KFXM Tiger Radio & K/MEN 129 in Doug's Stuff Room

[ford.alan@...]

Just as a test to see who's paying attention, I deliberately omitted two relevant links from my original post:

http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/12/kmentertainer-april-1-1966.html
This has a photo of John with Actress/Singer Donna Loren at the 1966 National Orange show.
Is that a cravat?
 
http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/12/kmentertainer-march-25-1966.html
Photo of John with Recording Star Chris Montez, also at The Orange Show.

Congrats to Colin who was first to spot the omissions.

Alan


--- In peel@yahoogroups.com, Alan Ford <ford.alan@...> wrote:
>
> Ever since Colin posted a link to Doug Calgaro's blog a week or two
> ago, I have been going through it looking for references to John, and
> comparing information in it with the version of events in Margrave Of
> The Marshes (MOTM). Unfortunately this is a period that was not
> written about by John himself, but by Sheila.
> 
> According to MOTM, John and his then wife Shirley Anne Milburn moved
> from Dallas, Texas, to San Bernardino, California, where John joined
> local radio station K/MEN "for the 18 months between the autumn of
> 1965 and the spring of 1967" [Pg 217].
> And I'm sure you're all aware that John underwent a dramatic name
> change when he joined K/MEN; He went from Ravenscroft to Ravencroft.
> 
> When John joined K/MEN they were producing a weekly newsletter, a
> four-page folder called The K/MENtertainer. This, and the newspaper
> which later replaced it, is what forms the basis of Doug's blog.
> 
> Contrary to MOTM, John's arrival at K/MEN is alluded to on 4th Feb
> 1966 where the K/MENtertainer states
> "England Swings. Listen to K/MEN every morning 6 to 9 am".
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/10/kmen-february-1966.html
> 
> [John was to replace someone known as Huckleberry (Chuck
> Clemens/Clemans), who was the first DJ on K/MEN, in 1962.
> [This is the previous week's edition with Chuck's last appearance
> [http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/10/kmentertainer-january-28-1966.html
> [And here's possibly the first ever edition
> [http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2010/03/it-was-48-years-ago-todaywhen.html
> 
> The next issue, 11th Feb 1966, names John Ravencroft as the new man
> for the 6 to 9am slot, and features a full-length photo of John
> looking dapper in a suit. The other DJs are represented by cartoon
> caricatures but, as Doug says, John never did get his own caricature.
> Presumably John's 6-9am show was just Mon - Fri
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/10/kmentertainer-february-11-1966.html
> 
> MOTM: "KMEN itself was located in the middle of a field filled with
> cattle. The rival pop station - K-something else - had its offices and
> studios in a corner of the local Holiday Inn, so KMEN was immediately
> considered cooler by its target audience of high-school students,
> inland surfers, hot-rodders, citrus-fruit growers and honey-skinned
> blondes, all of whom warmed to a playlist that accomodated Canned
> Heat, Love and The Doors. Because it was only a small station, John
> was allowed to play whatever he liked" [Pg 218].
> 
> The following week, 18th Feb 1966, features a photo of all the DJs
> standing by the K/men Batmobile (which looks a hearse with 'Batmobile'
> written on the side).
> There is also a British Top 10 - 'Featured Saturday afternoons by John
> Ravencroft'.
> So as well as his early morning shows, John also has a Saturday afternoon show.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/10/kmentertainer-february-18-1966.html
> 
> MOTM: "[John] persuaded his bosses to let him initiate a British
> chart. They thought it was a great idea, though of course this
> so-called hit parade was nothing of the sort: John would simply choose
> whichever records caught his fancy that week, and afford them random
> placings in his rundown. 'The Nazz Are Blue' by The Yardbirds lingered
> in his British top five for an unfeasibly long time, despite having
> never been released as a single anywhere on earth" [Pg 218].
> 
> I have not yet seen The Nazz Are Blue in any of these charts.
> 
> Next week, 25th Feb 1966, has a head-shot photo for all the DJ's, and
> there's a plug for an up-coming basketball match between the DJs and
> the Mareno Valley High School all-girls team.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/11/kmentertainer-february-25-1966.html
> 
> The following week, 4th Mar 1966, there's a photo of the victorious
> basketball team in their kit ('and we only cheated just a little').
> MOTM: "This rather baffled John, who was ready to swear on oath that
> he had never played basketball in his life" [Pg 223]*.
> There are also miniaturised photos of all the DJs superimposed on the
> 'Batmobile'.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/11/kmentertainer-march-4-1966.html
> 
> The next issue, 11th Mar 1966, features a full-page article: "After 2
> months these are the thoughts of John Ravencroft".
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/11/kmentertainer-march-111966.html
> 
> Then there's a jump to 8th April 1966, which has a repeat of the
> basketball team photo ('5 wins, NO LOSSES!')
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/12/kmentertainer-april-8-1966.html
> 
> The following week, 15th Apr 1966, has a pic of John wrestling with
> several phones - 'taking a few of the many requests that are phoned in
> every morning'.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/12/kmentertainer-april-15-1966.html
> This is reproduced in MOTM between pages 84 and 85, and mentioned on page 223.
> 
> For several weeks there is just a head-shot photo, the British Pop Top Ten,
> and a mention of the Saturday Afternoon show
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/12/kmentertainer-april-22-1966.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-may-6-1966.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-may-13-1966.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-may-20-1966.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/02/kmentertainer-may-27-1966.html
> 
> 
> "In 1965 K/MEN put out the K/MEN rebound book. The one you see here
> has a green cover. The original had a red cover and came out in 1965.
> This one although stating 1965 on the cover came out in 1966 with
> added pages of all the charted hits on K/MEN from 1966. The best part
> was the pictures of the DJ lineup as of May 1966 [John still 6 - 9am].
> Last week I posted the front cover of the book [See below]. Today the
> jocks and the back cover."
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/07/kmen-rebound-book-continues.html
> John: "I like Soccer and girls, dancing and girls, sports car racing
> and girls and girls and girls".
> 
> Dancing ??
> 
> [The cover of the not-1965-but-1966-really Rebound book
> [http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/07/kfxm-kmen-stuff.html
> 
> Then there's a big jump to 2nd Dec 1966
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/06/last-kmen-small-folder.html
> This is the last edition of the small folder. John has moved from
> 6-9am to 6-9pm, and his Saturday show has moved from afternoons to
> evenings.
> [Has anyone heard Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go With Friday On A Saturday Night?]
> 
> The following week, 10th Dec 1966, the simple 4-page folder has been
> replaced by a newspaper which features a full-front-page article by
> "John Ravencroft, Editor", another full-page article on The British Scene,
> a half-page article about a competition on John's show called
> 'Brockton Arcade Jackpot',
> and a page-and-a-bit article by John on a group called The Bush.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/06/kmen-newspaper-2nd-edition.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/06/kmen-newspaper-2nd-edition-continued.html
> [Whatever happened to The Bush?]
> 
> [Here are some unattributed articles on Dylan, Donovan, Paul Revere, and The 4
> [Seasons, from "the end of 1966".
> [As the newspaper started on 10th Dec 1966, these must be from 10th,
> [17th, 24th and/or 31st, and may or may not have been written by John.
> [http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/03/kmen-articles.html
> 
> The next date featured is 7th Jan 1967, still with John as The
> Publication Editor, and which includes 'humorous' predictions for the
> forthcoming year:
> "John Ravencroft will remove his squire and assume the aristocratic
> air of Argentine Rocca, former
> Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of the World".
> And there's another full-page on The British Scene, including the line
> "Continued enthusiastic response to The Misunderstood's I Can Take You
> To The Sun ... one of the best records I've ever heard".
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-january-7-1967.html
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-january-7-1967-continued_07.html
> MOTM discusses John's discovery of The Misunderstood and how he gave
> them regular plugs on KMEN, "much to the annoyance of other bands". He
> also "arranged for them to record in Gold Star studios in Hollywood,
> in order to produce something that he could play on KMEN" [Pgs 219 -
> 222].
> 
> The following week's edition, 14th Jan 1967, says "Stories by .. John
> Ravencroft, .." across the top of the front page, but Doug doesn't include them
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-january-14-1967.html
> 
> The 21st Jan 1967 edition has a jokey feature by John on new DJ
> 'Midnight Ron Christian', and confirms that John is still the
> Publication Editor
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-january-21-1967.html
> 
> The 28th Jan 1967 edition has another "British Scene" page by John.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/01/kmentertainer-january-28-1967.html
> 
> The next week is billed by Doug as 4th Feb 1966, but this is obviously 1967.
> There is a photo of John with the top of his head missing ('Topless').
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/02/kmentertainer-february-4-1966.html
> 
> The 11th Feb 1967 edition has photos of John entering and leaving 'the
> K/MEN Time Tunnel', with no further explanation.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/02/kmentertainer-february-11-1967.html
> 
> "During 1967 there were a lot of changes in the K/MEN roster. By the
> middle of April John Ravencroft would be gone with T. Michael Jordan
> coming in".
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2006/06/kmen-in-1967.html
> 
> This has undated articles by John on The Misunderstood and The Ban.
> http://kfxm-kmen-radio.blogspot.com/2007/03/kmentertainer-local-groups.html
> 
> 
> MOTM: "John's recollections of his life at KMEN were scattered, to say
> the least. He remembered that the station was regularly visited by
> whichever it was of Jan and Dean who hadn't been in an accident, and
> that his best mate was fellow DJ Johnny Darin. Johnny Darin wasn't
> really called Johnny Darin. In fact John never found out what his real
> name was, as DJs tended to have names waiting for them when they
> arrived at the station, names that would be discarded when they moved
> on - hence the difficulty encountered by John in his numerous attempts
> to contact his old US DJ pals, a difficulty that the hardiest of 'This
> Is Your Life' researchers found similarly insurmountable" [Pg 224].
> "It was during John's 18 months in San Bernadino that he attended a
> gig that .. changed his life .. at the Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood,
> where Van Morrison's Them were supported by Captain Beefheart and his
> Magic Band. He compared it to hearing Elvis for the first time" [Pgs
> 224-226].
> 
> "When he left San Bernardino in March 1967 for London, where he hoped
> to continue working as a DJ, he brought Shirley with him" [Pg 229].
> 
> John's own summary of the period is on Pg 400 of MOTM:
> "Removal to San Bernardino, California. Eighteen months on KMEN.
> Further deterioration of marriage. Trips to LA to see Capt. Beefheart
> and a range of other trendy bands. .. Sent Misunderstood to live with
> Mother in London. Mother's displeasure. Involvement of sherriff's dept
> in continuing deterioration of marriage. Left California. Arrival
> Home."
> 
> The involvement of the sherriff's dept in John and Shirley's sudden
> departure is discussed further in Colin's excellent article here:
> http://peel.wikia.com/wiki/KMEN
> 
> See also
> http://www.440int.com/namesr.html#_jraven
> http://www.440int.com/ca2.html#kmen
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Alan
>