Damn. Did anyone see this coming?
KLOL, 101.1 FM announced Friday that station has changed formats. The station switched from a rock format to a Latino music format branded as Mega 101.
The station’s web site was listed as under construction, but KLOL’s former morning show hosts Walton and Johnson announced on their web site that they were informed Thursday night of the change.
The radio hosts stated on WaltonandJohnson.com that, “Thursday night Walton and Johnson were informed by lower-level management sources via a last-minute phone call that there would be no Walton and Johnson Show tomorrow. In its place would be Hispanic music programs.”
Walton and Johnson were the #7 rated morning show in the latest ratings. I’m happy to see them go since I think they’re a couple of crapmeisters, but I’m shocked it happened like this.
What this means is that there’s no rock station in Houston which isn’t limited to a time period. You’ve got your Oldies Rock on 107.5, your Classic Rock on 93.7,and your Alternative Rock on 94.5, but no one station that might play anything from the Beatles and Cream to Collective Soul and Green Day, which KLOL used to do. If there’s a better definition of “vast radio wasteland” than that, I don’t know what it is.
Found via Metroblogging Houston.
UPDATE: Various KLOL fans have found this old post and are expressing their angst over the format change. Google’s cache still has the old KLOL web page in it. This discussion thread was complaining about KLOL’s format – one can perhaps see how a change might have been in the works, though clearly what they got was not what they were asking for. I hope Ken Hoffman and.or John Nova Lomax has something to say about why this happened soon.
UPDATE: Pete piles on. Jim D wails. Michael finds a scapegoat. Callie has some words from Walton and Johnson. Kevin examines his non-FM options.
Well, that’s a preset on my car radio that needs to be changed. Of course, the only other stations on the FM dial I ever listen to are 93.7, 106.9, 107.5 and occasionally 94.5. So there’s really no reason to change it when I have 12 FM settings available.
It’s getting to be pretty slim pickings out there. And as my wife would surely attest, harder to find a station playing music when others are talking or in a commercial break.
And if you think Walton and Johnson are crapmeisters, you obviously never heard Lamont and Tonelli on Bay Area radio.
Dear God, this is sad. I’ve been listening to KLOL for 25 years. It stopped being my primary radio station when it got bought out by Clear Channel, but the KLOL has always been the Rock station in Houston.
I remember having KLOL on my walkman when I was running one day in 1990, and Dana Steele came on to tell Houstonians that SRV had been killed.
Dear God, this is sad. I’ve been listening to KLOL for 25 years. It stopped being my primary radio station when it got bought out by Clear Channel, but the KLOL has always been the Rock station in Houston.
I remember having KLOL on my walkman when I was running one day in 1990, and Dana Steele came on to tell Houstonians that SRV had been killed.
I tried to E-Mail the gawds to try and start a petition against the CC bastards to get OUR station back!!!!!!!! ROCK 101 RULED!? PETITION….PETITION!!!!! been a loyal listner for 34 years…those CC bastards….
KLOL’s morning program was sexist, homophobic, Republican, and just crap. I wish I was sad about them changing formats and how they were treated, but why should their workplace be any better than anyone else laboring in Houston?
Republican Rock? How wrong is that?
Clear Channel is crap, too. I cannot bear radio in Houston anymore. Even KHOU has some low rent jock spinning classical now. Sad, very sad.
No one up here (Pocatello, Idaho) believes me when I tell them that the radio up here is better than it is down in Houston. That’s just pathetic.
I may just have to give it all up and become a hardcore rap fanatic…
Is this the end? Is life as a rock radio listener not worth living any more…?
:: cries ::
Wow, just read about this on Burnt Orange. I grew up on KLOL even when I didn’t listen to it (my mom did). I remember Jolly and Jay from the 70’s and the reports of the “Big Bird” in Conroe! Scary!
Well I am down in Corpus now and there is nothing to choose from here. I recommend satellite radio, its worth the 10 bucks a month if you get a portable or semi portable jobby like the Roadys.
uncastrated classic rock on KPFT (90.1 fm).
monday afternoons.
the best rock music you’ve never heard
random intervals on KTRU (91.7fm)
Now I have nothing to listen to in my truck. I’m 26, Born and raised in Houston, and I’m hispanic. Rock is my music. Thanks for nothng CC. I don’t no what to listen to in the mornings either…Walton & Johnson rule.
So what happens to all of the other dj’s like Wendy or Outlaw Dave. I cannot believe that they would take away such an awesome rock station and an institution that is a part of Houstons history.
That’s just not right! Have you people gone insane? Walton & Johnson are a Houston staple, and where are we suppose to hear Metalica? It is my hope that W & J will be back on the air and reguardless of where that is, your listeners will be sure to follow.
THATS IT!!! I HAVE HAD IT WITH HOUSTON RADIO. SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAVE HOUSTONS AIRWAVES!!! WE AS CITIZENS OF THIS CITY NEED TO PUT TOGETHER A RALLY, CONCERT / FUNDRAISER TO START A NEW ROCK STATION, AND BRING BACK OUTLAW DAVE… WALTON AND JOHNSON , AND THE REST OF THE KLOL STAFF. HOW COULD CC DO THIS?? FLIP THROUGH THE DIAL AND COUNT HOW MANY LATINO STATIONS WE HAVE. THIS IS REDICULOUS. WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND GET SOMETHING GOING!!!
i want to fight!! i want our rock station back!! who will play the ozz man? or ac/dc all the good stuff. this is america! i know we have a lot of hispanic but does that meen we have no stations for all of us other english speaking nation!!!!!!
clear channel you suck! i think your upper managment are discriminating against us.
REMEMBER THE ALAMO BITCH!!!!
Wow! I moved to Georgia from Houston back in March. I was shocked when a friend from Houston told me last night that KLOL was gone. How sad is that? KLOL was the soundtrack of my life for 15 years. I was intoduced to so much music by KLOL, including Rush, SRV and much more. It feels like an old friend has died. I guess the 5 Spanish FM stations werent enough for Houston. I have a feeling KKRW will change its format to play more Ozzy and Metallica now. That seems to be the trend now…1 Rock station that will give you everything from the Stones to Nickelback. It is definitely the end of a great era!
how many people actually listen to that Latino crap anyway? They try to hard to please the minorities instead of the majority. I was driving in the morning and I thought my radio had broken or something and couldnt figure it out until I saw the newspaper, and it pissed me off.
Walton and Johnson were just a couple of talking heads, so I’m not that sorry to have THEM go, but they’re leaving us with totally slim pickings around here (drive time morning radio has been horrendous around here since KLOL canned Blake and Charley, but that’s a different debate) I never cared for the second-hand humor and wish they’d just run the music and talk less.
We’ve long needed another good rock station that played deep cuts and real rock (attn KKRW: American Pie-and indeed ANYTHING Don McLean ever did-is NOT rock!!)
When I heard about this yesterday I was shocked, and thought “I wonder if XM radio paid CC to do this?” then I found out that CC owns a large interest in XM Radio–could it be that the demographics of the rock audience is more likely to run out and buy a satellite radio setup? I feel so used and manipulated!! I guess I’m going to have to take a serious look at both XM and Serius now
Thank You Shelley, W&J are a Houston staple. KLOL off the air? And for what…some minority latino bullsh*t? What is this? Its sad, really sad.
KLOL, the only real rock station in Houston, well it is really cold here in Hell. The only thing, and I mean ONLY thing Mexican music is good for is videos, without being able to see the women, it is completly useless. The ICON has been with us through all of the hard times: the death of SRV, the second by second updates of the World Trade Centers coming down, Metallica’s fire incident, the holiday blood drives, supporting benefits for fallen firefighters, injured children, fallen motorcyclists, and fallen police officers. Thanks to CC, [ the evil empire], all of that is history and we are on our own. Ineed my Outlaw Dave fix, Ineed my Wendy Miller fix, I need my 4:20 break. I say let’s flood their e-mail with complaints, hard and heavy, so many that we shut down their server. Come on Houston, I know we have it in us, they want war, we can give them war.
I can’t even begin to understand it. Going around Houston literally hearing random conversations about Tejano music instead of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” on 101 makes you realize how important of a staple this frequency has become to Houston. Bring it back!!!! Damn Clear Channel
God, please smite Clear Channel – they already suck, so your smite on them should be pleasurable.
i cant believe klol is gone its all i have listened to literally all my life, radio is dead and so is rock n roll. with so many hispanic channels on the radio i dont know why they couldnt leave one rock station. i will miss hearing metallica, ozzy, kiss, guns n roses, the best groups ever. this sucks!!!!!!!!!!! i hate clear channel.
Let it be known that even the hispanics in houston are sayin’, “What the F**k?!” I was born and raised in H-town and grew up on 101. Everybody I know: white, black, hispanic, long-hair, shaved head…EVERYBODY’S pissed about this! My brothers and sisters, we CANNOT let this go unchallenged. We have GOT to make a statement to people who think they can take “Mandatory Metallica”, the Queen of the Midday world and Outlaw Dave away from us. They do not know who they’re f**kin’ with.
“Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
-Dylan Thomas
i am a Hispanic but i enjoy the rock 101 station it is true there are lots of of other spanish station the only thing left to listen to is 93.7 94.5
what can we do to fight this injustic is there a email we could write to complane
im going to miss the station
Email cc and let them know how you feel.s and p got old w and j I never did quite get into them.But there music rocked .I met Wendy Miller and she is a hottie plus she from my hood .cc is nothing but corporate greed
It is a terrible day in Houston radio. 101 is gone. What a tragedy, as many of us grew up listening to KLOL. My heart is heavy today as we continue to see Houston radio narrowed for caucausian listeners. No offense to the latino rockers out there who will no doubt miss KLOL too, however, there is little doubt this is a station that had as the majority of its listeners
white males. I am sickened by this change as I have been listening since about 1975. Although it hasnt been my main station in the last couple years, I listened at some time during the day, every day. Everyone needs to contact Clear Channel and express our outrage. If they do not respond a boycott should be considered for as a dedicated rock fan, there are not many options left for me in the city of Houston. It is time to step up fellow rock fans and try to stop this lunacy.
If you got to http://www.clear channel.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the contacts link, click on the Our Executives link and it will take you to a page with the names of the top execs.or you can just cut and paste these names and flood them wih e-mails. LLowryMays@clearchannel.com,MarkPMays@clearchannel.com,RandallTMays@clearchannel.com,JohnTTippit@clearchannel.com,DianeDWarren@clearchannel.com,BatesCRichmond@clearchannel.com,RickWWolf@clearchannel.com
I just moved here a year ago from Victoria and I think ALL HOUSTON ROCK RADIO SUCKS-HAS FOR YEARS. Walton and johnson were racist neo-conservative pricks deserving of thier fate. I mean come on, all those stereotyped characters from 2 people. I think they (and thier kind)were mocked by SNL last year. Now were all “LIVIN LA VIDA LOCA!!!” from-Young Hispanic male-
What can I say? This is something that Clear Channel is notorious for. KLOL used to kick major ass back in the 80’s and early 90’s. How many of you remember when Linda Silk was the only DJ that would play Metallica, Maiden, or Priest on Saturday nights. Before there was Outlaw Dave there was Grego, the head outlaw that started Outlaw Radio in the first place. Radio was actually fun to listen to from 7 to midnight every day. Then years later CC bought them out and the station went to total crap. KLOL would only play the same three songs from the same handful of bands and that was it. This is just the final nail in the coffin that was to be the death of KLOL. I would recommend spending the time to fight Clear Channel to change back but is it really worth it? We’ll all be better off if another company would invest in the Houston rock market. Whether we’re stuck with satellite radio or listening to CDs, life will go on. Sad as it is, it will be without KLOL but we’re all better off without Clear Channel. But for all those that would like to fight back, e-mail this guy at Clear Channel: omarvthompson@clearchannel.com and tell him what you think.
KLOL sucked most of the time, heck, a true 10-percenter would change the dial right after hearing “Eat It, everyday”.
Except, what about Loch Siebehausen? Man, that guys needs a job. Please someone hire him, he’s a great guy and we dont need him roaming the streets, so please help Loch.
I didnt care for the music much, I prefer 91.7 Rice radio, those college kids help keep me feeling younger with the interesting mix, but best of all, no commercials. KPFT 90.1 has some good music shows, and some of those wacked-out lefties are entertaining in very small doses, but they actually do do commercials in their own way.
Walton & Johnson are none of the aforementioned, neither sexist, homophobic, nor republican. Any true fan would tell you that. They are no more sexist or homophobic as any letter writer or reader on this site. And they are definetely not republicans, that’s laughable. Just two very good decent people, pseudo-celebrities, who are very talented and informative. Ok, Steve has maybe a little more natural talent, but both are pretty quick on their feet. If they were to go away, I would be a little sad, but we did have some good times together.
Dean & Rog are ok, but again I can’t deal with the music. Like KLOL, I’ve heard most of those songs a million times. I’ll never get satellite radio, if you have a cd player and/or cassette, why do you need it? I like my choice of music the best, not some playlist some other goober picked out.
It does suck. I understand the history of KLOL, and I know and like all the people who have had a part with it, and sakes alive we got way more than plenty Mexican music stations. Fer crying out loud, what the hell are them management folks thinking? What a bunch of prime a-holes. They just pissed on thousands of fans. Ha-ha, see ‘ya! Screw you “Mr. Doesn’t speak Spanish”. Up yours “Ms. No Habla”.
Gone is a tradition, in the wind like yesterdays toenails.
I know KLOL had a huge audience, so why? It’s shocking, aggravating, irritating, and disturbing.
I guess in the end, the “LOL” did stand for “lots of laughs”, because you just have to laugh at the supreme idiocy of the jake-legs who made that decision.
And Chris Baker is not funny.
THIS SUCKS!!! WALTON & JOHNSON RULE!!! AND ENOUGH WITH YOU LIBERAL PANSIES WHO DID NOT LIKE THEM, I’M SORRY THEY DONT AGREE WITH YOU, BUT DOES THAT MEAN THEY SHOULD BE DONE AWAY WITH?? NO, BRING THEM BACK!!
Mandatory metallica, out to lunch show, the 420 break, walton and johnson, wendy miller, outlaw dave, locke stebenhousen, uncle nasty, the pitt, 40 min rock block, the rock and roll up your sleeve blood drives, and countless other local event promotions, ALL GONE!!! Just like that???!!!!
I am still in a total state of shock.. It’s not like there are countless other latino stations out there to satatisfy the pallet of even the most discriminating listener, why do we need a latino top 40? I am hispanic, and like most other hispanic out there who grew up in houston I listened to KLOL. We did fine though out the years before Clear Channel would be doing better without them. I don’t appreciate them trying to accommodate us force feeding crap down our throats. KLOL is a monument, it is part of Houston. Just because it is not an actual building or structure does not make it any less important. CC needs to understand their actions are just as damaging as if they tore down a famous historical landmark like the astrodome. I feel like I have been slapped in the face. I am tired of pencil pushers This is corporate america playing big brother by telling us they know what is best. This cannot be the end of KLOL, I refuse to believe it.
If anybody has any plans of opposing CC’s reign and trying to bring back what is rightfully ours, I am interested in helping the cause.
Sorry, I cannot just eat this one Mr. Walton.
What the Hell??????????????????????????????? We are ENGLISH speaking and want to hear ROCK N ROLL – not no MEXICAN CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What the H***??????????????????????????????? We are ENGLISH speaking and want to hear ROCK N ROLL – not no MEXICAN CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot not believe those f***ing coporate bastards took away an institution of a radio station. Its bad enough that we hardly have any rock to listen to at all, and now to replace a rock station with a 6th mexican station??? How many stations you damn mexicans need? Everyone on here wants to take out there aggression and write e-mails to the corporate pigs at CC, but I have a better idea. The best way to hurt CC is to invest your money in satellite radio, and since CC has a stake in XM radio already I HIGHLY suggest to invest money in Sirius, I have had it for 3 months and have NOT listened to the radio at all!!!!! DEFINATELY WORTH IT!!!!!!!! So to truly stick it to CC, just go out and buy Sirius!!!
Were are having a hard enough time trying to
fight illegal immigration, This is Texas which still is part of the United States THIS IS NOT
MEXICO. Maybe Clear Channel needs remember this.
This is bullshit. I was listening to KLOL yesterday morning while running errands and I thought it was strange they were playing “I’m Free.” I had to run into a store really quick, so I didn’t hear the end of the song. When I got back and turned the car on, I thought something was wrong with my radio. Then, I later learned “I’m Free” was the first song our KLOL played and the last. I couldn’t help but cry. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THE DJ’S. IF ANY OF YOU GUYS FROM 101 READ THIS, WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND MISS YOU. WENDY, YOU’RE THE BEST. THANK YOU AND TAKE CARE.
Walton And Johnson keep your chin up.
Big Mistake, Clear Channel.
WTF!!!! May Alah bring down those evil CC fucks… What in the hell were these bastards thinking? I mean shit, I’m hispanic… I DON’T KNOW SPANISH ASSHOLES!!! PUT SOME ENGLISH MUSIC ON! FUCKS!!!!!
WWJD…
I have started up a petition to bring back rock101.. I am not sure what good it will do but atleast it will bring about some organization…
So go and sign it at http://www.rock101.info
it is a shame that a city the size of houston cannot support a rock radio station anymore. klol was a institution around houston. they just needed to adjust the format a little and drop the stupid morning show potty humour.bring back z-rock!!!!that was better! i will not listen to any clear channel stations anymore!
Well, it looks like it is time for me to buy satellite radio. Long live the music and not the commercials…..
What a load of CRAP!! No Rock 101? No Walton & Johnson?….Latino rap. Give me a break!! Did someone take everyone hostage at CC’s corporate headquarters? It’s the only possible explanation. Whatever the ransom demand is, I’ll be happy to pitch in and write a check. CC must have stock in XM satelite, which I will have installed next week!.
This is definitely a bunch of bullshit. I grew up listening to KLOL. How could they just suddenly take it off the air? I’m with everyone else on here about flooding their e-mails. We need KLOL back.
I don’t live in Houston or Texas, but my friend Dave does. He is so pissed off that some Hispanic station came into Houston and fucked his favorite station over.
He says that he knows what happened. He did a little research and Mega101 is some big radio station from Miami. They came into Houston and bought out Rock101 and screwed Texas over in the same instant.
My suggestion: start a mass riot and kill Mega101 for playing 10101 Latino songs in a row.
Complain to CC! Ues e-mail regular mail voice mail, hell even air mail, but COMPLAIN.
Demand a list of their advetisers and DO NOT SUPPORT THEM, even if it means sacrificing that new car you want.
Remember, they are more likely to listen if you dont call them stupid fucks (even though they are) or other names.
Keep the faith we can get OUR station back!
This sucks. I really don’t like Walton and Johnson, but I like Rock and Roll. There is just some stuff they play that you don’t here on The Buzz (which is a CC station as well) or The Arrow (also CC).
While KLOL isn’t my “main station” any longer, I stil listened to them at least once day. There is certainly an opening for an all-rock station to take KLOL’s place.
http://www.batman-on-film.com
GAH!!!! Enough…..bring back Rock 101. We can’t give up so easily. I think we should boycott protest…..dare I say it Riot. This isn’t fair. Not every hispanic wants to listen to spanish top 40. I’m hispanic. I love rock and roll. And I listened to Rock 101. 93.7 and 107.5. I don’t really like the buzz. But I loved Rock 101. Mandatory metallica people. Rush, Ac/dc, Zeppelin, sabbath, nirvana, stevie ray vauhgn, megadeth, hendrix, floyd. This is a nighmare, I hope it is. Tomorrow is Mondayy, since this is a nightmare I hope to wake up, get ready for school and on my way there, hear Walton & Johnson.
Damn!!!! I moved back from Dallas 3 months ago and was soo happy to have my Rock 101 back, because Dallas radio sucks. I loved the whole station, but especially Outlaw Dave and the 420 show. I have to have my my daily fix of it and I am dying. Can’t this be a bad dream and I wake up tom. and they will be on right?? Didn’t they have enough lationo stations already??