Final Word before moving on..
All this stuff aside, raise your glasses and give a major shout-out to the actual backbone of the station: the hundreds of people (on the air and off) who worked there over the years.
WBCN was more than just a place to work. All the people who worked there were family. Depending on when you started listening, you may know their names- some of the behind-the-scenes folk you may never know, but most importantly, without them, there wouldn't be much to talk about, really. Not trying to sound sappy, but that is the reality.
Comments
Dear Chuck,
First it was Larry Glick, then, shortly thereafter in 1960-something, I knew that either I would totally waste my life or procure a "career" in radio.
Fondly, I chose the latter and, somehow still ended up wasting my life; BUT, not on deaf ears.
Upon merely a brief scan of my aforementioned website, would surely optimize even the most jaded and cynical (true) radio aficionado; as we are now (sadly) relegated/forced into the last vestiges of corporate, pretend radio.
I could point the finger and recite the short litany of suits; whom either mostly from greed or ignorance, basically ruined one of the last bastions of radio creativity (as a pure art-form) and have collectively (as "they" count their bastardized billions) abandoned any given "loyal phandom;" consciously "forgetting" that the AIRWAVES BELONG TO US!
P.S.: Give my best regards to Duane (Dwayne) I.G.!
Posted by: Jason Wright | July 15, 2009 9:19 PM
Hey Charles
Thanks for the Memories all the way down the road. What a long strange trip it was, but we all turned out OK.
Cousin Bruce
Posted by: Bruce Pierce | July 16, 2009 2:26 AM
I still have a "family radio" bumpersticker from 68-70 era.
Posted by: mono | July 16, 2009 2:31 AM
I think it is "WAY" too early to move on yet. I have been listening to this station for 32 years! It has only begun to sink in. I did not go to work the day of your final show. Do these corporate idiots know what they are giving up? BCN is an institution, a brand, a way of life. What about the thousands of fans with withdrawal. Julie Kahn already proclaimed victory. F@#k WAAF. I will never listen. I am so upset with CBS I won't even watch their morning news anymore.
Posted by: Tom | July 16, 2009 3:31 AM
CHUCKALUCKADUKKA!!!!!
Yeah, it will be missed.
Posted by: PBen | July 16, 2009 4:58 AM
If you all dont mind, i would like to link you to a column. i call it bcn's eulogy:
http://tinyurl.com/lw9vvd
Posted by: john | July 16, 2009 5:47 AM
Charles,
I am so glad to find your blog.
I listened to your BCN show in the late 80's as a delivery driver in Boston, and you personally inspired me to quit my job, go to the CT School of Broadcasting, become a (rather awful) DJ and cable reporter, and go on to get a BA in Communications.
I moved on to other things I was actually good at, but that fun experience really drove home for me how incredibly rare and talented the entire WBCN staff were.
Thanks for everything!
Chris
Posted by: Chris Schoenfeld | July 16, 2009 5:48 AM
Ah, Charles, I already moved on from 'BCN, same time that you left there! But even the corporate greed-heads can't take away the memories! (We've got age and herbs to take care of that!!)
Posted by: Miss Kitty | July 16, 2009 6:17 AM
Nomination for final song: The Who - "Long Live Rock"
Posted by: mono | July 16, 2009 2:17 PM
Could it be that this is just a nightmare? Might we all wake up to the Big Mattress Monday morning? Say it ain't so!!!
Posted by: Bob | July 17, 2009 3:01 AM
Hi Chuck,
Your comment about the people that made 'BCN the station it was could not be more correct. What a long and impressive list. For this kid from East Boston, being a part of it was a dream come true.
Radio stations die all the time. It has happened to a few stations I've worked at in my career. It's very sad and emotional. Employees, alumni and listeners grieve, then time does it's thing and the memories slowly fade. But the news of WBCN leaving the airwaves of Boston feels different. It really hasn't been the same station that provided the soundtrack to my youth for years. I did my last show there over 25 years ago. There should be no surprise in its demise. But I can not describe the feeling of loss. The people, the music and the history do not add up to what WBCN was for me. In this case - words do not work. A true end of an era.
Your pal,
Dave
Posted by: Dave Wohlman | July 17, 2009 7:10 AM
My dad (Gene) worked there as an announcer when it was classical, at the Stuart Street studio up until the day it turned 'Rock' in 1968 - BCN stands for "Boston Concert Network"
Posted by: Dave Vaillancourt | July 17, 2009 8:07 AM
Dear Chuckkkk,
On my radio show, in tribute to WBCN, I played some Duane clips that I had from mothers day in the mid 80s. I hope you don't mind but I figured that people needed to hear.
BTW remember those nights hosting movies on TV38? Where you on before or after Lenny Clark?
Posted by: Chris | July 17, 2009 9:06 AM
The only thing that clip was missing was the gunshot and thumping-on-the-ground SFX at the end.
Posted by: Sauce | July 17, 2009 10:11 AM
...there are hundreds of us who never would've been able to live our dream of a career in radio without Charles... "you have to know the difference between good and great" is how he inspired us while kicking our asses to get there... some of us probably didn't belong there... but we hung on through old school guile and the will to attain greatness... once in a while, anyway...
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts...
thanks for letting us share your stage Charles...
...from someone who was there many years...
Posted by: aluckybahstid | July 17, 2009 7:26 PM
Chuck,
The first song I heard on Boston radio, "The Walls Came Down" by the Call came courtesy of 'BCN. The Big Mattress, Carter Alan's excellent nighttime show, Tank, Boston Sunday Review, Jordan's Furniture spots were all part of my college years in Boston. A big thank you to you and everyone at 'BCN.
Posted by: Tim | July 17, 2009 8:29 PM
the station died years ago people
Posted by: robbrimom | July 19, 2009 2:44 AM
Chuck, thanks so much for the infor. I’ll update the list accordingly
Posted by: mattress review | July 26, 2009 8:36 AM