When WBZ played covers instead of hits

[A. Joseph Ross]

On 19 Jun 2007 at 11:51, Kevin Vahey wrote:

> I emailed Dick Summer and he said
> Hi Kevin, nice to hear from you. It's hard for most people to imagine
> these days, but BZ didn' t have a format or a play list. We played
> what we wanted to play. So a lot of stuff came up that "didn't make
> sense." We were just having fun. It's special to be remembered for all
> those years...
 
WBZ often played some of the darndest things back then, and it was 
part of the fun of listening to the station.  It was one of the few 
stations to give some on-air exposure to a rather odd album called 
"The Baroque Beatles Book," in which a baroque ensemble, along with a 
choir in some cuts, performed various Beatles songs in genuine 
Baroque style.  ("The Royal Beatleworks Music", "Cantata for the 
Third Saturday After Shea Stadium", etc.  "Help" done as an aria, and 
"Hold Me Tight" played on a harpsichord)

It certainly wasn't played on any of the classical stations, and I 
don't think it was on WRKO or WMEX or WHYN.  And if I hadn't heard 
excerpts on WBZ, I wouldn't have known about it.  When I heard it, I 
just had to have it, and, since I couldn't find it in Amherst, I made 
a special bus trip into Northampton to get a copy.  I still enjoy it 
today, and I particularly like having it on and seeing how long it 
takes someone to catch on to what it is.

-- 
A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                           617.367.0468
 92 State Street	                                  Fax 617.507.7856
Boston, MA 02109           	         http://www.attorneyross.com