Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 102 Today's Peep Reflects on Earth Radio's Impact on my Youth, the Pain of Rock-to-Disco Shift, Beloved Transistor Radio Memories, the Boston Celtics' 18th NBA Championship Victory, and it's that Same Ol' Feeling in Today's Ultra- Rare Record Spin
Ever wondered how a radio station could shape someone's formative years? Join me as we reminisce about Earth Radio 102 in Sacramento, where an eclectic mix of rock and deep cuts from Johnny Winter and the Grateful Dead filled the airwaves. We'll uncover the heartbreak that came with the station's shift from rock to disco in 1980 and revisit the golden days of tuning into KFBK on my beloved Panasonic R70 transistor radio, a symbol of my early love for music and broadcasting.
Switching gears, we'll also be celebrating the Boston Celtics' recent NBA championship victory, their 18th title! As a lifelong fan, I reflect on my family's deep-rooted love for the team, from the days of Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and JoJo White to the iconic coaching era of Red Auerbach. We'll talk about Auerbach's legendary victory cigar, the intense Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 1980s, and the unique atmosphere of the old Boston Garden. Tune in for a journey through music, sports, and unforgettable memories that have shaped my fandom and passion.
Ever wondered how a radio station could shape someone's formative years? Join me as we reminisce about Earth Radio 102 in Sacramento, where an eclectic mix of rock and deep cuts from Johnny Winter and the Grateful Dead filled the airwaves. We'll uncover the heartbreak that came with the station's shift from rock to disco in 1980 and revisit the golden days of tuning into KFBK on my beloved Panasonic R70 transistor radio, a symbol of my early love for music and broadcasting.
Switching gears, we'll also be celebrating the Boston Celtics' recent NBA championship victory, their 18th title! As a lifelong fan, I reflect on my family's deep-rooted love for the team, from the days of Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and JoJo White to the iconic coaching era of Red Auerbach. We'll talk about Auerbach's legendary victory cigar, the intense Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 1980s, and the unique atmosphere of the old Boston Garden. Tune in for a journey through music, sports, and unforgettable memories that have shaped my fandom and passion.
Happy Tuesday to you. It's Tuesday, it's Pat's Peeps 102. Every time we have a new number on the Peeps, it makes me think of something else. I always associate each number with something, this being number 102, you know what I associate it with. I associate it with well, I'll tell you in a second, because this is the 18th day of June 2024, and I'm looking out the studio window, my studio under the beautiful foothills of Northern California, where, again, it's a gorgeous day. It's not too hot, slightly overcast. The sun is out though. It's beautiful. So far, a pretty calm summer. Well, technically, we're not into summer. For a few more days it's been a calm spring, but I know that the heat's coming. Hey, the heat's coming right here on 102.
Speaker 1:I always think of Earth Radio 102. If you've been in Sacramento, which is where I am based, I'm the host, by the way, of the Pat Walsh Show, kpk News Radio, heard Monday through Friday on KPK and heard everywhere on your live, on your well, it's your live, yeah for sure. Your free iHeart app, which is, yeah, carries my show live Monday through Friday and there's sort of an extension of that. But you know, if you've been around Sacramento and wherever you are, thank you for listening, but you would also have to be a certain age, meaning hey, if you're old, I ain't thinking about that man. Anyhow, it is what it is, as they say. But Earth Radio 102, ksfm Woodland they go. You listen to Earth Radio, have this push KSFM Woodland when you go into this music and it'd be like a whole block of music In my formidable years in terms of learning rock and roll 18, 19 years old, 17, 18, 19. And that station everyone always talks about KZAP and I respect KZAP, by the way. Rest in peace, godfather. Bob Galley, who I understand a legend in radio KZAP and Cool 101.9 and some other places. Bob Galley, I understand, passed. Very sorry to hear that. That's a legendary station. Kzap and Cool 101.9 and some other places. Bob Gallo, I understand, passed. Very sorry to hear that. That's a legendary station. Kzap. They still have the online version in Sacramento.
Speaker 1:But I used to listen to KSFM 102 at Earth Radio man, they play everything from oh geez, I mean, you name it Johnny Winter. They'd maybe start with Johnny Winter, throw some zap in the middle. I'd be like like trying to check out what the Grateful Dead was like. I wasn't even sure. They just had cool album covers. They'd throw some of that in the middle. They'd be all over the map and they'd be playing deep cuts. And then I you know, that's where I learned a lot of my music was Earth Radio 102. And they play like 10 songs in a row until one.
Speaker 1:One day, the dreaded day 1980, I believe it was 1980, I'm listening to Earth Radio 102, and what do they say? It was like Tom Cale or whoever was on there at the time. There were some good DJs on there, and if it wasn't Tom Cale, I think it might have been anyhow. Hi, this is Tom Cale. That's my best DJ voice. I'm sorry, but it's not Tom Gale, but it was one of those DJs on Earth Radio.
Speaker 1:Yeah, here's the bad news. All right, there was some Rod Stewart in front of that. We are journeying. We started things off that time with Boston. But hey, here's some bad news for you, baby. You like that rock? Here's something for you. We're turning freaking disco. Dude, ring my bell. That crap. Disco still sucks. I'm sorry, you can disagree. We can disagree and still be friends. I still need a shirt that says disco sucks. That was shocking to me when they made the move Anyhow. So that's what I'm thinking about 102. I'll stop it right there.
Speaker 1:Speaking of radio, I just thought about that. So then I saw my radio sitting here. Also, if you're old and you go back to the I mean if you go back to the 70s, like the mid, early to mid 70s I never had one of these as a kid but I wanted one, the Panasonic R70 transistor radio AM only Before the advent of FM, well before anyone knew about FM. That was like the secret wave band. The secret radio band, secret radio waves was on FM for hippies. This was for pop. I have mine. I needed one, you know they came in blue and yellow and red and that 70s avocado green, which you know, and orange and anyhow white. But I decided I was going to find one of these and I bought one and I'm holding it in my hand right now.
Speaker 1:Vintage straight out of probably I think this is 72, maybe. I'm going to turn it on here. See if we can get KFBK, the radio station I work for, and I tried this already and I noticed the closer it gets to the microphone the more staticky it gets. So I'll try to pull away and see what we get here. So I'm going to turn it on. Here we go. All right, I think I have it tuned in. Let's listen, tom Sullivan, so you can hear it from a little bit of a distance to the microphone. I put it close and you can't hear it. Ha ha, that is straight out of 72. So that's Tom Sullivan, our afternoon guy, chris, we have Sam and Christine in the morning. You know Tom is the afternoon guy. The local shows John McGinnis, kitty O'Neill, myself and then George Norrie.
Speaker 1:Back to the syndicated. Hope you enjoyed that little flashback in time with my old time radio buddy, the Panasonic R70. So lots of things to talk about, including I'm just going to start right here. This is awesome. I always like the stuff that you guys send to me. You can keep doing that, please. Thank you very much to Ralph, who is one of our listeners in Minnesota.
Speaker 1:Don't worry, ralph, I won't do the Minnesota accent. I think he moved back to Minnesota. I mean, I think he moved to Minnesota from California and, by the way, the only real Minnesota accent that I truly know. I'll do it just just for fun. Yeah, right after I said I wouldn't do it, but I'm not doing it to poke fun, like ain't all you know. I like the comic that used to say that he wouldn't do the stand-up routines the other ones were doing because they were too crass. And he'd go like this one here and then he would do it, but I would never do that one anyhow. So what was I saying? I don't even know what I was saying. I don't even know what I was saying. I don't even care what I was saying. I'm just going to go to what Ralph sent to me, what was I?
Speaker 1:saying I don't know, it doesn't matter, I just lost it right there. So here we go, ralph, thank you for this. This is completely awesome. This goes back to 1969. I could not believe this. Earl. Anyone remember Earl Scheib? I hadn't thought about Earl Scheib in a while.
Speaker 1:Earl Scheib, was this paint like? You take your car, like if it got dinged, you got a little accident or what have you take your car to Earl Scheib. They had a chain in these places and they would do some metal work for you and they would paint your car. Now I'm going to tell you right now to get a car painted a good paint job today, because I have a hot rod to get that sucker painted, minimum, a bargain price these days $15,000. You want a quality paint job and I'm talking with the making sure that the metal is straight, the paint is super good 15, 20 grand it's ridiculous. Now, back in old, not at old Earl Scheib, at Earl Scheib in 1969. As you're going to hear, was like $10. I'll tell you what. I'll just play it and say thank you to Ralph. Here we go.
Speaker 4:I'm Earl Scheib this week with my $29.95 paint job $29. I will give you $10 metal work, absolutely free, don't pay hype $29.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's start it over. Earl Scheib, to repeat, will get, first of all, your paint job is $29.99 or whatever, and you'll get $10 worth of metalwork absolutely free. If you walked into a shop today, like some kind of body repair shop, and said, hey, hey, now I got a little ding here, I got a little accent, I got a little ding, can you give me $10 of metalwork? You know what? Here's what they're going to do. This is what I believe they would do. They go sure, sure. Well, first of all they wouldn't say sure, they wouldn't do it, but let's say they would oblige you. They go get a hammer. They bend over for a second, bend over for a second. Is this the dent? Yeah, bang, boom, there you go. Ten bucks, that's it. There's your ten bucks.
Speaker 4:I'm Earl Scheib this week with my $29.95 paint job. I will give you $10 metal work, absolutely free. I love the way he talks.
Speaker 3:Don't pay high prices for body and fender repair. Earl Scheib's exclusive estimator takes the guesswork out of auto body repair estimates and shows you how to figure the exact cost. To assure top quality workmanship. Earl Scheib's master craftsmen pay careful attention to every detail. Your car, then, is expertly painted with Earl Scheib's famous diamond gloss. Come alive colors, and the price for any car is still only $29.95. Your car is then tunnel baked in infrared To still only $29.95.
Speaker 3:Your car is then tunnel-baked in infrared ovens to give it that beautiful new car look. So drive in this week. Take advantage of this special offer from the man who says I'm Earl Shive.
Speaker 4:Yes, that's right. I will give you $10 metal work absolutely free when I paint your car for only $29.95.
Speaker 1:That's so great. I love that. Hi, I'm Earl Scheib. I will give you $10 metalwork when you get a paint job for $29.99. $29.95. Like total out the door right there, man, we're talking what? $39.99 or whatever $40? Under $40. Completely, I mean. Well, I don't know about completely $10 in metal work and you get the paint job Under $40. Once again, I'm Earl Scheib.
Speaker 4:I'm Earl Scheib this week with my $29.95 paint job. I will give you $10 metal work, absolutely free.
Speaker 3:Don't pay high prices for body and fender repair. Earl Scheib's exclusive estimator takes the guesswork out of auto body repair estimates and shows you how to figure the exact cost. To assure top quality workmanship, earl Scheib's master craftsmen pay careful attention to every detail. Your car, then, is expertly painted with Earl Scheib's famous diamond gloss Diamond gloss. I love the paint. Come alive colors, and the price for any car is still only $29.95. Your car is then tunnel baked in infrared ovens to give it that beautiful, tunnel-baked in infrared ovens.
Speaker 1:Who's doing that? Now you know what the answer is Nobody. $20,000 is what it's costing new car.
Speaker 3:look, so drive in this week. Take advantage of this special offer from the man who says I'm Earl.
Speaker 4:Scheib yes, that's right. I, yes, that's right. I will give you $10 metal work, absolutely free, when I pay.
Speaker 1:I want you to go in and tell you what $10, then you want the. You know you want the tunnel oven. You know the infrared oven tunnel effect. You know on your paint, how much will that cost? I'm Earl Scheib, Anyhow, ralph. Awesome man, awesome stuff there.
Speaker 1:What else today, on this beautiful Tuesday? Oh well, hi, how could I not mention this? I'm extremely, extremely happy as a sports fan. I will tell you I am so happy. Congratulations to my beloved Boston Celtics. Hold on now. Yes, sorry, laker fans, number 18, baby champions. Defeat Dallas was never close, except for one game when they I don't know they took a nap or what have you. So the Boston Celtics, for the 18th time, are champions of the NBA, or, as they used to say, the World Series of Basketball. What, yeah, they did. Now I'm a huge Celtics fan. I've been a Celtics fan since back in the day. My pops was a Celtics fan, all of my brothers and sisters. Because of that, we're all Celtics fans. You know we're Irish as if that has anything to do with Paul Pierce or any of these current players or you know any of them, but we still love them.
Speaker 1:One of the things there were so many things I love about the Celtics and I'm going back to the Havlicek, dave Cowens, jojo White days Because I don't really truly don't remember the Russell Wilt Chamberlain days. But the thing I love is they lived in that, they worked in that stuffy place, the Boston Gardens, and they didn't have any cheerleaders. This wasn't like Hollywood Showtime. Red Auerbach didn't have any cheerleaders. What Red Auerbach had, I love it. He was the epitome of arrogance, as you'll hear as he just sit in that building no air conditioning at the garden. He got no air conditioning at the garden and he'd light up a stogie when he knew the team was going to win. It was awesome.
Speaker 3:Whenever Red Auerbach thought the Celtics were going to win a game, he would light a cigar and start smoking. Red would smoke Hoyo de Monterrey cigars and his smoking would infuriate opposing NBA coaches.
Speaker 1:That's right. I used to love that. I used to love it. Can you imagine nowadays anyone smoking a cigar? Forget about me. Cigarette, a clove whatever, a joint, whatever, but smoking a cigar and like when you're at a coach, even. Because if you go back and watch when he was coaching the Celtics winning championships, winning eight straight titles in the Koozie Russell era, winning nine out of 10 NBA championships, with no cheerleaders in that stuffy building, what would you see? You'd see Red Auerbach over there on the bench, near the bench, in the midst of the players, in the midst of the crowd, smoking his big fat stoke.
Speaker 5:He has 16 seconds left and only a six-point difference and in this type of game, the Celtics better get that ball over half-court. There you see Red Auerbach as he's lighting up his cigar, with Governor John Volpe standing by. Volpe just blowing up the match, and there is Red with his victory cigar. Some overenthusiastic fans are being pushed away, tom. That's the most dangerous part of the whole game, isn't it? One year after one of these melees, I fell down into a bunch of chairs and almost broke my leg, so it gets pretty dangerous. Now Havlicek is out on the floor wiping up a wet spot where he fell down. There you see Red Auerbach, with 16 seconds remaining 95-89. And what a fantastic, fantastic record.
Speaker 5:The Boston Celtics 10 consecutive years in the World Series of Basketball Final. 10 consecutive years in the World Series of Basketball final and they are about to make it 8 straight and 9 out of the last 10, absolutely and totally unprecedented. Sam Jones wants to put the ball in play and he just can't get room enough. The fans have all crowded around Hazard is. They haven't given up. Goodrich is going to press Sam closely. Hazard's going to try to keep Casey from getting the ball.
Speaker 1:Awesome man, great sound. That was his last game as the coach, 1966. He's just out there smoking a stogie. I love it. It's just out there smoking a stogie. I love it. It's just part of the lore. You know I hated when they put any kind of black into the uniform. I just liked the straight up white with the green or the green with the white. Red Auerbach would fire up this Victory Cigar. This is.
Speaker 1:Bob Ryan talking about. He's a longtime Boston sports writer. He's talking about Red's Cigar. I sports writer. He's talking about red's cigar. I could fire up this victory cigar. What was that all about?
Speaker 6:the victory cigar when he thought the game was uh in hand, uh, he treated himself, lit up into a cigar and it was a. It became a real big symbol. People wanted this, you know, talked about wanting to smash it in his face, and it was arrogance to the nth degree. There's, and it's really what, what is there to compare to it in American sport that anybody can tell me? I don't know what other coach and what other sport or manager of baseball had anything comparable in any act that he did to signify yeah, the game's over, we won, screw you.
Speaker 6:Ed Auerbach would fire up this victory cigar.
Speaker 1:The epitome of arrogance. Yeah, it's in the books, we're done, we are done. I mean that. To me that is just. I mean that's just great. And another thing about the Celtics and the old building, the Boston Garden, the LA Lakers, who of course were the Celtics' longtime rivals, you know, that's when basketball was at its best. To me, that, and then probably the Jordan era and beyond, I mean before that, the games that I don't really remember as well when I was just too young. But I did love the difference in style between the Celtics, the physical low post style, versus that Hollywood showtime of the Lakers.
Speaker 1:The Lakers who would complain that the Boston Garden and Red Auerbach would turn up the heat in the locker room during the finals 1984, for instance, the first matchup between these two greats In a while. Each game a must-watch. I mean, like I say you're talking about Magic and Larry, that whole era, seven games Fight broke out. I'll never forget that. The fight broke out when Kevin McHale if you remember that Kevin McHale had that hard foul on Kurt Rambis and he gave him that clothesline. It was unbelievable. Well, following the game, the press, they were in the visitor's locker room, right, and they got right to getting to Bird's thoughts on things. And not only did the Celtics legendary Bird claim, at least, that the team was playing like sissies, but he also alleged that the key to beating the Lakers in game four was 12 heart transplants in game four was 12 heart transplants. So when the Lakers beat the Celtics in game three, larry had all these reasons. He was upset. You know, larry Bird man, that guy was a competitor. Celtics lost to the Lakers. Also, though, his nemesis, of course, was Magic Johnson. At the time, magic set a finals record for the NBA finals 21 assists. And so, according to Sports Illustrated, when Larry Bird was asked about uh, what about his team's performance that that day, much like Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers asked about Dave Kingman's performance, which is for another day he said you know what we played like sissies. And when he was asked about what they needed to do to change in order for the Celtics to win the next game, he answered 12 heart transplants.
Speaker 1:So then it's game four, lakers leading in the third. And then, on a particular play, ramos goes up for the layup. He's clotheslined by McHale. Then both of the benches empty and things start to calm down. Mchale tried to apologize to Rambis, but Larry threatened to break Kevin McHale's neck if he did that Because, in Larry's mind, the Lakers.
Speaker 1:You see, they'd lost that mental toughness, they'd lost that edge in this particular game which, if you watch the game, if you recall, proved outright as the Celtics won the game. Matter of fact, mchale, with that clothesline, I mean go back and watch it. It was pretty blatant. But I'm a Celtics fan and they did what they did. They got physical. He got like my brother Steve used to do when I'd play him one-on-one in basketball. Steve, I love you, but I could beat my brother Steve any day in hoops. So Steve would resort to if I go in for a layup. He'd throw an elbow into my ribs in the lane.
Speaker 1:So anyhow, it was 81 degrees outside, inside the arena, 94 degrees. La didn't fare well. Extremely hot there. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was really having a tough time. He can't deal with no air conditioning in a building. He's over there. I remember he has this oxygen mask on his face. He's just dying over there and so he has to go to the locker room and they check with a member of the janitorial staff there to make sure there's water in the locker room, to make sure it was turned back on which it was, but it was just the hot water. That's what they claimed. Then they claimed at game five, the heat game, there were reports NBC reports saying that it was an estimated 97 degrees in the arena that day and at the time Boston was experiencing this heat wave, right. So Red Auerbach he was accused of pulling, you know, some maneuvers here and there along the line on the Lakers. He didn't mean to cut the air conditioning, turns out they claim. Here's what happened the Lakers claimed that he turned the air conditioning off in their locker room in the Boston Garden. The only problem with that is there was nothing to turn off because the Boston Garden had no air conditioning. On an interesting note, pat Riley may not have actually blamed Red for the heat in the court, but Sports Illustrated did mention that Riley did accuse him of turning on the heat in the visitor's locker room, which, again just to repeat, there was no air conditioning in the locker rooms, I mean in the building. So they couldn't have done that.
Speaker 1:What else is happening today? I will tell you this much Today and I'm going to talk about this more in my show. Actually, believe it or not, today is the one-year anniversary, on a much heavier note of the implosion of the Titan, the vessel that went down, very unsafe vessel that we all know went down. To take a glimpse of the Titanic, hard to believe it was a year ago today. Usually, when you say hard to believe it was a year ago today or what have you, it usually seems like it was just yesterday. I don't know. In my mind it seems like a couple of years ago that this happened, that sad adventure that turned out tragic. Tragic as those people lost their lives and this man didn't follow rules. We'll talk about that.
Speaker 1:But on a more upbeat note, this is a big birthday today for someone, one of the most popular musicians, and so happy birthday to One of the most popular musicians. And so happy birthday to and what is his birthday? 82 years old. 82 years old today. So I saw him, I guess, when he was what? 80 or 81? Happy 82nd birthday to Paul McCartney.
Speaker 2:I was talking last night. I need a entertaining man. We were talking about you, babe. They said you are involved in a robbery that was due to happen at a quarter to three In the main street. I didn't believe them. I didn't believe them. I need a wet, tinny man. But when the Crimson Dynamo finally assured me, well, I knew you want some more of the robbery that was due to happen at a quarter to three in the main street.
Speaker 1:You know Paul McCartney's got what a thousand songs you can pick from or more but I wanted to go with one that I like, that you never hear.
Speaker 2:And a crimson dynamo came along for the ride. Venus and Mars. We went to town with the library and we swung all over that long tall bank in the main street.
Speaker 1:Well, there she was at the mighty spell. Magneto and Titanium man. It's a great album. Venus and Mars it's one of my favorites. One of my favorites from Paul All the time has come.
Speaker 2:Together, our voices will run. Oh no, this can't be so.
Speaker 1:And it occurred to me, june 18th of last year it was the Titan. As I was mentioning, the submersible operated by the American tourism and expeditions company OceanGate right Imploded during this expedition. We all know the story of viewing the wreck of the Titanic and again, the tragedy is that these people lost their lives because this Stockton Rush, who created this submersible, didn't follow rules. Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Gate. Paul Henry, I'm never going to pronounce his name. It doesn't just, he was a deep French deep sea explorer. I don't want to butcher his name, but he was a titanic expert. And again, I hope I didn't butcher that. But Hamish Harding is a British businessman. Shazana Dawood, a Pakistani British businessman, and his and his son Sulman were all on board this thing and the communication was lost An hour and 45 minutes into the dive, authorities alerted when it failed to resurface at the scheduled time later that day. Yeah, so we'll get more into that into the show tonight. But again, it's hard to believe, at least to me, that that's been a year since that happened. Getting to the record spin of the day Today and I hope my turntable is working right it kind of came unplugged here as I began my podcast and I don't even know if I plugged it in correctly. I hope I did.
Speaker 1:I'm not sure if I know this song. To be honest with you, this is finally one I don't know if I know. For some reason the name of the group sounds familiar, but again, I don't know if I know. If I have any idea, the song is the title of this, the pop song composed by John McCloud and Tony McCauley which in 1970 was a top 10 UK hit for this group. It's an English band Founded by Polly Brown In the US. This group, this single, with a rival version of this song by the Fortunes. Both versions scored well enough to regionally reach the top 70 in the top 100, the hot 100, on the hit parade, national hit parade.
Speaker 1:Original recording of the song by the Foundations being featured on the group's final album Dig in the Foundations, issued May of 69. This one is on. Is this United Artists? No, janus Records, janus, it's kind of an orange, red logo. Not promotional copy, not for sale. Very rare, obviously. I always tell you that, but like so, this was their final album, the Foundation's final album, digging the Foundations, issued May of 69. And then this one. This one did pretty well. This is a song and again I hope I have my turntable hooked up correct it's called that Same Old Feelin' by a band called Pickety Witch.
Speaker 2:Pickety Witch. I still get the same old feeling Tearing at this heart of mine and telling me that maybe I'm Not really over you. I still get this same old yearning Tearing my heart inside out. And now there can't be any doubt.
Speaker 1:I'm still not over. You Feel to where you've heard my name A year ago. Now I can tell you I do not know this song. Maybe you do, I don't know this one.
Speaker 2:I think it's over now. The places we would go Still things that we used to know, but I still get the same old feeling.
Speaker 1:Tearing at this heart of mine, I want to correct myself. The UK success of that same old feeling by Piketty Witch that prompted the Fortunes to press for the release of their own version of the single for the US market. No, so I guess I had that right. They just released their version after this one. No, I don't know this song. Do do do. No, I don't know this song, Maybe you do. Number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Number 34 on the US Easy Listening Billboard. Number 40, US Cashbox Top 100. 17 in South Africa. Number 5 in the UK. 7 in New Zealand. The Irish liked it at number 6. In Argentina it went to number eight, Wrapping up Pat's Peeps. Number 102,. Baby, Right here. Thank you for listening. I can't wait for number 103. We'll see you on the radio.
Speaker 2:I still breathe like a sad old memory, but I still get that same old feeling Tearing at this heart of mine and telling me that maybe I'm not really over you.