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Features I J Wednesday, July 29, 1987 3 I Tniirpr Previews Idolizing today From Staff Reports As the late summer days approach, Columbia has three major concerts set for the last three days of July. The string of shows begins at 8 p.m. today, when Billy Idol appears at Carolina Coliseum. Idol's career began with 1970s nriusn punKers ueneration A. After that band broke up, Idol released a self-titled solo album in 1982, which featured the hits "Hot in the City" and "White Wedding." His 1983 follow-up, Rebel Yell, was even more successful. Idol's current album. Whiplash Smile, has spawned two more Top 20 hits: "To Be a Lover" and "Sweet Sixteen." Opening is fellow British rockers The Cult, whose current album, Electric, has been compared to the works of '70s rock legends such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. Tickets are $15.50. Rock f By PATRICK JEAN P Editor in Chief For years, a rock 'n' roll statioi umbia's radio dial. Whether the b only be heard when a Top 40, adu played it. That gap has quickly been fillec ~ r r ^ a 1 i, c a. i , unci a z.H-11UUI i uuk iui uiai, anu c on a daily basis. WKWQ-FM, a.k The saga of Batesburg's WKWQ-FM, or 4,K-95," reads like a soap opera. Call it "The Station That Wouldn't Die." First, "K-95" went through different rock formats after debuting this past August ? all f of which could barely be heard in Columbia, because its small transmitter was located in Batesburg. Then the station was sold to a broadcasting firm that planned to turn it into a Christian station. Finally, it went off the air while its future was being debated. In mid-June, "K-95" returned to the airwaves with a solid format, staff and ownership, and brighter days appear to be ahead ? but a station source The Gamecock spoke with asked not to be identified. The source said the major pro 0 11) jJ ) t influx Furry Thursday I Thp trir* - ?f p^tipprt c fr?ntir?iif>c I at 8 p.m. Thursday with the Psychedelic Furs at The Township auditorium. The Furs' current album, Midnight to Midnight, gave the group its first Top 30 hit, "Heartbreak Beat." The London-based group has been praised for its post-punk moodiness, exemplified by lead singer Richard Butler's unique looks and vocals. The band built a following with other cult hits, such as "Pretty in Pink" from the 1981 album Talk Talk Talk and "Love My Way" from 1982's Forever Now. The former inspired filmmaker John Hughes to write a hit film of the same name. Opening is The Call, who gave two impressive performances in 1986, opening for Simple Minds in Charleston in March and headlining in USC's Russell House Ballroom in October. Tickets are $13.50. inds hoi ii was nowhere to be found on Coland was on AM or FM, rock could It or alternative station occasionally i in the past year. Two FM stations in AM station is playing album rock .a. 'AT-95' blem during the station's first run was a signal that broke up before it reached West Columbia ? and a programming director who kept changing his mind as to what type of album-oriented rock he wanted to play. The former problem was solved by placing a higher transmitter in Gilbert, near Lexington. "It's a lot closer, and it gets into Columbia very well," the source said. The latter problem was solved after the sale. Willis Broadcasting purchased "K-95" in April and planned to make it a gospel station, the source said. "The new ownership wasn't sure what format it wanted to go with, and the old ownership didn't want to keep it on the air meanwhile. I think we went off the air so if formats did change, st Sale of ' Ai fm The *-t Cookbooks, C ??1 p Assorted Fictior $2.50 A A TaUU '? ? i autv ui $1.01 STARTS 8/ Hope We' (JSC UNIVERSIT n nnt/CTAT) mj v.; wiyuv^iv begins HZHJ Stir ud Fridav I ? The concert trio concludes at 8 p.m. Friday, when Patti LaBelle appears at Carolina Coliseum. In 1985, LaBelle returned to the soul and pop charts after a long absence with "Stir It Up" and "New Attitude," two hits from the soundtrack to the film rcfi/ M M mo OIIV aiau <\yjpcared at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985 and joined in the all-star finale rendition of "We Are the World." LaBelle scored one of the biggest pop hits of 1986 with "On My Own," a duet with Michae! MacDonald, former lead singer for the D*oobie Brothers. Her current single, "Just the Facts," is another song from a film soundtrack. But this time, the movie is the Dan Aykroyd film Dragnet. Opening is The Whispers, who will perform songs from their current album, Just Gets Better r< with Time. Tickets are $17.50. ne on C WMFX-FM, a.k.a WMFX-FM, or "Fox 102," bega Jan. 7, replacing WWGO or "Go 1 the 1950s to the present. "Go 102" failed because it wasn maintain a large listening audience, s WMFX program director Jan. 16. Bascom said "Fox 102" is a hybr classic nus, wnicn concentrates o "album-oriented rock," which fo< popular rockers' albums. Bascom said "Fox 102" isn't WKWQ-FM or WNOK-AM ? bee* to be competition. "They (WKWQ) were playing he the air completely, and now they're They're not consistent. "We don't really consider WN They're not playing f6ck 24 hours i same richness and fidelity in sound Not everyone may be satisfied v> playlist, but that's what the majoril "When we came in, we didn't wa and that s what could have happer records that hadn't been heard hen Bascom said WMFX will grow t no one would be shocked or con- < fused," the source said. i But after some six weeks of t ci lnnr?n 4 * f Q ^ ' rntnrnnrl i n tvi t /A t auvuw, iviuinvu in iiiiu~ : June. "They (Willis* associates) simply decided there was too i much gospel in the local market The Sumn nd Best! hildren's Books lus i And Nonaction / A Book 4 nd . *4% Givaways" At ^ D Each \M TODAY - II See You! Ta "Your Partner jL I /? OVi '' g^J III LUUUCIUUII j [SBl BSB; - \ - ^7"^';:*-^ l: flH^* **>- yBBP^ i2?i:?^Z?^S'^^ fa ? jk i#&: hhi^^^bh^ e - ----- ifawwr . f1 ^t-~-^-"--- :t ;? * 't- "3 rj^zi^ir-'^^i |\ v'v v^ r ^EV^p Billy Idol, touring in support of his Whiplash Smile album, )ck to Carolina Coliseum today. f * 4 oiumoia s m . 'Fox 102' WNOK-AM, n broadcasting a rock format If it wasn't for USC a! 02," which offered hits from for "1230 Rock" on WN David, assistant progra 't focused enough to gain or FM, said he was watching 01H D a P r*s~\ m Un/>'?mn tirvtan Ua /I !?? ? r uiu jL/ivi\ wwown1, yy iivs uvvauiv w I1V1I 11V U^VIU^U IU i/Ujf 2 "1 tried to pick up one id of two rock radio formats: the baseball game," he Si n well-known rock songs, and found some station playi :uses on various songs from Thus, the idea was I simulcasting its Top 40 si: competing for listeners with The new format went on I rose he doesn't consider either to 10 p.m. Monday thro the rest of the time, avy metal, then they went off David said the statioi : back but sounding different. jockeys what to play or i of my albums, and everj OK-AM to be a competitor.' ""We hired people who i day, and they don't have the to DJs. They all have < that we do," he said. categorize this station," 'ith the station's popular rock Ratings and profits ar ty wants, Bascom said. David said. int to 'culture shock' anybody, "We didn't put this o led if we had thrown in 2,000 listeners from any other j in years," he said. up an audience that norn >y serving its audience. and that's what we're ai ilready, so they stuck with the rock format. We don't rock 'n' roll ? although they had heavily towards anythinj :o hire an all-new staff," the too much heavy metal, source said. much new wave." "K-95" now has a definite for- The source said t mat and staff, the source said. provements in form ' ' I f ' r O P/\l 1/^ nlUnrvA rnnrir?ior?/\ri VtniiA Ualr* a/4 ii s a suuu cuiuuiti tiai aiuuin uaiu^iin^iun uavt uwtpvu I. ?mW-w r ranfifiic H - **iwt s j] FAMOUS! : ' OUR CUSTOf U I 9 SERVED Will K 1 CHILI, ONIC^ mm a i otq of ni if P^l SLAW. || I ??&p? 4 | tog p i COUPON E -JM ) ^Ub IIB. f 1?8? SHIS ;^f:' 1 p^i^I BMRIKI ^SHBBHnBSESNPCsnS^nBBHIHSBRnsflBicfim llillllf will bring his infamous snp?r and mnnHv M ,dio dial a.k.a. '1230Rock' I lumnus Gary David's car radio, the idea K fOK-AM might never have happened. |?j mming director for both WNOK-AM and Sjg \ a baseball game at home this past spring |Jg lome groceries. pi ; of the AM stations in town that carried I ! aid. "I never did find that, but instead, I | : ng 'Kashmir' by Led Zeppelin." jorn for WNOK-AM, which had been B ster FM station, to become "1230 Rock." Bj the air April 22, offering rock from 6 a.m. p:| uah Fridav and simulcasting WNOK-FM IS! \ is free-form. "We don't tell our disc |j| inything like that. 1 brought in about 200 H body else brought in their stuff. p| knew rock 'n' roll really well, as opposed |p lifferent tastes in music, so it's hard to he said. e not a major concern of "1230 Rock," H n the air with the intention of picking up ?1 station. We knew we would slowly build I lally doesn't listen to commercial radio ? 11 ming for," he said. jjj lean too pick up many new, enthusiastic 61 g ? not listeners throughout the Jj| not too Midlands. "We sound better, we |f i u ^ gci iiuu ^uiuuiuia uciici, wc nave pp he im- a better on-air staff; it's a much p at and stronger organization than it was "K-95" before." m We're here i to help 'k 256-4908 Planned Parenthood p j i/a \i / f > SUPER COUPON! \ A/\\\ If \f " \? SUPER SLAW : DOG _ vl 1/4 POUND ALL BEEF FRANK \ MUSTARD, SECRET RECIPE * gS AND TOPPED OFF WITH I DELICIOUS CREAMY COLE 129 T Per Coupon q C r\ w/Coupon ^ XPIRES 8/5/87 I