Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Cruisin 1970 Kris Erik Stevens WLS, Chicago
Number nine in my/the small serie of Cruising records. You can get more info about this serie at the great Cruisin' blog.
They were talking about weightier things, the Temptations were, riots and the environment and Vietnam and so forth, but their "Ball of Confusion" didn't just describe the world in 1970. It was also a pretty good metaphor for the state of the music industry and top 40 radio at the time.
It would have been simple if every 14-year-old had heard "Whole Lotta Love" in 1969, decided that top 40 radio as they'd known it was basically irrelevant, and made a beeline for the FM rock side. But that didn't happen - for one thing, most kids had to hear "Whole Lotta Love" on AM because there wasn't an FM rocker in their market yet. Besides, transitions take time. Remember that Doris Day was still having top 10 hits even after Elvis went into the Army.
That's why top 40 spent the next five years looking over its shoulder at rock radio but not, until the end, looking up at its rival. And that's why, during that time, almost anything went.
In the early 70's, you could say that top 40 tried to become FM rock radio and you'd be right. Listen to a tape of nights on KHJ, L.A.'s original "Boss Radio," in the early 70's and you'll hear a ton of album cuts - things that wouldn't even make the cut at classic rock radio today. You could say that top 40 radio went more bubblegum than ever in 1970 and, given the Osmonds, The Partridge Family, the Poppy Family, Bobby Sherman, Tony Orlando & Dawn, The Archies, and the Brotherhood of Man/White Plains/Edison Lighthouse/Pipkins (who were actually one British studio group), you'd be right, too.
More info about 1970 can be found in the text-file !
Kris Erik Stevens - WLS opening
Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Sears Record Sale commercial / March of Dimes commercial / Weather/WLS sports
Drowning in the Sea of Love - Joe Simon
Joe Woods for Cook County Board commercial / WLS promo
Green-Eyed Lady - Sugar Loaf
WLS promo
Gypsy Woman - Brian Hyland
Coke commercial
Vehicle - Ides of March
Pantry Food Mart commercial / WLS More Music promo
One Less Bell to Answer - The Fifth Dimension
WLS News Special / 89 Hour Color TV WLS promo / Rock of Chicago
Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You - Wilson Pickett
Eastern Airlines commercial / Big Brothers of Chicago public service commercial / WLS Number One Oldie:
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
Windy City weather / National Conference of Christians and Jews public service commercial / Carling Black Label commercial / Kris Erik Stevens promo / Pepperidge Farm commercial
Sunshine - Jonathan Edwards
George W. Dunne political commercial
Celebrate - Three Dog Night
Chicago Today commercial
New World Coming - Mama Cass
Kris Erik Stevens resume/where is he now.
He's the head of Kris Erik Stevens Productions, and for several years was the host of the weekly RADIO SUPER HEROES series in syndication for Radio Spirits.
To be continued in the comment section.
They were talking about weightier things, the Temptations were, riots and the environment and Vietnam and so forth, but their "Ball of Confusion" didn't just describe the world in 1970. It was also a pretty good metaphor for the state of the music industry and top 40 radio at the time.
It would have been simple if every 14-year-old had heard "Whole Lotta Love" in 1969, decided that top 40 radio as they'd known it was basically irrelevant, and made a beeline for the FM rock side. But that didn't happen - for one thing, most kids had to hear "Whole Lotta Love" on AM because there wasn't an FM rocker in their market yet. Besides, transitions take time. Remember that Doris Day was still having top 10 hits even after Elvis went into the Army.
That's why top 40 spent the next five years looking over its shoulder at rock radio but not, until the end, looking up at its rival. And that's why, during that time, almost anything went.
In the early 70's, you could say that top 40 tried to become FM rock radio and you'd be right. Listen to a tape of nights on KHJ, L.A.'s original "Boss Radio," in the early 70's and you'll hear a ton of album cuts - things that wouldn't even make the cut at classic rock radio today. You could say that top 40 radio went more bubblegum than ever in 1970 and, given the Osmonds, The Partridge Family, the Poppy Family, Bobby Sherman, Tony Orlando & Dawn, The Archies, and the Brotherhood of Man/White Plains/Edison Lighthouse/Pipkins (who were actually one British studio group), you'd be right, too.
More info about 1970 can be found in the text-file !
Cruisin' 1970 Kris Erik Stevens WLS, Chicago, Illinois.
Kris Erik Stevens - WLS openingSpirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Sears Record Sale commercial / March of Dimes commercial / Weather/WLS sports
Drowning in the Sea of Love - Joe Simon
Joe Woods for Cook County Board commercial / WLS promo
Green-Eyed Lady - Sugar Loaf
WLS promo
Gypsy Woman - Brian Hyland
Coke commercial
Vehicle - Ides of March
Pantry Food Mart commercial / WLS More Music promo
One Less Bell to Answer - The Fifth Dimension
WLS News Special / 89 Hour Color TV WLS promo / Rock of Chicago
Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You - Wilson Pickett
Eastern Airlines commercial / Big Brothers of Chicago public service commercial / WLS Number One Oldie:
Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles
Windy City weather / National Conference of Christians and Jews public service commercial / Carling Black Label commercial / Kris Erik Stevens promo / Pepperidge Farm commercial
Sunshine - Jonathan Edwards
George W. Dunne political commercial
Celebrate - Three Dog Night
Chicago Today commercial
New World Coming - Mama Cass
Kris Erik Stevens resume/where is he now.
He's the head of Kris Erik Stevens Productions, and for several years was the host of the weekly RADIO SUPER HEROES series in syndication for Radio Spirits.
To be continued in the comment section.
Comments:
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Link :
http://r#pidsh#re.com/files/162461974/C-70_KES_WLS_C_Ill.rar
Of course you understand to replace in r#pidsh#re twice the # in an a otherwise you don't have a 'valid' link !!
Paste this valid link in your browser-url and hit RETURN. You can also copy/paste the link into your 'downloadmanager'.
Pass to extract the file : 081110
The file is a small 35MB, 'cause the songs are only in low bitrate 128kbits.
Please donnut give a nasty comment about that : check 'My opinion about bitrates' on 2008_jan_25.
>>
The next depends, amongst other things, on your security options in your browser and by so the ability to copy/paste the link.
When you see this in Google or Yahoo cache or by my Blog's search function read first the RED instructions at the top left of my Blog !
Direct link (after that go to the plain comment of this 2008_november article !) : JeansMusicBlog
Also possible : just click the 'post a comment' section here and you are able to copy/paste !
....And while you are there you might as well give a comment yourself....
>>
Link :
http://r#pidsh#re.com/files/162461974/C-70_KES_WLS_C_Ill.rar
Of course you understand to replace in r#pidsh#re twice the # in an a otherwise you don't have a 'valid' link !!
Paste this valid link in your browser-url and hit RETURN. You can also copy/paste the link into your 'downloadmanager'.
Pass to extract the file : 081110
The file is a small 35MB, 'cause the songs are only in low bitrate 128kbits.
Please donnut give a nasty comment about that : check 'My opinion about bitrates' on 2008_jan_25.
>>
The next depends, amongst other things, on your security options in your browser and by so the ability to copy/paste the link.
When you see this in Google or Yahoo cache or by my Blog's search function read first the RED instructions at the top left of my Blog !
Direct link (after that go to the plain comment of this 2008_november article !) : JeansMusicBlog
Also possible : just click the 'post a comment' section here and you are able to copy/paste !
....And while you are there you might as well give a comment yourself....
>>
Hey just found you - good stuff, and thanks for the great writing!
# posted by 
: Wednesday, 12 November 2008 at 20:33:00 CET
: Wednesday, 12 November 2008 at 20:33:00 CET
Mmm, finally found it. No problem Jean, searching your blog is fun. I kinda enjoy just getting lost in it and that way, I get to read a lot that I missed first time through. Wow! what a kewl line up. 'Spirit in the Sky' has remained a constant standard in my sets. I gleaned a version of it from a rather macabre album by Larry Norman and Randy Stonehill, titled, 'Streams of White Light Into Darkened Corners'...in their words a collection of quasi religious music. Included on their albums was 'Presense of the Lord' and some odd Randy Newman, plus 'Bridge over Troubled Water' and even a Stones cover, and some Beatles. ... I had failed standard four and this year was my second attempt...and what do you know..I passed with flying colours...lol. What awaited me after 71, was a guitar...I'll get there should the Cruisin series get to it...smiles for the memories. I am the kid here, but I don't care. lol.
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# posted by : Sunday, 21 December 2008 at 17:38:00 CET
: Sunday, 21 December 2008 at 17:38:00 CET << Home
