KMET Alumni and other
friends planning benefit concert for Paraquat Kelley.
Most people remember
Patrick “Paraquat” Kelley from his work as a newsman at the legendary KMET (now
KTWV, 94.7 FM). His years there included the glory days of the station under
master programmer Sam Bellamy, and he is certainly one of the reasons for the
station’s success.
Kelley’s training began in
his younger years when he landed a job as a delivery boy at the original KMPC
(now KSPN, 710 AM). He got to hang out with the likes of Gary Owens, Geoff
Edwards, Jack Angel, Ira Cook, Dick Whittinghill and Roger Carroll. He later
worked at stations in Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and West
Covina.
But it was at KMET where he
shined. Perhaps it was a match made in heaven, but the time was right for his
style of news on a station that took news seriously. Or at least the type of
news that would appeal to the type of person who would listen to KMET.
Most stations felt that the
FCC news requirement was a drag. Interestingly, successful stations such as KHJ
(930 AM) and KFRC/San Francisco didn’t. Their idea was to make news as
interesting as it could be. KMET followed suit.
“We decided to make the
news a tune in feature rather than tune out,” Kelley told LARadio.Com’s Don
Barrett. “So we’d start off the news with something that was so bizarre you’d
go, ‘What?’ How could you turn that off? My lead story might be about a guy that
makes jewelry out of quail dung. Nobody was doing this kind of news in the
seventies. If you were in your car, you’d have to stop, pull off the side of the
road and listen to this guy. That’s how we did it.”
The Paraquat nickname
actually came from a news story about the herbicide of the same name that was
being sprayed on marijuana plants in Mexico by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in
an attempt to kill the “weed.” Turns out that remnants of the chemical were left
on plants and traces were found on marijuana confiscated at the US/Mexico
border. Smokers of the tainted weed, doctors were finding, could suffer
irreparable lung damage. Kelley was reporting on the story when he quipped
“What? Somebody smokes pot that listens to KMET?”
After that he became
Paraquat Kelley, which meant that every time the news on the issue was reported,
Kelley got free press. Including on competing KLOS (95.5 FM). Ironically, my
understanding is that Kelley himself never did illegal drugs, including
marijuana.
In 2003, Kelley was
diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, is a disease in which someone’s immune system
attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerves. Myelin damage
disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body, causing
problems with movement and speech. Another irony: marijuana may have a
beneficial affect on MS sufferers.
Kelley is now battling
advanced stages of the disease. He is confined to a wheelchair, and the mounting
medical bills are putting a lot of pressure on him and his wife, Melody Rogers.
So some friends, including musicians and KMET alumni, are putting together a
one-night (December 14th) special event at the Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Drive
in Agoura Hills to help raise funds for his treatments.
It’s called The Mighty
Met Acoustic Flashback Honoring Paraquat Kelley. Confirmed performers
include George Thorogood, Little Feat's Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett and more,
but the real treats are the hosts of the event: KMET alumni Jeff Gonzer, Jim
Ladd and Cynthia Fox. I’d expect more to arrive as well. Gonzer is retired, but
Fox can be heard evenings on The Sound (KSWD 100.3 FM) which is one of the
event’s sponsors, and Ladd is playing freeform rock on Sirius/XM satellite radio
Channel 27.
Tickets for the benefit
concert can be purchased through Ticketmaster (or pay with cash at the box
office and save on processing fees) and range from $29 to $58. Go to www.canyonclub.net or call 818-879-5016 for
information and to and reserve dinner. Doors open at 6 p.m.; show starts at
7:30.
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