WZLX 20 years ago

[BoscoGoldBear]

Pretty much, it isn't really different from today. It had flipped from classic hits to classic rock the year earlier, which merely meant that they got rid of what little disco they did play.

This list of what WZLX played then vs. now is from the Top 200 Labor Day Countdown. Needless to say, Stairway was #1. Here is what 'ZLX played then that it doesn't play today:

Fun, Fun, Fun - The Beach Boys
California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
Dance To The Music - Sly and the Family Stone
Oh Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Kodachrome - Paul Simon
Miracles - Jefferson Starship (L)
Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell (L)
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly (L) - well, at least not the half hour version; BTW, most of us know that this was supposed to be "In The Garden Of Eden", and that these guys were totally stoned on pot
Help Me - Joni Mitchell (L)
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis (N)
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly (N)
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard (N)
California Girls - The Beach Boys
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry (N)
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley (N)

(L) - restricted strictly to the Lost 45s
(N) - found nowhere, NOT even the Lost 45s

17 out of 200 listed songs not on ZLX anymore - not bad! Just 8.5%! Retention of over 90% - especially over 20 years - outstanding!

 

[pqgeorge]

Pretty much, it isn't really different from today. It had flipped from classic hits to classic rock the year earlier, which merely meant that they got rid of what little disco they did play.

This list of what WZLX played then vs. now is from the Top 200 Labor Day Countdown. Needless to say, Stairway was #1. Here is what 'ZLX played then that it doesn't play today:

Fun, Fun, Fun - The Beach Boys
California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers
Dance To The Music - Sly and the Family Stone
Oh Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Kodachrome - Paul Simon
Miracles - Jefferson Starship (L)
Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell (L)
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly (L) - well, at least not the half hour version; BTW, most of us know that this was supposed to be "In The Garden Of Eden", and that these guys were totally stoned on pot
Help Me - Joni Mitchell (L)
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis (N)
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly (N)
Tutti Frutti - Little Richard (N)
California Girls - The Beach Boys
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry (N)
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley (N)

(L) - restricted strictly to the Lost 45s
(N) - found nowhere, NOT even the Lost 45s

17 out of 200 listed songs not on ZLX anymore - not bad! Just 8.5%! Retention of over 90% - especially over 20 years - outstanding!

Well, WZLX (originally WKKT) was a rather oldies oriented station in the beginning, back in late September, '85. It had a very "OH, WOW!!" type of presentation, complete with actual listener phone-ins to preface the music requests. There were many listener contests to spice up the presentation. They called the format to be similar to "the soundtrack to the movie "The Big Chill"". Fast forward to October, '87 and WODS (originally WMRQ) burst onto the scene with the very successful WCBS-FM presentation of true oldies (1954-1979) imported from New York. Then WZLX modified their semi-oldies format (then called "Classic Hits 100.7") to a more album type of format, still in the oldies genre but with a more heavier rock feel to it, basically it's almost the format that it plays today. Of course, there are more 8 minute stop-sets than ever, nowadays. But during WZLX's first two years, the music was worth the wait for the commercials to end. Sadly, it's not on my presets anymore.

 

[MassMusicMan]

The sun is shining, and Steve N actually posted something thoughtful and interesting. A day for firsts in Boston.

 

[KB1OKL]

WZLX never played disco. It's always been a classic rock station as far as I remember. I don't remember any of those songs ever being played on WZLX and I started listening to them somewhere around 84 or 85, remember it well as a friend of mine told me about a "new" station called WZLX which had not been on the air very long (after the format change). One of the first bands I remember hearing was CCR.

I also remember oldies 103 (WODS) and also remember WROR 98.5 when it was called Blue Suede radio that played mostly 50's and early 60's music, I believe that was during the 70's or early 80's?

 

[Don Juan]

and also remember WROR 98.5 when it was called Blue Suede radio that played mostly 50's and early 60's music, I believe that was during the 70's or early 80's?

WROR played oldies in an ealier incarnation....and then some mixed in with the AC format it later adopted. But it was never "Blue-Suede Radio"....that was the old WCGY 93.7.....under Cheryl Gowdy's term as PD.

 

[BoscoGoldBear]

WZLX never played disco.

More like they hardly ever played disco (or non-rock). I definitely heard Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" on ZLX in-between all the Chicago, CCR, Led Zep, Who, Elton John, Aero, Billy Joel and Boston as a late sophomore at UMass-Boston back in 86 (AC/DC and U2 were too new to play, and G'N'R wasn't even big at that point). I also heard Chic's "Good Times" on occasion, plus a Michael Jackson song or so ("ABC" and/or "Rock With You"); this type of music was spread out over a two hour (or so) period of time, whereas there were one or two non-rock songs per hour on early ZLX (up until early 1988). Eagle, which called itself a classic hits station, went along the same line before going full blown classic rock (minus Barry Scott and Vinnie Perruzzi's shows); ditto WROR.

 

[KB1OKL]

WZLX never played disco.

More like they hardly ever played disco (or non-rock). I definitely heard Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" on ZLX in-between all the Chicago, CCR, Led Zep, Who, Elton John, Aero, Billy Joel and Boston as a late sophomore at UMass-Boston back in 86 (AC/DC and U2 were too new to play, and G'N'R wasn't even big at that point). I also heard Chic's "Good Times" on occasion, plus a Michael Jackson song or so ("ABC" and/or "Rock With You"); this type of music was spread out over a two hour (or so) period of time, whereas there were one or two non-rock songs per hour on early ZLX (up until early 1988). Eagle, which called itself a classic hits station, went along the same line before going full blown classic rock (minus Barry Scott and Vinnie Perruzzi's shows); ditto WROR.

I suppose you could be right, i still listened to WBCN most of the time at that point.

 

[KB1OKL]

and also remember WROR 98.5 when it was called Blue Suede radio that played mostly 50's and early 60's music, I believe that was during the 70's or early 80's?

WROR played oldies in an ealier incarnation....and then some mixed in with the AC format it later adopted. But it was never "Blue-Suede Radio"....that was the old WCGY 93.7.....under Cheryl Gowdy's term as PD.

All this time I thought it was WROR.

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

WROR, on 98.5, was billed as "The Golden Great 98", when they were
playing greaser/doowop stuff...

 

[scooty430]

WZLX never played disco.

More like they hardly ever played disco (or non-rock). I definitely heard Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" on ZLX in-between all the Chicago, CCR, Led Zep, Who, Elton John, Aero, Billy Joel and Boston as a late sophomore at UMass-Boston back in 86 (AC/DC and U2 were too new to play, and G'N'R wasn't even big at that point). I also heard Chic's "Good Times" on occasion, plus a Michael Jackson song or so ("ABC" and/or "Rock With You"); this type of music was spread out over a two hour (or so) period of time, whereas there were one or two non-rock songs per hour on early ZLX (up until early 1988). Eagle, which called itself a classic hits station, went along the same line before going full blown classic rock (minus Barry Scott and Vinnie Perruzzi's shows); ditto WROR.

Got to be honest with you, I grew up in Boston, and listened to BCN, COZ, HJY, AAF...all the rock stations When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK. There was definitely no Donna Summer or Chic - no way. They were one of the first stations to use the term 'classic rock' in the country.

And other than gradually reducing the playlist to a painfully small, repetitive and boring bunch of burnt tunes, they haven't changed format...ever.

 

[pqgeorge]

WROR, on 98.5, was billed as "The Golden Great 98", when they were
playing greaser/doowop stuff...

It was probably one of the best programmed all-oldies stations around (even though it was automated until around 1978). WROR's PD at the time, John Long, coined the "Golden Great 98!" moniker and put 'ROR on the map in late 1973. They used TM's excellent "Goldmine" jingle package, the same package used by WCBS-FM and WCAU-FM (now WOGL) during 'CAU-FM's FIRST incarnation as an all-oldies station.

 

[Don Juan]

When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK.

I believe that after "The Kat" (WKKT...or WKTT?) their first incarnation under the letters WZLX DID use the slogan "Classic Hits". The even had Barry Scott on with his Lost 45's. (Wasn't he the music director too?)

I recall the moniker "Classic Hits 100.7 WZLX"

They later dropped the "Hits" reference and moved towards a more rock approach.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK.

I believe that after "The Kat" (WKKT...or WKTT?) their first incarnation under the letters WZLX DID use the slogan "Classic Hits". The even had Barry Scott on with his Lost 45's. (Wasn't he the music director too?)

I recall the moniker "Classic Hits 100.7 WZLX"

They later dropped the "Hits" reference and moved towards a more rock approach.

"Classic Hits" is not a "very recent" term. Many stations used it in the '80s. It wasn't officially acknowledged by Arbitron as a format until some years later, but stations used the slogan nonetheless. As soon as 100.7 flipped from WKKT "The Kat" to WZLX in 1985, it did begin with the slogan "Classic Hits" for its first couple of years before changing to "Boston's Classic Rocker", then "Boston's Classic Rock". I also recall there was a station in Maine calling itself "Classic Hits" at that time.

There was no full-power FM Oldies station in Boston when 100.7 became WZLX in 1985, so they began, at first, with trying to get both Oldies and Classic Rock listeners as "Classic Hits", though it always leaned more toward the rock than the pop. Neither 93.7 or 98.5 were Oldies stations anymore by 1985. There was 1150 WMEX playing Oldies then, but a 5 kW AM wasn't much competition at the time (despite AM stereo). It was after 103.3 flipped to WODS in fall 1987 and became a powerful Oldies player in the market that WZLX repositioned themselves as strictly Classic Rock.

And, if I remember correctly, I believe Barry was the Promotions Director, not the Music Director.

 

[pqgeorge]

When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK.

I believe that after "The Kat" (WKKT...or WKTT?) their first incarnation under the letters WZLX DID use the slogan "Classic Hits". The even had Barry Scott on with his Lost 45's. (Wasn't he the music director too?)

I recall the moniker "Classic Hits 100.7 WZLX"

They later dropped the "Hits" reference and moved towards a more rock approach.

"Classic Hits" is not a "very recent" term. Many stations used it in the '80s. It wasn't officially acknowledged by Arbitron as a format until some years later, but stations used the slogan nonetheless. As soon as 100.7 flipped from WKKT "The Kat" to WZLX in 1985, it did begin with the slogan "Classic Hits" for its first couple of years before changing to "Boston's Classic Rocker", then "Boston's Classic Rock". I also recall there was a station in Maine calling itself "Classic Hits" at that time.

There was no full-power FM Oldies station in Boston when 100.7 became WZLX in 1985, so they began, at first, with trying to get both Oldies and Classic Rock listeners as "Classic Hits", though it always leaned more toward the rock than the pop. Neither 93.7 or 98.5 were Oldies stations anymore by 1985. There was 1150 WMEX playing Oldies then, but a 5 kW AM wasn't much competition at the time (despite AM stereo). It was after 103.3 flipped to WODS in fall 1987 and became a powerful Oldies player in the market that WZLX repositioned themselves as strictly Classic Rock.

And, if I remember correctly, I believe Barry was the Promotions Director, not the Music Director.

There was a little bit of overlap between the WKKT call-letters and WZLX in terms of the "Classic Hits 100.7" moniker. I actually have a reel-to-reel recording of WKKT during the "Classic Hits 100.7" preview days in mid to late September, 1985. Someday, I will find it among a host of others. Before Classic Hits 100.7 got jocks, they had a rather sarcastic "little voice on the radio" voice-over person doing a few friendly sounding (cute) liners about the new "Classic Hits 100.7" (not obnoxious like Howard Cogan's "Jack" liners). Their top of the hour ID was a little startling with a rather loud musical flush behind it..... "WKKT, Boston.......... (then quick silence) now that we've gotten your attention, LISTEN." . It was a very successful way of bringing in a new format into Boston. I waited for the commercials to end. I remember the many Domino's Pizza commercials ("one call does it all") as well as many of those Dos Equis Beer commercials being aired on 100.7.

 

[bigtom101]

It was probably one of the best programmed all-oldies stations around (even though it was automated until around 1978). WROR's PD at the time, John Long, coined the "Golden Great 98!" moniker and put 'ROR on the map in late 1973. They used TM's excellent "Goldmine" jingle package, the same package used by WCBS-FM and WCAU-FM (now WOGL) during 'CAU-FM's FIRST incarnation as an all-oldies station.

Small correction: that was the PAMS "Goldmine" package. I have the WCBS-FM sings on CD along with their other PAMS jingles.

And WROR "Golden Great 98" was a cool sounding station. I have a couple airchecks of it with Wolfman Jack doing his thing...cool sounding station!

 

[pqgeorge]

It was probably one of the best programmed all-oldies stations around (even though it was automated until around 1978). WROR's PD at the time, John Long, coined the "Golden Great 98!" moniker and put 'ROR on the map in late 1973. They used TM's excellent "Goldmine" jingle package, the same package used by WCBS-FM and WCAU-FM (now WOGL) during 'CAU-FM's FIRST incarnation as an all-oldies station.

Small correction: that was the PAMS "Goldmine" package. I have the WCBS-FM sings on CD along with their other PAMS jingles.

And WROR "Golden Great 98" was a cool sounding station. I have a couple airchecks of it with Wolfman Jack doing his thing...cool sounding station!

You know, you're right! PAMS of Dallas brought you the "Goldmine" package. I loved it! I can STILL hear it now.......

"It's yesterday once more! WROR...... STEREO!"
"The Golden Great 98!, W-R-O-R........ FLASHBACK!"
"WROR (bah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah!), YESTERDAY'S ROCK AND ROLLLLLLLL!"
"WROR!!!! The Golden Great 98!!!!!"


I must say, John Long really molded a great station that,, even today still reverberates to many people's memories! Nice guy too!

 

[bigtom101]

You know, you're right! PAMS of Dallas brought you the "Goldmine" package. I loved it! I can STILL hear it now.......

"It's yesterday once more! WROR...... STEREO!"
"The Golden Great 98!, W-R-O-R........ FLASHBACK!"
"WROR (bah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah!), YESTERDAY'S ROCK AND ROLLLLLLLL!"
"WROR!!!! The Golden Great 98!!!!!"


I must say, John Long really molded a great station that,, even today still reverberates to many people's memories! Nice guy too!

If you have the WROR sings, I'll trade you the CBS-FM ones! LOL

 

[Retro]

WZLX never played disco.

More like they hardly ever played disco (or non-rock). I definitely heard Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" on ZLX in-between all the Chicago, CCR, Led Zep, Who, Elton John, Aero, Billy Joel and Boston as a late sophomore at UMass-Boston back in 86 (AC/DC and U2 were too new to play, and G'N'R wasn't even big at that point). I also heard Chic's "Good Times" on occasion, plus a Michael Jackson song or so ("ABC" and/or "Rock With You"); this type of music was spread out over a two hour (or so) period of time, whereas there were one or two non-rock songs per hour on early ZLX (up until early 1988). Eagle, which called itself a classic hits station, went along the same line before going full blown classic rock (minus Barry Scott and Vinnie Perruzzi's shows); ditto WROR.

Got to be honest with you, I grew up in Boston, and listened to BCN, COZ, HJY, AAF...all the rock stations When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK. There was definitely no Donna Summer or Chic - no way. They were one of the first stations to use the term 'classic rock' in the country.

Only when Barry played them.

 

[KB1OKL]

WZLX never played disco.

More like they hardly ever played disco (or non-rock). I definitely heard Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" on ZLX in-between all the Chicago, CCR, Led Zep, Who, Elton John, Aero, Billy Joel and Boston as a late sophomore at UMass-Boston back in 86 (AC/DC and U2 were too new to play, and G'N'R wasn't even big at that point). I also heard Chic's "Good Times" on occasion, plus a Michael Jackson song or so ("ABC" and/or "Rock With You"); this type of music was spread out over a two hour (or so) period of time, whereas there were one or two non-rock songs per hour on early ZLX (up until early 1988). Eagle, which called itself a classic hits station, went along the same line before going full blown classic rock (minus Barry Scott and Vinnie Perruzzi's shows); ditto WROR.

Got to be honest with you, I grew up in Boston, and listened to BCN, COZ, HJY, AAF...all the rock stations When ZLX came along, it was first 'The Kat,' and had a kind of light rock sound. That was very shortlived. They were soon Classic Rock (Classic Hits is a very recent term) and they played OLD ROCK. There was definitely no Donna Summer or Chic - no way. They were one of the first stations to use the term 'classic rock' in the country.

Only when Barry played them.

Yeah, I think you're right, he played all sorts of stuff on WZLX on lost 45's that didn't fit their format.

 

[Gadon]

How about the little sounder that WZLX announcers used between saying 100.7 ...WZLX ?? How about the old Molson Golden commercials with the truck driver talking to the female border agent.. Those were great commercials.