Saturday, Mar 4, 2023 from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Yes, the station had lost its way for a bit, but MMS was the standard. Morgan Wallen. The call letters WMMS stand for "MetroMedia Stereo". The change was done for many reasons: as a nod to the sudden influence Z100's format had on the Malrite group; Gorman and Sanders intention to stay with the current music trends as the album-oriented rock (AOR) format was, even then, in a state of decline; and as a means to attract a female audience. Until Aug 20, 2022. [119] Neumann defended the decision later as the right thing to have done, noting how alternative rock would eventually fade as a format several years later. No Doubt shared the 2 stage show at Blossom with Candlebox, Patti Rothberg, The Tragically Hip, 311, and the Holy Barbarians. They were rewarded with a night that they would remember for the rest of their lives. Young liked his performance at the Agora so much that some of the recordings were released on the archival set "Bluenote Caf.". Benatar had just released her soon-to-be massive success of a debut, In the Heat of the Night." "Born to Run" was the essence of everything I loved about rock 'n' roll. By 1984, the WMMS format moved to an CHR/AOR hybrid, playing a great deal of Top 40 rock singles in hot rotation mixed with album cuts; this new blended rock/Top 40 format was soon known by those at the station as Rock Forty. Signing on in 1946 as the FM adjunct to WHK, the WMMS call letters were affixed in 1968 under Metromedia ownership, having stood for "MetroMedia Stereo" and meant as a compliment to the newly established progressive rock format, but have since taken on a variety of other meanings. Murray Saul joined the WMMS staff as a salesman. Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Clevelands FM Air Wars by Mike Olszewski (Kent State University Press), Cleveland Radio Tales by Mike & Janice Olszewski (Gray & Co., Publishers). With content being supplied by journalists and WMMS personnel, it was the perfect companion to what WMMS was doing on air at the time with a focus on the new bands and artists of the alternative music era. A major contributor to the ratings success was an airstaff that remained fundamentally unchanged for many years: personalities like Kid Leo, Jeff & Flash, Matt the Cat, Dia Stein, Denny Sanders, Murray Saul, Debbie Ullman, Betty "Crash" Korvan, Ruby Cheeks (Debra Luray), BLF Bash (Bill Freeman), TR (Tom Renzy) and the late Len "Boom" Goldberg were invaluable to the station's popularity. [35] The fall 1998 Arbitron books showed WMMS with a substantial increase in listeners; Plain Dealer radio critic Roger Brown commented, "the scam worked" claiming it drove people to listen to the station again for what was supposedly the format's final days. The band's set included two songs from its debut EP, including "Wolves, Lower" and "Gardening at Night.". I suppose it doesn't get more Cleveland than Ian Hunter performing "Cleveland Rocks" in Cleveland, which you can find live in various format. "[66][67] Although never used on the air, listeners alternately knew the callsign as an acronym for "Weed Makes Me Smile" and "Magic MushroomS," the latter referencing the somewhat controversial logo used before the Buzzard. We all have such respect for what this station did back in the day. WMMS, broadcasting on 100.7 FM, has been a Cleveland-area radio station since 1946, and has had a rock or progressive rock format since the 1960s. April 16, 1974 the Buzzard was born. [123] WMMS veteran John Gorman has remained a vocal critic of iHeartMedia, once remarking on the company's former Cleveland executive, Kevin Metheny (dubbed "Pig Virus" by Howard Stern during their time at WNBC): "He had a volatile time here. He was best known as the voice for the station's hourly IDs, music segues, sweepers, and commercials, and was also a member of The Buzzard Morning Zoo in the mid-80s. 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. The band would return that December with its star on the rise. Tarara Summer Concerts (Fee-Based) Leesburg. Bruce held on to the innocence and the romance. WMMS Coffee Break Concert 5-26-1982 Encore Host Denny Sanders Statesboro Blues . One lucky WMMS listener won a Harley Davidson signed by Sammy Hagar! Talking Heads' 1978 Agora show is so beloved by fans the original master tapes have gone up for auction. [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. [104] John Gorman was named Program Director of the Year (Rock) in 1995. WMMS News anchor, Mike Olszewski paints a picture of the scene on that dreadful day. [58][59] During this time, WMMS used slogans derived from its call sign: first as "Music Means Satisfaction", and later as the place "Where Music Means Something". Bryan Adams Agora photo credit: Janet Macoska, Sammy Hagar Odeon photo credit: Daune Raz. The announcement came less than two weeks before the show. 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. [83][89] Lisa Dillon, Ric Bennett and Tom Renzy also would depart the station that same day. Jack and Meg played 22 songs with an encore capped by "Seven Nation Army.". "I gotta blast this baby all the way to New Jersey," Springsteen quipped. The WMMS morning show Dick Dale & Rick hosted the event. Contact; Advertise on 100.7 WMMS; Lawrence James Travagliante - aka Kid Leo. [142], Radio personality Rover (Shane French), host of Rover's Morning Glory, took over weekday mornings at WMMS on April 1, 2008, following a contract dispute with WKRK-FM owner CBS Radio; John Gorman compared signing the popular morning personality to a "coup". WMMS does not air additional network programming. All we can do is hope to create something cool so that in 20 years people will say, 'Man, remember what WMMS used to be like? [33] Regarding the change, WMMS program director Bo Matthews (Alex Gutierrez) said, " nobody's killing anything Chief Wahoo is not on every piece of Indians promotional material Ronald McDonald is not in every McDonald's commercial We're not losing the letters. Boom also spent time on the Buzzard Morning Zoo and filled in during other air shifts. Springsteen Concert Poster - Agora - August 9th, 1978, Springsteen - Agora - Scene Magazine - August, 1978. If you need a reminder of just how many great acts stepped onto an Agora stage, here's a look back at 35 legendary concerts that took place inside the venue since the early 1970s. Among the more significant moves taken by WMMS was the formatting of the morning zoo concept created by Z100's Scott Shannon onto the show Jeff & Flash (Jeff Kinzbach and Ed Ferenc) were already hosting. [120] Geared as a format change to contemporary hit radio (CHR) using the "KISS FM" brand,[30][126] the decision was reversed at the last minute by management. On-site, play-by-play announcer Tim Alcorn calls games alongside color analyst Jim Chones, a former Cavaliers center. WMMS "Coffee Break Concert" series hosted lots of name artists and legendary performances over the years. [56], MetroMedia found major success with progressive rock at KMET Los Angeles, KSAN San Francisco, WMMR Philadelphia and WNEW-FM New York, but a lack of commitment from MetroMedia led the company to drop the format at WMMS by May 1969. (Interview) 3. [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. [85] Four different program directors, including Rich Piombino and Michael Luczak, came and went with varying levels of success. The team did later relocate to Cleveland, but lasted only a few months until an acrimonious breakup between Wolf and Mulrooney. The station continued to decline during the ownership transition from Malrite to Shamrock; then Shamrock sold both WMMS and WHK to OmniAmerica, a broadcasting company run by former Malrite executives Carl Hirsch and Dean Thacker, which already owned oldies station WMJI. [105] John Gorman, who has since openly criticized the industry's current state, departed for CBS Radio in Detroit, but soon moved to media consulting. The movie is loosely written about director, Cameron Crowes life who as a child did in fact write for Rolling Stone and spent time on tour with bands like Led Zeppelin, Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd. 11-09-22 AN coffee break concert 5-26-82 ENCORE 99 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. WMMS Coffee Break Concert Find Us Address 123 Main Street New York, NY 10001 Hours MondayFriday: 9:00AM-5:00PM Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM-3:00PM Search About This Site This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits. But she brought The Pretenders back to Northeast Ohio for an epic homecoming show at the Agora on St. Patrick's Day 1980. Recording information: - Recorded live on 7/23/83 at the Cleveland Agora for the Coffee Break Concert Series. In 2014, Springsteen finally released the Agora concert officially on CD and download. INXS - WMMS Coffee Break Concert Live At The Cleveland Agora 27 June 1984 More images Tracklist Notes Recorded Live At The Cleveland Agora (Cleveland, OH) On 06-27-1984, Where INXS Performed A Very Rare Free Afternoon Concert In A Small Club, Sponsored By Local Radio Station WMMS 100.7 FM (Show Was Broadcast Live On The Air By WMMS). In addition to Boom's deep pipes being used every hour in the Top of the hour ID's, station sweepers and commercials, he held two on-air shifts on the weekends which he coined the Boom 'till noon. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band!" 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. . Buzzard Morning Zoo video featuring Mr. Leonard. 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. [112] WMMS scheduled a second Green Day performance just two months later this time at Blossom Music Center and at a near-record-low cost of $5 per ticket, the station gave fans a "second chance" to see the band live. With Lou Reed. 100.7 WMMS Cleveland's Rock Station. Being one of the highest-rated radio stations in the country, he became the afternoon drive DJ in 1974, all the way until December of 1988 - which he then decided to part pays with Cleveland. Dean DePiero, then mayor of Parma, criticized the song and its accompanying YouTube video: "It's pretty sick. [96] Gorman changed the WMMS format to alternative rock,[97] playing new acts like Nirvana, The Offspring, and Nine Inch Nails, on October 27. 'MMS listener favorites like Green Day, Letters to Cleo, Everclear, Better Than Ezra, Alice in Chains, Garbage and Silverchair were just a few of the bands featured in Buzzard Bone. Kid Leo was actively involved in the campaign in bringing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland - which lead to the mayor Geroge Voinovich granting him a key to the city in 1990. Weiland and STP were touring in support of No. Features Breaker s original line-up and is their only official live recording to date. [51] On July 31, 1947, W8XUB began broadcasting at 100.7MHz. By the late 1980s, most of the original staff members had departed: John Gorman and Denny Sanders left in 1986 to launch upstart station WNCX, and Columbia Records hired Kid Leo in 1988. I love all tracks and dialog Colt 00:00 / 05:01 Digital Album Streaming + Download Ida Lee Park. Waits had a few memorable shows in Cleveland early in his career. . Boston's Agora show, called "Feeling It In Cleveland," is highly coveted on vinyl and features everything you love from the band. [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]. During a June 19, 2012 interview with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, the show broke news of the delayed release for Music from Another Dimension!, the band's first studio album in eight years. Seth's Big Fat Barbarian Wedding - August 19th, 2005 at Shooters on the Water. The second logo, first one in print, used by WMMS was the Tongue Logo. John Gorman, Denny Sanders and Kid Leo organized the original campaign with Tunc Erim, assistant to Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun. [51] Like most early FM stations, WHK-FM mostly simulcast the Top 40 programming of its AM sister station. Described by Talkers magazine as "a bold anomaly worthy of industry attention", the show itself has successfully continued the format established by its predecessor The Maxwell Show all talk during afternoon drive on an FM rock station. During his long tenure doing evenings at the station Denny interviewed hundreds of rock stars including the late John Lennon. [137] Cantle later called the failure of Sean, Cristi and Hunter as "a real team effort" and compared herself unfavorably to Johnny Manziel: "too young, too overconfident and too drunk to handle the responsibility however I have no intentions of playing Canadian football". 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. Heard are: John Bassette, Brewer & Shipley, Dan Hill, Tom Waits, Flatbush, Leo Kottke, Buzzy Linhart, Martin Mull, Pete Laughner and Walter Egan. [144] Rover's contract with CBS was set to expire, but it was an affiliate contract inherited from the Free FM stintCBS transferred him back to WKRK-FM after WCKG cancelled itand not a talent contract, thus he was not subject to a non-compete clause. Close Menu. [122] Closing in May 1999, Clear Channel was renamed iHeartMedia in 2014. There were other really good rock stations around, but those other stations opted in to carry the live broadcast of the MMS birthday show (in 1978). It was the same logo used by all of the FM radio stations owned by Metromedia at the time. But the band's 2003 Agora show on its "Elephant" tour was an epic showcase of just how big the band had become. . The Buzzard became synonymous with WMMS, Cleveland radio and the city itself, spawning a series of T-shirts so numerous that they are now impossible to catalog, many with slogans like "Where Music Means Something" and "Ruler of the Airwaves.". . blink-182. [171][173][174], For the Bath, Maine, radio station which identified as WMMS from 1957 to 1964, see, "This radio station is known for breaking the rules, changing the game, and being successful. Music News German City Cancels Roger Waters Concert, Calls Him Antisemitic Feb 28, 2023. . We use cookies to improve your experience using this site. More information [170][171][172], WMMS has also served as the FM flagship station for the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network since 2013, again sharing network flagship status with AM sister station WTAM. Concerts Morgan Wade at The Agora Mar 04, 2023. WMMS (100.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio, commonly identified as "TheBuzzard". Len "Boom" Goldberg's unmistakable voice was heard for three decades on 100.7 WMMS. Count this as one of those shows you still can't believe came to The Agora. Listen free to Marc Cohn - WMMS Coffee Break Concert (The Wooden Woman, Interview and more). Album deejay Denny Sanders was brought in from Boston and key WNCR personnel (including former WHK-FM/WMMS personalities Martin Perlich and Billy Bass, and station newcomer David Spero) were soon hired by WMMS, taking most of their audience with them. [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. WMMS-HD2, which relays its signal over low-power FM translator W256BT (99.1 FM), is the Cleveland affiliate for iHeart's all-news oriented Black Information Network. He made his debut on WMMS in 1984. The Agora is etched in Cleveland music history. [148][149][143][150], Radio personality Alan Cox, formerly host of The Morning Fix at WKQX/Chicago and The Alan Cox Radio Show at WXDX-FM/Pittsburgh, took over weekday afternoons as host of The Alan Cox Show on December 16, 2009. Cleveland Police wearing riot gear were called in just as headliner Green Day took the stage. WMMS Coffee Break Concert: The Early Years A special from 1978 featuring early performances when the show emanated from a tiny studio at the radio station. 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. . Matt remains one of the most popular air personalities from WMMS' fifty year history. During their infamous show at the Agora, Plasmatics frontwoman Wendy O. Williams tore apart the stage with a chainsaw and covered herself in whipped cream (which is about all she wore). Check out our coffee break concert selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. [141] Maxwell was known for having feuds with other radio personalities during the show's time at WMMS, including Rover of Rover's Morning Glory and fellow WTAM afternoon host Mike Trivisonno; by 2009, Maxwell had become the number one afternoon program in several key demographics. July 11, 1995. [148][149] All other air talent heard on WMMS is provided via iHeartMedia's "Premium Choice" voice-tracking service. The very first logo to ever be created for WMMS was a red and white rainbow. Other stations carried their birthday show. The WMMS Coffee Break Concert was a weekly music-interview show broadcast live from the station's studio, and later with an audience at the Agora Ballroom. EC horror comics, Fritz the Cat, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Looney Tunes all served as inspirations for the "bird of prey with attitude" concept. In 1986, following a fire, the venue found its new home on Euclid Avenue. During this time, WMMS also began broadcasting a remarkable number of live concerts, many of which originated in Cleveland and were produced by the station itself. The top 40 format also failed to make any major ratings impact. The first buzzard which has penned the name The Wrath of the Buzzard can be seen sitting atop a mushroom paying homage to the former logo along with the competitors call letters WGCL and WIXY grasped in its beak. Acoustic on the Green. - The original source tape was cut short, therefore the final two minutes of track 14 (normally 3:01 in length) is missing. His album with backing band The Bluenotes "This Notes For You," was different than anything Young had released before. Denny Sanders Denny Sanders 1972 - 1986 YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Yes, that includes "More Than a Feeling. Meat Loaf's 1977 album "Bat Out of Hell" was an epic extravaganza with a tour that could match it. [96][98] Billboard and Airplay Monitor magazines together named WMMS Rock Station of the Year (Medium Market) in 1995,[103] and Modern Rock Station of the Year (Medium Market) in 1996. 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. Judas Priest was one of those bands that made a stop at the Agora before they became famous during the 1970s. Contrary to what many believe, the choice of the second Malrite logo had nothing to do with Buzzard Day, the annual "folksy event" held in Hinckley Township, Ohio. typify the show's irreverent style. . [115][116], The next of these multi-act shows, simply titled BuzzardFest, was held in May 1996 at Blossom Music Center and featured performances from 311 and No Doubt, along with Candlebox, The Nixons, Goldfinger, Gods Child, Dash Rip Rock, Holy Barbarians, and Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. In 1976, Bash began the tripped out tradition of playing Funkadelic Maggot Brain in its entirety every Saturday night at midnight. WMMS Coffee Break Concerts, an idea from Denny Sanders, was an intimate concert for a few hundred at the old Cleveland Agora. [107][108][109][110], During this time, WMMS held a series of sold-out rock festivals that featured many of the new up-and-coming artists receiving station airplay. The WMMS Coffee Break Concerts were booked and directed by Denny Sanders and hosted by Len "Boom" Goldberg, Debbie Ullman, and later, Matt the Cat. Win a Monster Zero Sugar prize pack from Circle K! 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. Students were protesting the bombing of Cambodia by the United States Armed Forces. The year 1988 was a weird stretch for Neil Young. [31] In 1981, Radio & Records identified "the malevolent feathered figure" as "the best-known station symbol in the country. [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. The Agora "Alpha" first opened in 1966 in Little Italy before moving a year later to East 24th Street. Cleveland Magazine has also described both Rover and Cox as "talk shows with a rock-oriented sensibility". Rumor has it that WMMS had ballots printed so the public could fill them out at various events. [78] Concertgoers occasionally fell or jumped off the steep stadium upper deck onto the concrete seating area far below, causing serious injury. He joined the station in early 1972 before its sale to Malrite, and stayed in different capacities until 2004. [88] Management ordered a change to the Buzzard by giving it a flat-top and mullet. [81], In the mid-1980s, WMMS was an important contributor in organizing a campaign (along with former Cleveland ad agency president Edward Spizel and author-deejay Norm N. Nite) which brought the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland. A federal offense, the act nearly cost WMMS its broadcasting license. BLF also praised musicians and was a great fan of the Texas Tornadoes and Blue Cheer. [131][132], In September 2007, WMMS management chose to "de-emphasize" both The Buzzard and WMMS call letters, referring to the station as simply "100.7", save for the FCC-mandated legal ID at the top of every hour. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. From the extraordinary Concert for the Rock Hall lineup, to Springsteen's iconic 1978 Agora set, to Bruno Mars' early show at the Grog Shop, relive some of the city's wildest nights for live music with these video recordings, bootlegs and audio streams of concerts. 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. On August 9, 1978, there was no hotter ticket in Cleveland. Goldfinger, The Refreshments, Triple Fast Action and others played the second stage at the top of the hill. The live shows tell quite the story. WMMS' decline culminated on April 14, 1994, with the high-profile departure of Jeff Kinzbach, effectively ending "Jeff & Flash" on WMMS (Ferenc would leave the station several weeks later; both would pair up again at WWWE). Springsteen's music had become an important cornerstone of the Buzzard playlist and his profile had risen nationally, thanks to the release of the Born to Run album, with the title track quickly becoming an 'MMS staple that would endure for decades. All we're doing is shifting an image. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WMMS broadcasts over two HD Radio channels and is available online via iHeartRadio. [71], From the onset, Helton's streamlined artwork resulted in an aggressive, yet family-friendly symbol for the station, one that continues to endure more than 40 years later. [98][106] The sale came almost immediately after passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a time when radio companies nationwide rushed "at a fever pitch" to acquire new properties. [168], WMMS has served as the FM flagship station for the Cleveland Cavaliers AudioVerse since 2014, sharing network flagship status with AM sister station WTAM. WHK-FM became one of a handful of commercial stations in the country to try that format, many of which were owned by MetroMedia.
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