In the Eighties, I had several reliable radio choices in L.A. There was KROQ, the new wave/alternative rock station. The was KCRW, the NPR affiliate. And there was KPFK, the Pacifica affiliate.
KROQ was admittedly commercial, even back in its glory days (It has totally sucked for many years). KCRW did present some alternative music choices, such as English acts even KROQ wouldn’t play. On KPFK, I’d hear stuff like Charles Ives and obscure 50′s R&B. It was a good combo.
But even back then, as good as KCRW was, it seemed a little too smooth and safe in its choices. For example, I don’t recall them ever regularly playing punk rock — in L.A, in the Eighties! I don’t think they played much in the way of hip-hop — except perhaps that Coldcut remix of a Eric B. & Rakim that mixed in Yemenite singer Ofra Haza. See, that’s the kind of thing they’d do. Reminiscent of the stuff you hear in Starbucks today.
(NOTE: I forgot about AM radio station KDAY, my source for all things hip-hop back in the day.)
Anyway, there’s always been a music director that would lead the way, and the current guy is stepping down.
- KCRW Music Director Steps Down
- Nic Harcourt Throws In ‘Eclectic’ Towel
- KCRW’s Nic Harcourt steps down
Here’s a 2005 profile of Harcourt: The Star Maker of the Semipopular.
My brother (who still lives in L.A.) sent me a note to remind me that Harcourt’s predecessors — Tom Schnabel and Chris Douridas — also lasted about a decade each. They broke a lot of great acts and they played a lot of great music, but they also created a pretty sterile sound. Edgy, but not too. Adventurous — like that eco tour in Costa Rica.
My recollection is that there was a little more variety in the mid Eighties, with some of the late night and weekend music shows. Maybe that’s misty water-colored memories, but that’s the way I remember it. Those were the days when I’d hear a song on the radio for the first (maybe only) time and have to go run out and buy an copy (maybe expensive import vinyl) at a store like Moby Disc or Poobah’s.
If you can remember any of those old KCRW shows, drop me a line at thepopview@gmail.com.
UPDATE: Mickey Kaus put it like this:
Nic Harcourt, who for a decade has deadened L.A. musical culture (much like the L.A. Times deadened L.A. political culture) with his soul-killing taste for breathy pop and humorless delivery is leaving his influential position as music director for local NPR affiliate KCRW.