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What to wear as an all night DJ.
By Norm Seeley | February 3, 2009
It’s Norm Seeley history time again.
Back when I worked for KBTR in Denver, 1964, I started out at the all night DJ when the station started playing rock. KBTR was the radio half of a radio.TV combo, KBTV, Channel 9 and KBTR 710kc. We had studios in downtown Denver just a few blocks from the Colorado Capital building.
We were “All Americans” and my show was called “East of Midnight”
(Click above for a link to more info)
The radio studios were down in the basement of the building. Typical setup, if I remember correctly, a on air studio, a production studio and offices surrounding them. There was not another studio, just the on air and production.
At night after the TV station signed off the air, around 1 or 2 AM, as the all night DJ, I was the only person in the building until close to 6 AM. At that time the TV station came back on the air. I can remember, vaguely that there was one door to enter the building when I was there, of course on the first floor and it had a buzzer that would flash in the AM control room. So if someone wanted in, they would ring the buzzer and I would have to run down the hall, up the stairs, and open the door. Luckily for me, it didn’t happen that often, maybe when someone forgot their keys to the building form the engineering staff coming in to open up the TV.
Now, picture me sitting in a small room, all by myself. I had two turntables and cart machines for jingles and commercials. I of course would announce the songs, kinda like what I do each week here on Friday’s Music, and would read some commercials, and a hourly five minute newscast. It was just rip and read, very little preparation. Oh, the highlight of the show was the “Farm Report” each morning at 5 AM. Nothing more fun or interesting than reporting on Hog, and Corn futures. Oh life as a DJ is so rewarding.
I have said enough, and I know that you trying to figure what all of this has to do with what I wore. I don’t remember the reason why but I liked to be dressed up while on the air, I would have considered looking at Tuxedos , but I settled for a suit.
That’s right, I would wear a suit. Coat and Tie.
Picture, me, Tall, skinny(in those days) wearing Coat and Tie, sitting all alone in a basement studio of a radio station.
There was no one in the building. No video cameras sending it out to the Internet. Back then there was no Internet.
Just me, my suit, and “stacks of wax and a microphone”.
Ah, the life of a DJ.
Topics: Broadcasting, Colorado | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Ah, the classic “Wolfman Jack”, eh Norm? What memories!