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  • Radio Free Hawaii

    On June 1, 1991 (13 years ago) Radio Free Hawaii made its debut on Hawaii's airwaves to the delight of many listeners and consternation of others and some industry types. The station as many know derived its weekly playlist from listener votes which as Slick Vic mentioned in another thread, resulted in the station having "no format". These guys played everything from rock, rap and pop to classical, Hawaiian, jazz and country all within the same hour of its 24-7 broadcast day.

    Radio Free Hawaii struggled in the ratings (they never subscribed to Arbitron) and as a result never made money even though they seemed to have the support of many people. No ratings, no money = serious cash flow problems. By late 1994 the station was off the air, replaced by a classic rock format for a few months before returning in April of 1995 and lasting for nearly 2 years before the station owner sold the facility to another company.

    Folks, it's been 7 years since Radio Free Hawaii went off the air. I am sure some of you may have some memories to share about the "Radio Revolution" which never caught on as an industry wide thing.

    This is the place to share that memory.
    I'm still here. Are you?

  • #2
    Re: Radio Free Hawaii

    I remember that radio station with great fondness. Aaah, my high school & early college years. I went to the Big Mele concert twice at Kualoa Ranch and once at Andrew's Amphitheater. Never been to concerts like that ever since Radio Free went off the air. When Radio Free left, I realized that I was grossly unaware of the mainstream music scene. I wish we had a station like that again.

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    • #3
      Re: Radio Free Hawaii

      Where to begin...a sales person who worked with us once said that someone should make a movie about Radio Free Hawaii (concept, persons, et al) because it was one outrageous event after another, even before we launched in June of 1991.

      I remember setting up ballot boxes around Oahu and on Maui a month before we went on the air, before we had any proof that a format was in existance. I got us into a TCBY-chain (probably why Cary H. wanted me to go into sales!).

      From the unpredictable weekly playlist, Unchain the DJ, Dark Horse weeks, Big Mele, live broadcasts from the Garage on Waimalu, flying to Casanova's in Makawao for a 'club night', the truly unafraid (creative) On-air staff...there was alot of living in those brief years!

      Luckily I've been able to keep in contact with a few of the jocks over the years and if you're curious where there are now, I might be able to fill you in.

      Thanks for letting me rant,

      Kathy

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      • #4
        Re: Radio Free Hawaii

        Kathy! Howzit! Awesome to see you've found us. I can only imagine the tales you could tell... and hope you will!

        Luckily I've been able to keep in contact with a few of the jocks over the years and if you're curious where there are now, I might be able to fill you in.
        We're absolutely going to hold you to that offer! The whereabouts of many of RFH's unforgettable radio personalities is a frequent topic of conversation.

        RFH has quite an impact on many people, an impact completely disproportionate to the commercially-slanted ratings reported for it. I just moved, and I found my old "barbed wire" RFH T-shirt... and realized I've never felt the same way about a radio station since. It was something else.

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        • #5
          Re: Radio Free Hawaii

          I still have my 2 RFH T-shirts.. don't know if they fit me now. I also have RFH stickers, a rather large collection of nearly all the Top 36 surveys, tapes I recorded from the station, and er.. one tape of me being guest DJ on the station too... oh boy.

          BTW, Kathy w/a K wins it for me as having the BEST avatar on this board!!! Love the pouncing kitten.
          I'm still here. Are you?

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          • #6
            Re: Radio Free Hawaii

            Mad Mohammad is still here in Honolulu. Married with three keiki, he's one of those guys that does EPA-certification (is that right?). He's a really upbeat, positive cat that enjoyed taking the opposite side of whatever the discussion was on his night show.

            Interestingly, he was on the air with Radio Free for less than a year, right. Good guy, that Mohammad

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            • #7
              Re: Radio Free Hawaii

              I work with Shawn "Speedy" Lopes at the Star-Bulletin.

              I still lament the demise of Radio Free Hawaii. That was a great station that I listened to religiously (in addition to KTUH). Those two stations were the only places to hear music that wasn't in an endless loop nor crassly commercial.

              I agree with cat75 that after the station disappeared there haven't been many great shows here in Hawaii. It's a sad state of affairs.

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              • #8
                Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                Interestingly, he was on the air with Radio Free for less than a year, right. Good guy, that Mohammad [/QUOTE]

                Yup, good ol' Mo!

                He during a very brief period in 1991, am I dating myself?, held the distinction of being he only DJ/talk show host to have shows on three different radio stations simultaneously. The the stations were of course were KTUH, Radio Free and K-108. You just couldn't get away from the guy! hehe.

                And there's you Kathy........we would catch each others eyes in clubs like the old Pinks Garage for years before we got to know each other.

                talofa.

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                • #9
                  Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                  Originally posted by Etoain Shrdlu
                  And there's you Kathy........we would catch each others eyes in clubs like the old Pinks Garage for years before we got to know each other.
                  ...and each generation has a club scene to reference. How about Eggplant, CD Cafe, Pink Cadillac, the Back Door or even the Kodak building (Skankin' Pickle was amazing there)? Were any of them legal and up-to-code?

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                  • #10
                    Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                    Originally posted by Kathy w/a "K"
                    ...and each generation has a club scene to reference. How about Eggplant, CD Cafe, Pink Cadillac, the Back Door or even the Kodak building (Skankin' Pickle was amazing there)? Were any of them legal and up-to-code?
                    Guy Brandwin's "My Favorite Eggplant" and Laura Wong's CD Cafe. I remember them well. I recall the cops showing up on the final night of the CD Cafe. Kids packed the balcony, flowed down the staircase and out on to the street. I was lucky to even get a Heineken from the bar that night. Ended up screaming "Attica, Attica!" from that balcony as "the man" confronted Laura downstairs about shutting whole thing down immediately.

                    Those were the days my friend. Honolulu is he poorer for the lack of people like Guy and Laura and their digs-Has it really been ten years?

                    Talofa

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                    • #11
                      Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                      Whoa Nelly, Kodak building? That's a blast from the past. And if memory serves (and I have very little left) I think I saw Angel'In Heavy Syrup (a regular play on my show) at Eggplant (or was it somewhere else? I have recollections of sitting on concrete three feet away from the band, BYOB, and loving every minute - their cover of "I Got You Babe" is historical).

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                      • #12
                        Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                        Originally posted by dick
                        Whoa Nelly, Kodak building? That's a blast from the past. And if memory serves (and I have very little left) I think I saw Angel'In Heavy Syrup (a regular play on my show) at Eggplant (or was it somewhere else? I have recollections of sitting on concrete three feet away from the band, BYOB, and loving every minute - their cover of "I Got You Babe" is historical).
                        That Angels in Heavy Syrup gig was at the Eggplant!

                        Talofa

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                        • #13
                          Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                          Originally posted by Etoain Shrdlu
                          That Angels in Heavy Syrup gig was at the Eggplant!

                          Talofa
                          and that's a sure sign you shopped at Guy's counter! Funny...I would have started with more mainstream fare like Shonen Knife or even Jesus Lizard (After Dark?)...what was the name of that coffeeshop on Kapahulu? nr Pyramids? or is it now where Pyramids is

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                          • #14
                            Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                            Hmmm.... Kapahulu... coffee... (as he digs for a moment of clarity)... I recall JavaJava. Wasn't the Lizard Loft somehow related?

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                            • #15
                              Re: Radio Free Hawaii

                              Originally posted by dick
                              Hmmm.... Kapahulu... coffee... (as he digs for a moment of clarity)... I recall JavaJava. Wasn't the Lizard Loft somehow related?
                              Sounds right. Revolution Cafe existed briefly where Auntie Pasto's was on Kapahulu.

                              The owners of such establishments must be commended along with the bands that went out to perform there. Anna Bannana's, Wave Waikiki, Moose's are the very few...until recently, even Jaron's in Kailua...held interesting gigs/shows that would feature original music and a few decent cover bands.

                              Where do the bands and dj's cut their respective teeth now-a-days? Anybody I should cut curfew for ?

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