WABC Does the Time Warp Again

This morning, starting at 6:00 a.m. WABC radio (770 AM) is tossing out its right-leaning talk format for WABC Rewound - twelve hours in favor of how it sounded in its music radio top 40 glory days of the 1960s and 1970s for the eighth straight year. We always loved the retro sound, even though we weren’t around to hear it when it was new, so we definitely will enjoy hearing how radio sounded back when mono AM radio was king – complete with jingles, news, and commercials.

You may be familiar with the music and some of the disc jockeys, like Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow, if you have listened to WCBS-FM before it got hijacked by corporate bean counters and shifted from its oldies format to its programmed in Texas with all of its sister stations Jack-FM format two years ago.

The schedule ranges from portions of programs from 1968 to 1981:
6 a.m. - Ross & Wilson, Ron Lundy, Johnny Donovan from 1981
7 a.m. - Top 100 of 1967 Part 1 – Bruce Morrow and Chuck Leonard
8 a.m. - Harry Harrison from 1976
9 a.m. - Dan Ingram from 1966 and 1978
10 a.m - Roby Young from 1968
11 a.m. - George Michael from 1974 Part 1
12 p.m.. - Top 100 of 1967 Part 2 - Chuck Leonard andCharlie Greer
1 p.m.. - George Michael from 1974 Part 2
2 p.m.. - Dan Ingram from 1973
3 p.m.. - Dan Ingram from 1975 Part 1
4 p.m.. - Dan Ingram from 1975 Part 2
5 p.m. - Bruce Morrow/Chuck Leonard from 1974
6 p.m. - Rewound Talk Show hosted by Mark Simone

WABC Music Logo Interestingly, the many of the tapes do not come from the station’s own archives. Instead most of the vintage tapes come from hobbyist aircheck collectors who have a thriving trading community that trades recordings from stations throughout North America and the world. So what is offered is a bit random, since it is just what someone happened to tape and was in good enough condition to broadcast.

WABC Production Director, and former disc jockey at the station, Johnny Donovan is the producer behind all the efforts and Allan Sniffen who has an extensive website about the station’s Musicradio 77 days, complete with vintage ads, documents, photos, and jingles contributes the online portion with a message board about the annual show and the old station.

1970s vintage "Music" sticker, from WABC-AM website

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Toby von Meistersinger in Arts and Events, Miscellaneous on May 28, 2007 11:35 AM

Comments [rss]

Brightliner

Ah, the ever-irritated (and some would say ever-irritating) hr.

First of all, videogames aren't as exciting as you think. The Internet is only as useful as the sites you visit. Judging from your language, you don't do much more than visit Gothamist, WWE and MySpace. And excitement is overrated. That's the problem with today's teens and twentysomethings. Many of them have no idea how to kick back and relax. Sure, there's something to be said about excitement. But it's not the alpha and omega of life.

Tim N.

If I had xbox and the internet when I was listening to WABC and WNNNNNNNNNNNNNBC, my mind would have turned to goo, like most of the 15 year olds I know today.

Then again, my parents thought my mind was turning to goo because I was listening to Dan Ingram and George Michael, so whatever.

'Course, we were a tad more polite.

hr

"Oh, for the summers spent listening to WABC at 770 but occasionally hopping over to WNBC at 660 when the music got boring. "

what an f'ing crock. If you had xbox, the internet, and more exciting shit to do, you'd be doing it and not jerking off in front of an AM radio. god damn elderly.

Brightliner

We always loved the retro sound, even though we weren’t around to hear it when it was new, so we definitely will enjoy hearing how radio sounded back when mono AM radio was king – complete with jingles, news, and commercials.

Whippersnappers. Between this and the story a couple of days ago about little girls reading Us, People and whatnot, I feel sorry for today's kids. They're missing out on the wonders of young innocence. Oh, for the summers spent listening to WABC at 770 but occasionally hopping over to WNBC at 660 when the music got boring. And while DJs talking over the beginnings and ends of songs was annoying at times, it gave a feeling of liveliness, immediacy, involvement and cohesiveness missing from today's homogenized, disconnected, centralized music.

Eric K/Sonic Parthenon

What I wouldn't give for them to make this their 24/7/365 format and be rid of Limbaugh and Hannity forever (I am sure there are some nice spots along side Savage at 710AM for them).

drewo

Thanks for the hit-radio WABC retro link. I remember those days well - before genre-based niche marketing ruined commercial radio.

Now I'd love to hear similar rebroadcasts from WNEW-FM circa the early 1970's - the golden age of FM-rock radio.