Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Please join me in welcoming Stan Castles to the newest forum topic, Radio Waves. He has kindly agreed to talk all things radio.

That's fantastic Peter. I am looking forward to reading some of your stories and anecdotes Stan. I suspect they will lead to a lively question and answer session each time.

Good one, Stan! Glad to hear it.

For all those who venture into this topic and welcome me aboard. First, it's a dark ride (har) and second, thanks.

Candidly, when Peter asked me about doing this I was a bit reticent. My feelings about the business I spent 36 years in until 2005, had its days of excitement, followed by an agonizing decline.
I recall when someone once asked me, " When did you first get into radio?" My reply, which dated me, " Well, the Beatles were still together."
Those days from the late '60's through most of the '70's were some of the more innovative. It was the beginning of FM's rise, the advent of AOR (album oriented rock, the first of many different terms for the format) and a huge influx of new artists. Many of whom I had the chance to meet and spend time with. From up and comers to some of the more established rock acts.

The majority of my career was spent on air before stepping into management. I've covered every facet of the media from programming to sales. Most of my on air career in radio was anecdotal, with a bare minimum of serious efforts.
I equate radio personalities to circus carnies. Somebody had to do it.

I suppose this forum is open to anything radio, past, present and future. From Sirius/XM to whatever happened to all those great radio stations you might remember, and why did it happen? Radio and music also, why some artists got greater exposure than more deserving artists.

Periodically I'll post some of the anecdotal stories, from ' finding dates' for a raw, unknown trio, ZZ Top, how I nearly ruined a Procol Harum concert, an experience with the Who and others. I may even include the time I was arrested for a radio prank.
Humor me on those occasions.

Congrats, Stan! Looking forward to some interesting goodies here......... especially the bit about the Procul Harum concert!!

Congrats Stan...this will be fun

ozover50 wrote:Congrats, Stan! Looking forward to some interesting goodies here......... especially the bit about the Procul Harum concert!!

The Procol Harum story I told once before on the fourm. I didn't ruin the show. I just started it off on the wrong foot.

The radio station I worked for at the time had the 'present's on the Procol Harum show in '72. I was the MC.

The problem started with darkness. Gary Brooker had told me to get off stage immediately after the introduction. Brooker was a nice enough guy, but I think he believed all Americans were 'planks'. I was out to prove him right.
I thought, no problem with the lights, until I realized one can't see in the dark. I do the introduction, the dimmed house lights go out, the curtain rises and I panic in the dark. Instead of logically exiting to one side or the other of the stage, I walk, hard, into Brooker's baby grand piano. You know how much noise a baby grand makes when it is banged into? (The clapping and cheering somewhat dulled the unwanted effect). I wasn't finished, however. I stumbled backwards, fell to the stage, the stage lights come up and I'm lying on the floor at the start of Conquistador.
I eventually crawled my way off, sadly.

As I said there are other anecdotal stories I'll pass along about the Who, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, It's A Beautiful Day, Jethro Tull, Albert Lee, Steve Earle, CSN&Y and others I've likely misplaced in my mind. All because of the radio biz.

Nice one Stan.

Great story Stan, and glad to see you here on what I feel is a very important part of musical history. We all got our introduction to the popular music we love on the radio, and it will be great to see how radio grew with the music. It will also be interesting to see how both industries declined in more recent years, even though it will be a bummer. I think I speak for everybody when I say what a shame it is that the stations we've loved so much are no longer with us, as well as a lot of the music. Looking forward to your insight Stan!

Great news, DJ Stan!

Congrats Stan! This should be a fun and interesting addition to the forum.

Hey, neat! I was general manager of my college station. Fun times!


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As I was off forum for most of April and May I missed this. Weclome Stan to your moderator role.