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Volume #0014 11/15/97
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Subject: Re: Spectropop V#0013 - Oldies Radio
Sent: 11/14/97 3:52 AM
Received: 11/14/97 11:03 AM
From: Kit Carson, XXX@XXXXXXday.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
>1. Oldies radio is more concerned with product than emotions.
Bright Oldies programmers know emotion drives the format. Our product
*is* emotion.
>2. Oldies radio is more concerned with money than anything.
That's not fair at all. I'm sure you have a job, too. We have
multi-million dollar facilities in our charge, and we certainly are
expected to maintain sufficient ratings to sell ads to keep them on the
air. No ratings--no ad sales--no profit--no music. But the "they're only
interested in the money" slam is unfair to those of us who work hard at
what we do and the thousands of people who listen to us.
> ...3. Most people in their 40s and 50s want the nostalgia
> limited to gentle prods. They look upon their younger days
> with some embarrassment. They seem to want to remember only
> what they can relate to in the present. Listening to "Jumpin'
> Jack Flash" reminds them that they did things in their youth
> that they are not comfortable with now.
Actually, looking back on misspent youth is a guilty pleasure for a lot
of folks. :-)
> Take "Walkin' In The Sand." For the most part, a poignant song
> that brings back only good memories. Contrast that with "I
> Can Never Go Home Anymore." A similar record, maybe better -
> but brings back memories of conflicts with parents, maybe
> even the time you ran away. Not warm, fuzzy feelings for most
> folks. They don't want to be reminded. That's why you'll
> never hear ICNGHA on your typical oldies station.
Yeah, you're right.
> ...4. Oldies radio serves, in most cases, as background music
> in the car or office.
>
Oldies listeners are more active than most formats. Depends on
the station, really.
>
> 5. Oldies stations have continually narrowed their playlists
> until many are only playing a few hundred records.
Most Oldies stations have a basic, day-in-day-out library of 450-550
records. That's about twice the library size of a CHR (Top 40) station,
and a little less than a narrow Classic Rocker. But mature Oldies
stations usually have a discretionary library of hundreds more titles
used for requests and special features. This is the case on my station
and all the "good" Oldies stations you cite.
> There are exceptions. WCBS-FM in New York is probably the best
> oldies only station in the country - and they've been around
> long enough to celebrate THEIR 25th anniversary. I also like
> WMJI in Cleveland, and WGRR in Cincinnati.
WCBS's own research shows that it's the personalities--not the
music--that makes their station stand out. I agree that WGRR is a
terrific station--and on the internet!
> So, taking the "product" approach, playing only records that
> originally were Top 10, you're not going to get much in the
> way of the more esoteric records, that may have been
> wonderful, but weren't big hits in their time. And, really -
> how can you argue with the concept? If a record wasn't even a
> hit during it's first run, there must have been a reason.
People don't tire of records they love. They *do* tire of records they
don't know or don't like.
> BTW, I'd like to list a few songs that I loved, even though
> they weren't hits:...
I've got a bunch of my own, and most are Stax.
Just call me Mr. Pitiful,
Kit Carson
Hear us on RealAudio at http://cool107.com
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: backhanded compliment songs/oldies radio/stereo _PS_ mix
Sent: 11/14/97 3:30 AM
Received: 11/14/97 4:16 AM
From: dave prokopy, prokXXX@XXXXXX.net
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
how about "she's just my style" by gary lewis and the playboys? "other
guys who see her may not think she's much to see." ouch!!
Big L, bXXX@XXXXXXt writes about oldies stations:
> 5. Oldies stations have continually narrowed their playlists until many
> are only playing a few hundred records.
that's certainly true of the new oldies station here in indianapolis.
there was already an oldies station out of a town just outside of indy,
that was pretty good. they played a surprisingly wide range of stuff.
then this new station came along, and i was impressed at first. but
lately, they seem to have settled into the same handful of standard
motown/beatles/beach boys tracks. even the more "obscure" tracks they
play, they end up playing OVER and OVER again. (my mind's in a million
places, so i can't cite specific examples off the top of my head, sorry.)
the DJ's are relatively okay, although at times they make some
incredibly boneheaded comments.
Big L also adds:
> ...[the stereo remix of "IJWMFTT"] went beyond "remixing" and
> "remastering:" it is rerecording, something that should never
> be done.
okay, i'm none too happy with the remix of this song, for reasons i
mentioned on the BB list, but i don't see where there was any
"rerecording" done. what exactly are you referring to here?
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: Darian and Domenic - Back To Stereo
Sent: 11/15/97 4:39 AM
Received: 11/15/97 4:40 AM
From: Jamie LePage, XXX@XXXXXXies.com
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Darian Sahanaja , monsaXXX@XXXXXXink.net wrote:
> Zekley has a slew of great records under his sleeve. You
> should check out the great article/discography that Domenic
> Priore did (okay, I helped a little) in his Dumb Angel Gazette
> Vol. 3.
Oh. That's interesting. So why oh why am I the last one to know? :-)
More importantly, where can I check it out? When did you and Domenic do
this? I know of the Gazette, but the only issue I have is Look Listen
Smile Vibrate.
==========================================
Back To Stereo
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The WB release of Phil Spector's Greatest Hits has a very strange version
of Darlene Love's He's Sure the Boy I Love. It seems to be the original
vocal with a second lead vocal on top featuring some wo-wo's and ya-ya's
in the intro that were not on the Philles 45. To my knowledge that was
the only release of that version. Anyone know anything about this?
LePageWeb
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: Gary Zekley
Sent: 11/14/97 3:10 AM
Received: 11/14/97 3:51 AM
From: carol knudson, knudXXX@XXXXXXolumbia.edu
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
Hey all,
WOW!, thanks for all the replies on Gary Zekley!! I knew you guys would
have the scoop on him. Now I have so much more I have to look for, too.
This list is great!
Aside from the seemingly quite thorough list of Gary Zekley tunes he was
so kind to take the time to type out for us,
Jamie LePage also wrote:
>
> But Carol, where did you find this?
>
Well, I'll tell ya'- though I had wanted to keep it a secret- I found
most of my Gary Zekley songs on the "US Soft Pop Rarities" compilation.
A GREAT Japanese CD that I picked up while visiting a good friend, with
similar taste in music, in Tokyo. ;)
He then asked about my 'Ginger and the Snaps' aquisition:
>
> Same question. Where did you find these? Are you holding out? :-)
>
Sorry, you can't take credit for this one...:). I found this locally on
an otherwise kind of shoddy 'Girl Group Sound' compilation series. I saw
the G+TS song, which I hadn't heard before, and had to buy it. I am still
under the spell of I-must-buy-everything-with-or-associated-to-the-name-
BRIAN-WILSON.
CAROL
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: Guitar Playin' Was the Life for Him
Sent: 11/14/97 6:25 AM
Received: 11/14/97 11:03 AM
From: James K Cribb, jkcrXXX@XXXXXXcom
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
I too saw the obit for Tommy Tedesco, who I think had been so fresh in
many of our minds as we've been listening a lot lately to the Pet Sounds
sessions.
I knew of his work with Brian and Spector but I was amazed at all the
other work he'd done, particularly TV (Bonanza, Green Acres, M*A*S*H) and
film (Godfather, Field of Dreams).
And the hits: "Along Comes Mary," "Eve of Destruction," MacArthur Park,"
...
I'm not sure if he was the most recorded guitarist, but damn he must've
been the most listened to. What a legacy he has left us.
James
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
Subject: Re: Spectropop V#0013 - Wildwwwds
Sent: 11/14/97 2:13 PM
Received: 11/15/97 3:54 AM
From: Javed Jafri, javedjaXXX@XXXXXX.ca
To: Spectropop List, spectroXXX@XXXXXXies.com
No Good To Cry was also covered rather badly IMO by the Poppy Family and
was a hit here in Canada...and here's some Wildweeds trivia, Al Anderson
was a member of this band and he later went on to form NRBQ who as far as
I know are still rocking.
Javed
>From: Big L, bXXX@XXXXXXt
> BTW, I'd like to list a few songs that I loved, even though they weren't
> No Good To Cry - Wildweeds
> River Is Wide - Forum
-----------[ archived by Spectropop ]-----------
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