Airwaves: May 7, 2010
Arizona or Bust
KFI (640 AM) afternoon dynamic duo John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou are
the antidote to political correctness. While many politicians across the city,
county and country are calling for a boycott of anything related to Arizona
due to that state’s new anti-illegal immigration law, John and Ken are
going into the Arizona travel business.
The team broadcasted live Tuesday from the Arizona State capitol building in
Phoenix, interviewing locals and officials in order to get the Arizona story
out ... what they believe led to the passing of the bill. Additionally, John
and Ken are calling on listeners to travel to Phoenix and spend money as a
way of supporting their cause.
A facebook.com page has been set up (search for “We Heart Arizona”)
if you would like to follow this story online.
On-Line Music
Last week I asked for suggestions for online music listening, and as usual,
you responded with some great ones. But before I get to your suggestions, I
want to mention a few that I like.
One of my favorites is called WOLF-FM. It is an adult contemporary station
playing what was once top-40 of the 1970s through today. Broadcasting from
a studio in Nashville, Tennessee, WOLF-FM could be on FM if owner Steve Wolf
had a transmitter. The station is well-programmed, slickly produced and even
includes jingles.
One of the reasons for the great production and engineering quality of WOLF-FM
is Steve Wolf himself. Wolf is an experienced DJ and engineer who had to give
up his normal engineering job due to the loss of his vision related to a childhood
accident. Wolf has been working on WOLF-FM continually since 1999. Hear it
on the iTunes Radio (under “adult contemporary”) or from WOLFFM.com.
I love top-40 stations of the past, and so does legendary top-40 personality
and programmer Rich “Brother” Robbin, last heard in Los Angeles
on Ten-Q (KTNQ, 1020 AM) back in 1977. His internet station at RichBroRadio.Com features
a huge playlist of oldies focussing on the 1950s and ‘60s, though it expands
greatly from there. Robbin personally chooses the songs -- thousands of them
-- himself, avoiding the overplayed songs that drive you nuts. But the special
treat are the high fidelity jingles from stations of the past that he sneaks
in between songs.
If your taste runs toward big bands, Sinatra, classic Vegas and the like, waste
no time in hitting up MartiniInTheMorning.com, the Lounge Sound programmed
by the great Brad Chambers, who was the man behind the Fabulous 570 and
the Fabulous 690 before those stations left ratings for sports and Spanish-lauguage
programming, respectively. Chambers is one of the few who “get” standards,
and realize that even young people will tune in when programmed right. OK,
maybe not “young,” but “younger.”
And while I am late to the party, Pandora.Com is an amazing choice,
creating your station on the fly based on your song suggestions. And if that
weren’t enough, they also give you the lyrics or artist biographies to
the songs you hear. Don’t like a song? Click the “thumbs down” icon
and the song will stay off your internet waves as if Pandora were run by magic.
Like a song? You can buy it online. As I said, amazing.
Next week: Readers’ Revenge -- your suggestions.
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Copyright © 2010 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
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