BBC Radio 4 broadcasts the first part of a documentary called “In Search of the Wolf” at 1030 UTC on Saturday 22 March, with part two at the same time the following week. In this programme, part of the Border Blaster series, Nick Barraclough recalls the first pirate radio stations which sprung up across the Rio Grande in Mexico in the 1950s. He tells the stories of Pappy Lee O’Daniel, who used station XER to sell flour and become Senator for Texas, the preachers who sold splinters from the cross and signed photographs of Jesus Christ, and Wolfman Jack, the man who would go on to become the first great rock ‘n’ roll DJ.
For those too young to remember Wolfman Jack, there is an extensive feature about him on the BBC website. Or you can visit the Wolfman Jack online museum.
on Mar 22nd, 2008 at 16:41
As a teenaged kid outside Kansas City, I succumbed to Wolf’s mystique on XERF every evening. I’d drive around late at night, just cruising, mesmerised by the Man and his music. Today that spark is long gone. If you weren’t there then, you’ll never know it. Today’s jocks are too busy giving us The Best Mix or The Most Variety to understand the personality required of them. Instead we get Wannabes, Imposters and Frauds masquerading as Talent.
Even the Brit & Euro pirate jocks of the 60s were only amateurish copies of the American originals. Sorry troops, but true. You know I’m right. Still, Nick did a good job with Part 1 of his program. His curiosity was apparent, and I’ll be there for Part 2.
Benny
on Mar 23rd, 2008 at 10:59
Hmm. I suppose the same goes for quality news and programming, alas
the BBC of old has long gone.
on Mar 23rd, 2008 at 15:33
Reaction on the comment by Benny Brown.
Thinks he did never listen to Radio Caroline in the Seventies.
Tom Anderson, Tony Allan and Johnny Jason a few names.
Did they copy Wolfman? Don’t think.
on Mar 24th, 2008 at 16:15
To Jos:
No sensible jock would dare copy Wolfman; he’d be exposed by the end of his second sentence. My comments are directed at the lack of creative originality today. Again, if you weren’t there (in virtually any city in the US) in the 60s & 70s, then you’ll just never understand… and all of it, of course, was legal, commercial and fun. There were countless hundreds of capable, entertaining, humourous jocks on hundreds of rock ‘n’ roll radio stations to hear, all waiting to hit the air with their ammo. Sorry Jos, but to the listener, one aging rustbucket (or even ten) with a shaky signal coming in from the North Sea hardly compares favourably.
And Martin: True, agreed. I miss the authoritative news delivery we used to receive.
on Mar 25th, 2008 at 22:14
Hi there Benny. Did you ever listen to WINS broadcasting from New York in the early sixties (maybe WINS is still on the air, I have no idea). It was on medium wave then of course, this was long before FM broadcasting. 1010 WINS was, at that time, one of the most famous and most listened-to of all the great stations playing the fabulous music of the time. Alan Freed was there, and other famous jocks.
As a young English guy visiting NY, listening to the great Murray the K (Murray Kaufman I think?), I was completely blown away by it all, and I\’ll never forget 1010 WINS.
\
on Mar 27th, 2008 at 20:04
In the \’70s, our 1KW pirate station in Los Angeles couldn\’t hold a candle to XERB\’s 100,000 watts. We just sat there in awe and did our best.
on Mar 27th, 2008 at 21:23
WINS is still on the air but has had an all news format for many years now.
on Mar 28th, 2008 at 12:00
“WINS is still on the air but has had an all news format for many years now.”
Thanks for that info Patrick.
Like so many of the other once great stations, sadly. Guess they get more advertising revenue that way, but who the hell can listen to 24 hour news programmes for Gods sakes! I mean, get a life people! Just gimme the music!
“Hi there folks - this is THE one and only 1010 WINS - and this is your host, Murray the K with a swinging soiree!” - fabulous!
Long live rock ‘n’ roll!
on Jun 29th, 2008 at 16:17
In the early days of his career Emperor Rosko did copy the Wolfman’s style to quite a degree before calming it down a bit - I think he decided his throat couldn’t take it…
I loved the pirate radio we had over here in the UK, if you knew what we had to listen to before it arrived you’d understand why we appreciate what the jocks did back then! That said, I recognised on the occasions I was lucky enough to hear the broadcasts of his shows on AFN that the Wolf was like a god compared to every other dj broadcasting at that time. I was amazed when he died that there was so little coverage over here.
But, everyone, have a look at this - Wolman Jack is Back! http://www.kbcradio.eu/?page_id=26
Awwwwraaaght!!!!
on Jun 29th, 2008 at 21:42
I know I speak for many disgruntled potential radio listeners, when I say it’s not dee jays putting on silly voices that matters, it’s the music that’s important. However, each to their own.