The Man from Mars Collection
|
Ed Brouder of Man from Mars Productions started taping local radio stations in the 1960's. He was -- and is -- most interested in airchecks from WDRC and WPOP (Hartford, Ct.). In January of 2000, Ed launched his WDRC Oldie But Goodie site.
Ed's own broadcast career began in 1972. Early on he spent a summer ringing Nutmeg State doorbells looking for candy bars from the M&M/Mars company for a WDRC promotion.
The "Man from Mars" nickname stuck and that's what he called his audio production studio when it opened in 1981. When he's not dubbing airchecks, he can be found producing commercials and radio documentaries like the one which earned a prestigious George Foster Peabody Award in 1976 for WGIR Manchester, New Hampshire. Today, Ed keeps his hand in radio part time. He is heard five days a week as morning drive news editor at AM 1370 WFEA and traffic reporter on 95.7 WZID in Manchester, N.H. |
No idea who this guy was, or what became of him. I just like the tortured sonovox on PAMS Series 18!
[Description by Ed Brouder]
The son of a Philadelphia jazz musician, Joe Hager (1945-1999) began a 35 year radio career at the college station at Rutgers University. On either side of a tour of Vietnam with Uncle Sam, his voice graced the airwaves at stations in New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut and Florida.
One of his longest stays was at WDRC in Hartford (1969-1972) where Charlie Parker hired him for middays on AM. But his high-energy style soon earned him the nickname “Highgear”, and the 7PM to midnight shift simulcast on WDRC-FM.
Off the air, Joe was friendly with his crosstown rival, Frank Holler. It was not unheard of that they would call each other’s hotline and arrange to play the same songs at the same time on Big D and WPOP.
Before and after Hartford, Joe worked at WAVZ, New Haven. His travels took him to WIFE Indianapolis, KDWB and KSTP Minneapolis, and several Florida markets. His most recent home was WKQL Jacksonville, where he hosted afternoon drive as “Smokin’ Joe Beamer.” Also known as “Smokin’ Joe Hager”, Joe passed away February 23, 1999 and is survived by his family and wife, Andre.
[Description by Ed Brouder]
After Cleveland, Lee Baby Simms landed at KCBQ (for the first time). This particular day he was feeling effects of some late-night partying with Bartell’s George Wilson who was in town. He also had to put up with a skeptical cash call contestant.
[Description by Ed Brouder]
When Lee Baby Simms left WPOP in Hartford, CT. in 1967, he returned to San Antonio, intending to work at KTSA. But KONO went to court to enforce a non-compete, so he ended up there for a few months before returning to WPOP. Then, it was off to Cleveland (for the first time) and WKYC. [Aircheck courtesy of Jay Marks]
[Description by Uncle Ricky]
Charlie Greer (1923-1996) was on WABC for a long time. From many miles away, through the fading and static, I remember Charlie as the pitchman for those rhythmic Dennison’s spots  bedtime stories from the proverbial transistor radio under my pillow. Hearing them again reminds me how strange I thought it all was. If I lived in New York, I could shop at Dennison’s at 1 in the morning!
This wonderful aircheck from Man from Mars includes several Dennison’s spots, plus a Palisades Amusement Park spot. Jim Branch does the newscast. I initially suspected this recording was made from WABC-FM, but Don Tandler tells me the aircheck was made in the WABC studios by Charlie Greer himself, and willed to fan Steve Thomas. Contributor Ed Brouder received it from a fellow collector in Utah, years ago. It’s not truly “high-fidelity”, but the clarity and presence of the overall recording is quite different from the reverb and hetrodyne-enhanced memories of my pillow-surfing years.