Just a few days before the cataclysmic landfall of Hurricane Katrina, I was enjoying doing another “Whatever Weekend” show on FM 100. Its funny how fate works. I never thought to record this particular evening and never had a recording of it, yet it’s one of the best from all my years in radio.
Then owned by CBS (now Entercom), WMC-FM was HOT! Trying hard to maintain a decent lead over crosstown WMBZ (the Buzz), which was in it’s death throes, PD Lance Ballance pushed the music envelope right to the edge with these “Whatever Weekends” – CBS’ (Infinity) answer to the emerging “Jack” variety hits format. At the time of this recording, I was at the end of a 4 month run as the weeknight host while they looked for a replacement to the previous host who abruptly quit back in May. So, I was it.
Enough about me. This is the hottest FM 100 sounded in years, and the amount of energy expended on air is breathtaking. Listen for rock, disco, dance, callers asking where to party, and at the tail end of this 16 minute scope, my brother Mike, stuck in New Orleans desperately waiting for a flight out back to Massachusetts. He did get one, the LAST flight out of New Orleans International before Katrina arrived.
Many thanks to Patrick in Memphis for recording this. I never thought THIS show would find it’s way back to me and never recorded it – they say you’re pretty good if others record you, so THANKS PATRICK! I’m flattered beyond words!
Ah! Too bad radio doesn’t sound like that anymore.
Steve West on the Mighty FM 100 and the Whatever Weekend! That station was pretty much the only thing I liked about my miserable year in the Bluff City.
Steve, you cook! Why isn’t radio like this every where today?
Ha! Well, my show… and my tenure was probably an anomaly. Everywhere else both in Memphis and every other market is full of liners, long music sweeps with two talkovers and two stopsets… and for some odd reason Lance Ballance ignored or simply allowed me to play like a 70s guy on our Whatever Weekends. To my knowledge, I’m the only one that got away with that approach, perhaps cuzz I worked for peanuts haha. I even suggested he pull out the old Scott Shannon era CHR JAM FM 100 jingles for effect but that went over like a lead balloon. I guess they didn’t want to go THAT far.
Steve come back and save FM100 man it’s went way downhill since then 🙁 They play the same 5 songs over and over no “mix” at all unless you consider all the new tween music a mix. They don’t even play any 80’s music anymore! I love to come back to listen to these, I grew up listening to the station and its a legend! So sad to see it the way it is now 🙁
Incredible! Great personality, not restricted to stupid liners and 10 minute stop-sets…and not afraid to say the time on the air…phones…reminds me of great radio days, like Y-100 Miami…approach circa 74/75…too bad 3 companies ruined the business.
Are you kidding? I broke all the rules! But, I really had Tom Prestigiacomo to thank for that. It was his advice. Too bad things didn’t work out at that station. I loved it.
At 0:19, “I Just want to be your Everything” was almost thirty years old in August ’05. Also, the oldest Gibb brother is the only one living.
Steve, who produced that awesome top hour bed and what package was it off of? For what it’s worth that bed is on my top top hours list!