For the same reason , WXRT won't play the SAVAGE Rockpile set from The Park West , Chicago , on their concert series program , where they play repeats of live concerts from the vaults. There's too much Poi Dog Pondering and Blind Melon to make room for it.
Wayne Kramer only had one 45 out , really , after he got out of jail in the Late 70's , his version of "The Harder They Come", maybe they thought they had a local hit on their hands , or at least some time filler that rocked good enuff , but probably would'nt offend that many people. Then again, the thought of Thunders getting airplay at all in Chicago....wow. His first album had some sorta radio - friendly tracks (No pun.) , but, it's interesting to note that Gang War debuted at Huey's in Chicago , but , they could'nt get themselves together long enough to release a single.
James Porter said:
(1) Trivia note: the first time I heard Dr. Demento's program, the first song he played that night was the Novas'"The Crusher." I almost died laughing. I had just turned eleven.
(2) From fall '78-spring '80, Dr. D ruled my world. Then, by accident, I found out that a local Top 40 station (WEFM) was running a Sunday night oldies show, and for a while I went back and forth between Dr. D playing "Dead Puppies" and Dan Walker playing Blue Cheer's "Summertime Blues" (first time hearing it, and my mind was blown). Novelty and comedy records may have rocked my world for an adolescent minute, but the older I got, the more I wanted to hear some real music. I can dig humor, but I can respect Spike Jones more than I actually want to listen to him. I do thank Dr. D for making me a teenage fan of Cheech & Chong...
(3) Actually, the period of experimentation for The Loop was just starting to kick in around the time of Disco Demolition. Just because they might have played Kramer once doesn't mean he stayed on the list. But, this was 1979; playing power-pop alongside meathead hard rockers was what they settled on once the smoke cleared, and was supposed to be the sign of a new era or something. For the remainder of '79 and all of 1980, that was the basic sound of WLUP. If your band was on a major label and was imitating the Cars, you were guaranteed Loop airplay at the time. I stopped listening in early '81 after they canned Steve and Garry (the first time); the Loop is still an FM rock station, but if you call the request line asking to hear the Records'"Starry Eyes," Dave Edmunds'"Girls Talk," or the Inmates'"Dirty Water," I doubt if they'll play them (or even know what the hell you were talking about). Those songs were definitely part of the rotation in 1980, however.
John Battles said:
When I was visiting in Chicago in the Summer of '79 , The Disco Demolition had just happened , AND The Knack just broke. So , maybe , The Loop's period of experimentation was about over . The most adventuresome thing I remember hearing on WLUP was ZZ Top. I did hear "Blockhead" by Devo on WXRT , and even tho' I knew who Devo were , I knew I was'nt going to be hearing THEM back in Texas......at least , I did'nt , until "Jerking Back and Forth" (A minor hit.) and "Whip It". I crashed out to "Dr. Demento" , Sunday nights , in the Late 70's , too , but , when George Gimarc's show got my ear , "Dead Puppies" had to GO. However, they started playing Dr. Demento in the early 80's , I think , on Saturday afternoon. That was when I first heard "The Crusher" by The Novas. I knew The Cramps' version, but, I thought , "My God ! This guy sounds like he's choking to death on his own vomit !! THIS is Hardcore.")
James Porter said:
John - the second issue of Kicks (from 1979) included an article on 60s Chicago bands by my friend Cary Baker. Before he launched into the past, he included a quick sum-up of the present, talking about how The Loop had started beefing up their playlist with punk and new wave oriented acts, like Wayne Kramer and Johnny Thunders (!!!). This, coupled with the Disco Demolition event, looked like Chicago rock radio was about to enter a renaissance. Now, Baker laughs at how tame the Loop was - sure, they embraced the New Music, but wouldn't go but so far. Still, at the time, playing Patti Smith and Talking Heads next to Molly Hatchet and Van Halen seemed like a major coup. If Wayne Kramer got played, it was probably during an early period of experimentation where they were trying to find out what stuck and what slid. Evidently Kramer and Thunders' music slid straight to the floor while the Knack got all the gravy. As far as Sunday nights at 11 PM, in Chicago that was Dr. Demento time. How I awoke in time for school the next morning, I'll never know, but at least I went to sleep laughing.