Listen: Vintage Aircheck, Modern Alt Rock

Reminiscing the birth of mainstream alternative rock from its previously “modern” ambiguity

Perhaps you remember a day back in the 80s when your local contemporary rock station changed—maybe you were listening at the time and witnessed the event, or maybe you tuned into the EDGE 94.5 FM Dallas on any day after the change . . . and realized it was different.

Gen X-ers were routinely listening to mainstream modern rock radio when another type of music had begun to make its way onto the airwaves. While punk was happening in the underground scene, experimental music-making was happening around the edges and making its way into mainstream radio play by being featured in small segments and specialty albums garnered by early aficionados. (See “Further Reading”, below).

Eventually, that exposure grew a larger audience and was parlayed into an idea for dedicated 24/7 radio for that growing market of new stylings of contemporary modern rock with an edge. Out west in California at the same time and in the same vein, Fred Jacobs worked with industry players to set in motion the first completely dedicated Alternative Rock radio station:

“[He] came up with the idea after working for several years in the ’80s with 91X and Mad Max Tolkoff, we had amazing success in San Diego—and of course, the station remains in the Alternative format after starting out as Rick Carroll’s “Rock of the ’80s” first affiliate.”

Fred Jacobs (2016)

Sensory Nostalgia – Broadcasting 94.5 The Edge in 1989

Listen to 94.5 The Edge Aircheck:

New “Alternative Rock” Station Aircheck 1989 Dallas, Texas

Old radio segments are blasts from the past for me. Hopefully, someone finds some enjoyment today in reminiscing along this wave of memory. Fellow Gen X-ers, drop your nostalgic moments in a comment: Do you remember the emergence of alt rock in your local radio broadcasting markets? What were you doing at the time? Is the alt style something you stuck with, or did you primarily listen to other types of music?

Everyone, can you remember the call letters to the radio station you enjoyed most?

Further Reading:

KZEW 98 The Zoo and The Rock and Roll Alternative

Gen-X Kids’ Pastime: Walking the Woods

Pastimes from past times, and remembering where they went

I remember walking the woods, sometimes scared, always excited.

Getting there meant braving the farm-to-market no-shoulder, no-sidewalk paved roads and gravel or dirt side roads, fields and pastures, fences, creeks, bugs and poisonous plants, mean kids, and various other unpredictable and known threats.

Riddle Them This

Not spending does not equal saving.

If only savings racked up every time we didn’t spend this on that!

Money must be there to put there.

Where is the money?

---

There has been a large rise in savings by rich Americans since the 1980s. This rise in savings
has been associated with a significant dissaving by other Americans and by the government. Furthermore, Americans in the top 1% of the wealth distribution have been accumulating substantial
financial claims on household and government debt:

Mian, Straub, and Sufi (2021)

CEO pay has skyrocketed 1,322% since 1978

Mishel, Kandra (2021)

genXing

Gen X: “Much of what’s said about us is funny, and maybe half true. The rest is either hilarious and completely true, or not-funny and discouraging.”

Challenge: Cassette Tape Unraveled

Solution: pencil, some dexterity, and plenty of patience . . .

Do you remember winding the tape back into a cassette with a pencil after it was “eaten”—by your stereo? pic.twitter.com/QP181MedOV

— #GenXChat (@GenXChat) December 11, 2016

Generational Music Nostalgia Machine

Browsing Tunes

As far as most Gen-Xers are concerned, the 1960s-80s were a time of wonderfully expansive music trends in the U.K. and the U.S. Any of us can name a hit or two as some of our old favorites, discovered then via radio and eventually purchased at a local music store.

But what if you wanted to browse, today, the diverse library of hit music from the 80s? You might use Spotify, or iHeartRadio . . . Pandora, perhaps.

Or, hop aboard the Nostalgia Machine! Open this link and find hit music of your childhood by choosing any year from the drop-down menu. It’s a throw-back kind of experience!

Image by Vicious-Speed  via Openclipart

As a Gen X-er, what are some song titles from your youth that you’ll never forget, and what about some you’re happy to be reminded of as you browse?