Tuesday, August 5, 2014

WWDJ (Hackensack): Top 40, 1971-1974

WWDJ in Hackensack, New Jersey, was one of the ultimate early '70s stations not only because its lifespan stretched from 1971 to 1974, but also because it had the contemporary post-"Boss Radio" Top 40 sound. As Uncle Ricky over at Reel Radio puts it, it was an "early representative of new school Top 40," featuring no jingles or "big time production elements...The only thing that remained was the music and personality." You can hear up to seven airchecks from DJs including Bwana Johnny on John Porcaro's WWDJ tribute page and take in loads of memorabilia while you're at it.

7 comments:

  1. I knew something was up on then night of 5/16/71. I listened to the Mets,when the game ended, there was no call letters mentioned at all....just "radio 97" or "radio 970" I hit the sack. When I awakened the next morning...WWDJ and solid gold hits I haven't heard in years.... Mike Phillips Rejoiners...WWDJ jingles... request lines all over the metro area... it was a radio listeners orgasm

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    1. The day 97 WWDJ went to r&r format I rode my bicycle down to the station across the street from 2Guys dept store on Hackensack Ave and hung out watching the Jocks play records. I even helped a maint guy fix the chair in the studio.

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    2. Your memory is quite good. The station was actually on Commerce Way, behind the Two Guys store. I worked at 65 Commerce Way (Ampex Corporation) back then and I would go thru the back door at Two guys to get breakfast. We were recording music for Ampex Stereo Tapes at the time and the WWDJ signal would leak into our machines from time to time, since the tower was directly behind our building.

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    3. No the studio was not behind 2 guys , it stood where Continental towers now stands ….

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  2. My own modest story. In 1972, when I was 11, there was an instrumental song in rotation that I loved, but I didn't know the title or artist. I heard it played on WWDJ and I called in to ask what it was
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    "Congratulations! You're our winner!" sez the DJ. "Huh?" sez I.

    I unknowingly called in during a contest. The prize was Paul Simon's new self-titled album, which soon joined my collection of bubble gum 45s. The record was a mature mystery for me, but I wore plenty of grooves in the grooves.

    The song I called in about. "Joy" by Apollo 100. The DJ had no idea what song I was asking about.

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  3. Didn't wwdj become a Greek radio station after and Steve smoking weed was a dj there as well. I use to listen to it when I was in jr.high in Brooklyn. Good times

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    1. No it became a Religious station that morning at 8 am

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