WEBN Files - "The Gun"
I just graduated from Elkins Radio school ( Broadcasting & First Class Radio Telephone Lic. ) and I saw an
ad in the Newspaper for a New Radio station hiring people for Engineering duties. I talked to Frank Wood
on the telephone, and he told me to come on over to the station ! A brand new FM station in Price Hill
called WEBN FM . I met Frank Sr; and he explained the job to me . I would be keeping the station on the
air all night ; changing the Automation reels of music, and taking transmitter meter readings each hour.
My hours were 11pm to 5:30am and Ty Williams would be live on the radio for the morning show weekdays.
Ty came from WPFB in Middletown ; but prior to that he worked years at WNOP ( Jazz ) in Newport, Ky.
I could smell Ty coming down the hall in the morning; he wore a lot of "old spice" . Ty didn't talk that
much to me; I think he thought I was a punk kid ( DJ wannbee ) .....
So'''''' I am getting into the all night engineering thing. Changing the reels of jazz & classical music
tapes in the automation room ------ next to the front porch with the Barber chair on it. We were right
up the street from District Three police station in Price Hill . Several times a night in the wee hours of the
morning, cars would pull into the House radio station parking lot, and sit there, and than drive off.
One night around 12:30am I am in Frank Woods office reading memos on his desk which is down the hall
next to the back steps of the entrance by the Radio Tower. I open the top drawer ( right side ) of the
desk, and take out the 45 cal. gun ( its heavy ) and its loaded. Frank had shown me the gun earlier in
the week, and mentioned it was there for Protection of the Radio Station if I needed it ; but I should
call District Three if there was a problem at the station; as maybe someone trying to break in the place.
I poped out the clip ( the safety was on ) and I held the gun and than put it all back together how I
Found it and closed the drawer.... still looking through some papers on the desk ; when there was a loud
tap on the window ( scared the hell out of me ) and there was Frank Wood Sr. motioning me to unlock
the back door... Why; he didn't have a key with him; I don't know. I unlocked the door and Frank came
in all dressed up with a pretty black female. He said they had been at the Symp. He introduced me and
began to give the female a tour of WEBN . They stayed about 20 minutes, and he left . I was sure he
saw me looking through his papers on his desk; but nothing was ever said to me about it. I stayed out
of Franks' office after that ! I came in Saturday night and Bo ( Frank Wood Jr.) was doing a live show
called Jelly Pudding. It was all LP stuff. New progressive rock music. He was doing the show with other
people in the little studio with him; some sitting on the floor; I think the Blond was his wife; others I
did not know. When the show was over; my job was to also put away the albums he used. Bo looked like
the Frank Zappa album cover aka Zappa with the long hair and mustache. He was very soft spoken and
he asked me one night before he left the station ; if I was spooked easy ? I guess he ment in connection
with me being in the radio station all night by myself ! This was 1967 and I was making $ 90 dollars a week.
From: The WEBN Secret Files .....
I just graduated from Elkins Radio school ( Broadcasting & First Class Radio Telephone Lic. ) and I saw an
ad in the Newspaper for a New Radio station hiring people for Engineering duties. I talked to Frank Wood
on the telephone, and he told me to come on over to the station ! A brand new FM station in Price Hill
called WEBN FM . I met Frank Sr; and he explained the job to me . I would be keeping the station on the
air all night ; changing the Automation reels of music, and taking transmitter meter readings each hour.
My hours were 11pm to 5:30am and Ty Williams would be live on the radio for the morning show weekdays.
Ty came from WPFB in Middletown ; but prior to that he worked years at WNOP ( Jazz ) in Newport, Ky.
I could smell Ty coming down the hall in the morning; he wore a lot of "old spice" . Ty didn't talk that
much to me; I think he thought I was a punk kid ( DJ wannbee ) .....
So'''''' I am getting into the all night engineering thing. Changing the reels of jazz & classical music
tapes in the automation room ------ next to the front porch with the Barber chair on it. We were right
up the street from District Three police station in Price Hill . Several times a night in the wee hours of the
morning, cars would pull into the House radio station parking lot, and sit there, and than drive off.
One night around 12:30am I am in Frank Woods office reading memos on his desk which is down the hall
next to the back steps of the entrance by the Radio Tower. I open the top drawer ( right side ) of the
desk, and take out the 45 cal. gun ( its heavy ) and its loaded. Frank had shown me the gun earlier in
the week, and mentioned it was there for Protection of the Radio Station if I needed it ; but I should
call District Three if there was a problem at the station; as maybe someone trying to break in the place.
I poped out the clip ( the safety was on ) and I held the gun and than put it all back together how I
Found it and closed the drawer.... still looking through some papers on the desk ; when there was a loud
tap on the window ( scared the hell out of me ) and there was Frank Wood Sr. motioning me to unlock
the back door... Why; he didn't have a key with him; I don't know. I unlocked the door and Frank came
in all dressed up with a pretty black female. He said they had been at the Symp. He introduced me and
began to give the female a tour of WEBN . They stayed about 20 minutes, and he left . I was sure he
saw me looking through his papers on his desk; but nothing was ever said to me about it. I stayed out
of Franks' office after that ! I came in Saturday night and Bo ( Frank Wood Jr.) was doing a live show
called Jelly Pudding. It was all LP stuff. New progressive rock music. He was doing the show with other
people in the little studio with him; some sitting on the floor; I think the Blond was his wife; others I
did not know. When the show was over; my job was to also put away the albums he used. Bo looked like
the Frank Zappa album cover aka Zappa with the long hair and mustache. He was very soft spoken and
he asked me one night before he left the station ; if I was spooked easy ? I guess he ment in connection
with me being in the radio station all night by myself ! This was 1967 and I was making $ 90 dollars a week.
From: The WEBN Secret Files .....