Issue #219 - Robert W. Morgan pays tribute to his studio engineer - Walt “Failsafe” Radtke.
KHJ Boss 30 - September 10, 1969
93/KHJ Boss Radio: A Look Back
Issue #219 - Robert W. Morgan pays tribute to his studio engineer - Walt “Failsafe” Radtke.
8 comments:
Ray,
Do you have any further insight into "Failsafe"? He appears to be in uniform, was he in the service at the time? And if so, was he stationed locally and moonlighting? Or had he maybe just returned from the service?
Bruce:
I'm betting that's not KHJ's transmitter...and may or may not be Walt 'Failsafe' Radtke.
So THAT'S who Failsafe was. I remember Morgan making reference to him, but I never figured out who he was talking to.
Steve:
Failsafe, Kenny Orchard, Dave Labby, Dexter Young and later Jon Badeaux were the brilliant board engineers behind the Boss Jocks.
While the jocks worked three-hour shifts, the engineers worked six...and those immaculate segues were all theirs.
KFRC, San Francisco also had some great engineers...and when Bobby Ocean arrived, he nicknamed George Zema "Flawless".
It doesn't surprise me at all that KHJ had great guys on the boards. It all sounded so seamless, so flowing. And I guess I shouldn't be surprised that while the jocks worked three hours, the off-mike people worked longer.
I would also guess that the transmitter in the photo is not KHJ's. It may be a photo of Walt Radtke but of unknown vintage. There's a photo of him on an upcoming survey (Issue #248) and he looks to be older than the person pictured on this survey.
And we can't forget Bill Mouzis, who was the board op for The Real Don Steele prior to Jon Badeaux.
Survey erratum: "Make Believe" by Wind has the "Weeks on Boss 30" listed as 3. It should be 4.
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