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WIMZ VS. WQUT

R

ratman2005

Guest
Since WIMZ has generated a heated spin-off from the previous topic, how does it really compare to WQUT? I know several folks who live between Knoxville and the Tri Cities who can pick up both stations clearly, and their choice hands-down is WQUT.

Should WIMZ take a lesson from WQUT? Or are they really not that different after all?
 
Quite frankly a decently programmed and promoted Classic Rock station would put them both in the graves with a multitude of daisies growing on top of them!!!
 
There's a lot of good music that neither plays. You know the old corporate saying though: "If we don't play it, it can't hurt us."
 
So why did the Bone fail a few years back They fit the "decently programed station"
 
DoubleC said:
So why did the Bone fail a few years back They fit the "decently programed station"
Click to expand...

I think one of the best programmed rock stations to ever exist here in Knoxville was "Z-93" which was around from December of 1990 up until early 1992. Ya know, the station now known as "93-1 THE POINT"?

They played extra album cuts. I remember back in 1991 they use to also put the station on automatic pilot during the overnight hours, and play whole entire albums. However, that only lasted for a short period of time.

Of course everyone knows that if any radio station broadcasts a cool and creative format which is unique that it will never last, because anything that is creative and outside of the box doesn't sell advertising dollars or do good in the ratings. Right?

All the corporate big wigs care about these days is playing the same old 400 songs over and over again with no variety, and hardly any radio talent.

When it comes to commercial radio, you are not allowed to be creative, and do anything different. Nobody seems to care about originality these days. Like the sweeper on Z-93 use to say, "It Takes Balls To Rock Hard", just like it takes balls to do something different, which is something corporate radio lacks, and that is balls.
 
One of the differences, I think, is that QUT is more accessible to the listener. John Patrick allows the personalities to be really interactive with the listeners. And trust me, the QUT listeners are unbelievably loyal. Plus there's that lingering "Midnight Rambler" thing. A lot of people I know, that are familiar with both stations, associate QUT with a wilder, more free spirited attitude. Whether that be the actual case or not, there's a stigma. The jocks are good, the Imaging is good, (like it or not) JB&B are perfect for a Nascar market and John's programming is far from being run of the mill. He does a good job of catering to a regional audience with more Molly Hatchett, Balckfoot, etc. than most classic rock stations would ever play. I think WQUT really knows their audience pretty well. I don't see how anyone could possibly say that WQUT (or even WIMZ for that matter) are not "properly programmed". Something a lot of people probably don't realize is that when the corporate machine attempted to whittle WQUT's play list down to 400 songs or make them sound exactly like a clssic rocker in Buffalo, NY...John stood his ground and said, "We know our audience". From the looks of the ratings and the amount of cash coming through QUT's doors, I'd say he was right.
 
I'd give WQUT the edge over WIMZ. Both overplay Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bad Company, AC/DC, Bob Seger, and for @^$# sure Aerosmith, to the point I gave up listening to both of them, but QUT will throw in an occasional nice track. Best time to listen to QUT is Sunday evenings for the Flashback program, and the best time to listen to IMZ is after 11 pm for the Alice Cooper syndicated program. The Alice Cooper show is really pretty good, unfortunately, the late hours keep me from listening much.
 
Album- AC/DC can't be overplayed.

That said, I can recall trying to pick up WIMZ with static from the Tri-Cities before WQUT was a classic rock station- circa 1989-90. In fact, I remember when people in the Tri-Cities said classic rock was too risque for the market (this is the market that banned MTV for awhile), despite the fact WIMZ stickers were abundant around town.

I have always believed WIMZ's popularity contributed to WQUT's format change.

However, if you asked me today, I do think WQUT has a better sound. It seems to be livelier.

One thing I have to tip my hat to is WQUT's ability to notice classic rock trends. For instance, last month South Park "rediscovered" Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal" and played it prominently in an episode.

Suddenly there was a run on the song on You Tube. WQUT noticed this and put the song, which I had not heard before on their airwaves, into their rotation.
 
Don't forget Pratte that QUT' was not always a classic rock station. The 80's pop thing smeared the classic rock sound in Gray. I'm sure John cringes at what used to be before his time(remember Culture Club and a lot of bad 80's tunes? I do) It was just a lot of bad ideas from idiot programmers who thought of "what was hot right now". IMZ' did not pave the way for QUT. Just a brain**** from the past. No offense dude.
 
Ahh yes, from the mid to late 80's, the old 101 and a 1/2 fm wqut jingles.... gosh I can still hear them in my head.....HELP!!!! uurrggg!!! :-[
 
START ME UP! WQUT!

I will say one thing about that era. While I understand the appeal and kinda like John Boy & Billy, wouldn't you really like to have a local host in that morning slot?
 
I have to say that even though I live in Knoxville, I prefer WQUT. They have a bigger variety then WIMZ. WIMZ has forgot about so many good songs that are considered Classic Rock. I like 105.7 The Hog. They do a great job as a classic rock station playing the regular classic rock staples but also dig out the Mott The Hoople, Arlo Guthrie, CSNY, Humble Pie, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Ozark Mountain Daredevils - rare stuff like that. 98.3 WLOD does a good job too. I guess Knoxville's best Classic Rock station in my opinion was the short lived Eagle 100 WOKI.
 
Knoxradiolstnr said:
I have to say that even though I live in Knoxville, I prefer WQUT. They have a bigger variety then WIMZ. WIMZ has forgot about so many good songs that are considered Classic Rock. I like 105.7 The Hog. They do a great job as a classic rock station playing the regular classic rock staples but also dig out the Mott The Hoople, Arlo Guthrie, CSNY, Humble Pie, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Ozark Mountain Daredevils - rare stuff like that. 98.3 WLOD does a good job too. I guess Knoxville's best Classic Rock station in my opinion was the short lived Eagle 100 WOKI.
Click to expand...

I agree with your views on the Hog. I heard "Sweet Jane" by Mott The Hoople on that station Sunday afternoon.
 
Just for the record...While new found popularity for an old song, stemming from a movie or TV soundtrack, sometimes will spur programmers to add the song to rotation, "Heavy Metal" was not one of those cases. That song has been in rotation on QUT for a looooooong time. "Stuck in the Middle" by Steeler's Wheel(Reservoir Dogs), "Black Betty" by Ram Jam (Blow) and "The Seeker" from The Who (American Beauty) are all fairly recent examples of that phenomenon though. It does happen, just not that Hagar song...At QUT at least.
 
Gerkin- I had never heard it on the air before and then after the South Park episode I heard it twice in the days that followed.

Now, maybe I was just listening in at the right times. But could it have been pumped up a bit in airplay?

And even if it was coincidence, the fact is it SOUNDED good. However it happened, kudos go to WQUT.
 
Hey Gerkin,
I was standing in the control room with John one saturday when he was playing "Drivers Seat"-Sniff & the Tears. Billboard Top 40 hits calls that band a "soft rock" band. Of course a one hit wonder in '79, a cool synthesizer riff at the end of that one. John was the boss ya know.
 
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