WGSU is an FM radio station located at 89.3 MHz and broadcasting from Geneseo, New York, USA. The station is located on the campus of the State University of New York at Geneseo and is run and staffed primarily by the students of the college.
In the early 1970s, WGSU was one of the most progressive radio stations in the country. Imagine hearing Bessie Smith followed by Erik Satie followed by a spoken word artist followed by Sun Ra with some Firesign Theater tracks and some Hungarian folk music. The format, brilliantly developed and executed by John Davlin, was known as a "continuum."
After Davlin's departure in 1974, WGSU continued to operate with a dedicated staff of student managers and programmers, providing the western New York region with an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, World music (referred to at the time as "ethnic") and a smattering of classical music. A typical program during that period could include such diverse artists as Pat Metheny, Bruce Cockburn, Karla Bonoff, Clifton Chenier, Thelonious Monk, Gentle Giant, Patti Smith and Captain Beefheart.
WGSU rode the first rumblings of the New Wave in the mid 1970s, featuring musicians like Talking Heads, Elvis Costello and Devo before they gained nationwide attention.
Despite having an antenna measured at only three meters (9.84 feet) above surrounding terrain, WGSU's signal occasionally reached as far as Toronto, according to listeners' letters.
Today, the branding is "The Revolution" and the station is still a compelling listen. A recent report from Geneseo indicates WGSU has just installed a new transmitter.
Why were you involved with WGSU? What did you think at the time? Were you a DJ? If so, when was your show? What music did you play? What were your favorite bands/songs/albums? Who was on the staff? What happened?
If you have any fond memories of the radio station at all, please contribute. This is not limited to former radio station staff.
This is not a blog. This is not a source of current WGSU news.
Please comment on any post or email us to contribute.
