Update: Re-issued on March 16, 2015. Dan Taylor (mentioned here) can be heard today on 101.1 WCBS-FM New York, middays right after Scott Shannon in the morning.
Perhaps one of the most popular features of WNBC during its final years on the air was the Time Machine. Overnights & Weekends were definitely a special time, as WNBC recreated the sound of its 60s and 70s crosstown rival, WABC. In your humble webmaster’s opinion, WNBC actually did a better job with the old format than WABC did originally, if that’s even possible.
While an assortment of big named jocks like Dan Taylor were often a feature of the Time Machine, Big Jay Sorensen (who became legendary from this program!) is heard on this 11 minute scope of pure heaven. Included: a full newscast and a great Record Pig feature!
From the Aircheck Trader’s Board at our sister site, RadioInsight.com
This is the way oldies radio SHOULD HAVE gone. The excitement of 1960’s top 40 radio was back at 66 wN…bc with The Time Machine.
The music was not chosen by consultants, ad lib lines were given, contests were played and excitement was there.
Jingles were plentiful. Commercial breaks never lasted six minutes. More like 2-3 minutes.
I listened most mornings while getting ready for work. I looked forward to starting my day with The Time Machine.
Steven Green
(Two time Record Pig winner…oink)
Thanks Steven for the kind words. I think that someone should have gone this route with Oldies presentation. XM’s 60’s channel comes close. Sirius (where I was for the first 3 years of 60’s Vibrations) didn’t…and I think it SHOULD have. I know that most Oldies programmers say that we live NOW and there should be a NOW kind of presentation. That’s fine, but perhaps SOME enterprising PD and GM would find it very interesting to do what we did (like XM is). Some stations have nothing to lose by trying it. I think that some AM station (or even a low rated FM) would be a perfect place to do it. But it MUST be done right. Listen to airchecks of Dan Taylor, Dale Parsons and me on WNBC. WE did it the right way. The music was really almost what we might call classic hits today. It rocked..but we played Motown and Soul too. Not too many ballads at all…ad the ‘verb and the jingles, and you got it. I haven’t heard this aircheck in years. It’s a hint of what I was doing every night on 66 WNBC in ’87-’88.
Thanks to all who remember what I did there.
BE BIG!
Jay, this is Gary Kerns from Fairmont, West Virginia. I absolutely DUG it when you’d put me on the air, and you’d joke about my being a hillbilly. I also called you in 2005 and ’06 when you worked at WJRZ. Another thing that made me feel groovy was when you told me that New Yorkers got a kick out of my accent. Wouldn’t trade those days for being president. I still live in WV. Not to go into a big litany of my problems, but things haven’t been going to well for men for the last almost eight years. In February of ’07, my dad suffered a horrible stroke: he lingered for almost four years. My brother died after a 20-year battle with multiple sclerosis about six weeks after dad had the stroke, and I was hospitalized last November with pneumonia, which I’m almost sure was brought on by smoking, which I hope to quit someday soon. One other thing. About thirty years ago, I heard someone say that north of the Mason-Dixon line, everybody says “youse”, while south of it everybody says “y’all”. Well, I’m going to go now, and if you’d like to contact me, my e-mail is kernsie23@yahoo.com. Best of luck, “y’all”.
Jay, this is Gary Kerns from Fairmont , West Virginia, and I DUG it when you’d put me on the air and joke about my being a “hillbilly”. I still miss WNBC.
Oh..and thanks to Matt for putting this up on his site. Very cool. Nice meeting you back in ’04 for the WNBC/WYNY Reunion.
BE BIG!
Jay
Big Jay,
I loved listeing to you, Dan Taylor, & Bob James on the Time Machine back in 1987 & 1988. I was living then in Cherry Hill NJ, and WNBC came in very well. I truely miss radio like Thr Time Machine presented, as said before, “excitement”. I grew up listening to “Famous 56” WFIL. THe Time Machine, and especially you, captured all of that. I haven’t heard a station come close since then. I do like what WABC is currently doing 6 – 10 pm on Saturday nights with Mark Simone, but it doesn’t compare to WNBC’s Time Machine.
Where are you now? I’d love to catch your show, whether it’s on line or on the air. I still live in South Jersey and would love to listen to you again.
By the way, was the answer to the Record Pig question Gordon Mcelendon? I’d love to know.
Please e mail me.
I am the moderator of the yahoo group “AMTOP40RADIO”. Steve Green is a member (what’s up Steve), and would love you to join in.
Sincerely,
Bill L
Sicklerville NJ
P.S. : I still bow when I hear “piggies” from the white album, because it will always remind me of “The King of Record Pigs” lol
Jay is an institution on radio. Always great to hear his voice and the music he plays. Hope he continues in radio until I, and he, get too old.
One other thing, my favorite “Time Machine” jingle was “WNBC Scores Again!” when Big Jay would give sports reports.
big jay is on new yorks oldies station 101 wcbs fm weekends jim
Great “Blast from the past”….. from the past ! Sounded good Jay.
RE: Sound affects/jingles. I loved when Jay combined a speeding auto with screeching tires to an explosion. That was so cool and I loved it every time I ever heard it. The car was part of a jingle.