Hugh say:

No word yet directly from Scott Ventrella, but I spoke to his sister who said he waited at the station for a half hour Saturday Morning, but no one came to let him in.

We'll have to work on that one for next year.

Next year maybe we can schedule more people in bunches--it sounded like Rudi, Fal, Mike, and Pam had more fun together than apart.

(Pam's husband John was there too, but they wouldn't let him talk).

I'm just assuming we'll do it again next year--suggestions for changes are welcome.

Hugh

Thanks for all the fish...

A lot of thank-you's must be passed around.

First, to the staff of WXCI, a thank you for being gracious and allowing a bunch of old-timers to come in and admire all the stickers you have over every square inch of everything....oh yeah, and for allowing us to relive some of those thrilling days of yesteryear. To Chris, Anna, Joe, Jim, Hugh and everyone else...thank you.

To Tom Z, thanks for squeezing me in during your segment. I know I was kind of a question mark, but we did manage to teach the staff something (at least about roman numerals) and we had a few laughs in the process.

To Morgan, Jesse, Greg, Jeff, Bill,Rudi, Mike, & Pam, thanks for overcoming the adversity of learning the board and equipment so quickly and putting on a hell of a show. Somehow working at XCI has always been a technological adventure, and you folks still managed to sound like you were having a lot of fun, even during the "Dead Air" segments.

To Rabbett, Dennis, John, Dood, and the others who phoned it in from your own private Idahos.
It was great to hear your voices once again on 91.7.

To Greg for getting his pictures of the event posted so quickly on the blog. Take that Wal-Mart photo processing!

And a final thanks to Rich, not only for running the anchor lap of the celebration, but for running this blog, spreading the word, and helping to make the day the event that it was. I think we all should start thinking about what me might do for the 35th! Hell, I might even come out of hibernation!

Kevin Hogan?

Channel 3's New London Bureau Chief, Kevin Hogan has been broadcasting news in Connecticut since 1973.

Born in New Haven and raised in Ansonia , Kevin got bit by the TV bug in 1959. While visiting the LIVE studio of BEAT THE CLOCK in New York, TV Game Show host Bud Collyer interviewed Kevin in the audience about his missing front teeth.

A graduate of Kolbe High School in Bridgeport, Kevin continued his higher education at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.
At the College radio station WXCI-FM, Kevin's broadcast career took seed.
In addition to working radio news through college, Kevin was an intern at WNEW-TV 5 New York and "The Ten O'Clock News with Bill Jorgensen."

In 1979, Kevin anchored mornings in New Haven on WELI with veteran broadcaster Ron Rohmer. A year later he became News Director in New Haven at WAVZ & WKCI . During that tenure, he won several broadcast awards from the Associated Press and the Radio Television News Director’s Association.

In 1997, Channel 3 chose Kevin to act as the Station's Special Correspondent to cover the Pope's Historic trip to Cuba . Following that event, Kevin became a permanent part of the Channel 3 team working as an anchor and reporter.

What he enjoys most about this career? “Meeting people and hopefully doing stories that can help the community,”On a more personal level Kevin enjoys running, kayaking, gardening, cooking, riding his Vulcan Classic motorcycle and finalizing the ground-up restoration of his 1959 MGA Roadster.

Kevin and his family live near the shoreline in Southeast Connecticut.

From the Ch 3 website

Rabbett

Yesterday was the day

We knew that Scott Brunjes wouldn't be there, but we're not sure what happened to Scott Ventrella - so our reunion didn't start until 1pm.

It turns out current XCI Staffers...
Chris - Promotions
Anna - Business Director
Joe - Former GM
Jim - Current GM
and Hugh McCarney were all there to welcome alumni as they came in.

At 1:00 I heard Morgan Williams' first break... so I knew everything was cool.

Morgan jocked from 1 to 3.
I took the helm at 3.

Nobody showed up for 4:00 - but Tom Zarecki showed up early; so we split the difference. I went until 4:30 and Tom took over at 4:30.

After that everyone showed up as far as I could tell.

It sounded great. I think everybody was having a great time. I had to get back to New Haven - so I left XCI around 5:30 - but everyone was sharing stories and enjoying hanging out.

Hugh snapped a few pictures - so those should be headed your way.

I have a CD of the first 72 minutes of my show. I only brought one CD to air check with because I thought I only had an hour. I got as much as I could - but I'm missing the last 18 minutes of my show. It's one gigantic track.

OK so a 12:00 start didn't happen; but once 1:00 rolled around everything went great.

Jesse

The big day!

The day sounded great. Wonderful! Amazing...

But there's one minor thing... My show was cut off at the end. (sniff)

Ah well... you win some, you lose some.

I guess that's the first thing I'll be posting on the podcast... I'm sure most who are really interested have already been subjected to a preview of the show - but the end was never actually aired on WXCI... so it will be a matter of principle.

If the powers that be at XCI are kind enough to have us back next year - I think I'll pick a different slot, rather than play the role of irrestable force vs. an immovable object.

In between several audio projects I was able to hear a lot of the broadcasts after Tom Z - and it sounds like it was a good time for everyone involved.

We all owe a big thanks to WXCI, Jen, Hugh, the indulgence of the listeners and everyone else who helped out.

So...

THANKS!

rjf

33rd Birthday Photos

The first photos are in from the event!

Hugh looking in

Tom Z and BJ Burgess

Rasputin

Tom Z on the air

Bill Baker

Alex Crane is alive and well...

I came across the WXCI Memories blog quite by accident and was
surprised to see references to Alex Crane after sooo many years. Yes,
BJ was indeed Peetie.. among other things... Has anyone heard from
Kevin Hogan ? He read news... or from Joel Rabinowitz ? He did
sports at that time. We all had a blast ! I'm sorry I was unable to
attend the anniversary reunions, but seeing and hearing some of those
memories on this blogsite is just great.
It is true.. I am living in Fairfield, CT with my wife , Margo and
our son David, who is currently searching for a college for next
September (WCSU is in the list ). Time flies ! I've been teaching
Grades 3-6 in Fairfield for the past 31 years. My WXCI experience was
wonderful and has certainly helped me through the years .
Thank you for remembering.

Dennis Boskello

Revised Alumni Day Schedule

At last count there are holes.

I have not received an update regarding this - all I know is the following people will not be on the air when they planned:

Scott Brunjes and Adrienne Lalla

That means that (again, last I heard) 2pm and 4pm will be filled by other people.

The Schedule will be:

12pm Scott Ventrella 1982
1pm Morgan Williams 1987
2pm ??
3pm Jesse Gosselin 96
4pm ??
5pm tom zarecki
6pm Greg Wencek 73-75
7pm Bill Baker
8pm Rudi Hauser and Mike Wright late 80s 9pm Pamela Meister late 80's
10pm Jeff Morris 74'
11pm Rich Frolich

tomorrow's Tom Z show

Hello cast members...

Thanks in advance for agreeing to appear on my seemingly-organized-but-based-on-chaos talk program. Here's the lineup below.

As long as Greg's equipment functions properly, I will make sure each of you get a lovely commerative CD of this thrilling hour of motivational radio.


i will have a few pre-planned questions to ask each of you, but you can say whatever you want. creativity is welcome but not necessary. no prep is necessary either. your end is up to you. however you choose to behave is fine, i can roll with it. i've been doing this all my life. just don't swear, there is no delay.

5:00 - ID into musical bed with billboard of what's coming up in the hour (me)
5:05 - opening song: "spirit of radio" by Rush ...5 mins
5:10 - chat with dood (he will call or i will read his email) 5 mins
5:15 - chat with bruce goldsen (i will call him) 5 mins
5:20 - chat with rich froelich (he will call or i will read his email) 5 mins
5:25 - chat with john forguites (call in)
5:30 - chat with paul rowe (call in) 5 mins
5:35 - chat with rabbett (call in) 5 mins, may be 10 min cuz i have nobody at 5:40!
5:45 - chat with dennis martin (call in) 5 mins
5:50 - chat with greg wencek (in studio) on remotes/registration & promo for next hour 3 mins
5:53 - only one minute of paul simon's "still crazy after all these years", segue into radio chaos
5:54 - "radio chaos" CD - six minutes (a wild skit about a top 40 station from around 1964...very odd)

thanks! gotta run and catch a train.

tom z

Thanks for the trip down memory lane

Hey Rich --

I came across your WXCI memory website and just wanted to say thanks! Wow -- it's amazing how the year fly by, huh? I'm looking forward to trying to catch some of the on-air action tomorrow. I don't know if I'll be able to tune in or not (not sure if I can get it here in NY) -- I suppose I should have checked that previously. I'm looking forward to hearing you and Louis and, of course, Morgan.


Take care -- have fun tomorrow!!

Sandeigh (Chark) Hutchinson

WXCI streaming again

one last thing...it appears that XCI is once again streaming. go to live365.com and type in wxci in the search station box in the middle of the screen. sometimes it works, sometimes nothing. so give that a try so you can monitor the whole day if you have no life (just kidding). thanks again.

>>Tom Zarecki

Alumni Day holes?

Hey man,

WISH I could be there to do the 2pm after morgan, but I'm sure he wont mind stretching it out a bit - he's got all of my 12" mixes!!

Have a great time.

With you all in spirit,

Boy Troy
'82-'85

Alumni Day Broadcast Schedule

Here at long last are the blasts from the past that we've massed to broadcast on February 25th!
Tune in and celebrate WXCI's (wonderful wixy wadio's) 33rd (long playing) Birthday!

12pm Scott Ventrella 1982
1pm Morgan Williams 1987
2pm Scott Brunjes 1984
3pm Jesse Gosselin 1996
4pm Adrienne Lalla 1991
5pm Tom Zarecki 70's-80's
6pm Greg Wencek 1973-1975
7pm Bill Baker 1984
8pm Rudi Hauser and Mike Wright late 80s
9pm Pamela Meister late 80's
10pm Jeff Morris 1974
11pm Rich Frohlich (with Louis Wahl and Chris Cronin) 1987-1991

If you signed up for a slot, and you're reading this. Let me know who else you plan to have on the air in terms of guests - and what style of show you plan to have - (i.e. talk - music - flying invisible monkey juggling, etc.)

rjf

HELP help h e l p

Attention... Attention...









I have just done something extremely foolish and signed up for the 10 pm slot.

Bill Baker, if you're out there, we haven't been in touch for a couple of years, but if you'd like some company for the 8 pm, or would like to return to help me out at 10, or both, I would be thrilled.

On the other hand, if Dave Nanavaty is within the sound of my voice, I'd love to have him come by and we could have a Two of the Three Swell Guys Reunion. This would not be quite as emotional as a Beatles reunion, since Rabbett isn't dead, he's just in Hawaii, but still...

And of course, if Greg Wencek wants to hang around, I'd be happy to have him as well.

Any other long-lost cohorts out there? Tim Herbert? Bill Reinheimer? Glenn Bisogno? That guy whose name I can't remember? That other guy whose name I can't remember? Somebody whose name I can remember but who I know is dead, so what's the point?

And what about you, BeeJay?

I don't see your name on the schedule!

--Rasputin

Rich's Crazy show at 11p

Since I've got the last show in the cue - I'll be the first to claim the following songs...

I'm burning it to CD tonight, so if you play any of these songs in your hour (this should only affect the 80's djs), you're just making yourself look ill-prepared.

Seriously, I'm using the following tunes in the 11 o'clock hour on 2/25

Android Sisters - Electronic Farm (only 10 sec)
The Cure - Forest
Erasure - Chorus - Extended Remix
The Fall - Victoria
Negativeland - Timezone
Lightning Seeds - Pure
Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party

Art of Noise - a couple of ambients (music beds)

Depeche Mode - Never Let me Down-Aggro Mix (music bed)

Love and Rockets - Haunted (music bed)

And I thought I was only going to play 4 songs...

This was loads of fun... my co-hosting with Louis Wahl and my interview with Chris Cronin sounded great... despite my cheese speakerphone... now I have to resume my real life.

A SNEAK PREVIEW at 64kbs is available on line at a secret location - email me if you'd like to hear it

rjf

Need some afternoon slots filled.

Hello ex-WXCI,

This is the schedule as of now.
Still looking to fill a few more spots.

12pm Scott Ventrella 1982
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm Tom Zarecki
6pm Greg Wencek 73-75
7pm Bill Baker
8pm Rudi Hauser & Mike Wright late 80s
9pm Pamela Meister late 80's
10pm
11pm Rich Frohlich
(with Guests: Louis Wahl and Chris Cronin)

An issue has come up to me about life members being able to get access to the station to do a random show. I will bring it up at the next meeting and see if i can get some answers for you all.

Can't wait to see you there.

Jen Ackerly
Program Director

New slots open!

Rich here: I plan to send in a pre-recorded CD that they can put in a 'standby que' but I'll request 11pm or the last hour available.

The following message comes to you from Jen Ackerly, WXCI's current Program Director. Contact her via email if you want to request a slot.

Hello everyone.
These are the filled slots so far.
We still looking for people to fill the other time slots.
Let me know and I'll put you in.
Our Business Manager is getting ahold of the Alumni Association so you all can have some coffee and cookies as well as you remember your time at WXCI.

We are all excited and are happy that you want to come back.

Thanks
Jen Ackerly
Program Director
WXCI


12pm Scott Ventrella 1982
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm tom zarecki
6pm Greg Wencek 73-75
7pm
8pm Rudi Hauser late 80s
9pm
10pm
11pm Rich Frohlich & Louis Wahl late 80s pre-recorded show (pending)

Now what...

Some people have said:

"I haven't been on the air in forever - I'm not sure what I should do."

I have a suggestion.

I know of a few friends who plan to schedule an hour together - they might even try to call me to get in on the act. Not a bad idea (as long as everyone's not planning on talking at once) .

In my opinion, by doing that the whole experience will:

1. have more of a celebration atmosphere
2. be less pressure on what to put on the air. (3 half brains equal 1.5 brains)
3. have less anxiety... in other words, safety in numbers.
4. automatically provide something to do after the show - like a diner or bar... or making fun of the next group of people to get on the air.

Just a thought.

rjf

PS: I'll ask about prerecorded shows and how they fit in with the plan tomorrow.

Alumni - Request your time slots!

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Attention WXCI alumni. If you want to get a one hour slot on WXCI for Alumni Day - contact Jen Ackerly (Alongwinter2 at aol dot com) and request a time.

At this point, the slots are starting at 5pm.

I'm not sure when they'd want to allow the times up to... but midnight sounds like a good stopping point, although with automation, XCI now broadcasts 'round the clock.

Anyhow... get in there and request a time. And if you get confirmation, please contact me and I'll post when you're due to go on. At this point it might be first come - first served... good luck.

(I haven't had a chance to ask about pre-recorded shows, but guess we'll cross (or burn) that bridge when we get to it.)

rjf