This week's Radio Station Spotlight is a bit different in that it doesn't stream on the Internet. To listen to KCDX you actually have to be in Arizona using an actual radio. On top of it all, I have never actually listened to KCDX so I am not talking about this station from personal experience. Why am I listing a station that I have never listened to and that only broadcasts in some state where I will most probably not be able to visit to check it out for myself? Very simple.
Barbara Flaska at Flaskaland sent me a link to the Phoenix New Times article "Ghost Radio: Who's behind Arizona's nonstop oddball rock time capsule?" and I immediately ordained it with the coveted Radio Station Spotlight of the Week but you will have to read the article to see why. Somebody actually programming music, on the radio because they love music. Wow, what a concept!
Now I understand that due to economics and market realities, outside of the webcasters and listener sponsored radio stations that I crow about that this is probably just a one off radio station run by a guy who can afford to do it. But doesn't reading this article infuse in you just a little tinge of excitement and longing for radio like this? Doesn't it actually make you wish that you had a station like KCDX?
It's like discovering some long lost dusty book in the attic that you had forgotten all about because now all you do is watch TV and the next thing you know you just spent the last two days reading it non-stop and you now find yourself pawing through your old books looking for more because all of a sudden, TV is not nearly as stimulating to you as it once was.
Radio doesn't have to be bland and bloated, playing the same stuff over and over. People will listen to the weird, the eclectic, the forgotten, the "B" sides and the unknown if somebody would just give it a chance and do it right. No, it will not be a colossal money generating business per se but maybe that's the problem, maybe good radio is supposed to be about something more than money.
Maybe it is supposed to be about the art of playing great music in an artistic and caring way by music fans for music fans that generates enough money to pay the bills and keep the records turning. Why can't this work other than in the deserts of Arizona? I want my own KCDX, what about you? I am now being forced to remove my rose coloured glasses. Sigh.
Later.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - EDC3
Yes, Virginia, there IS a real "underground" FM radio station still playing out there somewhere...
KCDX in Florence, AZ is a musical gift to those of us fortunate enough to be in range to hear it. And for us "boomers" who were around when KCAC and KDKB sprouted wings in the late '60s and '70's, it's a real blast from the past.
Thank you, Ted Tucker, wherever you are!
2 - EDC3
Yes, Virginia, there IS a real "underground" FM radio station still playing out there somewhere...
KCDX in Florence, AZ is a musical gift to those of us fortunate enough to be in range to hear it. And for us "boomers" who were around when KCAC and KDKB sprouted wings in the late '60s and '70's, it's a real blast from the past.
Thank you, Ted Tucker, wherever you are!
3 - B Smith
This radio station DOES exist. I first discovered it last spring driving back from New Mexico through northeastern AZ. This station drops out of the air off my scan button, playing something by Steve Miller (Going to Mexico) that I hadn't heard on the radio in 25 years. We continued to listen to this station (in and out reception thru the mountains) till getting to our home in the Scottsdale area, and I set the radio button at that time. The lack of commercials, dj's, interuptions in general from just playing music, is more than worth the poor reception (the futher east you go the better the signal gets). I grew up with free-form FM radio in the 60's and other than internet-streams, this type of radio is non-existent. All I can says is KCDX baby.
4 - Ed Jones
KCDX....listen to it every day on my way to and from work... Simply put, it's what radio should have been.
5 - Dennis
I live a few miles from Florence and actually ran a station down the road from there. I have been trying to get info on KCDX for sometime. It's the best I've hear in years!
6 - james yellman
this station stays on my radio 24/7 - i live in mesa. az and am fortunate enough to receive this true music treasure. i don't make much money but i would send this station money to keep them on. the reminiscent oldies and fresh b-sides i have never heard keep me listening. it's good to know music (and especially free radio) still means enough to somebody in this day and age that they would do what it takes to make this happen. i gather from the previous posts that this man is Ted Tucker. Ted - if i had anything to do with it, the Nobel Peace Prize would be yours for restoring integrity back into the world of radio and music in general. my soul truly feels better when i listen to your station. Forever in your debt - thanks - james y.
7 - David
I switched to KCDX the day I read the article in the New Times. Somewhere out there, there's a sly sense of humor behind the programming. The only voice on the station is the identifier, 103.1 KCDX Florence, somewhere around the top of the hour. Every so often, right before the identifier, I'll hear ZZ Top's "I heard it on the X."
"That outlaw X is cuttin' through the air...with lots of watts he took control...."
I also hear "Rock and Roll Fantasy" by the Kinks from time to time, and think of whoever's programming this when I hear the lines "There's a guy on my block and he lives for rock, plays records day and night...He turns his stereo way up high." How much higher can a guy turn his stereo than owning a radio station and playing whatsodamnever he wants, without ClearChannel and record company weasels telling him what to do? Ted, you rock.
I love this station! I just wish it would simulcast on the internet so I can listen at work. I can't get the signal in my office.
8 - Jim McAllister
I see from other comments that I am not the only one addicted to the great Florence station KCDX. I live in north Scottsdale and hate to go home after work because the signal gets spotty. It's unbelievable! It's the most eclectic selection of music I have ever heard and I have been listening to rock since the fifties. Where else can you hear Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, remix version of Gary Numan's "Cars" and many others commercial free! Some station owner has very deep pockets and very good taste. I hope it lasts.
9 - Brad Notestone
Hands down this is the best station I have heard since back in the early eighties when I listened to KSTM (The Storm)I love the deep cuts and off the wall hits that you just dont hear anymore. I first heard it coming back from Wickenburg one late night on my truck radio. The song that got my attention was Tommy Bolin, 'Post Toasty' ,an album that I have. (Private Eyes)The trucks' radio station has never left from 103.1 since. Some of the other stations around the valley should take a lesson from KCDX and stop playin the same old crap day in and day out.
10 - Cliff Cordes
When I found this station coming from Florence, I was convinced it was a pirate prison radio station.
That's because the AZ state prison is located in Florence and they seem to play "too much time on my hands" & "we gotta get out of this place" way too much. The New Times Article cleared up the confusion. Now with the real time playlist on that compact website I can solve the "Whozat?" with my fancy cell phone that gets the web..Rock on Ted and thanks.
11 - Jim
KCDX now has a web sight at http://www.kcdxfm.com/
Also if you are having getting a good signal from this station there is a simple fm antenna you can get instructions for at http://www.kgnu.org/howtohear/antenna.html to get a high quality signal point the sntenna to 33-17-55 north lat
110-50-28 west lon
ps the websight has a running playlist. Jim
12 - Ron Wortham
Great to read you guys! Bill Compton, Toad Hall and now Hank cookenboo are all gone, I am still around, but not in radio anymore. I got to be the Program Director for the first six months of KCAC, worked at KDKB a little, and put in 15 years in AZ.
Hey, did you guys know your clocks are an hour off half the time?
Ron Wortham KCAC-1969
13 - SQLit
I purchaced an $9.95 FM not boosted antenna at Radio Shack. About 5 inches square. I highly recommend it if the signal fades. Now I can listen to the station at home. I am close to South Mountain so there are some issues with reception at times. Now all I have to do is to find one for my vehicle. I used to have one when I lived in Radio Free Iowa in the 60's.
I remember the early days of KDKB and the Storm.
Many thanks to Ted Tucker!
14 - John Brunelle
picked up some rift that sounded alot cleaner than vinyl cuts I thought only resided on my old vinyl. I blend into the continuous sounds someone is digging down deep to play to us fortunate souls. Dig deeper my friends.
Stay pure to the real reason for FM's uninterupted, non-commercialized, chitter-chatter free, contest free radio station.
15 - Dana Parmelee
Thank you Ted... I listen to nothing but your station. It's like one of those awesome dreams you really don't want to wake up from. I get KCDX most of the way on my trips down to Rocky Point also. Again... Thank you Ted.
16 - Mark Michael
I came across this radio station about 2 months ago and is the only station I listen to anymore. I've told several friends about it and they cant believe a station like this exists. My 13 year old told me the other day that he really likes listening to the old songs I listened to growing up. I live in Picture Rocks which is just outside of Tucson and I have been able to pick it up as far south as Sauhrita which is by Green Valley. I am amazed with the power of this station.
Keep it up!
17 - Jacob
I started listening to this radio station in my car (only time I can seem to get it) after the New Times article came out and haven't been able to kick the habit. I forgot what it was like to listen to a radio station that was "unpredictable"... I'm also glad for the website. I used to try and memorize snippets of lyrics of the songs I liked and do a search for them on Google just to know who did them. Keep rocking Ted!
18 - Trish
I live near Florence, AZ and KCDX ROCKS! It's the only station I listen to these days~~~~Where else can a music oficianado listen to a station with no commercials and NO INCESSANT DJ Yakking of obscure (and not so obscure), awesome music? They've played some stuff I hadn't heard in 30 years. Hope they offer Internet streaming soon.
19 - Temple Stark
>>Where else can you hear Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, remix version of Gary Numan's "Cars"
Please tell me y'all are getting excited about more than this. What other songs are they playing.
20 - Nadine
I found KCDX yesterday while looking for a good song--I've not turned my radio off since and have adored EVERY song. What a treasure.
I live in Pinal County and get the signal stong and clear. What a joy to hear these songs -- and only songs!
21 - Fuz
The finest compliment I could give KCDX is it is the KSTM (The Storm) of the 00's. The Storm was a one of a kind station in Metro Phoenix. It was not only fun to listen too but but it educated their listeners by playing cuts that you would never had the chance to hear anywhere else, or even knew existed. I remember we would hear a song on the Storm and turn to each other and say "only on the Storm". I never thought there would be another KSTM but KCDX is close. There not excatly the same, but I can again turn to someone after hearing a song that I thought was lost forever to radio playlists here in the "Valley Of The Bad FM Stations" and say, "Only on KCDX." Just like in the days of KSTM, all of my presets on my car radio are set to KCDX. A rare bightspot in a otherwise bleak coperate FM market.
22 - Arizona DUI Laws
I have listened to it while on trips to Court in Florence. Not yet a preset on my radio, but because I don't get out there much.
23 - Pete Michaels
I'm glad to read all these comments. I was one of the part-time jocks on The Storm in 85 and 86. Then went to work for Ted Tucker when he put on KTTZ in Oracle (then on to KLPX) and we had a similar sound to The Storm. Jay Zucker put a translator at the top of Mt Lemmon and suddenly we were broadcasting into Tucson for several months. Ted sold the station to Laurie Weissert and KHYT AM as I recall and she commercialized it. So I'm glad to hear that Ted Tucker has a station he can have fun with. I get down to Tucson once a year for Spring BB(currently live in Portland) so I'll have to tune in. PS- Jeff Parets the creator of the Storm has a nationwide show thats on KSLX Phoenix called the Acoustic Storm.
24 - Jeff McCamley
Now they're in Sun City West under 95.1. Simply amazing. We were in the outer band and lost signal at our home in Peoria. Now it's crystal clear. Wow, just wow. Listening for 8 months now.
25 - J.M.T
What a nice station, Old E.L.O. stuff I thought I only listened to.
Im thinking of erecting an extra long dipole atenna to pick it up out in the Ahwatukee foothills.
Screw the HOA! I want this station....