During my father's term as Program Director for WPLJ-FM (1974–1988) I was privileged to spend time in the halls and studios of what for much of that time was New York's #1 album rock station. It was a young music freak's fantasy: I got promo LPs, attended concerts for free, and sat in on live broadcasts. My favorite DJs to hang with were always Carol Miller and John Zacherle.
Zacherle (aka Zacherley) had been a TV horror-film host in ghoul makeup for most of the 1950s and early 60s (there are several clips on YouTube), and in the early days of FM's popularity he was an innovator of free-form radio, when WPLJ was called WABC-FM. Though PLJ's programming was fairly structured by the late 1970s, the form was still much freer than the computerized formats seen on the commercial FM band today.
Every Halloween, WPLJ would let Zach become a ghoul again and program his own show (he would also occasionally don his makeup and entertain at staff parties.) One year, I'm guessing '77 or '78, I sat in the cramped studio on Halloween watching Zacherle make radio magic. My love of horror films and rock music reached critical mass that night. At the age of 60, Zacherle was super cool and probably more up on things than many of his younger colleagues. I remember that he played something from the Dead Boys' first LP and also held up a copy of Pink Floyd's Ummagumma and said, "Billy, have you heard this one?"
During that time, Zach also presented me with copies of his two 1960 novelty singles, "Dinner With Drac" and "Coolest Little Monster"—below are all four sides as mp3s. (Except for the comic masterpiece "Hurry Bury Baby," these songs are available on CD and are presented here just for fun, in-browser listening.)
As the 70s became the 80s, radio formats tightened, mic styles became zippier and much of the old guard at WPLJ were being replaced or moving to less-commercial stations. In the post-disco era, FM had become the dominant force of music delivery, with a narrower presentation. I know that it was one of the saddest days of my Dad's life when he had to let John Zacherle go. Zach, now 90, still does Halloween radio (most recently on WCBS-FM) and continues to be an inveterate hipster and a cool ghoul.
Dinner With Drac
Hurry Bury Baby
Coolest Little Monster
Ring-a-Ding Orangoutang
Happy Halloween. May you receive lipstick of arsenic and laprobes of earlobes.
Pete Fornatale interviewed him Saturday night and he was very funny and totally with it. Then we watched the movie 'Tarantula" on WPIX with him hosting. It was a lot of fun and they should do that sort of stuff every Saturday night instead of showing episodes of American Idol from season two or whatever crap they broadcast.
Oh, and clicking on the Carol Miller link -- yeah, she'd be one of my favorites to hang out with, too.
Posted by: Dale Hazelton | October 28, 2008 at 09:47 AM
I remember how you used to tell me your Zach stories in the ol' Froeburg Hall broadcast booth back in the days when I used to set my watch by you every Friday. So lovely to hear them again. May the man live to be 100.
Though, I suspect your reasons for Carol being your other fave PLJ-er to hang out with were quite different, to say the least?
Posted by: Ray Brazen | October 28, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Jeez, guys, Carol is cool and funny and kind of a 'character'—I wasn't implying anything the least bit untoward. I was, however, about 13 at the time. Still, get the blood back to your brains, fellas.
Posted by: WmMBerger | October 28, 2008 at 10:10 AM
I have the album he did (Monster Mash) and may have already sent a CD of it to FMU. If not, let me know, and I'll send you another copy.
Posted by: lipwak | October 28, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Zacherle's 1960 album -Spook Along With Zacherle- was reissued by Collector's Choice a couple of years ago ("Coolest Little Monster" and "Ring-a-Ding Orangoutang" are on it, but the other two are not). It's a blast. Zacherle announces his candidacy for President ('60 was an election year) on the last track.
Posted by: James | October 28, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Eh, never mind. I missed the link William included.
Posted by: James | October 28, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Thanks for posting these! They're great!
Posted by: Peter | October 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Did your dad REALLY pitch-up the music?
Posted by: Joe | October 29, 2008 at 03:05 AM
Thank you for posting this. Sorry I missed the WPIX broadcast. Reminds me of what High Street used to do, in Denver, when we had KFML (TV movie audio muted, play-by-play by some very funny people)... As a kid growing up on Long Island during Zacherle's TV-reign, I can attest he WAS Holloween. That he kept in pace with us and often outpaced us during the freeform days was icing on the cake... Blogged this at: http://www.legendarysurfers.com/ffr/blog/
Posted by: Malcolm Gault-Williams | October 29, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Great stuff! Ummagumma's got some awesome horror music on it as well, especially the Rick Wright material.
Posted by: Joe | October 30, 2008 at 02:00 PM
Hi!
Great website. I was a dancer on Zach's teen show that ran from 1965-1967, called Disc-O-Teen. Last November I hosted a reunion of former dancers to the show, and we had a turnout of nearly 100. Zacherley came, of course, and the Doughboys played up a storm. They had appeared on the show some 40 years earlier, and three of the four original members are still together. Would love to share memories with others.
--Nancy
PS I used to visit Zach at WNEW-FM. He would be on the air and my girlfriends and I (all former dancers on his TV show) would sit around and be a part of rock history. We also got backstage when he emceed concerts.
Posted by: Nancy Semon-Krauss | October 30, 2008 at 06:20 PM
I too, worked at WPLJ in the old days (though I don't remember any of Larry Berger's kids around the station, but I was mostly there very late at night). Zach was the first person to make me feel like a part of the of the 'PLJ family. I used to go in early on Friday nights just so I could spend some time hanging out with him in the studio. And he always was one of my favorites to listen to, both of WNEW-FM (before WABC-FM/WPLJ days) and after. And I too remember Disc-O-Teen (one of my high school classmate's band was feature on the show). If I remember correctly, Disc-o-Teen was on channel 36, later home of The Uncle Floyd Show.
There are rumors of a possible new Zacherle recording (ran into someone I know who is trying to coax Zach into doing it). Zach remains the coolest!
Posted by: David W. | October 31, 2008 at 11:20 AM
DUDE! I love you! sorta ... lol ...
been looking for JZ's stuff! THAAAANK YOUUU!
Posted by: StevenMcFlyJr | October 04, 2009 at 01:59 AM