Comments radiotapes.com


	COMMENTS 2008 COMMENTS 2007 COMMENTS 2006 COMMENTS 2005 COMMENTS 2004 COMMENTS *(The most recent postings begin at the top)* "Hi, I stumbled upon your website tonight. I really enjoyed all the old radio aircheck's. I was looking for a aircheck of J.J. Bowman from WDGY Radio. I believe he worked there in 1968. Do you have a radio aircheck of Bowman or know where I might acquire one?" Bill B. (5/1/2008) (Radiotapes comment: We've just been informed that an aircheck of J.J. Bowman has been posted on www.twincitiesradioairchecks.com) - "I like your site! I vaguely remember some of the recording you have listed. While I was listening I thought of a montage that maybe you have or have heard of. It was a WLOL montage that they played at 5:00 PM each weekday. It played parts of "Take this job and shove it" and had a little kids voice saying "It's 5:00, do you know where your car is parked?" I would like to hear it again, or better yet have a copy." (4/29/2008) (Radiotapes comment:: If anyone knows about this montage, please contact us) - "Great new look to the site. Well organized with great historical material. It is great that you have kept this going and have continued to improve the site. As you know, as the creator of the other Twin Cities Aircheck site, I love free airchecks. Let us both continue to preserve this era of radio. Rick Burnett www.TwinCitiesRadioAirchecks.com" (4/28/2008) (Radiotapes comment:: Thanks Rick. Keep up the great work with your website!) - (excerpts) "OMG -- This site is freaking me out. LOVE IT! I had no idea I'd hear myself so many times, for one thing -- KSTP, The Breeze, etc. Talk about memory lane! Also, the WLS-WLOL montages ... I think I played that on-air at WLOL twice on New Year's Eve very late 80s. (I always got the bad shifts.) I used to idolize Jay Philpott. Didn't know some of that was his work. For what it's worth, my radio station resume 1986-2008: KUOM WMCN KTCJ KTCZ WLOL The Breeze KSTP KABC KSPN XM OutQ." Ben Patrick Johnson (4/24/2008) - "Again, a great set of recordings from WCCO and the start of Desert Storm. I was 11 miles south of the Kuwaiti border near a place called Ras Al-Mishab during this period. Upon returning home, I had heard many snippets of broadcasts of the start of air operations but never the extensive recordings you have provided. Didn't get much work done yesterday, thanks to you! Keep it up." Glenn G. (4/22/2008) - "I believe that the Humphrey appearance with Boone and Erickson which was interrupted by the Net Alert from CBS took place on August 26, 1964. Apparently Johnson had summoned Humphrey and Sen. Thomas Dodd to the White House on August 26th. The Democratic Convention had already opened in Atlantic City, NJ and Humphrey had to come back to Washington to meet with Lyndon Johnson who was playing games with the VP announcement. Having Dodd along was to make it appear uncertain who would be the choice although Johnson apparently had already decided on Humphrey. Johnson told Humphrey that he was the man but that he couldn't tell anyone and that they would fly back to NJ together to make the announcement. In his memoirs, Humphrey stated that he went to a DC hotel for his WCCO appearance already knowing that he was the VP choice but pretending that he didn't know it. Johnson also apparently changed his mind and allowed his choice of VP to "leak" to the press - thus the news alert. Later that evening, Humphrey and Johnson did fly to Atlantic City where Humphrey gave his acceptance speech." Mark S. (4/7/2008) (Radiotapes comment: Thanks Mark - we updated the date on the aircheck posting.) - "I would like to see something on this site from September 21, 2005 about a round of severe thunderstorms that went through the Twin Cities that night from what WCCO radio covered that night. I have heard what WCCO did from 1965, 1981, and 1986, and these guys do the best job for warning people around the metro and greater areas of Minnesota and Wisconsin." (4/5/2008) - “What a great site! It's a must visit every day. I especially enjoy the WCCO-AM recordings. As a boy growing up on a southern Minnesota farm in the 60s, these really take me back.” Glenn G. (4/1/2008) - “U100 started me in radio and I thank you! I had a love for the air and the people on it. I fell for Chuck Morgan, Pat McKay and Michael J. Their stylings and presentation did it all for me. I was a high school girl with a mission. I wanted to be in radio more than anything. Then I heard Mesa Kincaid and knew it would happen for me! Starting with my newly acquired drivers license I made the trip from St Louis Park to the studio a couple of times a month to get a feel for the studio and the atmosphere. I met so many wonderful people and saw exactly what I was (or wanted to) getting into. I "studied" at Brown Institute, graduated and started my road to fame and fortune. As we all know that is a farce! I loved the life, I loved the road I was on. I met so many awesome people along the way and I credit them for the woman I have become. Unfortunately, I gave up the life for many reasons but always wished I could go back. I still have many cassettes tapes of U100 from 1975 - 1976. I just hope they haven't degraded. I love listening to them every so often, they bring back such sweet memories. Thank you U100 for the start. I would love to know what happened to Chuck Morgan, Pat McKay and Mesa. I see by this site that Michael J is in WI and happy being a farm boy. Any information would be greatly appreciated.” Darla T. (3/12/2008) - “WOW! What a wonderful stroll down memory lane. As both a former TC radio announcer and also someone who grew up here in town it was so wonderful to listen to my heroes of the past! I do have a question for you. Since you seem to be the expert on Twin Cities radio of the past I can't think of anyone better to ask! Back in 1978-79 (at least those were the years I listened to it) there was an AM station here in town that catered to the "new wave" music crowd. They played artists like Devo, Gary Numan, Elvis Costello, etc. Anyway, I would love to hear some old air checks from that station too, but alas I can't even remember their call letters! In the early 80's I got hooked on WLOL and lost track of this AM station, but I do have fond memories of them (even if I can't remember their call letters)! Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Also, would you happen to have any jingles from KDWB and/or WDGY from between 1972 and 1975? Thanks in advance!” Mark J. (3/12/2008) (Radiotapes comment: The radio station Mark is thinking of is KRSI-AM. KRSI airchecks are posted on the Airchecks page). - “Thank you for adding the new video features especially the WIXK/New Richmond piece featuring Dick Hoff. I was lucky enough to have worked with and for Dick (he was my second PD at KXIT in Dalhart TX) and to work with him at WMNE/WMEQ in Menomonie WI. Mr. Hoff was one of the three great mentors that helped shape my radio career. The man was truly talented and seeing his image and hearing his voice again brought back so many great memories. And I must admit that I became a bit misty remembering a good friend who helped me in so many ways. Dick was one of a kind and is truly missed by all of us who enjoyed his "old school" approach to making radio fun. There will never be another "Long Tall Norwegian" and since his passing the radio dial is minus a great performer, entertainer and radio professional. I tip a cup of "Norwegian Nectar" in his honor and it always makes me smile!” Don Roux (3/9/2008) - (excerpts) Somewhere in my basement I have a U100 bus poster (it's huge) and I also have the first wall poster. I REALLY enjoy the U100 airchecks and play them on my Ipod. Thanks.” Mike B. (3/8/2008) - “Thanks to everyone involved with this website. I thought I would never get to hear the McKay/Gunne Boogie Check ever again after my U100 aircheck tape was "removed" from my vehicle 30 years ago!!! Now my stupid joke and pre-pubescent voice will live forever courtesy of the Internet! Seriously, how many of us can say that we decided to get into broadcasting after listening to the antics of this bunch? I continue to slap on a pair of PRO4AA's occasionally just to remind me that I made the right choice getting into Television.” Neil G. (3/4/2008) - “I’m not having much luck finding anyone that can lead me to airchecks or audio recordings between the late 50s and early 60s for the following radio station: WOWO, 1190 kHz, out of Fort Wayne, Indiana. One of the clear-channel AM stations transmitting at 50,000 watts day & night in those days. Enough power to be well known in Canada and throughout the eastern United States. Would you know of anyone that might help me find and surviving recordings? Thanks you for any assistance you can offer! Thanks for your website and efforts!” Kit G. (3/3/2008) (Radiotapes comment: If anyone knows, please contact us). - A Great Website...Thanks!!” Don S. (2/29/2008) - “I am a radio guy who grew up in the cities (Mahtomedi) and work now in Atlanta. Thank you for a wonderful site.” Don D. (2/26/2008) - “I like the 1962-68 CBS News Sounder added to the website on 2/4/08. It reminds me of the very similar WCCO Radio News Sounder used in the 1960s through the late 1980s or early 1990s(?). Do you have a recording of the WCCO News Sounder version from back then?” Todd J. (2/5/2008) (Radiotapes comment: We posted the WCCO Radio News sounder tonight.) - “I've been reading "Media Tales" by Sheri O'Meara and Martin Keller, looking for information on my father, Roy Carr, who was an announcer for WLOL in the 50s, possibly with WCCO for a short time, (we have a picture of him sitting at a WCCO microphone), WTCN in the 60s-70s, and ended his career at KMSP-TV. He passed away in 2007 and I've been looking for information on his career since his passing.” Roz McCormack (2/3/08) (Radiotapes comment: If anyone has any information on Roy Carr, please contact us and we will forward it to Roz.) - "I'd just like to congratulate you on such a really fascinating site. I really hope that you eventually post more clips from the 40's and 50's because because that is an era I'm interested in personally but I also enjoy hearing how the different stations have changed over the years." John R. (1/29/08) - "Hi, I am a blind web surfer and I think that your site is really excellent for my speech software. It is really easy to access and since I am originally from Minnesota, a lot of those airchecks bring back memories. Thanks again for such a great site." Chris (1/20/2008) - Great website you have here! I really enjoy the older airchecks (early days of WCCO)...and especially the WCCO 1965 Tornado coverage. My mother-in-law lived in Spring Lake Park at the time and her house was damaged by one of the tornadoes that night. I have had her listen to the 1965 WCCO Tornado recordings on your website and they really pulled her back to that night. Very interesting to sit back and watch her reactions to hearing it all over again! I really enjoy listening to all of the historic storm broadcasts you have posted on your website! Keep them coming and again, great website!" Todd J. (1/17/08) - "I enjoy your site very much." Mark S. (1/6/2008) - "I just love listening to the old tapes that you posted about wcco severe weather and tornado coverage. This stuff is fantastic!!!! I cant get enough of it. Hopefully you can find more of this!!! Thanks again." Matt (12/9/2007) - "I am SO appreciative of this site! It reminds me why I got into radio in the first place. I'm also VERY appreciative of the latest un-scoped airchecks from WCCO on the 1965 tornado." Dave T. (11/14/2007) - "THANKS FOR THE GREAT SITE!!" Todd K. (11/13/2007) - "Hey - great site!!! Never heard a lot of Minneapolis-area airchecks before so the history trip was fun! I was especially excited to hear vintage pirate airchecks, as no one ever puts those up! I have a site that centers on Brooklyn, NY pirates www.rfny.us Thanks for the great airchecks!" Pete S. (11/12/2007) - "Great website! I have been looking for some time without success for video (probably kinescopes) or audio recordings of a TV show my uncle, Lester Friedl, appeared on in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The name of the show was "The Showoff Club". It featured Twin Cities amateur musicians performing in a small group. Lester Friedl was the piano player. I have tried both the Pavek Broadcasting Museum and the Minnesota Historical Society but have not uncovered any recordings. Any ideas on where to look and how to proceed would be appreciated! Thanks in advance, John S." (Radiotapes comment: If anyone knows, please contact us). (10/25/2007) - "Hi People....Michael J. Douglas here....Donuts... Out on the farm in Wisconsin. Was told about this web sight ... have been dying with laughter..since I found it. Thank you so much for putting it together. If anyone out there wants to talk to me ... like old radio guys write me at cowboymike@centurytel.net" (10/6/2007) - "I love your website!!" Deb P. (10/6/2007) - "Oh, my Lord, do I ever remember U100. It was ALWAYS 80 degrees in Fridley. It was a U100 Boogie Battle that destroyed Stairway to Heaven forever for me. I was so used to the jocks yanking everyone's chain that I was convinced the news of Elvis Presley's death was somebody's idea of a joke. I have never listened to a radio station with such utter pleasure since the day U100 left the air. We lost something special that day. I had to go to WDGY to get away from the utter wasteland of pure top 40, so imagine the shock to the system of driving to the part time job and listening to Bachman turner Overdrive, and coming out to...country (shudder). Thanks for the memories, guys." (10/5/2007) - "What a goldmine! Thanks for the wonderful site; great for all those of us who grew up with 'cco always playing around the house." Brian (9/4/2007) - “I grew up on a farm near Glencoe and left Minnesota in 1985. I listened to Hines and Berglund in the morning on 99-1/2fm WLOL in my room and my car and in the barn while working it was a mortal sin to ever change the station to anything but 830 WCCO. I want to thank you for giving me the best bout of nostalgia I ever had. This is awesome." Rick K. (8/31/2007) - (excerpt) "Thanks for the Great Site. Next time in the cities will make sure I get to the Pavek Museum to see all the Radio History." Brian S. (9/1/2007) - "Your website brings back many memories, and I especially love the tribute to U100, which was on the air right in the middle of my high school years. Although I didn't like that U100's playlist seemed unvaried, and overplayed -- really, what Top 40 station's playlist isn't? -- the personalities were wild and crazy, and created refreshingly fun radio compared to what we had up until that time, and, as far as I'm concerned, since they went off the air." Mark B. (9/1/2007) - "Very excited to find your website." Peter M (8/25/2007) - "Really Big Fan of the website! The Boogie Checks should be in the Smithsonian!" Ted S. (8/22/2007) - "I was very happy to see you had the footage of me in your video section from my days at WMIN. I do have a VCR copy but it is of very poor quality. I also have tape of the live shot they did that morning from the WMIN studios in Woodbury. (We had recently re-located there from Maplewood.) It was interesting that in order for them to actually get a good signal for the live shot I had to power down the 50,000 watt x-mitter and turn on the night pattern x-mitter at the old Maplewood site to reduce the RF and clear up their signal. Thank you for providing me with so many memories!" Don Roux. (8/22/2007) - "Great stuff! Hoping that you have some of Tawn Mastrey's air work from 93X a few years ago?" Kenny R. (8/21/2007) - "I remember one time my family and I were going away for the weekend. I was probably 6 or 7 at the time. We were going to Rockford, Illinois to see my aunt. When we returned I begged my mother to turn on U100. She said wait til we take your grandmother home. I said OK (still begging at this point). We leave my grandmothers house, now mind you we only live less than three minutes away. I ask her again, At this point she just sighed and was MAD!!!! Thanks." Elaine T. (8/19/2007) - "Hello--I've said this before, but I'll just mention again how grateful I am that there is a website that keeps the history of Twin Cities radio alive! As a huge (I'd like to think one of the biggest) 99 1/2 WLOL fan, I have been delighted to see the addition of a number of Jay Philpott airchecks added in the past couple of days. Thanks again for the great site!" Mike L. (8/17/2007) - (excerpts) “Thank you! I found your site by accident and I was blown away by your great collection of airchecks. I have many from the 70's and 80's myself because I worked in St.Paul\Mpls radio at that time. While I never had the talent to stay in the business, I did realize at the time, that AM radio in the 70's was truly groundbreaking. Today’s radio only proves it. I was there at the fair when U100 was born. I remember that day very well and it was literally the day that made me want to get into radio. I was also at 13Rock at the fair doing the automated morning block some years later. So thanks again for putting this together. It was an unbelievable rush of memories.” Bob V. (8/11/2007) - "I worked at WCCO as a CBS Page part-time while attending the U of M from 1949 thru 1950. I and Robert Vaughan (Man from U.N.C.L.E.) would give tours of the studios at 625 2nd Avenue...also set up studios for numerous shows...Cedric Adams News, Romona Gerhard, Quiz of the Twin Cities, Man on the Street with Clellan Card, Stairway to Stardom and many more. Just wondering what happened to some of the wonderful on-air personalities...Bill Wigginton, Paul Wann, Ed Viehman, Frank Butler (what a voice)..I plan to visit the Pavek museum soon, when I get to the Twin Cities on vacation." Don S. (7/30/2007) - "Thanks for your website here -- I always find it interesting to check out an old clip from years ago." Derek L (6/17/2007) - "Just discovered your site and was SO pleasantly surprised at the amount of listening material. I was just a young kid when a lot of those 70s airings happened and I thought I'd never hear True Don Bleu's voice again, but there he was, digitized forever. I was also pleased to see Tom Barnard's alter-ego "Catman" posted as I never got to hear WDGY in it's glory days." (6/7/2007) - "This site is great!! Thanks for posting all these videos." (5/31/2007) - "Thanks for a great Twin Cities radio website and please keep the 1980s 99 1/2 WLOL airchecks coming (loved the Bill Lee first day)!" Mike L. (5/8/2007) - "Thanks for putting that Franklin Hobbs aircheck up...boy, do I miss hearing him. I sat up many a night listening to him while doing my homework in junior high and high school." Robert K. (5/1/2007) - "This site is an amazing resource for fans of Minnesota radio. In particular, the old AOR airchecks like I-95, KQRS, etc are amazing. Great work!" (4/30/2007) - "Thank you for the putting out those airchecks of WDGY during the mid-70's (Don Martin & The Catman). I hope you can put out more of those." (2/25/2007) - "Too bad you don't have any air checks during my tenure at WWTC, from around 1966 to 1968. I was a studio engineer. We had separate announcers and board techs. I worked the night shift from 5pm to Midnight sign off. Yes! We signed off at Midnight in those days. So I got to work at 5 and ran the frantic drive-time to 6 or 7 pm. Then it got really boring, depending if I brought a book or not while spinning the records and playing the carts. The night-time anncr was Joel Larson, who passed away some time ago. The control room gear consisted of a Gates "Yard" board, so-named because it was literally three feet wide. Tube type board. Excellent piece of gear though. 12 RCA cart machines, three per side and on top of console. Three turntables. Two great Gates turntables with GE pickups!!! No kidding. And a leftover from WDGY days, a Gray turntable with a "Viscous Damped" tone arm. Terrible technology. Had to have a special fluid in the back of the tone arm to track right. Yes, I said "WDGY" because we were in the old WDGY studios, 2nd floor of the Builders Exchange, 609 Second Avenue. Next door to the Mpls Athletic Club and next to that, WCCO AM. More later. Suppertime now. I have TONS of info for you, if you wish. :)" (Radiotapes comment: Thank you for your e-mail. Please contact us again and leave your e-mail address.) (2/15/2007) - "What a way to start my day. I am playing around on the internet and ran into your website. The U100 airchecks brought back many memories of that night in the trailer when Rob, Jeff and I kicked off U100 from the Minnesota State Fair. The music was great, the air inside and outside that little trailer was charged with excitement. Thank you for preserving the moment. It was a very special time and staff. I plan to listen to the other airchecks too. Thank you Twin Cities for all wonderful fans and friends. Best wishes, U.S. STEELE." (2/7/2007) - “Since I've discovered this Website, I've been a frequent visitor. Thanks for the airchecks -- they remind me of what radio was...and can be, again." (1/3/2007) - "I am very interested in what WDGY sounded like between 1974 and 1976. Could you post airchecks of that station from that time period?" (Radiotapes comment: There is one aircheck posted from 1974 with Jimmy Reed and Wolfman Jack. If anyone has additional airchecks of WDGY from '74 to '76, please contact us and we will post them). (12/31/2006) - "My daughter found your WebSite and told me to give it a look. I had no tapes of the "13Rock" times, so to say the least it was a big surprise to hear myself again. I do have a "Music Station" tape from KSTP from January '77 ... which was the best part-time job one could ever have. I really enjoyed listening to the U-100 Stuff, especially the sign off and the "glib" stuff from KDWB. I was actually at KSTP the night U100 went off the air (I was doing all night) and if memory serves me correct Shannon played "Funeral for Friend" so he and I could listen to the sign off. We treated the "death of U100" with respect because that crew (and the original crew at "15-KSTP") were truly the golden age of rock radio in the Twin Cities, and of course "Robbie Baby" was our new boss at KSTP. Fun times and great memories! Greg B (AKA: The Greggor)" (12/29/2007) - "Thank you, folks, for a wonderful, complete and historically rich job in assembling this memory-lane of U100. Anyone who thinks such fanatical devotion is strange, can't appreciate what was; and is no longer. I was in broadcasting as it started to decline into mega-corporate consolidation and sound-the-same programming. While there may be a few, rare exceptions; to find a station with such a forceful line-up of talent, energy and creative spirit, as we had with U100, would be an impossible challenge today. The air-checks are terrific; including the jingles. The TM-Century "You" campaign was a dynamite, soundstage production...and horribly expensive for market-exclusivity. I appreciate the contributions of U100 staffers. And your efforts in producing a wonderful time-capsule. MH, Denver" (11/5/2006) - "I have very clear memories of the famous U100-FM sound. Tangibly, I own the two Ampex Ag-440's from the Cliff Rd. Studios. U100 was indeed a trend-setter and breaker; combining AOR & Top-40, giving hungry Twin-Citians a special and unique alternative to the Todd Storz or Drake-Chenault sound. Additionally, U100 made you smile and feel good, with Super Cool music and talented air-staff. What a difference from all this crap they're calling music today: and hate/shock formats. Remember the good old days of Tack Hammer and the original KQ? We'll never have any of that again. I grew up in Bloomington, across from Riverside Elementary School, and could see the U100 tower lights from across the Minnesota River. The towers are still there; too bad radio isn't worthwhile anymore. Thanks Rob S. & Mike S! -MH- Denver Colorado" (10/27/2006) - "I saw your weblink while doing a search for information about the old KTWN, and "The Breeze" network. Do you have any more tape of KTWN during it's NAC/Smooth Jazz era? The Breeze network had a St. Louis affiliate (where I live)? For a network operation, the service was extremely quirky, playing some very difficult to find LP's, including Twin-Cities based artists like Michael Monroe and Will Sumner to a national audience. Knowing just how odd this service was, and after working in radio knowing it wouldn't last long, I rolled tape--about 70 hours worth. I'm glad I did. Our local station dropped the format in 1989, and the network itself folded early in 1991. The announcers were a mixed bag of good and bad, but the music the station played was special to me." (Radiotapes comment: If anyone has airchecks of The Breeze or KTWN-FM, please contact us). (10/12/2006) - "Thanks, this is the best website-ever! I can not believe the flood of memories that I thought were only locked in my mind only wishing I could hear again. To relive some of the best moments and memories of my life - Thanks!" (10/10/2006) - "Oh, my....KUXL! I worked there about 8 months before that story! Good to see someone sprang for Technics turntables. Any idea who the jock was [featured in the TV story]?" Todd M. (Radiotapes comment: If anyone knows, please contact us). (10/1/2006) - "This site is awesome. I am so happy I found it, I'm revisiting classic radio." Jake N. (10/4/2006) - "I just wanted to drop a note saying that I really enjoy the site and the airchecks, it brings back lots of memories! Thanks again." Dan K." (10/3/2006) - "Love the airchecks." Bob (9/8/2006) - "Great web site!!!!" Jeff B. (8/19/2006) - "This is so great, Thank You!!!!! It is like being back with a long lost friend. I wish there were some of KJJO, but hey, no complaints!!!" (8/11/2006 - "It was funny to hear Tommy B. doing the WLOL "get me up." (narration of the WLOL "Get Me Up" campaign) (8/1/2006) - "WOW!!! I am on the radio in Austin TX now, but I grew up in Minneapolis and have a lot of friends that work at KDWB this is awesome to hear. Makes you remember what made radio great at one time. I think a lot of young jocks should listen to this (don't imitate it) just understand it. Thank you for this site!" (7/12/2006) - "I really, REALLY like your web site. All the recordings bring back lots of memories for me. Rob Sherwood is writing the U100 story on his website (www.robsherwood.com). He has some great scans of memos from the WYOO days-pre U100." Larry R. (6/30/2006) - "These WYOO airchecks are great – I loved that station. Do you have any with Dandy Doug MacKinnon? He did evenings 6 - 9 PM. I also love the U100 stuff...very cool." Larry R. (6/20/2006) - "I am so glad I found your site. As someone who grew up here in the Twin Cities in the late 1970 and 1980's, I love hearing the old radio stations I grew up on again." Erik S. (6/14/2006) - "I really, REALLY like you're web site. All the recordings bring back lots of memories for me. I don't know if you've seen, but Rob Sherwood is writing the U100 story on his website. He has some great, great scans of memos from the WYOO days-pre U100. One station I'd like to mention is WLOL 1330 AM. They used to operate out of a small studio at 1370 Davern Street, just off of West 7th once you crossed into St. Paul from 494/5. Tom Wynn, who used to be program director there I think, now works at KFGO in Fargo. Maybe someone even has tapes of the days when WLOL was a talk station in the late 1960s. Voices heard included: Brad Johnson 9 AM - Noon, Roy Fox (who I last heard on KDKA many years ago), Dean Gerads, Marv Gatch, Paul Helm, Bill Anthony Bryant (the old country boy), Don Riley (Sportsline). Mary Kyle had a weekend show. I do know that she passed several years ago. I think she had written for the Twin Cities Courier. I also wonder if anyone knows the location of Bill Allard (not Bob Allard)--he was the AM news man at WLOL when they played hits in the early 70s. He also did Minnesota Fighting Saints pre-games before Frank Buetel did play by play. Those were some good old days there. I wonder if any of those old tapes are out there some where? Do you remember Dave Sheehan's "jock talk" on WWTC during the WWTC Spectrum years? Other voices I miss: Wynn Garrett (KDWB 63 and K102), Dick Driscoll (WWTC), John Waylon (K-102), Mike Ryan--I did see him last year before KLBB 14 went down at the studio just off of 100 in Edina. Nice guy. He was fun to talk with about the old days at "hot rockin 104", WWTC, etc. Ron Richards-Used to do the 6 AM show at KDWB 63 in the 80s after Bullet Bob left. One other guy I'd mention is Mark Adams, who used to do evenings at KDWB 63 around 1980. One night we had a blizzard and no one was moving in the area at all. Mark and another employee were the only ones at the studio, so they took two hours shifts and worked throughout the night. I talked with him about 3x that evening--He was great because he would play requests. Doug MacKinnon-mentioned in the Sherwood articles-he used to so the 6-9 show at WYOO around 1972-73. I thought he was one of the funniest on radio at the time. WOW...lots of memories." Larry R. (6/11/2006) - "I was in high school in the mid 70s and probably the reason I got into radio was U100. I loved all the other stations at the time, but that's the one that stuck. To this day, the reason the jocks talk up the jingles on K102 is because I heard it first on U100. I've been lucky enough to work at some good stations, but I'm still chasing the feeling I got listening to U100. Thanks." Gregg Swedberg, K102/CC Minneapolis (6/8/2006) - "Fantastic website. I'm a lifelong Twin Cities resident who spent a few years working in radio. Where did you get the WMNN stuff? I just about fell off my chair when I heard the "new" jingle package that I had the pleasure of editing." Jeff B. (6/7/2006) - "I must tell you that your website has touched me in a way that is difficult to describe. I have been fighting cancer and related pain for about 15 years. I am now almost 50 and grew up in Minneapolis/St. Paul. In 1997, a fire took every memory of my childhood including prized airchecks of tapes I made of Twin Cities stations during a very happy time in my life. Well imagine my surprise to not only find some lost "friends" – like it was yesterday that I listened to "Stop The Music" on U100 (I tried to win the contest but could not name the last song of the twelve) – but the shock to me was to hear the U100 Boogie Check, the very Boogie Check, when I called in, got on and of course was hung up on – but that was something that as stupid as it might sound, brought tears of joy. Thanks – words can not express how happy this bit of time has brought me." David W. (5/17/2006) - "Terrific site! Always check back for more stuff as I grew up hooked on radio in the Twin Cities in the 70s." Chris H. (5/12/2006) - "I am thrilled to find this site! I have almost zero air checks of myself. Now I found one on the site. My thanks." Mesa Kincaid (4/12/2006) - "Does anybody have airchecks out there of WJSW? It was a tiny 250-watt daytimer out of Maplewood which began broadcasting in the mid-60s as WRCR, changed to WJSW in the late 60s, and changed again to WMIN in the 1970s. The station had a polka music format with a dash of MOR and later C&W music. When it was WJSW the station had its own theme song known as 'The 1010 Polka,' and there was something strange about the end of the sign-off at sunset for a time in the late sixties. When the national anthem ended an announcer would say, 'Your attention please, Twin Cities Radio is now officially DEAD.' Another variation on it was used later, 'Twin Cities Radio is now officially dead, but television lives, on KMSP-TV Channel 9.' I would love to hear those airchecks of WJSW if anybody has them, please send me a reply to me, James Beer, jm58beer@yahoo.com. Thank you." (Radiotapes comment: We would also like to receive airchecks of this station and post them on this web site. If you have any recordings, please let us know at the "Contact Us " page.) (4/4/2006) - "I have wonderful memories of hearing U100, especially "Early Morning News in Length" with Michael J. Douglas who presented an off-beat view of news events, and even did an an impression of Bob Dylan singing "The Times They Are A-Changin' ." My brother-in-law had those aircheck tapes, but not anymore, which makes me want to yearn to hear those tapes again." (3/25/2006) - "I like the airchecks of U100." Elaine S. (3/1/2006) - "If this is your first time at this site it is well worth the three hours to listen to the archives. In other words, They Rock!!!" (3/1/2006) - "I grew up in St. Paul and was in high school when U100 was on. I use to have one of those "U100 grabs me" t-shirts." Marty (2/2/2006) - "The Breakfast Buddy Club with Jerry St. James and Michael J "Do-nuts" was awesome." (12/2/2005) - "As the song goes "More more more" by the Andrea True Connection. We want MORE MORE MORE Archives!!!! The song was released in 1976 just prior to the SAD SAD SAD departure of SUPER U." (7/18/2005) - "I fondly remember listening to U100 while "cruising" the Twin cities in the mid-70's with my friends from Lincoln High. I distinctly remember when we went to the station on a Friday night and mooned the DJ. They immediately announced that there was a full moon out tonight." (6/8/2005) - "I still have a poster from a blue oyster cult show at the St.Paul civic center sponsored by U100. It was the coolest radio station I've heard." (5/14/2005) - "I am the guy who brought Rob to WYOO and with his incredible programming and music genius we created U100. We turned middle of the road jocks to rock jocks and turned a little listened to station into the hottest radio station in the Twin Cities. It was one of the highlights of my General Manager life and the company that owned us killed it and sold it. They never knew what they had! Rob Sherwood was the heart of the programming and I worried about the sales and general management. Thanks Rob! Thanks to everyone for their fun comments. It makes those days all seem worthwhile. - Mike Sigelman" (4/20/2005) - "It's good to read the posting from, the listeners who remember, and the former and current radio personalities, that were inspired by this radio station. I know SUPER U100 was the station that inspired me to get into this crazy business! I had the chance to work for Pat McKay once at a station he owned, and work with him in the Twin Cities at Kool 108 in the mid 90's. Also Michael J. Douglas, thanks to you guys and the entire staff, GREAT RADIO!!!" (4/20/2005) - "I happened to surf to this sight. WHAT A TREAT!! It brings back some great memories. Thanks and post more if you can!" (4/9/2005) - "Listening to that scoped aircheck of my final U100 show was kinda weird, but enjoyable. What I remember most about that day was having to be careful about what you said on-air because you wanted to make sure you got your union payoff check, which, at the time, was the most money I had ever been paid. If you listen to my intro to "Two Hangmen" by Mason Profit, you can hear me skirting the edge. The other thing I remember about U100 was that it was the most fun I ever had in 25 years of radio, because of people like Rob Sherwood, Michael J., Dave Hamilton, Jeff "Mutha" Robbins, Steve Bratz, and many more. Thanks for the website! - Pat McKay." (2/27/2005) - "This was the only station I ever felt bad about leaving the air waves.. No station changes since have meant anything to me like that day in 1976... Guess we just grow used to it ." (2/8/2005) - "I remember the YOO ZING ONE HUNDRED Jingle very well I was only 6 at the time I mentioned the station to my family several times. They really don't recall that station. I remember listening in the morning and hearing SIster Mary Elephant yelling WAKE UP!!!! (Cheech & Chong)." (1/13/2005) - "Thanks! I miss the old days of TC radio. Back then, the DJs were nice and put up with very young music geeks like myself. Sherwood, Gunne, Bleu, Shannon, Hines, Hoover, Austin, Bush, Berglund...and the list goes on. What ever happened to Steve Shannon anyway? I used to have tons of U100 bumper stickers...but all gone, unfortunately. Again, thank you for the radio checks! I hope more come on this website. My dialing finger still hurts trying to be the 10th caller. My first ALBUM won was an REO Speedwagon prior to Cronin. Reggie B." - "If it means anything, I was a young 21 years old in 1974. I was a radio geek and still am. I went to the Twin Cities to scope 630-KDWB, 1130-WDGY, 1500-KSTP and U-100. I couldn't believe how "bad" in my opinion "KD" and "15-KSTP the Music Station" sounded! No jingles, nothing out of spots at all, DGY was just DGY with a Pams shotgun. Maybe this was radio of the time, but all were tired sounding AMs. U100 was different and the best! I just remember a very uptempo sounding station. I remember "Sweet Emotion" being played on this Top40. Very, very unusual, but good!" - "Man this is GREAT RADIO! I was really fortunate to have worked with Rob Sherwood in late 80's who opened my eyes to radio and helped me with my radio career. Also don't let me forget Gary DeMaroney who also was very good friends with Rob. He gave me my big break in radio. They always told me when I used to work at U100 we just brought the house down. Listening to those tapes tells me a lot. They weren't lying. They kicked some butt. I just wish radio people from the old school would listen to this and understand the real meaning of good AOR/Top 40 radio. Rob Sherwood is a legend in radio and was true leader and was while ahead of this time. Thanks again for the great radio history." - "What a flood of memories. I remember one Summer in the 70's where Rob Sherwood and the gang were doing a week long remote at the Lake Harriet bandstand. I used to ride my Holiday bicycle w/ the banana seat down every day to watch the craziness. I remember one stint where Rob was wearing a tube top and strutting around on the stage. I also remember u100 doing a "sound of the city" promo where they would play a mysterious sound from somewhere in the Twin Cities. If you guessed it, you got a trip to London. I won a chance to guess and blew it. I remember fondly dialing that rotary dial phone like crazy trying to be the 10th caller of something. Thanks for bringing back some fun memories.” VM - "Has there ever been a reunion of staff from those U-100 days? It would be fun to see pictures from then and now. Maybe someone knows what some of them are up to these days. ie: Still in broadcasting, etc." - "I remember waking up to the Breakfast Buddy Club with Jerry St. James and Michael J Donuts. Truly one of the best morning shows." - "I still have my U-100 Belt Buckle!" - "Rob Sherwood really knew how to program this station. He never got much credit as we were the #4 Top 40 station in a 3 station market. Rob gave me my first radio gig at U100. Donuts taught me how to do news. Nearly 30 years later I'm still in the business as a C.O.O. & G.M. Anyone know how to get a hold of Rob? I'd like to thank him!" (Radiotapes comment: You can reach Rob at rob@robsherwood.com. Check out his web site: www.robsherwood.com) - "It's good to read the posting from the listeners who remember and the former and current radio personalities who were inspired by this radio station. I know SUPER U100 was the station that insider me to get into this crazy business! I had the chance to work for Pat McKay once at a station he owned, and work with him in the Twin Cities at Kool 108 in the mid 90s. Also Michael J. Douglas. Thanks to these guys and the entire staff. GREAT RADIO!!! Does any one have station memorabilia? I have a 3' x 5' poster I got at the Motorcycle Show in 1975 when U100 was broadcasting live from the Minneapolis Armory during the bike show. Also have some unstuck stickers and a U100 collectors belt buckle. Contact me at DeeJayBiker1@aol.com. Pat McKay and Michael J., if you read this drop me an e-mail." - "A BIG THANK YOU!! for posting these great airchecks from in my opinion one of the best radio stations and best personalities to hit the air waves! I believe the closest thing we have right now to the super U100 is super 60's and 70's KOOL 108, maybe there's hope." - “People talk about radio not being 'as good as it used to be,' and U100 demonstrates just what is missing; the PASSION!" “U100 was much cooler than KDWB back then. Too bad modern radio could never come up with something this good." - “Bring back those funky ass DJ's like these guys. They even made the news fun!!! Please some big radio owner give us something like this!” - "Excellent, excellent, excellent!!! Well worth the long time it took to download onto my laptop, using a cell phone link from the road. Thank God someone was there in 1976 to record GOOD quality tapes and preserve them all these years. ‘The BOOGIE Station lives on!’ "THANK YOU! and, of course, KEEP 'EM COMING!" - “Great reliving one of the greatest Twin Cities rock-and-roll stations of all time." - “These are great ... remember listening to the morning show when they would do the hot lunch menus at school ... they would walk downstairs and you would hear the witch cackle and then they would read the menu, you would hear heaving sounds ... my parents HATED IT!!!" - - All of the posts below were originally posted between 2004-2006 on www.redandnater.com - "The final hour of U100 is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked and under appreciated pieces of Twin Cities radio history. We all remember WDGY's switch to County in 1978 and WLOL's signoff in 1990. But few have instant recollection of U100's 'swan song.' This was SUCH an innovative radio station. Hybrid AOR & Top 40. The top hits, mixed with a liberal dose of classic Rock tracks, and tons of DJ talk & personality. Where else have you heard jocks screaming over the intros of "Aqualung" and "Free Bird?" 11 years later Dan Kieley took the basics of this approach and coined the phrase "Rock 40" for KKRC/Sioux Falls. But Fairchild had it in the Twin Cities in 1976! Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough audience to support 4 Top 40 stations. By the time U100 debuted in 1974, the format was already saturated by WDGY, KSTP, and KDWB. By comparison, WYOO's signal and promotional budget were limited and couldn't match those of the other stations. They did, however, have one major asset the others did not: an FM stereo signal. But FM domination was still a few years away in this market. Again, a station truly ahead of it's time. Zap me now, 452-3333, caller number 9 wins a U100 Grabs Me t-shirt ... now from Super YOO!" - “If there were anything like this on the dial today, I would start listening to the radio again. Dear Mister Program Director, this is what your oldies station should sound like." - “This was before my time, but that's some damn good radio." - “Yeah I was too young too when this station was on the air. I first really started listening to radio around ‘83 or ‘84. I think that's when it started going downhill. Even then I was more into MTV. Why no dj's like this on the air today. Oldies even Classic rock radio stations should do the flashback thing and get some personalities like these guys on the air. That might make the repetition bearable. Hell they even made the news fun. Too many times the news guy comes in and does the news and doesn't even communicate with the on air.” - "Thanks for the posting on WYOO super U100!!!!. I have been searching everywhere for some air checks and have had no luck. this is the station,and these are the jocks that inspired me to do radio. And over the years in my career I have had the chance to work with a few of these great personalities. Thanks again." - "In 1975, I was on the air at KOMA in Oklahoma City. U100 made a big enough impact on the industry that some of their air checks filtered down to us at that time. We listened to them and were quite impressed! It also turned out that "Jeff Robbins" was a person that I had met frequently at high school speech competitions in Illinois...small world! At any rate, I had NO inkling that, 4 years later, in 1979, I would become the Chief Engineer of KDWB. One of my first missions was to "empty" those U100 studios (On Cliff and Cedar), of their "salvageable assets." I was building the KDWB FM IDS transmission plant at the time, as well as constructing new studios on Radio Drive in Woodbury. I still have a scar on my right shin from flipping a desk over by standing too close to the edge. Feel free to contact me if you want to learn how to do this...although I don't recommend it. In any event, your efforts to make these airchecks available is a most welcome gesture. Thank You! Mike Gorniak." - "These are truly priceless recordings. Genuine lost classics from the heyday of Twin Cities Top 40 radio in the 1970s. There seems to be plenty of KDWB, KSTP, and WDGY airchecks floating around, but very little tape of U100. Do you hear the listener comments during the instrumental passage of Elton John's "Funeral for a Friend?" (From the "Stop the Music" promotion.) Sure, there's the expected chorus of "You're a great station, don't go off the air!" But these folks aren't just mindless sheep. Most have specific reasons WHY they loved this radio station. The jocks had more freedom vs other stations. The music was more Rock-based and had less "bubblegum" vs other stations. The station always had something going on or was giving something away. "You guys are in FM Stereo!" Though we take it for granted now, this was a HUGE deal in 1974-76. U100 was the first Top 40 station locally to broadcast in FM stereo. I bought my first home stereo in 1975 and thought it was VERY cool that "the songs on U-100 sound just like my records." Granted, their coverage in parts of the metro was spotty from that short little stick in Eagan, but I got them very well in Apple Valley. If you were part of the U100 airstaff, know that your station influenced this geeky pre-teenager more than anything else to "want to be a DJ when I grow up." The only other influence which was as strong on me was WLS' John "Records" Landecker. That's pretty good company. Thank you so much for making these airchecks available." - "I look forward to hearing the WWTC tapes and more of the U100 tapes!! I along with many others posting here was influenced by U100 to get into radio, and I was a part of WWTC from 1989-1990. Keep up the good work!!!" - "Thank you so much for posting those cool airchecks...hearing them makes me feel really old. Welcome back to my high school years!" - "Like many of you, I have thoroughly enjoyed the U100 airchecks that have been posted. Even though I have heard these several times before, I find myself drawn to them again and again. "Like a moth to a flame," to quote a trite cliche. Folks, this is some damn GOOD radio! It has everything that made Top 40 radio such a phenomenon in the mid-1970s: High-energy jocks and a good mix of all genres of current pop music (when was the last time you heard "Stairway to Heaven" and "She's Gone" together?) Most of all, it was a FUN station to listen to. The jocks weren't as polished as on KDWB or (especially) WDGY. U100's jocks would talk off-mic, stumble, and occasionally step on a vocal. But they were REAL. Notice, they had something to say after EVERY single record! That's why they were more entertaining than KD or Weedgee (and even KSTP, with due respect to Knapp, Bush, Machine Gun Kelly, and Andy Barber). Many believe U100 went away because they were inferior to the other Top 40 outlets in the market. That is simply not the case. Granted, they had an AM signal which was weak in comparison to all three competitors. They also had the handicap of coming in as the fourth Top 40 station in the market. But they had an innovative format which combined Top 40 currents with Rock classics. U100 was the predecessor to what Dan Kieley termed "Rock 40" a decade later in Sioux Falls. They had a hungry staff that wanted to win, that wanted to please their listeners. The other stations may have scored higher in the ratings, but U100's listeners were MUCH more loyal. I would love to see a comparison of TSL for WYOO vs KDWB/KSTP/WDGY. U100 never failed. Rather, their parent company saw dollar signs and sold them out when Doubleday waved a wad of cash in their faces. If Fairchild had not sold, the history of Top 40 radio in this market would have been altered dramatically. No doubt about it. Could a "U100" be successful 30 years later? Either as a current-based CHR or as a 70s Hits/Oldies station? With the right people and a commitment from ownership, I believe it could." - "For decades, I've heard about U100's live format flip at the Minnesota State Fair, but have never had a chance to hear it before. After nearly 30 years, I finally understand the significance of Joe Cocker as the last song Jo Jo Gunne played, prior to signing the station off for the last time. The fact that so many people thought it worthy to record and save these tapes for 30+ years speaks volumes about the significant influence this station had on Twin Cities radio listeners during it's short two year existence. Thank you so much for keeping this kind of radio alive in our memories. Especially since it no longer exists on the airwaves."
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