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The ever-evolving KMCQ

D

Dusty Dale Brooks

For the past several Fridays I have had long commutes from far north Seattle to Gig Harbor. Last Friday KMCQ was incredible. Great song followed great song. This Friday it was entirely the opposite: stiff after stiff. It is one thing to hear overplayed safe stuff on KJR-FM but for the most part they are good songs. There are also some really good stiffs that will still get an "Oh wow" out of me, and I think I own just about anything that was either a hit or a great stiff from about 1959 to the mid 1980s.

Therein is the bitter with the sweet. KMCQ will dazzle and sometimes amaze me with the songs they play. And while the listener in my loves it, the broadcaster in my cringes.

As I neared Tacoma yesterday I heard a new positioner: "And if you listen real hard, you just might hear a song from the 80s." Not long after that I heard "Bad" by Michael Jackson. It didn't work in the context of the set. It was a complete train wreck.

Since I assume that it is still completely turn-key I can only suspect that this week's music mix is at the suggestion of their rep firm who is probably hearing from buyers of their sellers that KMCQ skews too old.

Enjoy the eclecticism of KMCQ while you can folks, its days may be numbered.
 
The only issue I have with KMCQ is they obviously have set music-mixes as I've heard Get Back by Elton John in the noon hour almost every other day this week. I'm even fine with the lack of a DJ even though they should seriously consider investing money into doing what 98.9 is doing and name the song and artist after it's over.

Otherwise if they skew too old, then KIXI literally plays to dead people as 70% of their (very good selection) songs are 50s and 60s.

I'll be damned if KMCQ goes and we're stuck with the roughly 25 songs KJR is playing.
 
Here's the reply to the original post direct from KMCQ

104.5 KMCQ Seattle - All songs of the 60's and 70's We have never played "Bad" by Micheal Jackson. Looked at the log for Friday, there was no Micheal Jackson played. Wonder what this guy was listening.
Feel free to go to the following page and ask them any questions or provide feedback. They really respond!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/1045-KMCQ-Seattle-All-songs-of-the-60s-and-70s/286312000379
 
I listen to KMCQ and am nowhere near death in my 30's . Today I heard "Ghost Rider" by The Swanks, "Season of The Witch" by Donovan. Too old? This is great stuff.
 
I am still in love with KMCQ. My only criticism (besides playing any 80s records) is that they play way too much Springsteen, and lately I have been hearing a lot of the same records with much more frequency. As for the previous reference to Michael Jackson, I definitely heard Beat It played on Friday, 3/23. I have heard Billie Jean on the station as well I have not heard Bad as of yet. I love the fact that they play northwest 60s records by acts like The Fabulous Wailers, The Sonics and Merrilee Rush (That Kind Of Woman and Everyday Livin Days) and records by some other NW artists that I had never heard before. So, I am willing to forgive the occasional 80s record for now.
 
I have heard "Beat it" rarely, but never heard Billie Jean or Bad. Called the studio there was a board op and asked if either of those songs play, the answer was no. Sometimes its easier to ask. ;D
 
Regardless of what the bean counters in this industry say, KMCQ has definitely made an impact musically.
 
Dusty Dale, I have noticed the same thing. KMCQ has changed and they are all over the place. Yes I love them because they play so many long, lost gems from the 60's and 70's, but lately there have been a lot of unknown stiffs. I find myself turning them off more. I used to be able to listen for longer stretches. Whomever is choosing the music is playing too much Meatloaf. I keep hearing his voice on songs I don't even know. There are still some great gems they could play. How about "Dinah Flo" by Boz Scaggs, how about "Black Pearl" by The Checkmates.

I've also noticed that they must be using a CD changer. I'll hear 3 disco era songs in a row, then 3 songs from another genre, or 3 novelty songs. I know I am listening with a broadcaster's ear, but I wish they would reign in a bit. I still appreciate the wide selection, but a lot of the songs are not fitting together well like they used to. They also hit some songs over and over like "First I Look at the Purse" by The Contours. I hear that all the time along with the song "Walking the dog."

I hate to say this, being a former longtime DJ, but I have built several playlists on Spotify and am listening to them more than the radio now. How else am I going to hear my favorite song by Donovan - "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" or "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" - Just sayin'
 
I have listened to KMCQ for a long time now and noticed every 6 months or so they go through something different, not always songs I like then gets even better.
Some music being played more often these days but not enough to jump off or make me listen less. There are still gems that I hear like yesterday "Ghost Rider" by The Swanks or My Mirage and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly, heard it last week.

Agree with Bongwater, like KMCQ or not the station has made a difference in Seattle radio. Hope they stick around for a long time.
They do take requests I call.
 
I also recall Billy Jean being played (and some other mid-80' songs) - those were part of Ted Alexander's 10,000 oldies show during last weekend (Saturday 6-9 p.m.)
 
WDAE-FM101 said:
I also recall Billy Jean being played (and some other mid-80' songs) - those were part of Ted Alexander's 10,000 oldies show during last weekend (Saturday 6-9 p.m.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, Ted seems to be adding more and more 80s records. When he played Laura Brannigan's How Am I Supposed To Live Without You it was too much for me. I don't tune in to his show as much anymore. With so many great records of the 60s and 70s that don't get much airplay anymore, why on earth would you play an 80s P-O-S like that? I wish KMCQ would tell him to stick to the 60s and 70s for his shows. I think 104.5 is the only station he does that show for anyway.
 
Glad to hear they played "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." I actually emailed them that song for the 5pm drive time request portion. I probably missed the day they played it, if that is when they played it.
 
For KMCQ to have made an "impact" in the market some other station would have had to have reacted by adjusting their format somehow... This has not happened, KJR FM is still playing the same songs.

KMCQ might have made an impact on some listeners, but not the market, and not any other stations in the market.

KMCQ is still nothing more than a lightly managed iPod with no intention of commercial success at this time.

if you really want to hear oldies done right check out the new KISN stream out of PDX...

www.goodguyradio.com

I would rather see oldies fans get excited over someone who is actually making a serious effort at the format. Which KMCQ is not.
 
toonces2u said:
WDAE-FM101 said:
I also recall Billy Jean being played (and some other mid-80' songs) - those were part of Ted Alexander's 10,000 oldies show during last weekend (Saturday 6-9 p.m.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, Ted seems to be adding more and more 80s records. When he played Laura Brannigan's How Am I Supposed To Live Without You it was too much for me. I don't tune in to his show as much anymore. With so many great records of the 60s and 70s that don't get much airplay anymore, why on earth would you play an 80s P-O-S like that? I wish KMCQ would tell him to stick to the 60s and 70s for his shows. I think 104.5 is the only station he does that show for anyway.
Click to expand...

Well that particular song is from 1983 so it's nearly 30 years old thus classifying "oldies" at least in my view.

KMCQ play probably 10 80s songs per week. Is it really that big a deal? I'd rather just enjoy it for as long as it's around.

I notice that late Saturday nights towards midnight they play complete CDs. Steely Dan and Van Morrison have been featured and it's like a marathon of their songs.
 
I really appreciate the multitude of comments many of these KMCQ threads create. Pro and con comments are great to hear and regardless if our station is "making an impact on the (radio) market" or not...who cares, really. What's most important, KMCQ is obviously making an impact on the listeners and the increasing number of advertisers who continue to utilize the station. [email protected]
 
"regardless if our station is "making an impact on the (radio) market" or not...who cares, really"

Which is exactly my point, they are not out to succeed commercially at KMCQ, or make any sort of impact in the market.

They are just out to keep it on the air until someone comes up with 25 million dollars.

If you happen to like it that's cool, but don't delude yourselves into thinking this is some sort of serious broadcasting endeavor.
 
Let me apologize to WDAE FM-102 for claiming that KMCQ played “Bad” by Michael Jackson. My mistake. I also want to thank those who corrected me on the MJ song that actually did play. It was indeed “Beat It” that KMCQ played in PM Drive on Friday. We all know the metrics for “Beat It” and if you’re going to play any hits from the 80s “Beat It” would be a logical choice. From the tenor of her response I can't help but wonder if she is the music director.

If I were the PD or MD of KMCQ and someone accused me of playing “Bad” I would vehemently deny it, too!!

The extent of this thread proves the interest there is in this station, and I hopeshe would explain her philosophies. Showcasing people like The Wailers, The Ventures, The Kingsmen, and others is great, but this area is full of transplants so to many the songs are unfamiliar. I suspect that she is younger than most of her listeners. One indication is that in the eyes of young musicologists Meatloaf was a demigod and he had great success in the 1990s. To us in the demographic he was an artist whose album Bat Out of Hell was good, but he only had one real hit in the 70s, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” (summer 1978).

The whole purpose of my original post was that in opening up the 80s I think KMCQ comes perilously close to losing its uniqueness and risks blowing off its core audience, that to date has shown great loyalty. Even my uncle in his 70s has an iPod and a smartphone. Moreover, Sirius/XM is not prohibitively expensive. They do have somewhere to go. They will accept commercials but they won’t accept poor music selections.

It is true that they are waiting for that $25 million angel to come along, but I think they are beginning to get serious about at least covering the overhead.

Proceed cautiously madam programmer and tell your salespeople to get out and sell the audience you already have.
 
[/quote]

Well that particular song is from 1983 so it's nearly 30 years old thus classifying "oldies" at least in my view.

KMCQ play probably 10 80s songs per week. Is it really that big a deal? I'd rather just enjoy it for as long as it's around.

I notice that late Saturday nights towards midnight they play complete CDs. Steely Dan and Van Morrison have been featured and it's like a marathon of their songs.
[/quote]

I don't dispute that songs from the 80s and even the 90s are now oldies. My preference is for a station to play nothing newer than 1979. We have stations in Seattle playing those 80s records including the crappy KJR FM. Why does KMCQ need to play them too? If given a choice between hearing Laura Brannigan singing a sappy Michael Bolton song or hearing Thunderclap Newman's Something In The Air, there is no contest. Right now, with the station playing so many records, I can tolerate the occasional slip into the 80s, though I wish they wouldn't. I dread the day that the station sells and the format changes, or even worse, the day they hire a chowder head consultant and adjust their oldies play list based on idiotic focus group data. The station should be applauded for achieving what they have done on their own. Imagine how much better their ratings might be if they had a decent budget to promote the station. I have a 104.5 placard in the rear window of my car, but that can only do so much.
 
No apologies necessary - just wanted to give KMCQ the feedback from listeners who post on this board - and they are very responsive (she checked the logs etc to see of they did play "Bad." That's why I suggested that we should use the links on their web page to ask questions and make suggestions.
Thanks much.
 
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