RANDY ROADZ RAMBLES...
My first day on the radio was almost by accident. I was hanging around my home town radio station in Raymond, Washington (KAPA 1340am -- now dark). I was in the production studio dummying up some 'airchecks' when one of the owners of the station, Bob Claunch, came in and asked me, "Do you type copy?" I thought he said, "Do you like coffee?" I didn't find out until later what he'd said. I did get my chance that Saturday to make my on-air debut on the 10-minute local news at 12 noon. I called my buddy to have him record it for me. He did so -- on 8-track from his home. He still has the tape to this day. I think I have a copy somewhere. I was soooo bad. I couldn't understand why me liking coffee had anything to do with being on the air but I went with it.One of my fondest memories was being trained by Buzz Barr when I wasn't even a baby DJ yet. Do you remember the smell and the excitement when you walked into your first radio station. There was a smell: something between cigarettes and burnt-in transmitter tubes and the excitement that seemed to be running rampant in the station. I'll never forget those days.
Another uhh... unique story: While doing nights in Longview, Washington at CHR KLYK, we did the old State Trooper/Blood Alcohol routine on my show. I even had my own guest bartender flown in from Olympia for the festivities. A standby jock (Greg Wayte) was taking the readings that night. My PD, Bobby Hart, finally had to pull me off the air after I called him at home and put him on the air -- explaining to him not to worry, that I wouldn't be driving, etc. To this day, Bobby (now at KITI-FM Live 95 Centralia, WA and KRXY FM in Olympia, WA) will tell you that I stayed on the air 45 minutes longer than when he kicked me off on the live phone bit. Don't believe him though. I'd never disregard a suggestion from my PD. ;-)
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