Our friend, Bill Earl, who has been jocking every Saturday on KFXM-FM, the #1 oldies channel in the Antelope Valley since the day before Easter in 2007, has just told us that yesterday he has, with regret, resigned from his regular weekend show.But on a POSITIVE note, he tells us he WILL BE available to return to KFXM for "special guest appearances" such as "live" remotes, or "live" special events (as he has done three times before) IF management asks him.
In a telephone call to Bill last night, he told us,
"My answer is already a big YES! They know my phone number, and I DO hope they call me. 'LIVE' shows are what I do best. Tracking is tough because it is subject to more micro-managing from management than 'live' shows, and it's no fun after cutting hours of voice-tracks only to have them sh*tcanned by management who may end up not liking them. But they're only doing their job, and that's how voice-tracking works in radio. My home is too far to commute to the Lancaster studios...over 80 miles each way, and with $4.60 gasoline, tracking from the CE's (chief engineer) home, which was closer to me, was the only economically option I had."
His last show was on Saturday, July 5.
Bill's wife, a 28-yr. licensed RN/BSN/PHN, felt that the stress of Bill spending hours "voice tracking shows" (and sometimes the voice tracks that he spent hours recording were not even used!) was raising his blood pressure to levels of concern.
He told us that he gave up the Saturday show to help ease his wife's concerns.
Bill said, "Those middle-aged guys like me who are married to nurses KNOW what it's like."
We asked Bill how he got the nickname, "Big Bad Bill."
He recalls,
"I was actually GIVEN that nickname by a co-worker. In 1971, I was one of the old-timers (pushing 22) on KPCS-FM in Pasadena, been there about three years, and getting ready to move on. I was sort of a maverick sometimes on the air, sometimes slipping on borderline songs that were more Top 40ish than the station usually played...or sometimes a risque quip or one-liner. Sometimes, I would often bring my longtime girlfriend into the booth to sit in with me...totally against the rules. My regular engineer, on the other side of the glass, who was board-opping my show, being only 18, a few years younger than me, gave me that nickname, as he saw me doing things that he, a rookie, dare not do, but he admired my mavericknish. When he saw me coming, he'd say 'Hey, here comes big bad Bill Earl.' I kinda liked that rogueish reputation that I had acquired by those younger guys, so I decided to start calling myself that. "
Us three editors at this blogsite hope KFXM does bring Bill back soon for those special event days!WE'LL ALL be LISTENING for THOSE!
