Musings, observations, and written works from the publisher of Eckhartz Press, the media critic for the Illinois Entertainer, co-host of Minutia Men, Minutia Men Celebrity Interview and Free Kicks, and the author of "The Loop Files", "Back in the D.D.R", "EveryCubEver", "The Living Wills", "$everance," "Father Knows Nothing," "The Radio Producer's Handbook," "Records Truly Is My Middle Name", and "Gruen Weiss Vor".
A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.
Our podcasting equipment finally broke down after 500+ episodes, so we are in the process of building a new studio. Until that is completed, here are a few audio highlights to chew on.
=My brush with the former presidential mistress was discussed on this episode, along with audio of the interview, and the parody song I wrote about it.
-Helen Haskell, President, Mothers Against Medical Error and Consumers Advancing Patient Safety, Former Chair, World Health Organization, Patients for Patient Safety Advisory Group
-James M. Anderson, J.D., past President and CEO, now President Emeritus, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Strategic Advisor, Taft Stettinius and Hollister
-Denis Cortese, M.D., Professor and Director, Arizona State University Center for Health Care Delivery and Policy, Emeritus Professor and former President and CEO, Mayo Clinic
-Martin Elliott, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University College London, former Medical Director, The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK, Provost of Gresham College, London
-C. Daniel Smith, M.D. Director, Esophageal Institute of Atlanta, former Dean Warren Professor of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, former Professor of Surgery and Surgeon-in- Chief, Mayo Clinic In Florida
=A few photos from last weekend's book signing at the Chicagoland Record Show
=A bonus photo from the book for this week's birthday boy John Belushi.
=The Loop Files is dedicated to two special ladies, Sandy Stahl and Cindy Gatziolis. Cindy's birthday would have been this week (January 25). That's her on the left (with fellow Looper Tricia Mladic)
=Don't forget that Eckhartz Press author Lou Macaluso will be signing and selling his book Leaving Glory for Greatness (and all his other books) at THORNTON DISTILLERY BOOK FAIR, THORNTON DISTILLING CO., 400 E MARGARET ST, THORNTON, IL, FEB. 4TH, NOON-5PM.
=Rock journalist Bill Paige got the opportunity to interview some of the biggest rock stars during rock and roll's heyday. Among them--Eddie Van Halen and Steve Perry. Both rate their own chapters in Bill's great 2017 Eckhartz Press book.
=Tom Weinberg was a WTTW producer for years, and wrote a book about his greatest adventure, looking for a lost city in the jungles of Honduras. The photos alone, like the one below, are worth the price of admission. This week in 2018 he had a book signing at The Book Stall in Winnetka.
=This week last year the Chicago Writers Association honored Dr. David Fletcher and John Owens, writers of Chili Dog MVP at the Book of the Year awards.
=He may be the White Sox radio announcer now, but back in 2016, Len Kasper was the TV play-by-play man for the Cubs. In the book Cubsessions this week's birthday boy tells the story of that magical night in Cleveland.
=This week in 2020, Eckhartz Press author Andrew C. Langert released his biography of Lewis University's Brother James Gafney. This photo is Andy holding the very first copy of the book.
*Your Dime My Dance Floor
=This week in 2019, Eckhartz Press author Chet Coppock made his final public appearance for a charity. He grabbed the mic and entertained the Bowling for Veterans event. That's a photo of him at the event below, along with a shot of Chet with his lifelong friend Jack Brickhouse. Jack was born this week, 108 years ago.
=Randy Richardson is not just the president of the Chicago Writer's Association, he's also a three-times published Eckhartz Press author. His first book for us was the coming of age novel Cheeseland. This week in 2013, Randy recapped the many stops on his media tour.
=The great thing about Randy Merkin's book Behind the Glass is that there are stories about Hall of Fame legends everywhere you turn, including three stars celebrating birthdays this week, Jack Nicklaus, Wayne Gretzky, and Chris Chelios (photo with Randy).
I hadn't checked in on Amazon and GoodReads in a few weeks. Surprised to see almost 100 reviews/ratings for The Loop Files. It has a 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon, and 4.7 out of 5 on GoodReads. Thought I'd share a handful...
Five Stars/TG Nelson/GoodReads
This has been my favorite read of 2023. There was a good 20 year stretch of my life where the only radio stations I listened to were the AM & FM Loop stations. Kevin Mathews, Steve & Garry, Brandmeier, and all their co-hosts and hanger ons lived rent free in my head. This book, written by a former producer, is an intimate oral history from the mouths of the people who worked there from 1977 until 1998. Its not just a nostalgia trip but a chronicle of the radio industry going from an anything goes Wild West atmosphere to the current sanitized corporate product terrestrial radio has become. I can’t recommend it enough.
Five Stars/Marco G./GoodReads
I could not put this book down. I read it in less than 48 hours possibly? I was humongous fan this radio station including Kevin Matthews Jonathan brandmeier, Steve and Garry , chet coppock, the list goes on and on. In 1991 approximately I was working at a gas station and I remember during that time I would have the loop on literally all day from 5:00 in the morning then I would continue to listen it on my way home, leave it on until 10:00 11:00 at night. It was amazing lineup of talent and it kept me company for enormous parts of the day. I will never forget how much I enjoyed listening to that lineup. It was truly a unique time in Chicago radio. This book does a decent job putting together a history of the radio stations on the am and FM dial. It was a truly enjoyable experience reading these collections of history, and my one complaint is I just wish it was longer. I am sure there were many other stories that were left out. I have so much fondness for the people in this book, I genuinely hope they are all doing well. I hope this book does well too, as it's a love letter to a radio station that was mythical in it's lineup of personalities. And as the author writes at the end it's a salute to the fans who supported the radio station through the years. That was heartening to read. It's a good breezy book, you can read it in a day or two if the history of this radio station is relevant to you.
Five Stars/Matthew Krecun/GoodReads
What a great trip down memory lane. I grew up listening to the Loop and if you did as well, then you’ll love this one. The author interviews most of the personalities from that era and gets their take on the station and what was going on during the heyday. He even digs up old interviews to put some perspective on what they were saying to the media back then. It’s a fun, quick-read with great photos from the era. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Five Stars/Brian Fuss/GoodReads
As an avid listener to The Loop in high school and when back home during college, this book really took me back. So many hours listening to the on air talent, this gave a peak into the studios and lets the reader in on the behind the scenes shenanigans and stories that made The Loop such great listening. Highly recommended to anyone who made The Loop part of their lives and let them provide a soundtrack to it.
Five Stars/Eric/GoodReads
This is a very special book about a very special radio station in a very special place during a very special period of time. The story of the Loop from everyone who was there.
Five Stars/John Demus/amazon
Fantastic book about one of the most influential and often imitated Chicago radio stations by a long time Producer/insider. A must read!
Five Stars/Christine/Amazon
I'm a boomer and of course this brought back those memories. Generation X was just getting into it. This book was so interesting and it tells you so much about RADIO - what an invention radio was and this digs into it very deep. Thanks to the author.
Five Stars/Marcus C/Amazon
Growing up as a teenager in Chicago during the 80s, "The Loop" was not just a radio station; it was the soundtrack of our lives. The memories of tuning into WLUP 97.9, with its incredible cast of on-air personalities like Steve Dahl, Garry Meier, Johnny B, and Kevin Matthews, still resonate deeply with me. To call them "DJ's" was a fundamental misunderstanding of what was being broadcast. Their unique blend of rock-n-roll, humor, and pop culture was the pulse of the city, and Rick Kaempfer's "The Loop Files" captures this essence perfectly.
Rick's first-hand experience as a producer and on-air host at The Loop, brings an authentic and vivid portrayal of the station's heyday. His interviews and stories, told by those who were right in the thick of it, reveal the wild, innovative spirit that made The Loop a cultural icon. As someone who experienced the manic energy, talent, and pure rock & roll decadence of Chicago radio in that era, reading "The Loop Files" felt like a reunion with old friends.
The book is a time capsule, taking us back to an era where radio wasn't just background noise but an influential part of our daily lives. It wasn't just about the music; The Loop was a community, a movement. Attending their free concerts and events, even if it were at a car dealership, was like being part of an exclusive club. Kaempfer's narrative is fast-paced, fun, and filled with the kind of insider knowledge that only someone who lived through it could provide.
For anyone who grew up in Chicago during the 70s and 80s, "The Loop Files" is a must-read. It's more than just a chronicle of a radio station; it's a love letter to a bygone era, a tribute to the power of music and radio in shaping our youth. Every page is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminding us of the time when The Loop was the king of Chicago's airwaves.
Five stars/Chris Coleman/amazon
Read this cover to cover in one sitting. Relived the glory days of radio, *our* glory days. We the fans, were a part of the glory that was The Loop. Growing up in the suburbs, everyone was glued to the station. Times we would get to our home, school or work and have to sit outside in the car waiting to hear the next outrageous vector. They created the mold for others to see, then smashed it, over and over. As I’m reading, I’m laughing so hard my wife is asking if the book is supposed to be funny. Not really, but reading about the bits, the interviews, the characters, it brings me back to those moments and reminds me of how hard I laughed back then. She wasn’t a listener but those who were will love the inside scoops, the back stories, people behind the scenes and the interplay between them all. Tune in and rip the knob off!
Five stars/Austen fan/amazon
Rick Kaempfer's book, The Loop Files, is a treasure. Many people talk about the first generation of rock radio in Chicago with WLS and WCFL. It was the Loop that eventually deposed WLS to become a legend itself. The Loop Files explains the alchemy that made the station work.
Rick uses quotes from hundreds of interviews with the people who were there making it happen. The insights make clear that the Loop was a once in a lifetime occurrence. Part brilliant radio strategy, part great timing, part happenstance, and a lot great talent, the Loop AM and FM were must-listen appointments for close to two decades. You won't really know how it happened until you read this book. Highly recommended.
A curation of news items
about the media from this past week, with a particular emphasis on Chicago.
RADIO/PODCASTS
*WLS
100
=April
24th of this year is the 100th anniversary of WLS-AM. If
you haven’t been paying attention, current WLS morning man Steve Cochran
has been doing some great interviews with some of the most important figures in
the station’s history. For instance, this is his chat with famous former WLS
program director John Gehron. He has also chatted with Tommy
Edwards, Roe Conn, Jeff Davis, Garry Meier and more. More interviews and a photo gallery are here.
=Also,
if you are/were a WLS fan, you should be following Scott Childers’
Chicago’s WLS Radio History page on Facebook. Scott wrote the book on the
subject (literally) and has been posting some incredible photos every day.
*Phil
Manicki
=Me-TV FM has a new program
director, longtime Chicago jock Phil Manicki. Phil replaces Rick
O’Dell who retired late last year. Phil has previously worked in Chicago at
WDRV, WLUP, WCKG, and WGN. “Thanks to Weigel Broadcasting for creating the coolest radio
station in Chicago,” Manicki said. “I’m excited to join the incredible team at
MeTV FM following fellow WPGU alumni, Rick O’Dell to write the next chapter in
the station’s story.”
=WPGU, by the way, is the student run radio
station at the University of Illinois. Other prominent alumni in Chicago media
include Roger Ebert, DanePlacko, Charlie Meyerson, Wendy Rice, Kathy
Voltmer, Robin Baumgarten, Gene Honda, Jon Hansen, Andrea Darlas, Alex Quigley,
Ben Ponzio, Greg Easterling, and Steve Ennen. And me too.
*Ashley Bihun Named Operations Manager at WGN
=Ashley had previously worked at WGN as a
producer and for the past four years she had been a supervising producer for
the station.
=Mark Grote did a tremendous job on the
Score Wednesday morning paying tribute to the late-great Les Grobstein
who died two years ago this week. If you missed it, you can listen to it here.
*Podcast
Corner
=The
incredible shrinking podcast industry. Apple’s new policy is driving down
listener numbers. Max Tani at Semafor explains.
=Meanwhile
in Rosemont, Steve Dahl brought aboard Tom Thayer as a guest on
his podcast. Rick Gieser was on hand to watch the recording.
=I’m keeping a close eye on Audacy
since they announced their Chapter 11 restructuring. There has been a flurry of
activity in executive positions, but most of those changes so far have been in
other markets. This is the first news about the Chicago market. Brian Purdy, who has served as a
Regional President and Dallas Market Manager since 2017, has added regional
oversight for Audacy Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee. Chicago was previously
overseen by Rachel Williamson, who last month was promoted to
President of Local Sales Strategy & Innovation.
*Music
News
=This
year’s inductees to the Songwriters Hall of Fame include Steely Dan and REM.
More info here.
=The
Smashing Pumpkins announced they were looking for a new guitarist.
10,000 people applied.
The
last surviving member of Edward R. Murrow’s radio team (and only
female). She was 101.
*The
Loop Files
=Don’t
forget to come out this weekend. Come
for the records, and swing by my table to buy a signed book. If you've already
bought the book and want it signed, I'm happy to do that too. Any former
Loopers in the area are invited. I have a poster I'm asking former Loopers to
sign that we are auctioning off for charity when this book tour concludes.
Additional details below…
Media birthdays/Milestones
*January 15—Martin Luther King Jr. birthday
=This year his holiday and birthday synched up. Every year I like to
highlight this song, put together in 1970 by Detroit disc jockey Tom
Clay. It’s a beautiful tribute to JFK, MLK, and RFK.
*January 15—Mary Sandberg Boyle birthday
=Mary is the boss at WGN Radio these days, having previously
produced classic shows by the likes of Steve Cochran and Steve Dahl.
She is the first female GM in WGN’s 100-year history. I interviewed her last
year for Illinois Entertainer.
*January
17—Zach Harris birthday
=Harris
worked previously with Q101, B96,and
WCKG.
*January 17, 1956—Chuck Goudie birthday
=Channel 7’s premier investigative reporter has been with WLS-TV
since 1980 and has been their chief investigative reporter since 1990. He has
won every award imaginable, including Emmys, Lisagors, Murrows, and more.
=Entertainment reporter at Good Day Chicago on Channel
32.
*January 18—Reed Pence birthday
=The former WLUP and WBBM-FM newsman was the co-owner of
MediaTracks which produced public affairs programs for hundreds of radio
stations nationwide. He is now retired.
*January
19—Roy Leonard birthday
=One of
the smoothest air personalities in Chicago radio history. I was lucky to get a
chance to interview Roy just a few years before he passed away. It was one of
my all-time favorite interviews. You can read it here, if you’re interested. After I posted it, he e-mailed me and
said: "You didn't have to print ALL of it." Yes I did.
*January 20—Chris Witting birthday
=The founder and CEO of Syndication Networks Corporation (based in
Chicago). His Success Journal airs in Chicago on WBBM
NewsRadio 780.
*January 20—Rich Renik birthday
=The former WMAQ and WUSN personality is now part of the Alpha
Media group in Crest Hill.
*January 20—Mick Kahler birthday
=Mick produced legendary personalities in Chicago for decades
(including Larry Lujack at WLS and Big John & Ray at
US-99) before leaving radio to become a teacher. He still writes parody songs
that are occasionally featured on WGN-TV.
=It's high school basketball season again, andThe U (WCIU-TV) will broadcast live girls and boys local high school basketball on “Game of the
Week” in February, including the Girls & Boys
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) championships as well as the Illinois High School
Association (IHSA) Super-Sectionals.
*He
Won’t Be Back
=Seems like a petty reason, but as a
German, Arnold knows that his papers must be in order. (I'm allowed to say that, I'm a German too)
Arnold Schwarzenegger will face criminal tax proceedings after failing to declare an item upon arrival to Germany, a Munich Customs press officer told CNN Wednesday. https://t.co/5wboiNhoo3
*Inside
The Messenger’s Money-Torching Bet to Make the Media Great Again
=Quite
the headline, no? The article in the Washington Post tells the tale. The
publication trying to present unbiased news (The Messenger) is being forced to
lay off staff and is searching for additional funding after blowing through
their initial $50 million stake.
*CEO
of Barstool Sports Steps Down
=Erika
Ayers Badan made the announcement via X (Twitter)…
The
great Washington Post television critic. He was 79. His book about Saturday
Night Live served as a model for me when I was writing The Loop Files.
SOCIAL MEDIA
*Sheryl
Sandberg Leaving Meta Board
=Arguably
the most famous female businesswoman in America is stepping down from the board
of directors at Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. Axios has the story.
As always, if you have any media story you’d like to share or think that I might be interested in sharing, drop me a line at rick@eckhartzpress.com or amishrick@yahoo.com. If you're in Chicago media and wondering why I didn't mention your birthday, it's probably because I don't know it. Drop me a line and let me know and I'll put you on my calendar.
