KRLA – Dick Biondi – April 14, 1965 – Mike Devich Collection –
Consider this:
No. It’s not just you – the whole world is having a hard time concentrating. There’s a lot going on – and depending on what age you are, it’s either really-really good or really-really bad.
Really-really good is all the music that has suddenly climbed into your life – it’s speaking to you in ways nothing else has before. You hang on your radio for messages and signs and what’s new. You have actively collected every shred of Beatles anything, from lunch-pails to bobble-heads and you know every word to every Beatles song by heart, even the ones in German. But you admit to really-really liking Herman’s Hermits, and The Rolling Stones. Your mom kind of thinks Herman is cute. She doesn’t think Mick or Brian of the Rolling Stones are cute. You think you have to stop confiding in your mom about who you like – it feels strange. But Herman’s Hermits was last week anyway and you have just discovered The Byrds and they even live in your town. Your girlfriend’s next-door neighbor’s cousin works at a record store and he says he can get you in for free at The Teenage Fair – he said The Byrds were supposed to be playing there. You can’t wait.
Really-really bad was being a guy, turning 18 and finding out the Draft was back on. Everybody knew that getting drafted meant graduating high-school and heading to Vietnam for at least two years and the idea doesn’t exactly appeal to you, especially since you’ve been practicing guitar since 7th grade and finally your band is getting popular. You’ve been growing your hair and getting hassled by the Boy’s vice-Principal and he’s threatened to put you in ROTC until you graduate. You aren’t supposed to graduate until next year – anything can happen between now and then . . .maybe.
The one thing you both have in common is your radio. KRLA in April 1965, along with KFWB were the powerhouse be-all/end-all radio stations for Rock and they played a huge role in your day-to-day life.
And, in case you forgot – or missed it the first time around, KRLA had Dick Biondi who held most of teenage Los Angeles captive for the better part of three hours most nights. And if you want proof of that, hit the play button, take a seat and fill your head with tunes and history – all from April 14, 1965.
Special thanks to Mike Devich for the tape.
