WNAP 70s & 80s

[tonymcgraw]

I moved from Indy (Plainfield) in 1977 and have only been back for short visits, but I have great memories of WNAP and in particular Buster Bodine and Cris Conner. They were (for better or worse) the reason I got into radio. In fact, I even interned at 'NAP in 76, which was way too cool for a kid like me. I've been all over the country since that time and worked at more than a few stations, but (and maybe it's just memory thru my rose-colored John Lennon granny glasses...I dunno) I've NEVER heard a station anywhere touch what NAP was! In this Internet, iPod, satellite radio era with its corporate monopolies and investor mentality and gazillions of new options for listeners, radio has managed to lose its most important part...it's heart and soul...and spontaneity. You cannot manufacture creativity and passion, and you sure can't attach a formula to it. To people like Cris and Buster and Chuck Riley and Jackson Armstrong and a dozen other guys who wanted to do a SHOW...some of us remember And to the corporate suits...please...just go away.

 

[hipporadio]

Several years ago I was in Philadelphia, and stumbled on WNAP’s current namesake at 1110 AM. It was the ultimate “dis” of ‘NAP’s heritage – even more than “The wrath of the buzzer” ID aired during the “Hot-93 nap-nap-napolis” era. The Pennsylvania version of WNAP was a mostly-brokered daytimer in the Philly suburb of Norristown, PA. It may have been cool if anything worthwhile came out of its transmitter - but the station had no redeeming value whatsoever... To call it a “bottom-feeder” was a cordial description! Their day featured a parade of extreme-right “God wannabes” at the “kook-fringe” [most also found on the notorious nearby Red Lion, PA shortwave station that many religious hate groups call their radio home]. I kept asking myself: “Where’s The Major [Tom Lewis]?” ...He could have led an assault on their double-wide to reclaim the honor of the original WNAP calls ;D

Might that station have squatted on those calls over a decade earlier? I noticed that when The Buzzard returned with “The greatest hits of the 70s” [in the mid-90s], the reinstated ‘NAP calls were modified to “WNAP-FM”.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

Several years ago I was in Philadelphia, and stumbled on WNAP’s current namesake at 1110 AM. It was the ultimate “dis” of ‘NAP’s heritage –

The story I heard was some whack job that grew up listening to the Buzzard got religion. He blamed WNAP for his pot smoking sinner past. When the calls came available,,,he snatched em up for his AM bible thumper in PA,,,declaring he'd redeemed WNAP.

 

[Timewarp]

Let's see here., Progressive rock is for druggies you say. So, does country stand for incest?
Is AC for fat stupid women? And what about Christian whack jobs? I don't like homophobes!
Don't care for Christaphobes either. The Lamb is not from WBAA the best station in Indiana today.
And, I loved the old WNAP.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

Let's see here., Progressive rock is for druggies you say. So, does country stand for incest?
Is AC for fat stupid women? And what about Christian whack jobs? I don't like homophobes!
Don't care for Christaphobes either. The Lamb is not from WBAA the best station in Indiana today.
And, I loved the old WNAP.

You off the meds again?

 

[Timewarp]

I'm stuck in Lafayette with people such as you! Isn't that bad enough?
Anyway, I have real work to do. So, I must go. But I'm sure the canned automation
system at your station can do your job.

 

[AndTheLambGoesBAA]

I'm stuck in Lafayette with people such as you! Isn't that bad enough?
Anyway, I have real work to do. So, I must go. But I'm sure the canned automation
system at your station can do your job.

Wow.

 

[Flying-Dutchman]

I remember calling Cris Conner on his afternoon shift and asking for a tour of WNAP when I was
in high school. He came in at 9:30 pm and gave me one too. A great guy and the best Indy has
ever known.

I almost grabbed the WNAP calls for 101.9 instead of WKLU.

 

[ten_four]

Just thought of another NAP alum...Dennis Jon Bailey. Dennis made his stop at the Buzzard on his way to the famous WRKO, Boston. He did some satellite work after the RKO days and then came back to 93.1 in the WKLR days. He then spent several years doing country mornings in Dayton and is now morning co-host at WIKY.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

What a buzz kill. I listened over the weekend to John bailey and thought of DJB.

He is paired with some soccer mom on stepford drugs.

I had just hoped it was someone trying to be him. Only old farts work at WIKY.

 

[gr8oldies]

How much did the Philadelphia suburban station get for allowing 93.1 to be "WNAP-FM" during its 90s classic rock period?

 

[radiorob2.0]

What a buzz kill. I listened over the weekend to John bailey and thought of DJB.

He is paired with some soccer mom on stepford drugs.

I had just hoped it was someone trying to be him. Only old farts work at WIKY.

This isn't your father's WIKY, they now talk over intros and play "Double Dutch Bus" and "Love Won't Let Me Wait"; orgasms on WIKY....hooda thunk?

 

[flashback]

wnap broadcast the national lampoon radio hour around 1973.if you can find the cd box set it may bring back more memmories.

I think they had the flo and eddie radio show(with the main singers of the turtles) in about 1973 also.

 

[flashback]

when ABC television showed "in concert" on friday nights in the early 70`s the program was simulcast on WNAP.

I miss good radio like the old WNAP. I remember it when it was truely underground its first few years.

 

[joewhlm]

I worked at WNAP for 6 months in 1979. Prior to that time, and since, I have never, ever, worked with a group of management people that cultivated an atmosphere of creativity and praised it when it “happened.”

It was the sound of creativity that came out of the box that has us after all these years still talking about WNAP. Everything else in the day was an imitation. Jim Hilliard, George Johns, Chris Conner and consultant Jack McCoy knew something that few broadcasters knew then and know now.

“It’s a shame what’s happened to radio.”

Joe Reilly AKA Bobby Hatfield
www.whlm.com

 

[SPOTS FOR DOTS]

I couldn't not read this thread about 70's radio in Indy. I worked in Marion, Kokomo and Indy from the mid 70's to early 80's and remember all the people and stations that were the reason I got in the sales side of radio. I have really enjoyed lurking in to bring back all those "when radio was fun" days. I have since worked for 11 broadcast groups in Houston, including Clear Channel, who as dismantled eight radio properties here. Thanks for the memories.
m mcshay aka spots for dots

 

[flashback]

wnap in the early 70`s played the entire album side of " alice`s resturant " by arlo guthery. the one with the title track that took the entire album side.

they also played the entire "who do you love"(all 20 minutes or so of it.) in its entirety.

too bad radio doesn`t do things like that any more.

 

[ten_four]

wnap in the early 70`s played the entire album side of " alice`s resturant " by arlo guthery. the one with the title track that took the entire album side.

they also played the entire "who do you love"(all 20 minutes or so of it.) in its entirety.

And let's not forget Rare Earth's full rendition of "Get Ready."

 

[Timewarp]

I've got to hand it to Chris Connor! People are still talking about what he did 30 years later!
He had the oppertunity, the power, and the talent to pull off something very unique! His sound
was really the last thing to be truly new in Indy radio. For those of us who grew up in the 70s here,
Chris Connor was the last King of Indiana radio!

 

[shortbaldguy2007]

I have t agree with timewarp...even though I grew up listening mostly to the old WIRE 1430, when I wanted to rebel against my parents, I tuned to WNAP. Great stuff...great memories.