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02/15/2007: "Little Bit Of Heaven Lost"

They say time flies when you're having fun. Well, I have news for you - it pretty much hauls ass no matter what.

Case in point? Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the day the greatest rock and roll radio station in the world - KMET-FM here in Los Angeles - ceased to exist. For someone of my generation, that was a tragedy. I grew up with the mighty MET, and it formed the soundtrack of my highschool and college years. I can remember when Jim Ladd - the Lonesome LA Cowboy and subject of Tom Petty's rant "The Last DJ" - got his hands on a copy of the brand-new Pink Floyd album "The Wall" and played it over and over for an entire show. I remember Ladd's playing nothing but John Lennon songs after he was killed - until he disgustedly realized that was the last thing Lennon would have wanted. I spent many a Friday morning at Gazzarri's on the Sunset Strip, having opted to ditch work and drink beer at 6AM with the KMET crew at one of their "Finally a Friday" celebrations. Them's were the days ...

But time moves on. KMET became KTWV, "The Wave" - now well-established and considered the birthplace of the "smooth jazz" concept, and a fine station in it's own right. The air crew scattered, and once in a while you'll see Cynthia Fox or Mary Turner pop up at some event. You can buy real estate from Pat "Paraquat" Kelley - if you can afford it. And of course, you can still find the Lonesome LA Cowboy manning the airwaves each night over at KLOS.

C'mon ... sing it with me - you know the words:

Little bit of heaven, ninety-four-point-seven, KMET ... tweetle-dee!

God, I feel old ...