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Radio Days, part 3: 1989-present.....
When I moved to Dayton, the first month was spent in hotel rooms. And one night, I twiddled the radio dial on the TV and I came across a Led Zeppelin song. That's where the dial stayed that month: on WTUE (104.7), Dayton's rock station. The morning guys were Kerrigan & Christopher, whom I listened to for a few years before I got tired of their jokes.
And once I moved in to an apartment, I kept looking for other stations. I once again twiddled the dial on a Sunday night, looking for some relaxing music, and I discovered WVXU (91.7), the NPR station out of Xavier University in Cincinnati. Pity that "Soundscapes" only lasted a few years, but they still broadcast "Echoes" at night. Several months ago, theri cross-town rival (the Univ. of Cincinnati) acquired the station, and turned it into an all-news station. I still listen to them, especially in the car.
Co-workers at my first job introduced me to The Fox (WOFX, 94.9, now at 92.5). Cincinnati's classic-rock station. I still listen to it occasionally. (Except in the morning, when they have Bob and Tom on.)
Gone but not forgotten is WOXY (97.7), aka 97-X - bam! - The Future of Rock and Roll. Based in Oxford, the station played a LOT of obscure artists and sounds. It even had a mention in the movie "Rain Man". It's still available on internet streaming audio at their web site; see link above.
Another co-worker introduced me to WHIO (1290 am). I loved the free-form talk-show that Kent Voss had. (He has since moved on to Philadelphia.) And I didn't care (and still don't) for the Great American Gas Bag or The Shiksa.
When The Fox apparently merged with another station and moved on the dial to its new home at 92.5, a smooth jazz station moved in to fill the void at 94.9. This station (forgot its call letters) also caled itself "The Wave". It wasn't quite like the Wave I knew and loved from 1987-88, since they stopped playing the new age stuff and focused on the smooth jazz. Again, this lasted about a year or two before it became a hip-hop station.
Meanwhile, Dayton has had a classic rock station (WING-FM (102.9)) and an alternative rock station (forgotten call letters, "X-Rock", (94.5)). Neither of which made it to their 2nd birthday.
I've had a love/hate affair with WYSO (91.3), the NPR station out of Antioch University in Yellow Springs for years. At first, I thought they were too left-wing and "hippie" for my tastes. Then they got a manager who wanted to make the station sound like the other NPR stations in the country. Big mistake. Big! Huge! Lots of people producing local shows were either shown the door or walked out voluntarily. That manaager has since been given the sack, and they're trying to bring back a lot of the local programming.
About 3 years ago, a new album-rock station came online: WZLR (95.3). All music, no talk (except for their sounders and commercials and spots lambasting WTUE for playing som many commercials), and no DJs. This was the first fully-automated station in town. I still listen to them occasionally.
Dayton has a smooth jazz station, WDJZ (106.5). I listen to them occasionally, and I hope they can survive in this Clear Channel-dominated market. I listen to them occasionally.
A few months ago, MAX-FM (97.7) came online. Their big advantage: No playlist. They play almost everything. I've yet to hear my favorite Canadian bands on the station. But they played stuff I haven't heard since the 70s. Cool! I listen to them occasionally, when I'm tired of the talk on NPR.
So what are my current favorites? What's preset on my car radio? WVXU, The Fox, ZLR, MAX-FM, and Dayton Jazz.
And once I moved in to an apartment, I kept looking for other stations. I once again twiddled the dial on a Sunday night, looking for some relaxing music, and I discovered WVXU (91.7), the NPR station out of Xavier University in Cincinnati. Pity that "Soundscapes" only lasted a few years, but they still broadcast "Echoes" at night. Several months ago, theri cross-town rival (the Univ. of Cincinnati) acquired the station, and turned it into an all-news station. I still listen to them, especially in the car.
Co-workers at my first job introduced me to The Fox (WOFX, 94.9, now at 92.5). Cincinnati's classic-rock station. I still listen to it occasionally. (Except in the morning, when they have Bob and Tom on.)
Gone but not forgotten is WOXY (97.7), aka 97-X - bam! - The Future of Rock and Roll. Based in Oxford, the station played a LOT of obscure artists and sounds. It even had a mention in the movie "Rain Man". It's still available on internet streaming audio at their web site; see link above.
Another co-worker introduced me to WHIO (1290 am). I loved the free-form talk-show that Kent Voss had. (He has since moved on to Philadelphia.) And I didn't care (and still don't) for the Great American Gas Bag or The Shiksa.
When The Fox apparently merged with another station and moved on the dial to its new home at 92.5, a smooth jazz station moved in to fill the void at 94.9. This station (forgot its call letters) also caled itself "The Wave". It wasn't quite like the Wave I knew and loved from 1987-88, since they stopped playing the new age stuff and focused on the smooth jazz. Again, this lasted about a year or two before it became a hip-hop station.
Meanwhile, Dayton has had a classic rock station (WING-FM (102.9)) and an alternative rock station (forgotten call letters, "X-Rock", (94.5)). Neither of which made it to their 2nd birthday.
I've had a love/hate affair with WYSO (91.3), the NPR station out of Antioch University in Yellow Springs for years. At first, I thought they were too left-wing and "hippie" for my tastes. Then they got a manager who wanted to make the station sound like the other NPR stations in the country. Big mistake. Big! Huge! Lots of people producing local shows were either shown the door or walked out voluntarily. That manaager has since been given the sack, and they're trying to bring back a lot of the local programming.
About 3 years ago, a new album-rock station came online: WZLR (95.3). All music, no talk (except for their sounders and commercials and spots lambasting WTUE for playing som many commercials), and no DJs. This was the first fully-automated station in town. I still listen to them occasionally.
Dayton has a smooth jazz station, WDJZ (106.5). I listen to them occasionally, and I hope they can survive in this Clear Channel-dominated market. I listen to them occasionally.
A few months ago, MAX-FM (97.7) came online. Their big advantage: No playlist. They play almost everything. I've yet to hear my favorite Canadian bands on the station. But they played stuff I haven't heard since the 70s. Cool! I listen to them occasionally, when I'm tired of the talk on NPR.
So what are my current favorites? What's preset on my car radio? WVXU, The Fox, ZLR, MAX-FM, and Dayton Jazz.