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Seriously WTF?

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
ChrisWL1980
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by ChrisWL1980 » Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:59 pm

Colonel Flagg wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 7:04 pm
I am quite surprised that none of you have commented on the R&R AOR chart at the link I posted, and how different the AOR of yesterday is from the "Classic Rock" and "Active Rock" of today. The majority of the tracks on that chart are just...gone from OTA radio.

The closest thing we have to a traditional AOR station around here is K106.3 CKUE Sarnia, and even that's a bit of a stretch. Sadly, I now have to be at our place on the St. Clair River to hear them, thanks to the co-channel jesus freaks.
In the '70s, it wasn't unusual to hear Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye on AOR stations. I've heard WRIF even played the Bee Gees and Donna Summer during the late '70s. AOR even shared some artists with AC/MOR, namely the singer-songwriter types like the James Taylors, Carole Kings, Paul Simons and Janis Ians. It wasn't all Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. WCSX has kept some remnants of that on the air by playing songs like Billy Joel's "My Life" and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." I'm not sure if that's still the case as I haven't listened in a while.



ftballfan
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by ftballfan » Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:16 pm

Speaking of Van Halen, I heard "Without You" (Gary Cherone on vocals) on the radio last week. I don't think that song has gotten much airplay since 1998!



Mega Hertz
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:26 pm

There's an air check on YouTube of Arthur P. from early 1991. Even though I lived through it (they played SPIN DOCTORS back then), it still trips me out to hear WRIF playing Journey deep cuts (good luck getting La Do Da or whatever it's called on the air today), Asia, Joe Walsh... Wheels used to play Clapton and Phil Collins... It all seems a lifetime ago, but it really did happen. Between 1993 and 94 it all seemed to change. Playlists seem to change overnight. The late 90s when it really all shifted. You weren't gonna hear much Journey or Joe Walsh on Riff anymore. I used to have a tape of Kostan playing Working Man. Within just a couple years, things just changed.

Flagg, I've said it before, but I just wanna remind you, if you're ever down with sharing Detroit radio war stories, I'm all ears. Remain anonymous. But it would be very interesting to me!


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
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Mega Hertz
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:29 pm

ftballfan wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:16 pm
Speaking of Van Halen, I heard "Without You" (Gary Cherone on vocals) on the radio last week. I don't think that song has gotten much airplay since 1998!
What?!?! VH had someone other than Cubic Zirconium Roth singing? Well shit, I listen to Detroit radio, I'd have never known!

Related: Kudos to WOMC for playing "When It's Love" last week. I know the "I HAVE THE BIGGEST DICK!!!" crowd isn't such a fan, but I love me some Sam. Deal with it.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
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Mega Hertz
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Location: Brighton

Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:31 pm

ChrisWL1980 wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:59 pm
Colonel Flagg wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 7:04 pm
I am quite surprised that none of you have commented on the R&R AOR chart at the link I posted, and how different the AOR of yesterday is from the "Classic Rock" and "Active Rock" of today. The majority of the tracks on that chart are just...gone from OTA radio.

The closest thing we have to a traditional AOR station around here is K106.3 CKUE Sarnia, and even that's a bit of a stretch. Sadly, I now have to be at our place on the St. Clair River to hear them, thanks to the co-channel jesus freaks.
In the '70s, it wasn't unusual to hear Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye on AOR stations. I've heard WRIF even played the Bee Gees and Donna Summer during the late '70s. AOR even shared some artists with AC/MOR, namely the singer-songwriter types like the James Taylors, Carole Kings, Paul Simons and Janis Ians. It wasn't all Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. WCSX has kept some remnants of that on the air by playing songs like Billy Joel's "My Life" and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain." I'm not sure if that's still the case as I haven't listened in a while.
While Simon has been relegated to Overeasy, yes, Billy Joel does still get some play on CSX. Maybe on OMC, too. Not sure about Breeze or NIC.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
-TurkeyTop

ChrisWL1980
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by ChrisWL1980 » Mon Jan 06, 2020 1:30 am

Mega Hertz wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:29 pm
ftballfan wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:16 pm
Speaking of Van Halen, I heard "Without You" (Gary Cherone on vocals) on the radio last week. I don't think that song has gotten much airplay since 1998!
What?!?! VH had someone other than Cubic Zirconium Roth singing? Well shit, I listen to Detroit radio, I'd have never known!

Related: Kudos to WOMC for playing "When It's Love" last week. I know the "I HAVE THE BIGGEST DICK!!!" crowd isn't such a fan, but I love me some Sam. Deal with it.
I actually hear "Van Hagar" played more on Adrian's 103.9 WLEN than on Detroit classic rock stations! They at least have "Why Can't This Be Love" and "Love Walks In" in rotation. (The latter may be my favorite Van Halen song. I too prefer Hagar to Roth.)



Mega Hertz
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Mega Hertz » Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:10 am

I'm with you. Love it all, but, gun to head? Sammy it is. But where I'm at, I get more Fox than WLEN on 103.9.


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
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syntheticexctasy
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Location: 49270

Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by syntheticexctasy » Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:18 pm

MWmetalhead wrote:
Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:11 am
I do indeed remember hearing R.E.M. on the Album Rock stations in West Michigan back in the day. Multiple singles, in fact.
I get that WRIF doesn't want to alienate older listeners, but the two playlists overlap much too far....

move anything from 1995 and earlier to WCSX, and stick to 1995 and later on WRIF....seems simple?
I disagree with the above suggestion.

If WRIF's P1s (and P2s) still want to hear certain pre-1995 songs, WRIF absolutely should be playing them!

Personally, I don't want to be forced to tune into WCSX to hear Ozzy, AC/DC, GNR, or pre-Black album Metallica (something CSX and most classic rock stations will not play). I certainly don't want to be forced to CSX to hear early Smashing Pumpkins or early grunge era hits, either.

There is nothing wrong with reasonable song overlap between sister stations. In many cases, some overlap is wise. The overlap between WRIF and WCSX remains minor. If such overlap did not occur, a wide lane would be left open for competing stations to exploit.

Now, I will say this - I *am* sick of hearing certain AC/DC songs on WRIF (I still want to hear 'em on the Riff, but there are multiple airworthy tracks that the Riff seldom touches), and I am definitely sick of hearing any song by Motley Crue on WRIF.
The problem with the overlap is that it leaves less room for "Real" active rock and new content that will never have a chance to hit the airwaves. The riff is sorely lacking when it comes to new music....what they consider to be rock music is essentially pop, and doesn't vary much from the butt-rock genre...

When do we get to hear some cavalera conspiracy? sepultura? demon hunter? love and death? they play like one parkway drive song (out of a catalog of dozens).

five finger death punch, my darkest days, paramore, in this moment....these are pop rock artists/groups. think along the lines of green day, offspring, live, etc....

there is no good new (hard) content on the riff anymore. If the equivalent of a pantera were to come along these days, I highly doubt they'd ever even receive any airplay on this supposed "active rock" station.

WRIF is great if you're into watered down pop rock - not so great if you want to explore new music, or hear anything that resembles anything "heavy".



syntheticexctasy
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by syntheticexctasy » Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:21 pm

^^^and for this reason, I miss 97.1 WKRK....



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Colonel Flagg
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Colonel Flagg » Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:51 pm

syntheticexctasy wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:21 pm
^^^and for this reason, I miss 97.1 WKRK....
WKRK tanked due to too much micromanagement from the corporate suits in New York. It never had time to evolve, and the execs would not stop meddling. They were in it deep enough to the point where they were telling the PD which songs/bands he couldn't play. The experiment known as "Extreme Radio" suffered the same fate.


"Pretty soon, every kid in America will wish he were me"

syntheticexctasy
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Location: 49270

Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by syntheticexctasy » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:54 am

Colonel Flagg wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:51 pm
syntheticexctasy wrote:
Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:21 pm
^^^and for this reason, I miss 97.1 WKRK....
WKRK tanked due to too much micromanagement from the corporate suits in New York. It never had time to evolve, and the execs would not stop meddling. They were in it deep enough to the point where they were telling the PD which songs/bands he couldn't play. The experiment known as "Extreme Radio" suffered the same fate.
This part I did not know. I only knew WKRK from a listener's perspective - and they had an awesome playlist of songs you'll never or rarely hear on the riff. Two (Rob Halford and Trent Reznor), Tool, Type O Negative, Coal Chamber...all artists that were heard regularly during the time that WKRK was around, but were more or less absent from WRIFs airwaves (And still are).

WBUZ Delta-Toledo had a similar playlist for years, and lasted a lot longer (assuming because it was a very small market where the format DID work well for a while).

WKQZ has, over the years, played circles around WRIF in terms of heavier music and variance in playlist. It's about the only station in Michigan I have expectations for when I listen.

I realize my "wants" are somewhat niche, but in this day and age where niche genres are becoming popular on radio airwaves, I don't feel a "real" rock or metal demographic is being served well in Metro Detroit, and hasn't been in over 20 years.



JLesinski
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by JLesinski » Sun Jan 12, 2020 1:08 pm

It seems that "Paint it Black" (released in 1966!) by the Rolling Stones is now in heavy rotation on WLLZ. :lol
Even with just my very casual listening and channel surfing I swear they must play it at least once a day.
"New generation" my ass.



sfpcc
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by sfpcc » Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:33 pm

I'm not sure if I should start a new thread or add to this one? Due to the Passing of Neil Peart has there been an increase of Rush on Detroit radio?
I'm not just talking about rock stations but any stations, (especially Canadian ones.) The only thing I've noticed is that during the NFL playoffs I heard Tom Sawyer played as exit to commercial music.



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MWmetalhead
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:50 pm

In terms of rock radio on the FM dial, I'm partial to Rock 105/95.5 in Traverse City, although I will say Z93 is quite good, too.



Mega Hertz
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Re: Seriously WTF?

Post by Mega Hertz » Sun Jan 12, 2020 7:58 pm

sfpcc wrote:
Sun Jan 12, 2020 2:33 pm
I'm not sure if I should start a new thread or add to this one? Due to the Passing of Neil Peart has there been an increase of Rush on Detroit radio?
I'm not just talking about rock stations but any stations, (especially Canadian ones.) The only thing I've noticed is that during the NFL playoffs I heard Tom Sawyer played as exit to commercial music.
I used to get "schooled" on Rush quite a bit when I was still "in the biz". Told they were too polarizing, and I saw the numbers to prove it. Guys dug em; women couldn't STAND em. But you may be right; as a matter of fact, WLLZ will be doing an hour of uninterrupted Rush music. And it will go beyond the standard Tom Sawyer/Limelight/Spirit of Radio fare.

Rush is, has been and always will be in the upper echelon of my top artists, for more reasons than one. I thank WLLZ for doing this, even if it is at Sunday night at 9pm :)


"Internet is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining."
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