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I was born in 1956 and left the islands in 1983. I stayed mostly with my aunt on South Beretania St until 1962. There were two rows of houses facing each other. Around 1961 I think one row was cleared to make way for Brake Service and Supply (immediately Diamond Head of that was Toys for Men). In 1962 the remaining row including the original Charley's Fishing Supply and Cleanwell Cleaners was cleared for other construction. Today Grace's Inn, Hakuyosha, etc occupy that space. Immediately ewa of that was Greenlawn Funeral Home. I saw my first dead body around the age of 4 when the big double doors were open with the stiff lying on the table. Maybe Times is right on the spot where the mortuary was.
I listened to the radio even at that early age. The hits of the day on KGMB 590 were things like The Big Hurt, Chanson D'Amour, Mr Sandman, and Primrose Lane (I just noticed 3 of these songs were composed by Wayne Shanklin!). In other words this was a transitional period before rock and roll completely displaced traditional Tin Pan Alley pop. Early in the morning before regular programming, KGMB-TV would simulcast the radio show (in the morning I remember it was Bill Morse) to what appeared to be old theatrical newsreels. Sometimes they would show what was going on in the studio.
I also listened to KPOI 1380. The "rebound sounds" as KPOI called them were songs that were once hits but not quite old enough to be oldies. Among the DJs I remember from that time, Uncle Tom Moffatt and Bob Lowrie and the number to call was "triple 9, 913" later 949-9913. KPOI played a lot of early rock, doo wop, and R&B in addition to some overlap with the songs played on KGMB. I stayed with them through the British Invasion and early metal period (Led Zeppelin). In 1970 I started listening to their sister station KPOI-FM which had a non-commercial free-form progressive format, probably inspired by San Francisco's KSAN-FM. It kind of ran out of steam around 1972 and ended up simulcasting 1380. Among the DJs were Gene Davis and Brother Bob Cole.
KGU seemed to be old fuds playing things from around World War 2. I remember their antenna on Kapiolani Blvd near Servco Motor Imports (my dad bought a 1960 Impala from them; their potato chip roof was a fine example of the Googie style). Aku was with them at the time. I started to listen to them in 1982 when they became exclusively talk. Larry King was one show that I never missed. One I remember well was his interview with Stephen King on his book Different Seasons.
Shortly after Ala Moana shopping center went up, my dad and I were passing by the KOOD studio, which was behind the stairs between Sears Roebuck and Hotei-Ya. The man inside (possibly Mr Scott) invited us inside and showed us how a radio station worked. This kind gesture by Mr Scott started my early interest in electronics and I did eventually become a communications engineer.
Through the rest of high school and university I listened to KIKI with Mike Hamlin who had a progressive album-oriented format. Shortly after I moved to California, I was saddened to hear that he died when HECO shut off the electricity to his respirator!!!!! I know he had been ill for some time and once did a broadcast from his hospital bed.
Well it's getting late and it's been fun. I'll post more things as I remember them, and they may or may not be about old-time radio in Honolulu.
Last edited by JohnCavaquinho; 09-28-2019 at 02:02 AM..
Through the rest of high school and university I listened to KIKI with Mike Hamlin who had a progressive album-oriented format. Shortly after I moved to California, I was saddened to hear that he died when HECO shut off the electricity to his respirator!!!!! I know he had been ill for some time and once did a broadcast from his hospital bed.
Yep happened in 1983. The lesson - pay your electric bill especially if you are on a respirator.
Sorry MISTAKE, "Cleanwell Cleaners" should be "Cash and Carry Cleaners". Cleanwell is I think still in business in that parking lot between Waialae and Harding around 12th Ave. Charley's moved to Keeaumoku in 1962. I was there when they vacated the old store. Cash and Carry was still at that location until at least late 1967 because my dad stopped in to say hello and I was starting the 6th grade. I guess they finally closed in 1968-69 time frame.
KTRG-AM is unforgettable, to me. It was the very first that I ever heard of what were by the 1990s referred to as "hate-radio" stations. It was 24-hour talk, taking listener calls. Politically, the programming ran from conservatives through the day, to libertarians through the evening, to anarchists overnight. Two moderators who come instantly to mind were Rich Richardson and Paul Lester. Lester was the first "rational anarchist" I ever heard, when I was about twelve years old. My father was a frequent caller and sometimes guest moderator. I used to call a lot, too.
I recall when they went off the air. I believe it was December 31, 1969. My Dad and I where in the studio that night, and we left only a few minutes prior to their last sign-off, in order to listen to it in the car.
They had been denied license renewal by the FCC.
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Ktrg-am
