92 R&R May16, 1997 ADULT ALTERNATIVE WXRT At 25: Still Defining Tastes Windy City Memories WXRT staffers, past and present, reflect r Part II What does it take to become a Chicagoland (and format) legend? - Some of WXRT's principals and prominent alumni reminisce about 25 years of great radio: By Sky Daniels Harvey Wells, GM "Having spent 22 years here, it's been inspiring to watch what hap- PD for last 18 years, VP/Program- demonstrates how tough it is to As WXRT /Chicago's the pens when people put all their passion and commitment into working classify the acts the station sup- ming Norm Winer knows firsthand the impact the station has together to build a radio entity. The people here real- ports. He says, "You can see an had on all who have come into contact with it. This week, Winer ly work and were able to navigate a evolution over the years - from cared about their and other WXRT staffers (past and present) talk about the sta- course contrary to popular belief: that only the most - Long John Baldry to Thin Liz - researched, constrictive approach would work in a tion's influence - personally and professionally - over its 25- zy, from R.E.M. to Son Volt market this size. year history. that is perceptible in only the "The passion wasn't just relegated to the air stu- In last week's column, Winer admits, "but they didn't. They rec- most subtle manner. A common dio, but was transmitted throughout the entire build- credited much of the station's suc- ognize that this is as ideal a situa- denominator for us has been pas- ing from production to administration to sales. A cess to an on -air staff that was at tion as may exist for radio people sion and intelligence, he it corn- - belief in a higher ideal unified the staff, and they would once aware and disciplined, allow- who have passion for music. As a ing from a Graham Parker or push the rock up the hill no matter what the obsta- station's common have only had a couple Oil. ing the "higher result, we Midnight cles were. denominator" approach to reach of openings in the last decade." "WXRT has always responded "I'm equally as proud of the fact that, some time back, a market the size of While air may to acts that weren't necessarily a Harvey Wells the masses in the personalities the people here matured and recognized that you can't Chicago. Ironically, in an era of not change much, the types of product of a label's quick -fix force people listeners and advertisers -to buy your act based on aspi- mentality. We've always looked - rations. We had to be pragmatic and accept that this was a business com- for supported acts of sub- and modity, though one we believed to mean something special. stance that developed followings 'Through the years, pure product competitors have come in to try to strip personality and and nurtured away parts of what we embraced. We learned that you can never assume stage presence. We've tried to re- the audience will be forgiving for your indulgences. That's the beauty of a buyer's flect discriminating WXRT being here so long. We learned -we learned what the audience what has the poten- standard of wanted and built a trust that provided us the cache to keep our ambition. We tial to make a mark on music. "Every market has its own dynamics. Could you transplant WXRT, of the 'produc- don't go for some add water, and expect it to take hold overnight? No. But if you start with tion jobs' that Alternative may the essence - that passion - and are willing to do whatever is neces- buy into. We want artists, not just sary, then spoonfeed the audience the things that take you to a higher hits." common denominator, I believe this idea can be universal. After 25 years, That discriminating approach we're proud that we tried" has allowed WXRT to "age gracefully," according to Winer. Patty Martin, MD "We know that in Chicago, any- 'When I moved to California in 1985, I had no idea that every market thing we play or do must be didn't have a WXRT. I first started listening in 1973, back when the sta- to our 35 -44 meaningful target tion came on at 10pm. I'd usually forget to change audience. We've helped define (I PD Norm Winer, the station on my dock-radio and would wake to an- WXRT STAFF CIRCA 1979 - Front -r): Shel Lustig, the tastes of our 35+ audience MD Bob Gelms, Leslie Witt, Terri Hemmert; rear (l-r): Gary Lee Wright, gry- sounding foreign callers (the other 18 hours were Bill Cochran, Bobby Skafish, GM Harvey Wells, Tom Wilson. and have a good idea of which foreign -language). Still not in high school, my peers new acts they find relatable. This tuned to WLS and WCFL. I was hooked on WXRT. audience is still active and inter- "Every day had a pair of featured artists (and a high technology, WXRT was - acts that WXRT embraces contin- ested in new music. They're featured artist calendar to keep track). Some actual for a long time unable to uti- ue to evolve, making the station stimulated by it. That has made - examples: Savoy Brown & Prokofiev, Cat Stevens to 25- lize computer systems to help one of the most musically aggres- it easier for us regenerate & Gato Barbieri: Van Morrison & Franz Liszt. Step - manage its music. The reason, sive, contemporary Adult Alterna- 34 followers Most 39- year -olds penwolf & Nowlin' Wolf: Fleetwood Mac & Billie Winer explains, was WXRT's tives. What makes a band a in other markets are picking up Holiday; B.B. King & Queen; David Bowie & complex musical nuances: "Devel- "WXRT act"? Winer theorizes, their kids at concerts; ours are Pharoah Sanders; the Kings (Carole and Crimson) Patty Martin oping systems and clocks was "WXRT has always had a willing- going with their kids. ... this is what shaped my taste in music. new acts. We look has built trust, more difficult than people can ness to support "Our continuity "In 1979, I did my first internship at WXRT for Terri Hemmert. Four There was such complex- for that capture the essence which is now generational. The lis- alone imagine. acts hours a day, 1 would compile the public affairs calendar, which ity to our approach that, initially, of rock's great influences, while teners never lost the connection to made me popular on my college campus. The next summer, I interned computer programs that could re- pushing things forward. The 'neo- the radio, like they did in some for Norm Winer. Back then. Norm managed to get seven hours a day flect the required nuances didn't traditionalists; like Dave Mat- markets. Our audience has stayed out of me. to I exist." thews Band, Sheryl Crow, and dedicated. giving us the latitude "As I began my career sojourn in radio. recognized that the way Not that Winer didn't try ... he Counting Crows represent the remain active ourselves. We oper- things were done at WXRT was not the way they were done elsewhere. recalls using a prototype system essence of acts that maintain a tie ate under a dual standard of want- Not all stations give listeners credit for being intelligent, mature people. developed by Musicscan for to the past while putting their own ing to sound true to our faithful Granted, many stations don't have that constituency. It's refreshing to KBCO/Denver in the mid -'80s. mark on music. We've always constituents and exciting to a first - work at one that does. "The great irony was that we had been willing to play the melodic time cumer. That's what makes "Needless to say, I'm blessed to be able to come back home and to sacrifice certain elements of alternative acts that remain pal- this anniversary different. It's the work at the station that shaped my life, giving me exposure to 'real' radio complexity vs. what the technol- atable to adults." rare occasion where 25 years that exemplifies my ideals. Thoughtful, challenging, inspired, ambitious, ogy could capture. There were Winer looks back at the di- doesn't just bask in nostalgia but broad -based, and multidimensional -a reflection of the lives of its lis- things our staff could factor into verse array of WXRT "house asks, `What do we have to do to teners. That's WXRT' creating an hour of music that bands," as he calls them, and keep growing ? "' computers couldn't. The individ- Paul Marszalek, KFOG/SF PD ual air personalities' interpreta- (Former WXRT MD) tions were germane to creating what WXRT, in totality, repre- we a sented. Eventually, found 'The first day I sat down at a desk at WXRT, I was program that allowed the jocks to awestruck. This was the station that, growing up, accentuate the station's strengths helped forge my musical sensibilities. To find myself and minimize its conspicuous working side -by-side with air personalities like Johnny flaws. It still requires acute sen- Mars and Frank E. Lee was a dream come true. How sibilities to capture the WXRT many people actually get to become part of such a sound." source of inspiration in their life? Growing up, listen- That special musical aura has ing to WXRT, dreaming about being in radio ... and contributed to little, if any on -air then one day, I'm sitting there at work.