CLUB RETRO was the NEW WAVE Retro Program of NU 107 from December 1997 to October 2004. YUP!! Definitely I remember these dates since I was able to tune in to this great radio show which started two years earlier than 103.5 K-LITE's "LITEWAVE"(1999) and this was also the time when the magic of 89 DMZ's "WAVE 180" was starting to go down a bit. I have featured exclusively both LITEWAVE and WAVE 180 before here in my blog so just check it out on my Blog Archives. Finally, here it is on "The Doctor Is In".......It's CLUB RETRO!! Definitely, "The Dr. Stirring Rhod Way" of remembering this great New Wave Radio Program of the recently closed NU 107. According to an old NU 107 site "CLUB RETRO" is a "club open to people who still rock to the songs of the 80s. Club Retro gives the kids of today a chance to find out the musical influences of their favorite bands and also gives the kids of the 80s a chance to dance down memory lane. Featuring bands that have defined new wave like The Cure, The Bolshoi, and 80s bands like REM, 10,000 Maniacs and Gang of Four." Well, the show was conceptualized to make the NU 107 listeners reminisce the good old days of the 80s New Wave Music, the original Music Genre of NU 107 when they first test broadcast back in November 1987 which they termed "CUTTING EDGE"and "MODERN ROCK". Wheeew!! After 10 years of Rock And Roll, NU 107 brought back their original kind of music circa 80s and during those times people of my generation really needed a Radio Show like this.
CLUB RETRO was first hosted by NU 107's Retro Queen DJ "JELLY JEAN" back in 1997 up until 2000. At first, the show was really good but after a year I noticed that the music they played were too redundant already. YUP!! The same old songs played almost every week. I guess their library of New Wave music needs to be beefed up if you know what I'm driving at. I remember contacting Jelly Jean back in late 1998 if it is possible for collectors to share their music on the program. Well, back then there was no positive feedback so personally I didn't bother to followed it up not knowing few months after, they did opened up their doors for collectors to share. Hmmmp? I guess my mind just conceptualize things very early. He He He!! YUP!! It was the latter part of 1999 when the show allowed some New Wave collectors to share some stuffs on the program which boosted my appetite to listen to the show again. It was in year 2003 when I got the opportunity to share my stuffs on K-LITE's "LITEWAVE" and this was at the peak of the "CLUB RETRO" versus "LITEWAVE" competition thing. The original time slot of Jelly Jean's "CLUB RETRO" was Every Saturdays 6-9pm and definitely It was another trip down memory lane since the regular playlist of NU 107 was ALTERNATIVE ROCK and so such radio program was a breathe of fresh air. I can still remember my very first song request to Jelly Jean back then and this was "Heavenly Pop Hit" by THE CHILLS which was an NU 107 classic since they first played it back in 1990. Unfortunately on the evening that I called up and requested the song, Jelly Jean doesn't have a copy of it on the booth and so she just mentioned on air that she will be playing it for me on next week's episode which she gladly did because I made it sure that she kept her promise. He He He!! What can Jelly Jean say about the other radio stations back then? Well according to her, most of them were Crappy and Downright Boring. Hmmmp? But do you know that she loves the band "Hanson"? Jelly Jean officially said farewell on the show and explained the reason was very personal and thus the show hibernated for about five months until it returned with a new DJ host.
The next DJ to host "CLUB RETRO" was The Pin-up Girls vocalist MONDO Castro on mid 2001 up until the radio show's final episode on October 2004. Of course, the early episodes of the Mondo-hosted CLUB RETRO was just another retro show. The said show needs to beef up their playlist especially when CLUB RETRO radio schedule was the time slot of "LITEWAVE" and in the same evening. The show will just be eaten up if you got my drift. Btw, I have featured "THE PIN-UP GIRLS" here in my blog last year July 1, 2010 and made available all their materials for your listening pleasure.CLICK "The Pin-Up Girls" photo to go directly to my blogpost about the band and download their materials for free.
THE PIN-UP GIRLS
It was back in 2003 when a bunch of PINOY NEW WAVE COLLECTORS who called themselves "WAVELENGTH MANILA" came into the picture and save the said show from going down the drain. Not in a way related to the Legendary Manila Mobile called "WAVELENGTH". This was also the time when NU 107 was having problems already regarding the ratings as a Radio Station in METRO MANILA. YUP!! Changing of formats, closure, and some negative news arises on what the faith of NU 107 will be. According to MIKE SUTTON, WAVELENGTH MANILA started participating in "CLUB RETRO" after he signed host Mondo Castro's band, The Pin-Up Girls to "KNOW IT ALL RECORDS" in the U.S. . This was the time when Mike Sutton were taking preorders for Peter Coyle's American debut, "Reach for the Sun". Mike asked Mondo if together with Wavelength Manila, he could help them promote Peter Coyle's Maxi Single of "Reach for the sun" on "Club Retro." I guess that's an equation of "Club Retro" plus "Wavelength" which will last for more than a year. They debuted "Reach for the Sun" on "Club Retro" which became an exclusive of the show thus LITEWAVE wasn't able to premiere it. Wow!! Talking about competition. That's PINOY!! Wavelength Manila started bringing their own original CDs on the show which added some depth on the playlist. The guys introduced "DESERT WOLVES", "WEATHER THEATRE" and more obscure stuffs while bringing back on Manila's New Wave Radio Program bands like "LOW LIFE", "THE NOBODYS", and "TREEBOUND STORY" just to name a few. Of course, we will feature all these bands here on my little blog so no copying okay. There were also changes in the schedules from Saturdays It became Fridays and finally It went back to Saturdays and this included also the time slot which went to 9-12 midnight and 6-9pm then back again to 9-12 midnight. Did you understand what I'm driving at? He He He!! Another of those radio shows that I really missed right now most especially with a lot of CRAP ON THE RADIO all over MANILA. Too much "MASA" FM Radio Stations existing today that will make you ponder if this is indeed the PINOY way of listening to FM radio nowadays. If that's the case, it's unfortunate that most PINOY has POOR TASTE. Sorry to say that the station that replaced NU 107 is one of them. Waaaaah!! I'm not an "Internet Radio Freak" either because no time for it too. Btw, I was able to meet Danny, Eric, and Gilbert of WAVELENGTH when we went to visit another defunct Philippine New Wave Radio Program called "FREE STATE SOUND" of JAM 88.3 and that was wayback 2007 when the show was very young then. Well, I'll try to feature it too in the future here in my little blog because that was an unforgettable experience.
I hope you ENJOYED my little tribute to "CLUB RETRO". THANKS for dropping by guys!!
Are you Clubbing?
This ain't an ordinary Club.
This is CLUB RETRO!!
-DR. STIRRING RHOD
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