Acceptable registrations in the queue through March 16 at 11:00a ET have now been activated. Enjoy! -M.W.

Terms of Use have been amended effective October 6, 2019. Make sure you are aware of the new rules! Please visit this thread for details: https://www.mibuzzboard.com/phpBB3/view ... 16&t=48619

Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
Jeff Cunningham
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2021 2:41 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Jeff Cunningham » Tue May 03, 2022 12:24 am

Not sure if Michelle escaped the axe or not.
I could have sworn her name was still on the website yesterday, but looking a few minutes ago, I could no longer find it.



User avatar
Ben Zonia
Posts: 2143
Joined: Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:35 pm
Location: Honor

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Ben Zonia » Tue May 03, 2022 12:30 am

I remember that era, as I lived in West Central Michigan for a few years. JJ Duling was APD at WGRD-FM as I recall, and he was running the Carrier Current station at FSU, modeled after WGRD. He wouldn't allow the DJs to play "Boogie Nights" by Heatwave, though requested. I told JJ that WLS had already added "Boogie Nights", and suddenly, it was OK, since the World's Last Station was already on it.

I remember that WLAV-FM was playing deep tracks from Albums not generally associated with AOR, like the "Who Loves You" album by The Four Seasons, in some Dayparts.


"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

-Author Unknown

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11870
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by MWmetalhead » Tue May 03, 2022 7:37 am

Chatter on WLAV's Facebook page suggests Tony Gates is still under contract (until August, according to one post) but has been pulled off the air.

One repeat post, presumably from Michelle, states: "it was great working with a legend like Tony." Note the usage of past tense. Clearly, his contract is not going to be renewed.

If he is not allowed to say good bye via one (or more) final broadcasts, that would be an absolute shame. I would argue Tony Gates is more responsible than anyone for WLAV's long-term success as a classic rock station. Plenty of other talented people have worked there and do work there now, of course.

Michelle McCormick is on the air this morning with Rob Brandt and Travis.



User avatar
Bull Shannon
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 11:31 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Bull Shannon » Tue May 03, 2022 8:34 am

Didn't he get suspended off the air not long ago? Apparently the thread on that died the last time this forum crashed since I can't find it. I wonder if maybe he put his foot in his mouth again and management decided he was done?



User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11870
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by MWmetalhead » Tue May 03, 2022 9:27 am

It's been at least a couple years since I last suffered a database crash. Last one was 2019, I believe.

His contract reportedly was set to expire in August. He probably was making quite a bit of money. Cumulus is cheap (they air garbage syndicated shows at night on many of their large and major market stations).

Could internal politics have come into play, too? Certainly.

If Rob moves to mornings permanently, perhaps Steve Aldrich will return to full time on air status by covering afternoons?

I'd rather listen to the LAV morning show in its current form than the stale show GRD offers these days.



andymuskegon
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2004 9:06 am
Location: muskegon mi

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by andymuskegon » Tue May 03, 2022 11:27 am

everyone's all trying to figure out why the formats suck? no shit? could it have anything to do with bankers running the business?


http://www.facebook.com/#!/andyoriley

User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11870
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by MWmetalhead » Tue May 03, 2022 11:52 am

Lew Dickey, John Dickey and Jan Jefferies ruined many stations owned by Cumulus with terrible programming decisions. Those are all radio guys.

Were hedge funds a big part of the problem? You bet they were. They overlent and failed to replace poorly performing executives.

I think two or three companies each owning hundreds of stations spread across dozens of markets has proven to be a bad thing for radio.



User avatar
Honeyman
Posts: 5772
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 4:44 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Honeyman » Tue May 03, 2022 11:58 am

Also in 1980, John Shepard brought in Mike Joseph to overhaul WLAV-AM. He changed to an all-talk format, really not done too many places back then. Joseph was the creator of the format used at WKNR, Keener 13 back in the 60s, and the Hot Hits format of the early 70s. Innovative man....and a complete asshole.


The censorship king from out of state.

georgetownt
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2020 11:18 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by georgetownt » Tue May 03, 2022 1:00 pm

Tuned in Monday it was Rob Brandt and Michelle in the AM.



User avatar
SteveL
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:18 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by SteveL » Wed May 04, 2022 6:56 am

MWmetalhead wrote:
Tue May 03, 2022 11:52 am
Lew Dickey, John Dickey and Jan Jefferies ruined many stations owned by Cumulus with terrible programming decisions. Those are all radio guys.

Were hedge funds a big part of the problem? You bet they were. They overlent and failed to replace poorly performing executives.

I think two or three companies each owning hundreds of stations spread across dozens of markets has proven to be a bad thing for radio.
When I was at LAV in '90 or '91, they brought in Lee Abrams and his genius idea at the time was to play only brief hooks from songs because "that's the only part people really want to hear". After all, what better way to play more music than the competition? At the time, we were getting our a$$es handed to us by KLQ and he thought we would turn them into "Country Q" with this strategy. It happened, eventually, but certainly not because of anything he came up with.



User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11870
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed May 04, 2022 7:26 am

Wasn't 1991 the year WLAV briefly tried an Alternative Rock format? Was Abrams involved on that decision?

Of course, the main reason WLAV was losing so badly to KLQ was because 94.5 had an enormously popular morning show. WLAV put forth minimal effort in mornings until they stuck the (somewhat controversial) Mel & Frank in that time slot.

I am too young to remember the short lived Alternative Rock phase of WLAV, but I do remember the "97 Rock" phase somewhat. It seems every time my dad turned on the radio in the truck, WLAV in its 97 Rock phase was either playing Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots (always Plush or Creep, not one of their more upbeat songs), or Rush. An annoying amount of music repetition.

KLQ always seemed to be playing "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith or Great White (thank God the grunge and alternative scenes soon destroyed horrible bands such as Great White).

When Michigan Media took ownership of WLAV and flipped it to classic rock, it was a breath of fresh air, because immediately, the variety of music played on Grand Rapids area rock radio expanded considerably. Both 96.9 and 94.5 became much better stations, in my opinion, music wise. I do have to say, though, that I was no fan of the thick processing WLAV used during the mid & late 90's.

WODJ was another station whose processing during most of the 90's drove me nuts; the reverb was obnoxious and the audio sounded ultra muddy. I suppose they were trying to sound like an AM top 40 station from the 60s or early 70s.



Jason Kragt
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:01 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Jason Kragt » Wed May 04, 2022 9:23 am

SteveL wrote:
Wed May 04, 2022 6:56 am
When I was at LAV in '90 or '91, they brought in Lee Abrams and his genius idea at the time was to play only brief hooks from songs because "that's the only part people really want to hear". After all, what better way to play more music than the competition? At the time, we were getting our a$$es handed to us by KLQ and he thought we would turn them into "Country Q" with this strategy. It happened, eventually, but certainly not because of anything he came up with.
While the brief hooks were certainly annoying, I appreciated the music direction WLAV was trying to go during that short period of time. It felt inevitable that the station would go classic rock given its history. I felt that would be its death sentence. One can only rest on its laurels and saga for so long.

The classic rock they play now was new and interesting back in the day. The modern rock format they adopted and refined was new and interesting in its time. It felt like the station was reinventing itself and staying relevant--for a while. I wonder what kind of station they would be today if they stayed current instead of surrendering to the past.



User avatar
SteveL
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:18 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by SteveL » Wed May 04, 2022 12:48 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:
Wed May 04, 2022 7:26 am
Wasn't 1991 the year WLAV briefly tried an Alternative Rock format? Was Abrams involved on that decision?

Of course, the main reason WLAV was losing so badly to KLQ was because 94.5 had an enormously popular morning show. WLAV put forth minimal effort in mornings until they stuck the (somewhat controversial) Mel & Frank in that time slot.

I am too young to remember the short lived Alternative Rock phase of WLAV, but I do remember the "97 Rock" phase somewhat. It seems every time my dad turned on the radio in the truck, WLAV in its 97 Rock phase was either playing Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots (always Plush or Creep, not one of their more upbeat songs), or Rush. An annoying amount of music repetition.

KLQ always seemed to be playing "Janie's Got a Gun" by Aerosmith or Great White (thank God the grunge and alternative scenes soon destroyed horrible bands such as Great White).

When Michigan Media took ownership of WLAV and flipped it to classic rock, it was a breath of fresh air, because immediately, the variety of music played on Grand Rapids area rock radio expanded considerably. Both 96.9 and 94.5 became much better stations, in my opinion, music wise. I do have to say, though, that I was no fan of the thick processing WLAV used during the mid & late 90's.

WODJ was another station whose processing during most of the 90's drove me nuts; the reverb was obnoxious and the audio sounded ultra muddy. I suppose they were trying to sound like an AM top 40 station from the 60s or early 70s.
You are right that KLQ was winning in large part because of their popular morning show. Our numbers were down to probably a two share before we made the switch to alternative. The 97 Rock phase was without Abram's direction and was in '92 so maybe my recollection of his meeting is off. I can tell you for sure that we were not playing any Floyd or Petty during that time but we were the first to play Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc. so I felt it was a liberating time to be in radio. It was a H*** disappointment for Adams to come in and pull the plug.



Jason Kragt
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 12:01 pm

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by Jason Kragt » Wed May 04, 2022 2:37 pm

OldHippie wrote:
Mon May 02, 2022 5:45 pm
Don't forget Aris Hampers.
Happy Birthday (today), Aris!



User avatar
MWmetalhead
Site Admin
Posts: 11870
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 am

Re: Tony Gates Pulled From WLAV

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed May 04, 2022 4:56 pm

I definitely remember hearing Petty on both 96.9 and 94.5 in the early or mid 90s. Remember, he had a new (and very successful) album out at the time. "You Wreck Me" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance" were singles from that album.

97Rock aired the same TV commercial for months to the tune of "We Will Rock You" by Queen. A bunch of album covers flashed on the screen during the commercial. That ad was omnipresent during local ad breaks on United Artists Cable.

I seem to recall an alternative or industrial rock specialty show on 97Rock on Saturday evenings toward the very end, a tease of the music played on 1340 Underground perhaps.

97Rock went away the second semester of my freshman year of high school. I want to say the classic rock format debuted in February or March?

Adams is still in the radio business! They own a cluster in Fort Wayne, including the classic rock station there, if I'm not mistaken.



Post Reply Previous topicNext topic