WBCN's Farewell

[scooty430]

You said it. Mark's name has come up a number of times, and every time, everyone else changes the topic. I think it's maybe just too awkward for people, who knows. Bradlee J is certainly digging for dirt on every other topic and person. In any event, Mark has had to go to court and was found guilty; let the guy get on with his life, and at least honor what he did as a jock, as this is the last chance.

I too was puzzled that there was so much Ken Shelton stuff - maybe that was all they could find. Maybe Charles wanted $$ for his tapes, they couldn't play Parentau stuff as he's a New England pariah, and the pre-1980 stuff is missing. That's my theory. Shelton is quite a great interviewer, though.

I disagree with you about cutting the interviews. I'm happy that they are playing complete recordings, like the Moody Blues interview, or the Bill Murray interview, long as they may be. (The Murray interview was crudely scoped, if anyone else noticed. I bet that's how they archived it.) That's the beauty of having four days.

 

[scooty430]

You said it. Mark's name has come up a number of times, and every time, everyone else changes the topic. I think it's maybe just too awkward for people, who knows. Bradlee J is certainly digging for dirt on every other topic and person. In any event, Mark has had to go to court and was found guilty; let the guy get on with his life, and at least honor what he did as a jock, as this is the last chance.

I too was puzzled that there was so much Ken Shelton stuff - maybe that was all they could find. Maybe Charles wanted $$ for his tapes, they couldn't play Parentau stuff as he's a New England pariah, and the pre-1980 stuff is missing. That's my theory. Shelton is quite a great interviewer, though.

I disagree with you about cutting the interviews. I'm happy that they are playing complete recordings, like the Moody Blues interview, or the Bill Murray interview, long as they may be. (The Murray interview was crudely scoped, if anyone else noticed. I bet that's how they archived it.) That's the beauty of having four days. They can stretch out and let people talk, play full concerts..... Great stuff, and looking forward to tomorrow (and catching up on all the stuff I recorded but haven't listened to.)

 

[radiorama1]

Ironically, over time 'BCN moprhed into exactly what they were mocking.

I was never a HUGE listener of BCN, however if there was one particular moment in time that began "the turning" of BCN, I would say it was when Charles announced the deal with the New England Patriots on his morning show. Now don't get me wrong, the Patriots sound great on FM... and I'm not saying that "The N.E. Patriots/WBCN Rock Radio Network" was a failure BY ANY MEANS... but I do think when they began to carry the Pats games it opened up a "gateway" if you will, that began to move BCN away from it's roots of being the best damn Rock 'N' Roll station in Boston.

 

[Sibilant]

Agreed on the Patriots, but the turning point for me was when they picked up Howard Stern.

Also noticing they're playing the same vintage imaging playing over and over.. can't believe they don't have the "Really Rocking in Boston" medley archived somewhere.

 

[Cueburn]

I have not had a chance to listen as much as I would have liked to. I did hear some of Ken Shelton's live visit Saturday afternoon. I thought he did sound a little old but still real good. He did mention Mark and some others I have not heard of in years.

The rumor I have heard that Charles was "boycotting" the event because some of the people that should have been invited were not. That could explain the lack of airchecks from him.

It has been nice to relive the heyday of radio the way it was and the way it should be.

 

[Neanderpaul]

Listening online.

If this idea was so good...why did they stop?

Oh yeah...because people stopped listening.

Or did they? What were WBCN's ratings like when they "changed?"

Would be interesting if the stylistic change came out of necessity, or pre-emptive change.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Anyhow, Albert O said something along the lines of "we'll be the first HD station with live jocks," so perhaps they're going to give it a shot. I agree it does sound really unlikely, especially with CBS selling off stations at the moment.

Unless they may be doing it on a volunteer basis, perhaps considering it an investment it the future of radio and getting a toehold while the format is still in its infancy. However, it seems unlikely that professionals would be willing to do that in today's economy, where most people have to scramble every day just to keep their heads above water financially. The question is, will HD become developed enough for the secondary channels to be financially viable?

Also, it wouldn't be the first HD secondary channel with live jocks in Boston. There were some volunteer live jocks on the WBOS HD-2 "Radio You" channel. Emerson grads who had been on WERS, but had to leave when they graduated per their policy.

 

[SonicOverload]

wow... Rocket From The Crypt -> the Who -> Sebadoh

... I might keep this on for awhile. Pity you don't hear this kind of free-form anymore on commercial FM

 

[wprt949]

im listening online now

sounds good rip WBCN

 

[Father Reid]

*pours out a 40*

 

[scooty430]

Listening online.

If this idea was so good...why did they stop?

Oh yeah...because people stopped listening.

Or did they? What were WBCN's ratings like when they "changed?"

Would be interesting if the stylistic change came out of necessity, or pre-emptive change.

Short answer: BCN hasn't been "so good" since at LEAST 1993.

Longer answer: (Steps to suckdom)

Step One: BCN stopped letting the jocks pick songs in the late 80's.
Step Two: Too much classic rock in the early 90's.
Step Three: Putting Stern on at night - no more nighttime music at all.
Step Four: Forcing out Charles so Stern could be on in the morning. (Stern's demand? Most likely.)
Step Five: (This is when BCN effectively died, almost fifteen years ago!): Junking all the old jocks and heritage in a quest for younger demos.
Step Six: Putting on shock jocks in the afternoon, and of course the football games. You can't be the rock station of record if you don't play rock most of the day.

But basically it was corporate greed.

 

[Kodos]

For all the love being heaped upon the farewell broadcast - and it is a lot of fun to listen to - such a "freeform" format isn't viable in today's marketplace, especially with PPM. Listeners want to hear songs they recognize. An unknown song - unless it sounds like what they expect to hear - causes listeners to switch presets. Stations that truly exist outside the mainstream do so with small, niche audiences. WWCD in Columbus, OH is a great example. Their 1-share audience consists of OSU students and hip 20-somethings. But they have local ownership and make enough money, so it works. Lots of others have either gone web only (WOXY, WHFS, Indie 103) or have morphed into mainstream alternative stations (KROQ, WBRU).

What killed WBCN in the end - more than anything else - is a crowded marketplace. WBCN, WAAF, WBOS and WFNX are all fighting for the same shrinking pool of listeners. Something had to give, and it turned out to be WBCN. Could they have survived if they had stayed truer to their roots? Perhaps. But, WBOS was the final nail in the coffin and they're doing it with no personalities and the same music that WBCN has been playing for 15 years. So much for freeform.

 

[BoredModerator]

I'll be honest, I never "got" WBCN. I am too young to have listened in the 70's; but I was around for the 80's. I prefer rock and classic rock over pop; BUT WBCN seemed to always play "deep tracks" and songs that (even as a rock fan) I could not wait to be over. I always felt there was too much "Heyyyy Mannnn...." type of radio compared to "Here's what's going on this week..." type of radio. I realize I'm an oddity but in my world I listen to Matty for the banter and HJY in Providence for the music. I have nothing against WBCN; I think it is sad to see a heritage dismissed (the DJ's on HD won't last IMHO);but I would listen to WBCN at work on occasion; and it seemed to make the day go by s.l.o.w.e.r...

 

[scooty430]

I must say the program Oedipus put together is outstanding. Yes, he loves to pat himself on the back (quite a bit!) but the stories he is telling are fantastic, and he is so engaging. It's a shame he didn't jock every day! The clip of the Clash singing along drunk to YMCA, and just now this amazing Jeff Buckley performance.... Fantastic radio.

 

[Oldbones]

If this idea was so good...why did they stop?

Oh yeah...because people stopped listening.

Or did they? What were WBCN's ratings like when they "changed?"

Would be interesting if the stylistic change came out of necessity, or pre-emptive change.

Some of each I'd imagine. WBCN would have died a long time ago had they remained a free-form hippie station and not evolved.

Like some other posters in this thread, I wasn't a huge 'BCN fan, but I'd listen from time to time. First evolution came in the late '70s when they were getting creamed by WCOZ...clearly their days as the "Woodstock station" were numbered. They evolved into a more mainstream rocker, playing more hits and got the last laugh as 'COZ imploded. By the late 80s/early 90s rock was fracturing into the old school (Journey, Who, Led Zep, etc) and altrock, it was clear that they had to choose sides. Did they want to "grow old" with their original listeners and go in a more classic rock direction or did they want to try to attract the younger 'FNX crowd? They chose the latter, and did well thru the 90s. Unfortunately, the quality of altrock material went downhill in the 00s, plus they were trying to attract a generation to whom radio was increasingly seen as a quaint anachronism.
Times change, there weren't many of those 60s progressive rock pioneers that lasted as long as 'BCN did. It's sad to see them go, but they had a good run.

 

[Sibilant]

I must say the program Oedipus put together is outstanding. Yes, he loves to pat himself on the back (quite a bit!) but the stories he is telling are fantastic, and he is so engaging.

Tonight's last Nocturnal Emissions was the best I've ever heard. I was glued. Oedi claimed in the beginning that he doesn't usually talk about himself, but indulged himself for this final show. He's a great storyteller. It was sad listening to the show's last few breaks, he was trying to maintain his composure, understandably an emotional moment for him.

But they have local ownership and make enough money, so it works.

IMO that's the problem with radio - they need to earn more than they should to to service corporate debt. Freeform is too risky when loans are due.

WBOS was the final nail in the coffin and they're doing it with no personalities and the same music that WBCN has been playing for 15 years. So much for freeform.

After Howard Stern came along - i think BCN's jocks thought they were on a talk station. FNX jocks have the same problem. In it's heyday - under Charlie Kendall - BCN jocks were much more disciplined. They understood the power of brevity, kept it relevant in as few words as possible. The fact that in recent years BCN's jocks would not shut up i think was a major component in their demise. How else could a jockless station like WBOS do so well ?

 

[Mickey37]

This has been great radio, the WBCN Farewell. It's unfortunate that freeform has such a hard time holding listeners, but I have big hopes for Sam Kopper's BCN freeform on 100.7 HD3. Still won't get many listeners, HD being what it is. That could soon change with the portable HD radio.

Great hearing the segment with Charles. He was spot on. Tank was fine, he was Tank.
Bill Abbate was good. Same with Bradley J. Good to hear. Oedipus was a real joy to hear, all his stories, and hearing the Clash scream out the Village People's "YMCA" was hilarious!

 

[Smoke]

Was nice to hear Charles list many of the people he worked with, and when he got to the Ps said something like "if you have radio in the mornings you must have radio in the afternoons..." and let it hung without saying the dirty P name and moved on. Very nice.

 

[erwin33]

This has been great radio, the WBCN Farewell. It's unfortunate that freeform has such a hard time holding listeners, but I have big hopes for Sam Kopper's BCN freeform on 100.7 HD3. Still won't get many listeners, HD being what it is. That could soon change with the portable HD radio.

Great hearing the segment with Charles. He was spot on. Tank was fine, he was Tank.
Bill Abbate was good. Same with Bradley J. Good to hear. Oedipus was a real joy to hear, all his stories, and hearing the Clash scream out the Village People's "YMCA" was hilarious!

It's important that BCN's FreeForm station have a livestream to atract more listeners, so all CBS stations have livestreams and FreeForm not yet. Also no website up for this station.

 

[Cueburn]

I guess I stand corrected. Obviously the rumor I had heard was incorrect. It was good to hear Charles. I'm listening to Nik now and he is sounding good. It has been nice driving down memory lane with the farewell.