Yahoo Groups archive

SergeModular

Index last updated: 2026-04-28 23:13 UTC

Thread

KMPX synth music mystery

KMPX synth music mystery

2004-10-14 by johnrichoux

Does anyone in the forum remember KMPX 106.9, San Francisco, circa 1969?

Posted to my website (url below) are some clips from a live broadcast I taped, just before
the station
changed formats. There are also a couple of paragraphs with as much historical context I
can remember.

I am hoping that someone can shed some light on these clips. Does anyone recognize the
music? Did other recordings ever exist? It must have been done on a Buchla or Moog.

In fact, at my first meeting with Rex in Oakland (1997?) I remember trying to describe this
piece to him (with all the employees thinking - 'another nut!'), asking 'can I do this with a
Serge?' Turns out I can do a lot more.

This recording was my first taste of synth music – and just before Abbey Road came out.
These two, along with "Switched-On Bach" started my interest in synthesizers. I was 17 at
the time. There is no question that this is the stuff that got me started down the slippery
slope. I am more sentimental about this music than I am about all the bucks I've blown on
synthesizers. I don't know how many years and dollars I spent trying to coax this stuff out
of digital synths. Ahh, ignorance.

This is also my first attempt at a website; if you have any difficulties, please let me know.

To anyone that is interested, I have a complete 14:00 mp3.

John Richoux
http://home.mindspring.com/~jrichoux/

p.s. to the moderator- I hope this has not wandered too far from the purpose of this
forum.

OT: Re: [SergeModular] KMPX synth music mystery

2004-10-14 by Scott E.

John,

I used to listen to and record KMPX quite frequently during this time
period myself. I recall the surf/synth stuff, but have no idea of its
source. Sounds like Moog to me.

One thing I remember distinctly from my taping sessions was the evening
of August 6th, 1970. There was a three piece set. The first piece was a
Rolling Stones piece (title forgotten), "Psychosomosis" by a jazz group
and finishing with "I've got murder in my heart for the judge" by Moby
Grape. The DJ then commented "Today is the end of silence. It's time to
sit back and start shouting."

The next day, was the Marin County court shootout with the Black
Panthers where the judge was killed, along with two B.P. Party members.
I remember reading the headlines the next day and shivering. I still
have the tape somewhere.

Scott
--------------------------------------------------------------
johnrichoux wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Does anyone in the forum remember KMPX 106.9, San Francisco, circa 1969?
>
> Posted to my website (url below) are some clips from a live broadcast I
> taped, just before
> the station
> changed formats. There are also a couple of paragraphs with as much
> historical context I
> can remember.
>
> I am hoping that someone can shed some light on these clips. Does anyone
> recognize the
> music? Did other recordings ever exist? It must have been done on a
> Buchla or Moog.
>
> In fact, at my first meeting with Rex in Oakland (1997?) I remember
> trying to describe this
> piece to him (with all the employees thinking - 'another nut!'), asking
> 'can I do this with a
> Serge?' Turns out I can do a lot more.
>
> This recording was my first taste of synth music – and just before Abbey
> Road came out.
> These two, along with "Switched-On Bach" started my interest in
> synthesizers. I was 17 at
> the time. There is no question that this is the stuff that got me
> started down the slippery
> slope. I am more sentimental about this music than I am about all the
> bucks I've blown on
> synthesizers. I don't know how many years and dollars I spent trying to
> coax this stuff out
> of digital synths. Ahh, ignorance.
>
> This is also my first attempt at a website; if you have any
> difficulties, please let me know.
>
> To anyone that is interested, I have a complete 14:00 mp3.
>
> John Richoux
> http://home.mindspring.com/~jrichoux/
>
> p.s. to the moderator- I hope this has not wandered too far from the
> purpose of this
> forum.
>
>
>
>
>
> Keep on Patchin'!
>
>
>
> *Yahoo! Groups Sponsor*
> ADVERTISEMENT
> click here
> <http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=129cgvp59/M=315388.5500238.6578046.3001176/D=grplch/S=1705032144:HM/EXP=1097864905/A=2372354/R=0/SIG=12id813k2/*https://www.orchardbank.com/hcs/hcsapplication?pf=PLApply&media=EMYHNL40F21004SS>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *Yahoo! Groups Links*
>
> * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SergeModular/
>
> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> SergeModular-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:SergeModular-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>
>
> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>.
>
>

Re: OT: Re: [SergeModular] KMPX synth music mystery

2004-10-14 by Scott E.

KMPX survived until 1982. KSAN was in existance by 1968, as Tom Donahue
and most of the KMPX staff moved to KSAN in May of 1968 after the
strike. Tom Donahue died in 1975.

Scott
-----------------------------------
johnrichoux wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> That's quite a story.
>
> By the way - would that have been KMPX or KSAN? I'm still trying to
> reconcile some dates.
>
> jmr
>
>

OT: Re: [SergeModular] KMPX synth music mystery

2004-10-15 by johnrichoux

--- In SergeModular@yahoogroups.com, "Scott E." <yahudinyhwh@s...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> KMPX survived until 1982. KSAN was in existance by 1968, as Tom Donahue
> and most of the KMPX staff moved to KSAN in May of 1968 after the
> strike. Tom Donahue died in 1975.

That seems to mesh well with what I have found on the web. Evidently I was mistaken
about the circumstances of this recording. Still, something was going on that prompted
several days of ocean waves.

Of course, this is all pre-Serge.

Last year I read "Analog Days" by Trevor Pinch & Frank Tocco. From what I read there (pp.
94-102), I suspect that Don Buchla might have some answers to my original question.
Unfortunately, the Buchla site is apparently not interested in eMail unless you are ordering
equipment.

My justification for annoying my fellow Sergers is - well, why do we do this at all? For
each of us there was some spark; this is my spark. I finally have the tools to explore it.
Not unlike an adopted child searching for its roots.

jmr

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.