KPPC

KPPC was a Pasadena, California FM radio station best known during the period 1967–1971, when it was one of the leading "underground" radio stations in the United States, presenting a freeform mixture of experimental and historical music with countercultural ideas that were not commonly broadcast in North America. Each disc jockey selected his own music, which would veer between rock and roll, folk music, blues and other genres. Hosts included B. Mitchel Reed, Tom Donohue, Les Carter, novelty music historian Dr. Demento, Elliot Mintz, blues archivist Johnny Otis and comedy troupes The Credibility Gap (featuring Harry Shearer and Michael McKean), and The Firesign Theatre. Station promos were sung by the a cappella singing group The Persuasions.

Related Topics:
Pasadena, California - FM - Radio station - 1967 - 1971 - United States - Countercultural - North America - Disc jockey - Rock and roll - Folk music - Blue - B. Mitchel Reed - Tom Donohue - Les Carter - Dr. Demento - Elliot Mintz - Johnny Otis - The Credibility Gap - Harry Shearer - Michael McKean - The Firesign Theatre - The Persuasions

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KPPC was founded by the Pasadena Presbyterian Church in 1924 (hence the PPC). Starting as an AM station, it was on the air just 22 hours a week. (6 AM - 12 M Sundays and 7 - 11 PM Wednesdays). This was to carry the Sunday services and the Wednesday night prayer meeting. The station had just 100 watts of power, and barely covered Pasadena. In 1962 the Church wanted to expand the hours and coverage, but other stations had filled in the remaining AM time alotments, so the Church started KPPC-FM, on 106.7 Mhz. The studios and transmitters were located in the basement of the church (which later became part of the station's claim to being "underground"), with the antenna on the roof of the Pasadena Star News building (a newspaper) next door at 585 East Colorado in Pasadena. The FM station had terrible broadcast coverage from this location.

Related Topics:
1924 - AM - Pasadena Star News

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In 1968 the church sold the station to Crosby-Avery Broadcasting, and in 1969 it was sold to the National Science Network. In April of 1970, the studios were moved out of the basement to an office building at 99 South Chester in Pasadena. In September, the transmitter was moved to Flint Peak, a mountaintop adjacent to Pasadena, and the power increased to 25,500 watts.

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KPPC was the first station in Los Angeles to broadcast a stereo simulcast with a television station. (A one hour program with 'Leon Russell and Friends' in collaboration with PBS station KCET), and the first to broadcast with Sansui quadraphonic sound. It was also the first FM station in Los Angeles to use two transmitters simultaneously to produce sufficient power.

Related Topics:
Simulcast - KCET - Quadraphonic

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In 1973 the stations were sold to Burbank Broadcasting. Because the purchaser already had an AM KROQ, 1500 kHz, Burbank) KPPC-AM was sold to Universal Broadcasting (a religious broadcaster). The FM station became KROQ, where it remains.

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Not to be confused with KPCC FM, the Pasadena public radio station.

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