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WBCN's Farewell

J

Jacko

What are everyone's thoughts on the WBCN farewell fare so far? I guess I was under the impression that the guests were going to be live instead of replaying stuff from the archives, but I guess there is still time for jocks to make their appearances. Some of the archive stuff sounds good, like Bill Murray in the studio and the "revolution" montage from March 15, 1968 into "I Feel Free" from Cream.

I also checked WZLX--doubt many people will be listening to them the next four days.

Jacko
 
I'm loving the retrospective so far. Bradley and Albert are sounding brilliant together, and the music is bringing me back. It's the way 'BCN used to sound - it was a thrill to listen to.
 
Excellent so far. A four day send-off has to go down as the best radio station 'goodbye' I've heard of. Some of the old station IDs I haven't heard in 15-20 years, but it seems like yesterday. I hope everyone comes in live like Albert O is. Great stories, and the song choices are outstanding.

The "freeform" online version they're describing sounds fantastic. 6000 songs from the 50s on? Live jocks? I'll give that a try for sure.
 
Albert O and Bradley are spinning some amazing stuff. THIS is what the REAL BCN was about. Cutting edge, spanning many genres. I heard Iggy Pop, Queens of the Stone Age, Nick Lowe, Cornershop, Think Tree (!!!), Cheap Trick, Jeff Buckley, Neil Young, The Gaslight Anthem, Velvet Underground, even Bo Diddley. Great stuff
 
I just have to weigh in again.. when someone like Albert O, who has impeccable musical sensibilities - is given free reign over the musical selections - it's magical radio. The antithesis to what rock radio has become. I haven't enjoyed listening to the radio this much since the 80's.
 
Signpost said:
I just have to weigh in again.. when someone like Albert O, who has impeccable musical sensibilities - is given free reign over the musical selections - it's magical radio. The antithesis to what rock radio has become. I haven't enjoyed listening to the radio this much since the 80's.
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Just amazing. I've been listening with my mother (who's obviously listened to BCN since the 70's) and she agrees this is what BCN should be remembered for. I'm only 26 and only got to enjoy it for a short amount of time compared to her, but we both agree this is what it was all about...
 
scooty430 said:
The "freeform" online version they're describing sounds fantastic. 6000 songs from the 50s on? Live jocks? I'll give that a try for sure.
Click to expand...

So far, the "FreeForm 104" HD-2 and online has not had live jocks. Are they planning to add them?
 
Eli Polonsky said:
scooty430 said:
The "freeform" online version they're describing sounds fantastic. 6000 songs from the 50s on? Live jocks? I'll give that a try for sure.
Click to expand...

So far, the "FreeForm 104" HD-2 and online has not had live jocks. Are they planning to add them?
Click to expand...

Albert O made it sound like the "freeform" station will be "coming soon," so my guess is the current stuff on there is not what he's referring to. He did mention live jocks, and said, "we're shooting for 6000 songs." At the moment, it looks like it's only an HD station, but will be online soon. Maybe it will go "live" when they switch this week.

To the guy wanting to hear an mp3 or stream of what's on 104.1 today, you can go to wbcn.com, or to your itunes radio under "rock" and stream it.

Ken Shelton live at 4pm today.

Maybe there will be a "Boston Sunday Review" tomorrow, or even "Back to the Future." That was a great Sunday afternoon show.
 
Ken Shelton just summed up where it all went wrong.

"Oedipus had a vision which was get the best people and let them do what they do best."


When WBCN went away from that, it began to snowball.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
scooty430 said:
The "freeform" online version they're describing sounds fantastic. 6000 songs from the 50s on? Live jocks? I'll give that a try for sure.
Click to expand...

So far, the "FreeForm 104" HD-2 and online has not had live jocks. Are they planning to add them?
Click to expand...

Where can I find this FreeForm 104 HD2 livestream?
 
According to the website, the stream is not yet up. So until then one would need an HD radio. (In other words, only about 5 people will be listening...)

Definitely up for the stream once it's there, myself.

I must admit when Ken said, "signing off WBCN for the last time" it was a pretty sad moment. You could tell he was savoring every moment. The chat with Cha-Chi, Tom Sandman, and Billy West reminded me of those conversations all of us old farts have where you say, "remember the good times - what happened?" I'm really glad the people in charge let these guys basically talk for 90 minutes solid.
 
It's a bummer that this FreeForm 104 station is not streaming on these days, I'm not in the Boston area. I hear that they move to HD3 on 100.7.
I hope there is a stream on tuesday when the big frequency shuffle happens.
 
Listened to "Capt. Ken " this afternoon.....It was good to hear him. I must say it was nice to hear his daughters band cd played. How many of us remember the BCN of old where you would hear new music, local, played every now and then? It is too bad that as we listen to all this good stuff, you know, letting the "personalities" have a personality, that no one had the gusto to actually do this as a format instead of followng the herd "over the cliff" of todays radio. Not HD2 HD3, mainstream . Build it and they will listen. It worked in 1968, why not today????? Who is to say listeners won't enjoy it, and who's to say the sponsors wouldn't buy it?
 
motormouth said:
Listened to "Capt. Ken " this afternoon.....It was good to hear him. I must say it was nice to hear his daughters band cd played. How many of us remember the BCN of old where you would hear new music, local, played every now and then? It is too bad that as we listen to all this good stuff, you know, letting the "personalities" have a personality, that no one had the gusto to actually do this as a format instead of followng the herd "over the cliff" of todays radio. Not HD2 HD3, mainstream . Build it and they will listen. It worked in 1968, why not today????? Who is to say listeners won't enjoy it, and who's to say the sponsors wouldn't buy it?
Click to expand...

Exactly! Radio DOESN'T have to be watered down. That's the unspoken lesson here, and what Ken was saying was so special about BCN back in the day. It was radio that was SPECIAL.
 
There was a time when i you literally did "miss something" when you turned WBCN off - the station was so electric and unpredictable. The one magical key ingredient I think is the scheduling of the music. Back when the jocks could pick their own music, the station was very much alive compared to the mechanical, predicable jukeboxes of today. I feel that the musical freedom spawned the rich creative content that you don't get on tightly formatted stations. Yes, letting the jock pick the music is risky - but it went both ways. As often as you'd tune out a song you didn't like, you'd also be blown away by something amazing. That's what was so great about listening to Bradley and Albert today - i happened to appreciate their tasteful selections. The jock who followed Bradley was picking more normal BCN fare - aggressive "**** rock" mostly from the 90's. Not my thing at all, which is why BCN got removed as a preset a few years ago. Obviously i'm not the only one who defected, or else they wouldn't be ditching the format.
 
If someone at the station or an alum can dig out or find the tapes, I think everyone would like to hear both Carlos the Computer, and the often heard montage of songs that mention Boston.
 
Yeah, that "Boston" montage used to get played constantly. Was great hearing the old "stronger than an iron fist" ID (contrived as it always was)

BTW BCN's "Freeform" HD channel has been up for awhile. It's all Sam Kopper - prerecorded. Sounds more like a syndicated ipod on shuffle than a jock picking songs on a whim. It's not bad, but it's not live. I'm dubious that CBS will be willing to incur any expenses for this "Freeform" BCN channel - it's certain to be computer with prerecorded breaks, shuffling about 6000 songs.
 
I always took the "stronger than an iron fist" thing as somewhat tongue-in-cheek, kind of making fun of WCOZ with their "kick-ass" motto. Ironically, over time 'BCN moprhed into exactly what they were mocking.

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.
 
Do they only have airchecks of Captain Ken !? Tonight that Moody Blues interview went on WAY too long - they should have only let that go for 5 min. I think it took up a whole hour. I've heard LOTS of Captain Ken airchecks the past two days - they really need to get over themselves and play some Mark Parenteau airchecks - they're pretending he never existed. His name does not get brought up. Demons aside, he was brilliant on the air in the late 70's early 80's. CBS managers are great for letting this BCN lovefest air - but I suspect there are a few gag orders in place.
 
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