December 19, 20232 yr Author This hits me hard. I listened to this guy from the time I was 12 up until last week. KMET was the shit in my teens.
December 19, 20232 yr Took an improv class my first summer in LA (after arriving the September before) and someone in my class was renting a room in a house in Laurel Canyon. I didn't know anything about Laurel Canyon, but a few of us met to practice getting used to being spontaneous in a house in that canyon. (Also dog sat for my bosses' dog in that canyon about 6-7 years later.) Anyway, apparently Jim Ladd lived in the canyon for 34 years. Arrived in 1974, after it was already the epicenter for the LA music scene in the 1970s. Interesting house... can't imagine that the buyers kept it the way it was.
December 19, 20232 yr Whoops... lost track of my decades. He was there for 44 years. From the age of 26 to 70, I guess. Not bad being able to buy a house in LA at the age of 26. Different times.
December 19, 20232 yr I didn't always agree with his takes (his on-air rant about the Who playing the Hollywood Bowl a couple days after Entwistle died stands out as one example), but the man lived and breathed rock n' roll and fought hard to do his radio programs his way, which one had to respect. He was one of the last of a dying breed. I kind of feel bad for kids these days who won't know what it was like to listen to the radio and hear DJ's that you felt you had a connection with.
December 19, 20232 yr 2 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said: I kind of feel bad for kids these days who won't know what it was like to listen to the radio and hear DJ's that you felt you had a connection with. Does Dale Dudley count?
December 19, 20232 yr 7 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said: I kind of feel bad for kids these days who won't know what it was like to listen to the radio and hear DJ's that you felt you had a connection with. Eh, radio without DJ's might be the greatest advancement of the 21st century imo.
December 19, 20232 yr 16 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said: Does Dale Dudley count? Dale counts if you want him to count.
December 19, 20232 yr 3 minutes ago, Carl Spackler said: Dale counts if you want him to count. I definitely don't want him to count.
December 19, 20232 yr 12 minutes ago, G650 said: Eh, radio without DJ's might be the greatest advancement of the 21st century imo. I get it. A lot of DJ's can be annoying, talk too much, and take away from the music, which to me is a cardinal sin. But a really good DJ could enhance the experience. For example, Jody Denberg was a guy that enhanced the experience for me. I learned stuff about the music and the artists he was playing because of his commentary, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for what I was hearing. FWIW, I rarely listen to radio anymore. But there was something cool about 70's and 80's radio when you had the right DJ handling things.
December 19, 20232 yr Just now, Carl Spackler said: But there was something cool about 70's and 80's radio when you had the right DJ handling things. I mean, I agree with this, but it really was for their song selection. If you heard a band you liked, then you would go off and learn about them. There are DJs that are ok from back then, don't get me wrong. A lot of them are on SiriusXM. But then you get guys like Earle Bailey that make me want to punch out my window they are so awful.
December 19, 20232 yr 44 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said: Does Dale Dudley count? He never played music anymore. Just talked about his wife fucking other guys.
December 20, 20232 yr My favorite DJ story from back in the day was when Joe Walsh would sit in for a week at a time in the summers when the Q102 morning guy would go on vacation.Holy fucking shit was that insane.
December 21, 20232 yr Author 10 hours ago, tbone_ said: My favorite DJ story from back in the day was when Joe Walsh would sit in for a week at a time in the summers when the Q102 morning guy would go on vacation. Holy fucking shit was that insane. Joe Walsh did that all over the country. Walsh was on Stern so often, that he agreed to be in the house band when Stern had an audition/test show for a late-night TV show in NYC. Walsh was passed out under Howard's feet by the time the show started.
December 21, 20232 yr 12 hours ago, Gil Bang said: Joe Walsh did that all over the country. Walsh was on Stern so often, that he agreed to be in the house band when Stern had an audition/test show for a late-night TV show in NYC. Walsh was passed out under Howard's feet by the time the show started. Yeah, he did that here on KLBJ as well. Dale Dudley used to play a phone message from Joe, Dale had slandered him on the morning show, saying he was high or something like that, and Joe found out, the left a message threatening to sue Dale "for everything you got! I love a war man! So get a good lawyer!" (still remember that word for word) But yeah, RIP Jim. Only knew him from his projects with Roger Waters, and then later on his Sirius show. Classic DJ voice and excellent interviewer. As a radiophile, a good DJ could transport you anywhere, fill your head with things and sounds you never dreamed of. One of the best ever for sure.
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