Monty Python’s Boston Radio Connection

Another Monty Python Record

On January 1, 1967, an FCC ruling went into effect that required major market radio stations — those with an FM frequency that was simulcasting their AM signal — to broadcast alternative programming at least half the time on FM. What resulted was a sweeping change in the radio business. From the late 60’s into the early 70’s, there was a shift from singles played on AM, to albums on FM.

In a way, it was timely that my family moved from Connecticut to Massachusetts only a few weeks after Herb Oscar Anderson quit 77 WABC in September, 1968, because the times had indeed a’changed. (Note: HOA’s site auto-plays audio.) Anderson was still #1 in New York, but songs such as this one drove HOA away.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/JUL/Fire.mp3]

“Fire”, a top 10 hit on AM radio in Sept. ’68, was the first song I heard on WBCN-FM in Boston, which had switched formats from Classical to Underground music six months prior to my arrival in Massachusetts. Four years later, in 1972, I heard a record on WBCN that had a huge effect on me. This is exactly the point where I picked it up…

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/JUL/MontyPython.mp3]

… and after that bit I heard “The Argument Clinic” and I was hooked. Eric Idle’s Money song pre-dates the Euro, but it correctly predicted that “everyone must hanker for the butchness of a banker,” because that’s the world we had until last September.

That was the first time I encountered Monty Python, and I felt as though a bullet had hit me between my ears. I LOVED those guys. And I mean I LOVED them, like they were the Beatles. But I was lucky to have heard them, because ‘BCN was just about the only place where Python had a home in America at the time. There’s an excellent little documentary called “Monty Python Conquers America” that tells of WBCN’s role in paving the way for Python. I’ve stitched together the pertinent bits.

[MEDIA=46]

I didn’t look all that different from that young DJ in the stock footage, and I know that Gates control console well from my own radio days, but it couldn’t have been BCN’s, because it’s monaural.

Something that isn’t pointed out is that before Monty Python, WBCN had played Firesign Theatre records, and I think those guys deserve credit for creating a new generation of comedy record fans. Not only that, Firesign Theatre albums were intricate and fully produced, as were the Python records, making them eminently re-listenable, like a Rock record.

The Den and Doug Show — 1976

From November 10, 1976, here I am on college radio, passing the mic over to Dennis Rogers.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/APR/DenDoug.mp3]

As good as a Jon Stewart toss to Stephen Colbert? Uh, no. Not with my awful attempt at ad-libbing. It was at that time I began my internship at the radio station in town. When I graduated it turned into a paying job, but it sure didn’t pay very much!

Glicknicks Mourn

Today there is the sad news for longtime Bostonians that Larry Glick has died. For many years Glick was WBZ 1030’s overnight radio man.

Glick was the inspiration for ‘BZ’s recently fired-and-rehired overnight personality, Steve LeVeille. Steve would have Glick on his show every so often by telephone, and I expect LeVeille will devote a lot of time next week to talking about his idol.

Segue the beguine

One of the things that came about with the rise of FM alternative album rock radio in the late 60’s was the search for perfect segues between songs. Finding that just-right combination — sometimes a tight cut, other times a fade-out going to a fade-in — was a thing of joy to a disk jockey.

Today, with streaming services like Music Choice on cable TV and TheRadio.com on the Web, if a transition between songs strikes my fancy I have no idea if it was done intentionally by a person, or by accident by a computer. The use of narrowly focused genres is, for me, really limiting. I wish every service offered a totally wide open, free-form channel. In the 60’s you’d hear Donovan followed by Frank Sinatra. Steppenwolf and Dionne Warwick, back to back. The thing that drove the all-time greatest morning man in radio, WABC’s Herb Oscar Anderson, crazy was the very thing I loved — variety, from hard to soft.

Tonight on the drive home I heard Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexico Radio” (which has always sounded to me like it was inspired by Adam Ant), and the old DJ brainwaves got going, and in my head I heard the perfect follow-up track. So I’ve put them together on the audio player.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/FEB/WallofK3.mp3]

LeVeille back on the nightbeat

The Boston Globe finally has a feature article about the return of WBZ AM 1030’s previously laid off overnight man, Steve LeVeille.

http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2009/02/08/this_time_the_listeners_were_heard/

Another departure from WBZ, but a permanent one, is longtime sports announcer Gil Santos, who retired at the end of January. Last week LeVeille, basking in the well-deserved glory of his triumphant return to Boston’s airwaves, saluted Santos.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/FEB/LeVeille.mp3]

STEVE LEVEILLE RETURNS TO ‘BZ!

Here’s the great news:

Friends:

Exciting news! I just got off the phone with Program Director Peter Casey–Steve will be back on the air in his old time slot starting Sunday!

See WBZ’s front page story: http://wbz.com/Steve-LeVeille-and-Lovell-Dyett-to-return-to-WBZ/3735627

Wanted to make sure you got the story ASAP! Thanks for all of your hard work!

I’ll “‘BZ-ing you!”

Ben Goodman
BringBackSteve.com

I’m ashamed to admit that Steve’s own comments about his departure took the wind out of my sails about the chances of his return to the Boston nighttime airwaves. Thanks go to Ben Goodman for hanging in there!