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WEBN Monday Morning Maintenance Sign Off

C

callletters

I'm as sorry as the next guy that Uncle Al passed away, but has anybody besides me ever heard the way WEBN used to sign off at 2:00 am on Monday mornings for maintenance. The first time I heard it, I almost wet the bed.
 
I wish I had a tape of it cause this may sound nuts, but here goes:

1. DJ Tom Sandman would come on and say something about "giving your radio a well deserved rest"
2. Mythical chief engineer Lash LaRue (see Wikipedia article for details) would then supposedly lead the "staff" ( a bunch of kids) in saying the magic words:
3. "ala kazam 1, ala kazam 2, ala kazam 3 and poof"

I defy any radio station in the world to top that!
 
I always enjoyed the signoff cart at album rock WNOE-FM circa 1976, as produced by the great Scooter Segraves...over a bed reminiscent of a beautiful music station, Scott used his best beautiful music DJ voice to read a signoff message that ended with: "Now, stay tuned for the original cast recording of "The Sounds Of Silence"." (carrier OFF)
 
My two faves were the small town station that signed off with "The next 7 hours of silence are brought to you the Ace Funeral Home"...they sold the silence. Another gem was when I shut down WENS in Indy for maintenance in the early 80's...DJ Chuck Larson (ChiefEngineer on these boards) let the song end & simply said "I'm starved. I'm going to the White Castle at 16th & Illinois...be back in an hour...later"
 
As long as this thread is sliding off topic, at least let me bring it back to WEBN, and the EBS Test that they used in the 1970's: "The Rehearsal For The Apocalypse."

It would start with a symphony orchestra tuning up as the announcer assured us it was only a test. Then silence, then the EBS tone, then an audience cheer as the announcer covered the required legal language, and it ended with, "We would like to thank the Superpowers, without whose help this rehearsal would not have been necessary."
 
Good stuff ;D I only partially remember one with some Elton John tune on it. I probably have the song. They used the line "Let us live in peace".
 
Ah, now you're describing the EBS test that replaced the first one I described.

The new one featured a bunch of quick clips from songs, starting with things like (if I remember correctly) Randy Newman "let's drop the big one," Skeeter Davis "it's the end of the world," The Shangri-Las "lookout-lookout-lookout-lookout!!" and then a big explosion. As it fades, the announcer does the official EBS spiel. Then the tone, then the announcer close, and finally, "let us live in peace."
 
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