Radio format change repercussions

It is accepted by all right-thinking people, I believe, that "Walk Like a Man" by Frankie Valli is the greatest song of all tiime. A conclusion reached one time when I was stuck in traffic with the kids and I switched to WJMK (Oldies 104.3) and there it was and we all screamed "Woo ooh oo woo ooh oo woo ooh!" at the top of our falsetto lungs.

Yesterday, flipping preset channels, I found 104.3 playing The Pretenders. They were no longer Oldies 104.3 but The Jack, playing 80s oldies (now I AM old) for XRT listeners who don't get enough things they recognize, I guess.

Well, fine, this kind of thing happens, and if we're going to encapsulate the 80s better The Pretenders than, oh, Loverboy and Heart, I guess. But here's the problem: how many times have you go into a burger or beef place in this city with a vaguely 50s retro theme, checkered linoleum or whatever, and they were playing WJMK, Dick Biondi, to help set the scene of the food you ate growing up on the Sout' Si' in the 50s and 60s? Are these restaurants going to make a wholesale switch to Blondie and The English Beat? Given the actual age of the customers/owners, as well as the demographic, playing Led Zeppelin and AC/DC 24 hours a day, with maybe an occasional taste of The Alan Parsons Project or Kansas, would probably be closer to the reality, but that would be unbearable. So I guess these places are going to have forced on them a massive retrofitting to a skinny tie Brit-flavored college radio New Wave 80s which they probably didn't actually go through in reality. All I can say is, if you can find a bunch of Scritti Politti or OMD LPs, buy 'em up and frame them. A lot of burger joint owners who spent the 80s listening to Def Leppard are going to need them.

I'd probably have been a lot more upset by the switch if my new wheels didn't have XM. Their "Decades" channels allow you to tune directly to a specific channel for a specific decade: 5 for 50's, 6 for 60's, etc. I miss the dialogue of Biondi but the no commercials is about an even tradeoff for me. Driving home on Tuesday's in the 5 PM timeslot I always hit "Rockabilly Roadtrip" where I can sometimes hear the REAL greatest song of all time, Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-a-Lula".

As was mentioned by one of the Trib columnists on this matter, though, WJMK is losing their memory spot on my FM tuner.

You can still hear WJMK in its old format, and "many of the DJs", online at www.wjmk.com.

That is, they changed the over-the-air station to JACK format, but they've apparently retained some of their talent and are still broadcasting online.

6/3/2005

Dear WJMK listener,

Tuning in to 104.3 FM today, you probably noticed that things sound a little different.

WJMK has changed addresses. Instead of being at 104.3 on FM, the WJMK you know and love now lives here online at wjmk.com. Click on the “listen here” banner to hear the Greatest Hits of the 60’s and 70’s streamed with all the great music, personality, and fun you have come to expect over the past two decades on your radio.

We are very excited about WJMK online, because many of the personalities and DJ’s who have been your companion through the years will be featured here at WJMK Online.

Stay tuned because in the future, WJMK’s High Definition (HD Radio) broadcast signal will also make it possible to listen to your favorite music and personalities in crystal clear digital sound on your HD Radio. More on that coming very soon.

104.3 FM is now JACK-FM, and we hope that since you loved WJMK as 60’s and 70’s, that you will give JACK-FM a try too.

Be sure to let us know what you think of WJMK Online. Thank you for your years of listening to WJMK on the FM band, and now let everyone know that WJMK moves into the future by going worldwide. The Greatest Hits of the 60’s and 70’s live on here at wjmk.com!

Sincerely,

Dave Robbins
Vice President / General Manager
WJMK Online @ www.wjmk.com
104.3 JACK-FM

WJMK is losing their memory spot on my FM tuner.

You have something to replace them with? I sure don't, I have more presets than stations I can stomach.

As I say, as an 80s station goes, not bad. But both the music and the station just suffered a substantial personality loss.

That is cool about the online thing, though. Interesting if they can make it work financially.

I think the Tribune also mentioned yesterday that they'll be broadcasting the original format on digital FM in a month or two, for the hypothetical person that has a digital FM radio and would use it to listen to '50s stuff.

I'm kind of pleased by this trend: The '9', Jack FM... it's closer to what I've been listening to on XRT than anything else out there. Suddenly my tastes are becoming mainstream? Horrors.

But really, I never need to hear 50's rock & roll again.
A burger joint would be better served playing:
* 60's motown and British Invasion
* 70's New Wave (never, ever Disco), Springsteen, Dylan
But that's the stuff you never hear on the oldies stations usually.

Walk Like a Man was released in 1963. You know, that post-Elvis Army pre-Beatles time when there was nothing good. Fie, I say. It's a mini-opera, goes through as many tempo and stylistic changes as The Who's A Quick One, but in the standard 3 minutes, and without the pretensions. Truly a masterpiece.

Now don't get me started about Gene Pitney...

More about this Jack format thing and another DJ who got dumped:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/06/09/c ... index.html

Mike G wrote:Walk Like a Man was released in 1963. You know, that post-Elvis Army pre-Beatles time when there was nothing good. Fie, I say. It's a mini-opera, goes through as many tempo and stylistic changes as The Who's A Quick One, but in the standard 3 minutes, and without the pretensions. Truly a masterpiece.

Now don't get me started about Gene Pitney...

More about this Jack format thing and another DJ who got dumped:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/06/09/c ... index.html

Did they completely dump the Wild Itralian (Dick Biondi)? He was the DJ of my youth when he broadcast on WLS AM. I hope they kept him around for the webcast at least.

God, you guys are old.

Personally, I actually enjoy listening to music recorded in the last decade, more so than reliving stuff I have heard 1000's of times, though I still like Chrissie Hyndes (or whoever you spell it). If only to confuse my kids, who are shocked to discover that somehow, and I am not sure how this happens, I have been listening to some cool band they just discovered for a year or more.

The only problem with listening to new music is that I can never remember any of it (my problem, not the music). I think I like JayZ, tho, and Eminem, tho he ain't new. Linkin Park is okay when they are not screaming, even if being able to sing has never been a requirement for good rock. And even some of Maroon 6 or whatever the number is, tho some of their songs are awful. Moby can be quite good, too. Hey, I do remember some things! There are a lot of others.

Technically, the quality of the new stuff and the sophistication of the music, really is light years ahead of that old stuff. Get with it. WXRT, which I do listen to at times, seems pretty sad these days.

I never much liked the music of the 50's, anyway, aside from some of the crooners and jazz singers. Most of the rock and pop stuff is just way too white, no beat, no balls. I am excluding the real raw rockabilly, and blues stuff here, of course, which is good. And I can't say that losing a station that used to provide a primary soundtrack for most 50's themed restaurants strikes me as a real loss. Maybe they will have to close the restaurants, too .

hep cat,
d

Dicksond wrote:

"Technically, the quality of the new stuff and the sophistication of the music, really is light years ahead of that old stuff. Get with it. WXRT, which I do listen to at times, seems pretty sad these days."
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Basically there are two types of top 40 music today--HipHop ( no comment ) and 18-25 year old female singers who all sound alike. The "quality and sophistication" of this crud in no way can compare to the true diverse music of the 60's and 70's---Granted, there were "stinkers" back then, but there were also talented artists who set the stage for what we now consider "Classic Rock"

Personally, I'd be thrilled to have a station that played "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers 24/7.

cito wrote:Personally, I'd be thrilled to have a station that played "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers 24/7.

Maybe a little more variety: Add Bellbottom Blues by Derek and the Dominoes, and Freeway Jam by Jeff Beck.

Where are all the guitar heroes now?

JoelF wrote:

cito wrote:Personally, I'd be thrilled to have a station that played "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers 24/7.

Maybe a little more variety: Add Bellbottom Blues by Derek and the Dominoes, and Freeway Jam by Jeff Beck.

Where are all the guitar heroes now?

My friend just got back from London where she went to the Cream reunion at Royal Albert Hall. She was able to secure a video tape of the performance, which I have seen. You want your guitar heros? Now there's your guitar heros. All three of the original members were not only alive, but able to play as good as ever.

JoelF wrote:Where are all the guitar heroes now?

For so many, the answer (unfortunately for us) is Heaven:

R.I.P

Charlie Christian: 1942
Django Reinhardt: 1953
Wes Montgomery: 1968
Andres Segovia: 1987
Jaco Pastorius (bass guitar heroism counts, too!): 1987
Tal Farlow: 1998

At least Jim Hall is still hanging in there. And Kenny Burrell (I think doing more heroic educating than heroic playing these days?)

Dang, aren't you Chicagoans up on Jeff Parker? There's some guitar excellence. Also, Joe Morris gets my vote as someone playing music at the highest level. Look for Morris's Age of Everything if you want to hear a working trio at work.

Since we're speaking of Guitar Heros of that ilk, don't forget the California Guitar Trio! Oh, and Les Paul just released a brand new album a week or so ago.

stevez wrote:

Mike G wrote:Did they completely dump the Wild Itralian (Dick Biondi)? He was the DJ of my youth when he broadcast on WLS AM. I hope they kept him around for the webcast at least.

It's funny, I was going to post on this last friday after finding out about the format change the hard way, by actually hearing it. But I didnt because even at a far stretch it has nothing to do with food. But I do have some updates on whats going on at WKRP (formerlly WJMK), courtesy of my favorite polish princess, Connie.

The DJ's we know and love, Dick, Connie & Fred still work there. Actually Connie was working the board for "Jack" last saturday night. It's a shame that a radio hall of fame legend like Dick has been relegated the duties of engineer, especially since the oldies format was showing its best audience ever. The stars will be pre recording shows in the old format to be webcast from wjmk.com soon. there is a very slight possibility that the old format may return to the air and share the station with "Jack" . If you are truly a fan I would ask that you please go to the website and leave some feedback for the management. They do read and compile data on the contact emails received. Also, Rob Feder will provide some updates in his column I am told.
Bob

cito wrote:Dicksond wrote:

"Technically, the quality of the new stuff and the sophistication of the music, really is light years ahead of that old stuff. Get with it. WXRT, which I do listen to at times, seems pretty sad these days."
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Basically there are two types of top 40 music today--HipHop ( no comment ) and 18-25 year old female singers who all sound alike. The "quality and sophistication" of this crud in no way can compare to the true diverse music of the 60's and 70's---Granted, there were "stinkers" back then, but there were also talented artists who set the stage for what we now consider "Classic Rock"

Personally, I'd be thrilled to have a station that played "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers 24/7.

Clarfication - I meant the quality and sophistication of the production/recording, and the music behind it. Much like the advancement of the visuals and sound in video and movies, if one compares them to what was being done in the 60's. Whether one likes the style or not, the technical level is not even comparable.

And Top 40 is an obsolete term, BTW. Anyway, if you are dismissing all the girl singers and all hip hop as sounding or being the same, and also excluding all the other forms of rock and pop that can easily be found on the radio in exchange for the Allman Brothers, ummm, well, uhhh... I really can't say any more. The mind is closed; the game is over. Old age has set in, my friends. Enjoy the past, at least it is predictable, I guess.

To quote the Who, "Rock is Dead, Long Live Rock"

Allman-like rock lives on in 'roots rockers' such Indigenous, Los Lobos and others. Beatles-like sounds can be found in Deerfield's Redwalls and (if you lower your standards) Oasis. And that's not counting the fogies such as Robert Plant who are still making vital music (unlike McCartney, Clapton, Elton John, etc. who've mellowed into muzak). If anything the state of rock is awesome right now. Acoustic-guitar-led music is big (from Springsteen on down to the Foo Fighters), at the same time bombast of the aforementioned Plant and System of a Down keep the progressive movement alive.

Don't settle for your iPod playlist -- find more new music.