by segueking2 » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:54 pm
I started at CKVN, in February, 1972. Don Ramsden and I had a place out on North Road, and we both had to hitch to the studio. Don got me an audition and I scored an all night weekend gig.
I was taught the board by the estimable, J. Lee Smith.
Jocks included Major Tom Lewis, Johnny Mack (incredible) and Peter Benson. Jon McComb did news. Bob Magee did mornings.
CKVN had the improbable "CKVN news at 14 - at :46 we would have the package, which would consist of rip and read news wire, sports, weather, hog reports, fishing reports - anything....to fill it up.
The station got off on the wrong foot, and we had Richard "Hub" Hughes, doing his best to get a union in.
Program Director was Simon Ginsberg. He also had a Tee Shirt business in Gastown. He had a DYNAMITE girlfriend.
Latremouille lived across the alley. Soon, we had Daryl B. and Chuck McCoy, Russ Tyson, and the rest is history.
It seems like a million years ago.
When I didn't know what tinnitus was. I do now.
The PNE in the summer of '72 - everyday. Sitting in a CARDBOARD representationn of a radio - painted in CKVN orange and Blue.
It was in the same building as the giant Map of BC, that used to draw, oh, six or 7 people in the entire fair.
Bill Konyk's White shoes and perogie stand at the Fair.
Ron Carabine, and his Sabot pipe tobacco.
The Riot at the Coliseum, with the Stones and Stevie Wonder.
Walked to work the night that Team Canada and Russia played for all the marbles. It was a sunny evening, and as I walked along Broadway, I saw few cars, but out of windows and along the way I could hear the game and the call by Foster Hewitt.
Playing "Back off Boogaloo" and having Allen Jasper (*later to become Robert D. Vine) painting the lunchroom at 1900 West Fourth.....
Crowbar at "The Cave" and Kelly Jay rolling joints the size of Mulligan's arm, on a tour bus careening through Stanley Park.
CKVN. It was quite the place.
Memories still fresh.