OT- Youth has a question for the older member.

While watching American Grafitti the other night I started to wonder who exactly is wolfman jack. How could a radio dj become popular enough to be in a movie? Can someone please explain who this guy was and why he was so great. Sorry for my ignorance, I am only 19.

 

one word, wikipedia

 

ah good idea, never though of that.

 

If you have to ask, you dont need to know.

 

There was once a time when DJ's actually picked the songs and injected their own personalities into what was a show. Not like today with automated playlists and pre-recorded commercials all the time.

 

yes, but how did he become nationally known?

 

I hate to say it, but look him up on the internet. The Wolfman was a one of a kind DJ, and I'm pretty sure he had his own nationally syndicated show - much like the American Top 40 with Casey Kasem or whoever is doing it now.

He was definitely someone fun to listen to.

 

Because he broadcast from an outlaw radio station that was powerful enough to reach a huge audience. I think it was across the border and then he had that voice that would scare little girls and weak men..

 

well, wikipedia did not really have anything. I would rather hear the opinions of those who listened to him.

 

Alex - see comment made by Goztrider above. Pretty much sums it up. Coast to coast syndication made him known, but his style made him famous.

 

Here in west texas we could only pick him up late at night on AM. He was broadcast from Mexico and they turned the wattage way up at night.

 

It would **** to be a kid growing up these days ..no fun.. commer******m and greed has taken over EVERYTHING

 

<DD>[SIZE=+2]For millions[/SIZE], Wolfman Jack--indisputably the world's most famous DJ--was the master of ceremonies for the rock 'n' roll generation of the '60s on radio, and later on television during the '70s. In the early 1960s, when much of the airwaves were segregated, Bob Smith created his shadowy wild man alter ego so that he could DJ on the radio the "rhythm and blues" race records n he loved so much. As the enigmatic Wolfman Jack, the young white man from one of Brooklyn, one of New York's toughest neighborhoods, could easily hide behind a voice that masked his true ethnic roots. Many teens first discovered The Wolfman while scanning the AM radio band as they cruised Main Street U.S.A. Out of the night came a howling, guttural, ethereal voice amid a collection of rock 'n' roll, inner-city ethnic rhythm, and deep south blues records that wouldn't be found on any "legal" radio station.
<DD>Indeed, Wolfman Jack held Court over his young audience from XERF-AM, just south of Cuidad Acuna, Mexico, where the 250,000 watt signal -- five times more powerful than any U.S. radio station -- blanketed most of North America. Without the benefit of traditional advertising, it was word of mouth that spread the news about the provocative Wolfman and his nonconformist style -- the kind of style that horrified parents, making it all the more appealing to a growing legion of young followers. But the Wolfman Jack story began much earlier, in 1949, when radio reached through to a troubled youngster. As the Fifties arrived and rock 'n' roll music found its way into suburban America, Bob Smith imagined himself behind the mix spinning the turntables, and taming that jive DJ talk. His over-the-air heroes, black and black-influenced DJs like Dr. Jive, Jocky Jack, Professor Bob, Sugar Daddy, and others spoke to him, taking him to a secret place -- away from the pain of still growing up -- off into a world of music unlike anything his family could understand.
<DD>At age 16, Bob found himself struggling to survive on the streets and stay out of the gangs. Once again, his refuge was the radio. DJ Alan Freed, the legendary king of New York rock and roll radio, was the first to promote big shows at venues like the Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn and while many of his friends were hanging out on the neighborhood streets, Bob was waiting at the stage door of the Paramount, hoping to meet Freed, or one of the many popular recording stars appearing on his show. His persistence paid off when he was allowed to work the backstage area as a "gofer. " It was there he met the great talents of the day, like Jackie Wilson and other revue stars.

<DD>Across the river, in New Jersey, Bob hung out at WNJR-AM, a black-programmed radio station, and it was here his primary education in radio began. Still, the road to becoming the world's most famous DJ was a very long one with many stops in between. Not yet 21 years old, Bob loaded up his car, determined to reach Hollywood and find his fortune, but he got only as far as Alexandria, Virginia, making a stop that lasted two years. Living with his sister and brother-in-law in Alexandria, Bob worked at various jobs while studying for his FCC license at the National Academy of Broadcasting. Supporting himself by selling door-to-door everything from encyclopedias to Fuller brushes, he spent his nights studying complicated mathematics needed to obtain his radio engineering license. It seems he had found his calling, as the high-school dropout easily rose to the head of his cl*** with a straight-A average.
<DD>His first professional radio job was at WYOUAM, Newport News, Virigina where Bob took his first air name -- Daddy Jules -- paying homage to the strong influence black DJs had on his early years. His natural style and energy led to a large following of listeners and soon, Daddy Jules was a popular attraction at local teen dances.
<DD>Remembering the success of Alan Freed's shows in New York, Bob thought he could create a venue for rhythm & blues in the Newport News area, so he opened a dance club. The integrated club -- not especially popular in 1961 -- got the attention of the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan and threats were made, ending in a crossburning on the lawn of his house. But even Virginia was just a stop on the road to fame. </DD>

 

Radio Station XERB
out of mexico where there was no power limits.
I used to listen to him in Redding Ca from there.
He also was very much in touch with the teenage scene.

Craig

 

I still think the broadcast power had more to do with it. Syndication was not that common back then. Amercican Grafitti was set on the west coast and that was where Wolfman was popular. Late at night with the power up, he reached the kids. Kids, late at night when the parents were sleeping, were prowling the streets and listening to the Wolfman.
Kids in the east didn't hear that much about him until the reputation grew through movies, and then T.V.
In Detroit we were listening to "bobbing with the Robin", Robin Seymour.

Check out Monzadood above and that pretty much sums it up.

I don't think it is a coincidence that he had the street smarts enough to know that straight A's and an engineering license would help him set up a radio station that could reach a wide audience late at night with the "outlaw" signal.

 

Go here for all you want to know about the Wolfman...

http://www.wolfmanjack.org/

 

Heard it on the X!

 

I remember waking up at 5 AM only to find my little brother glued to the TV screen watching the "WolF Man Jack show". That was the early 70's. By that tiem he was very syndicated, so much so he had his own TV show preachingg the gosphels of Rock and Roll and a little Psychedelic rock also. Lots of Acid flying around then.

 

I just love listening to Wolfman. My Mom won't let me at home because he's a *****. I think he's terrific. Do you know that he just broadcasts from a plane that flies around in circles all the time? Do you believe that's true?




come on have a popcicle

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...=75&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=5

 

here's a youtube.
probably the best way to learn about him instead of just reading on wikepedia. He just had a really cool voice and radio personality. Im 29 and I always remember my pops sould listen to him when I was a kid..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bA2m7KYqG5s


Oh yeah..and he always played cool music!

 

"Who's that on the wolfman telephone?"
"Floyd is that you Floyd?"

I can remember back in the 60's the Wolfman
could rattle your old am tube radio with 1 million watts!
It didn't matter what station you were on, the Wolfman
would overpower even KHJ.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Vagabonds cc
missouri chapter

 

I grew up in Artesia,Ca. back in the 50's & 60's and we cruised Bellflower Blvd., Firestone, Tweedy, and sometime we'd even cruise over to Whittier Blvd. (The Beach Boy's home area).
In those days we listened to KFWB, KHJ, and mosty KRLA and to guys like The Real Don Steel, Bob Ubanks, Dave Hall "The Hallabalouer" and others that I can't remember right now (I'll wake up tonight and remember a few more DJ's).
Wolfman didn't come on until late at night and allot of us had to be home by the time he came on the air. Friday and Saturday nights was when we could really listen to him. When I was real young, before I had a car I'd lay in bed with a radio and listen to him when I could get away with it, on occasion I'd get busted and yelled at by my Mom.
Cool memories I must say!

 

**** "Huggy Boy" Hugg? he's another cool one...

here's another wolfman link:

http://radio.about.com/library/blprofiles/blpro-wolfman.htm

 

At least they have Ryan Seacrest!!! Who remembers KRLA, KHJ, Art Laboe, Sam Riddle, Boss City. I was just a kid and had an am radio in my bedroom. I would listen to it all late into the night.
I remember being in tijuana the weekend when kfwb switched to "All News" the end of an era. -stick

 

I'm, proud to say that late, late at night, we could even listen to the Wolfman up here in ontario, Canada. God, the guy was great. It had something to do with warm summer nights, fast cars, hot girls, and being YOUNG!!! ---And the unbelieveable magic of ROCK AND ROLL. I'm 61, and even thinking of those warm summer nights with the radio cranked up, and the Wolfman howling his way through the top 20 makes me smile. Maybe you had to be there----

 

In the midwest we listened to 100,000 watt KOMA out of Oklahoma City...and WLS in Chicago...on WLS the wacky **** Biondi would come on late nite...I'd swear that man always had a fifth with him on the station as it got wackier during his show...

Wolfman Jack seldom made it to Iowa...only if the air would blow the radio waves in just right would we get to hear him.

R-

 

He had a "pirate" broadcast transmitter in Mexico that was so powerfull you could get it in Utah, at least that's what I heard back when. It was about 100 times more power than the FCC here allowed.
Also he played all the best music. not just what his manager was getting Payola to play, so the show was actually GOOD!

Also, Every night, all night, in the Summer, no matter what the real weather was he'd say "It's 69 degrees here in Hollywood!"

 

Dr J,yes we could get "Da Wolfman" in Utah, late at night and sometimes have to cruise to the foothills to get a good signal.
Had many a date where we just listened to Wolfman Jack instead of going to a movie. (cheaper too!)

MIck

 

Yeah you nailed it DrJ.
Makes me smile. I can remember that weather report
when I lived in Reseda.
Hey you guys didn't forget Humble Harv did ya?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Vagabonds cc
missouri chapter

 

the Wolfman was cool , also there were others, Hunter Han**** to name one......listened as a teen.......ahhh the good old days