WNBC Time Machine - Oct 4, 1987 - Dan Taylor

Original aircheck of radio station WNBC in New York City.
Recorded on Oct 4, 1987

This aircheck brings home everything this channel represents, which is that records during that time were made to sound their best in mono for broadcast on AM Top 40 radio. NOT in stereo, for pop music during that time was rare to hear on FM stereo radio.

During the time frame from 1987 to Oct 7, 1988, WNBC had special shows during the weekends called "The Time Machine". This was a very accurate re-creation of how AM Radio sounded like during the late 60's to early 70's.
This show has become legendary in radio circles!

Sadly, Radio Station WNBC no longer exists.
On Oct 7, 1988, it became WFAN and changed to a sports talk format. Yes, it is hard to believe that WNBC radio is no longer around.

This aircheck also allows you to hear EXACTLY how it sounded like. Radio stations like WNBC & WABC used lots of audio "processing" to make the music sound it's best when heard on either a car radio's 6 X 9 inch dashboard speaker, or from an AM Transistor Radio's tiny 3-1/2 inch speaker. As a result, these AM radio stations added reverb and then highly "compressed" the audio, which made it sound even louder. You can hear that in this aircheck!

This is the original mono mix as heard when this was a huge hit on AM Top 40 radio on stations like WABC New York.

For more great music like this, tune into REWOUND Radio found here:
http://rewoundradio.com/stream_stats.php

Channel WABCRADIO77 is a proud supporter of the "Oldies Message Board" found at this link:
http://www.oldiesboard.com

If you like oldies music, then please check out the message board, for that is where many oldies fans are "hanging out" and posting lots of cool stuff about the music you love!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• WNBC
• Radio
• Time
• Machine
• 66
• aircheck
• Dan
• Taylor
• WNBC (AM)

[storrs19]

I've read that Phil Spector had a wrecked Ford Falcon parked in his front yard and had everything he produced sent through it's dashboard 3" speaker because that's how 90% of new music was first heard and we all know how many hits he produced. Nothing will beat that AM sound in glorious mono for me. I grew up with it and am used to it. Thanks for sharing these airchecks with us.

[Mcnzlea]

And you thought WNBC was just Don Imus and Howard Stern. I loved how their station and studios were in majestic 30 Rock as well as the flagship station for a major network. Lots of radio and television shows were produced in that building. I also liked the ties NBC had with RCA as to the actual television sets and radio receivers needed to tune into NBC, along with most of the equipment to put a broadcast together.

[BobWXXI]

Dan Taylor's in a better place today...waking up the city on WCBS-FM 101.1. CBS figured out how to present classic hits and become a perennial contender for the top of the NYC market....

[abbeyroad56]

Far Out,Man!