Local (and other) radio news

[RGMike]

"Live 105" has gotten a slight rebrand, "The New Alt 105.3" but still has the tag "The Bay Area's Alternative." Happened about 10 minutes ago...but so far, the first three songs would suggest that this station leans newer/more indie than before.

"Alt-(fill in frequency)" is Entercom's alt brand, they flipped several stations (NYC, Houston) to that format when they took ownership of the CBS group. 

[RGMike]

"Live 105" has gotten a slight rebrand, "The New Alt 105.3" but still has the tag "The Bay Area's Alternative." Happened about 10 minutes ago...but so far, the first three songs would suggest that this station leans newer/more indie than before.

"Alt-(fill in frequency)" is Entercom's alt brand, they flipped several stations (NYC, Houston) to that format when they took ownership of the CBS group.

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121960/live-105-san-francisco-relaunches-alt-105-3/

[RGMike]

KPFA might (emphasis on "might") be off the air in as little as 2 weeks tho' I suspect it won't come to that.

https://www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2017/12/28/berkeleys-kpfa-radio-facing-ruin-as-new-york-real-estate-corporation-considers-seizing-stations-assets-to-settle-lawsuit

They were talking about it on the air this afternoon. As an ex-NY'er/radio geek, I've followed WBAI's troubles; that station has been a mess for some time.  The in-fighting there makes KPFA's look like child's play. But if WBAI's debtors really want to seize KPFA, it could happen.  Per what was said today, the Pacifica board still hasn't decided whether to declare bankruptcy.

[radical347]

"Classic Live 105" is back on 105.3 HD2. It used to be on HD2 years back but got replaced with "Indie 105". Now Indie is out and Classic is back (presumably since "Alt 105" leans more indie.) I've been listening to it the past few days. Mostly 80 through mid 90s Live 105, with a couple tracks from the 00s. I've heard a couple less common tracks...The Jam - "Eton Rifles," Electronic - "Get the Message," Pixies - "Head On" (Jesus & Mary Chain cover) & The Killing Joke - "Love Like Blood." It makes a good complement to Sirius XM First Wave.

[RGMike]

Cumulus strikes again: the near-dead KGO is even near-deader, as they have relieved both Ronn Owens and Brian Copeland of their daily gabfests. (Owens segues to doing a 10-minute daily commentary -- he thinks he's Paul Harvey -- and Copeland will be "available" for weekends and fill-ins. The syndicated "Dr Drew" will take over the midday slot. 

[RGMike]

Cumulus strikes again: the near-dead KGO is even near-deader, as they have relieved both Ronn Owens and Brian Copeland of their daily gabfests. (Owens segues to doing a 10-minute daily commentary -- he thinks he's Paul Harvey -- and Copeland will be "available" for weekends and fill-ins. The syndicated "Dr Drew" will take over the midday slot.

follow-up: Rich Lieberman is reporting a leaked Cumulus memo that basically says anyone working for a Cumulus station who is making more than six figures is in serious danger of getting canned unless there's a really good reason for them to be making that much. I'm guessing nobody at KFOG makes that much these days

[RGMike]

Happened to punch up The Bone in the car today; they were playing "Under My Thumb", which surprised me -- I didn't think they went back as far as the mid-'60s.

[dischead]

Happened to punch up The Bone in the car today; they were playing "Under My Thumb", which surprised me -- I didn't think they went back as far as the mid-'60s.

Small world.  I was also listening in the car on Saturday, punched up The Bone and heard "Under My Thumb."
Yes, they occasionally play a '60s evergreen.  That doesn't register as unusual to me, as it's just regular music.
What strikes me as strange is when I listen to KFOG, since a lot of what they play is unfamiliar to me.  I'll make
note of them in the future.  I'm reasonably certain I've heard UMT before.

[dischead]

Happened to punch up The Bone in the car today; they were playing "Under My Thumb", which surprised me -- I didn't think they went back as far as the mid-'60s.

Small world.  I was also listening in the car on Saturday, punched up The Bone and heard "Under My Thumb."
Yes, they occasionally play a '60s evergreen.  That doesn't register as unusual to me, as it's just regular music.
What strikes me as strange is when I listen to KFOG, since a lot of what they play is unfamiliar to me.  I'll make
note of them in the future.  I'm reasonably certain I've heard UMT before.

The Doors' Break On Through (To the Other Side), if that isn't drifting too far into the late '60s for you.

[dischead]

Happened to punch up The Bone in the car today; they were playing "Under My Thumb", which surprised me -- I didn't think they went back as far as the mid-'60s.

Small world.  I was also listening in the car on Saturday, punched up The Bone and heard "Under My Thumb."
Yes, they occasionally play a '60s evergreen.  That doesn't register as unusual to me, as it's just regular music.
What strikes me as strange is when I listen to KFOG, since a lot of what they play is unfamiliar to me.  I'll make
note of them in the future.  I'm reasonably certain I've heard UMT before.

The Doors' Break On Through (To the Other Side), if that isn't drifting too far into the late '60s for you.

Running an errand today, turned on the radio and pushed the button for The Bone...
they were in the middle of the Stones' Jumpin' Jack Flash, but 1968 is definitely
late, not middle '60s.

[dischead]

So I've been playing my new game, "60s watch," checking in more frequently (but not necessarily
staying) with K-Fox (KUFX) and The Bone (KSAN) just to see if they're playing a '60s song.  More
so in the car, when I might otherwise have left the radio off.  (I have a short list that I anticipate
hearing.)

I guess you could say I did a double take today when both stations were playing Queen's
Another One Bites the Dust at the same time.  Thought I screwed up the radio presets
at first.  Amusing and sad.

[urth]

So I've been playing my new game, "60s watch," checking in more frequently (but not necessarily
staying) with K-Fox (KUFX) and The Bone (KSAN) just to see if they're playing a '60s song.  More
so in the car, when I might otherwise have left the radio off.  (I have a short list that I anticipate
hearing.)

I guess you could say I did a double take today when both stations were playing Queen's
Another One Bites the Dust at the same time.  Thought I screwed up the radio presets
at first.  Amusing and sad.

I've had that happen with a couple of the classic rock stations here - although it's usually AC/DC or Zeppelin.

[Lightnin' Rod]

So I've been playing my new game, "60s watch,"

I'll have to start that with the River. 

Since I moved up to Santa Rosa, I mostly listen to The River (KVRV, I guess KRVR was taken), when I'm in the car.  Pretty standard classic rock, though a lot less bone-headed than the Bone.  They use some syndicated shows, Alice Cooper is the evening show.  On Sundays they "let the Lobster loose" for Lobster Brunch, which is a pretty good show most of the time, and good to hear a local dj from the way-back machine.  On Sunday night, they have a 2 hour show from the "Deep End" of the River, which is also syndicated, and usually pretty good.

There's also the Wolf (KWVF), more of an oldies station that also leaks into the 70's.  Listening to that, it would be fun to see how far into the 70's (or maybe even 80's) they go.  Their evening show features ... Wolfman Jack!

[RGMike]

So I've been playing my new game, "60s watch," checking in more frequently (but not necessarily
staying) with K-Fox (KUFX) and The Bone (KSAN) just to see if they're playing a '60s song.  More
so in the car, when I might otherwise have left the radio off.  (I have a short list that I anticipate
hearing.)

I guess you could say I did a double take today when both stations were playing Queen's
Another One Bites the Dust at the same time.  Thought I screwed up the radio presets
at first.  Amusing and sad.

I've had that happen with a couple of the classic rock stations here - although it's usually AC/DC or Zeppelin.

I noted  4 or 5 months ago that I was in the car one day and Live 105 and The Bone were simultaneously playing "When I Come Around" by Green Day.

[RGMike]

There's also the Wolf (KWVF), more of an oldies station that also leaks into the 70's.  Listening to that, it would be fun to see how far into the 70's (or maybe even 80's) they go.  Their evening show features ... Wolfman Jack!

I listen to the Wolf on Sat morning for Casey Kasem, and they're one of the better Classic Hits stations I've heard. Impressive that they still slip in a '50s track once an hour.  (Lots of retirees in Sonoma?) And whoever had the foresight to save old Wolfman Jack airchecks (and The Real Don Steele and a few others) must be raking in the dough now. Bet people laughed at the idea 40 years ago.