WXCI Christmas Memories on Podcast

I threw up... (take that any way you want) some Christmas production that was done during my stint at the station.

Enjoy

rjf

Brookfield Journal 1979

Hey, they've done "subjects from homosexuality to premarital six"... I've heard of the seven year itch, but that's new to me... must have been a cool show.

Thanks to Hugh

2006 Birthday

I'll probably be making my tape/CD sometime soon... I guess I'll start with an hour. But I'll bet I could fill a bunch more.

Is anyone else planning on sending tapes to the station for our February event?
How many local folks think they can invade the station?

Let's try for a dozen? Is that possible?

Sign up... Line up and reenlist!!!

rjf

Tapes of the 25th anniversary

Hugh sent me a bunch of tapes of the 25th anniversary broadcast. Over the next few months I'll be posting a new broadcast.

Due to internet rules and regs, I'll be cutting out most of the songs that we played... but everything else should be fair game.

The tapes I have are:

Tom Zarecki and Guests - Oct 23 at 5pm
Bill Baker, Greg Chelso, Kevin Elston at 6pm
Jim Nelson - Oct 23 at 7pm
Carey Hewitt
Phil Cyrulik
Bruce Goldsen
Stan Mingo
Robyn Szarka
Darren Lucas - 10pm
Mike Stankiewicz - Oct 23 at 11pm

I'll start loading them onto the pod cast soon after the holidays.

Rich

Messy Radio Stations

i watched Howard Stern on 60 minutes and it was funny to see stacks....
and stacks....
and stacks of carts.
Those red Fidelipac carts...!

Morgan Williams

Who is this Alex person?

Gregory says:

Alex Crane is/was in real life Dennis Boskello. His senior year he was the Student Government Association president. He told me that he didn't think the president should do a radio show, so Alex did it. "Peti e"would drop in from time to time to say something or another between songs. (The rooster he refers to is the crowing at the beginning of "Good Morning" by the Beatles.

Alex played that rooster every time he did a weather forecast, or something, the way Imus had his "QuackQuack".) I believe that BJ is the voice so, he may know more about thiswhole thing.

After all I was a Sophomore and nobody told us anything. I took over the morning show the next year, after Dennis graduated. There was a reference to Alex in one of the comments a while ago.

Someone, I think Rabbitt, wondering if I, (signing a comment as Donutsand Coffee - my morning show), was Alex. There may be a photo of him on Rabbett's site.

Gregory

New sounds from our past!

Gregory Wencek has sent in the following MP3s:

1. Morning "Alex Crane Show" drop-ins

2. A Station promo

3. Legal ID news sounder

He says: I am not sure of who recorded this stuff but my guess is: The Alex Crane show (Dennis Boskello in real life) stuff was recorded by BJ Burgess circa 1974 The Station promo produced by Rasputin circa 1978 I know that the News Sounder is Bob Kost circa 1978.

I have more, just no time to copy from tape. These floated to the top and I was able to find a cart machine to dub them. Fair quality, for 30 year old tape, on carts compressed to within an inch of their lives for transmission.

Thank you for your work with this site, and the others.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Gregory Wencek

WXCI 1973 - 1978ish

Look for them on the podcast soon!

Rob Radio at the Big Y...

Just wanted to let you all know who I ran into at the Big Y in Newtown the other day... none other than Rob Radio!

He's been living here for the past five years or so (I assume he is somehow attached to someone, but we didn't chat for long), and he's working for an ad agency in NYC.

I told him about the website... let's hope he checks it out and sends a message to y'all! He looked pretty much the same, except for a bit of gray in his hair.

But then, don't we all have some?

Pam

A radio infection

I recently had a chance to step into the studios of KLUV / Infinity / CBS (etc) on Monday.

The folks who do the morning drive want to recreate a radio drama - and they asked for my help. How cool is that? As I walked in with my 14 channel Mackie, and a few bags over my shoulder, one guy joked, "What are you bringing that into the station for?" The answer, "We're going to do a little quality radio production." "Interesting concept" was his reply.

Scary how things don't change much. The actual studios were the way I remember WXCI... WDAQ... WRKI... heck, they look like my home office with piles of papers, slices of apples, empty soda cans and lots of blinking lights (my office has lots of blinking lights too)... The only major difference I saw from my time in radiowas a whole lot more computers and internet everywhere...

Scary... but it all felt comfortable. While we recorded the piece, it was nice to be a part of "it" again... recording with real RE20 broadcast mics instead of the SM58s I normally use. Sitting around a production room instead of some space in a museum or old movie theater.

I guess this experience was another radio 'booster' infection. Just another way I keep getting pulled back in...

Chances are the broadcast will not be offered on line (what with commercial radio's relationship to the internet) - but I'll see if they'll let me pod cast it after Christmas.

Trend Wars and Zombies

I just posted some more WXCI production -

TrendWars was an unfinished audio drama that features the production and voice talents of: Gregg Vegas, Thom Monahan, Rob Dryff, Randy Waters, Rich Frohlich, and Patty Grannan. There are two other voices I can't figure out - I believe their first names were used in the production - Tom ? - I can see his face in my mind. We worked on several projects togther at the ECHO and at the Media Production Society. The other female voice is Janet... Janet who... I don't know.

This was never finished while I was at the station. I did my best to edit it on tape in 1991... then I tried an ancient digital editing ap in 1994... and finally did a quick mix before I put it on the podcast.

It's here... WXCI MEMORIES PODCAST PAGE

rich

NewsTimes March 7, 1993

When we was 20... It was a very good year...

It's good now too... just thought I'd paraphrase the Chairman there...



Scan provided by Hugh McCarney.
Clicking on it MAY produce a bigger version. I think. If I did it right.

You want me to keep going like this?

I mean I can...

I know there are people looking at this... (unlike being on the air late at night, I see the counter rising).

Despite the mound of posts from and about yours truly, I'd actually prefer to pass on messages and audio content from other WXCI alumni and listeners...

I would, but when I sit back and try to let that happen, people say: "Hey, there's nothing new to read".

OK... no problem. As alluded to in a previous post - Shutting up is hard for me...

Catch you on the flip -

rjf

WXCI's all new, original, better smelling Reality Break

I'm putting another thing on the podcast tonight. It goes up in about 2 hours. It's a change from the last, emotionally charged piece I put up.

What I did was grab a source tape at random, digitized it and out came this "Bartenders and Television" piece. Instead of isolating the skit, like I would have done for the original show - I incorporated some of our pre-scetch banter into the piece. What you'll hear is how we warmed up to do the sketches... none of it was ever intended to air, and after a decade and a half, it actually isn't too painful to listen to... really. Well... you tell me... They were originally part of one or more shows that were produced in 1990... or maybe as late as 1991.

The Reality Break, as it aired on WXCI was a half hour program featuring comedy. It was conceived, written and performed by myself, Louis Wahl and Micheal Wright. It aired album comedy, music and original sketch material.

After I graduated in 1991, Lori Mott carried the torch for a few months or a year or so, and then it disappeared. Shortly after our 25th reunion, I contacted some station members, and after a few years of collaborating on long distance production, they were kind enough to give me a timeslot on Wednesdays at midnight. The Reality Break Mark II aired from March 2000 to Sept 2001. I don't know if they still air a Reality Break or two, but they could with automation...

Maybe I'll have another talk with the staff... hmmmm

Meantime you can hear some on line. I'm afraid I'll probably post some more.

Rich Frohlich

In Your Ear

I'll be putting an "In Your Ear" on our podcast very soon.

In Your Ear was my attempt at an intelligent call-in radio talk show on WXCI. I think we did pretty good for not knowing what the heck we were doing.

I knew that my interviewing skills sucked. At the time, I didn't know what the problem was - but after about 15 years or so I recognize it as an inability to SHUT UP and let my guest say stuff.

Yeah, it seems simple. But at the time, I couldn't see it. Now I can understand that a good interviewer says NOTHING until he or she absolutely has to, and then it's the kind of question or topic that either creates conflict or passion or both.

Some time in 1989 - when Rush Limbaugh was starting to become popular, and DOORS had been off the air for a while, I thought I'd try my hand at producing a public affairs show. I told Hugh about my idea to call it "In Your Ear" and he furrowed his eyebrows... "In your ear? In your rear?"

Honestly, I hadn't seen that ... but having it pointed out to me, made me like it even more.
So, I wanted to do a talkshow... and recognizing my own weakness and asked a friend Chris Cronin if he would be host. He was an intelligent guy on campus who seemed to know a little about a lot of things (especially in areas of abstract thinking and stuff that made me go 'hmmmmm'), so I thought he could make radio that I wouldn't mind listening to for an hour.

Personally, I think it worked. During that hour, it was his job to chat with the guest, and callers and make things interesting. My job was to answer phones, hold up signs showing the person's first name and topic, listen to the live feed and get ready to dump the delay if someone said a bad word. On some shows, I'm not sure who had the harder job.

I can't remember the exact time period we aired, but two recordings survive on tape. One from about May 1990, and another from January 15th, 1991.

If I were to guess, I belive that it ran from about January 1990 to March or April of 91.
In January of 91, Chris Cronin was unable to do it as much. All the details are lost to the windmills of my mind. But I taped the Jan 15, 1991 show, and it's a different host. That day, apart from being Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday - was the deadline that Bush 1 had given Iraq for invasion.

This is the show I'm going to podcast first, and marks a change for the show in many ways.
Tensions were high on campus. It was the prelude to war, and Chris Cronin was unavailable (though he was one of the first to call in).

I knew I couldn't do it alone, so I asked Chris Kelman, the Managing editor of the ECHO if he would step in. He invited a number of people into the prod room. Brian Kelly, John Laub, and Brett Landy were among them, and they did a pretty good job at such short notice. They all had deeply held opinions, and were outspoken about them - so talking about stuff wasn't as much a problem for them, as it was for some of the callers. They were a bit more 'in your face' than Chris Cronin's laid back style, but it certainly generated calls.

I think he continued as host until March or so. It may have run longer... I can't remember. I may have moved away from being primary engineer, and the show evolved into a more aggressive style than it started. I also had the pressure of graduating... and had to move on.
Shortly afterwards, that version of a WXCI call in talkshow faded into the ether

Was there another?

Someone will have to tell me, and maybe send a tape. (hint hint)

Rich

PS - One side note - Chris Cronin is actually doing something very similar to what we started very long ago - he does podcasts and commentary here: http://www.americandissentradio.com/ It was great to hear from him again, and you know... I found that I could listen to him again, the same as so many years ago. WOW! Great stuff Chris!

First voice on podcast...

I didn't do this on purpose... but, with the exception of the promotional blurb from libsyn.com - Rabbett's was the first voice on the first WXCI podcast...

What next?

rf

Podcast and Birthday Planning

Hi Rich--

I listened to it first thing this morning. Joe Mariano offered help at WXCI for digitizing stuff that people might not have the equipment to do. It was fun to hear the old (very young) voices again, especially Dave Landry, who died a number of years ago.

In another direction, We're going to need some people to plan out what will be done for the birthday. It's a non-decade birthday, and probably will be small, but it might be nice to have a small reception, either at the station or down the hall.

We'd also probably have to charge for it. Any thoughts?

Hugh

First Pod cast - The 70s

Podcasting

Here's the first podcast.

http://wxcimemories.libsyn.com/

Yes, the station itself is broadcasting through the air and streaming online, but we - the alumni are streaking across the vast wasteland of space and time.

Do your part

Please let me know if you have anything we can put on the pod-cast. Please avoid music and other material we don't have official rights to, (beyond fair-use).

I would think interviews, interesting talk-overs, public affairs, production, public interest... that kind of stuff that you did inbetween spinning tunes would be perfect - and maybe some stuff that you did shortly after your time at XCI.

For example, there are somethings that I did in association with the public access channel in Danbury, that might end up on the podcast - because they're just THAT awful. If you have anything, no matter what format, just shoot me an emailback this-a-way, and we'll see what we can do.

Thanks

Rich
WXCI '88-'91

Power of the website

I saw this on a recent news story:

"We believe the Web site will ultimately replace the 30-second commercial as the central expression of the brand ... The TV commercial over time will become more of a way to simply send people to your Web site," said Brian McAndrews, chief executive of Internet marketing company aQuantive Inc..

This goes hand in hand with what Rabbett said about a website - WXCI's could be utilized so much better, and be as powerful as a Television spot.

Send 'em

Greg,

Sure send 'em.

Didn't someone do a trivia call in show - Do tapes still exist? I might have an old Doors episode too. I'll look around and... you know what? I think this is going to happen.

I was going through some tapes, and found the awful interviews with Bobby Rydell and The Regents. This guy asks Bobby Rydell what it was like to be in the movie 'Bye Bye Birdie'... and a follow up was, did you like working with Paul Lynde... and then the interviewer starts to do a Paul Lynde impression. Bobby pauses and then gives a James Cahn style distant laugh and says with just the right amount of sarcasm, "That's good"

Priceless for anyone who needs a pointers on doing (and not doing) an interview.

-Rich

PodCast WXCI

I have about 6 talk show tapes. It was to be a call in show but I think I only got 2 calls over all the weeks we were on the air, and that was most likely from my mother. I can't promises anything before Christmas, but I can digitize them and forward to you for inclusion.
I agree, these shows were awful, in a bad way. Talk about learning a craft. These shows point out the worst in broadcasting but it was a wonderful learning experience. Why would someone want to listen now, I don't know.
One way around the music delivery rights thing is to edit out the actual music, leaving behind the 'banter' and telling the listener which songs they should insert. Lots of work for a little payoff but it is a method. I noticed the PodCast "Down Stage Center" from the American Theater Wing does that. When 'Broadcast' on XM Radio they play the songs form the Broadway shows being discussed. On the PodCast they just skip the song, doing the song intro then a space followed by the outtro. The problem with old WXCI programs is when the jock talked over the song.

Well time for work... Keep up the good work.
Gregory Wencek WXCI 1973 - 1978ish

Podcasts

I was talking with a guy who has a podcasting site, and I thought I'd be able to throw skeighty-eight or so old radio recordings his way and we could all pretend that we were listening to WXCI from 20 years ago...

He thought the idea was great - however there's something called ASCAP and BMI... and other rights orgs that wouldn't like us to make this material (despite it's impressive cassette quality audio) available on line to the half dozen citizens of the earth who would be interested.

The only way I think I could make old XCI programming available, would be if it were a talkshow, spoken word, public affairs shows or hours of banter. I don't have much like that (maybe a tape or two of a public affairs show I tried my hand at)... And then I have a few late night news casts that we did with sound effects and unauthorized commentary - but I'm not sure anyone should be subjected to those more than once ... ever... (let alone admit that there's any evidence of such activity). Well maybe I can send them to Dick Cheney.

Anyone have anything from XCI's past that's pod-castable? Interviews with recording artists? Long talk overs? How about production work? Let me know, and I'll get a Classic WXCI podcasting page set up.

Tell you what... If there are more than 12 recordings that people have - I'll also post that 25th anniversary CD -and a 1988 "Trend Wars" audio play produced by Rob Dryff and Gregg Vegas, (I don't think it ever aired) , and as a bonus... a few embarassing artist interviews I'd done - so there.

I also have one interview I engineered that some flunky (not an XCI alumni) made with THE REGENTS, when he asks them if they’re married and have families. There’s a long pause. One of the guys whistles like a “Cuckoo Bird”, and another says “What kind of question is that?” and another says, “Geez man, we’re rock and rollers – we don’t talk about our families”. I have to look and see if that raw tape exists, but I know I nearly spit my gum out through my nose when it happened.

That's worth the podcast right there.

(originally I thought this was an interview with Bobby Rydell - that's a separate interview with separate gems)