Hall of Fame Spotlight No. 4- Radio Garbanzo.

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The fourth edition of The Hall of Fame Spotlight with a look back at Radio Garbanzo.

Since its first pirate transmission in 1987, Radio Garbanzo has become known as having some of the best produced programs in the North American pirate radio scene. Radio Garbanzo was known for elaborate skits and for playing music ”that FM used to play, but threw away like an old prostitute while seeking bigger profits” just a few of the plots in Radio Garbanzo programs have involved station manager Buck McMoney turning the station into a radio home shopping network, Radio Garbanzo overtaking a satellite uplink, spiking Huge G. Gough with LSD, Buck McMoney going to jail and finally the gang broadcasting mobile from an Ethel’s Panel truck.

Unfortunately Radio Garbanzo was silent nearly from about 1991 to 1998. Fearless returned with a new, music based program that was heard by many listeners with good signals in December 1999. This program was repeated New Year’s day. The station was silent until May, when it rattled off seven of its eight broadcasts for the year. Three of these were the well produced Radio Garbanzo semi-annual Memorial Day shows in which Fearless pays a respectful tribute to the shortwave pirates that had been raided by the FCC over the last ten years. Several of the other broadcasts aired were for the Mothers Day 2000 show, which included a timely ad for the U.S. Forest Service Fires-R-Us Los Alamos BBQ.

(from Andy Yoder’s Pirate Radio Stations: Tuning in to Underground Broadcasts in the Air and Online)

Hall of Fame Spotlight No. 3- the Voice Of Pancho Villa.

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The third edition of The Hall of Fame Spotlight with a look back at the Voice Of Pancho Villa.

Each year at the end of the SWL Winterfest Pancho Villa takes to the airwaves.  The program is usually written in the closet of one of the rooms, by someone highly intoxicated, and then on the last day of Winterfest, a motely crew of DX’ers, partied out, record the program.  The part of Pancho has been played by a number of different people over the years, but Harold Cones is undoubtedly the best (?) of the Pancho’s.  Every DX’er of note has been on a “Voice of Pancho Villa” program over the years.  It is played over the air by those who came to Winterfest with an FM or Shortwave radio transmitter, which is usually 99% of the people. Typically it is heard at Midnight to mark the END of Winterfest on many FM and Shortwave frequencies.

Pancho audio page.

Hall of Fame Spotlight No. 2- KNBS.

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The second edition of The Hall of Fame Spotlight with a look back at KNBS
KNBS took to the air in January of 1985 to advocate decriminalization of marijuana. Front man Phil Muzik used a low-key approach, playing pot-themed music and reminding listeners that in a “free country” the individual, not the government, had the constitutional right to make the decisions in his or her life. Studio engineer Pot Seedy was never heard on the air, and usually couldn’t be seen in the booth because of all the pot smoke in there. The station used the slogan “The Station With Your Mind In Mind.”The station was owned and operated by the California Marijuana Cooperative and claimed a transmitter site on Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay. In later years KNBS was joined by a Canadian relay station, CNBS, but it was difficult to tell which transmitter was in use for any broadcast since it was never announced.

KNBS also supported NORML, and cooperated with Radio Free Euphoria from time to time. They were a good verifier with a few different cards and a series of sheets and posters. They also sent out pennants and, for a lucky few, pens. The last reported transmission from KNBS was on New Year’s Day in 1998.

Hall of Fame Spotlight No. 1- The Voice of Laryngitis.

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The first edition of The Hall of Fame Spotlight with a look back at The Voice of Laryngitis.

The Voice of Laryngitis is legendary in the field of pirate radio… and deservedly so. No pirate station in North America (and possibly the world) has ever developed such complex and humorous original skits. In fact, most of the skits are more complex than anything heard on shortwave or commercial radio. Because of the style of programming and the work involved, only about 20 different 45 minute programs from The Voice of Laryngitis have been created since their inception in November 1983. As a result, the station has rarely operated since programs stopped being produced on a regular basis in 1985. In light of everything, it is easier to compare The Voice of Laryngitis to The Fireside Theater than to other long time active pirates.

The Voice of Laryngitis was operated by a rather large extended family, all whom have the surname “Huxley”. The two main announcers on The Voice of Laryngitis are the gruff voiced Genghis and his nephew, Cowboy Stan. They were joined by Rev. Billy Bob Huxley, Bull Bruiser, Fudgie, and many others.

Although the programs vary in content, many of them are sponsored by Friendly Freddy’s Budget Burial, “where death is cheap.” Freddy’s ads for kitchen cremation kits and other no-frills funerals are backed by a calliope like organ played backwards at slow speed. Another regular feature was the Rev. Bob Huxley, who appears in various skits and ads for such things as a championship mud wrestling grudge match “Battle of the Monster Ministers” with Oral Roberts. Mr Huxley’s Neighborhood(a survivalist parody of “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” was produced n 1983- before every comedy group did parodies of Mr. Rogers); full news coverage of the Persian Rug War, “Let’s Ring the President” with President Reag- no. Barney; the Atilla Huxley Assassination show., and much more.

Announcing The Hall of Fame Spotlight!

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I know that many of you have been missing the piratesweek, and I have been asked by a bunch of you when I was bringing it back. Well, I may be doing that later this year but right now I am announcing a new show that will be debuting next week.
That’s right.  Friday Night, January 6th I will be on WBCQ Area 51 following Allan Weiner Worldwide with my bran new show the Hall of Fame Spotlight.
Allan usually  wraps up his show around 9:15 pm eastern or so and then I’ll be on after him, 5110 khz on WBCQ. I’ll also will be hosting the new shows a couple days later on Sunday mornings on piratesweek.info and they will be up on this feed.
So tune into WBCQ, Area 51, 5110 kHz Friday nights a little after 9pm eastern and catch the Hall of Fame spotlight where we will be taking an in depth look at some of the best pirate shortwave radio has to offer.
Until then, as always- thanks for listening.