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The golden age of Phoenix talk radio

M

madlib

I grew up with Phoenix talk radio. I've always been a talk radio junkie. Sadly all of my favorite local talk hosts are either dead or retired.

Earl Baldwin. Bob Mohan. Bill Straus. David Liebowitz.

Agree with them or disagree with them, they were entertaining, well informed, and fun to listen to. And you usually learned something by listening.

Sadly, there aren't any talk show hosts that do this kind of radio in Phoenix today. Why? Is it a lack of local talent or does this kind of radio just not sell nowadays?
 
...hey you forgot John Dayl! And what's the difference between dead or retired?
 
One more for the deceased file

Duke Shirlaw, pure unbridled insanity on the "Middle of the Damn Night" show. CC would never allow such anarchy these days.


Mohan was great, Straus had a great show, Liebowitz is still an untapped resource.
 
Legend City said:
One more for the deceased file

Duke Shirlaw, pure unbridled insanity on the "Middle of the Damn Night" show. CC would never allow such anarchy these days.
Click to expand...

I was a definately a Shirlaw fan. His show was hilarious. Duke died pretty young unfortunately.

As for John Dayl, he's neither dead, nor retired he's just hacccccccccccccccck.
 
The sound clips he produced for Mohan and Leykis were so good.

The "Loser" one with the bomb going off, and "Liar" and "Thank God its Friday" were classic.

I do remember Mohan getting in hot water with the Ed Pastor "Bandito" clip.
 
madlib said:
Legend City said:
One more for the deceased file

Duke Shirlaw, pure unbridled insanity on the "Middle of the Damn Night" show. CC would never allow such anarchy these days.
Click to expand...

I was a definately a Shirlaw fan. His show was hilarious. Duke died pretty young unfortunately.

As for John Dayl, he's neither dead, nor retired he's just hacccccccccccccccck.
Click to expand...
I was a regular caller to Duke's show in the late 80s/early 90s, was the youngest person to call his show that's for sure--remember staying up all night to listen, even when he would bring on the whack job guests. I honestly didn't know that he died, that or I forgot, what a shame. He could never do half the crap he used to get away with today, but I was definitely a fan.

John Dayl... He may be a slack-jawed yocal, but for whatever reason he's had more lives in radio than just about anyone... you've gotta give him that.
 
Oh the days of the ole KFYI. They were definitely golden. We can't forget Mickey Pador or Jaymie McFerrin, the token "liberals" for the mid-day.

I do miss "Blow Out The Phones" the most though; now that was fun radio!

Good ole Reverend Mo' or was he the Emperor? ;D
 
KCIR said:
Oh the days of the ole KFYI. They were definitely golden. We can't forget Mickey Pador or Jaymie McFerrin, the token "liberals" for the mid-day.

I do miss "Blow Out The Phones" the most though; now that was fun radio!

Good ole Reverend Mo' or was he the Emperor? ;D
Click to expand...

Actually I can forget Mickey and Jamie, they were pretty forgetable. EB was the best liberal talk host of the old days, but that was a long time ago. There's nobody like him today. Earl was well informed and a real radio pro.

Leykis was actually worth listening to once upon a time, before he became a Howard Stern clone.

Loved "Blow Out the Phones". Newcomb tried to rip it off with "Bring It on Fridays", but it just didn't work the same without Reverend Mo. My favorite sound effect was when Mo would act exasperated and rattle the ice cubes in his martini glass. I didn't agree with Mohan's politics, but he was a hoot.
 
Perhaps I'll resurrect my old "FYI Radio 910" cassettes from the boxes. There were some other interesting hosts on KFYI, included Mark Williams on the weekends--one of the few hosts to be fired on the air. Others I remember were Lee Tate, Alan Rappaport (or however it's spelled). The late Jack Cole--who would sing through the afternoons. Overnights was John Geise, whose name I butchered I'm sure, Don Silverman and everyone's favorite overnight syndicated fill, "TalkNet". About the only thing from the old days of KFYI still remaining are the Barely Famous, Nearly Young and Joe Adams (oh and of course Mark Jeffrey). Ed Walsh has since gone on to bigger and better things in New York and elsewhere, Before Keith Degreen there was Garland McDonald and Dr. Ruth on Sunday nights. While I enjoy some aspects of KFYI now, I think the old days were definitely more "interesting", certainly more compelling programming than Pat McBland speaking to vaccum cleaner salesman. Well, I guess not everything has changed.

On a side note, great stuff on Ankarlo today - he was giving out autographed copies of some cartoon sketch someone did belittling him... compelling radio.
 
Actually I can forget Mickey and Jamie, they were pretty forgetable.
Click to expand...

You're right, they were pretty forgettable!! I really strained to remember them ;D


I remember some of the old topics: Ensco, near Mobile; Val Trans; Planning out the freeways & people getting rich buying land in rights of way; Mecham, Mofford, Symington; Mayers of Phoenix: Johnson, Goddard etc. etc.

KFYI used to be a great alternative to the "other station"
 
What did Brian Williams get fired for?

Also, Gabe calling in every show, Maryann Watkins, Victoria Jones etc.

Then, things got terrible, Barry & Bill in the morning, Grant Woods show, Liddy & Hill, Michael Savage.

KFYI is a shell of the good station it once was.
 
Legend City said:
What did Brian Williams get fired for?

Also, Gabe calling in every show, Maryann Watkins, Victoria Jones etc.

Then, things got terrible, Barry & Bill in the morning, Grant Woods show, Liddy & Hill, Michael Savage.

KFYI is a shell of the good station it once was.
Click to expand...
It was Mark Williams, but as I recall--I'd have to go back to the tape archive to be sure, he used the N word among other insults toward a particular caller and berated someone in an uncontrollable rant session for sometime before Barry Young, the PD at the time (or APD, I was 12 or 13 at the time so some details are a tad sketchy) called in and essentially told him he was fired and told the board op to go to deadroll. This incident flew under the radar because 1) it happened on the weekend and 2) Mark Williams was not a well-known host by many. Some thought it was a bit and there was some skepticism surrounding the incident, but in a vault someplace I still have this episode on tape--I hope to find that (along with my other FYI radio 910 classics.

Victoria Jones... who could forget that crazy Brit, actually she wasn't around long, but she was pretty annoying... as was Mickey! UGH.
 
desertskies said:
Does anyone remember John Gage?
I believe he was either with KPHO AM 910 or KOY 550.
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of John Sage? He was on KXIV 1400 and would sit there and wait for phone calls. I actually called the station one night to find out the score of the Phoenix Roadrunners game, and he picked up and I was on the air.
 
BobinPhoenix said:
desertskies said:
Does anyone remember John Gage?
I believe he was either with KPHO AM 910 or KOY 550.
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of John Sage? He was on KXIV 1400 and would sit there and wait for phone calls. I actually called the station one night to find out the score of the Phoenix Roadrunners game, and he picked up and I was on the air.
Click to expand...
You are correct.
Just wondering if anyone else remembered him.

I was in 7th or 8th grade when I called him. Some friends suggested I ask about a rumor that in the year 2000, Camelback mountain was gonna get up and walk away.

He hung up on me.
 
Legend city

Thanks for reminding me about Gabe. He was wonderful. Talk about being able to start a conversation. After any call from Gabe you were assured of a lit up board. I went to his viewing, Bill Straus was there as were a number of regular talk show callers.

Gabe was marvelous. All we have now is Terry. I even miss the former ASU football player, African American,
who saw everything as a plot against Blacks. I think he was banned by some of the hosts for his radical views. I thought he was great because he was a conversation starter. Anyone remember his name?


Jay
 
I met Gabe once, he was doing something in front of the Library.

Funny guy, but that voice!

You always knew it was him, the call would start with "Yeah well, this is Gabe.."

Half the time you were wishing he shut up, half the time you wish he would call in.

As for Terry, in 15 years I have yet to hear him contribute one positive thing to radio, he is just a very bitter troll.

I always liked when crazy Mary would call Mohan, she would exasperate him and the ice and martini SFX would come on. She was nuts.
 
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