Hmmmp! Wondering why I entitled this Blogpost as "1987-The Year That Was"? Well, It's my 87th blogpost today and I just remembered that 1987 was a very interesting year for the New Wave Radio Scene here in Manila. Of course, I will be posting about what I personally remembered regarding the great FM dial events that occurred in this memorable year. At the start of 1987, just before the 1st year anniversary of the FEBRUARY PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION of 1986, there were news of the sequestration of "The Station That Dares To Be Different" DWXB102.7 FM by the newly installed CORY Government. At first, I really didn't took noticed of this news since a lot of sequestrations have been going on by the Philippines Presidential Commission on Good Goverment (PCGG) back then. By the tail end of March 1987, I guess that news was very certain because I've been having difficulty tuning-in on XB and their Radio Programming schedules began changing. The radio signal became more irregular. This was the time when XB would be on air sometimes for only 3-4 hours a day usually on the afternoons just after school. It would be 5-8pm, 6-9pm or even no broadcast at all .The schedules became more erratic. If I'm not mistaken this would go on up to the early part of April 1987. It's only on the Month of May that regular radio programming went back to normal and by June the imminent sequestration was about to happen. The XB DJs then called on a Radio People Power beside the now condemned PHILCOMSEN Building in Ortigas in an effort to save the station. Sadly, by June 9 1987, WXB102 made their farewell broadcast with XB DJ Allan K. on air. I was with my friends when we were listening to the final hours of the XB broadcast so I can't forget those times. That was very bad news for Pinoy Wavers and Punks who have been avid listeners of the station. The 102 Club was born but due to unavoidable circumstances back then I wasn't able to join the club. Waaaah!! The last 102 party entilted "THE FINAL CURTAIN" was held few days after XB signed off.
After almost 5 months without any New Wave/Punk radio station on the FM dial in Manila, came a Test Broadcast on November 1 and 2 of 1987 on radio frequency 107.5 FM. YUP!! The station was "The Home Of New Rock" DWNU 107.5 FM on the rise broadcasting at Paseo De Roxas in Makati. A lot of us thought it was an XB resurrection of sort but we were wrong because its playlist and concept would be very much different from WXB102. Pinoy Wavers and Punks cheered with the new radio station that was also called "The Cutting Edge In New Rock",but the continous and repeated song formats by NU107 didn't satisfy their cravings for more New Wave music and has disappointed a lot of listeners. Sometimes, you get to hear the same song played repeatedly in a 3-hour radio program span. Their playlist was also good and they have their own style in programming and have introduced a lot of new bands and songs.
Good thing just before Christmas 1987, I was able to listen to the first return New Wave broadcast of DZBM POWER105 hosted by none other than Legendary BM DJ "THE TASMANIAN DEVIL". He even had a radio contest that moment. YUP!! It was indeed a breath of fresh air since the format of NU107 was saturating everyone and there was already a need to have a competition and POWER105 DZBM would be the appropriate radio station to do that. Thus, another New Wave Radio explosion happened here in Manila that would stretch up to the end of year 1990 which benefitted every New Wave enthusiasts back then. Modern Rock,80s Alternative, Synthpop, New Wave, Punk......anything you call it. IT IS STILL NEW WAVE for PINOYS!! DZBM POWER105 have indeed played also a lot of obscure music and their playlist was awesome too. More Bands and More Songs to be played on air. The Power Switcher Club was reborn which I was a member of. The POWER STATION was back!!
CHEERS to WXB102, DZBM POWER105, and NU107!!
Click here for my Previous Blogposts about this three radio stations:
That was 21 years ago!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD-
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