WLS jingle-to-song transisition (1970s)

amos · May 21, 2012

Do you guys remember how WLS would start the song before the jingle was finished? It was a normal thing, not something that only happened every now and then. They would start the song around the middle (or maybe even the beginning) of the "S."

I always wondered why they did that. It sounded good, probably "right" because they always did it - part of their signature sound. WCFL didn't do that. and WABC would play jingles into stopsets.

LKellerIII · May 22, 2012

If you listen to old air checks of Drake stations, some did this, like KGB. Everything ran together - the DJ's tag on the commercial ("Now playing at a theater or drive-in near you," or whatever) ran into the station jingle, which ran into the song. I personally found this annoying, and preferred stations like KHJ where all the elements were separate without the slop-over, Call me anal retentive if you want, but that always seemed sloppy to me - even if it was done on purpose,

amos · May 23, 2012

i agree with you to a point. i never ran a board like that, even though i loved anything 'LS did.

i'll have to find some of the airchecks you metioned. i don't remember 'LS doing it except jingle-to-song transisitions. i always figured it was intentional, and as much as i liked them it's a wonder i didn't develop that same style, as a copycat.

i guess i figured if WLS did it, it must be right. but like i said, i sure never ran a board like that.

Tom Wells · May 23, 2012

I set up my automation to do that a LOT.
I grew up listening to thevery tight WLS production and am disappointed with the sound of my station if one element doesn't follow the preceding element very closely, most of the time.
I like the overlap, but then there are some songs I leave long "heads" or "tails" on, specifically for a little more breathing room.

amos · May 23, 2012

i couldn't find any airchecks that demonstrated the overlap, even older WLS checks. my memory was that they did it ALL the time, but the airchecks i found on youtube don't. it must have been just one point in time on 'LS, maybe very early 70s.

i found a KGB aircheck from 72 on youtube. no overlaps, but a VERY cool film. shotgun tom playing 45s, collins board, gates criterion cart machines. very very cool!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv5KwAwtRxg

deltas69 · May 25, 2012

http://www.reelradio.com/ if you go here and join..only 12 bucks per year last time i checked, you can have access to thousands of airchecks..and more..i was a member for a few years..then let it lapse..need to re-up..but it is a great archive of the very best radio from the 60's and 70's..

oldtimeradio · May 26, 2012

While KFI, Los Angeles, was not a Rock station at the time (that came several years later) at least one of the board ops would start a song (EZ listening) with a long intro under a commercial that was voice only, no background music.

Most of the spot ran clean, but the intro of the song would start softly under the spot. When the spot ended the vocal started.

I'm not sure how this went over with the management or sponsors, but it sounded very cool.

I was a big KFI fan during this time which ran from 1968 to the time they switched to talk, then rock, or was it vice versa. Unfortunately, I couldn't listen to them locally, it was skywave only at night. Ah, to have the Internet back then (sigh).

michael hagerty · May 27, 2012

Mike said:
While KFI, Los Angeles, was not a Rock station at the time (that came several years later) at least one of the board ops would start a song (EZ listening) with a long intro under a commercial that was voice only, no background music.

Most of the spot ran clean, but the intro of the song would start softly under the spot. When the spot ended the vocal started.

I'm not sure how this went over with the management or sponsors, but it sounded very cool.

I was a big KFI fan during this time which ran from 1968 to the time they switched to talk, then rock, or was it vice versa. Unfortunately, I couldn't listen to them locally, it was skywave only at night. Ah, to have the Internet back then (sigh).

Mike: KFMB-AM in San Diego would do layunders of the last spot in a stopset (as long as it was cold voice), too.

KFI was MOR until 1969, when they tried a very hip for the time AC approach, trying to split the difference between KMPC and KHJ with jocks fresh from Top 40 stations...Lohman & Barkley, Jerry Bishop, Jay Lawrence, Dave Hull and Frank Terry. The numbers dipped, KFI panicked and went back to old-school MOR in 1970. Lohman & Barkley and Jerry Bishop stayed on.

In 1972 and early 1973, KFI was essentially block-programmed: MOR during the day, Big Band, Country and talk at night. They called it "Total Spectrum Radio".

By 1974, they were back to being the most contemporary AC in the market. In late 1976 former WLS and WCFL programmer John Rook was hired and throughout 1977, he gradually evolved KFI into a Top 40, which outlived KTNQ and KHJ in the format. By 1982, though, KIIS-FM had passed KFI. Rook was let go and KFI eased back to AC, where they were also eaten alive by FM. KFI finally went Talk in 1987...but didn't become dominant in that format until the early 90s.

oldtimeradio · May 27, 2012

Michael,

Thank you for the update.

All I know is that I enjoyed listening to KFI during those years (especially their great jingles), but I never noticed the change from MOR to AC and back. I enjoyed it all.

Since you are also in Phoenix you probably have a different opinion of the on air product of the local stations at that time than I did/do. I preferred the quality of the programming out of L.A.

I often wonder if I had ever lived in Los Angeles how I would have been able to hold down a steady job. There was too much radio talent and broadcasting history to try and keep up with every day of the week. ;D

Also, I thought I had read, on another board, that KFI had a talk format in between the MOR (the second time) and the Rock era of 1974. I guess that wasn't the case, correct?

Anyway, thanks again for the history lesson.

michael hagerty · May 27, 2012

Mike said:
Michael,

Thank you for the update.

All I know is that I enjoyed listening to KFI during those years (especially their great jingles), but I never noticed the change from MOR to AC and back. I enjoyed it all.

Since you are also in Phoenix you probably have a different opinion of the on air product of the local stations at that time than I did/do. I preferred the quality of the programming out of L.A.

I often wonder if I had ever lived in Los Angeles how I would have been able to hold down a steady job. There was too much radio talent and broadcasting history to try and keep up with every day of the week. ;D

Also, I thought I had read, on another board, that KFI had a talk format in between the MOR (the second time) and the Rock era of 1974. I guess that wasn't the case, correct?

Anyway, thanks again for the history lesson.

Mike:

I've only been in Phoenix since 1986. I grew up with L.A., San Diego and San Francisco radio. Other than a few flashes of brilliance and some individual jocks, I've never heard anything in Phoenix that I thought compared to California in the glory days.

As for talk on KFI before 1987, there was one show, at night, hosted by Hilly Rose. I want to say 1973 or 1974 till 1977, when John Rook dumped him as part of the move to Top 40.