[145] WMMS itself also airs The Rover Rewind, a weekly recap show on Saturday mornings. [38][39] Considered "a true radio legend," WMMS DJ Kid Leo was chosen for Rolling Stone's "Heavy Hundred: The High and Mighty of the Music Industry" (1980) and named "The Best Disc Jockey in the Country" in a special 1987 issue of Playboy. He would read some commercial copy and then "throw them in the bash bucket where they belong" and openly criticize music he didn't care for. WMMS will celebrate its birthday Sunday at Blossom Music Center with a special anniversary concert featuring Ozzy Osbourne. (Additional reporting by cleveland.com staff. Born in Belgium, but raised in Cleveland and Maple Heights, Matt the Cat Lapczynski was a radio fan from an early age. But after a few years, he wanted to concentrate on being a DJ, so he reached out to an old friend, John Gorman, to come Cleveland as the station's music director. [124], Following Jacor's takeover, WMMS ran a "Death of the Buzzard" month-long stunt in October 1998. Cox's intelligence, humor, and willingness to do a variety of on-air stunts for the show led to his hiring as a producer. [120] Geared as a format change to contemporary hit radio (CHR) using the "KISS FM" brand,[30][126] the decision was reversed at the last minute by management. [119] Neumann defended the decision later as the right thing to have done, noting how alternative rock would eventually fade as a format several years later. Mike had been heard on a number of Cleveland radio stations over the years, putting in 40 years ol the air. As a kid he was part of a sophisticated bootleg radio station in his neighborhooduntil the FCC shut it down. Matt remains one of the most popular air personalities from WMMS fifty year history. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WMMS broadcasts over two HD Radio channels and is available online via iHeartRadio. wmms radio personalities successful heritage brands The WMMS Mushroom Logo can be seen a few times throughout the movie - During a backstage scene at the Music Hall right before Stillwater takes the stage and when groupie Penny Lane played by Kate Hudson is dancing alone in the empty venue - you can see a banner with the Mushroom Logo and the slogan Where The Music Means Something. Date Unknown, William Lionel Freeman, better known by the name of his long time overnight show, "The BLF Bash" began his radio career in Fargo and later landed on the east coast in Boston. [98][106] The sale came almost immediately after passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a time when radio companies nationwide rushed "at a fever pitch" to acquire new properties. The top 40 deejays were retained, but it was soon obvious that they were inadequate hosts for a progressive rock format. WMMS - Home | Facebook (Plain Dealer file photo), Matt Lapczinski, better known as "Matt The Cat," started at WMMS-FM/100.7 in 1974, fresh out of Cleveland State University. Of special note was the early support of Bruce Springsteen by Kid Leo and others, prior to the release of the Born to Run album. The phallic like logo depicted a large mushroom with a little elf hanging out smoking a joint. In addition to Boom's deep pipes being used every hour in the Top of the hour ID's, station sweepers and commercials, he held two on-air shifts on the weekends which he coined the Boom 'till noon. He's a history buff and writer, too. He offered "Solid Goldbergers" and ordered us to "EN-joy". In 1986, Gorman and 12 other staff members left WMMS to start classic-rock station WNCX-FM/98.5. Host of "Rover's Morning Glory", a syndicated morning talk show that started at WXTM-FM/92.3 in 2003. wmms radio personalities - vccsrbija.rs Alan Cox (radio personality) - Wikipedia (Scott is far right in the photo above, in the WMMS studio with Ed Kinzbach, Ed "Flash" Ferenc and Kenny Clean.) Rumor has it that WMMS had ballots printed so the public could fill them out at various events. (Lapczinski is at far right in this photo along with his Buzzword crewmates in the WMMS studios) (Plain Dealer file photo), Kid Leo, whose real name is Lawrence James Travagilante, ruled the Buzzard roost at WMMS for 16 years from 1973-1988. Get Started Channel Hosts In Your Vehicle Streaming HOWARD STERN Howard 100 Hoda Kotb Today Show Radio Peter Mansbridge Canada Talks Sandra Bernhard Radio Andy Erin Burnett CNN Billy Idol 1st Wave Mad Dog Russo Mad Dog Sports Radio Danny Czekalinski and Darla Jaye teamed up in October 1997 with Liz Wilde holdover Cory Lingus (Cory Gallant) until August 1998. BLF also praised musicians and was a great fan of the Texas Tornadoes and Blue Cheer. [72] Rather, WMMS adopted a buzzard as its mascot in April 1974 because of the then tenuous economic state of Cleveland less than five years away from becoming the first major American city to enter into default since the Great Depression[73] and the winged-creature's classification as a scavenger. [141] Maxwell was known for having feuds with other radio personalities during the show's time at WMMS, including Rover of Rover's Morning Glory and fellow WTAM afternoon host Mike Trivisonno; by 2009, Maxwell had become the number one afternoon program in several key demographics. Some of those artists were Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Pat Benatar, Roxy Music, Cyndi Lauper, The Pretenders, New York Dolls, and Southside Johnny. He soon left radio and became an artist manager, working with the likes of Joe Walsh, Michael Stanley, Ian Hunter, Harry Nilsson, Yusuf (Cat) Stevens, Eric Carmen and others. Win tickets to The Sonic Temple Art and Music Festival, 'People Magazine' Hits Newsstands On This Date in 1974, We're Celebrating Women Who Make Music & Culture. Among his books: "Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's FM Air Wars." Stern's ratings exploded and this along with a growing urgency from management not to compete with or mention Stern on the air led to a sudden and steep ratings decline for The Buzzard Morning Zoo. He now lives in Texas and works at an addiction recovery center, but he still does the Mr. Leonard character on former WMMS DJ Jeff Kinzbach's morning show on Akron's WONE-FM/97.5. Radio Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mark Madden, and The Woody Show. Live at the Agora Ballroom on August 10, 1983. This feature ran at the exact moment of the KSU shootings twenty years later. The broadcast consists entirely of talk, a mix of current events, pop culture, and stories from the staff. The team did later relocate to Cleveland, but lasted only a few months until an acrimonious breakup between Wolf and Mulrooney. (Plain Dealer file photo), Maria Farina landed at WMMS in 1986 fresh out of Ohio University and quickly gained popularity. He finds himself traveling to LA to kill someone but ends up becoming a part of the theater scene. When WMMS program director John Gorman found out Rio was not under contract in Houston, he offered Rio a job, and the comedian eventually moved to Cleveland. (Plain Dealer file photo), A DJ and music director at WMMS-FM/100.7 from 1974-78. Soon after, the station revered back to the Progressive Rock format to battle WNCR of Nationwide Communications, itself filling the void created by the brief absence of WMMS on the album rock scene. Today, she is a regular DJ on oWOW Radio on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. Springsteen's music had become an important cornerstone of the Buzzard playlist and his profile had risen nationally, thanks to the release of the Born to Run album, with the title track quickly becoming an 'MMS staple that would endure for decades. She was on-air from 1993-1997, and had a popular 7-midnight show. Belkin Productions staged these events, attracting popular hard rock bands and as many as 88,000 fans. The top 40 format also failed to make any major ratings impact. That will never be done again. Buzzard Morning Zoo video featuring Mr. Leonard. The Buzzard became synonymous with WMMS, Cleveland radio and the city itself, spawning a series of T-shirts so numerous that they are now impossible to catalog, many with slogans like "Where Music Means Something" and "Ruler of the Airwaves.". [129][130] Radio & Records twice named WMMS "Rock Station of the Year: Markets 1-25" (200506) as part of the now defunct publication's annual Industry Achievement Awards. Joining the Chicago native are Cleveland area comedians Bill Squire and Mary Santora, and former intern-turned-phone-screener Cody (Poundcake) Brown. For STP vocalist Scott Weiland, who spent time as a kid living in Bainbridge Township and attending grade school in Chagrin Falls, the concert was a homecoming experience and he referenced his time growing up in Northeast Ohio during his conversations with the crowd that evening. Buzzard-Palooza was the first of these: held in July 1994 at the Nautica Stage, the all-day concert included sets from Collective Soul, Junkhouse and Fury in the Slaughterhouse,[111] but was cut short after turning into a "rock-and-bottle-throwing melee." The Alan Cox Show is a daily talk show on 100.7 WMMS in Cleveland hosted by Alan Cox with co-hosts Bill Squire, Mary . [33] Regarding the change, WMMS program director Bo Matthews (Alex Gutierrez) said, " nobody's killing anything Chief Wahoo is not on every piece of Indians promotional material Ronald McDonald is not in every McDonald's commercial We're not losing the letters. wmms radio personalities. She has written several books, including "Boston Radio: 1920-2010." Following the prank announcement, station management placed Maxwell on probation for 90 days. It was supposed to be a colorful logo including all the rainbow colors - but at the time, the station didn't have the budget to do multiple colors so they kept it one color. what are the non legislative powers of congress. Saul kicked off the weekend every Friday at 6:00pm with his Get Down rants helping Clevelanders get ready for the weekend. Denny Sanders Denny Sanders 1972 - 1986 Denny Sanders came to WMMS in 1971 from Boston where he'd been working as a DJ from the time he was just 16 years old. After two years, Cox left The Loop to begin his own radio show. People in radio say he was not an easy guy, that dealing with him was like a daily root canal. He stayed at WMMS until 1992, moving then to WNCX-FM/98.5 and WDOK-FM/102.1. "[27][36] WMMS played a key role in breaking several major acts in the U.S., including David Bowie, Rush, and Bruce Springsteen. For the Bath, Maine, radio station which identified as WMMS from 1957 to 1964, see, "This radio station is known for breaking the rules, changing the game, and being successful. Signing on in 1946 as the FM adjunct to WHK, the WMMS call letters were affixed in 1968 under Metromedia ownership, having stood for "MetroMedia Stereo" and meant as a compliment to the newly established progressive rock format, but have since taken on a variety of other meanings. He briefly transformed WNWV-FM/107.3 into the adult album alternative station V 107.3. She now lives in Santa Monica, Calif. (Stile is pictured here, sitting next to Bruce Springsteen during his 1976 visit to the WMMS studios. (Plain Dealer file photo), First woman on radio in Cleveland as a morning-drive time DJ at WNCR-FM/99.5 and WMMS-FM/100.7. wmms radio personalities An Oral History of WMMS, Cleveland's Legendary Radio Station Syndicated radio show Rover's Morning Glory blends biting commentary, ridiculous antics and discussions that would get most people fired. As WMMS celebrates the anniversary, both on-air and online, using archival audio, memorabilia and station-related artifacts to offer a cross-section of the station's diverse history and the. In July 1973, John Gorman joined WMMS as music director and was promoted to program director and operations manager two months later where he remained for thirteen years. WMMS-HD2, which relays its signal over low-power FM translator W256BT (99.1 FM), is the Cleveland affiliate for iHeart's all-news oriented Black Information Network. Seth's Big Fat Barbarian Wedding - August 19th, 2005 at Shooters on the Water. [122] Closing in May 1999, Clear Channel was renamed iHeartMedia in 2014. See Tenille Arts' Bedazzled Guitar Oct 07, 2020. Needless to say, for health reasons, this contest changed the way promotions were done going forward at WMMS. One day a co-worker overheard him ranting in the halls of the radio station and got the idea to feature him on the air with a salute to the weekend. Candlebox headlined the 2 stage show at Blossom Music Center on May 18, 1996. She worked in radio in Los Angeles from 1973-76 at KLOS and KMET. Kid Leo - Wikipedia Jeff and Flash were accompanied by a list of other talent over the years which made up the Buzzard Morning Zoo. On August 9, 1978, there was no hotter ticket in Cleveland. WMMS was the first radio station to employ full-time promotion and marketing directors: Dan Garfinkel and his successor, Jim Marchyshyn. Ross Brittain temporarily filled in prior to the arrival of The Brian and Joe Radio Show on the Buzzard Morning Zoo, hosted by Brian Fowler and Joe Cronauer. [47][93] Stern continued on with the program over a phone line as engineers worked to quickly patch together the severed broadcast wire. The music structure also was modified at this time as artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince soon found airplay on WMMS. He briefly worked mid-days at the end of his career, but soon retired. In honor of the station's milestone birthday, we've compiled a list of some of the Buzzard's most memorable DJs and behind-scenes personalities, spanning the full 50-year history of the station. [56], MetroMedia found major success with progressive rock at KMET Los Angeles, KSAN San Francisco, WMMR Philadelphia and WNEW-FM New York, but a lack of commitment from MetroMedia led the company to drop the format at WMMS by May 1969. There's proof! Based on considerably high record sales in the Cleveland market, Bowie (in his Ziggy Stardust persona alongside The Spiders from Mars) kicked off his first U.S. tour in "The Rock Capital" (a term coined by Bass). The show is known for its outrageous stunts and banter. The change was done for many reasons: as a nod to the sudden influence Z100's format had on the Malrite group; Gorman and Sanders intention to stay with the current music trends as the album-oriented rock (AOR) format was, even then, in a state of decline; and as a means to attract a female audience. On October 26, 2010, Rover hired a witch doctor to curse LeBron James after the NBA star left the Cleveland Cavaliers. Students were protesting the bombing of Cambodia by the United States Armed Forces. [85] Four different program directors, including Rich Piombino and Michael Luczak, came and went with varying levels of success. In the '90s, it re-focused on alternative rock programming, and in later years, moved into an active rock program with popular talk programs like "Rover's Morning Glory. (Photo by Gus Chain, The Plain Dealer), The affable Spero was born into rock 'n' roll. [146] Rover is under contract with WMMS through 2022. About: WMMS - DBpedia Korvan now lives in South Dakota. ukrainian military patches; silicone sealant disadvantages; wmms radio personalities; June 22, 2022 . In 2009, she left KSL to become the spokesperson for the FBI Salt Lake City Division. During the 20th anniversary broadcast, Mike Olszewski, along with Jeff & Flash, spoke with Wally Bryson of the Raspberries and one of the National Guardsmen. [134] Following Merluzzo's departure, senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia's North Ohio region Keith Abrams was named as program director on December 4, 2017. [136], From the 1994 exit of Jeff Kinzbach and Ed Ferenc until the arrival of Rover's Morning Glory in 2008, WMMS gained notoriety for airing 13 distinct shows in morning drive. WHK later became WMMS (Plain Dealer file photo), From 1971-1986, Sanders was the nighttime DJ at WMMS-FM/100.7, part of the original Buzzard crew that made the station a national rock 'n' roll legend. [147], Described by The Plain Dealer as "testosterone-fueled", the show dominates younger demographics, particularly male listeners ages 1834. WMMS during this period would play a key role in breaking several major acts in the U.S., including: Rush, Roxy Music, Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Fleetwood Mac, Meat Loaf, The Pretenders, the New York Dolls, Lou Reed, Mott the Hoople, Boston, and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Thats how big MMS was. Since leaving Cleveland in the 1990s, she has worked in radio in various big-city markets, including Philadelphia and Phoenix. About Stacy | 105.9 The X The Buzzard made its first appearance in a print ad in a magazine called Zeppelin. Weiland and STP were touring in support of No. In other words, the carrion-eating bird represented "death and dying" a darkly comic reflection of the city's decline. The band clearly enjoyed performing on Nautica's stage, right next to the waterfront, with Weiland stopping at one point to point out the large boats that were passing by. Gorman credits his decision to leave to changes in management, and the station's overall shift to a more "corporate" mentality.