i grew up listening to KATT radio,..especially in the late 80s and early 90s. wanted to create a thread for those who are fond of this station, its djs-past and present, and any other pertaining memories.

one fond memory i have is there was an annual christmas time jingle they used to play..i think it was a local band..im not sure..but the song went something like "merry christmas..and have a happy new year."..and then later on in the song it mentioned KATT radio and said "...and well be YULE-TIDE ROCKIN"

I think the band was called Triumph..but im really not sure, i tried google-ing what i could..but found no results.

i also remember the KATT calendars,..especially the one from 1988 that had several bands on it, but disguised as pictures...like it had a conversion van on it that simply said "halen" on it (van halen, get it?)...also had a potted plant that said "Bob" on it (Robert Planet)...etc etc.

There was also various parody tshirts...like Robo-KATT (robocop),..KATT-Man (Batman), etc.

whats your KATT memories?

I knew a guy that worked in the art department when they had those posters. They also had some interesting billboards.

Trey Aven designed the logo Katt and did all the ad art for their first few years. Last I heard he was teaching art in New England, somewhere.

The band was out of Del City and I believe they were called Legacy. Triumph is a three member Canadian band who had "hits" like "Lay it on the Line" and "Magic Power".

I remember turning the dial to FM and hearing The Katt play the Bruce Springsteen version of "Blinded by the Light". At the time the Manfred Mann version was being played on Top 40 ad nauseum and I got hooked to this new radio station. (that was circa 1977 when I was 15).

By the time I was in high school there were two stations in rock radio, the KATT and 96X. However by then they both pretty much played the same tired pop songs and gone were the edgier underground music. (pretty much the same playlist that 107.7 plays today.)

After 96X switched to country, there really was only the KATT if you wanted to listen to rock and I listened to them when I was in the car. Now I don't even have them as a preset on my car radio. I've been listening to The Buzz for the past ?? years. But too much Nickleback and Red Hot Chitty Peppers and away I go.

I prefer audiobooks when I'm driving now.

Loved what they did to the song "Lightning Crashes" during the Murrah Building bombing. Does anyone know if that's available for download?

yeah, i can relate to what youre saying ,so1rfan. The KATT is finding itself in a dilemma of how to appease to the listening preferences of everyone. So its this jumbled mess of trying to soothe classic rock afficianados, playing the newest rock, heavy metal, etc.

they should just have KATT 1, KATT 2, KATT 3,..etc...should just branch off onto different FM frequencies to satisfy different genres because their listening audience is so huge and diverse.

What the KATT was 20 yrs ago is what KRXO has become today.

thanks for informing me of the correct band..i googled it again and found the song..here it is for all to listen to:

http://share.ovi.com/media/KATTHARDLICKER.public/KATTHARDLICKER.10022

Wasnt it the Katt that had the "I'm going to run naked down nw hwy" promotion. That was funnier than ****, you wouldnt believe how many people showed up and lined nw hwy.

I use to have one of their shirts from Rick and Brad's World Tour (that consisted of towns like Enid, Clinton, Lawton, Altus).

I also have (somewhere) an autographed picture of Rick, Brad, Brenda Bennett and Crystal.

Both are probably from the mid 90s.

I use to have one of their shirts from Rick and Brad's World Tour (that consisted of towns like Enid, Clinton, Lawton, Altus).

I also have (somewhere) an autographed picture of Rick, Brad, Brenda Bennett and Crystal.

Both are probably from the mid 90s.

Help me here. If you went to any midnight movies in the mid-70's you'll know. Either the KATT or KRXO had to get a petition up in order to get their license and start airplay. Their "promise" was that they would never "commercialize" their station.

Someone know the answer or where we can look?

Rick and Brad ran me away. Whenever they started their routine I felt like a little boy at my grandparents watching Hee-Haw!!!!!

I listen to the BUZZ but it's getting to where they suck with regularity........

I remember they they started when I was in high school at grant, we used to jam out to them in my monte carlo with them big ole 6x9 speakers in the rear deck(how pathetic). The big statoion back then was kofm 104 , they had a disc jockey named LESTER BOOGIE MICHAELS he sounded just like wolfman jack it was amazing.

Also the KATT had big bumper stickers and we would cut the figure of the katt out and just put it in the back window, not a few years later I guess they seen we were doing this and made them that way.

Rick and Brad need to retire, I quit listening to them in the morning all they want to talk about is " hey audra if a guy comes up to you blah blah blah.....just wears me out!

The KATT got old to me not long after the Citadel takeover, I quit listening to terrestrial radio much around 2000 mainly listening to CD's because I got tired of the stupidity and shtick on there. I was a faithful 96X listener until the format change and stayed with the KATT until the above mentioned time.

Other stations that existed much longer ago in addition to 104
KZUE - now KJ103, a DJ on there was Cracker Jack Walker
KWHP - I think it was around 97.3, I have a button somewhere.
The "real" KOMA

The KATT got old to me not long after the Citadel takeover, I quit listening to terrestrial radio much around 2000 mainly listening to CD's because I got tired of the stupidity and shtick on there. I was a faithful 96X listener until the format change and stayed with the KATT until the above mentioned time.

Other stations that existed much longer ago in addition to 104
KZUE - now KJ103, a DJ on there was Cracker Jack Walker
KWHP - I think it was around 97.3, I have a button somewhere.
The "real" KOMA
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you guys are talking about the KATT....I remember one time I was deer hunting in west Texas late one night when one of the guides jumped up and yelled at the others and said I think it's time......Time for what???? I asked and the guy said our favorite radio station is coming one....Hmmm and from nowhere (375 miles or more from OKC) I heard hey everybody, this is KOMA Johnny Dark here....I couldn't get excited I had heard that too many times in my life.....When My family and I moved back here from Texas.....our Next door neighbor was moving in the same day...we went to introduce ourselves and I asked him what he did for a living...Disc Jockey for Rock station in OKC...Really?? Yeah he said KXXY 96 on the dial....Oh.....I was really country then...saw him the next day....he wasn't country and was a little confused...Dave Murray was his radio name ...you know, Dave and Dan.....He is now living in Estes Park, Colorado.....Quite a shock for his system....

The only good DJ at the KATT is zubeck he still plays the good rock, the others need to go bye bye

I remember they they started when I was in high school at grant, we used to jam out to them in my monte carlo with them big ole 6x9 speakers in the rear deck(how pathetic). The big statoion back then was kofm 104 , they had a disc jockey named LESTER BOOGIE MICHAELS he sounded just like wolfman jack it was amazing.

Also the KATT had big bumper stickers and we would cut the figure of the katt out and just put it in the back window, not a few years later I guess they seen we were doing this and made them that way.

Rick and Brad need to retire, I quit listening to them in the morning all they want to talk about is " hey audra if a guy comes up to you blah blah blah.....just wears me out!


Didnt Lester Michaels do a stint at KOMA sometime in the nineties?

Off the subject remember Ricky the K solid gold time machine on KOMA?

He still does it on the internet and subscription based. I was obsessed with radio as a kid and listened to his show every saturday...

Didnt Lester Michaels do a stint at KOMA sometime in the nineties?

Off the subject remember Ricky the K solid gold time machine on KOMA?

He still does it on the internet and subscription based. I was obsessed with radio as a kid and listened to his show every saturday...

He may have, I dont know how old you are but do you remember the dr. demento program I believe it was on sat. nights from a station in california I believe maybe it was koma...was pretty freaky for the day as an example(there coming to take you away)

KRXO carried Dr Demento locally for sometime. I was in the 7th and eighth grade and listened to it every week. I guess that would be 1990-1992

Im only 31 but grew up listening to KOMA, and was/is classic radio obsessed.

When taking trips to the West coast listened to KOMA 1520 going out and coming back during the 1970's.

The only good station that lasted for some time was out of Edmond. Kind of a "underground" station. Prunepicker and I talked about the place at one time he knows all the details.............

Got a Dr. D. Tshirt when he played a request of mine............

I seen a pic of him a long time ago in a big ole chimney sweepers hat ....wait I think he and al eshbach are one in the same!

I seen a pic of him a long time ago in a big ole chimney sweepers hat ....wait I think he and al eshbach are one in the same!

Since Dr. D. wears a tophat he is the more "cultured" of the two.

i was a KATT guest DJ in September of 1993. My dad brought me up to the station, which at the time was off of nw expwy and meridian, kinda close to where the arbys is. we arrived a little before midnight-before i was due on air. the dj was cool..someone who didnt last at the station long, and even though i brought along a cassette tape to record the whole session, i still cant make out his name.

i got to play 10 or 12 tracks that i selected, and got to take phone calls from listeners. most were cool and telling me i was doing a good job in the rocking chair..some were rude to me just cause i wasnt playing a song they wanted to here..i suppose.

it was always fun to press the button that made the iconic KATT growl.

The KATT was Kool in the 70's.

the katt was kool in the 70's.

really!!
I feel that rock and concerts began to really suck during that time. They were moved from buildings designed for music and put into sport complexes. The fairgrounds arena, myriad, lloyd noble.......can't think of a group or song to associate with the era. Probably a precursor to hard rock/heavy metal.........

really!!
I feel that rock and concerts began to really suck during that time. They were moved from buildings designed for music and put into sport complexes. The fairgrounds arena, myriad, lloyd noble.......can't think of a group or song to associate with the era. Probably a precursor to hard rock/heavy metal.........
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Hey, Elvis didn't die until 1977 Rock 'n roll was going strong....However, there were a bunch of Garage bands and yelling that occurred during that time.......

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Hey, Elvis didn't die until 1977 Rock 'n roll was going strong....However, there were a bunch of Garage bands and yelling that occurred during that time.......

Elvis Costello? He's still living.

Geeeee.............

Complain about "greasers" and then throw Elvis out there....
(can't wait til you get here baby. After ya pickup the pizza, go by Dunkin Donuts and get two dozen jelly filled long johns.....What am I doin? Just sitting here on the crapper makin room for what you bringin'. Stop by DQ and get four or five blizzards. Ouch! My chest hurts. Feel like I'm gonna throw-up. Wish I could get some action from my poop chute and things will be comin' out of both ends makin' more room. Think I'm gonna lay here on the tile floor. My bvd's are tangled around my ankles. That happens some times when your butt is five times larger than your ankles. Yep! I'm gonna lay down here until you arrive.

Elvis Costello? He's still living.

Geeeee.............

Complain about "greasers" and then throw Elvis out there....
(can't wait til you get here baby. After ya pickup the pizza, go by Dunkin Donuts and get two dozen jelly filled long johns.....What am I doin? Just sitting here on the crapper makin room for what you bringin'. Stop by DQ and get four or five blizzards. Ouch! My chest hurts. Feel like I'm gonna throw-up. Wish I could get some action from my poop chute and things will be comin' out of both ends makin' more room. Think I'm gonna lay here on the tile floor. My bvd's are tangled around my ankles. That happens some times when your butt is five times larger than your ankles. Yep! I'm gonna lay down here until you arrive.
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once again, don't mess with the little green pills during the day.....It's pink and white only for you.....That's a baby aspirin (pink) and a regular tylenol (white).....Oh, I get it......you're being like Elvis....Hmmmmmm.....

The KATT debuted in it's rock format in 1976, which was when I was in high school.

It was a big deal then and somewhat amazing it is still going in a pretty similar format 30+ years later.

The KATT debuted in it's rock format in 1976, which was when I was in high school.

It was a big deal then and somewhat amazing it is still going in a pretty similar format 30+ years later.
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Hey guy, great to see you're still alive.....don't forget how long KOMA has lasted....

The KATT debuted in it's rock format in 1976, which was when I was in high school.

It was a big deal then and somewhat amazing it is still going in a pretty similar format 30+ years later.

You must be about the same age as me then....I was also in high school when it started up.

Zoobeck: where ya calling from?

Caller: Moore

Zoobeck: ....or less??

Zoobeck: where ya calling from?

Caller: Moore

Zoobeck: ....or less??

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I know tonight at about 3:00a.m. I'll catch this one...that's whats wrong with today's younger generation....wait a minute you guys are now part of the "OLDER" crowd....

I always enjoyed the skits of Bladerunner, who was notorious for his 'Ed Zachary' character.

Or even the skit about dickens cider

Or even the skit about dickens cider

You young pups don't remember the Hiney Wine from Noble, Oklahoma do you???? you could always screw the cap on your Hiney:.....good wine huh????2009 vintage......

My wife's Hiney Wine T shirt says Tuttle. :irule:

My wife's Hiney Wine T shirt says Tuttle. :irule:

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I think you're right. They had a huge fire in Noble and had to move the Distribution plant over to Tuttle and finally they just moved everything forgot about that....Sorry.....

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I think you're right. They had a huge fire in Noble and had to move the Distribution plant over to Tuttle and finally they just moved everything forgot about that....Sorry.....

Yeah get your facts straight mister......it is in tuttle and yes I rememeber the commercial.

Yeah get your facts straight mister......it is in tuttle and yes I rememeber the commercial.

commercial????? you mean to tell me that this isn't true?????

You have to hear the DICKENS CIDER comercial it is hilarious

You have to hear the DICKENS CIDER comercial it is hilarious

ohh, the innuendos. reminds me of the KATT dj, Dick Fitzwell.

Back in the day if you wanted to know about a band there was only one resource: music magazines. I could spend a full day at a grocery store if they had a good magazine rack. I had a subscription to Circus magazine, Hit Parader, and Creem when I was in junior high school. (I wasn't allowed to read Rolling Stone.) Paid for it out of my allowance. I would read about bands and only imagine what they sounded like. The KATT had the Eagles, Aerosmith, REO Speedwagon, Led Zeppelin, and Bruce Springsteen on heavy rotation back then. So I pretty much despised those bands. Those magazines turned me onto a lot of bands years before anyone else heard of them.

There was an article where they had asked record stores across the countrywhat was hot in their stores. Up in New England eight of the ten record stores all listed The Cars. One of them said , "The Cars debut album sounds like a greatest hits record." So I had to have it. I pestered the clerk at Sound Warehouse for two months before they got a copy in. It wasn't until Candy-O came out that they became popular here.

A friend of mine saw a band at Magic Mountain in California, and when he got back he told me all about how awesome they were. We listened to Van Halen all summer long well before Eruption erupted on the airways.

I read about a band of sixteen year olds from Britain that were releasing their debut album. I wore out my copy of On Through the Night, and two years later, MTV made Def Leppard one of the hottest bands ever.

It's mind boggling when you realize the number of popular bands that never got airplay on the KATT. Or the number of bands that got minimal airplay until late in their careers. For example:

One of the most popular bands ever (regardless of how you feel about them), they may have had Rock and Roll All Night played once in a blue moon, but until Lick It Up, the Katt refused to play Kiss.

Metallica, nothing prior to Enter Sandman and the release of the black album. Maybe One but that's it.

Ramones: never.

The Clash: not until Combat Rock album and the song Train in Vain became an MTV staple.

Iron Maiden: Never

Korn: not until they won an MTV music award.

But boy howdy, they played the crap out of Loverboy, Journey, Styx, Toto, and Foreignor.

It's understandable, you have to appeal to the masses and the masses love formulatic corporate rock.

But boy howdy, they played the crap out of Loverboy, Journey, Styx, Toto, and Foreignor.

It's understandable, you have to appeal to the masses and the masses love formulatic corporate rock.

..and censors and the FCC, which the latter has gotten a tad more lenient of what they will accept on the airwaves these days.

btw, you rule since you mentioned Hit Parader mag. that and Metal Edge rox my sox.

ohh, the innuendos. reminds me of the KATT dj, Dick Fitzwell.

I forgot about him...lol

They played Iron Maiden Run to the Hills when it was out some, never on a heavy rotation but that was about it. I saw them open up for .38 Special at the LNC in 1983 on the Number of the Beast tour. "Heavy rotation" came along a little later, hearing the same song every two hours is heavy rotation like it is now. I don't think they were that bad back then.

I also grew up on those bands you despise and still listen to them at times. I listen to a little bit of everything but I also worked at Sound Warehouse, if something interesting came in we could open it and play it. Working there did open up my "sphere" of music.

so1rfan:

Did you get to read the Rolling Stone before it got to being a 'commercial' rag? Time killed it as everyone knew they would.
I agree with you concerning the Clash, Ramones.........
That's why I have always stayed out there on the fringe..................

Well the years was rollin by, yeah
Heavy metal n glitter rock
Had caught the public eye, yeah
Snotty boys with lipstick on
Was really flyin high, yeah
N then they got that disco thing
N new wave came along
N all of a sudden I thought the time
Had come for that old song
We used to play in joes garage
And if I am not wrong
You will soon be dancin to...

The only good DJ at the KATT is zubeck he still plays the good rock, the others need to go bye bye

he plays crap. 70's and 80's, and pretty much nothing else. thats the problem with that station. they play waaay too much old music and probably the top 10 rock songs that are popular right now. they are the station with "the best new rock first", yeah my ass. arent there several stations right now that play classic rock? which is cool, but the katt needs to play heavy rock, buzz with their lighter stuff and then the classic stations. that would solve some problems.
i used to be die hard katt fan, but with the same songs every hour and never playing up and coming bands they just arent anything special anymore.
six letters o- c- t- a- n- e .

he plays crap. 70's and 80's, and pretty much nothing else. thats the problem with that station. they play waaay too much old music and probably the top 10 rock songs that are popular right now. they are the station with "the best new rock first", yeah my ass. arent there several stations right now that play classic rock? which is cool, but the katt needs to play heavy rock, buzz with their lighter stuff and then the classic stations. that would solve some problems.
i used to be die hard katt fan, but with the same songs every hour and never playing up and coming bands they just arent anything special anymore.
six letters o- c- t- a- n- e .

It's the nature of the beast.

he plays crap. 70's and 80's, and pretty much nothing else. thats the problem with that station. they play waaay too much old music and probably the top 10 rock songs that are popular right now. they are the station with "the best new rock first", yeah my ass. .......and never playing up and coming bands they just arent anything special anymore.
six letters o- c- t- a- n- e .



thats cause a lot of bands these days cant play worth crap, and a lot of them are copying the styles of other bands and every one else and their brother band sounds the same.

according to metallica, napster pretty much killed the music industry right around the turn of the millenium, everyone wants to rip music for free these days, and the only people even buying albums anymore is 13 yr old kids..and the billboard charts clearly reflects their financial clout in terms of the bands they support and the records which are actually sold..which is why rock died and gave rise to sugar-coated candy pop bands (justin timberlake, britney spears, christina aguilera,all-edmond rejects, puddle of muddvayne, p.o.d., p.o.s., p.m.s., ..i think im gonna puke now)

most of what i would call good bands have pretty much fell off the radio,..you know, ..bands that actually know how to play their own instruments without the constant need of a techie behind the scenes all the time.

thats cause a lot of bands these days cant play worth crap, and a lot of them are copying the styles of other bands and every one else and their brother band sounds the same.

according to metallica, napster pretty much killed the music industry right around the turn of the millenium, everyone wants to rip music for free these days, and the only people even buying albums anymore is 13 yr old kids..and the billboard charts clearly reflects their financial clout in terms of the bands they support and the records which are actually sold..which is why rock died and gave rise to sugar-coated candy pop bands (justin timberlake, britney spears, christina aguilera,all-edmond rejects, puddle of muddvayne, p.o.d., p.o.s., p.m.s., ..i think im gonna puke now)

most of what i would call good bands have pretty much fell off the radio,..you know, ..bands that actually know how to play their own instruments without the constant need of a techie behind the scenes all the time.

There was a time when if you had a band and could get a song or two recorded, even record stores had recording equipment you could take the demos to radio stations and possibly get the d.j. to play it at least once or twice and that could be the opening for you.
now it's who you play like, look like, could be groomed into.........
We "old folks" went to places where there were battle of the bands. You could see 4,5,6 or more bands in one night. Maybe they were cover bands but they were good and talented. And sometimes a band or maybe a member or two would get a contract.

I chuckled at battle of the bands. The only time I hear about these now are from my kiddos, unless one counts the all day lineups at zooamp.

A few years back, my then 17 yr old wanted to go to a BOTB at "Studio 104" or something like that in OKC. Not recognizing the venue name, a condition of approval was provide me an addtess.

I hit google and studio whatever was actually a large storage locker in a Ur Stuff Here sort of place toward the north side. However, turned out the bands were ok and they had fun that night. I'd never heard of any of them before ot since, so apparently storage lockers are not the fast track to fame, lol.

and figure in the way that album sales are now calculated and the way albums are sold. Gone are the record stores. CD's are sold at Best Buy and Walmart now. It used to be an album was released and made it's way up the charts. Now they debut at #1 and go down from there. That instant gratification means you have to have immediate success with a debut record or you are gone. Record execs can no longer take chances. It's the same reason why movies are so bad.

and figure in the way that album sales are now calculated and the way albums are sold. Gone are the record stores. CD's are sold at Best Buy and Walmart now. It used to be an album was released and made it's way up the charts. Now they debut at #1 and go down from there. That instant gratification means you have to have immediate success with a debut record or you are gone. Record execs can no longer take chances. It's the same reason why movies are so bad.

If you will go to you tube and enter Frank Zappa you'll find a clip of Uncle Frankie on the Mike Douglas Show. I don't know if Mike Douglas means anything to you but it doesn't matter. Zappa hated record companies with a passion. At the time of the show he was already out on his own, did his own recording, distribution and so forth. His concern was the fans and what they wanted to hear. So much so that if a record did not sell well he would scrape up some money and move his music in a different direction. He lasted many years with that plan and got very little air time on the radio. But you can be assured that if he was in concert it was a sell out. In the US and Europe as well. I miss him.

this is the KATT calendar from 1989, back in the hey-day when they were available at Arby's restaurants.Thought Id post in on here to commemorate its 20th anniversary. I owned this calendar and it features pictoral images of different bands. (ex: the spinning top that says "ZZ" on it is ZZ Top)

see how many bands you can identify.

http://www.curtoons.com/uploaded_images/katt1989-786818.jpg

btw, never could figure out the cowboy in red. anyone know?

this is the KATT calendar from 1989, back in the hey-day when they were available at Arby's restaurants.Thought Id post in on here to commemorate its 20th anniversary. I owned this calendar and it features pictoral images of different bands. (ex: the spinning top that says "ZZ" on it is ZZ Top)

see how many bands you can identify.

http://www.curtoons.com/uploaded_images/katt1989-786818.jpg

btw, never could figure out the cowboy in red. anyone know?

Mannnnnnnnnn...........

Talkin' about making someone feel old..................

Even magnified I can't read half of the stuff..........

Think this comes in braille..............

Mannnnnnnnnn...........

Talkin' about making someone feel old..................

Even magnified I can't read half of the stuff..........

Think this comes in braille..............

yeah, its a bit blurry. i didnt upload it though so dont blame me. at the end of the rainbow is a butterfly with inscripted "Fe" on its wings.

btw, never could figure out the cowboy in red. anyone know?Red Rider?

I don't remember much about the KATT since that wasn't my choice of music but, don't you think it would be very Nostalgic to have/own the Mascot KATT costume that was worn everytime they (KATT) did a PROMO???? You could probably pull it off PapaOU...Not the costume but in getting it...Whatever...

Have one!!!!!!!

Anyone remember the original call letters before they secured the rights to K*A*T*T?

Rick

Anyone remember the original call letters before they secured the rights to K*A*T*T?

When Jack Beasley set up the station (a sister to KLPR), he named it KJAK, after himself. There existed, briefly, a version of the current KATT cat logo with the KJAK call and the legend "THE CAT," although this disappeared once the FCC approved the new call.

There had been a station on 100.5 before Beasley, assigned the call KIOO, but that was before my time (at least here).