WRCO Blog

In early 1980 I visited the D.M.V. and met a gentlemen named Ray Schroeder.  He was the examiner that my friends warned me about.  Mr. Schroeder was tough, however, he did issue me a drivers license that day.  Little did I know that six years later I would be following his radio show every Saturday with my own!  His big band show has been on WRCO since 1965. Those Were The Days has only been on the air since 1986!

  Like many farm kids, I had driven anything with a motor on the farm.  That first time that the rubber tires hit the black top with me at the wheel was pretty cool!  The AM radio was playing Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd as I started that first road trip to Ithaca to catch the bus for a basketball game somewhere.  January of 1980 had some pretty cool tunes such as:  Cruisin'-Smokey Robinson,  Head Games-Foreigner,  Jane-Jefferson Starship,  Don't Do Me Like That-Tom Petty,  Third Time Lucky (First Time I Was a Fool)-Foghat,  Heartache Tonight-Eagles,  Train, Train-Blackfoot,  and Romeo's Tune-Steve Forbert.  I will be driving my '75 Ford Maverick in my mind this Saturday night when I host Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9.  Please give me a call (608) 647-4155 and request a song or give one of the trivia questions a shot.  Between six and midnight we will fly back to the fifties through the eighties during the radio show we call Those Were The Days.,

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9, I will be pulling out more gems from Top Forty radios' glory days.  During my Those Were The Days radio show,  you will be able to request anything from the fifties through the eighties.  The featured chart will be from the second week of January 1965.  I am a big fan of the British Invasion groups and several had hits all of those years ago.  The Beatles were on top with I Feel Fine.  Considering they had debuted in America less that a year earlier, that record was very advanced from their first U.S. releases.  Some of Phil's other favorites from January of 1965 include:  Love Potion Number Nine-Searchers,  Sha La La-Manfred Mann, She's Not There-Zombies,  As Tears Go By-Rolling Stones,  and  All Day And All Of The Night-Kinks.  When I first began collecting records in the early 1970's, those were some of the first ones that I tried to find.   It was much more difficult to find older titles at that time.  We did not have the internet to see how common records were and how we could buy them.   Sometimes I would go to Saffell's music store in Richland Center and try to order them. Once in a while there would be a sale of Jukebox 45's. Those Were The Days of my wonderous world of discovering new and old songs for the first time.  I would take my 45's to my bedroom and imagine I was broadcasting a big market radio show.   That is what I still do after all of these years.  I pretend that I am doing a big time radio show!   Join the fun this Saturday night.  I will be in the studio, by the rotary dial telephone, so that I can take your requests and dedications.  You will also get the chance to play trivia.  Lets have a old rock party this Saturday night.   I will bring the records and you bring the Ski soda pop, Mallow Cups, Taco Doritos, Corn Curls, and Pepto-Bismol!

Phil

Disco music has gotten cooler over the last couple of decades.  Much of the Top Forty and Dance music of recent days could have easily fit in with 70's disco.   In the early eighties you could not announce that the music you were playing was disco.  I would have been thrown out of many establishments with my little records had I admitted that I liked disco music.   Those seventies and early eighties dance records are guaranteed to get you out of a bad mood.  Many are staples at wedding dances (YMCA, Dancin Queen,  Super Freak, Celebration, etc.).  This week on Those Were The Days, I will play a few of the all time most requested disco songs.  The solid gold dancers will be doing the hustle on the studio furniture.  Join me for Saturday night music and mischief on WRCO FM 100.9 between six and midnight Saturday night.  It will be our first show in the new year!   We have big plans for 2020.  Even though the show has been on the air since 1986, I still have many new show theme ideas. Thanks for tuning 100.9 in the past, and I hope you will join me in the new year for Those Were The Days.

Phil

On Saturday nights edition of Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9, I will be looking back at one of the great year end countdowns of all time.  We have spent the last year remembering the milestones of 1969 and Saturday night we will look at highlights of the year ender.  Our friend Kent Kotal of the Forgotten Hits website has provided us with the definitive top songs of '69 countdown.  I remember listening to those New Years Eve countdowns years ago and writing down all of the songs and recording some on reel to reel tapes and later cassettes.  We will also give you a few motivation songs for your New Years resolutions during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 between six and midnight Saturday night.   I will be in the studio to take your requests.  Get ready for some tough trivia questions!  

Phil

During this Saturday nights Those Were The Days radio show, we will play some of our favorite classic rock and roll Christmas songs.  It will be great to be back in the studio to answer the hotline.  We will be playing all of your favorites (not just Christmas songs).  Take the trivia challenges if you dare!  Some of the records that I will be playing Saturday night will be ones that I received as Christmas presents!  There is nothing that has made me giggle with glee more than a wrapped up record to open on Christmas morning.   Some of my favorite obscure Christmas records include:  I Want The Beatles For Christmas-Jackie and Jill (recorded at Sauk Cities' Cuca Studios),  A Christmas Card For You-Partridge Family,  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-The Happenings,  Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-Blues Magoos,  The Christmas Game-Popcorn Rebellion, and  Jingle Bell Rock-Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker.   We will dust off a few of those holiday 45's on FM 100.9 on Saturday night during Those Were The Days. Hopefully the Solid Gold Dancers will be responsible.  I am cutting them off after two bottles of Ski and two Mallow Cups.   Merry Christmas!

Phil

This weekend Those Were The Days will turn the clock back to the end of 1984.  I will be counting down the Top Forty songs for the year.  Back in '84, there were many music fans that would listen to the New Years Eve countdowns and write down every song.   I was one of those folks until I started working every year with my mobile d.j. gigs.  I could make a whopping Seventy-Five bucks on New Years Eve, however, I had to play until bar time which was usually after three!  I would than say hello to the cows a couple of hours later (I was a little younger).  A few years later in 1986, I was working here at WRCO and did host a couple of holiday countdowns.  On WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night I will be spinning more faves from the fifties through the eighties.  We will stop for a time and remember the biggest songs of 1984.  There were so many movie soundtracks that provided top hits that year including:  Purple Rain,  Ghostbusters,  and Footloose. There were One-Hit Wonders such as:  Nena,  Rockwell, and Mathew Wilder.  Debut artists included: Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, and Corey Hart.  It will be a blast to play those songs again.  We will not take requests this Saturday night.  Hold on to those until our Christmas party next Saturday night on Those Were The Days courtesy of WRCO FM 100.9.

Phil

DJ Aubry Sound 1984 playing all the hits on record and cassette!

In early December 1974, I was busy studying the Top Forty music charts.  Many a late night was spent with my Panasonic AM (only) radio under my covers.  If I had spent that much time on my school work, I may have moved up to at least the top twenty in my high school class of twenty-seven!   The first time I heard Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas,  I went to Shultze Brothers (The Dime Store) in Richland Center and bought it.   That song went on to reach number one this weekend in 1974.  Other songs that were on my farm boy radar this weekend included:  You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet-BTO,  Sha-La-La (Makes Me Happy)-Al Green,  Juniors Farm-Paul McCartney & Wings,  Everlasting Love-Carl Calton, Boogie On Reggae Woman-Stevie Wonder,  and Bungle In the Jungle-Jethro Tull.   There was so much music on the radio and radio stars on television.  I would try to stay up as late as possible and watch The Midnight Special each weekend.   By December, the Christmas catalog was pretty well worn out from my sister and me flipping through it since it arrived in late September.  I wanted a new record player,  cassette recorder, and every forty-five record, Junior Pool Table, Daisy BB gun,  and a Magic 8 Ball.  Santa most likely bought me a V neck sweater and a pair of corduroy pants!   We will relive some of those great 1974 songs during this weeks Those Were The Days radio show on Saturday night.  The solid gold line will be wide open for you to call me with one of your favorite hits from the fiftes through the eighties.  WRCO FM 100.9 will be the spot to find music, fun, and trivia on Saturday night.

Phil

On Saturday night we will flash back to late November 1965 and we will be taking your pop music requests.  Songs that were hot this weekend in '65 include:  Get Off My Cloud-Rolling Stones,  Over And Over-Dave Clark Five,  Hang On Sloopy-McCoys,  I Hear A Symphony-Supremes,  1-2-3-Len Barry, and Ain't That Peculiar-Marvin Gaye.  What a great time for Top Forty radio!   I hope that you will give me a call this weekend during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9. It is our six hour tribute to music and great times from the first four decades of rock and roll. The solid gold line will be open for requests and trivia this week.   While you are with family and friends, I hope you will tune in Saturday night between six and midnight.  I am thankful for many things including my loyal listeners.  It seems like they are family and I know more about them than some of my long lost relatives.  I am thankful for a radio station that has let me play on Saturday night since the Fall of 1986 and for a family that does not mind that I get to share my hobby with the public each week.  They seem to like it when I'm gone!   Happy Thanksgiving!

Phil

During our Saturday night classic rock and roll show on FM 100.9, we will visit another favorite album.  Willy and the Poor Boys by Creedence Clearwater Revival is fifty years old this month.  C.C.R. had its best year in 1969 as they released a total of three albums.  Coming off a famed appearance at Woodstock and national television spots on such shows as Ed Sullivan,  Creedence was the hottest band in the land.  The Poor Boys album contained favorite Those Were The Days requests such as: Fortunate Son,  The Midnight Special,  and Down On The Corner.   It Came Out Of The Sky is another of my faves and we have played that during our Halloween shows through the years.  I will be in the studio Saturday night to play rock and roll requests for our loyal 'Days' fans.  There will probably be some  mighty deer hunters jammin' in their cabins.   It could get wild on Saturday night.  Perhaps you will win a prize during our trivia contests.  We play that old rock and roll from the fifties through the eighties each Saturday night between six and Midnight on WRCO FM 100.9. 

Phil

I will be in the studio to answer the hot line during Those Were The Days on Saturday night.  Our FM 100.9 radio show is now in its 34th year of playing rock and roll music for Southwest Wisconsin.  My special guest this week will be John Payne who is the bass player and vocalist for the group Asia.  Even though he is not an original member, he has great stories about the group and its biggest hits.  We were also fortunate to interview John Wetton, the original Asia front man, some years ago on Those Were The Days. He passed away in 2017 and left a great legacy of music. The  Asia  debut album was released in 1982.  I wasn't impressed the first time I heard it.  All four members had been in other successful groups and expectations were high.  The songs grew on me as I heard them everyday for the rest of '82.  Heat Of The Moment is one of the best 'moment in time' songs of the early 80's.  When I hear it today, my mind takes me back to playing Donkey Kong, writing letters to my girl friend, cruising Wausau with the windows down, and living on my own for the first time.  It is amazing that a song can bring back so many memories.  That is what Those Were The Days strives to do each week.  Give me a call with your memories and favorite songs during our six hour Those Were The Days radio show Saturday night.  I am patiently waiting for Saturday night!

Phil

Some of the great hits of the sixties were released during 1966.  The Billboard chart from the second weekend of November in 1966 featured such tunes as; Poor Side Of Town-Johnny Rivers,  Last Train To Clarksville-Monkees,  What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted-Jimmy Ruffin,  Psychotic Reaction-Count Five,  and Walk Away Renee-Left Banke.   I was just a wee-Nee when those songs were on the radio.  You may not believe this, however, I swear this is true.  The song Winchester Cathedral was a popular hit in November of 1966 and I remember my dad bringing home this song on a 45 rpm record.  I was only three years old! While holding my nose to sound even more nasal, I would attempt to imitate the New Vaudeville Bands' greatest hit.  Most of my memories throughout my life involve a song. The year of 1966 was an incredible year for cartoons.  On CBS you could watch such classics as: The Heckle and Jeckle Cartoon Show,  Tennessee Tuxedo,  Tom and Jerry, and Quick Draw McGraw.  The NBC network featured the Jetsons,  Atom Ant, Secret Squirrel,  Underdog, and Top Cat.  The lineup on ABC included:  The Beatles cartoon, Magilla Gorilla, Bugs Bunny,  and Hoppity Hooper.  If you left the television set on until 12:30 you could watch American Bandstand!   This week on Those Were The Days, we will visit that magical year.  I am inviting you to join the fun on WRCO FM 100.9 between six and midnight.  You will be able to request a song from the fifties through the eighties and possibly a trivia prize could be yours!  Lets celebrate living life in the Driftless Area with Those Were The Days this Saturday night.

Phil

When I hear certain songs, I remember where I was, what the weather was like,  who was with me, what I was eating, what farm chore was happening, and many other memories.  When I hear songs such as; SOS by Abba,  Island Girl by Elton John, or David Bowie's Fame, it reminds me of cold weather.  Those tunes take me back to riding in my parents 1971 light green Impala and not sinking in those ice cold vinyl seats.  When I hear Miracles by Jefferson Starship, it takes me back to riding the bus.  Our driver had an 8-track tape deck installed and that song was on one of the two tapes that seemed to play for an  entire school year.  Ballroom Blitz from the Sweet is a time tunnel tune which sends me to the barn doing my nightly chores with WRCOs' Music Scene program.  Saturday night WRCO FM 100.9 will feature some of those songs and others from November of 1975. One night during that time 44 years ago, I was taping songs from the radio.  The opening drum of Born To Run by a new artist (Bruce Springsteen) came over the radio.  It was like nothing else.  I was sure that song would be a hit and this new guy would make an impact on music.  He sure has!   I will be in the studio to jot down all of your requests Saturday night between six and midnight.  Other than the best music from the fifties through the eighties, Those Were The Days will feature fun trivia.  It is so much fun to play all of those old records for you.  Please check in sometime.  I would love to talk with you about your memories.

Phil

On Those Were The Days this Saturday night, you will be able to request your favorite songs from the fifties through the eighties.  It soon will be Halloween and WRCO FM 100.9 will feature a few scary hits.  The number one Halloween song of all time is Monster Mash by Bobby 'Boris'  Pickett.  That song made the charts three times.  Originally a hit record in 1962, Monster Mash also charted in 1969 and in 1973.  I remember visiting my cousins in Madison in the Summer of 1973 and Top Forty station WISM was playing Monster Mash often.  It was over ten years old and it made the Top Ten!   There are many other freaky hits and we will dust a few others off.  Many of these tunes take me back to my trick or treating days.  My sister is seven years older than me.  She had aged out of trick or treating by the time I could go and that meant that I went by myself.  As a farm kid, it was tough to go through the neighborhood.  It required knocking on the barn doors!   There was not much candy in those barns that was edible. 

We will play trivia Saturday night and I will be answering the rotary dial telephone in the studio.  I sure hope to hear from you during our six hour tribute to the greatest music ever put on plastic.

Phil

My first 45 record was Have You Seen Her by the Chi-Lites.  After getting that late 1971 hit, I wanted more vinyl!  I still do after all of these years.  I would hear a song on the radio and than scrape up 69 cents to go buy it.  My goal was to see how many records I could own that were on the Top Forty countdown.   This Saturday night I will pay tribute to the 45 by playing some of my favorite purchases from over the years.  Although thousands of those small wonders are packed away in my 'man cave',  there are a few that stand above all of the rest.  We all graduated to 33 1/3 long playing albums and many other formats for our music.  Those little two sided gems, still hold a place in our hearts. Sometimes the 'B' side was as good or better than the hit side.  Many of us that grew up in the Richland Center area remember going to Saffel's (and later the Music Shop) to scan the chart and determine what number the song that we desired was at.   I wanted to save enough to buy the entire Top 100, but I never had enough coins in my pocket.  This week on  Those Were The Days,  you will be able to hear some of my requests.  We will not have the phone line open this week.  I will be back next week to take your calls.  Have a great weekend and remember WRCO FM 100.9 on Saturday night.

Phil

"Starting at center..........Phil Nee...nee...nee...nee"    It was an exciting time during the Fall of 1981.  My amazing high school football career was winding down (it was amazing that I did not get hurt).   Our school was working on a Fall musical, Bye Bye Birdie, and I was appearing as Mr. Harry Macafee on that old Ithaca High School stage.  During my free time I was milking cows in the morning and evening.  Music was a big part of my time management. Cool Top Forty tunes would wake me up in the morning and put me to sleep at night. I met my future wife during that era.  We would remain friends for several years before actually becoming a couple. We have been married since 1987.   Some of the hot '81 tunes that were blasting from the '75 Ford Maverick dashboard included: Start Me Up-Rolling Stones,  Private Eyes-Hall and Oates,  Urgent-Foreigner,  I've Done Everything For You-Rick Springfield,  Super Freak-Rick James,  She' A Bad Mama Jama-Carl Carlton,  In Your Letter-Reo Speedwagon,  and Burnin' For You-Blue Oyster Cult.   This Saturday night on Those Were The Days, I will get the chance to play of few of those gems again.  Our guest on the phone will be Wayne Famous of the group the Producers.  They had four songs playing in rotation during the early days of MTV.  Only one made the Top 100 (What She Does To Me), however, they were heard a lot on Wisconsin radio stations with tunes such as; She Sheila,  What's He Got That I Aint Got? and I Love Lucy.  They played in many cities in the Badger state and were regulars at a Madison club known as Headliners.

This Saturday night I will be in the studio to take your phone call requests and trivia answers. It will again be an honor to play the best tunes from the fifties through the eighties.  We are 'old school' each and every Saturday night from six to midnight during Those Were the Days.

Phil

When I have been asked over the years about my favorite album,  I don't have to think about the question very long.  Several of my five thousand plus albums are near and dear to me.  The Beatles' Abbey Road has long been a fave of mine, though.  Many Beatles fans cite Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band as their top long player, or Revolver.   They are both great, however, Abbey Road does not have a song that I skip over.  The album was the last one recorded by the Fab-4.  They put their troubles aside and recorded a gem.  It begins with Come Together and ends with a medley of songs on the second side.  The two George Harrison songs are amazing (Something, and Here Comes The Sun)!  Even Ringo's Octopus's Garden is pretty good.  During this weeks Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9, we will remember the Abbey Road album which was released fifty years ago this Fall. Another Beatles anniversary album edition has been released.  I stole from my retirement fund to buy the White Album last year and now I have scraped money together to hear the new mix by Giles Martin and Sam Okell of the 1969 classic.  You can hear a few tidbits from the new Abbey Road Saturday night.  I will be in the studio to take your fifties through the eighties requests.  It will be good to get back to the regular schedule which includes trivia.  We have some cool prizes for the winners.  I hope to hear from you this Saturday night.

Phil

On Saturday night WRCO FM 100.9 will turn back the clock to 1969 and 1979.  I will highlight the many news making events of 1969 and the music that was playing on the radio.   During the night we will go parking in 1979 with the radio on.  There were many great songs that came out that year.  I will be spinning some of the records I bought with my hard earned 'hay making money'.  Don't be surprised if you hear a few pops and hisses from the vintage vinyl blasting through your radio speakers!  The last year of the sixties and seventies featured some amazing music.  It is hard to believe that a song like Get Back by the Beatles is fifty years old.  My Sharona by the Knack is forty years old!  When I hear those songs, I am right back listening to the radio in the barn or working on my school work right next to the Westinghouse radio at the kitchen table.   Those Were The Days will be highlighting music from two remarkable charts and remarkable years during Saturday nights' six hour salute to classic rock n' roll.  I will not be in the studio to take your requests this weekend.  It will be my honor to accept a tribute award from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association following the Ithaca Homecoming day Saturday.  It will be a fun day, however, I will miss the chance to talk with all of you loyal listeners.  Have a great weekend and thanks for reading.

Phil

It seems like we have been paying tribute to our fallen childhood music faves often.  After we highlighted Eddie Money music last Saturday night following his death, we learned Sunday about the death of Rick Ocasek.  His group the Cars gave many of us an awesome soundtrack as we grew up.  By 1978 I was already tuning out pop music and digging through records of the past.  All of a sudden a band from Boston hit the radio and breathed life into the middle of the road and disco charts.  They did not sound like any other group.  When they appeared on the Midnight Special, they barely moved while playing their songs.  The first Cars' album was one of the best debuts for a rock and roll group of all time.  Everytime I hear the song 'Lets Go' from their second album,  I remember being out on my first double date.  That song was brand new and we heard it at least three times that night.  

During Those Were The Days Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9, we will pay tribute to the career of Rick Ocasek.  We will also hit some highlights from this weekend in 1964.  We will answer the rotary dial phone so that you can help us with our playlist.  You might be one of the trivia m.v.p.'s.  Perhaps you will win a pair of tickets to see Elvis tribute artist Tony Rocker this Sunday September 22nd at the Richland Center Performing Arts Center  (downtown auditorium).  I can't wait to take those old records off the shelf again Saturday night between six and midnight!

Phil

Saturday night we will take a cruise to the fifties through the eighties during Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9.  Lita Ford will be our special guest.  She recently played through these parts on her Summer tour.  I had the chance to chat with her and we will feature that conversation and some of her best known songs.  Find out which record was the first that she ever bought and which guitar was her first.  I first knew about Lita when I discovered the 70's band the Runaways while reading Creem magazine.  I did not find a Runaways record until the early 80's when Joan Jett gained fame as a solo act.  Mercury records released a Runaways 'Best Of'  and I picked up a copy at the Music Shop in Richland Center.   I learned of Jett's other former band members such as guitarist Lita Ford.  Later in the 80's she would become a big star with the release of her album 'LIta' which made her a favorite in concert and on video.   Join me for the words and music of Lita Ford on Saturday night during Those Were The Days.  The rotary dial phone will be on the hook and you can call with your requests and memories.  Perhaps you will win one of six trivia prizes (one per hour).   You could be the one that gets hooked up with two tickets to see Elvis tribute artist Tony Rocker on September 22nd in Richland Center courtesy of Galaxie Entertainment!  All of this and more will come your way Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9.

Phil

In September 1974 I was getting on the bus with my new school pants and a rugby shirt that looked like what the kids on the PBS program 'Zoom'  were wearing.  It was a great time to be living.  The music on Top Forty radio stations was the soundtrack to our lives.  Some of my favorite September songs from '74 were the following: The Night Chicago Died-Paper Lace,  Clap For The Wolfman-Guess Who,  It's Only Rock n' Roll-Rolling Stones,  Tell Me Something Good-Rufus,  Who Do You Think You Are?-Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods,  Another Saturday Night-Cat Stevens,  Can't Get Enough-Bad Company,  You Little Trustmaker-The Tymes, and Beach Baby-First Class.  While attempting to do my home work in the middle bedroom at the old farm house, I would have the radio tuned to my favorite songs.  With the metal clothes hanger antenna bent just right, I could get FM stations for the first time in my life.  A brand new Madison Top Forty was debuting that fall and it was called Z-104. WRCO AM/FM  featured a rock and roll format after 7 pm and it was called Music Scene.  For a small town station, they played some cool tunes.  Far away AM stations could be heard later in the evening.  It was cool to hear what was hot on KAAY- Little Rock,  WLS-Chicago, and CKLW-Windsor, Canada.  WISM AM 1480 out of Madison was a very good station.  They had a great play list that did not always follow the national trends. I could get them on the old tube radio in the barn.  The cows were rocking back and forth!   Unfortunately that station lowered power at 6:45 pm and I would lose their signal right in the middle of Rock Me Gently by Andy Kim (or any other current hit of the day).  

We will attempt to recreate some of that 1974 magic on WRCO FM 100.9 this Saturday night during Those Were The Days.  You can request a song and challenge yourself with trivia.   I will be in the studio to play the best of the fifties through the eighties between six and Midnight.  Be one of the cool kids and join the party!

Phil