Back in the 80s people would keep up with metal releases and news in a variety of ways: magazines, Headbangers Ball, word of mouth… For me it was radio. On Saturday nights I could choose between The Metal Zone on WHJY or Metalstorm on WUNH, and Sunday was Nasty Habits on WERS. Lately I’ve been curious about other metal themed radio shows from other parts of the US or around the world. I’ve put together a short list of shows I’ve discovered and I’d love to hear about more, or just hearing about your experiences with heavy metal radio in the 80s.
Alabama:
WVUA 90.7 FM Tuscaloosa, AL – The Metal Zone: Hosted by Dave the Metal Guy from its incarnation in 1981 until its cancellation in 2008.
California:
KLOS 95.5 FM Los Angeles, CA – Heavy Metal Six Pack: Mid-80s show which sometimes included unsigned acts such as Liquid Earth.
KNAC 105.5 FM Los Angeles, CA: All hard rock format from 1985/86 until going off the air on 2/15/95. One specific show was The Local Show, on which the Pure Rock and Son Of Pure Rock compilations were based.
KUSF 90.3 FM San Francisco, CA – Rampage Radio: Rampage Radio has supposedly aired from 2 AM to 8 AM every Sunday morning since 3/6/82. It was founded by Howie Klein, Ian Kallen and Ron Quintana (who also put out the Metal Mania fanzine).
Illinois:
WRRG River Grove, IL – Metal Mania: Hosted by Rockin’ Ron Simon every Saturday night in the mid to late 80s.
WVVX 103.1 FM Chicago, IL – Real Precious Metal: WVVX was a Spanish language station during the day, but switched to a hard rock format at night. The night programming, known as Real Precious Metal (from which the Chicago Metal Works compilation series was spawned) lasted from 5/1/85 until 1/29/93. Specific shows included One Off The B Side and Thursday Night Thrash Attack.
WWBZ 103.5 FM Chicago, IL: From 4/1/91 until the spring of 1994 WWBZ (aka “The Blaze”) broadcast a more commercial hard rock format.
Maryland:
WHVY 96.7 FM Baltimore, MD: “97 Underground” broadcast an all hard rock format from the spring of 1987 until 3/16/91.
Massachusetts:
WERS 88.9 FM Boston, MA – Nasty Habits: Broadcast out of Emerson College from 1980 to 2005. Hosted by Jeanine Lombardo in the late 80s/early 90s. Other early DJs included Travis Squier, Mike Jones and Charlie Andrews (1988-1989).
Minnesota:
KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis, MN – Root Of All Evil: Broadcast from 1 AM to 6 AM every Saturday night since 1987. Hosted by Earl Root until his death on 5/24/08.
New Hampshire:
WUNH 91.3 FM Durham, NH – Metalstorm: Started in the 1980s, and was replaced by The Pit which ran from the early 1990s until 1996.
Ohio:
WUJC 88.7 FM University Heights, OH – Heavy Metal Rendezvous: Hosted by Mitch Capka as early as 1981. Mitch compiled the Cleveland's Heavy Metal compilation which was released in 1984. He left WJCU (as the station is now called) on 8/28/11 when he cancelled his show Kick Out The Jams.
WUJC 88.7 FM University Heights, OH – Metal On Metal: Weekly show hosted by Bill Peters (owner of Auburn Records) since it started in 1982.
WJCU 88.7 FM University Heights, OH – Metalmorphosis: Hosted by Joe Kleon from 1986 to 1994.
Rhode Island:
WHJY 94.1 FM Providence, RI – The Metal Zone: Starting sometime in 1986, The Metal Zone is on every Saturday night from midnight to 3 AM. It was hosted by “Doctor Metal” Mike Gonsalves until his death in the fire at The Station on 2/25/03.
WXIN 90.7 FM Providence, RI: Mike Gonsalves had a metal show on this station prior to being hired by WHJY.
Wisconsin:
WSUP 90.5 FM Plattville, WI – Heavy Metal Meltdown: Has changed hosts and schedules many times since it began in 1983, but is still on the air today.
Belgium:
Metallic Attack: Broadcast from 1985 to 1986.
England:
BBC Radio 1 – The Friday Rock Show: Broadcast from 10 PM to midnight every Friday night from 1978 to 1993. Hosted by Tommy Vance, many weeks it included a live studio session of 3 or 4 tracks.
Netherlands:
KRO – Stampij: Aired every Wednesday in the early 1980s and was hosted by Hanneke Kappen (former singer for White Honey and the inspiration for Bitches Sin's song "Hanneke").
Sweden:
Radio Sweden P3 – Hårdrock: Sweden's first hard rock program, it was hosted by Micke Rosengren in the mid-80s.
Radio Sweden P3 – Rockbox: Broadcast from 1984 to 1989, Rockbox was hosted by Pär Fontander. On 9/6/86 it switched to a fixed slot and time, playing every Saturday from 6:15 PM to 7 PM except for the final show on 12/2/89 which lasted 2 hours.
Radio Sweden – Studio Skrän: Hosted by Pär Fontander and Marianne Kristensson in the mid-80s, this program focused on the Swedish hard rock scene with music and interviews.