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WMMR turns 40

J

Jul

Guest
Today 93.3 WMMR is celebrating its 40th ANNIVERSARY as a rock station. The format debut on April 29, 1968 with Dave Herman hosting "The Marconi Experiment". I would like to get the posters thoughts on the station in general and the many personalties the station has had in its long history.
 
Happy 40th Birthday!


To 93.3 WMMR: For 40 Years, Everything That Rocks!

In general Julius, WMMR is THE greatest radio station EVER!
 
I did not care for them spinning Stevie Wonder today, I know its a speciality event but with all the good Rock tunes out there Stevie Wonder. It used to upset me back in the day when they had the soul spin at 2pm when they were at their height with DeBella, Robert, Bonadonna and Bubba. To all the liberal bleeding hearts, before you throw out the term you love to use like racist, or some other liberal rant, let me imply, would the Beat play the Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison, I know way out of format and context, but you libs never look at it that way.
 
staffer...you may not old enough to critique on this point.

WMMR and Hy on WDAS -Fm were playing alternative...not specifically rock. They introduced classic LP's like Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life" and others by playing the entire LP. Classic tracks like "Love's In Need Of Love Today" were staples on alternative radio, even though they were soulful. Big Brother & The Holding Company, It's A Beatuful Day, Animals, Stones, Beatles, Traffic, Santana, Sly & Family Stone...the old WIP-FM 93.3 crossed all barriers.

They played Judy Collins, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, Dylan and other prolific songwriters. Alternative, or "Progressive" meant they would break "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Cream, and drop it once Top 40 picked it up. Then they would move onto "Badge" or "Crossroads".

WIP-AM was growing up with it's listeners with programming like Nat Wright's "Dawn Patrol". WFIL and WIBG were slugging it out. Westinghouse continued with it's experiment of All News on it's new KYW. WCAU-AM was pioneering two-way talk. WHAT and WDAS were out on the Soul Patrol. WPBS-WDVR-WWSH held court in the Dentist's office. WFLN AM/FM was allowed to continue to simulcast it's "Listener's Awake" and other fabulous Classical Fare. Rockin' Ron Diamond was blasting his unique Soul Sounds on WIFI 92.5 at night. Thousands were employed in Camden making RCA Victor TVs, Radios, Record Players and broadcast equipment, and thousands more were assembling Color TVs at the Philco plant. Helping in the NASA Space Race to the moon, The GE Space Center in King Of Prussia was developing new technologies we have already abandoned as obsolete. Muntz too.

It was a wonderful time to live in the Delaware Valley, and a wonderful time in Philadelphia Radio. 93-3 WMMR, the radio station, was a massive slice of it.

Oh..one more thing...WMMR was the only rock station playing this great music with the latest technology...FM Stereo! Wow!
 
cbsstaffer said:
I did not care for them spinning Stevie Wonder today, I know its a speciality event but with all the good Rock tunes out there Stevie Wonder. It used to upset me back in the day when they had the soul spin at 2pm when they were at their height with DeBella, Robert, Bonadonna and Bubba. To all the liberal bleeding hearts, before you throw out the term you love to use like racist, or some other liberal rant, let me imply, would the Beat play the Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison, I know way out of format and context, but you libs never look at it that way.
Click to expand...

superstition is played on classic rock stations all the time. the only one i disagreed with was blondie.... why the hell is that on there.
 
I've often thought the only reason that WMMR is still around is that they were sold by CBS. Even though WMMR went through some not too good years when Greater Media first bought them, GM is the reason that they're still around. (Just think what CBS did to WNEW in NYC).

Interesting to think on today when WMMR turns 40, The Preston & Steve show tries out their brand new studio and then throw it to Pierre broadcasting at some lawyer's office at 19th and Walnut. I remember riding up that old elevator to go up to the 3rd floor back when I high school to pick up my 1st prize I won many years ago. I had to be in the city yesterday and walked past the 18th St. side of Rittenhouse Square and the only thing I could think about was that WMMR used to be here. I don't think Nick the Hotdog Man is there anymore...

and their 2nd location is now a hole in the ground, the old KYW building.

for 40 more years in Bala
 
cbsstaffer said:
I did not care for them spinning Stevie Wonder today, I know its a speciality event but with all the good Rock tunes out there Stevie Wonder. It used to upset me back in the day when they had the soul spin at 2pm when they were at their height with DeBella, Robert, Bonadonna and Bubba. To all the liberal bleeding hearts, before you throw out the term you love to use like racist, or some other liberal rant, let me imply, would the Beat play the Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison, I know way out of format and context, but you libs never look at it that way.
Click to expand...

God, the diction is unmistakable...

Hello, old knucklehead.
 
Julius May said:
Today 93.3 WMMR is celebrating its 40th ANNIVERSARY as a rock station. The format debut on April 29, 1968 with Dave Herman hosting "The Marconi Experiment". I would like to get the posters thoughts on the station in general and the many personalties the station has had in its long history.
Click to expand...

Does anyone want to assemble a list of rock stations that have come and gone since WMMR started?

WIFI 92, classic rock WYSP, active rock WYSP, WPST, Y100, Q102 (mid 70s), classic hits WMGK, WIBF-FM (Underground Network), WDRE, WYXR, WDAS-FM.

Did WDAS-FM flip to rock in April, 1968, also?
 
cbsstaffer said:
I did not care for them spinning Stevie Wonder today, I know its a speciality event but with all the good Rock tunes out there Stevie Wonder. It used to upset me back in the day when they had the soul spin at 2pm when they were at their height with DeBella, Robert, Bonadonna and Bubba. To all the liberal bleeding hearts, before you throw out the term you love to use like racist, or some other liberal rant, let me imply, would the Beat play the Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison, I know way out of format and context, but you libs never look at it that way.
Click to expand...

Hearing Stevie Wonder on WMMR was really cool this afternoon!

In fact, I've had WMMR on for 10 of the past 12 hours since they started the 933 song countdown. All of the 'oh wow' songs are at the bottom of the list!
 
WMMR used to be the sister station of WMMS in Cleveland. If I remember correctly the MMR stood for MetroMedia Radio and the MMS stood for MetroMedia Stereo.
 
YEKIMI said:
WMMR used to be the sister station of WMMS in Cleveland. If I remember correctly the MMR stood for MetroMedia Radio and the MMS stood for MetroMedia Stereo.
Click to expand...

Now, it's My Mom's Rock.
 
cbsstaffer said:
To all the liberal bleeding hearts, before you throw out the term you love to use like racist, or some other liberal rant, let me imply, would the Beat play the Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison, I know way out of format and context, but you libs never look at it that way.
Click to expand...

If you didn't want to involve that term, why would you then use it yourself?

It has absolutely nothing to do with quote-unquote "white music" or "black music", if that's what you're implying. Crue, Ozzy, Def or Poison don't play on the Beat because they don't come even close into crossing over into the R&B or Hip-hop genre. Lots of Stevie's catalog, however, can be considered both R&B AND Classic Rock.

All of which is a moot point, because if WMMR was celebrating their 40th yesterday, they get to play whatever they want from their entire history. Obviously, that includes Stevie Wonder.

So, before I go on a liberal rant, maybe you'd like to explain exactly why you don't think Stevie Wonder can play on WMMR yesterday?
 
I have to agree with ccuphl on this one. While they are doing their top 933 from the last 40 years you are going to hear things that the MMR of today normally doesn't play. How many rock artists have covered Stevie Wonder? Stevie Ray Vaughn has, so have the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I am sure Stevie's version of "Higher Ground" will make the list, and rightfully so, it is a rock song. There are several songs on the list so far that I do not particularly like, so I channel surf and check back, but I think it is cool that MMR has been around for 40 years, and the top 933 has been very interesting so far.
 
I remember the early days of WMMR well. At this late date, it is hard to explain the excitement us teens felt when rock hit FM and we had an alternative to AM Top 40.
 
Oh my God, I remember like it was yesterday, that day in 1969 when I was 13 years old, scrolling up the dial and finding WMMR. I thought I'd found music heaven. I was immediately hooked, and became a music addict. I even enjoyed the station IDs- they were so creative. I still hear, and read, some of the old MMR DJ's- David Dye on WXPN, Jonathan Takiff writing in the Inky, Gene Shay doing the Philly Folk Festival. I wonder whatever happened to Carol Miller, the first female rock DJ I ever heard? And Michael Tierson? And Steve Martorano (sp?) a sports talk show host....
Ah the memories. I am so dang old.
 
YEKIMI said:
WMMR used to be the sister station of WMMS in Cleveland. If I remember correctly the MMR stood for MetroMedia Radio and the MMS stood for MetroMedia Stereo.
Click to expand...

Exactly right. I loved, back when DeBella put out the "Abbey Dirt Road" LP of "Morning Zoo" bits, that one track was the old MOR sung jingle/Legal ID from before the flip. "FM 93-3, WMMR MetroMedia in Philadelphia."
 
chemlady said:
I wonder whatever happened to Carol Miller, the first female rock DJ I ever heard? And Michael Tierson?
Click to expand...

Both Carol Miller and Michael Tearson are heard daily on Sirius satellite radio. Tearson has an afternoon show on 14-Classic vinyl and Miller does nights on 14 and mornings on 18-The Spectrum.
 
OldNumber7 said:
chemlady said:
I wonder whatever happened to Carol Miller, the first female rock DJ I ever heard? And Michael Tierson?
Click to expand...

Both Carol Miller and Michael Tearson are heard daily on Sirius satellite radio. Tearson has an afternoon show on 14-Classic vinyl and Miller does nights on 14 and mornings on 18-The Spectrum.
Click to expand...

Carol Miller is also still on terrestrial radio! She does evenings on New York's QAXQ/Q-104.3, which can be heard online.
 
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