Another 1977 Beaker Street Aircheck With Stuart (McRae)

This is the last aircheck we have, truly taken off the air via a radio, of Beaker Street, back in 1977, with Stuart (McRae).

Looking back, I remember having pulled that 1966 Dodge Coronet 440 up to the shop door where I worked, having it warming up those last few minutes before I punched out at 11PM, door open and KAAY blaring out of the four speakers...somehow, (I forgot), I plumbed the audio from the AM radio into my FM/8-track's audio chain.  When the time clock hit "11", I punched out, waved to my replacement and ran for the car, hearing the opening to Beaker Street.

Back then, gas was cheap, but we paid in pretty much real money.  Inflation had hit, we were getting less and paying more.  I remember I quit paying for Ethyl gasoline when it hit fifty cents per gallon...but, back then, I was in high cotton, taking home a $77 paycheck.  I dropped back to mid-grade, but I STILL drove 'way out of the way to listen to Beaker Street.

It was 19 miles from the gate of the business to my front gate...but I'd stretch an extra ten or more miles to it and, depending on the music, I'd either cruise, or I'd race...but it was all great.  I wish now, what with all the audio work I'd done then, that I'd have devised a way to tape off-the-air.  KAAY was coming in full strength, better than local radio stations, because of the huge radio antenna and in-line amplifier I had sucking that signal in!

Nonetheless, we are always looking for audio from the "glory days" of KAAY, from 1961-1985.  Now they're spreading God's glory and that is also a good thing- not airing that cop-killing, woman-degrading junk that some stations are airing...

When I graduated in 1977, I stayed out a year, healing from various sports injuries, taking a break and saving money for college.  When I entered college in 1978, I lost touch with KAAY and Beaker Street; I was working a full day shift, taking a full course load and clinical rotations at night- usually, I went straight home and when I got home, there wasn't much left of me to tune around, much less stay awake listening to radio.  Also, in those days, a new station had hit the FM airwaves, WZEW, who Stuart and Dick Downes had gone to work for- and I listened to them quite a bit...again, FM trumped AM....

So, enough of MY memories, let's end with Stuart and Beaker Street in 1977....


(or download here)
If there is ANYONE, ANYWHERE OUT THERE who has any more Beaker Street material to share, please contact me at the e-mail address below.  I'll be glad to pay for materials and postage, to be able to give YOU credit and post it here on the blog.  I am also desperately seeking audio of Don Payne on Beaker Street, who was the last deejay to head it up after Stuart McRae left.  Don Payne aired Beaker Street the last two or 2-1/2 weeks of its time in 1977, before "the suits" pulled the plug on April 3, 1977.

Thank you, dear visitor and friends of this blog- Greg, Dave S. and I certainly hope you enjoyed taking this historical walk down Beaker Street with us!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)

Beaker Street from 1977 with Stuart McRae

Just as we were approaching the end of our Beaker Street series, more surprises show up.  Like -- this aircheck from contributor Greg Mathieson, who had this show on cassette for years and has shared it with the Blog -- Thank you, Greg! 

It's from sometime in 1977 featuring Stuart McRae.  The aircheck is mostly untelescoped, tho it has a few breaks and sounds like it is a mix of several shows because the time checks are out of sequence.  It is DX reception on the skywave, location unknown, and the signal ranges from barely audible to loud and clear.  

The music lineup:  Pink Floyd, REO Speedwagon, Jeff Beck, Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac, Ambrosia, Kansas, Elton John, Deep Purple, and an unknown final track. 


(or download here)
Just as we thought -- there are still tapes of KAAY and Beaker Street out there, sitting in boxes in peoples' basements and attics, waiting to be discovered, dusted off and digitized! 

Greg Barman

Beaker Street & Beaker Theater - 4/13/71

Before we move on to the final airchecks in our Beaker Street series, we're going to take a step back for this aircheck because it contains a full Beaker Theater episode.

Beaker Theater ran at 2:00am right after Beaker Street, with double-features on the weekends.   A telescoped version of this aircheck has appeared earlier.  This recording with a full-length Beaker Theater is courtesy of Kenneth Hawkins, and we thank Kenneth very much for sharing it.   After 37 minutes of Beaker Street music, then Clyde's newscast, it's "The Geneva Mystery, Part 1" from the BBC on Beaker Theater.  From April 13, 1971:


(or download here)
Coming soon....the end of Beaker Street.  And, it's reappearance.


Greg Barman

1975 Beaker Street Aircheck

We'd posted this sometime in the past, but decided to add it to the line-up.  I can't remember if we'd ever found out who the DJ was... but, for historical reasons, here it is again:


(or download here)
Does anyone know who this is ?

We're getting close to the end....


Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)