A Reflection on KWOD

Many years ago, we had a radio station called 93 Rock (KRXQ). In my most infuenced years, 93 Rock was the station to listen to for current and upcoming hard rock. I listened to it regularly and, along with MTV and Video Jukebox, gained exposure to many of my favorite bands: Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, and many others. I grew to love hearing Whitey Gleason, Pat Martin, and Charlie Thomas talking about the bands, upcoming concerts, and various other bits and comedic sketches.

In 1998, KRXQ changed frequencies to 98.5. I did not realize until later that said change also signaled an end to the station I previously loved. In reality, the station and I had changed in opposite directions. I think the frequency change, at the time, allowed me to move away from the station as its direction had moved away from what I enjoyed. Since then, I've warmed up to it.

During those high school years when I listened to 93 Rock, my rock-listening classmates would be divided between 93 Rock listeners and KWOD (106.5 FM) listeners. In the early '90s, both stations played a distinctly different flavor of rock: 93 Rock with its hard rock or "Album-Oriented Rock" (AOR) format, and KWOD with its modern rock/alternative format. As one friend put it, "the difference is that KWOD would never play Metallica, and 93 Rock would never play the Cure." We each had different senses of what was "cool" and what "sucked."

As the years passed, the differences between the stations blurred. That included 98 Rock's parent company buying up KWOD and a slow integration of similar music between the two stations. With the gradual rise of hip-hip/R&B and the death of rock through the flash of grunge, both stations played the same new music with some crossover of the older stuff. No longer was KWOD not playing Metallica. Even 98 Rock played some songs that probably wouldn't have made it on a previous format. Sadly, it looks like this played some part in Entercom changing KWOD's format. I know there had been quite a turnover in on-air talent and morning shows in the past few years on KWOD while 98 Rock had the "Rob, Arnie, and Dawn Show" that apparently has done wonderfully in the ratings. I have a feeling that KWOD's writing was on the wall for some time.

Though I have never been a fan of KWOD's offerings (when I would have listened to it in the past 20 years or so), it's sad to see a station fade away. The lack of good station choices around here bothers me. With the demise of KWOD, all we have left is KRXQ and 96.9 The Eagle. KRXQ doesn't play enough alternative to keep that segment of society happy, and The Eagle has become more AOR but covering '60s-'80s and hard rock from '80s forward. It concerns me as to what they'll do to 98 Rock to possibly compensate. I also wonder if some other changes will occur that may be more drastic in these trying times. Either way, Sacramento needs a solid alternative presence. Maybe it'll get absorbed into a Top 40, but then the people who want to hear the Cure without having to hear Britney Spears will be out of luck.

I hope a satisfactory solution comes to light. A more-diversified 98 Rock will make it feel too much like JACK-FM. Adding KWOD's stuff to another station may clash too much with what it was already playing. Maybe, like KBMB did, someone will start an underground station that'll better reflect KWOD's glory days in a current form and provide what KWOD's listeners still desire in a station.