October 6, 1981 / / / Billy Ingram KROQ - Rock of the 80s?
Missing Persons at The Whisky
Duran
Duran, in the midst of their Euro-tour, made one quick
stop to the Roxy on the Sunset Strip on June 10. When they returned
to the Strip on October 2, they were in the midst of a tour of the
states to support their hit album. Thanks to relentless hype from
KROQ, Duran Duran at the Roxy was the hottest ticket in town last
week.
KROQ
spins have elevated a local band. Missing Persons was an opening
act one week, headliners the next - with four sold out shows over
two nights in September where hundreds of their fans were turned away.
They were the number one concert draw in LA that week.
The
Whisky's stage was transformed for the occasion with black plastic
draped around pylons surrounding the group, illuminated with scattered
neon lights cast against the black. This is the band's new stage setting,
created for a video they shot recently.
On the opening night, Dale was wrapped in a mini-skirt made up of
four album covers, with two singles covering her breats. It was clear
from the Whisky stage that the band has hit its stride. Dale was suddenly
chatting with the audience and her bandmates, she was much more open
and effussive than I've seen her in the past.
This
all came after several shows in New York where the band recorded a
live radio concert (mixed on the spot by Ken Scott) and played to
an unexpectedly large, responsive crowd at The Ritz.
Don't
think the record companies aren't finally taking notice, but MP will
no longer put them on the guest list. This is because producer Ken
Scott has recorded a number of demos and jumped through dozens of
hoops for different outfits - as a result, flacks and hacks have to
pay to get in like everyone else (well, almost everyone!). Their attitude
is - why turn away a paying customer who WANTS to see the band for
these guys who offer so little.
More
than one major label wants to close a deal but the band is looking
for a contract commiserate with their experience. After all, they
are a viable attraction solely due to their own efforts.
A
night at The Greek with headliners The Motels follows on October
17th. That should be a spectacular night for the KROQ crowd and music
lovers alike, The Motels being one of LA's premier bands.
LEFT:
The Motels in 1981
RADIO WAVES
Local musicians like The Motels, Missing Persons, Josie ("Johnny
Are You Queer?") Cotton and the Go-Gos have propelled KROQ
from an also-ran to heavy hitter. The much smaller station is now
beating KMET and KLOS for the first time.
RIGHT:
KROQ's 1981
program director, Rick Carroll
The
"Roq of the 80s" is helping to break bands nationally as well - Depeche
Mode, Human League, Talking heads, Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys are
some non-locals benefiting from LA's adulation of KROQ.
KROQ
DJs have power. In fact, had Chuck Wild not dropped off a copy of
the Missing Persons' EP to KROQ's back door one evening they might
still be lanquishing in obscurity. Chuck passed it over to Jed
The Fish who, on his own, played 'I Like Boys' that night - the
band started pulling in more than just the Zappa fans to their gigs - and rest
is history.
Contrary
to public perception, most radio stations won't let the DJs play what
they want anymore, they certainly can't introduce new bands on their
shift. KROQ was different and accounted for their success.
Unpredictable radio is good radio; at its best KROQ is event radio every day.
Like a soap
opera with the best damn soundtrack ever.
KROQ 1980s TV Commercial
With
power comes - other stuff. For instance, no one parties harder than
the KROQ jocks. More than one band has stumbled offstage after a KROQ
promoted event only to find Dusty Street in the Green Room
partying hard with her crazed friends, drinking the band's champagne
and devouring their food. But she'll be on the air talking the next day
about what a great time she had. That's pure LA gold.
People
are complaining that KROQ's playlist has gotten too tight, there's
less experimentation (and do the Rolling Stones really belong on an
alternative radio station?). True, in 1980, KROQ was a lot more courageous
than it is now. They featured more obscure bands and that's what attracted
the audience in the first place.
But
the tighter the format (they're playing their biggest hits once every
hour or two now) the higher the ratings go. And the more popular the
station gets with the unwashed masses.
The
benefit - concert sales go WAY up for any band that can get on that
golden rotation. Where Jed and Dusty point them, the masses follow.
Then
- out come the freaks. I met a guy who plastered Missing Persons bumper
stickers all over his entire car and a chick who wrote, 'I Love you
Warren' thousands of times in a composition book and was trying to
get backstage to present it to him.
Radio
DJs make their real cash hosting nights at a club. For instance, Dusty
hosts a night of New Wave roller skating in the Valley each week that
draws a huge crowd and Rodney MCs regular punk shows down in Orange
County.
There's
even been an exploitation horror movie filmed about a supposed KROQ
jock, the unbelievably cheesy (I'm told) 'New Year's Evil.'
Ironically,
with KROQ's new-found success, the DJs find they have less discretion
to play what they like, they're lucky to choose one tune an hour.
Then again, Rodney Bingenheimer still has his weekend shows where
he showcases new bands, with an emphasis on hardcore.
I
listen to KXLU during the day, anyhow...
Richard Blade 1980's TV show - MV3
- in LA.
Speaking
of hardcore - Circle One, Channel 3, Bad Religion and Social
Distortion will headline November 12th at the Old Victorian Theater.
If I go,
it will be to see Social Distortion, they keep getting better
every time I watch them - and they've always been blazing hot. Social
D released their first single 'Mainliner/Playpen' on Posh Boy.
The
Plimsouls will be playing a KROQ Halloween concert, that should
help them get more airplay for the excellent power-pop LP they just
released.
UPDATE: Dusty Street left LA radio in 1994, and was on radio in Las Vegas
Sunday nights where she played the songs she made famous on KROQ.
She was voted Las Vegas' Best Radio Personality in 2004. She now has
a show heard on Sirius Sattelite.
PLACENTIA, California (AP) -- Brent Liles, a former
bassist for the
1980s punk rock group Social Distortion, was struck and killed by
a
truck while riding a bicycle, authorities said Wednesday. He was 43.
Missing Persons played the US Festival in the summer of 1983.
Duran
Duran, in the midst of their Euro-tour, made one quick
stop to the Roxy on the Sunset Strip on June 10. When they returned
to the Strip on October 2, they were in the midst of a tour of the
states to support their hit album. Thanks to relentless hype from
KROQ, Duran Duran at the Roxy was the hottest ticket in town last
week. 
The
Whisky's stage was transformed for the occasion with black plastic
draped around pylons surrounding the group, illuminated with scattered
neon lights cast against the black. This is the band's new stage setting,
created for a video they shot recently.
A
night at The Greek with headliners The Motels follows on October
17th. That should be a spectacular night for the KROQ crowd and music
lovers alike, The Motels being one of LA's premier bands. 
RIGHT:
KROQ's 1981 
People
are complaining that KROQ's playlist has gotten too tight, there's
less experimentation (and do the Rolling Stones really belong on an
alternative radio station?). True, in 1980, KROQ was a lot more courageous
than it is now. They featured more obscure bands and that's what attracted
the audience in the first place. 
Speaking
of hardcore - Circle One, Channel 3, Bad Religion and Social
Distortion will headline November 12th at the Old Victorian Theater.
If I go,
it will be to see Social Distortion, they keep getting better
every time I watch them - and they've always been blazing hot. Social
D released their first single 'Mainliner/Playpen' on Posh Boy.
