Contributor Allen Beebe (WNBC/KNFX/KODE/KGBC/KNOE/KMJC) sent this in on the occasion of the passing of legendary KHJ Los Angeles producer Bill Mouzis, who passed away on January 12, 2013 at the age of 90.
The L.A. Observed posted a wonderful obituary for Mouzis which you can read HERE.
Sometimes the road to Airchexx is long and twisted. The originator of this file was Sam Harrell, who sent it to Scott Seagraves (WCFL), who, in turn, sent it to our Contributor. Allen Beebe is a site friend who asked that it be shared here, on Airchexx.
This starts with a STEREO KHJ jingle, then a Beach Boys cover about BOSS RADIO IN L.A. KHJ called “The New KHJ. It featured all the KHJ jocks, and I believe, the Beach Boys themselves singing the actual song. Listen for Batman & Robin – was a great promotion, ‘Guess the Batphone secret number’.. This is apparently an hour of spliced together promos, interviews and now-historical pieces that KHJ aired in its first years as “Boss Radio”
Without going into more details and giving up the wonderful secrets that this piece has to share, I’ll just say, this is the BEST production piece I’ve ever heard, and it gives the listener more details about the storied beginnings of 93/KHJ’s Top 40 programming than mere words could ever do.
A MUST LISTEN for anyone interested in the evolution of AM Top 40 Radio!
Click HERE for more from Contributor Allen Beebe.
Click HERE for more from 93/KHJ Los Angeles.
Mouzis was a genius. Period. (Allen Beebe was/is a helluva newsman, too)
Gary Mack (Gary McDowell) worked here in Atlanta at WLTA-FM in the mid 70’s. He was a member of my dads fishing club and fished with my dad from time to time…
Karl Phillips
Great aircheck, but this is from 1968…not ’67.
I didn’t listen before my first comment about Bill Mouzis. Seeing Paul in PHX’s comment, I figured I’d better investigate.
This isn’t from 1967, or 1968.
This is the commemorative CD that was produced for and given to guests of the KHJ 25th Anniversary celebration in 1991. I don’t have time to listen to it again in its entirety at the moment, but the material is, with few, if any exceptions, from 1965-1968.
Thanks for the update.
Got an e mail from Gary Mack. He is alive and well in Florida.
Karl Phillips
Whatever happen to Bobby Ocean?
What happen to bobby ocean?!
Bobby Ocean lives in Marin County and does voiceover work and social media consulting. He’d been doing fill-in work at KOIT, San Francisco until about a year ago.
I agree with you, Steve. This is one of the best production pieces I’ve heard and it truly demonstrates the sound and presentation of Boss Radio beginning in 1965.
Many people have put the late Bill Drake down because his approach to top 40 radio did away with some things many jocks did before he arrived at KHJ.
What many don’t remember is that he hired the Real Don Steele and Robert W Morgan who could say more in six seconds than the typical voicetracked, liner reader could or would be allowed to do today.
Another thing that stands out when you listen to this aircheck are the creative contests that ran on Boss Radio. You wouldn’t see those things take place on the typical CHR station in America today and that’s sad.
Anyone can be the proper caller and win movie tickets but what’s creative about that and in the end who cares. That doesn’t make a station stand out and ultimately result in the audience talking about what they heard or won.
I didn’t agree with everything Bill Drake did at the various stations he programmed and consulted but as I got older, I grew to respect him.
This aircheck is a good example of why he should be appreciated for successfully turning KHJ, CKLW, WRKO and other stations into successful powerhouses.
Larry Stoler