Eddie, I know I'm splitting hairs here, and I used to listen to KMPX
FM when I could pull it in, but the signal was weak an unreliable down my way. Five decades ago, I used to tune into KFI AM out of Los Angeles at night when they played popular music from the '40s into the '60s. That station was LA's cohort of San Francisco's KSFO AM, which still had radio personalities like morning man Jim Lange from "The Dating Game" (IIRC, "Laugh-In" announcer Gary Owens had KFI's morning drive slot -- that's from when I lived in Santa Monica in the late '70s). I listened to KSFO pretty much exclusively from the late '60s into the mid-'70s. I hated hard/acid rock then, and still do. Don't even get me started on rap/hip-hop that idolizes criminals, their thug fashion-sense, flashy over-consumption from profits of drug dealing, and mistreatment of women, peppered with vulgar terms that shouldn't even be allowed on any sort of broadcast media. Yeah, go ahead. Call me old fashioned and far too civilized, but that is not an example to provide impressionable youth with. I haven't watched the Grammys in decades, but was disappointed to hear that they finally caved and recognized rap as music. Yeah, no. It might be a form of poetry, but music? Uh-uh. No snaps from me.
Today's female performers aren't any better. They all sound alike (channeling my parents with that remark) with their slutty Rihanna formulaic arrangements and lyrics. There are some exceptions, but there's still a huge imbalance that leans toward the "lady lumps" side of things. Todays "popular" music and singers are unlistenable (hello, Adele) so I firmly abstain. I miss Amy Winehouse, damn it!
There is one station on the FM dial that still plays old standards mainly from around 1930 - 1950, with some exceptions on either side. It's KCEA 89.1 which is operated by the Sequoia High School District on the SF Peninsula. Their signal is weak, so if you're more than 30 miles away or have mountains or other obstructions to contend with, streaming is the way to go. Click on their logo on the linked page and you'll instantly hear what's currently playing. It's all automated with no live announcers. I'll listen to KCEA in the car if NPR isn't interesting or KCSM FM (the last surviving jazz station in the Bay Area) is airing one of their programs that stretches the term "jazz" to the breaking point. KCSM (91.1), which is operated by the College of San Mateo, also has a weak signal and is best streamed if you're more than 40 miles away. Other than KCSM, I'll tune into a couple of college stations: KFJC 89.7 from Foothill Junior College (The Fine 89/Your Source for Sound) which offers an eclectic array of genres (Japanese surf music is among my faves), and KSCU, 103.3 from Santa Clara University. Their material is hit and miss, but worth a pre-set on the car radio.
One last thing. A friend of mine was on the waiting list for a Tesla Model 3 a few years ago. When it was finally time to buy, she took a test drive and asked where the radio was. It turns out that Teslas don't have radios. Only streaming. Seeing as how she's a huge baseball fan, she canceled her order for a car that wouldn't allow her to listen to the games. So yeah, forget abandonment of AM tuners in cars, which has been a recent topic of discussion in that industry. Tesla abandoned radio altogether. I'll reserve any further comment on the smug attitude behind every model that rolls off the Tesla production line . . .
About Kcea KCEA 89.1 FM is a broadcast service of the Sequoia Union High School District. Established in 1979, KCEA-FM’s humble beginnings on the campus of Menlo-Atherton High School were […]
kcea.org
