Alumni Quote Board

Here are some noteworthy quotes from correspondence with our member alumni (alphabetical by first name):

Adam Fass (1982-1986)

How I got started at WCDB: My oldest brother was a DJ at the station at SUNY Binghamton in the 70's and I thought it would be cool to try it also. I went to the information meeting held the first or second week of classes and was on the air at the end of finals week my first semester at Albany.

What I played: I played what was then called alternative, although looking at a lot of 80's compilation CD's that are out today, someone looking at my playlists 20 years later would think I was playing top 40 music.

Accomplishments: After about a year of pestering program directors, I started the show Club 91 on Friday nights from 8-11. My idea was to do 3 hours of non-stop dance/party music (including playing instrumentals while talking) so people could listen to something cool before they went out for the night.

Who I remember: Paul Rosenthal (the 2nd one - not the GM) - I was best man at his wedding. Paul DeGeorgio, Linda Haymes, Dan Barth, Jo Carenza, Ilan Nissan, Dianne Pine, Dave Reich, John Verdon, and Phil Chonigman, Doug Rein (where is he now?) - I know I am forgetting lots, so sorry about that.

Issues during my term: My first semester at WCDB was when the station went from 10 watts to 100 watts. As I wasn't there for the "battle", I didn't realize how big that was, but, for those already on air, it was huge. For my time, the biggest issue was the rotation of music and the implementation of the H-M-L ratings and having to play at least 3 tracks an hour from an H album, 2 from an M, and one from an L. It gave the station more definition, but, there was definitely some DJ's who didn't like having to follow any guidelines.

Summary: WCDB was probably the place that got me through college. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life (still don't), but it gave me a purpose at school (besides classes). I have my regrets about some of the decisions I made my senior year, but, hey, we were young and stupid!

Alex Pagano (1990-1994)

How I got started at WCDB: I always knew that I wanted to get into radio, so I joined WCDB as soon as I could. My time at WCDB caused me to miss numerous classes. WCDB gave me an appreciation for alternative music.

Who I remember: Jeff and Brian of course. I have spoken to Jeff, but I really miss Brian. He was the social center of the station. And I've always wondered what Scott Kingsley was up to.

What I played: "Progressive AOR" Sunday nights and, subsequently, Saturday nights, rock n roll oldies.

Who I remember: Eric Lonschein - father of the Saturday Night of Gold. Even though he's five years older than I, we share an appreciation of the top 40 music that paved the way for the "underground FM" music...artists who successfully reached the mainstream while maintaining their anarchic personae...songs that spoke to the huge numbers of young people who would, years later, be called baby boomers. This music straddled the tumultuous period that followed the JFK assassination and was the cornerstone of the revolution in style, politics and societal behavior.

During my senior year (1988), a good friend of mine became Controller of the Student Association. Over several pitchers of Long Island Iced Teas at W.T.'s Bar, I finally (after 3 years of trying the traditional way in budget negotiations) got the approval for WCDB to purchase its first cd-player!

My accomplishments: I helped create the talk show format on the station, and I disgraced the positions of Training Director and Program Director by not doing enough.

How I got started at WCDB: I became friendly with someone who was a DJ at the time. I would say that thanks to the radio station my GPA was at least 2 points lower than it could have [been]. That kept me from achieving any kind of career status that I would be proud of. Seriously, I had the best friendships of my life at that time.

Cheryl Bernardi (1974-1977)

How I got started: I was always a news junkie and as a woman, have a deep voice, though still feminine, so they gave me a whirl as one of the only woman reporters of that time.

My accomplishments: Was married to former station manager, Paul Rosenthal and was known as Cheryl Rademaker at the time.

Who I remember: David Keller, Jeff Ronner, Eric Osbourne, Paul Rosenthal

Issues durnig my term: Changing carrier current to FM station.

The end of the year banquets were loads of fun. David Keller and Jeff Ronner made some hysterical tapes to spoof our time at the station.

WSUA was the main reason it took me 9 years to get a BA.

It was while I was the Station Manager the second time that we began the first work to get the FCC license, although I was not fortunate enough to be at Albany when the station first made it on the air as WCDB. During my tenure, we commissioned the initial engineering work to analyze what the signal coverage would be from an antenna mounted on the campus.

When I started in '67 we were broadcasting on Alumni Quad with a 10 watt transmitter (carrier current fed into the electrical wiring of the quad) and on Dutch Quad with a 250 watt transmitter we called "Mother." At that time the station manager was Jim Grinnell ('68), followed by Wayne Fuller and then me. When I started, Rick Stevens was the Programming Manager and also did a live show from on Saturdays. It was done from Brubacher initially and then the Campus Center Rathskeller. The carrier current signal we used spread throughout the quad through the electrical wiring, but the transmission effectiveness was so poor that you couldn't here the station more than a few hundred feet from the building. However, there was one time when we got a call from someone in Florida who had picked us up! We never did quite figure out how that happened.

The music in the late sixties at the station was still a lot of Top 40 with a move toward album oriented rock. We also had specialty shows once a week that were devoted to jazz, classical, broadway, etc. During exam times, we played nonstop music with not interruptions except for the call signs. We also covered all of the Great Dane basketball games, both home and away. Our news coverage was mostly just UPI news stories with little or no campus coverage. The studios of the station were in the basement of Brubacher hall and the offices were up on the first floor. There was a game room just outside of the studios where we played a lot of pool and indoor football. The radio station folks were about the only people who used the game room and we had keys for after hours access to it, so it would not be unusual to find a football game going on at 3 in the morning. A lot of us hung out in 2 apartments that a lot of the radio station people lived at. One was at 233 Western Avenue and the other was 87 Sherman Street (near the old part of the campus downtown). We would hang out at the WT or at the Shamrock Tavern on Sherman Street (long since gone).

I can't remember now what year we moved uptown, but the whole station fit into the what I believe is now the radio station offices. The walls in the offices that have the acoustic tile on them were built by me along with all of the consoles that we used at the time. The mixer consoles were made by Gates Electronics and were call "Gates Yards" since they were 36 inches wide. No stereo at the time since it was all AM. When I came back to Albany in 1971, the format was all album rock. We had an evening newscast called Earwitness News with Dave Keller that had a lot more local content along with our own weather forecaster Todd Gross. Todd now does the weather on one of the Boston TV stations where I am currently living.

Here is where my memory fails me. When I first went to Albany, there was a party show on Saturday night called SNOG (Saturday Night of Gold). It was hosted by Skip Fisher, then music director and later by Eric Lonschein. I can't remember now when Eric took over from Skip and whether he was still doing the show in the early 70's. Given that time period, there was a lot stuff being smoked in the studios and the parties often lasted all night.

My accomplishments: We had a good year, and being the GM was enormously challenging but I had a great team and excellent help. I was proud that I appointed the first female program director, Lisa Weisberg. We got a huge budget passed, we increased membership, we were 24 hours all summer ('86) which we were very proud of at the time; put on some great shows at QE2 which opened that year, I think. Rich Sklarin was our top sports guy and he was the only college rep at the NFL draft which we covered live... Its been a long time, and I'm sure that there is much more to be said, but in sum, we had a lot of hard working and dedicated DJ's and execs and I was very proud of our year there.

My last year there I was on air Thursday nights, 8-12 which was probably a waste of a good slot since I was hardly one of the better jocks. My first week as a DJ, my sophomore year, I helped one of the senior DJs engineer a live on-air interview with The Replacements who arrived drunk and reckless - that was fun.

Issues during my term: We were concerned with racism, I think we tried to open WCDB's doors more to the student body in general and not be so homogenous - I think Davus coined the "Contemporary Soule" mantra during my year and it brought a lot of listeners and interest to the station. Frats were just arriving that year and were gaining a foothold at the station which some protested and some welcomed.

Who I remember: My program director Lisa and her then boyfriend Dave were fixtures at the station and, quite frankly, we would not have been able to get done what we did that year without them; I also recall with warmth and affection Dave Williams and Kevin Byrne, the heart and soul of the station's dedication to independent labels - "Hank Rules" - Kerry Jenette, a great DJ, creative and clever in the production studio - I hope he is working in that field today - Mike Eck, an encyclopedic knowledge of music and able to pick out a ripoff artist in a flash - and a great DJ, funny, clever and a great mix of music - Andy the music director, I hope he got to meet Bono at least once; Sam Murray, the Jazz Director and the GM that followed me - "plastics" - a great guy - smooooooth. And of course who could ever forget the one and only Maria Biasucci - the WCDB Cruise Director - a balm for all that ails you, easy on the eyes, a great romance and a great DJ even though she relied a bit too much on synth. It was a good year.

How I got started: After graduating from Hudson Valley Community College, I joined the HUGE student body of UAlbany. I wanted to join some clubs and organization to meet people and stumbled upon the WCDB website while doing so. In August 2005, I walked into the weekly station meeting, signed up to become a DJ, was trained by Tom Kelly and Alex Muro and began broadcasting Tuesday Mornings 2:00am-4:00am in September 2005. I now hold the Friday 9:00am - Noon time slot.

My accomplishments: During my morning show on WCDB, I received a call from the Program Director of 102.7 WEQX-FM with a job offer. A few weeks later, I became an On-Air Personality at WEQX and took over hosting the award-winning New Music Specialty Show "DOWNLOAD".

Issues during my term: Always trying to get funding from the SA, New furniture (most of the stuff we have looks like it's been there since the '70s!), Renovating Studio B with new computers, sound board and other technology.

Dave Wilcox (1963)

What I played: The Sound of Silence (continuous music during exam week).

Accomplishments: Helped to run wire in the tunnels of the first uptown Quad to support the
carrier current transmission of WSUA.

David Reich (1981-1986)

How I got started at WCDB: I got involved initially through Havoc Hall, this strange little radio soap opera. Saw Joe Trelin working on the production of it and was hooked. Liked the station and the idea of being involved in it, and the people, so I got into the engineering (production) end of it, then a DJ and it went from there. My on air clearance manifested itself incidentally while I was manning the board during a football game, and the line went down from the field, so I played a record. Then another. And another. And I figured I should probably say something. After about two hours of this, the next DJ came in and the program director called me and said "Congratualtions; you just had an on-air clearance."

Who I remember: Wow. Let's see. Joe Trelin, Dave Singer, Rob Edelstein, Ilan Nissan, Dave Stein, Adam Fass, Andy Morfopoulos, Claudia Besen, Tom McGrath, Gary Grossman, Paul DeGeorgio, Paul Rosenthal, Ross B. Brown, Mike Eck, Emma Murray, Sioux Cherin, Diane Pine, Chris Berlingieri, Kevin Clarke, Barry Geffner, Jon Cosin, L. Mark Stone, Marcus Griffith, Joy Raspberry. Miss the most? In a way, all of them. Every person was unique and that was the best part about the place. Everyone could be themselves with little to no peer pressure (except when it came to debates on synth vs. hardcore vs. jazz vs. rock, vs. metal vs....)

I quite like [these] pages. The web is beautiful for nostalgic guys like me - instead of wondering if my memory is off, I can easily find folks and images to put me straight. So, thanks for doing the site.

Dean Proserpio (1995-1998)

How I got started at WCDB: As a freshman in 1995, it was only a matter of time before I signed up. I had invaded WNHU and WRTC while in high school -- at least one of them threw me out.

My accomplishments: Painted the logo outside the station ca. 1997, record and CD library shelving expansion, all kinds of general improvements.

Who I remember: Jay Frechette, Jon Capra, Eddie Bezalel, Pete Kane, Adam Monaco, Glenda Bautista, Rob Babecki, Steve Kalka, Dara, Mike Vincent, Craig Battle, Jason Randall Smith, The Soloist, Irry Mike Terry, Howard Jackson, Cedric, Sir Walford, Kara Brodfueher, Adam Cohen, Brian DeMoa, Raffi Abelson, Janet Abrams, Seth Diamond, Joe Schepis, Patrick Carmosino, and many many others.

Issues during my term: Transmitter issues, suspending the GM for throwing a sleepover party in the studio, overall mayhem and on-air mishaps.

Dennis Scheyer (1977-1979)

How I got started at WCDB: I went to the very first meeting.

What I played: I played a lot of power pop mixed with things like The Archies and The Partridge Family. Everyone back then played a ton of Nick Lowe.

My accomplishments: Interviewed the Talking Heads in 1977 at Just A Song Records.

What I played: In 1980 when I joined the station my twin "loves" were Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. I was also into The Clash, The Jam, The Ramones, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and my personal idol was Chrissie Hynde. I also had a fondness for "power pop". While at WCDB I fell in love was what was called "post punk:" these were indie rock bands like Husker Du and X. Post punk artists were popular as well as synth pop bands. The staff had running battles trying to balance the two sides on the air to have a cohesive sound. Bands like U2 and R.E.M. got played a lot on WCDB and then went on to be huge. WCDB sponsered concerts by R.E.M. and U2 at small clubs before they broke into the music mainstream. This was also the case with The Bangles, The Violent Femmes and 10,000 Maniacs.

How I got started at WCDB: I had wanted to be a radio DJ since I was 14. My dad had given me my own FM radio when I was 13 (in 1975), and it was tuned to WNEW-FM 102.7. I wanted to be Vin Scelsa. I toured WCDB during my freshman orientation in spring 1980 and I fell in love on the spot. At times the station was my reason for getting up in the morning and I'm not talking about those 3am overnights. During my senior year I got a job as a DJ at a commercial station in Albany, WQBK. I thought that this would be my career. I learned that doing something you love is great but once it becomes a job sometimes it can lose some of the magic. A good friend at the time and fellow WCDBer, L.Mark Stone, helped me focus on other career options. Without WCDB letting me live out my dream I would never have been able to move forward and find new goals to strive for. The friends I made at WCDB were my family away from home. The person I became is in part a result of the people I knew from the station. We helped each other grow up.

Who I remember: WCDB gave me some of my closest friends in the world like Claudia Besen, who I speak to at least weekly though we live far apart. Prior to the 25th reunion I kept in touch with Ellen Binder who was the first woman Chief Engineer and with Joe Romano. Since the reunion I re-established contact with a few others. CDBers who most stand out in my memory are the ones who helped me get started...Ron Falcone and Mark Fink who got me trained and cleared in the production studio...L.Mark Stone who helped me practice seques one night (the two LPs we had were Huey Lewis and the News and Killing Joke)...Joe Trelin, who while clearing my demo tape gave me the best compliment (telling me I had a great radio voice) and then tore me apart for other things. I also vividly remember Russ Reiger who was music director my freshman year, Patti Mitchell who made ants out of black socks for a promotion, and three amazing women DJ's who blazed a trail Joan Brandejsky, Trudi Lesser and Jo Carenza.

The first artist interview I took part in was Southside Johnny, just before Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes were to play the Palace Theater in the fall of 1981. Since I wasn't cleared to be on air yet it would be more accurate to say I assisted another DJ, but I asked roughly half of the questions. After the interview was done I went into the lobby of the Palace, looking for L.Mark Stone, the Chief Engineer and my date for the evening. Before I found him, I bumped into Joe Trelin the Program Director who was with the Music Director, Jack Isquith. Though they didn't know me well, Joe and Jack ran up to me asking" Did you get the interview?" When I told them "Yes" they jumped up and down and asked me a dozen questions about Southside and about how it felt to talk to him. They were so happy for me and so happy the station got the interview, I instantly felt like part of the family. I will never forget that night and how special it made me feel.

Fred Plevin (1979-1983)

How I got started at WCDB: My older brother, Mark, was a fixture on WSUA. So I went to check out WCDB on my first day on campus.

My accomplishments: We did some great Rafters parties. We brought the Stray Cats to campus. We also brought R.E.M. when their only record was "Gardening at Night."

I was on the air the night John Lennon died. That was quite an evening.

Who I remember: Diarmuid Quinn, Jack Isquith, Rick Francolini, Ed Pinka, Joe Trelin, Craig Marks, Marc Fink, Trudy Lesser, Jim Diamond, Dave Reisman, Marc Gronich

Issues during my term: We went from 10 to 100 watts and used the tag line "Albany's New Power."

Summary: Best thing I did in college. By far.

Issues during my term: increasing the power on the transmitter, FCC panic-type bull, the tyranny/coup/insurrections, making the income line, SA hating us, the adminstration hating us, the carpeting, the library space, whether or not to add an RPM department, half of the station graduating, people with agendas, the urban/rock schism, metal not having any hours, the rapidly depleting amount of jazz trainees, the rapidly depleting budget appropriation and growing income line, what everyone was doing on the weekend, who gets what change from the beer run, and who I was dating at any given time.

Biodome. I was so punk I got impeached a month before graduation. Not many GMs can say that.

Summary: The station had a tremendous impact on my college career. It taught me a lot about friendships, teamwork, life's balance, achieving goals and professionalism. It also taught me a lot about heartache, politics, pain, and frustration. I ate, wept, slept, and breathed WCDB for four years. I never would've thought that an organization would teach me so much about life in general. It's a microcosm. Just think of it -- there are so many people that are bound and unified by their love for music. Regardless of all backgrounds, WCDB binds individuals together through one thing and that, in turn, teaches others the life lesson of respect. My musical tastes were pretty well-honed when I got to WCDB, but I learned a lot about the various types of people behind the music more than anything, whether it had to do with the music business itself, the fans, or the DJs.

Holly Schomann (1990-1993)

Who I remember: I miss Marc Rind. I remember him being super afraid of the closet because we once saw a mouse scampering around in there. I also miss watching Maz smoke with his ultra-cool way of holding his cigarettes.

Howard Schneider (1970-1971)

Music I played: None, but one day the whole staff went to the Traffic concert in town and told me to take over the station as the DJ. Suffice to say I had callers from the campus stating I played the worst music they ever heard. Thus I went back to news and sports.

My accomplishments: I was the first station side line football commentator to use a wireless mike.

Who I remember: Brian Lehrer, Mike Saclarides

Issues during my term: The radio station moved from downtown to uptown campus. The station uptown was state of the art, or at least at the time it was.

Summary: I was called Howard Cosell Schneider because I would imitate Cosell while I did the sports report. it was the one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Jason Randall Smith (1991-1998)

My accomplishments: This may not seem like an accomplishment, but I remember trying for two months to say something that would be added to the "Quote List" which hung in the station office. And, after trying for so long, it was something I didn't even intend to say that ended up on there... of course I don't remember what it was. That was some funny list... I hope someone has a copy.

Who I remember: WCDB is still my fondest memory of SUNYA, and one of my only regrets about leaving it was leaving the station. I also remember the discussions which went into the beginning of talk radio at WCDB. I believe Ron and Brian started their shows when I was there, and Scott Kingsley doing the news for them. I remember working with Scott Kingsley in the news room, especially anchoring the November 1992 election coverage, me from the main studio and him from the Production Studio.

Of course, I can never forget doing newscasts while being taunted by Brian [Perlis] (of Ron and Brian fame) while keeping a straight voice. He never made me crack, and boy did he try. I also remember training on how to use the equipment with Joe Schepis (DJ & a 1/2). I feel sorry that I don't get to use the knowledge I gained from working in a place with such great people.

Jim Diamond (1978-1981)

Summary: Lots of the advice my Dad gave me back in those days turned out to be right. Except what he said about WCDB. "Why are you wasting all of that time at that radio station when you should be studying?" he said. Looking back now, nearly 30 years ago, WCDB was magical. That station, during our years, and all years as it seems, has always attracted talented, creative and downright fun human souls. I miss all of you, and you know who you are. You changed my life and for the better. Dad, you were wrong. If anything, I wish I gave more of my time to WCDB, not less.

Jo Carenza (1979-1983)

How I got started at WCDB: My Dad took me to WCBS-FM when I was 15, & I knew. I think I spent more hours on the air than I did getting my bio degree.

My accomplishments: During a few summers, staying on the air all day long, sometimes all night long, too. Was my cat Flash the only pet to ever get air-time? Starting to work in (good) commercial radio
during my last semester.

Music I played: everything. The Jam, Devo, Graham Parker, Van Morrison, Joe Jackson, R.E.M., Nick Lowe, Joan Jett, The Police, Dire Straits, Warren Zevon, Roxy Music, countless forgotten bands with big
hair, T-Rex, Springsteen, The Go-Go's, Traffic, U2, XTC, The Specials. But mostly the Jam.

Who I remember: Dianne Pine & Ellen Binder, Ron Falcone / Steve Otruba / L.Mark Stone (a technical grouping), Craig Marks, a summer with Joe Trelin & Jody McDonald, Patti Mitchell, Pat Ryan.

John Cantwell (1988-1990)

Who I remember: Jim Caringi, Nate Horwitz, Jim McNeil, Kevin Madigan, Joe Rizzo, Chris Katz, Carl Deleon.

Issues during my term: When major labels were starting to buy up indie artists and it was funny to see them falling all over themselves to find the next R.E.M.

Summary: I spent more time there than studying, and it showed in my GPA. But it was great.

John Michalke (1966-1970)

How I got started at WSUA: I joined on Student Activity Day, probably during October 1966, and made my on-air debut in January 1967 after returning from the Christmas holiday recess.

Music I played: Easy Listening, though I snuck in jazz by Henry Mancini (from Peter Gunn, Pink Panther, etc.) I once did a show on the Big Bands from our limited archives, cuts from comedy albums, and featured the entire album "Gallant Men" Senator Everett Dirksen.

My accomplishments: I was given an award as Funniest Announcer one year. Rich Stevens did a variety show (The Rich Stevens Show) Sunday evenings from the Brubacker Hall Game Room outside our studios, and I was his announcer/comedy foil, like Ed McMahon was to Johnny Carson. I once sang and played my clarinet when our scheduled guest cancelled just before air-time. Rich also hosted a quiz show called "Keep Talking" for which I was also the announcer. One time, they turned off all the power in the studio, and I had to ad-lib for several minutes. Another time, our ABC feed went dead and I read the sports doing my Howard Cosell imitation!

Who I remember: Rich Stevens, Wayne Fuller, Skip Fischer, Victor Looper, Brian Leher, Steve Goldstein, Keith Mann, Joel Lustig and Tad Parks.

Issues during my term: The student unrest during the Viet Nam War was the big issue, and I called the station newsroom with live reports on damage caused when students stormed the library and cafeterias. The Kent State shootings in May 1970 (my senior year) led to the shutdown of the Campus, sending everyone home for the summer and ending my career at SUNY Albany and WSUA.

Summary: My time at WSUA was, by far, the most memorable and enjoyable experience of my college days.

What I played: All the music WCDB was playing in fall 1991 when I joined is so magical to me... I was not familiar with any of it. When I hear the tapes of my early shows those songs bring back great memories. I used to love the music meetings because Carrie or David would talk with great familiarity about bands and artists I never heard of. Then they would play the CD cuts or 7-inch indie 45s and I would marvel at what "indie" music was really all about. Also, Nirvana 'Nevermind' was new at the station and Marc Rind (PD) came in and told us to stop playing Smells Like Teen Spirit (he referred to it as "that one... hello, hello, hello...") During the next few years the music kept changing and I started to play 80s music on a specialty show we called Retrotations. Even though I never played currents I would still go to the music meetings to stay in touch with the current stuff (and for the free CDs of course).

Issues during my term: Everyone wanted to "up the wattage" (like when did "up" become a verb? Have we heard of the word "increase?") and we often met on how to do that. That issue will probably never go away until analog FM radio is a historical curiosity.

Who I remember: Brian Perlis I miss a lot. He was a real presence at the station and a lot of fun to hang around. I thought he had a lot of talent and loved doing the talk show with him. I am only singling him out because I don't know where he is. I remember LOTS of people of course, and had a great time doing radio with them, going to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) conventions and generally just hanging out.

How I got started: I loved music and was a CDB listener. I won a few prizes and then made a pest of myself when I picked them up - somehow snagging Bob O'Brien to train me. I made a very poor demo dripping with a Brooklyn accent. Ultimately Paul Heneghan relented and gave me an overnight shift - which was actually the opportunity to stay up all night and play self indulgent music for the midnight shift at the Price Chopper. Something I was, and remain, indebted to him for.

Music I played: My sets included assorted rock that I *thought* was cool and important. Sometimes they actually were but mostly they were just plain misguided. I also played Jazz (as Ruff Wind) when there were no real Jazz DJ's available. I was probably the only Jazz DJ in history to seriously include a Lou Reed song in a set. Clearly, I was a last resort.

Accomplishments: I was on air for the power increase from 10 to 100 watts. As PD, we had two years of no dead air, something I am strangely proud of. I also remember a tripping DJ who ran out of the control room because he felt he was being chased by the cart machine.

Who I remember: Diarmuid Quinn, Paul Heneghan, Dave Reisman, Jack Isquith, Craig Marks, Ed Pinka, Jo Carenza, Mark Stone, Jim Diamond, Diane Pine, Russ Rieger, Jody MacDonald, Guy Kuperman, Rob Edelstein, Bob O'Brien

Issues: The power increase from 10 to 100 watts was the biggest issue. Other issues included the increase of R&B (Third World) programming and the subsequent decrease of Jazz programming. We also placed a lock on the record library after great debate. Finally, there was also a contentious General Manager election (a strange foreshadow of 2002) that included miscounts, changing votes, political jockeying and much acrimony. Finally, I could never make a DJ schedule as nice as Diarmuid Quinn's.

Summary: I have yet to have a job I enjoyed, or that meant, more. I learned more from the station than classes (which I probably should have attended.) It helped me get a job in the music business (win some, lose some...) I am very proud of the collective passion, dreams and innovation that we shared
and the friendships that were generated. I am also in awe of the station members who used the CDB experience to springboard dream careers.

Jonathan Cosin (1983-1986)

Who I Remember: One of my most vivid memories is actually spending a week in August in the steam tunnels with Gerry Jones trying to find the section of the transmitter cable that some dastardly rat had managed to eat its way into...those who originally ran the cable know what I mean...except of course that as the story goes, they had the benefit of a keg of beer that they pushed ahead of them.

Summary: WCDB and the people I met had (and still has) a profound impact on me; it was a fantastic experience.

What I played: I played rock veering toward goth/eurotrash. I don't remember the bigger albums or songs popular at the time, but I do remember Brian Perlis reading fairly disturbing Type O Negative lyrics to me at like 4 in the morning.

How I got started at WCDB: I needed a place to go for a break from the ASP. And there's that huge mural on the wall near the station that is kind of luring, so WCDB was the place for me. It indelibly changed my musical tastes-- I had access to stuff I'd never heard before.

Who I remember: Brian Perlis, Chris Radtke, Mike Keaney, Jim Grove and lots of others.

Music I played: I played rock (American guitars rule), jazz, Notes from the Underground (with Dave Williams), Comtempory Soule (fill-in).

Accomplishments: Putting together the University Club (Dirty Face and Silos), interviewing artists from John Doe, Big Dipper, Silos, Screamming Trees, Yo La Tango etc. Taking a road trip with Dave Williams, Joe Romano and Mike Eck to NYC to see The Minutemen, dancing at Rafters, telling Laura Cavallro (my Business Manager) to make sure the phone bill was paid, writing the "Indie Insight" articles for Buzz magazine

What I remember: It was a great feeling when Mike Eck made me a part of the 'CDB family when I first started as a DJ in 1984. The best moments were playing some of the coolest college radio music of the 80's, chatting with company executives so passionate about music... listening to "CDB during the Summer 1983, 84, 85 and hearing the station on at 7AM thanks to Tom McGrath, Diane Pine, Mike Eck, Joe Romano, Mike Greenfield, Jim Uttermark, Dave Singer, Dave Reich all sounding as if they really love spinning tunes on the radio. The toughest events were executive meetings (thank God for the Pespi machine), handing over the keys to Jim Caringi (the next GM), having to say..."At this time the radio station WCDB concludes its broadcasting day...", budget meetings (explaining why so much money was needed to pay our phone bill), having to give up Notes from Underground, and doing my last show as a DJ in Spring 1991. Two of the biggest songs that remind me of "CDB were SVT-"Always Come Back for More", "Indepence Day" by Last Stand, "Better Ways-Green, "When I'm Not"-Magnolias, "I want you Back"-Hoodoo Gurus, "WUSA"-the 'Hoods, "You can't Put Your Arms around a Memory","New Day Rising" - Husker Du. So many songs...so many years ago.

Summary: I have met some of my best friends thanks to the station, [my] fondest memories of being a college student: Dave Williams (my best buddy), Lisa Delehanty, Joe Romano (gave me the best advice while I was GM), Jim Caringi (Chief Engineer/PD), and Emily Fillo (a great friend and listener).

Kim Steven Juhase (1970-1974)

My accomplishments: I produced the news show "Kaleidoscope," was the state capitol reporter for the station for four years, and reported on the peace demonstrations in Washington, D.C.

Who I remember: Brian Leher, David Galletly

Kristen Coury (1988-1993)

How I got started at WCDB: Saw a poster on the podium. Couldn't believe it was true that I could actually be a dj on the radio. Learned about and to appreciate jazz. Learned about alternative music. Never really learned to appreciate it, but it helps that I know it to this day because it serves to shock people who are sure they"know" me and that "Kristen Coury wouldn't know that type of music".

Issues during my term: Sports caused us a lot of trouble. First we didn't have baseball, then we were sexist (I was accused of being sexist because I wouldn't let them cover women's basketball!!).The race issue centered around the fact that as GM I was trying to clean out all the dj's that weren't students to open it up for students, but most of the dj's in the contemporary soule division weren't students and also were black, so they accused me of being a racist.

What I played: I was a jazz DJ between 1988 and 1990. My shows tended to emphasize post-bop and hard bop; the first track I played, on my half-hour clearance session, was McCoy Tyner, on harpsichord and piano -- “Celestial Chant.”

Before I moved to prime time, my first regular show started at 3AM. I’m still suffering from that. About once a year, I still have the following nightmare: I’m all alone in the studio doing the night shift, I exit to take a bathroom break, I lock myself out of the studio, the record ends, and there’s DEAD AIR. (Say, do any other WCDB alumni have this dream?)

Who I remember: I’m a big fan of Sam Murray (my trainer), Carolyn Cleveland (what a great radio voice!) and Bill McCann (the king of Albany jazz).

Mark D. Plevin (1974-1978)

My accomplishments: I was Sports Director when we went from AM to FM. During my tenure, we initiated a "SportsWrap" show featuring a studio host and dual phone lines, so that during "commercial" breaks, the studio host could read updated wire scores, talk to guests, etc. We also began broadcasting selected SUNYA soccer games during my tenure.

Issues during my term: [A] big issue, internally, was whether the DJs were going to be allowed lots of freedom in selecting their own playlists or whether, in order to create a more uniform sound, playlists would be dictated from the station administration. Having a uniform sound was thought to be important because listeners would know what to expect, and therefore would leave their radios tuned to WCDB. In the end, as I recall, we decided on a compromise of sorts in which the DJs had a certain degree of freedom within certain boundaries.

Summary: I loved being on the radio station. Broadcasting sports and news was a dream come true. Most of my good college friends were radio folks. I thought about pursuing a broadcasting career, but chickened out. I do believe my experience on the radio has been helpful to me as an attorney arguing in court -- I feel comfortable in a way many lawyers don't. My radio background also has allowed me to monopolize the public address announcing job at my kids' swim meets for the past 10 years. I've got a copy of the ASP special edition issued the day WCDB went live; I'm on the front page! (My kids can't believe I had hair!)

My accomplishments: My most unique contribution was probably staying at the station from 10 a.m. on Election Day 1984 until 8 a.m. the next morning, helping to run ENCN with Phil Chonigman and Tim Wallace.

How I got started at WCDB: When I transferred to Albany in 1982, I stumbled into the station after stopping in at the ASP. While the ASP couldn't guarantee when I would be able to write for them, the nice folks at WCDB had me on the air within a couple of weeks.

Summary: WCDB will always be a bastion of college radio because of the legacy we have left. However, I think it is imperative that the power jump to at least 1,000 watts, and I think it needs to reestablish at least some semblance of a news department. The station needs to inform, as well as entertain, the student body.

Summary: WCDB was my salvation at SUNYA. If it hadn't been for the station I would have left Albany after my first semester. I went to a general call of arms meeting and then got put into the news department. But due to my lack of courses my first semester, WCDB was my fraternity and social scene. I meet a lot of wonderful people there and my girlfriend for over three years. I can never say enough about how special a place it is to me. WCDB helped me to find out about different types of music and the Library was a big part of that. Also being able to explore music on the air with an audience, sometimes, tuning in was exciting.

Pat Ryan (1977-1982)

Music I played: I remember Trudy playing "Who Are You" Spandau Ballet, Heaven 17, Afraid of Mice.

My accomplishments: Love Rock Nights At The Rafters

Who I remember: Jo Carenza, Joe Trellin, Jack Isquith, D. Quinn, some guy who used to scratch with his elbows, Jesse (the voice guy) who I would later work for at the local Smooth Jazz station (what a voice!).

Issues during my term: 10 to 100 watt increase.

Summary: Those terrible (but lovable) tones that the clocks would reset to going over the air. I was up in the station a while back and still found some familiar initials on records (what are those). Great years and painful years too. A killer station over flowing with amazing talent... that I couldn't wait to do a shift on.

Phil Pivnick (1979-1983)

How I got started at WCDB: I started announcing Basketball and Football during Freshman year.

My accomplishments: I was at the station when President Reagan was shot. I covered Senator Moynihan campaign headquarters for NYC. Did play-by play of Varsity Basketball as a Freshman.

Who I remember: Rick Bensignor, Bruce Sheihnaus, Steve Otruba, Howard Studler, Jody McDonald, Larry Weissman, Andy Horowitz, Joe Trelin, Bruce Cowan, John Verdon

Summary: I loved every minute of it! I was able to become the Radio Play-by Play Announcer on WTRY of the Albany A's from 1983-85 thanks to my experience at WCDB.

Who I remember: Man, I remember so many....Joe Schepis, technical genius.....Brian Perlis, my partner-in-crime....Holly, Melissa, Faith, Marc...the list goes on and on. I definitely miss my buddy Brian the most....those days we would sit around over a Denny's Mug 'o' Coffee and work out the show were the best, no doubt.

Stephen H. Goldstein (1969-1973)

My accomplishments: From October 1969 to May 1973, I was on the news staff of WSUA-AM 640 ("Buzz along with us"). Almost from the start, I was advised to get my FCC "ticket" because WSUA would be "going FM."

As James Grinnell's worthy history from 1966 mentions, the station was in Brubacher Hall. By the time I joined the station, it had two studios - the music studio and a separate studio for news. We had 10,000 records in the music library, far more than the "oldies" stations seem to play today.

I still remember the Gates Studioette control board for news at Brubacher and having privileges to eat dinner at Brubacher as a guest from uptown. I also remember the move uptown to CC316 (in 1971?).

In June 1970, after a test in Syracuse, I obtained my FCC Third-Class Radiotelephone Permit (with broadcast endorsement), and I renewed it twice before it became a lifetime registration and, later, unnecessary.

We covered the mayoral elections in New York City in 1969 and the statewide elections in 1970, feeding phone reports up to the station. Littleton (Andy), then our assistant news director, had a run-in with security at Mario Procaccino's headquarters in 1969, when he unscrewed a phone to attach alligator clips to the prongs inside to transmit his taped report to Albany. They thought he was bugging the phone.

The annual WSUA dinner ended abruptly with the Mohawk Airlines plane crash on Friday, March 3, 1972 (I looked up the date); from the scene, WSUA reporters fed news to the networks. The plane crashed into a house east of the State Office Building campus and four miles short of the airport runway. A man in the house and 16 people aboard the plane, many of them top General Electric executives, died in the crash.

Before I graduated in May 1973, WSUA still was carrier-current, and I had fun played DJ during finals. From June to September 1973, my FCC "ticket" in hand, I worked at WROW-AM/FM, playing music and commercials, recording reports for delayed broadcast and rewriting and delivering local news headlines before the CBS network news.

I remained in Albany until July 1985, finishing a master's degree before I left. I visited WCDB at least once in CC316, but I never was on the air again with the student radio stations.

Most of my career, even before I came to UAlbany, has been in print - newspapers, newsletters and other publications. I've worked for nine newspapers, including four of them on the copy desk.

Who I remember: I remember WSUA with Chris Walters, Lewis (Skip) Fischer, Joel Lustig, Littleton Harmon Smith II, Brian Lehrer, Dave Galletly, Jerry Richardson, John Michalke, Audrey Seidman, Barbara Fishkin, Eric Lonschein (when the Saturday Night of Gold was on Saturday night), Marc Rosenberg, and others.

I've been in touch with some of them, as recently as last year, and I'm heartened by the long careers of Brian Lehrer at WNYC-FM and Dave Galletly at WAMC-FM

Steve Otruba (1977-1984)

My accomplishments: Helped build the original studios for WCDB.

How I got started at WCDB: I was a freshman who was a big sports fan. My two choices were the ASP or WCDB. The ASP offered me women's Tennis, I went with CDB as I had always been kind of a ham. The station was an integral part of my college career as well as my life afterwards. Although I no longer do radio, there is a part of me that always will be WCDB.

Who I remember: Phil Pivnik, Jody McDonald, Mike Brusco, Mark Wilgard, Adam Goodman, Mark Robarge, Seth Marlowe, Rob Isbitts, Phil Lewis. Probably missed some.

How I got started at WCDB: I transferred to SUNYA in 1983 and knew no one. I felt totally lost until I went to a WCDB information session and found my place on campus. Every friend I had I met through the station somehow. I think working there opened me up to music I might not have heard otherwise. And I always look back on the experience fondly and as a major part of my college experience.

Who I remember: I remember lots--David Singer, Kevin Clark, Mike Eck, Joe Romano, Claudia, Ilan Nissan, Adam Fass, Dianne Pine, Mike Greenfield, Dan Barth. Half the reason I joined the station was because I had a big crush on Mike Greenfield (unrequited, alas). I have to chuckle when I think of where my head was at then--it was all about chasing boys.

Fr. Michael (Tad) Parks (circa 1964)

A little update on where I am now. After graduating from SUNYA (as it was then called) I headed off to Major (graduate) Seminary for 4 years, in Nashotah, Wisconsin. Following that I spent a number of years as a bi-vocational Brother, in Green Bay, WI (home of the Green Bay Packers) and then here in the Milwaukee area. Secularly, I am a CPA, working for the County of Milwaukee as their Payroll and Tax Manager. After many years, I was finally ordained to the Diaconate and Priesthood in 2003, and currently
I am still bi-vocational being Priest-in-Charge of Church of the Resurrection, Mukwonago, WI  (http://www.eresurrection.org) and an Assisting Priest at St. Peter's, West Allis, WI.

Unfortunately, I don't do anything anymore with radio, although I still urn for those days. Also unfortunately, I probably wouldn't know what to do if I were sat down in a control room, or booth today, given the change in technology. When I was at the station, it was basically all tubes, and transistorized stuff was just starting to come into being. However, radio is still my favorite medium, and while, yes, I do have TVs, they get so little use as to make one wonder if they are real or just mock ups.

Thanks for what you are doing, and thanks for bringing back the memories.

Issues during my term: staying on the air, getting a good time spot to dj, competing with the pro stations for interviews and sponsoring local concerts

Summary: [WCDB was an] incredible once in a lifetime experience. So much talent in an unstructured environment - pure magic!

Vincent J. Vincenzo (1986-1990)

My accomplishments: I was a sportscaster (Sports Spotlight) and did color commentary for Albany Football, Basketball I also did some unofficial (and probably horrible) airshifts as a dj.

Issues during my term: The one big controversy that involved the sports dept during my four years was the possible coverage of Albany baseball on air. Some sportscasters, who didn't do squat for the station outside of their one 5 minute cast, pressured SA to get baseball on the air. After much acrimony, we put the game on the air. It was during the afternoon, and like I predicted we weren't any good (baseball involves a lot of talking on radio, and if you can't tell stories, it's going to suck - I wouldn't have listened to it but I had to do the game). After that no one ever argued to put Albany baseball on the air again.

Who I remember: I do remember the people I did casts during their shows Pat Carmosino - great guy and a Mets fan Jen & Joan - the two nicest people that WCDB ever had within its midsts. Plus, they put up with (and actually produced) Sports Spotlight on Sunday nights at 11PM infringing on the new age show. John Maz - I can't say much more about Maz than he was in my wedding party. Bill Goss The Sports department staff (Al V, Adam H, Larry B, et al) I also have good memories of.

WCDB is the student-run radio station at the University at Albany, Albany NY. Contents and design © 2010 WCDB Historical Society. This site is unofficial and not managed by WCDB Albany, the Student Association or UAlbany.