Classic Rock Bottom

WOR-FM, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL FM ROCK STATION PT.5

It is such a shame that their call letters no longer even exist, but the celebration of WOR-FM continues with some more Murray The K.
Murray would do what he called "Attitude Blocks"- sets of music with a common thread tying them together.
Something I have taken to an extreme, lol!
But I do sets of music within my...I guess you'd have to call them "Attitude Series"!
Here's what resident Radio Authority Alan Sniffen had to say:
 
Murray the K was the guiding light for the first year.  His dedication to breaking new music became a theme for the station.  Murray pushed records that he believed had potential to become hits such as Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High”.  While it never became a U.S. hit (it was a hit in England), WOR-FM’s dedication to playing the song did have an impact on New York record sales.
Murray the K had the highest rated FM show in New York; a 4 share on one ratings survey, a 3 on the next. This was higher than many AM shows and a terrific FM rating for New York. 
 
It was in late winter or early spring of 1967 that I finally found a friend who had an FM Radio, and soon after, a girl who had one.
I would go over to one of their homes (I could stay later at the guy's house) and try to be a fun guest, while simultaneously listening to their radio, lol!
One night, I heard Murray or Rosko play the album version of a song I was very familiar with- it was a huge hit on AM Radio.
But I had never heard THIS!
It was more than twice as long as that hit song I knew!
I didn't even know there WAS a longer version- by the time that song was over, I felt like something was happening here and I was missing out, it blew my mind!
Songs could be more than 3 minutes long?
And still to this day I will not listen to that damn chopped up single that I had once childishly enjoyed.
WOR-FM was presenting a new kind of Rock Music, daring to do so with intelligence, and I was being carried along very willingly.
Some real memory busters in this chapter, hopefully some of those "Oh wow" moments for you!
Do enjoy!
 
Here's the link to tune in, turn on, but please don't drop out, at WLSO.FM:
 
 
 
Mike
 

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Comment by Mike Pell on August 10, 2011 at 5:36pm
Oh and that Doors album, simply called The Doors, is great start to finish!.
Another thing I'll never forget, putting the album on the turntable, Side One Cut One comes crashing on with Break On Through.
What a wonderful, bone-jarring, jolt your nervous system beginning!
Comment by Mike Pell on August 10, 2011 at 5:27pm
RJ,
Mellow/psychedelic, well they were the sounds of the day, but there were some real rockers too.
It was a time of anything goes- no formulas as there are too much today.
I'm telling ya, I don't know how to get out of this series- I keep getting new ideas and memories and finding more airchecks, lol!
I'd like to do just ONE more hour, but to give the history of of that station properly I may need two more.
The 6am song was by my boys the Lovin' Spoonful, and it's called Six O'Clock.
Watch your mailbox...already you have stuff.
Walk Away Renee I love too, it has an almost classical minuet quality that has always made it stand apart.
Do you remember their next lesser hit, Pretty Ballerina?
I agree, Light My Fire is a true classic!
And that story was true, I knew the short single like the back of my hand, and suddenly I didn't recognize my own hand anymore- that WOULD blow your mind, lol!
I love the organ & guitar solos with John Densmore keeping pace on drums- I remember it was like the song went away and took me with it, then it and I came back and Jim Morrison was singing again.
What a first-time experience!
Later tonight, I will play from the same year 1967, the song that changed my life!
Thanks for listening, writing and for saying it...it was a good show my man, lol!
Mike
Comment by RJhog (Admin) on August 10, 2011 at 2:54pm

Mike,

Quite the mellow/psychedelic show today.  Of course, that makes sense based on the fact that it's built around a radio station that started in 1966.

 

Hey, I thought that 6am song was really cool.  Of course it's brand new to me, just 45 years later.

 

Walk Away Renee has always been a great song to me.  I don't really know why.  Something about it just puts me somewhere, but I don't really know where that is.

 

And finally, Light My Fire is a true classic.  I love the little story you put with it.  It's amazing how much more you get when you explore the whole album instead of just the single.  At one time, I really didn't like that song.  But I can say I do now.  Especially that keyboard work. 

 

Good show my man!

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