Cut From The Air
"When all the people understand what links them spiritually to one another, Peace will reign on earth. All men will be men of good will. Spiritual Unity will reign them.”—Albert Ayler, 1967
Yesterday, as Mark Thompson arrived at KGO Radio 810 AM (in San Francisco) for his regular shift, he was told that his show, and all the rest of the shows that made up the radio station, were canceled…that the station was abruptly being taken off the air…starting with an aired announcement of a new format coming the following week, followed by a stream of canned oldies music. He did not get to say goodbye to his fans; a radio station that had been around for 80 years in San Francisco vanished without a trace. KGO news-talk radio 81…a tradition before FM radio even existed…the place to find out about local news and news of the world, when television was still in its infancy…was gone, erased as if it was never there.
The situation immediately reminded me of what happened to KUSF, also in San Francisco, where I DJed from when I was fifteen to eighteen years old (high school years). The beloved DJ Schmeejay (Howard Ryan) was in the middle of a station break on January 18, 2011 when he was interrupted by some heavies from the USF executive branch who turned the feed off. The school’s head had sold the rights to the station to a classical station that had in turn given up its rights to its prime-mid-radio-dial spot to a commercial rock station coming in from Sacramento (this was a national trend led by an ultra-right hybrid non/for-profit…a story for another time). An incredible San Francisco tradition sold off, destroyed…erased.
After years of cutting and scraping and fighting, community members from the purgatoried KUSF crew found a way to get back on the air (I actually produced a blues show for them in the time between) and KSFX is now up and running on 102.5 FM (with a limited terrestrial reach but with great programing also accessible on line).
With the rise of Internet radio…of all-you-can-eat streaming…of highly sophisticated personal data driven programming, there has been talk for years of traditional radio being an obsolete offering. But then, why does it hurt so much when stations like KGO and KUSF are taken away…and in both cases without warning, and with no looking back?
Two weekends ago, there was a celebration on campus for the 65th anniversary of KALX radio in Berkeley, where I DJed from 1987 to 1991 (while at UCB-GO BEARS!). There I reconnected with Sandra Wasson, who had just retired as the station chief after 34 years. Another fellow DJ who I knew way-back-when, and was still involved with the station, told stories of how Sandra had saved the station from certain death many times over the years. And while Sandra both acknowledged and modestly made light of what she had done, I can only imagine the battles for budget and content and mission that the university threatened the station with over the years, especially with the trend around such stations signing off.
One of the best parts of moving to Marin has been the ability for me to be able to tune into KALX on my car radio one again (it sounded pretty staticky in west San Francisco). KALX has been broadcasting terrific radio: great DJs introducing me to great music, well-produced news and informational programming, and even Bears football. Community radio is a touchstone for a community (thus the name), and with it being accessible to anyone who has a radio (which I do believe is still most people) makes it one of the most democratic forms of wide communication. Northern California is riddled with local stations, stations that often play music while talking about what is going on in the community…stations that are playing on almost every stereo of every local business.
KGO is different from the other radio stations mentioned, because it is not “community owned” but instead part of a bigger business. After President, Bill Clinton passed the Telecommunications Act (BOO!) that allowed a business to own more than one radio station in any given territory, commercial radio never really recovered, becoming more homogeneous and corporate…each station a pawn for a bigger financial strategy. Yet with the death of KGO comes a reminder of how fragile our relationships with friends like radio stations can be. At least with community stations we can at to support them: donate money, give time, send music. But even then, they can be taken from us without notice.
I will miss you KGO. Long Live Radio.
Shabbes!
3,000-Year-Old Sarcophagus of King Ramses II’s Treasurer Found in Egypt
“Archaeologists noticed a vertical shaft in the center of the tomb’s courtyard. After digging out the 26-foot shaft with a bucket over the course of one week, El Aguizy then went down the shaft and found the sarcophagus. Because such tombs have usually already been raided by grave robbers or other interventions, it is incredibly rare to unearth a complete sarcophagus in its original tomb.”
The 2022 National Book Awards Longlist: Fiction
It is award season and now that the Nobel Prize for Literature has been announced we can shift focus to the next big award and read up on the longlist just announced by the National Book Foundation. These lists make me realize how much I need to read…and how little I know despite being someone who tries to read regularly: who are many of these authors? Need to find out (let me know if you have read any of them and have recommendations!)
Dust-To-Digital is On the Road Traveling to share new presentation, "Binding Time"
If you are in Tulsa, Brooklyn, or San Francisco you are in luck because the good folks at Dust-to-Digital are coming to blow your mind with one of their famous presentations. Remember: these are the people who put together some of the great reissue project of the day…their stories told by the music they love are phenominal. Click through for details….
Georgina Campbell on This Fall’s Surprise Horror Hit Barbarian
“Barbarian, directed by Zach Cregger (of The Whitest Kids U’ Know fame) has received praise for its satirical eye, indulgent and shocking set pieces, and how enjoyable it is to watch it in a theater with an audience. However, there’s one specific scene—involving diary and maternal affection, without spoiling too much—that is so perverse and horrifying that it’s nearly impossible to watch without squinting through the gaps in your fingers. The runaway star of that scene—and the film itself—is Georgina Campbell, the British actor who plays Tess, a woman who ends up in a double-booked AirBnb with Keith (Bill Skarsgård).”
WEEKEND LISTEN: A Nickel And A Nail And Ace Of Spades by O.V Wright
Sweet Soul Music is one of those defining music books. Breaking down the rise of soul music, Peter Guralnick does such a beautiful job telling the stories of the greats who set the foundation for the genre…from church to the devils music, from the early days to the breakthroughs. O. V. Wright plays a BIG part in the story…and this record, A Nickel and a Nail and Ace Of Spades shows off all the reasons why. A Nickel And A Nail, 8 Men & 4 Women, Ace Of Spades: What is soul? This is soul. Wright died at 41 but damn, what a career he put together during his short life. This Sunday he would have been 83. Seeing his name and his day coming up, I stared going back and listening to the good stuff….and this record is the best of stuff, through and through.
Natural Wonders
BY: DIANE ACKERMAN
You must know Ron Quintana, who did many years late-night at KUSF! You should interview him!