The WZMF Story.
Imagine literally growing up with and amongst the crazy environs of a progressive rock station. Seeing its’ beginning through the eyes of a teen age kid and having your mentors and influences being that of a group of seemingly immoral, strangely artistic and hopelessly poor hippies who were trapsing from the East Side of town to pastoral Menominee Falls to vent their creative and social agendas and then when the time comes for you to inherit it; to come into you own and actively participate, it all ends.
I’ve known of Steve Amann’s story for quite some time and never found the opportunity to write about it. His father, Ron Amann, was one of three Globe Union co-workers who decided to take a shot at owning a radio station. With the only available frequency being that of a low power (3,000 watt) 98.3, they partnered up and rolled the dice.
In 1999 WMSE held an on-air WZMF Reunion. It was a 2 hour show that featured many of the folks you may have already heard on the WZMF Final Hour podcast hosted by “Nick The Greek.” (Who, by the way, has a great on air presence.) During the show Steve called in from a Midway Motor Lodge in Kenosha to tell this story (with the help of some friends). It’s an articulate, passionate and relevent rendering of the tale of how ZMF came to be and what it was like to be in and around it.
No doubt Steve has much more to tell than the snippets here and hopefully we’ll someday see an expanded rendering of that in print. This runs 19:52.
Very special thanks again to Al Javorek!
Where is Steve Stevens? I know he went to WOKY but now he isn’t there. Back in ‘76 & ‘77 he drove an old car with stickers holding it together. I worked for Roob Photography. We did a lot of the pictures for the studio (announcers). Thanks. Karin
I see Steve everyday. I’ll let him know Karin is inquiring.
By the way,…Although ZMF has gone from Menomonee Falls, along with Andresaks Tap, the Honey Bucket, and hanging out in Kohl’s parking lot with a 12 pack of Pabst, WZMF was definately the station of choice back in “76 and “77. (I was the guy driving the green “68 Charger)
I’d also like to get in touch with Steve Stevens! He dated my mother right after her divorce in 1970, when I was 9 years old!
I now work in pulbic radio.
I’ll mention your name to Steve today, and see if he’s willing to post his cell on this site so friends can get in touch with him.
One of the WZMF traditions was the Midnight Flick. The catch phrase “Music Energy,” along with bumper stickers reading “ZMF 98 Grabs Me”(?) and a decorative plaque-sign in the Maude Shunk Library reading “24 hours of Progressive Rock” promoted the station. Current issues were referenced with the News Blimp. DJs did not talk too fast on the air, and commercials were fairly laid back. For example, “Wooden Nickel loves you more, yeah.” Of course, who doesn’t remember the old Underground Switchboard song, “If your __ done left you, or you’re bummin’ out on LSD, just get yourself to a telephone, and call 271-3123. It’s the Underground, the Underground Switchboard. Call ‘em up anytime at all. They’re going to ease your mind, and all you have to do ic call 271-3123.”
Happened across your site and have to tell you it really takes me back.
I worked at ZMF from late 1977 through 3/23/1979 sign off (I had the last “regular shift” before Downstairs came back in to host the sign off show. Hard to imagine that it’s been 30-years. The tribute show at WMSE was a lot of fun – saw some of the guys I worked with during my stay and shared lots of stories.
I haven’t seen anything that referenced Joey Santoro – he took over as PD early 1978 and was an amazing talent. Working under Joey and Benson (MD) was more fun than I’ve ever had in any job since – Mary Farrell, Sue Finco (now on the GB Packers Board of Directors!), Donna Walker and Al Ferguson (among others) all made it a wonderful time.
Final note on the sign off show – it was a double-wammy for some of us: we not only lost our favorite radio station – but we were out of a job! Damn!
I ended up working in the building again a few years later as Ops Mgr at WXJY (the call letters that replaced WZMF when it went easy listening) – and then as it evolved in WFMF (I did the first air shirt as it went Classical – that was a long strange trip from playing the Tubes’ “White Punks on Dope”.
Thanks for bringing all those memories back!
thanks Doug!
I thought there was a Disc Jockey Called Fast Eddie Dimasely? ( I think I am spelling it right? YIKES ) Thanks Dino J Balistreri Living in Texas
Pastoral Menomonee Falls? As an early ZMF devotee (the Amann kids are younger than me; friends of my younger brother) and frequent Appleton Avenue cruiser – from McDonald’s to Colonial Plaza and back all night long – I can tell you any pastoral reference can’t be made to 1970 Menomonee Falls.The East Side had nothing on us.
Hey, is anyone interested in the last ‘two’ hours of ZMF? I have it on cassette and it played clean and sweet the last time I ran it. I would offer it up to anyone who would do it justice and share it with the world. (I don’t know much about transferring analog audio to digital.) Really, I had a ZMF sticker on the inside of my locker for four years in high school, DID’NT see the Police at the Electric Ballroom in early spring 1978, and sadly, didn’t get out to Shady Lane on the last night, though many of my friends did. Thanks.
krisross1963@gmail.com
Is Steve Amann and Steve Stevens one in the same?
From a friend of Steve’s:
Steve Amann worked at QFM under the air name of Steve Michaels. Steve Stevens worked at ZMF, he did the morning show at Q for a very brief time, (just before QFM simulcasted Steve Dahl’s show- about 1979). Stevens went on to Program WOKY and is now out of radio completely.
Word is Stevens hangs in “The Falls.”
Wow! I have been searching for info on Andresak’s Tap for some time now. Used to rent a room upstairs in the early 80’s from Jack. Dated one of the bartenders named Rhonda Ducharme. Wonder where she is now? Put up the cable TV lines in town and when the job was finished we moved on. Will be vacationing in Madison this fall and was wondering if I would still recognize things?
What great memories! ….. Bert
ps… never did gain a taste for Old Style!
Hey, If anyone knows of Steve Stevens whereabouts, could they get ahold of me. I used to work with Steve at WZMf. I’d love to speak to him. Thanks. Those days were great. John Houghton