John Records Landecker is one of the most recognizable names in Chicago radio history, and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the 1970s, he was named the best radio personality in the country by Billboard Magazine. You may remember him from his stints at WLS-AM 890, WLUP FM-97.9, WCKG FM 105.9, and WJMK FM 104.3. He also worked at classic radio stations WIBG in Philadelphia, and CFTR in Toronto, and in television as the movie critic on "Chicago Tonight" on WTTW. Records is his actual middle name--it says so on his birth certificate. It was his mother's maiden name.
I asked John to contribute to the blog today because it is Wolfman Jack's birthday. It takes a radio legend to explain another radio legend.
Happy Birthday Wolfman Jack
by John Records Landecker
Can you hear the party goin’ on in heaven? I believe The Wolfman walked up to God and said, “It’s all about your boogaloo situation, ya understand.” God said: “Have mercy.” Wolf said, “Hey, you stealin’ my material?”I am not going to give you a history lesson on Wolfman Jack. Lets just say that from the early 1960’s until his passing, Wolfman Jack was the most unique personality in the history of rock ‘n’ roll radio. Not only legendary, but in fact the legend itself, howling into the night on the most powerful radio station on the planet. He was a mystery in the dark. It was wild. As a kid, filmmaker George Lucas tuned in from southern California. When he made the movie “American Graffiti” he cast The Wolfman as a rock ‘n’ roll DJ. The film was a huge success and Wolf was part of it. For eight years in the 1970’s he hosted one of television’s first rock shows: THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. This is where I come in.
Throughout the 70’s I worked as a nighttime rock jock on a big station in Chicago. I ran into the Wolfman three times. Bob Sirott, who was on the air in the afternoon, told me he saw an ad that said Wolf was making an appearance at some bar/nightclub near O’Hare airport. Bob suggested we go. The Wolfman was great. We all ended up in some hotel suite after the show with about 100 other people and had a few drinks, few laughs, and went home.Run in number two. I was a doing radio station promotion at Great America. For some reason Wolfman was there too. We bumped in to each other but really did not have time to talk….
Saving the best for last. I don’t know how he did this but Bob Sirott got The Wolfman to fill in for him when he went on vacation. My hobby was shooting super 8 mm movies. I filmed The Wolfman from just about every possible angle. Climbing on the console, lying on the floor, you name it. I spent four hours with the Wolfman while he did a show (by the way the movie turned out great if I do say so myself). What was it like? Well The Wolfman was the first radio personality I ever saw with an entourage. I have no idea who these people were, but they were in the studio the entire time.
Wolf and I shared a common bond. As nighttime rockers we hated a lot of the lame music that AM radio played. The program director and I had many an animated discussion on this very topic. The Wolfman had been on the air less than an hour when he decided our playlist was crap. This is not what THE WOLFMAN PLAYS. After a few tunes of his own selection, Wolf was visited in the studio by the program director. At the time I was filming from the control room into the studio through a glass window. Radio people get a big kick out of this scene. EVEN THE WOLFMAN HAD TO PUT UP WITH THIS! At any rate Wolfman did the show and then for my benefit led a conga line out of the studio and into the hallway as the O’Jays sang “Love Train.”You know how in stories like the Lone Ranger, the masked man leaves a silver bullet to remember him by? I followed Wolfman on the air that night. About an hour into my show I noticed an open pack of Kool cigarettes lying off to the side. Fantastic, I thought, Wolfman left his smokes. What a riot. I picked up the pack and looked inside. I think this is where I am going to stop.
Lets just say that after I got off the air I was totally into my boogaloo situation…HAVE MERCY!!!!!
Rick's Notes: I was John's executive producer for ten years at WJMK (1993-2003), and it was a pleasure working with him. John can still be heard on the radio in Chicago on WLS-AM 890. He lives in Indiana with his wife Laura and their beloved pooches.
This is the WJMK morning show circa 1993. Clockwise from top left: Board operator Lonnie Martin, Executive Producer Rick Kaempfer, Traffic Reporter/Co-Host Vicki Truax, Newsman Richard Cantu.
This is the WJMK morning show circa 2001. From left: Rick Kaempfer, John Landecker, Co-Host Leslie Keiling, Newscaster Richard Cantu, and technical producer Vince Argento.
