Classic Rock Bottom

ROCKOLLECTIONS: REMEMBERING PETE FORNATALE AND FM RADIO PT.2

Continuing with Pete Fornatale and those early days of FM Rock Radio, he was very passionate about the Music- and among his favorites were Poco, the Beach Boys and songs about Radio.
DJ's come from around the country to work in New York City.
Again Pete was different- he was homegrown, he was one of us, with all the memories and experiences that come with that unique upbringing here.
He wrote books too, and I will read an inscription in one he wrote to me in his book "Back To The Garden: The Story Of Woodstock"- apparently I wasn't feeling well in May 2010, couldn't have been serious cause I don't even remember it now, lol!
But I was very flattered by one particular thing he wrote to me...from the master to the apprentice!
Pete came full circle, ending his career at WFUV where he started, but now a seasoned (and paid) professional.
His last show was April 14th, 2012 and he did 4 hours on the 100th Anniversary Of The Titanic.
We'll hear what he played as a final set and how he ended the show, never knowing it would be his last.
He was only 66, didn't smoke, do drugs, wasn't overweight, maybe had a wine with dinner...he was Italian after all, lol!
Just shows you it's all a crapshoot- you can be a health nut or someone who doesn't give a crap, or like most of us somewhere in between...think it makes a damn difference?
There are fewer than a half dozen people I listen to intermittently on Radio, terrestrial or internet- you can make that one less now.
One of our DJ's is indeed missing...one of our creative greatest...FOREVER!
Rest In Peace Pete!
You were one of my heroes.
 
Here are the Farewell links, at Mike Pell Rockollections:
 
At Podomatic:
 
 

At Soundcloud:
 
 

Mike

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Comment by Jon on April 24, 2014 at 5:24pm

No, don't remember WQIV. But I do remember where stations were on the dial, WOR was at the top, I think WABC was to the right and WNBC was to the left. Maybe it was WCBS to the left. Or maybe I remember nothing. BUT......I do know that on FM all the way to the left, you could get ABC television. I used to listen to Happy Days on the radio, it was kinda cool since your imagination did the rest.

Comment by Mike Pell on April 24, 2014 at 4:47pm

Oh, and it was Scott Muni who fought the "consultants" at WNEW-FM for so long to keep their autonomy.

He was an ex-Marine who took no nonsense.

Comment by Mike Pell on April 24, 2014 at 4:44pm
Well WNEW-FM still was basically free-form in the late 70's, even to some extent till around 1981.
Those others were not.
But you can relate to the Ballad of the Sandman.
I seem to recall WAPP being commercial free for a summer.
Do you remember another commercial, shockingly free-form Quad station that lasted for a year, WQIV (getting the name from the Roman numeral for Quad, four)?
And I remember when WOR was a country station, had a girlfriend who liked it, so I liked it.
I am easygoing guy when...you know, LOL!
I don't know, the Mets station, think I am done listening to baseball on the radio.
Hey, wipe that pine tar off your neck, lol!
Mike
Comment by Jon on April 23, 2014 at 9:49am

Yep, it doesn't ever get old.

I didn't get into FM until the latter part of the 70's, listened to WDHA, WPLJ and I believe WNEW. I also remember when WAPP first came out, it was commercial free for while, maybe that whole summer. Don't think FM was free form at that time, but I do distinctly recall an FM station playing Black Sabbath followed by Christopher Cross and that has stuck with me for some reason. Two totally different artists, back-to-back. 

Before FM, it was AM. WOR, a country station, the Mets station and others.

Comment by Mike Pell on April 23, 2014 at 8:48am

Jon,

Do you really mean that?

Because it means so much to me that I literally tear up when I hear it.

But that's because I lived through those days, saw them come and go and it broke my heart.

And it is the reason I try to keep the flame burning by doing my show the way I do.

I can't do Radio any other way, and I am so very lucky the suits leave me alone.

But I had you figured for being too young to remember, or maybe there were no free-form stations in your area.

Maybe you can just get into it, you're a perceptive guy.

It's true for me though, that poem never gets old!
NEVER!
Thanks as always for the listen,

Mike

Comment by Jon on April 23, 2014 at 8:10am

That poem never gets old! NEVER!

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