Ladies and gentlemen now presenting John Farrell on WBUF from 1975
***A note to air check traders. Please do not record these air checks and try and trade. I have the original tapes many of which I recorded myself and thus the authenticity can not be in doubt and can be easily traced.
This air check clocks in over an hour and gives you a great taste of what a real free-flowing rock station could sound like. Farrell worked at least three of the Buffalo NY progressive rock stations WPHD, WBUF and WZIR. In a way BUF was the best progressive rock station that the city ever had. They were the longest lasting and the format was never watered down until they changed to pure album rock in 1978. John sounded serious and was concise and not prone to ramble. The atmosphere created on his show was one of smokey psychedelia. The music featured on this clip includes Spirit, Phil Manzanera, Armageddon, Weather Report, Emerson Lake and Palmer and an entire side of Hendrix.
Yeah this is far out man and you will be somewhat “experienced” in the art of progressive free form after you listen.
The end of the clip segues into the next show.
This is excellent stuff! I am from the DC/Baltimore area, home of the late, great WHFS … this aircheck is very much in that tradition.
I have read about WHFS but never got to hear it. I was able to listen to WRNR on the internet during the late 90’s and they may have had some old WHFS staff at the time and were a great station with a free form format.
John was one of my dearest friends. Gone 10 years today. It’s so great to hear his voice and his music!
John and I were friends from 1969 until his very untimely death. I remember nights spent in the studio hanging out with him while he selected the albums, cued up the tracks and smoked his cigarettes. Great hearing him on the air as if he was still with us.