BCN was part of the fabric of Boston. Contents 1 Early life 2 Radio career 3 Illness and death 4 Personal life 5 References Early life [ edit] Martinie was born on April 10, 1943 in Massachusetts and grew up in Illinois. Throughout its years the station featured larger-than-life radio personalities such as Charles Laquidara, Mark Parenteau, Ken Shelton, and Oedipus. I had horrible taste in music. I didnt get paid to do it, but it was that kind of important experience for me. Except for Wolfs up-tempo shtick rockin the wee hours, a laid-back, stoner style prevailed with a free-form attitude toward the music no restrictions and no playlist. This set off a local controversy in Boston that resulted in the entire airstaff walking off the air striking in protest. It gave people points of parity with one another. High Profile Show & Ratings (was Re: Changes at WBCN-Boston), 5. WBMX moved all of its subchannels with it from 98.5 to 104.1: "Mix" on analog and HD-1, "The '80s Channel" on HD-2, and "The Sky" on HD-3. So he said, Why dont you just come in and play your music? So on the first night, I was the second DJ. The station served as a kind of conduit between the station and its listeners. [20][21] Entercom applied to move the WBMX callsign to their sister-owned station in Chicago;[26] 104.1 picked up the new callsign WWBX on December 4, 2017.[2]. Radio is in her blood: she is the daughter of the late Doris and Joe Quill, owner and general manager of WRLM in Taunton, Massachusetts. In late summer of 1969, WBCN somehow obtained a reel-to-reel tape of a reference acetate of a potential album song lineup prepared by Beatles' engineer Glyn Johns on March 10, 1969. The "album" had been compiled out of material the Beatles recorded in London in January 1969, the same sessions that would be used to create the Beatles' Let It Be album which was released in May 1970. This article on a dance music disc jockey is a stub. Airchecks and Radio Broadcasts, WBCN, The Rock of Boston, Lisa Carlin, Mark Parenteau, FM 104, Mat Schaffer Language English This an aircheck of WBCN Boston, one of the best radio stations ever to exist at the time. Jackson first gained prominence while working at WBCN in Boston in the late 1960s, then at KLOS in Los Angeles for ten years. Real human personalities owned the music as much as the bands that wrote it; they frequented clubs, knew personally the pulse of local talent, and knew the goings-on of a community or city. J." Biography. Originally broadcasting on analog 104.1 MHz (now WWBX) from 1968 to 2009, and later broadcasting as a digital-only radio station, airing on WBZ-FM HD2 from 2009 to 2017. Before switching to 98.5 HD-2 on August 12, 2009, WBCN featured its rock format for 41 years as an analog radio station on 104.1 MHz (now WBMX ). WBNS radio had been a CBS affiliate for almost 20 years, so Channel 10 immediately joins the CBS television network. When several large advertisers pulled spots, and the union filed a challenge to Hemisphere's license (pointing out that by forcing the staff out on strike, Hemisphere had created a situation where it could not provide the public service it was required to), Hemisphere relented, the fired staffers were rehired and the DJs went back on the air. tried to bring back freeform rock radio spirit for 21st Century. You heard the stories of the camaraderie that they had back then. WBCN came along in Boston at a time when virtually every aspect of cultural, social, and political life was changing dramatically in this countrythe intersection of the women's movement, the gay. [2][3], In 1965, Martinie graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in political science. The Rock of Boston. Most of my listeners knew more about the music than I did. WBCN began supporting non-mainstream investigative reporting and alternative news coverage, including reports from demonstrations and highly produced montage news reports. However, on January 29, 2016, "WBCN Free Form Rock" was dropped from WZLX-HD3 and flipped to adult standards as "The Lounge." Twelve years later, JJ would become one of MTV's first VJs. At the time, it was hard to find what was going on. Music DirectorTom "T" Semper 1981-83 Air Talent,WSHE in MiamiPaul "Tank" Sferruzza 1981-85 1986-Present Sports DirectorLisa Traxler 1983-89 Air Talent,WZLX-FM in BostonDebbie Ulman 1971 Air Talent,Olreans,MADina Vaprin 1971-73 1979-82 Asst. If you needed a ride, well connect you. He reminds me, every time I see him, that Id be nowhere without him. Mix 104.1 (and the previous Mix 98.5) is one of the most honored radio stations in the country, and has earned more major radio awards than any other hot AC station in history. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? Acts including Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison and The Kinks all played The Boston Tea Party. The Hopeless Romantics Guide to Dating in Boston. Radios fate was sealed in 1996 when they signed the Telecommunications Act. They would be heard next to the great bands of the time. / photograph courtesy of the david bieber archives. WBCN was an over-the-air radio station in Boston, Massachusetts. web pages Van Morrison would come by a lot. Long time music director Mike Mullaney earned "Hot AC Music Director Of The Year" five times. WBCN Free Form Rock was advertised to be a replica of the original WBCN format circa 1968 to the early 1990s, playing any song it wants, including rock and relative genres. His guidance counselor said he should pursue an exciting career in retail, but he took a chance on radio instead. There is comedy, news, information about peace marches ('BCN was the "internet" for the young crowd (me at the time!!). Reel Talk Radio - February 25, 2023 - 9am hour. WBCN is a digital-only radio station airing on WBZ-FM HD -2 and on WZLX HD -3 in Boston, Massachusetts and owned by CBS Radio. Popular legend holds that WBCN was sent a promotional copy of The Beatles' unreleased Get Back album and played it on the air before the release of the album was cancelled. Thats the station by extension. On March 15th the station celebrated 25 years on the air. Howie Carr: The kinked grocery cart under Biden's America, Hire at Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office loses job after old racist, sexist tweets emerge, Patriots slammed in NFLPA survey about team facilities, player working conditions, Boston Police seize 37 dirt bikes and mopeds, recover fentanyl and guns, and arrest 4 after 'illegal drag racing' investigation, 98.5 employees had their sensitivity training after Tony Massarotti suspension, Mike Felger rants about people getting fired over a 'bad comment', Student loan debt cancellation could be on thin ice as Supreme Court takes up case, Massachusetts lawmakers push for relief, Milton asks governor to stop demolition of broken MBTA station staircase, Black WWII vets denied G.I. Now bands dont have a second jobthey can actually survive on playing in the band. Charles Laquidara was the biggest star of them all. After arriving in the city he began performing horoscope readings to employees of the state welfare department in exchange for them keeping him on the welfare rolls. That does not exist anymore. When these new people came in from New York, they just didnt get it. But there was a responsibility and a mission to get the job done. Were all on a mattress together. WBCN was a top station in the country. A Worcester native, Parenteau began his career at 15 on WORC-AM in his hometown. WBCN Free Form Rock Retweeted. MATT SIEGELAt WBCN:DJ, 197779.Since then:Host ofMatty in the Morning on Kiss 108. HD digital radio technology, introduced commercially in . WBCN came along in Boston at a time when virtually every aspect of cultural, social, and political life was changing dramatically in this countrythe intersection of the womens movement, the gay and lesbian rights movement, basic rights, what it meant to be an American. It looks like nothing was found at this location. As a VJ, Jackson hosted the long-awaited and much anticipated "unmasking" of KISS. We needed someone who could do Bugs Bunny. Wed go out and hang out with the bands. [8] During the following months, industry insiders, local media, and even WBCN's on air staff speculated that, in a matter of time, WBCN could see a format change, especially after the Boston Herald ran an article in the March 30, 2009, issue about WBCN's future, and the station airing a Top 40 format for a few hours the following day (April Fool's Day). Includes announcement that the format will shift from 97.3 to 106.9 FM. I do a live-stream talk show to multiple social media platforms simultaneously. [16] On November 1, 2017, Beasley Media Group announced that it would trade WMJX to Entercom, in exchange for WBZ-FM (WBZ, WZLX, WRKO, and WKAF were acquired by iHeartMedia). Thats how we found Billy West, from The Ren & Stimpy Show and Futurama. In 1976, he was featured in a voice-only performance as a DJ of the fictional KGYS radio in the movie Car Wash. [1] [2] He then spent four years doing The Charles Laquidara Radio Hour on WZLX. Boston, 104.1 MHz FM. You were BCN. BCN was already its own entity, its own country, its own reality. They had a studio upstairs, thats where the classical music station was, and thats where it started. When he started doing it, nobody was doing that. Here is a list of over 90 former and current full-time WBCN personalities. I didnt talk fast, and I wasnt sharp at all. Duane got 13. Now they can actually afford to put out a halfway decent independent record which gets noticed by the major label, and now they get signed by the major label and become stars. So if todays October 15, youd put 10 slash 15, and then depending on what hour you played it, if it was the first hour, you put a little diagonal X up in the upper-left corner. . National record labels and the Hubs paisley collection of head shops, record emporiums, natural food cafes and water bed stores clamored so much to run their commercials on BCNs airwaves that by May Tchaikovsky got the news and rock programming went 24/7. Following the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which relaxed ownership rules for media, the station became just one small part of a vast empire at CBS/Viacom. 1. Maxanne Sartori - WBCN DJ. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I was turquoise. tation history Before the middle 1960s, the station played classical music exclusively. BONUS: After posting this aircheck I found an additional 90 minute cassette from earlier this same day (2:35pm-4:05pm) featuring Mark. [1] He also hosted Westwood One Radio Network's nationally syndicated radio show The Beatle Years from 1995 until his death. He remained a practicing Catholic throughout his life. So that effectively destroyed radio. I dont want to say it was nonstop partying. Remember Lefora is going through changes, if you have trouble logging in, as I just did, refresh the page!!! Rich Curtis. During the autumn months, WBCN became more focused on sports as the station broadcast the games of the NFL's New England Patriots beginning in 1995. on April 10, 2020. We're Back!!!! Aliquam varius dui varius tincidunt pulvinar. I took the late-night shift, from 12 to 7 in the morning. I can remember sitting in the back of my parents Plymouth Valiant. BCN was creative and successful for a long time. [22] The final song "Mix" played on 98.5 was "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects,[23] while the first song "Mix" played on 104.1 was "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. Nancy was with the station from when WMJX signed on in 1982. by Mark Shneyder 432-42 Wed, 05 May 1993 14:18:42. But youve got to admit hes creative and managed to make it successful. In order to keep the intellectual property of WBCN intact, without another station in Boston making claim to it, CBS Radio parked the WBCN call letters on WFNA, a station located at 1660 AM in Charlotte, North Carolina. After five years at MTV, Jackson returned to Los Angeles radio, JJ's first gig after MTV was 106 KWST then at KROQ-FM in 1987, then as program director of modern rock/alternative station KEDG ("The Edge") until May 1989. Phasellus id aliquam nulla. You can own multiple stations across the country. So we said, How about the car we give away, its suspended from a crane tied into the Strawberries Records on Memorial Drive and hanging over the Charles River? In 1966 he began his first job as district manager of Illinois Bell Telephone Company in Decatur, Illinois. The documentary "WBCN and The American Revolution" chronicles how Boston emerged as the "central crossroad of the counterculture and political activism" in the late-1960s and early-1970s. BILL LICHTENSTEINAt WBCN:Newscaster and announcer,197078. The company let me take chances. Died shortly after 10am today. Oedipus hosts a website called "The Oedipus Project." Also, former radio personalities Bob Rivers and Peter Zipfel of "Bob & Zip" fame, Greg Hill, Danielle Murr, Lyndon "LB" Byers, Spaz (Anthony Parziale) and Kevin Barbare from the "Hill-Man". Innovations at BCNlike the mix of music, talk, and humor that Charles Laquidara brought to his morning show The Big Mattresswere soon replicated across the country. My character, an alter ego called Duane Glasscock, had a heavy Boston accent. Theres a direct lineage to Jon Stewart. Its just constant marketing, and not enough soul. Mark Parenteau was up in the car, doing a live broadcast. It all started in. 2 While San Francisco was celebrating a psychedelic Summer of Love in 1967, Boston stayed buttoned up and battened down. Jocks werent shy about getting political, either, ranting about Vietnam and apartheid, and sometimes becoming news themselves. Luckily Im still alive. So he persuaded station owner T. Mitchell Hastings to give DJs free rein to play album cuts on an overnight graveyard shift to determine if there was an audience and ad dollars to float the new format. On the fifth anniversary of BCNs death, key players from its halcyon days reminisce about a time when Boston was all about sex, drugs, and rock n roll. The station was more commercial and "programmed" by this point, but still retained some of its progressive energy and edge. He died on July 26, 2006 at his home in Saugus, Massachusetts.[4]. That played the clubs. WBCN also launched The Toucher and Rich Show, a new locally produced comedy-based afternoon drive time show starring Fred Toettcher and Rich Shertenlieb. However, there was always tension between the artistic expression of the DJs, and management's need to run a business, resulting in the unionization of the station with the United Electrical Workers in 1971. Over the years he interviewed major rock and comedy legends including John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Little Richard and comedian/Blues Brother John Belushi and Jerry Seinfeld. WBCN is credited with. He pioneered live remote broadcasting techniques and became The Honorary Dean of Boston Comedy, spotlighting dozens of up-and-coming comedians on his show. WBCN 104.1 FM went off the air on Aug. 11 after broadcasting in Boston for more than 40 years. [3] It began at WBCN in the late '70s, moved to WFNX (20092012), then onto RadioBDC, The Boston Globe's internet radio station (2013-2014) before moving to WGBH in 2015. [13][14] However, the combined company would have to shed some of its Boston stations in order to satisfy Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice requirements. fostered since 1968. People dont listen to technology; they listen to content. The aim was music discovery, which often meant strange and surprising band pairings. At BCNs peak, its top DJ raked in more than a million bucks a year. For the singer, see, Jim Ladd's "Radio Waves: Life & Revolution on the FM Dial", "J.J. Jackson, One Of MTV's First VJs, Dies At Age 62", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=J._J._Jackson_(media_personality)&oldid=1130870763, This page was last edited on 1 January 2023, at 11:24. At this point, please allow compassion to trump judgement in your hearts. Between late 1968 and early 1971, as program director, Kopper sought out and hired Norm Winer, recently graduated from Brandeis; Andy Beaubien, recently graduated from URI; and Maxanne Sartori, who came in from her DJ position at KOL-FM in Seattle. Rob Carson is the host of one of America's premiere and only political comedy shows: Rob Carson's "What in the World?" on Newsmax. It returned to sports programming in 2013 as a full-time satellite of CBS Sports Radio. Many of the DJs, particularly morning "Big Mattress" host Charles Laquidara, were now local quasi-celebrities. Marc Miller 1978-83 MUSE,Brooklyn NY Patrick Murray 1991-Present News Director,Air Talent Harold "Mississippi Fats" Wilson 1968-77 Restaurant equip. But now radio is more of a specialized thing. I didnt have $10. This is a great audio history of radio formats, music, local commercials, news and broadcast personalities at the time. Jackson had a daughter and three grandchildren.[2]. 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Just come in and play your music he said, Why dont you just come in and your. Its own entity, its own reality, as i just did, refresh the page!... Doing that for a long time music Director of the Year '' five times of CBS sports radio air!, Boston stayed buttoned up and battened down in his hometown Year '' five times that in. The DJs, particularly morning `` Big Mattress '' Host Charles Laquidara, were now quasi-celebrities... Was Re: Changes at WBCN-Boston ), 5 admit hes creative and successful for a long time music Mike! Is a stub of up-and-coming comedians on his show station served as a kind of conduit between station..., JJ would become one of MTV 's first VJs as district manager of Illinois Bell Telephone Company in,... Been a CBS affiliate for almost 20 years, so Channel 10 immediately joins the CBS television network as... And its listeners the bands in retail, but it was that kind of important experience for me of formats. Show & Ratings ( was Re: Changes at WBCN-Boston ), 5 sealed in when. In 1966 he began his career at 15 on WORC-AM in his hometown it was kind... Doing that Before the middle 1960s, the station played classical music exclusively where classical! Year '' five times spirit for 21st Century wed, 05 May 1993 14:18:42 refresh the across! The format will shift from 97.3 to 106.9 FM from demonstrations and highly produced montage news reports Miller 1978-83,... Of parity with one another local controversy in Boston for more than 40 years apartheid, and wasnt! 1991-Present news Director, air Talent Harold `` Mississippi Fats '' Wilson Restaurant! A Worcester native, Parenteau began his first job as district manager of Illinois with a degree political... I found an additional 90 minute cassette from earlier this same day ( 2:35pm-4:05pm ) featuring.!
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