My first commercial radio job was at WDLP AM -590, Panama City, Florida, starting in 1975. I had the pleasure of experiencing my first major hurricane behind the mic, and activating the EBS system for Hurricane Eloise, for the first and ONLY time in a 17-year career to do so. "This is NOT a test, stand by for important information", hit the tones. Yep, I did that. Are you old enough to remember when you could call a radio station, speak with the DJ who was on the air, make a song request, and have a chance in hell of the DJ playing the song you requested? If so, my guess is you're more than 50 years old. Yeah, I know, today you've got Alexia. It was different then. It was organic, a community, and it was alive. 2AM, and feeling sad, you could actually call and talk with the voice on the radio. You could flirt, or express your sadness, or just chat. Try that with Amazon. Radio was a community, organic, a living thing!! A community. I was never a great DJ. Most of my time was overnight, where they put the not-quite-star material. Before automation and satellite took over, they had to have some duffus to spin the records, play the spots, keep logs...all that exciting stuff. I sincerely believe I excelled in that position. I have never been an early riser, and the morning drive jocks had to wake up a few hours before I was hitting the sheets, happy I wasn't in the morning zoo. On some jobs, I had to hang over with the morning jocks, like to do sports reports. Holy crap, I actually did the sports reports! That's a subject I have no interest in, and I knew NOTHING, not really even what a radio sports reporter was 'supposed' to sound like. Mispronouncing the names of athletes became my signature. Thank god, that crap didn't last too long. Over the years, I developed a deserved reputation for providing weather information, and within the local industry recognition for my resourcefulness in that regard. That part would be a lot easier today, with the internet. Only a few years earlier, we were handling physical 45 RPM records and LPs, and actually talking with listeners, like for real person to person on the telephone. I think that in retrospect when the request line became little more than a figure of speech, and for a while online personalities were forced to make excuses (I hated that), is when I lost my enthusiasm for broadcast radio. I got out in 1992, when my 2nd career finally started paying enough to live on (barely). In my last job, at the start of each shift, the air folks were presented with a printout of the songs they were to play on their shift, an hour per sheet, in order, hour by hour, and do NOT deviate. At that point the pitiful paychecks and the $500 dollar cars couldn't justify continuation in the career. Today, I guess it's mostly automated. And radio died.
@Digby Dooright Yeah, sometimes it seemed like people would never be satisfied by getting their request played, as long as other songs were also being played, LOL.
All the good songs that I have to find on the RUclips or happen to find a 80’s channel which I am lucky to have here in Hawaii. But I do remember a lot of these songs when I use to drive down the road with my mother.
Thank you. And, DO IT. I'm sorry to say that most of my hundreds of original content cassettes will never be digitized. I don't think most commercially produced cassettes are worth the effort. In most cases, you can buy digitally produced copies of better quality. I recorded my original content with the forethought that a better medium would someday come about, and it has. It's actually getting hard to find quality playback decks for less than $600, either new or used, and the NEW equipment worth a look can be counted on one hand, with a few fingers left over. Buying used (eBay) is a crapshoot, unless you've got deep pockets. Just do it, if you can, even if the best you can do isn't perfect.
Reminds me of my own delivery on the air, though I admittedly am more self-deprecating for whatever reason. Been a DJ for a year and I still sound completetely amateurish. Using these as a reference to try and get better at my craft, especially communicating the weather and other misc. info ad lib.
That kinda sucks for me. You're saying that with one year under your belt, you sound like I did with 13-years. Maybe that explains why I was such a failure in radio. But, seriously, I could never stand to listen to my airchecks. And this isn't a particularly good one...it's just one I managed to find. Actually, my airchecks from WDLP in the mid 70s weren't so bad. The Top-40 Jock sound with the reverbed mic. I worked on being more conversational in the following years.
@@Vector_Ze I'm nowhere near this polished, don't get me wrong. I stumble and get tongue tied a bit and like I said I'm pretty dry when it comes to any attempt at humor. I've definitely come a long way from my first show though. The first time I was ever supposed to be on air I talked for a full 20 seconds without realizing I'd failed to turn my mic on.
If you'd be interested I'd love to send you some of my airchecks or even a link to my show when it's live so you can see how I do things. Haven't posted any of it anywhere and it's a small station.
I composed what I thought was a creative response last night, but lost it. Reminding me to always copy/paste into notepad before fiddling around. Tip #1, don't make a career out of it. Get out before your 30th birthday. Or... Get used to working two jobs, driving a car a couple grades below what you'd choose, accept that a good portion of your compensation is understood to be ego gratification. There are radio stars who make good money...a handful in the entire nation. Everyone else would probably be better off financially flipping burgers. The technology has changed drastically since I abandoned ship 30 years ago. Far more automation, far less local involvement and interaction. When was the last time you heard a request line promoted that wasn't a toll-free number? It could be fun, for a young person before they decide what they want to do when they grow up. ruclips.net/video/W8r-tXRLazs/видео.html
@@Vector_Ze I understand that. Is podcasting the same? Sorry if that offends u lol. Also the audio quality was so good, when I clicked on the video it sounded like it was made just 10 years ago
@@breaksquad1236 Thanks for the quality comment, it wasn't quite the dark ages. There is a bit of a sibilance problem. No doubt podcasting is another universe, one I have not chosen to endeavor. Not offended in the slightest. My only regret was that I didn't jump ship at an earlier age. I kept it up 'til I was 37 years old and had been working two jobs for a few years, putting in more than 80-hours per week between the two...and not getting rich. My boss at my 2nd job told me he wanted me to be fresh. I replied that I'd be happy to quit the radio job if he'd pay me better. Eventually he did, and the radio career ended. You asked for my advice, or tips. And here we are. Today, the chances are great that the voices you hear on your 'local' radio stations aren't even local residents. Even if they are, they are isolated from you. When I started in radio in 1975, the request line was real. If I chose to do so, a request could alter the very next song to be played on air. That's the way it should be, and the way I loved it. That intimacy with the audience made up for the poor pay. I think I was not terrible, as a local Time & Temp DJ. But, nobody will remember you decades later. It was just a fun job that lasted too long. Met some crazy girls too, but they wouldn't know me either.
I know I am much younger than most to know these bands but do you remember the likes of Deep Purple Lucifers Friend Uriah Heep Budgie Captain Beyond etc? I know that’s very old but I think that was some of the greatest rock ever made!
You named a couple that I am not familiar with, Lucifer's Friend and Budgie. Although I'd heard the names. So naturally, I checked out a few of their songs here on RUclips. And I can understand the attraction, although I've never been a hard-core headbanger myself. To enjoy that genre, I'd need a stereo system like I had back in the day, a system that cost thousands, with half the sum invested into speakers. High accuracy, imperceptible distortion. My little computer speakers don't cut the mustard. Of the heavy metal bands I enjoyed, my tastes were more toward the commercially palatable tracks. There were many times as many great groups around than those that were ever commercially successful. I had an eclectic taste in music, spanning the spectrum from hard rock to pop to modern (1970-80) country, and even some older country. Someone once asked me what my favorite song was. I replied that I couldn't possibly choose one, it would be like picking your favorite child. Their reply was that I clearly didn't like music. Whaaaaa???? If he had asked me what kinds of music I don't like, it would've been a much easier question to answer. In the 70s, I said more than once that nothing could be worse than Disco. Ten years later, RAP proved me wrong. Try Gentle Giant, Klaatu, or Pavlov's Dog. For pure performance perfection, Steely Dan takes the prize in my book.
@@Vector_Ze Gentle Giant is great. Yes rap is terrible now worse than ever. I listen to a lot of classical composers as well. To me the only true metal band of the 70s was Black Sabbath. A few years later Judas Priest came and some years later Iron Maiden which paved the way for more traditional metal. Then it got even more brutal with thrash death black and doom metal but those are not radio friendly for obvious reasons. When I was a kid glam or hair rock was very popular and when I was a teenager it was grunge. Music is my big hobby as well as weather. Most people only listen to the music of “their time” which is sad because there is so much to explore. Anyway have a great day and very fascinating video. I will listen to the other 2 bands you listed.
@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 Please don't take the three I named as my favorites. Just pointing out some of the lesser known bands of the era. Yeah, Gentle Giant seems to be more popular in retrospect than they were in their day. And, I'd be very pleased to hear some current music that didn't make me jump to turn it off asap.
@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 allmusic.com describes Hope as disappointing after their debut album. I'm not sure I'd go that far. But, I would suggest their 1st LP, "3:47 EST", if you care to hear more from them.
Развлечения
My first commercial radio job was at WDLP AM -590, Panama City, Florida, starting in 1975. I had the pleasure of experiencing my first major hurricane behind the mic, and activating the EBS system for Hurricane Eloise, for the first and ONLY time in a 17-year career to do so. "This is NOT a test, stand by for important information", hit the tones. Yep, I did that.
Are you old enough to remember when you could call a radio station, speak with the DJ who was on the air, make a song request, and have a chance in hell of the DJ playing the song you requested? If so, my guess is you're more than 50 years old.
Yeah, I know, today you've got Alexia. It was different then. It was organic, a community, and it was alive. 2AM, and feeling sad, you could actually call and talk with the voice on the radio. You could flirt, or express your sadness, or just chat. Try that with Amazon. Radio was a community, organic, a living thing!! A community.
I was never a great DJ. Most of my time was overnight, where they put the not-quite-star material. Before automation and satellite took over, they had to have some duffus to spin the records, play the spots, keep logs...all that exciting stuff. I sincerely believe I excelled in that position. I have never been an early riser, and the morning drive jocks had to wake up a few hours before I was hitting the sheets, happy I wasn't in the morning zoo. On some jobs, I had to hang over with the morning jocks, like to do sports reports. Holy crap, I actually did the sports reports! That's a subject I have no interest in, and I knew NOTHING, not really even what a radio sports reporter was 'supposed' to sound like. Mispronouncing the names of athletes became my signature. Thank god, that crap didn't last too long.
Over the years, I developed a deserved reputation for providing weather information, and within the local industry recognition for my resourcefulness in that regard. That part would be a lot easier today, with the internet.
Only a few years earlier, we were handling physical 45 RPM records and LPs, and actually talking with listeners, like for real person to person on the telephone.
I think that in retrospect when the request line became little more than a figure of speech, and for a while online personalities were forced to make excuses (I hated that), is when I lost my enthusiasm for broadcast radio. I got out in 1992, when my 2nd career finally started paying enough to live on (barely).
In my last job, at the start of each shift, the air folks were presented with a printout of the songs they were to play on their shift, an hour per sheet, in order, hour by hour, and do NOT deviate. At that point the pitiful paychecks and the $500 dollar cars couldn't justify continuation in the career. Today, I guess it's mostly automated. And radio died.
@Digby Dooright Yeah, sometimes it seemed like people would never be satisfied by getting their request played, as long as other songs were also being played, LOL.
This channel is epic. My teens and are binge watching.
All the good songs that I have to find on the RUclips or happen to find a 80’s channel which I am lucky to have here in Hawaii. But I do remember a lot of these songs when I use to drive down the road with my mother.
But, do you remember the DJs?
This is so cool!!
Incredible voice. I’m about to digitize some old cassette tapes
Thank you. And, DO IT. I'm sorry to say that most of my hundreds of original content cassettes will never be digitized. I don't think most commercially produced cassettes are worth the effort. In most cases, you can buy digitally produced copies of better quality.
I recorded my original content with the forethought that a better medium would someday come about, and it has. It's actually getting hard to find quality playback decks for less than $600, either new or used, and the NEW equipment worth a look can be counted on one hand, with a few fingers left over. Buying used (eBay) is a crapshoot, unless you've got deep pockets.
Just do it, if you can, even if the best you can do isn't perfect.
Freaking amazing memories!
Reminds me of my own delivery on the air, though I admittedly am more self-deprecating for whatever reason. Been a DJ for a year and I still sound completetely amateurish. Using these as a reference to try and get better at my craft, especially communicating the weather and other misc. info ad lib.
That kinda sucks for me. You're saying that with one year under your belt, you sound like I did with 13-years. Maybe that explains why I was such a failure in radio.
But, seriously, I could never stand to listen to my airchecks. And this isn't a particularly good one...it's just one I managed to find.
Actually, my airchecks from WDLP in the mid 70s weren't so bad. The Top-40 Jock sound with the reverbed mic. I worked on being more conversational in the following years.
@@Vector_Ze I'm nowhere near this polished, don't get me wrong. I stumble and get tongue tied a bit and like I said I'm pretty dry when it comes to any attempt at humor. I've definitely come a long way from my first show though. The first time I was ever supposed to be on air I talked for a full 20 seconds without realizing I'd failed to turn my mic on.
If you'd be interested I'd love to send you some of my airchecks or even a link to my show when it's live so you can see how I do things. Haven't posted any of it anywhere and it's a small station.
@@RQBtv Send a link. I'm sure it would be of interest to anyone following this thread.
Yooo that’s pretty cool. You have a good radio voice. I’m trying to do the same in the future, are there any tips you can give me?
I composed what I thought was a creative response last night, but lost it. Reminding me to always copy/paste into notepad before fiddling around.
Tip #1, don't make a career out of it. Get out before your 30th birthday.
Or...
Get used to working two jobs, driving a car a couple grades below what you'd choose, accept that a good portion of your compensation is understood to be ego gratification. There are radio stars who make good money...a handful in the entire nation. Everyone else would probably be better off financially flipping burgers.
The technology has changed drastically since I abandoned ship 30 years ago. Far more automation, far less local involvement and interaction. When was the last time you heard a request line promoted that wasn't a toll-free number?
It could be fun, for a young person before they decide what they want to do when they grow up.
ruclips.net/video/W8r-tXRLazs/видео.html
@@Vector_Ze I understand that. Is podcasting the same? Sorry if that offends u lol. Also the audio quality was so good, when I clicked on the video it sounded like it was made just 10 years ago
@@breaksquad1236 Thanks for the quality comment, it wasn't quite the dark ages. There is a bit of a sibilance problem.
No doubt podcasting is another universe, one I have not chosen to endeavor.
Not offended in the slightest. My only regret was that I didn't jump ship at an earlier age. I kept it up 'til I was 37 years old and had been working two jobs for a few years, putting in more than 80-hours per week between the two...and not getting rich.
My boss at my 2nd job told me he wanted me to be fresh. I replied that I'd be happy to quit the radio job if he'd pay me better. Eventually he did, and the radio career ended.
You asked for my advice, or tips. And here we are.
Today, the chances are great that the voices you hear on your 'local' radio stations aren't even local residents. Even if they are, they are isolated from you. When I started in radio in 1975, the request line was real. If I chose to do so, a request could alter the very next song to be played on air. That's the way it should be, and the way I loved it. That intimacy with the audience made up for the poor pay.
I think I was not terrible, as a local Time & Temp DJ. But, nobody will remember you decades later. It was just a fun job that lasted too long. Met some crazy girls too, but they wouldn't know me either.
Heard the sad news today, that Olivia Newton-John has died. She will be missed.
234-0000 DAMN i totally forgot about that! BTW are those Beyerdymic headphones??
I know I am much younger than most to know these bands but do you remember the likes of Deep Purple Lucifers Friend Uriah Heep Budgie Captain Beyond etc? I know that’s very old but I think that was some of the greatest rock ever made!
You named a couple that I am not familiar with, Lucifer's Friend and Budgie. Although I'd heard the names. So naturally, I checked out a few of their songs here on RUclips. And I can understand the attraction, although I've never been a hard-core headbanger myself.
To enjoy that genre, I'd need a stereo system like I had back in the day, a system that cost thousands, with half the sum invested into speakers. High accuracy, imperceptible distortion. My little computer speakers don't cut the mustard.
Of the heavy metal bands I enjoyed, my tastes were more toward the commercially palatable tracks.
There were many times as many great groups around than those that were ever commercially successful.
I had an eclectic taste in music, spanning the spectrum from hard rock to pop to modern (1970-80) country, and even some older country. Someone once asked me what my favorite song was. I replied that I couldn't possibly choose one, it would be like picking your favorite child. Their reply was that I clearly didn't like music. Whaaaaa????
If he had asked me what kinds of music I don't like, it would've been a much easier question to answer. In the 70s, I said more than once that nothing could be worse than Disco. Ten years later, RAP proved me wrong.
Try Gentle Giant, Klaatu, or Pavlov's Dog. For pure performance perfection, Steely Dan takes the prize in my book.
@@Vector_Ze Gentle Giant is great. Yes rap is terrible now worse than ever. I listen to a lot of classical composers as well. To me the only true metal band of the 70s was Black Sabbath. A few years later Judas Priest came and some years later Iron Maiden which paved the way for more traditional metal. Then it got even more brutal with thrash death black and doom metal but those are not radio friendly for obvious reasons. When I was a kid glam or hair rock was very popular and when I was a teenager it was grunge. Music is my big hobby as well as weather. Most people only listen to the music of “their time” which is sad because there is so much to explore. Anyway have a great day and very fascinating video. I will listen to the other 2 bands you listed.
@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 Please don't take the three I named as my favorites. Just pointing out some of the lesser known bands of the era. Yeah, Gentle Giant seems to be more popular in retrospect than they were in their day.
And, I'd be very pleased to hear some current music that didn't make me jump to turn it off asap.
@@Vector_Ze I listened just now to Klaatus Hope Album. That is impressive! Also looked at the release date. 6 weeks before I was born. Lol!
@@markpalavosvrahotes5575 allmusic.com describes Hope as disappointing after their debut album. I'm not sure I'd go that far. But, I would suggest their 1st LP, "3:47 EST", if you care to hear more from them.