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August 16, 2006
Retrohump: Revenge of 106.3
This is homage to the late, great 106.3, which boomed from the Jersey Shore in the late 90s, weakening signal every mile, until it reached my home in New Providence, NJ and was accessible only in a remote corner of MS.com contributor Jeff O’Brien’s bedroom.
In a period of eclecticism rarely experienced, music lovers were inundated with such disparate choice on the radio. And nowhere was this more apparent than on 106.3, where Tori Amos might pop up next to Eric B. and Rakim, followed by a triumvirate of Massive Attack, Pixies, and Pavement. Granted, at that age (15-17), my music tastes were not impeccable (or rather the breadth of my music knowledge was par, at best), but even if I didn’t know who Stereolab was, the radio station stood for more than just the songs. With podcasts, playlists, and Internet and satellite radio, I may not even appreciate such a thing today, but its presence, before Napster and iPods, made that corner of the room magical (sometimes you had to balance the stereo outside the window) and made each mile on the trip to the shore more exciting as you were coming closer and closer to uninterrupted and unparalleled radio goodness.
Eric B. and Rakim: I Ain't No Joke
Tori Amos: Silent All These Years
Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend
Tags: 106.1, New Jersey, Radio, Eric B, Rakim, Tori Amos, Matthew Sweet
Posted by Keith O'Brien at August 16, 2006 11:28 AM
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Comments
It was actually 106.3 (I think the call letters were WHTG). They may still be but the format is not the same. Or the definition of what's alternative, at least. I miss the heydays of that station myself. Back when Matt Pinfield was program director, before jumping to Mtv. I wished I had found that station sooner, or wished they had stronger signal when I tuned in from Sayreville. I may have to post about this on my site now, if so I'll be sure to trackback.
Posted by: larzini at August 17, 2006 10:33 AM
you are correct. it was 106.3. Amended. Thanks.
Posted by: Keith O'Brien at August 17, 2006 12:34 PM
oh how i miss it. i won a few contests from them - a teenage fanclub cd and tickets to see iggy pop at the pony, way back when. they broadcasted out of this little shack near monmouth mall, but to me it was the most amazing place in the world. when it was sold and all of a sudden the only voices you heard between songs were prerecorded was a huge let down. I still have "FM 106.3: WHTG" stickers on the garbage can I use in my office.
Posted by: Bryan at August 18, 2006 01:32 AM
Well, actually, some of us who worked there continue to scramble to find a home for the kind of mix we did back then. Mine's at Altrok Radio (http://www.altrokradio.com, or just check the link behind my name) - you can find a web radio station behind that link, and you can also find it at 90.5 The Night Friday nights at 10. (For the record, I was there from 1985 to 1992.)
Posted by: Sean at August 28, 2006 02:23 PM
Thanks for the tribute! FM 106.3 was my favorite radio station from the time I had a favorite station until the sell-out. That's at least 8 years of being #1. The thing I miss the most about the station was Local Licks - actually featuring local artists from New Jersey that were really good. That's where I first heard Evelyn Forever. I also liked that the DJs were not afraid to call it "F. 'Em" 106.3. Ah, the glory days of alternative rock.
Posted by: Charles at February 5, 2007 01:41 PM
I did the same thing, balancing my radio in the window so I could listen to fm 106.3 at the similarly young ages of 12-14. Good times.
Like much of the Jersey music scene, WHTG is a mere shadow of its former self.
Posted by: Sarah at October 28, 2007 09:44 PM
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