 Many of you still long for the old KGO. The legacy radio station that defined the true art of "News-Talk". The SF broadcast iconic AM biggie that garnered record revenue and had 32 years of perennial #1 status, (1976-2008) in the Bay Area radio ratings.One of the old KGO all-stars, Jim Eason, will be a guest and do his first official radio interview this Wednesday on my KSCO/KOMY Radio Show, from 2-3 PM. I'm guessing in advance Eason, who never had a loss for words and always spoke his mind, no matter what, will have a lot to say. A. LOT. I hope you all listen but if you can't, a podcast will be up on my page to listen to the interview on demand. *Reminds me: Who was your favorite KGO host? I liked Eason. I didn't like much of his politics but I liked his show. Helluva interviewer. So was Owen Spann and Art Finley. The fearsome foursome: In the morning, Spann; afternoon, Eason. The Old Ronn Owens and Finley. Ray Taliaferro was a hoot. Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins was a one of a kind. Name your favorite host/hostess. *And follow me on Twitter |
Bill Wattenberg, of course, but then here's one that never gets mentioned: Chris Clark, the Slimey Limey. He was a leftie that never failed to make me scream at the radio but I liked listenign to him late at night.
ReplyDeleteI suspect those who favor Wattenberg were simply simpatico with his politics. I found him to be boaring, repetitious, and predictable.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites were Gene Burns, even though I disagreed with his opinions, and Ronn 1.0.
Going way back, I always enjoyed Jim Eason, even though he evolved into a right-of-center host.
And, Bernie Ward's God Talk was fun too, although it also shared the elements of predictablility with Wattenberg's program.
The only host that I would spend all 3hrs on was Mr Burns.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to Owen Spann and Art Finley??? They were cool!
ReplyDeleteOwen died a few years ago. Art Finley is alive and well living in Vancouver, B.C.
DeleteRay Taliaferry was a stupid idiot!!! I'm glad they got rid of him!!!
ReplyDeleteI also so much enjoyed God Talk. It was such a down to earth discussion on religion or any other related topic. The new God Talk, makes me feel like I am in college again, listening to a lecture. Should I be taking notes for the quiz or final exam?
ReplyDeleteAmen brother! I gave up on that bore of a host whose name I forget. He's so boring with his long drawn out lectures that I actually switched to the right wing snake charmer rabbi Daniel Lapin on KSFO.
DeleteAmen,GIRL!
DeleteAmen tranny!
DeleteI liked Gene Burns, Ronn Owens (way back when). Didn't always agree with either of them but it was often a thoughtful discussion.
ReplyDeleteBernie Ward before his "problems" started and Ray Taliaferro not because I agreed with them, but because they were entertaining. By far my favorite was Gene Burns, I especially liked Dining Around and the way he would describe the food and wine he had enjoyed the previous week. I never ever could understand why Ronn got the big bucks, but I guess one hour of listening to Karel made Ronn's salary worth it. When John Rothman would play audio excerpts from old political speeches of FDR and JFK in the middle of the night and then describe their significance I knew KGO was something truly unique. I guess all good things have to come to and end. Sigh
ReplyDeleteGene Burns for all 3 hours.
ReplyDeleteRonn Owens about 10 years earlier. Before he got this insane idea of "The Voice of Reason". Boy is that a lofty and pompous title.
His always trying to please everyone. Never offend the liberal establishment in SF.
Take on only weak individuals or easy targets.
Ronn before the failed KABC simulcast (pre 1995?).
ReplyDeleteBurns of course, Duane Garrett, the first few years of Bernie Ward and Shawn Nix.
Yes to Duane Garrett. Fun to listen to. Nobody did or understood politics better than he did.
DeleteObviously you have not heard Ronn lately, if you believe he is trying to please on side, I would say these days he leans more right than left. Although he is all for gay rights, gay marriage etc. however, he is not very simpatico to the Bart workers, whereas Monty is, one of the few times I have agreed with Monty, although he is still not a good talk show host. As for favorites, yes Gene absolutely all 3 hours, John Rothmann as well. Miss both a lot.
ReplyDeleteI think my brother listened to Owen Spann and Art Finley. I wish there were some old tapes to listen to ... any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI loved Burns and still love Dr. Bill. Owens is still OK if he has the right topic & guest. Savage is a one-of-a-kind.
Why not interview Finley sometime in the future?
Gene Burns was the best...Cumulus has laid waste to one of the Country's iconic stations...how sad.
ReplyDeleteI will never forget Jim Eason's first radio response when Bill Clinton was elected President:
ReplyDelete"Impeach Him! said Easton."
Exactly what we hear day-in-and-day-out from all the Crazy GOP.
Ask Easton what he thinks of President Obama?
Let me guess..."Impeach him".
I seem to remember we did Impeach Bill Mexico Clinton. We did not convict.
DeleteLoved Jazzbeaux and the Purple Grotto.
ReplyDeleteIra Blue in the 1960's was by far the all time best night time host.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ira Blue, and did a commercial for a restaurant at Fisherman's Wharf, do not recall the name.
DeleteGrison's Steakhouse
DeleteHands down favorite was John Rothmann. Every night at 10 pm I get annoyed all over again at the dunces in management who drove that station aground. I also miss Christine even though they were never clever enough to give her a regular gig. Gene Burns was a treasure.
ReplyDeleteNowadays? Meh. No KGO for me at all.
WOW! Surprised no one's noted my favorite: Pete Wilson. I was always entertained by his cynicism for the news media.
ReplyDeleteGregg Jordan and Monty Stickles on sports talk. Stickles was a tough guy and didn't take any crap. I remember he got into with former Giants manager Frank Robinson.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI liked most of them.Eason,Burns Taliaferro,Spann,the ,old owens,
and of course Jazzbeaoux.I still have a stinking badge. News,even traffic reports. What a great radio station that was
Ben Fong-Torres wrote an enlightening column about the KGO format change and its consequences. "What happened?" seems to be the KGO executive's puzzlement on the ratings decline. Read the whole thing in the July installment of his monthly "Radio-Waves" column in the SF Chronicle. Difficult to impossible to find on SF Gate, they appear to have not posted columns for a few months there during their now abandoned paywall attempt, but Mr Fong-Torres' July article an be found on the internet by a little Googling.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a link to this column? Sure would help.
DeleteWent searching for it and nothing showed up.
The best of KGO: Gene Burns, Ray T. and Bernie Ward.
ReplyDeleteGene and John Rothman was always my favorite, but liked Pete Wilson a lot, depending on his subject. Loved Ray when he talked jazz and music, since I'm a big jazz fan, and was lucky enough to be young in Copenhagen in the sixties when many American jazz musicians live and visited there, heard Dexter Gordon several times in my favorite club. Bernie was okay when you agree with him, but when you didn't he could be infuriating. You could say Ray was the opposite of Dr. Bill, but I think he was more of an entertained. I loved the all star debates, each host Bernie, Ronn, Gene, Pete and John could hold their own. Can't imagined Monty in an all star debate with Pat Thurston, Karel, Brian Copeland and Maureen Langdon, Monty and Maureen would be left in the dust. Karel is a good talker and quick so he can keep up, even though he might not be the sharpest.
DeleteNo on Wattenburg, not because he's not informative, but because of his bullying behavior. He talks over callers, cuts them off, makes all kinds of accusations as to the caller's ancestry, etc. He's a jerk, and nothing but a mouthpiece for the Republican talking points. Bernie's "God Talk" was a good, non-denominational discussion on religion. Rothmann is without peer. Ray was almost as bad as Wattenburg; the same bullying, the same talking over callers, the same cutting off, but of a different political focus. Now that I think of it, Ray was just Wattenburg reversed. Gene Burns-----nothing more need be said; he was TOPS. Pete Wilson, also tops. Sad that the KGO we used to know, is no more.
ReplyDeleteI grew up listening to Jim Eason and Russ Coughlan on weeknights and Ira Blue on the weekends.
ReplyDeleteBut Eason to me was the star, from the first flute notes of his intro-theme that led into his pragmatic political opinions (in the early days, anyway) and sharp wit. His was a personality you just don’t hear on radio anymore, especially KGO.
I look forward to Rich’s interview with him on Wednesday, although I’m crossing my fingers it doesn’t disintegrate into anti-Obama rants. It’s hard to see or hear childhood idols that lose their touch in old age.
I was only 10 but Bob Trebor late at nite . ..learned alot in those late 60's nite. Things my parents would not be pleased I heard about. What happen to Bob Trebor???????????????
ReplyDeleteIt was Owen Spann in the morning, Jim Eason in the afternoon, Ronn Owens in the evening, and Jazzbeaux late at night. I liked Ronn Owens in the 70's with his rock trivia and status/class/tacky games and restaurant reviewer friend Russ Riera. Jazzbeaux was great though he didn't really talk about anything in particular--he just let his callers ramble.
ReplyDeleteIra Blue in the '60's. Jim Eason in the '70's. Gene Burns 2000's. Best of show: John Rothmann!
ReplyDeleteAnybody else remember Carlo Prescott? The sometimes rambling, kind of angry young Saturday evening host circa 1974-75? I thought he was kind of cool and occasionally funny and sometimes almost got into a stream of consciousness kind of mode. Vet Larry Doyle was the newscaster on his shift.
ReplyDeleteI loved KGO when the morning started with Dunbar and Wygant, then Owen Spann till noon, then the lunch time news(can not recall the newsteam) then Eason, then the 4-7 team, then Russ Coughlin, might have the schedules mixed up...somewhere in there was Ira Blue, Zazzbo Collins. Also for some reason I recall a "fix it man" Korean I think who was on Owen Spann's show, also recall the first time I heard Ronn Owens voice, when Eason called him when Owens was still in Atlanta
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember when a pre-insane Michael Savage was a fill in host for Eason?
ReplyDeleteAND, Dr. Michael Savage is the only one who became a national talk show host, and number three in the airwave ratings.
ReplyDeleteNumber one in Internet streaming ratings
Dr. Michael Savage is the only one who went national, number three in the air wave ratings.
ReplyDeleteAnd number one in the Internet streaming ratings.
Somebody ban Jim Dunbar from the list? Always enjoyed it when he lost it once in awhile on some old trout.
ReplyDelete