Tuesday, January 27, 2009

TVD Weekly Wax | Queen

When it comes to 'deep cuts' and DJs of a particular era and stripe, there was none better than "The Professor" Scott Muni. From his Wiki bio:

"...in 1966 Muni joined (New York City's) WOR-FM, one of the earliest pioneers of freeform-based progressive rock radio. The notion did not last at that station, but in 1967 Muni moved to legendary rock station WNEW-FM, where the format really took hold. Muni stayed there for three decades as the afternoon DJ and sometimes program director. Muni was described by fellow WNEW-FM DJ Dennis Elsas as "the heart and soul of the place." Under assorted management changes during the 1990s WNEW-FM lost its way, and in 1998 Muni ended up as a one-hour noontime classic rock personality at WAXQ 104.3, where he worked until suffering a stroke in early 2004.

Muni's low, gravelly voice was instantly recognizable and often lampooned, both by other disc jockeys and by impressionists such as on Imus in the Morning. The voice combined with Muni's encyclopedic knowledge of rock music made him one of the most famous disc jockeys worldwide. He was often known to his listeners by the nicknames "Scottso" or "The Professor", the latter to emphasize both his rock expertise and his age difference with most of his audience. While he sometimes spoke in roundabout phrases and succumbed to progressive rock radio clichés such as "That was a tasty cut from ...", he also conveyed on the air and in his professional relationships a gruff immediacy that was a by-product of both his time in the Marines and his earlier Top 40 skills.

Muni was friendly with many of the musicians whom he played, and they would often stop by the studio to visit on-air. He played poker in the studio with the Grateful Dead, and he would let Emerson, Lake and Palmer browse the station's huge record library and put on whatever they liked. An oft-related story tells that he was interviewing Jimmy Page when the guitarist suddenly passed out from the aftereffects of the Led Zeppelin lifestyle. Muni calmly put on a record, revived Page, and completed the interview on the studio floor.

Muni was close to John Lennon and his family, and after Lennon's murder he vowed to always open his show with a Lennon or Beatles record, a pledge that he kept for the balance of his career. Since Muni promised to start off his time block at Q104.3 (NYC's Classic Rock Station) with about 4 Beatles songs. After Muni's own death in 2004, the gang at Q104.3 keeps Scott's promise to NY and still starts the noon hour with the "12 o'clock Beatles Block"."

Treat yourself.


Queen - Stone Cold Crazy (Mp3)
Queen - Misfire (Mp3)
Queen - She Makes Me (Mp3)