For a short while they were classical music during the daytime hours until 6 PM, switching to progressive/underground/psychedelic rock at the tick of the hour. They would switch from "music for. or by, longhairs" to "music by, or for, longhairs" - I can't remember which way it was but I know for a fact it was one or the other.

Not sure why Larry Solway cited Harper's Bizarre as a group to be featured on CHUM FM. Now they were a fine Sunshine Pop group but I doubt they were played much on ANY underground progressive stations. I did not listen to the early CHUM FM and so I don't know but having heard some air checks of WOR FM from 1966, anything is possible.

Yesterday I was listening to Deep Tracks on Siruis XM and heard Mother Freedom by Bread and the song is fine for the format as are a few other Bread tracks.

I doubt that Deep Tracks would play this track buy maybe the Underground Garage might as they have a big wide open garage :



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As great a writer and broadcaster as Larry was, he did not like pop or rock music. He was more of the clasical CHUM FM type, so his knowledge of contemporary music was limited. Also Garry Ferrier was not Production manager of CHUM AM/FM, I was. Garry was a fabulous musician and copywriter and seemed to be a natural to place as PD of CHUM FM. Those days was amazing for experimenting with new sounds, production techniques for commercials and promos. I had the background music on one head shop spot playing backwards. I put a tape rewinding in the middle of another spot and the jock on the air, Tim Thomas, stopped the cart as he thought it was a mistake.

God, those were fun days with Peter Griffin, Walter Soles, Larry Green, Tim Thomas, Reiner Schwartz, Hugh Curry, David Pritchard and not too long after that, the legendary David Marsden and the equally legendary John Donabie. Garry Ferrier left in late 1969 to go to Nashville to write on the Johnny Cash network TV show and Bob Laine took over as PD and Ops Manager. 

Last edited by Doug Thompson (July 5, 2024 3:44 pm)

turkeytop wrote:

I remember it well. I was living in Mount Forest at the time. I only had rabbit ears for an antenna and couldn't always get it. But I loved it.

Ironically, all these years later, I never listen to rock and I'm lamenting the absence of classical music on the radio.

to me what's even more lamentable is that there is nothing like the old CHUM FM on the radio any more. Rock, Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Folk ,Country Rock , World music and classical all on one station with knowledgeable DJ's.

Still looking for an air check with Tim Thomas where he plays something like the Jim Kweskin Jug band.

Sirius XM with Deep Tracks and the Underground Garage is the closest thing. They also have  wide and often genre bending playlists and knowledgeable DJ's. Keeps the spirit of CHUM FM, WYSL FM, WPHD, WBUF, WZIR, WUWU and early CFNY alive. WZIR and WUWU were the best place to catch guitar orientated  punk and Power Pop in the 80's and they along with all of the other stations I mentioned had large and diverse playlists with DJ input.

A while back I heard a track by Cleveland's Cyrus Erie on Deep tracks. That was the group that Eric Carmen was in before the Raspberries. A great track, Deep Tracks also ventures into folk rock groups like  Pentangle and Steeleye Span. A fair amount of folk, jazz, blues and country orientated music. You are not likely to hear the progressive rock of a group like Renaissance anywhere else.  

The Underground Garage plays a lot of the classic Nuggets era 60's garage rock along with the same from the 70's and 80's. Plus R & B, soul, blues and many songs from the bottom 50 of the Hot 100.

I also enjoy the 60's top 40 songs played on 60's Gold as they do sometimes veer off the beaten track,

These three presets are enjoyable while driving but I do miss the creative commercials from the Prog era like the one Doug Thompson described above.

I remember a thread a while ago where some on the board were saying they wont subscribe or will cancel their subscription to Sirius  but as a huge fan of the radio stations I mentioned above from the 70's and 80's, I really like and am thankful that it exists. Good to have a place where the DJ's know about the music they are playing. Now I just have to get around to taping more for posterity as I don't know how long this will last. I did make a few tapes a few years ago but not enough. Hopefully I will before the whole thing goes kaput like the original CHUM FM.
 

Last edited by Fitz (July 5, 2024 7:18 pm)

Yep, Larry Solway did not look like a guy who grooves out to prog rock music.