FM (Arko) 98.5. I'll check back here in five years and let you know if I've forgotten.

 

[Bill-in-CT]

Here are elements and talk-ups from the first 20 minutes...
http://bill1820.com/radio/wrko-2016-0116.mp3

 

[nowradioguy]

I'm 60. I was just about to turn 12 when 680 flipped from talk to Top 40. My teeth are still in my mouth, my hair's not blue, and I remember very well what I was listening to on WRKO -- and WBZ/WMEX the two or three years previous, not to mention the automated WRKO-FM (Arko) 98.5. I'll check back here in five years and let you know if I've forgotten.

You tell him, CT! I'm almost 67 and recall when 98.5 became " 'RKO, the shy but friendly robot", testing the waters for what would eventually become "The Big 68" in March of '67. However, IMHO 'RKO REALLY sounded great once Bill Drake took charge. Got rid of the echo, tightened up the format and DJ patter. And those Johnny Mann Singers' jingles and Drake's TOH station IDs were unforgettable.

Laugh all you want, nay say all you want, but WRKO was BIG in 1967-68, its finest years. And, yes, I agree with the poster who observed that many of the songs played last night were actually pre-RKO, and the focus should've been on the hits and "goldens" featured on 'RKO after its debut.

 

[nowradioguy]

... AND .... your point would be?

That's right, Frank; as if one were an anomaly or freak if (s)he can remember the WRKO of 1967.

 

[nowradioguy]

here are elements and talk-ups from the first 20 minutes...
http://bill1820.com/radio/wrko-2016-0116.mp3

thanks, bill!!!

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

that they could play almost anything and nobody would know the difference, or the ones that could were already in bed with their teeth in the glass, and the leftovers from the blue hair special in the fridge.

IOW, the same thing you'll be some day?

 

[Deleted User]

IOW, the same thing you'll be some day?

probably, I harbor no illusions of finding the fountain of youth,

 

[benale]

I just turned 67 and my memory of AM radio in the sixties is razor sharp. I was living on Long Island and I recall all the jock lineups on WMCA and WABC and all the great music. I would imagine someone my age has the same kind of memories of WBZ,WMEX and WRKO.

I don't recall what I had for dinner last night,but I could tell you exactly where I was when WMGM switched to WHN in 1962 and WINS switched to all news in 1965.

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

WRKO was the station that I listened to, when I was 12 and 13 years old - my little transistor radio pressed to my ear. My local music shop
had their Top-30 weekly countdowns (with hit-bounds!) on the counter. The corresponding 45 RPM vinyl singles were displayed on the wall. It was all
wicked cool! Music-wise, I am sure you can hear most of those songs still be played across several stations, with various alphabet formats.
I did not discover FM radio until I was 14 (approximately 1970).. Interesting that they are trying this, as an experiment. I doubt they will make a big splash
with it - I wish them well!

Having said all of this, I am approaching 60, but I refuse to either look or act my age. Long live real rock! )

 

[radioface]

The program is not paid programming, Jeff is a part-time employee of Entercom Boston

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

WRKO was the station that I listened to, when I was 12 and 13 years old - my little transistor radio pressed to my ear.

Ditto. Back then, my music collection was songs that I taped by holding the mic up to the clock radio in my room, on 3/$1 cassettes from Bradlees. I soon discovered that FM stations not only would play more variety, they didn't jabber over the beginnings and endings of songs as much.

 

[CTListener]

Ditto. Back then, my music collection was songs that I taped by holding the mic up to the clock radio in my room, on 3/$1 cassettes from Bradlees.

Same here. I can still hear some of the segues I created on those long-ago tapes in my mind, so much so that to this day, I can't hear "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" without thinking "Down on the Corner" must be coming next!

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

The program is not paid programming, Jeff is a part-time employee of Entercom Boston

And you know this...how? Are you their payroll manager?

 

[john garrett]

And you know this...how? Are you their payroll manager?

I am happy whenever local programming hosted by local talent replaces national shows or paid programming. I believe RKO was running paid programming and Larry Kramer on Saturdayevenings. Given the bare bones operation they run and the difficulty they have selling the weekday programming to advertisers would they pay someone to host a Saturday evening music show that is not exactly going to have advertisers racing to be on?

 

[newsbot2]

I guess I'm spoiled on oldies shows, but I can't say I was terribly impressed by the debut. It was the usual well-tested oldies that are played to death on oldies radio. I am an avid listener of Bill O'Neil's "Forgotten 45s" show on WNBP/WWSF on Sunday nights, and I still have an archive of Mark Simone's "Saturday Night Oldies" show on WABC which ran from 2005-2012. But hey, good luck to Jeff, and hopefully over time there will be some more local flavor and more regional hit records in addition to the usual suspects.

 

[raccoonradio]

I'd agree with you somewhat and really wasn't surprised. Maybe people don't have satellite radio and its various decades channels or they aren't aware of various oldies shows on commercial and non-commercial stations. They're fine with just hearing the mega-hits and wow, it's on AM radio just like the old days, with limited sound quality and just wait till we get thunderstorms and static kicks in! Some of these sources
do play the same huge hits over and over while some get into fun, obscure stuff. The played-to-death shows and stations
will play you "The Rain the Park and Other Things" by the Cowsills, while the obscure shows will dig up the group's
"We Can Fly" (#21, 1968). Did enjoy Forgotten 45s when I heard it once or twice, online. Local flavor is good --as for regional hits, Orpheus' "Can't Find The Time" is a great example, and yes "this one goes out to Marcy in Methuen" at least
shows it's a local show...then there are the hosts who talk way too much, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW8aBAObrdo

 

[radioface]

...Given the bare bones operation they run

Bare Bones? The station has a dedicated PD, dedicated Sales Manager, 5 dedicated Account Executives, 2 full time producers, 3 full time air-talents, and a number of part timers that all work exclusively for WRKO. A lot has changed internally since June.