Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 07/14/84

[Matt Cameron]

Hey, guys!
Just got my vinyl copy of the Weekly Top 40 from 07/14/84. The vinyl is flawless - no pops or hiss or anything! Rick was off this week (some lame excuse in his prerecorded bits about his "eyes being sunburned shut" - too bad it didn't seem to affect his lips) so we got a lame sub-host using the same lame material that Dees always used.
I got this set for the music, period. A great time capsule of mid-80's hit makers! 9 songs from movie soundtracks (I'm counting Eddy Grant's "Romancing the Stone", even though it's only in the movie for about two seconds), including three from "Footloose". "Modern Day Delilah" by the late Van Stephenson, one of the more obscure One-Hit Wonders of the 80's - and one of my personal favorites. Motown's cash-in single of Michael Jackson's "Farewell My Summer Love 84". "Obscene Phone Caller" by Rockwell! And big hits by 80's chart mainstays Prince, Duran Duran, Bruce Springsteen, the Cars, and Madonna. Not to mention two, count 'em, two hits from Steve Perry's solo album. And old-school commercials for the US Army, Hubba Bubba bubble gum and Bain De Soleil ("for the San Tropez tan...").
Fun way to kill a few hours!

[BrettVW]

Who was the subhost?

Sounds like a great lineup of music though. Glad you are enjoying

[Matt Cameron]

"Big Ron O'brien". Not sure if he was a regular sub-host or not. Never caught Dees' show too often.

[Karstens]

I listened to this show back in February of this year on the way to a meeting. The same source that liberaljag received the vinyl copy helped me out, Thanks JF.

Big Ron O'Brien did a good job guest hosting; on the other hand, the sunburn bit was kinda silly. However, he really wasn't himself. If you get a chance, find a copy of On The Radio (hour long show, Top 5 R&R songs of the week, plus five extras). Mr. O'Brien had one of the greatest radio personalities, very funny & witty. Good use of sound effects in the show credits. I think the best job of doing show credits ever in countdown history, in fact; I would record just the credits of On The Radio in its day off-air. They used a lot of looping, kinda ahead of its time. Plus, On The Radio had tons of interviews. A great show to check out. KCLD use to broadcast the show right before AT40 at 7 a.m. every Sunday in the mid 80's.

[Karstens]

To my knowledge, the late Bruce Vidal probably guest hosted the Weekly Top 40 the most 3 times (4/19/85, 11/21/87 & 2/25/89) this is based on the limited number of Dees show that I have been able to research, so I could be wrong.

Big Ron had his On The Radio show going full blast by 1985, thus he didn't sub for Rick beyond that 1984 gig.

Bruce's best work on Dees was when he did "Boobie Check" with callers. WLS did this in the nights in 70's. Basically, you tell off your listeners by answering their silly questions.

example:
Caller 1: What kind of underwear are you wearing?
DJ: I haven't checked...snd effect...ooh, nothing (etc.)
Caller 2: (next question)

Bruce did two segments of this style of entertainment when he subbed one of the three times.

[Michael1973]

Bruce filled in for Rick far more than 3 times. I listened to the Weekly Top 40 for a little over 3 years between late 1987 and early 1991 and I remember hearing him guest host quite a bit.

[Karstens]

Okay, I can add one more date to Bruce Vidal's guest hosting gigs, December 1, 1990, so far; I can verify four dates.

[Radioman]

Bruce Vidal also hosted on September 5th, 1987

[Michael1973]

I know he also hosted twice during the summer of 1988. I don't remember the exact dates, but I could probably figure them out if you're interested.

[shadster]

What happened to Bruce Vidal? I liked On the Radio also, still have a few of Big Rons shows. I thought they were pretty witty and funny.