(Above: The WJEQ Morning Mug from my collection.) Over the course of almost 30 years in radio I was associated with some outstanding radio stations - and some not-so-good ones. If you were to look over my resume and try to guess which ones were the great ones, you'd probably guess the major-market ones and … Continue reading The Spirit of Western Illinois: WJEQ, Macomb (May 1990)
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Songs you hate, then love: The Beach Boys, “Kokomo” (1988)
(Above: Which is the guiltier pleasure - the song or the movie?) If I haven't made it clear enough in earlier posts or by dropping lyrics into text sans citation, I like the Beach Boys. A lot. That's why the revulsion I felt when I first heard "Kokomo" was so troubling. Eventually, though, I came … Continue reading Songs you hate, then love: The Beach Boys, “Kokomo” (1988)
Exploring the pop charts: The Billboard Hot 100 (March 26, 1983)
(Above: Michael Jackson, about to debut the moonwalk on Motown 25, taped 3/25/1983.) The last week in March of 1983 I was looking forward to the end of my freshman year of high school. Baseball fans on the South Side of Chicago were looking forward to opening day, not necessarily realizing that it would become … Continue reading Exploring the pop charts: The Billboard Hot 100 (March 26, 1983)
Hitting the big time: The Isley Brothers, “Shout (Parts 1 and 2)” (1959)
(Above: Rock, brother.) "Dude - you made it!" The first phone call I got on my first shift at WJMK in Chicago - 21 years ago today - was shortly after the start of the first song that I played on the station. It was from my friend Dave. Dave had been there since the … Continue reading Hitting the big time: The Isley Brothers, “Shout (Parts 1 and 2)” (1959)
Erin go bragh-less: Irish bands on the charts and “The Unicorn” (1968)
(Above: The Clancy Brothers, replete with pipes and sweaters.) Ah, Oldies radio. We like to observe the same conventions each year when it comes to things like holidays and commemorations. I will bet you everything in my wallet (a low risk on a Friday, least of all on St. Patrick's Day) that your friendly neighborhood … Continue reading Erin go bragh-less: Irish bands on the charts and “The Unicorn” (1968)
30 years ago this week: Billboard Hot 100, February 28, 1987
(Above: Whoa-oh, we're halfway there.) Where were you thirty years ago today? New in theaters this week: a quirky film by two guys named the Coen Brothers called Raising Arizona. More people were going to see Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. In the news, Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev proposed a treaty that would eliminate both … Continue reading 30 years ago this week: Billboard Hot 100, February 28, 1987
RIP Al Jarreau: “Moonlighting” (1987)
Al Jarreau passed away on Sunday (February 12) at the age of 76. He had just retired from touring, effectively, due to exhaustion. At first glance it would appear that Al made a minor contribution to popular music, what with only three Top 40 hits. That's nowhere near the full story. His works reached the … Continue reading RIP Al Jarreau: “Moonlighting” (1987)
Saturday night with a box of records: Part 2, Also The 1980s
(Above, Me, every time I turn on the radio lately.) You get two for the price of one tonight - the next box was also from the 1980s. It's marked Box 3. I skipped Box 1 because it contains all picture sleeves and (I suspect) bigger hits than we'll find here. In the last post … Continue reading Saturday night with a box of records: Part 2, Also The 1980s
Saturday night with a box of records: Part 1, The 1980s
(Above: Charlie Brown gets it.) It's a quiet Saturday night. Mrs. O has plans with some colleagues tonight. My plans involve a frozen pizza, a couple beers, and a box of 45s. Over the years I've amassed a pile of records. Some came from radio stations where I worked (ssh). Some, as I've referred to … Continue reading Saturday night with a box of records: Part 1, The 1980s
Checking the charts: Billboard Hot 100, January 7, 1989
(Above: I have this CD. It's wimpier than the Brand X bags in a Hefty ad.) On a snowy Saturday night in Grand Rapids I took a pilgrimage to the local pizza shop to pick up dinner. Since the roads were bad, the drive took about three times as long as usual. I tuned into … Continue reading Checking the charts: Billboard Hot 100, January 7, 1989
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 