Radio Star

Posted by Jim on May 27th, 2008
2008
May 27

WMPG has seen fit to give me a regular show, airing 4-6:30am on Monday mornings.  You’ll notice a new entry in the links listed above, WMPG Playlists, where I’ll be posting my weekly playlists and other important information (such as how you can listen to the show live over the internet).  There is one entry there, from the first show I did, which was on this past Monday.  Sorry I didn’t get the word out sooner, but I didn’t find out until late on Friday that I got the show, and Nissa and I have been busy with moving.  Still, you’ve now been informed.  So if you find yourself up an ungodly early hour on a Monday, and you ahppen to be near a radio or a computer, give my show a listen.

Greatest DJs in the…

Posted by Jim on Mar 24th, 2008
2008
Mar 24

Check out today’s installment of the comic Big Nate, made by Portland resident Lincoln Peirce. Pay close attention to the banner on the DJ’s table. Do those letters look familiar?

Big Nate 03-24-2008

Of course, there is no way this comic could take place in greater Portland area. In yesterday’s strip Teddy mentions that there is no more snow because it is seventy degrees and sunny out. The weather isn’t that nice yet, especially considering the snow we have coming this week.

Update: It just occurred to me that Lincoln Peirce put a WMPG reference in today’s comic because he is involved with the station in some way. The only Lincoln that I am aware of who is involved with WMPG is the host of one of my favorite shows, South by Southwest, which I’ve been listening to since I first moved to Portland in 2004. I did a bit of research an lo and behold, Lincoln the DJ and Lincoln the comic artist are one and the same! How awesome is that?

Jesus on the Radio

Posted by Jim on Feb 25th, 2008
2008
Feb 25

According to North East Radio Watch, the format of WCYI will soon change from the blues, as the station has been purchased by EMF Broadcasting.  It will become an Adult Contemporary Christian station, and will simulcast the K-Love broadcast that EMF plays across the country—so don’t expect to hear any local Christian bands (if we have any here in Portland).  It’s always sad to see a station that had such local influence turned into a generic cookie cutter rebroadcaster.  At least we still have WCYY.

News Flash

Posted by Jim on Jan 8th, 2008
2008
Jan 8

I’ve just confirmed that I’ll be performing my first on-air duties at WMPG this afternoon, from 3 to 5.  Tune in to 91.1 or 104.1 if you’re in the Portland area.  Otherwise, head on over to the WMPG Listen Live page and stream the broadcast over the internet.

Advice to the Experts

Posted by Jim on Nov 8th, 2007
2007
Nov 8

David Dye interviewing Britt Daniel of the band Spoon, discussing AM radio: “You’d get the Singing Nuns—you know the Singing Nuns? They did a French song, Dominique.”

Interviewee Britt Daniel, sounding bored and confused: “Uh huh.”

Dye again, sounding excited: “It doesn’t matter. You should go look it up. Awful song. Catchy as hell. It’d drive you crazy.”

Daniel, still bored: “Uh huh.”

I’m glad someone with vast musical knowledge and influence like David Dye uses his great opportunity to talk with one of the best and brightest musicians today about something as important and influential as the Singing Nun.

Hear the entire Spoon concert and subsequent interview at All Songs Considered.

A related note: I once found the Singing Nun’s record at a Goodwill. I snatched that great piece of vinyl right up and gave it to my friend Jeff, the biggest Singing Nun fan I know.

Radio Ga-Ga

Posted by Jim on Nov 1st, 2007
2007
Nov 1

When I first heard about WCLZ being released from Citadel Communications, I wasn’t too concerned. Over the past few years (ever since I moved to Portland), I’ve been listening to the station less and less. It seemed to me they were playing more of the Jamie Cullum/John Mayer brand of watered down rock and pop and less of the music that I enjoy. Plus I could now listen to WMPG any time I wanted, so WCLZ went from the default setting on my radio to a second (or third or fourth) string back-up.

The one thing on WCLZ that remained consistently strong was Greetings From Area Code 207. Last night was the last episode of the local music show on CLZ, and I’m very upset that I missed it. At least the show will go on, as it has been picked up by WBLM.

But that was yesterday. Today is a different story. According to the comments on the CLZ blog, today was the change over to the new owners. After reading this, I tuned in to CLZ, and the change was obvious. The Rolling Stones? On CLZ? That doesn’t add up. There is no way they can be considered AAA. Yet the very next song was an Indigo Girls tune, a CLZ staple. But the on air staff is different. Earlier today I saw Rock Bergeron’s name on the website; he’s a DJ on WMPG. Now there’s some guy named Rick Johnson; I have no idea who he is. So I’m not exactly sure what is going on with the new owners. They’re still using the “Different By Design” slogan, and as I type this, they are playing an Acoustic Coffee Break, another mainstay from the Citadel days. I hope they don’t start mixing classic rock into the playlist. We have too much classic rock in Portland as it is.

I guess the point of this post is for me to say even though I didn’t listen to CLZ that much anymore, and Nissa and I would constantly make fun of the DJs, I still appreciated the place it held in Portland’s radio scene. And now it seems that the CLZ that I knew and (perhaps still) loved may be no more. Oh well. Another reason for me to go get satellite radio.

A silver lining: I discovered through this blog post that because of the new ownership taking control of WCLZ, the simulcast on WCYI is no more. That station is currently playing a blues format. Quite interesting.

Also, the Senate will soon be voting on a bill that would expand the number of low power FM stations in the country (link via WFMU). I know that a number of groups were vying for the one station allocated to the Portland market. If the Senate does the good thing and passes the bill, maybe there will be a few more independent spots on our radio dials in the coming years.