KNDD
Encyclopedia
KNDD also known as "107.7 The End", is an alternative rock
radio station
in Seattle, Washington
. It is operated by Entercom Communications
Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle. The station switched to an alternative music format on August 23, 1991, at the time the Seattle grunge
scene was gaining national attention.
and eventually owned by the Jack Straw Memorial Foundation. KRAB broadcast an eclectic
mix of Pacifica
radio features, world music
, jazz
, and much more. But the station was also dangerously close to insolvency. Its management realized the station could be sold to a commercial broadcaster and an endowment
created, allowing the Foundation to broadcast in the non-commercial part of the radio dial, which exists between 88.1 MHz and 91.9 MHz. The owners of KRAB originally applied to share time with KNHC, owned by the Seattle Public Schools
. However, this action was seen by the school district as a hostile take-over bid. Ultimately, the owners got a license for 90.7 MHz in Everett, Washington
. KRAB's legacy remains on the air at KSER
.
The first commercial station signed on in 1985. It was known as KMGI, also known as "Magic 108 FM". The station was a gold-based Adult Contemporary station and had limited success for four years. But, under the ownership of Noble Broadcast Group, the station refocused as a Hot AC station beginning in 1990 and called itself "I-107.7." KMGI brought together the morning team of Kelly and Alpha, who remained with the station throughout its days as I-107-7. All forms of AC tried on the station resulted in low ratings.
For a few weeks in August of 1991, 107.7 stunted with non-stop (1950s-1980s) TV theme songs with different voices stating "The End is coming" during its commercial breaks and randomly between themes. On August 23, 1991, at 3 PM, the station changed its name and call letters to "107.7 The End" (KNDD). The End's first song was "It's The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
" by R.E.M.
. The station referred to its music as "The Cutting Edge of Rock." This positioning statement borrowed directly from its San Diego/Tijuana
sister station XETRA-FM
. It was the Seattle market's 4th attempt at a modern alternative format, dating back to KZAM AM 1540 in the late 1970s. Other stations in the format at one time or another included KJET-AM 1590 and KYYX
-FM 96.5, which both trace their histories to the 1980s. Within six weeks of The End's first broadcast, three albums by local artists — Ten
by Pearl Jam
, Nevermind
by Nirvana
and Badmotorfinger
by Soundgarden
— were released. These albums helped come to define the sound known as grunge
, and the station quickly became one of the major stations in alternative rock radio. KNDD was also the first commercial station to play the band Weezer
, when in June 1994, the station played "Undone (The Sweater Song)".
On December 18, 2003
, the station moved to a classic alternative rock
direction. CBS Radio
followed suit 29 hours later by flipping KYPT ("96.5 The Point") to KRQI ("96-5 K-Rock") to provide competition. This proved to be a stunt, and shortly after KRQI's sign-on, the station moved back to alternative rock
, although it dumped most hard rock
bands (KRQI later dumped the format and flipped to adult hits
in 2005 as KJAQ
). This marked one of the first times when KNDD wasn't Seattle's only alternative rock station. But, KNDD returned to not being Seattle's only alternative rock
station in 2011
, when Sandusky's KLCK-FM (Click 98.9) changed formats from adult album alternative
/modern AC to alternative
.
In May 2006, long time program director Phil Manning announced that he was leaving the station. Lazlo, of KRBZ
in Kansas City
, was named the new program director on June 1, 2006. In November 2006, he began hosting afternoons with a simulcast
of his KRBZ show, which was co-hosted by his wife, Afentra, and Slimfast under the "Church of Lazlo" moniker. On July 17, 2008, Lazlo, Afentra, and Slimfast announced that they would depart KNDD. On August 25, 2008, both "Afentra's Big Fat Morning Buzz" and "The Church of Lazlo" returned live to Kansas City on KRBZ. This came shortly after former KRBZ
program director Mike Kaplan took over programming duties at KNDD.
In February 2009, the syndicated Adam Carolla Show was cancelled, leaving KNDD without a morning show. After an on air search for a new morning host that featured well known DJs and local musicians, Whitney "Red" Knoerlin was named host of a freshly resurrected version of The Morning End.
song "Amish Paradise
" at 2:55pm on Monday, October 2, 2006, just hours after Charles Roberts killed 5 young girls in a Pennsylvania Amish schoolhouse
.
On October 6, 2006, Entercom Seattle Vice President Jerry McKenna issued the following statement. DJ No Name was "less respectful of the event than he should have been. We are dealing with it internally.
magazine.
Other nominees included WBCN in Boston, Massachusetts, KROQ-FM
in Los Angeles, KTBZ-FM
in Houston, Texas, KITS
, in San Francisco, and WWDC
in Washington, DC.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. It is operated by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
Its studios are located in the Metropolitan Park West tower between Downtown and South Lake Union in Seattle. The station switched to an alternative music format on August 23, 1991, at the time the Seattle grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
scene was gaining national attention.
History
The station began its life in 1962 as non-commercial KRAB, founded by Lorenzo MilamLorenzo Milam
Lorenzo Wilson Milam, born on August 2, 1933, in Jacksonville, Florida, is an American writer and activist who was instrumental in starting many of the first listener-supported community radio stations in the United States, beginning with KRAB-FM in Seattle in 1962...
and eventually owned by the Jack Straw Memorial Foundation. KRAB broadcast an eclectic
Eclecticism in music
Eclecticism is used to describe a composer's conscious use of styles alien to his nature, or from one or more historical styles. The term is also used pejoratively to describe music whose composer, thought to be lacking originality, appears to have freely drawn on other models .-Sources:* Kennedy,...
mix of Pacifica
Pacifica Radio
Pacifica Radio is the oldest public radio network in the United States. It is a group of five independently operated, non-commercial, listener-supported radio stations that is known for its progressive/liberal political orientation. It is also a program service supplying over 100 affiliated...
radio features, world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and much more. But the station was also dangerously close to insolvency. Its management realized the station could be sold to a commercial broadcaster and an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
created, allowing the Foundation to broadcast in the non-commercial part of the radio dial, which exists between 88.1 MHz and 91.9 MHz. The owners of KRAB originally applied to share time with KNHC, owned by the Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Public Schools is the school district serving Seattle, Washington, USA. Its headquarters are in the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence.-List of schools:...
. However, this action was seen by the school district as a hostile take-over bid. Ultimately, the owners got a license for 90.7 MHz in Everett, Washington
Everett, Washington
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 103,019 at the 2010 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and...
. KRAB's legacy remains on the air at KSER
KSER
KSER is a non-commercial radio station and airs a news talk format. The station, which is owned and operated by the non-profit KSER Foundation, broadcasts at 90.7 MHz with an ERP of 5.8 kW and is licensed to Everett, Washington. Its on-air moniker is "A Sound Adventure."-History:KSER's roots...
.
The first commercial station signed on in 1985. It was known as KMGI, also known as "Magic 108 FM". The station was a gold-based Adult Contemporary station and had limited success for four years. But, under the ownership of Noble Broadcast Group, the station refocused as a Hot AC station beginning in 1990 and called itself "I-107.7." KMGI brought together the morning team of Kelly and Alpha, who remained with the station throughout its days as I-107-7. All forms of AC tried on the station resulted in low ratings.
For a few weeks in August of 1991, 107.7 stunted with non-stop (1950s-1980s) TV theme songs with different voices stating "The End is coming" during its commercial breaks and randomly between themes. On August 23, 1991, at 3 PM, the station changed its name and call letters to "107.7 The End" (KNDD). The End's first song was "It's The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
" by R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
. The station referred to its music as "The Cutting Edge of Rock." This positioning statement borrowed directly from its San Diego/Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
sister station XETRA-FM
XETRA-FM
XETRA-FM — branded 91X, and sometimes identified as XTRA-FM — is an English language, Mexican-owned modern rock music station broadcasting from Tijuana, Baja California on 91.1 MHz. The studios are located in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego...
. It was the Seattle market's 4th attempt at a modern alternative format, dating back to KZAM AM 1540 in the late 1970s. Other stations in the format at one time or another included KJET-AM 1590 and KYYX
KYYX
KYYX is a country music radio station in Minot, North Dakota, owned by Clear Channel Communications. The call sign "KYYX" is pronounced as "kicks" and the station's nickname is "97 Kicks FM"....
-FM 96.5, which both trace their histories to the 1980s. Within six weeks of The End's first broadcast, three albums by local artists — Ten
Ten (Pearl Jam album)
Ten is the debut studio album by the American grunge band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard's previous group Mother Love Bone, the two recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike McCready, and...
by Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, Nevermind
Nevermind
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind was the group's first release on DGC Records...
by Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and Badmotorfinger
Badmotorfinger
Badmotorfinger is the third studio album by the American grunge band Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991 through A&M Records. After touring in support of its previous album, Louder Than Love , Soundgarden began the recording sessions for its next album with new bassist Ben Shepherd...
by Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
— were released. These albums helped come to define the sound known as grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
, and the station quickly became one of the major stations in alternative rock radio. KNDD was also the first commercial station to play the band Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, when in June 1994, the station played "Undone (The Sweater Song)".
On December 18, 2003
2003 in radio
The year 2003 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* October 10 - Facing an investigation surrounding allegations of illegal drug use, American right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh publicly admits that he is addicted to prescription pain killers, and will seek treatment.-Debuts:*March...
, the station moved to a classic alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
direction. CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
followed suit 29 hours later by flipping KYPT ("96.5 The Point") to KRQI ("96-5 K-Rock") to provide competition. This proved to be a stunt, and shortly after KRQI's sign-on, the station moved back to alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, although it dumped most hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
bands (KRQI later dumped the format and flipped to adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
in 2005 as KJAQ
KJAQ
KJAQ is a commercial radio station located in Seattle, Washington. KJAQ airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
). This marked one of the first times when KNDD wasn't Seattle's only alternative rock station. But, KNDD returned to not being Seattle's only alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
station in 2011
2011 in radio
The following events occurred in radio broadcasting in 2011.-Events:*January 1: 2 Knoxville stations change formats as WDLF and WYLV flip to K-LOVE and Air 1 , and a few Pittsburgh station change formats, as ESPN Radio moves from WEAE to WBGG, and Radio Disney moves from WWCS to the renamed WDDZ,...
, when Sandusky's KLCK-FM (Click 98.9) changed formats from adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
/modern AC to alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
.
In May 2006, long time program director Phil Manning announced that he was leaving the station. Lazlo, of KRBZ
KRBZ
KRBZ, FM 96.5 in Kansas City, is an Alternative rock station. The station uses the brand name 96-5 The Buzz. It is the Kansas City market's home for the syndicated program Loveline. The station is owned by Entercom Communications, and is based in Mission, Kansas.-History:KRBZ began broadcasting in...
in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, was named the new program director on June 1, 2006. In November 2006, he began hosting afternoons with a simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
of his KRBZ show, which was co-hosted by his wife, Afentra, and Slimfast under the "Church of Lazlo" moniker. On July 17, 2008, Lazlo, Afentra, and Slimfast announced that they would depart KNDD. On August 25, 2008, both "Afentra's Big Fat Morning Buzz" and "The Church of Lazlo" returned live to Kansas City on KRBZ. This came shortly after former KRBZ
KRBZ
KRBZ, FM 96.5 in Kansas City, is an Alternative rock station. The station uses the brand name 96-5 The Buzz. It is the Kansas City market's home for the syndicated program Loveline. The station is owned by Entercom Communications, and is based in Mission, Kansas.-History:KRBZ began broadcasting in...
program director Mike Kaplan took over programming duties at KNDD.
In February 2009, the syndicated Adam Carolla Show was cancelled, leaving KNDD without a morning show. After an on air search for a new morning host that featured well known DJs and local musicians, Whitney "Red" Knoerlin was named host of a freshly resurrected version of The Morning End.
Concerts and communities
- EndfestEndfestEndfest is an annual summer music festival hosted by KNDD, also known as 107.7 The End, an alternative rock radio station based in Seattle, Washington...
- An annual summer festival since 1992.
- Deck The Hall BallDeck The Hall BallDeck The Hall Ball is an annual holiday themed concert run by Seattle radio station 107.7 The End KNDD-FM.Deck The Hall Ball takes place in mid-December and has been held in a number of different venues in the Seattle area.-Notes:...
- Deck The Hall Ball
- An annual holiday concert since 1992.
- Endsessions
- Intimate, mostly acoustic performances from current End Artists since 1997.
- Concerts for a Cause
- A concert series benefiting local charities.
- 1077 The End's Summer Camp
- First occurring in 2007 Summer Camp is summer festival held at Redmond's Marymoor Park.
- Are You On The List
- A free concert series held throughout the year. End listeners won their spot on the list to check out some of the stations hottest new up and coming artist.
- 1077 The End's Beach House
- Located in the heart of Alki Beach, The End's Beach House was KNDD's summer headquarters for two summers (2007 and 2008). Listeners were encouraged to stop by check out and sometimes join in the daily broadcast, enjoy exclusive performances from national and local artists, and have a free beer and some food at the weekly Friday Night Beach BBQ.
Programming
- LovelineLovelineLoveline is a syndicated radio call-in program in North America, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the assistance of guests, typically actors and musicians. Its flagship station is KROQ-FM in Los Angeles....
- The Morning End
- Currently hosted by Red runs week days 5am to 10am. Formerly hosted by Andy Savage.
- What's Next
- As the title would suggest, the newest music in alternative, ranging from the newest singles by top artists, to album tracks (occasionally whole albums will be played), to local music. Hosted by harms.
- Locals Only
- Alternative music from the Pacific NorthwestPacific NorthwestThe Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. Hosted by Megan Seling- People's Choice Countdown
- The top five most requested songs of the day. Played at 10:00pm Monday through Friday.
- End Unplugged
- Exclusive acoustic performances from End artists. Sunday mornings
- End to End Music
- Three hours of non-stop music, 9am to 12pm Monday through Friday
- Resurrection Flashback
- An hour of music from the beginning of alternative rock, going from the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s. Formerly hosted by Jim Keller.
- Ultrasound
- Electro and dance rock, Saturdays 9pm to Midnight
Discontinued programming
- The Adam Carolla Show
- The Church of Lazlo
- Afternoon drive show hosted by Lazlo, wife Afentra, and sidekick Slimfast
- The Daily Special
- The End's all-request lunch hour, the music played is generally wrapped around a central theme. While Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays have fixed themes (1990s music, Resurrection Flashback, and general all-request, respectively), Tuesday and Thursday's themes are essentially wild cards and can range from an hour's worth of music by one artist, to songs whose titles or content all have something in common.
- Gabba Gabba Hey
- Punk rock from the 1970s through today. Hosted by Rob Femur.
- The Young & the Restless
- Alternative music from the Pacific Northwest.
- Loudspeaker
- Ultrasound
Controversy
According to the radio playlist database "Yes.com" KNDD played the "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
song "Amish Paradise
Amish Paradise
"Amish Paradise" is a 1996 single by parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic. It is a parody of the hip hop song "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V....
" at 2:55pm on Monday, October 2, 2006, just hours after Charles Roberts killed 5 young girls in a Pennsylvania Amish schoolhouse
Amish school shooting
The Amish school shooting was a shooting at the West Nickel Mines School, an Amish one-room schoolhouse in the Old Order Amish community of Nickel Mines, a village in Bart Township of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on October 2, 2006...
.
On October 6, 2006, Entercom Seattle Vice President Jerry McKenna issued the following statement. DJ No Name was "less respectful of the event than he should have been. We are dealing with it internally.
Awards
In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets Alternative station of the year award by Radio & RecordsRadio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
magazine.
Other nominees included WBCN in Boston, Massachusetts, KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
in Los Angeles, KTBZ-FM
KTBZ-FM
KTBZ-FM, also known as 94.5 The Buzz, is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Houston, Texas with studios located in Houston at 2000 West Loop South, Suite 300, and with transmitter facilities located in Missouri City, Texas.- History :...
in Houston, Texas, KITS
KITS
KITS is a San Francisco, California, USA-based radio station broadcasting at 105.3 MHz. The station is owned by CBS Radio and programs a modern rock format. The station also broadcasts on HD channel L2, locally on Comcast cable channel 986, and is streaming online.-Hot Hits:The station's...
, in San Francisco, and WWDC
WWDC (FM)
WWDC is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C., broadcasting to the Washington, DC-Baltimore, Maryland area. WWDC airs an alternative rock format on 101.1 FM branded as DC101.-History:WWDC-FM signed on in 1947 as a beautiful music station...
in Washington, DC.