Dave Shafer CKLW "The Big 8"
I found a recording made in June 1988 where I was six months clean and not supposed to be working full-time for the first year.  PD Sandy Davis sweet talked Father Paul Charbonneau into releasing me from that condition and I got middays on the New "More 94 FM" Windsor/Detroit.  It was a hell of a company too.  Charlie O'Brien took the lead as the alumni of "[url=http://www.theThe Big 8big8.net]The Big 8[/url]", but with Dave Shafer, Tom Shannon, Scott Miller, Jim Quick, and Dave Reynolds adding me to the mix seemed charitable. Personally, I thought they were crazy to hire me, but here's how it happened...

I was confused.

Shafer called me while I was staying with my parents in Toronto after completing recovery. "Hey yer 'face!" he began (Speaking in "Detroit radio dialect" which he spoke fluently and taught me) "Make it in to see me first thing yer back in town face. Don't mess with an appointment, just show up when ya get here"  And with a "See ya!"

I was still talking to the phone when it went to a dial tone.

Dave had the corner suite full of memorabilia at the CKLW  Radio building in Windsor. He was the most friendly interviewer I met in my travels. A really incredible guy.

So, with two old radio guys in the office we talk radio stories...Dave told me about "the buzzer" installed by RKO Radio PD Paul Drew.  A timer gave you ten seconds to talk before the buzzer went off under the mike.

"Ten seconds then BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
And it stayed on until you shut off the mike.
(Listen to this aircheck of my good friend Pat Holiday on CKLW during Drews buzzer era...)

Dave got fired just as many times as me all at CKLW!  He'd pull a stunt and get fired, then the station would bring him back.  Then he'd do something else and it would all happen again.  Dave was married to CKLW.

Our interview flew by and Dave shook my hand saying "Welcome aboard kid!" while I looked even more confused.

I spoke up "We didn't talk about when I quit on air at CFRA..." *(Note: I do not exist anywhere in the "official history of CFRA")

Dave waved me back to my chair. "Hey babe, yeah I really felt for you when I read about that..."

His next line was the one that made me understand what he was doing...
He said: "When I did that.." and I went numb.  I was speaking to the only other guy who'd done what I'd done and GOT AWAY WITH IT!

Here I am 6 months clean on "The New More 94 FM" Windsor/Detroit

Last edited by Mark Elliot (January 14, 2016 3:43 am)