ELVIS PRESLEY DIED AUGUST 16, 1977
CHRIS COLLIER was the new KIKK FM Program Director who presented my newest radio adventure in August 1977. KIKK FM was #1 ARB rated in
The movers and I sped out I-10 WEST to the new assignment at KIKK FM. Began surfing the radio dial for a glimpse of my fresh destination. A scratchy voice on what appeared to be KIKK AM emerged saying what sounded like ELVIS WAS DEAD! NAW, IMPOSSIBLE! Surely I heard it wrong through the raspy radio signals. Further down I-10, the 650 frequency came into full ear range. What a time to embark on a new DJ position in Houston Radio.
A brand new building was under construction on Gulfton in the popular southwest section of
Both KIKK FM and AM management soon discovered that the love of radio and the word NO are absent from my vocabulary when broadcast responsibilities come calling. Sometimes numerous assignments were created on both KIKK FM and KIKK AM. That was alright with me. When an individual has such a predominent radio craving as mine, this becomes a strong factor in a person's radio pursuit. Almost anything requested was just alright with me.
Even though the KIKK FM role was my primary obligation, still got caught up in the power struggle between the two programming chiefs. CHRIS, also, was fresh on the scene at KIKK. A powerful rivalry between KIKK FM and KIKK AM kept the fires burning. Could not understand why. Felt like we should be concentrating on our strong outside competition. All this locomotion just added more fire to the flame in the wonderful game of radio. Never a dull moment. The KIKK AM broadcast staff was jealous of the MUCH HIGHER ratings KIKK FM enjoyed. Had a strong belief that all this mish-mash was mighty foolish, but who was I to say? JIM ROSE was the new kid on the block. What does he know?
The KIKK FM-AM studios were still located in
A couple of months after I arrived, CHRIS COLLIER, departed. Out went all the promises that were made. The G-M said Do you have it in writing? The new KIKK FM Program Director was BOB YOUNG, who had absolutely NO relationship to BILL YOUNG. That fact was quite evident right from the start. BOB came in with his own agenda. I was not in it as a mid-day DJ. BOBBBY BOY put me in charge of Music Research, in addition to KIKK FM DJ Swing Shift. This included an occasional impromptu KIKK AM DJ show.
One day, I received a letter in the mail from the new KIKK FM Program Director. He FIRED me! First time I was ever fired by letter. Wait just a minute. My FIRST CLASS FCC LICENSE was still mounted in the looseleaf notebook inside the KIKK FM studio. Could stroll right into the KIKK FM control room blindfolded and find it. The document was stashed on the floor to the left of the KIKK FM control room horseshoe.
Determined to show this young whipper-snapper a thing or two, I was going to go fetch it when BOB was on the air. There was a separate entrance, or exit, for KIKK DJs. This was a two-story outside metal staircase which lead up to the studios on the second floor. Waited in my car in KIKK's rear parking lot for BOB YOUNG to go on the air at 9a. Scrambled up the stairs, invaded the KIKK FM control room. BOB's eyes were as big as dinner plates. BOB was simply speechless. Merely stated that my License was still in the book and I came to get it. BOB seemed to relax a bit when he discovered that I was not going to cram the mic down his throat. Scooped up my First Class FCC License, hot-footed it out of the building with the biggest grin in
When at KILT for the second time about fourteen years later, Westinghouse bought KIKK FM-AM. One Fine Day, KILT's Operation Manager, RICK CANDEA, told me to meet him at KIKK on Gulfton, in the now old building, to help him take a look at things. This was the first time I had seen the building since it was brand new in 1977. Boxes were lined all up and down the upstairs halls. Not as pretty a picture as I had remembered.
There was my compadre, JOE LADD, who was still at KIKK. We chatted about old times. Up walked HARVEY T. My, what a wonderful reunion. JOE and HARVEY T were still holding down the fort at KIKK. Just had a good old time as we relived the good old daze. This was truly a great occasion.
LARRY VANCE was P-D at KNUZ. I zipped out of KIKK FM to all-nites at KNUZ to try to get away from Radio politics. Nobody bothers the all night DJ, RIGHT? After I got off the air at 5 AM, had to zig-zag all over
Early on, I learned one-on-one communication. By lots and lots of practice, a voice emerged that seemed to magnetize lady listeners. Many of my female admirers actually felt like we were on a date when I was on the air. Unbelieveable. That's the way one-on-one communication is supposed to work, I guess, but some damsels took it too serious.
The inevitable, happened early one morning. A girl who called everytime I was on the air constantly pressuring for us to meet, showed up for her prize LP. This one was an AMAZON! A couple of times, before, when I got off the air at 5 AM, noticed what appeared to be her, waiting in the shadows of the dark tree-lined KNUZ parking lot on Caroline Street near Downtown Houston. She told me on the phone several times that she might show up one morning. This caused me to began carrying my car keys in hand before leaving the building in case she actually showed up. When I thought I saw her there, acted like didn't see her, hurried to my car, got in, locked the doors, ZOOMED out of the parking lot! She never followed me home, as was done several times by a couple of girls in
She thought she had me stranded where I couldn't get away from her this time. She was the only one who had shown up, right then. Had to speak to her face-to-face and hand her the KNUZ LP she had won, Thinking quickly, I stayed inside the KNUZ Mobile Unit, handed her the LP through the half opened car window. Told her "Congradulations. Thanks for listening to KNUZ." She tried to grab my hand. Told her had to rush back to KNUZ to record some commercials. Revved off like BUCK ROGERS. Experience taught to plan ahead for times like this. You just never know what to expect. Especially a city the size of
A similar situation occurred in
Moved over to KENR to do weekend swing, which overlapped with Shell Oil. Eased into the massive seven building Shell Oil structure at Dairy Ashford and I-10 as a Geo-Tech and Draftsman. She found out about Shell, which was not very far from where she lived on Gessner. She hassled me on the phone in my office. A book should be written about all the many episodes she brought on. Maybe more about this girl, SHIRLEY, in another episode.
KNUZ shifted me to the noon-3 PM DJ spot on your Radio dial. Much better. Artfully maneuvering the KNUZ Mobile Unit all over
I met with LARRY VANCE, asked for a sizeable increase due to the phenomenal move up the ladder. LARRY stumbled, thought he was gonna have a heart attack. Found out that you simply never ask for more money at KNUZ. What you got was what you get. The owner came downstairs from his gold-studded office on high, made a long speech as to why I wouldn't get more bucks out of KNUZ. He thought it was an honor and a privilege to be on the air at such a tremendously historic Radio Station, such as KNUZ, which was still !in its original untouched building from the 50's. There were huge KNUZ letters splattered at an angle nearly covering the entire front of the edifice. It was an honor and a privilege to be a DJ at KNUZ, but that doesn't put beans on the table. When the meeting ended, I rushed to the Production Room, typed out a full page one month letter of resignation and took it to LARRY in his office.
Really should not have done that, but felt so defeated. Had not even thought of where I was going when the notice was up at KNUZ. Just got caught up in the moment. That was not a bright idea. When you're younger, sometimes rash decisions are made. We are supposed to grow from our mistakes. Living and learning are a part of life.
What eventually happened was I landed at KULF in the extraordinary penthouse high atop 2100 Travis in the Hospital District. KULF had the finest equipment and facilities I ever had the honor and privilege to use. Everything was layed out exactly as it should be. Just sitting in the tall DJ chair, looking about, gave you glimpses of splendor. The Control Room had tall windows that looked out onto the huge Medical Center Area at the edge of Downtown Houston. You could See For Miles and Miles.
This was a long, long way from that little 250 watt Daytimer, KTER, in
KTER was inside a very old bank building which should have been condemned. For a few months at KTER, I ended up on the air sign-on to sign-off every single day, Monday-Friday. KTER's old gray Console had to be the first one ever built. The Production Room didn't Produce. All spots read live. No News department. A couple of the commercials were played from E-T's while you were on the air. Not extraterrestials, but Electrical Transcriptions. No News department. We Ripped'n'Read. All the 45's and LP's were located in another room. You pulled what records were needed, lugged them into the tiny Control Room. Cued 'em up on noisy Rek-O-Kut turntables. Those Were The Days, My Friend. DUES PAYING AT ITS ULTIMATE. Maybe the decision to leave KNUZ at that particular time was not such a bad idea after all.
That's pretty much the way I REMEMBER it.
JIM ROSE
Thank You For Stopping By
Add This To Your Favorites
Be aware of the coming book
"JIM ROSE REMEMBERS...RADIO!"
No comments:
Post a Comment