What ever happened to progressive rock in Philly?

[jmd]

I know this is a sensitive question among some listeners with the Philadelphia Market being saturated with rock stations as it is. Lets flash back to the late 1980's and early 90's. WMMR was in it's heyday and it's competition was a classic rock station AKA 94 WYSP. Looking at the market today, it seems like everyone is trying to take the same piece of the pie, with the except of WRFF, and WMGK. What happened to those great artists of yesterday that nobody plays anymore? I mean great bands like "The Alarm" , "Midnight Oil" , just to name a few. When was the last time you heard "I'm Alive" by Love and Rockets? Given these are NOT hits of today, and the music soundscape has changed greatly since then, I would love to hear a radio station in Philadelphia remind me (Generation X) of my youth. How "OLD" (LOL) does a song have to be to be considered an OLDIE? I feel my words may fall on deaf ears, but how about a "Generation X" oldies station ???????? All points of view welcome. TNX JMD

 

[carnyfeet]

Jim,

Y-Rock on XPN (www.yrockonxpn.org) has a daily feature called The Nooner that is right up your alley. Check it out, 12PM-1PM. Here's yesterday's playlist:

Beth Orton - She Cries Your Name - Trailer Park
Nirvana - Rape Me - In Utero
Fiona Apple - Across The Universe - Pleasantville Soundtrack
Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule - Greatest Hits
T Rex - Jeepster - Electric Warrior
Tears For Fears - Mad World - The Hurting
Jane's Addiction - Summertime Rolls - Rev
Red Hot Chili Peppers - My Friends - One Hot Minute
Blondie - Rapture - Greatest Hits: Sound & Vision
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - (what's So Funny 'bout) Peace Love & Understanding - Armed Forces
Cake - Frank Sinatra - Fashion Nugget
David Bowie - Five Years - Ziggy Stardust
Nick Drake - Pink Moon - Pink Moon
Nine Inch Nails - Sin - Pretty Hate Machine

 

[Ratings Magnet]

I think BEN-FM plays all the songs you mentioned Jim.

 

[aindik]

I think BEN-FM plays all the songs you mentioned Jim.

Ben, Jack, etc. are supposed to be "oldies" stations for people in their 30s. But they're not going to play The Alarm or Love and Rockets, and they won't play Midnight Oil other than "Beds are Burning."

 

[eyg2181]

Jim, tune your radio to 106.5

 

[Dancerev889]

define progressive rock

 

[wcradio2]

Progressive rock in Philly died with Ed Sciaky. Some of the older djs like Tearson try to keep the idea alive, but nowadays its more about the cult of personality surrounding the dj than it is the music. At least on broadcast radio. For true musical service, you'll have to shell out some dough for satellite. Then you'll still find 'progressive' music.

 

[BRUSSTAR]

There is no 106.5 in Philadelphia.

The Love & Rockets song is "So Alive".

And 104.5 plays that on a fairly regular basis. It was a #3 hit, if I recall. Not exactly my idea of an "underground" cut.

 

[Rockin Rob]

There is no 106.5 in Philadelphia.

I am wondering if EYG was referring to G-ROCK? Usually, a decent catch, even out here in Worcester (ummmm, unless I'm running my 1210 repeater on 106.5).

 

[instigator]

They probably stopped playing these records for the simple fact that no one ,but a select few, wants to hear them anymore. YSP and MMR were so dated in the 80's..thank god they changed their sound.

 

[wesdev224]

Progressive rock in Philly died with Ed Sciaky. Some of the older djs like Tearson try to keep the idea alive, but nowadays its more about the cult of personality surrounding the dj than it is the music. At least on broadcast radio. For true musical service, you'll have to shell out some dough for satellite. Then you'll still find 'progressive' music.

I would go back even farther than that. In Philly, I would say it slowly strangled to death in the waning years of the very late 70's, culminating in the death of WIOQ in January 1980. By 1980, WMMR was very mainstreamed. WYSP from 1972 on doesen't even belong in the equation of what made a Progressive station "progressive". Once the suits figured out they could make a load of money off of their FM properties, it signaled the eventual death of "Progressive Radio" It was good from a business point of view, but very bad for people who looked to the FM Progressive stations for new and intersting things not heard on the AM Top 40 stations.

 

[wesdev224]

define progressive rock

I think most people use this phrase interchangeably with "Progresive Radio". "Progressive Rock" was an amalgam of styles incorporating classical, jazz and other genres, and interpreting it as Rock and Roll. Examples of the prog rock genre are Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant to name just a few. Prog rock was a significant ingredient of Progressive Radio, along with elements of Folk, mainstream Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz. In it's early day's as a Progressive Radio station, WMMR played music from the top 100 albums incorporating many of these musical genres. WIOQ in 1975, tried to play on that concept with what was current at THAT time. I would say today, progressive radio is more akin to the AAA format as practiced by WXPN in Philly or, commercially, KFOG in San Francisco.

Perhaps Mr. Tearson will favor us with his thoughts on this subject.

 

[Onyx]

Tearson!

"For Headphones Only" is one of my all-time favorite radio shows. would love to listen to a show like that, "theatre for the mind," again, but alas ...

 

[eyg2181]

Jim, tune your radio to 106.5.

I am wondering if EYG was referring to G-ROCK? Usually, a decent catch, even out here in Worcester (ummmm, unless I'm running my 1210 repeater on 106.5).

yea G Rock. it comes in in lower bucks clear as day. and im sure it covers a good portion of philly. i hear it often. "this song is going out to john listening in north east philly"

 

[Dancerev889]

define progressive rock

I think most people use this phrase interchangeably with "Progresive Radio". "Progressive Rock" was an amalgam of styles incorporating classical, jazz and other genres, and interpreting it as Rock and Roll. Examples of the prog rock genre are Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant to name just a few. Prog rock was a significant ingredient of Progressive Radio, along with elements of Folk, mainstream Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz. In it's early day's as a Progressive Radio station, WMMR played music from the top 100 albums incorporating many of these musical genres. WIOQ in 1975, tried to play on that concept with what was current at THAT time. I would say today, progressive radio is more akin to the AAA format as practiced by WXPN in Philly or, commercially, KFOG in San Francisco.

Perhaps Mr. Tearson will favor us with his thoughts on this subject.

Thats what I thought because we have a prog rock show on Saturday nights on Z889 with Tom Gagliardi. I dont remember hearing Midnight Oil on it. Oh and Tearson is on Fridays 5 and 10pm

 

[wesdev224]

define progressive rock

I think most people use this phrase interchangeably with "Progresive Radio". "Progressive Rock" was an amalgam of styles incorporating classical, jazz and other genres, and interpreting it as Rock and Roll. Examples of the prog rock genre are Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant to name just a few. Prog rock was a significant ingredient of Progressive Radio, along with elements of Folk, mainstream Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz. In it's early day's as a Progressive Radio station, WMMR played music from the top 100 albums incorporating many of these musical genres. WIOQ in 1975, tried to play on that concept with what was current at THAT time. I would say today, progressive radio is more akin to the AAA format as practiced by WXPN in Philly or, commercially, KFOG in San Francisco.

Perhaps Mr. Tearson will favor us with his thoughts on this subject.

Thats what I thought because we have a prog rock show on Saturday nights on Z889 with Tom Gagliardi. I dont remember hearing Midnight Oil on it. Oh and Tearson is on Fridays 5 and 10pm

Is the Classic FM program still on Friday evening? That is the quintessential example of Progressive Radio as it was. As I remember, Tearsons' two shows were the perfect bookends for Classic FM.

 

[qtpieislit]

define progressive rock

I think most people use this phrase interchangeably with "Progresive Radio". "Progressive Rock" was an amalgam of styles incorporating classical, jazz and other genres, and interpreting it as Rock and Roll. Examples of the prog rock genre are Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant to name just a few. Prog rock was a significant ingredient of Progressive Radio, along with elements of Folk, mainstream Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz. In it's early day's as a Progressive Radio station, WMMR played music from the top 100 albums incorporating many of these musical genres. WIOQ in 1975, tried to play on that concept with what was current at THAT time. I would say today, progressive radio is more akin to the AAA format as practiced by WXPN in Philly or, commercially, KFOG in San Francisco. 

Perhaps Mr. Tearson will favor us with his thoughts on this subject.

Actually, Progressive radio in Philadelphia began with Hy Lit, on Hyski’s Underground at 105.3/WDAS-FM in late 1968, broadcasting from the WDAS Radio studios, in the exquisite and beautiful Fairmount Park section of Philadelphia. Michael Tearson began his commercial radio career working for Hy on the Underground at WDAS-FM in 1968. It would be very interesting to solicit Michael about this unique moment in time. (See http://www.hylitradio.com/index.php?page=6 for a timeline). Subsequently, Hy also hired Ed Sciaky who was a student at Temple University’s WRTI, to be part of that original WDAS-FM staff. In 1970, WMMR raided WDAS-FM for some of these legendary radio personalities. Incidentally, WMMR’s program director at that early time of the commercialization of FM radio was Jerry Stevens who subsequently, did mornings at WIBG during WIBG heyday throughout the ‘60s.

 

[StemCell]

I know this is a sensitive question among some listeners with the Philadelphia Market being saturated with rock stations as it is. Lets flash back to the late 1980's and early 90's. WMMR was in it's heyday and it's competition was a classic rock station AKA 94 WYSP. Looking at the market today, it seems like everyone is trying to take the same piece of the pie, with the except of WRFF, and WMGK. What happened to those great artists of yesterday that nobody plays anymore? I mean great bands like "The Alarm" , "Midnight Oil" , just to name a few. When was the last time you heard "I'm Alive" by Love and Rockets? Given these are NOT hits of today, and the music soundscape has changed greatly since then, I would love to hear a radio station in Philadelphia remind me (Generation X) of my youth. How "OLD" (LOL) does a song have to be to be considered an OLDIE? I feel my words may fall on deaf ears, but how about a "Generation X" oldies station ???????? All points of view welcome. TNX JMD

I think you meant the Philadelphia Market is saturated with Urban formats, and until May 2007 it was worst, with only one New Rocker and a host of Urbanic outlets.....just for the record.....

 

[wcradio2]

Like it was said above... WIOQ. When that went, progressive rock went with it. I think somebody came close to defining it up above as a mix of styles incorporating classical, jazz, folk etc. The thing that made that mix so good, was that different bands would mash up those styles in different ways, and have different sounds. I don't think you could program a station like that today. A broadcast station I mean. Somebody in charge would want to define it. Narrow it. Clean it up. Make a neat little package of it. As soon as you start doing that, it's not progressive anymore. It's limited and safe. The dumbing down of music/music programming.... Regressive Rock?

 

[Starbucks]

define progressive rock

I think most people use this phrase interchangeably with "Progresive Radio". "Progressive Rock" was an amalgam of styles incorporating classical, jazz and other genres, and interpreting it as Rock and Roll. Examples of the prog rock genre are Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, and Gentle Giant to name just a few. Prog rock was a significant ingredient of Progressive Radio, along with elements of Folk, mainstream Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz. In it's early day's as a Progressive Radio station, WMMR played music from the top 100 albums incorporating many of these musical genres. WIOQ in 1975, tried to play on that concept with what was current at THAT time. I would say today, progressive radio is more akin to the AAA format as practiced by WXPN in Philly or, commercially, KFOG in San Francisco.

Perhaps Mr. Tearson will favor us with his thoughts on this subject.

Actually, Progressive radio in Philadelphia began with Hy Lit, on Hyski’s Underground at 105.3/WDAS-FM in late 1968, broadcasting from the WDAS Radio studios, in the exquisite and beautiful Fairmount Park section of Philadelphia. Michael Tearson began his commercial radio career working for Hy on the Underground at WDAS-FM in 1968. It would be very interesting to solicit Michael about this unique moment in time. (See http://www.hylitradio.com/index.php?page=6 for a timeline). Subsequently, Hy also hired Ed Sciaky who was a student at Temple University’s WRTI, to be part of that original WDAS-FM staff. In 1970, WMMR raided WDAS-FM for some of these legendary radio personalities. Incidentally, WMMR’s program director at that early time of the commercialization of FM radio was Jerry Stevens who subsequently, did mornings at WIBG during WIBG heyday throughout the ‘60s.

Incidentally, WMMR’s program director at that early time of the commercialization of FM radio was Jerry Stevens who subsequently, did mornings at WIBG during WIBG heyday throughout the ‘60s.

I could have swore Jerry did afternoon drive, the shift before your father's throughout his career at WIBBAGE. I beleieve 60-68.