Right up until his departure in 1988, Kid Leo played "Born to Run" as his signature sign-off song every Friday night at 5:55 to kick off the weekend for area listeners. WMMS DJs interviewed then-little known acts such as U2 and John Cougar Mellencamp when they came through town, many of which would play the station's fabled Coffee Break Concert series too.. Rolling Stone once called it the greatest live LP in Springsteen's catalog. The top 40 format also failed to make any major ratings impact. "[33] By April 2008, the station had reverted to branding as The Buzzard but using a road sign-style logo similar to a U.S. Route shield in an allusion to the mascot. KISS had only released its debut album when the band rolled into Cleveland in 1974. Brian and Joe were moved to afternoons in February 1997 after a change in ownership, with shock jock Liz Wilde (Anne Whittemore) from WPLL/Miami taking their place; her firing less than a year later sparked a successful lawsuit against both the station and then-owner Nationwide Communications. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Needless to say, for health reasons, this contest changed the way promotions were done going forward at WMMS. Excerpts from Denny Carleton's Coffee Break Concert 1976 with Fred Grupe Randy Klawon with Matt The Cat on WMMS. He came to the Agora armed with a new album, Darkness on the Edge of Town. Denny Sanders came to WMMS in 1971 from Boston where hed been working as a DJ from the time he was just 16 years old. [87] Unable to service its growing debt, Malrite chose to leave radio and sold off all its remaining properties in 1993:[37] WMMS went to Shamrock Broadcasting, the Roy Disney broadcasting firm. Waits had a few memorable shows in Cleveland early in his career. [114] BuzzardFest II was held the very next fall (September 1995) again at Blossom and featured performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Alanis Morissette, Jewel, as well as the Dance Hall Crashers, Eleven, Green Apple Quick Step, Prick and Sons of Elvis. 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. The band's set included two songs from its debut EP, including "Wolves, Lower" and "Gardening at Night.". It's most famous for heavily plugging the MC5, The Velvets and The Dolls on one hand and science-art groups like Soft Machine and King Crimson on the other. 22 tracks (57:53). 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. In time, the station adopted new slogans reflecting the callsign: "We're your Modern Music Station" and "your Music Marathon Station. WMMS "Coffee Break Concert" series hosted lots of name artists and legendary performances over the years. One lucky WMMS listener won a Harley Davidson signed by Sammy Hagar! Eggs & Sausage 4.. Smith's 1976 performance came right as punk was taking off and featured her famous live recording of The Who's "My Generation. Talking Heads' 1978 Agora show is so beloved by fans the original master tapes have gone up for auction. The music structure also was modified at this time as artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince soon found airplay on WMMS. [127] A new airstaff was assembled after the stunt: Tim "Slats" Guinane was hired for afternoon drive replacing Brian & Joe, who were transferred to WMVX, and music director Mark Pennington replaced Bill "BLF Bash" Freeman in overnights. In November 1972, WMMS was sold to Malrite Communications, a Michigan-based firm that relocated to Cleveland upon purchase. The cast included Casey Coleman on sports, Pat Brady with traffic, Len Boom Goldberg as the voice of the morning show, Ruby Cheeks, Spaceman Scott, Captain Kenny Clean and Mr. Leonard. The show also drew national attention after holding a book burning party for Fifty Shades of Grey on July 8, 2012. "Those guys who pilot those ships through here? The new logo depicted the sex, drugs and rock and roll image that the owner was looking for. Attendance was by general admission. [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. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Detroit, St. Louis they ran another stations birthday party. In 1973 WMMS unveiled a new logo The Mushroom. In 2014, Springsteen finally released the Agora concert officially on CD and download. [90] Stern had arrived on the Cleveland airwaves less than two years earlier, and in that time took his syndicated program on rival WNCX from an Arbitron ranking of thirteen to number one. [125] As part of the stunt, Denny Sanders returned to host an airshift, programming the music at his discretion. During his long tenure doing evenings at the station Denny interviewed hundreds of rock stars including the late John Lennon. [33][34], Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, WMMS had a stable of personalities that remained fundamentally unchanged,[26][27] attained a dominant market share in the local ratings[27][35][36][37] and posted market record-high figures "never duplicated by any other Cleveland radio station since. . One of their biggest contributions to our fine city was spearheading a grass roots effort to get the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame here in Cleveland. In the trailer for the new show the character Barry, played by Bill Hader is wearing a vintage WMMS shirt. [52] On November 13, 1947, the new FM station transitioned from experimental to commercial status; increased its power; and changed its callsign to WHKX. Find tickets to all live music, concerts, tour dates and festivals in and around Ashburn. People in radio say he was not an easy guy, that dealing with him was like a daily root canal. [51] On July 31, 1947, W8XUB began broadcasting at 100.7MHz. The year 1988 was a weird stretch for Neil Young. It's one of Bon Jovi's more legendary early shows, before the band fully blew up. The show is now syndicated to WKGB-FM/Binghamton, WRKK/Williamsport, and WZNE/Rochester; replays continuously on a dedicated iHeartRadio channel; is available on demand through iHeartRadio; and broadcasts over the Livestream video platform. Currently there are 2 upcoming events. What puts the show over the top is David Bowie backing Iggy on keyboard. In 1988 The Plain Dealer printed a story which said the employees of WMMS had stuffed the ballot box to reign as 10 year champions. WMMS also streams it's coverage of selected games on iHeartRadio, even outside of the Cleveland market. Matt Harris served in the interim until WMMS hired Dick Dale (Bert Morris) from WPLA/Jacksonville. [147], Described by The Plain Dealer as "testosterone-fueled", the show dominates younger demographics, particularly male listeners ages 1834. Tony Tilford, WMMS program director (19992003), WMMS shifted format to active rock on February 17, 1997, under the direction of Bob Neumann, who had previously programmed WNCX and WENZ. [39][40] Noted filmmakers, including Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous) and Paul Schrader (Light of Day), have called on both TheBuzzard and its personnel while preparing for various rock-themed productions. A federal offense, the act nearly cost WMMS its broadcasting license. At the same time, the music communicates frustration and a constant longing to escape. Other shows, like The Buzzard Morning Show with Rick and Megalis (Rick Eberhart, Tom Megalis) and WMMS Mornings with Sean, Cristi, and Hunter (Sean Kelly, Cristi Cantle, Hunter Scott), came and went in quick succession. WMMS's studios are located at the Six Six Eight Building in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District;[48][49] the station transmitter resides in neighboring Seven Hills. Already strained by ongoing contract renewal negotiations, the incident further alienated the two parties, and by November of that year the show was cancelled. Those guys are f--kin' heroes!" WMMS Coffee Break Concerts, an idea from Denny Sanders, was an intimate concert for a few hundred at the old Cleveland Agora. [163] The station hosts two additional HD Radio subchannels: WMMS-HD2 is the Cleveland affiliate for the Black Information Network, [136][164], WMMS airs regular traffic and weather updates via the Total Traffic and Weather Network and former sister station WOIO (TV channel 19),[165] and the station satisfies U.S. Federal Communications Commission-mandated public affairs programming on Sunday mornings with the City Club of Cleveland's Friday Forum. Dead & Company. Police arrested Williams after the show, causing legal troubles for the band and the venue. John Gorman and Denny Sanders left the station in fall of 1986, leading fourteen staff members with them to start rival station WNCX. Rover regularly takes calls throughout the show, and often interviews guests in studio and over the phone. [83][89] Lisa Dillon, Ric Bennett and Tom Renzy also would depart the station that same day. [51] In order to firmly establish a separate identity, and to reflect the station's ownership,[55] the WHK-FM callsign was changed to WMMS on September 28, 1968. That will never be done again. 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. For the station's tenth anniversary in 1978, WMMS hosted and broadcast a live Springsteen concert at the Agora Ballroom independent of his concert tour. [140] The Maxwell Show gradually evolved from airing mostly music to all talk, with Maxwell joined by WMMS music director Dan Stansbury and Tiffany "Chunk" Peck, the program's phone screener. [96] Gorman changed the WMMS format to alternative rock,[97] playing new acts like Nirvana, The Offspring, and Nine Inch Nails, on October 27. It's about an ex-Marine who is a hitman in the Midwest on March 25th. He influenced many listeners of the station and kept the momentum alive pushing new music into the ears and speakers of the audience of WMMS. The following local and national media outlets have attributed WMMS with this distinction: The following books have attributed WMMS with this distinction: harvnb error: no target: CITEREFNicks2003 (, "Rock Hall to Celebrate 40 Years of WMMS with New Exhibit", "Radio & Records 1981 on the WMMS Buzzard and Other Station Mascots", "The Media Business; Malrite's Buyout Price Disturbs Wall Street Analysts", "R.I.P. Thats how big MMS was. Perhaps the most famous show at the Agora not involving Bruce Springsteen. On-site, play-by-play announcer Tim Alcorn calls games alongside color analyst Jim Chones, a former Cavaliers center. [41][42] WMMS was also a major driving force behind the successful campaign to bring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland.[26][43]. On May 4, 1970 four students were killed by gunfire from the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University. July 11, 1995. [148][146][152][153][154][155], A devoted fan of heavy metal, Cox considers himself more of a comedian than a disc jockey. Morgan Wallen. 100.7 WMMS Cleveland's Rock Station. WMMS did remote interviews at KSU all morning which included an interview from 1972 presidential candidate, Senator George McGovern, KSU student and gunshot survivor, Dean Kahler, other May 4th wounded who survived, Governor Dick Celeste, current students and others. Conditions Governing Access Check out our coffee break concert selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. The second logo, first one in print, used by WMMS was the Tongue Logo. Count this as one of those shows you still can't believe came to The Agora. His music comes from his experiences around the North Coast.Albums include Sweetwater Pete and Live at Kent State. [135] Former Lex and Terry producer Jason Carr was named the new WMMS assistant program director on February 1, 2018. The call letters WMMS stand for "MetroMedia Stereo". Most station imaging is produced out-of-market by national voice talents "David Lee" Olejniczak, Malcolm Ryker,[166] Rena-Marie Villano, and former WMMS creative services director Miles Hlivko; additional voice-over audio is produced on-site by WMMS imaging director Billy Black. Not only did it feature a up-and-coming band called Foo Fighters as the opening act, but Seattle band Hovercraft was also on the bill. [120] Finally, The Bob & Tom Show aired in the time slot from 2006 until April 2008. Alex Bevam is a folk singer from the Cleveland OH area who is best known for the song "Skinny Little Boy From Cleveland Ohio". Concerts Skillet & Theory Of A Deadman at The Agora Mar 03, 2023. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The debut issue of Buzzard Bone, arrived in September of 1995 and featured the brand new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the cover story, with an article tracing the history of the museum, which had its grand opening that same month. 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. WMMS Coffee Break Concert 5-26-1982 Encore Host Denny Sanders Statesboro Blues . The top 40 deejays were retained, but it was soon obvious that they were inadequate hosts for a progressive rock format. The contest titled the White Trash Wedding prize included everything needed to make a wedding day special limo, wedding dress, tuxedo rental, flowers, cake and the ceremony which took place at Mickeys Diamond Mens Club in the Flats. And look out for the epic solo during the encore. Rush's 1974 show at the Agora, aka "The First American Broadcast," was part of a successful run early on in Cleveland, which helped Rush gain popularity in the States. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Matt was part of the early days at Cleveland State Universitys radio operation that only broadcast to the cafeteria, but soon after he got in on the ground floor of WMMS during its eventual transition to the Buzzard. Concerts Morgan Wade at The Agora Mar 04, 2023. The concert series continued on well into the 1990s and early 2000s, albeit much less frequently.[64][65]. Rolling Stone Magazine conducted a yearly Readers Poll to which WMMS won Best Radio Station of the Year nine years in a row from 1979 to 1987. But she brought The Pretenders back to Northeast Ohio for an epic homecoming show at the Agora on St. Patrick's Day 1980. ", While his epic stand at Blossom Music Center still holds the attendance record for that venue, Michael Stanley's run at the Agora in October 1976 was perhaps more important. [90][92], During the now infamous broadcast, WMMS engineer William Alford snipped a broadcast wire used for the Stern show's satellite feed. Sat 03 Jun 2023 Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, VA, US. He was on WMMS for more than twenty years, and would end his show with, "Blue skies and green lights to ya. Spring Bling Fine Arts And Crafts Show. Jeff and Flash were accompanied by a list of other talent over the years which made up the Buzzard Morning Zoo. (Interview) 3. Brian Chalmers, Rock 'N' Roll Artist", "Film; Paul Schrader Plumbs Grassroots Rock", "iHeartMedia Cleveland To Move To New Facility As Company Begins Cloud Based Tech Rollout", "Downtown TV station group may move to the suburbs", "Cleveland Broadcast Radio Archives WMMS timeline", "Rock in Akron: The Music Of Greater Akron", "The Second WMMS Music Marathon Station TV Spot", "Recalling a couple of wacky radio guys", http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-11-04.pdf, http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-12-02.pdf, "Billboard/Airplay Monitor Radio Awards Bestowed", "Kevin Metheny, a.k.a. 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. [145] WMMS itself also airs The Rover Rewind, a weekly recap show on Saturday mornings. Win a Monster Zero Sugar prize pack from Circle K! 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