As some of you know 99.1 WHFS was taken off of the radio yesterday (Jan 12th) somewhere between 12 & 1 pm. As anyone who knows me can tell you I love music. I always have music on (either the computer, the radio, or just singing songs in my head) and HFS was one of the main factors in developing my taste in music. I will miss it so much, and was violently angry for a good part of yesterday afternoon. Now I'm just sad, mourning the loss of my favorite radio station. Most of my dismay today comes I think from having a piece of my childhood violently yanked from me.
I loved WHFS to an admittedly psychotic extent it was my favorite radio station ever, bar none. The HFStival was my second concert (in 1998, with Green Day, Foo Fighters, BNL, Semisonic, the B-52's (yes i saw thier whole set) Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Everclear, Scott Weiland (my first time crowd surfing was when he played vasoline) and so man more), and I've been to all but one since (I always regretted that one getting away, spring of 99) it never disappointed me and I had a blast every year. I still miss Johnny Riggs (my favorite DJ ever, i remember they played Nirvana (who his band opended for way back when) as they were announcing it and i still have a copy of the goodbye letter he wrote to his fans on my computer) I remember how Gina Crash cried when it went happened (She was a great DJ, I even know how she got her nickname and was so excited whenever she guest DJed after she left), Robb Tim (who talked to me for 10 min in the Best Buy in laurel once), Bob Wah, Weasel (annoying voice and all, and yes I even miss Lunch at the Archive's :-P) the 4 most wanted (every night I thought I was getting pulled over cause they played that damn police siren between songs). Even today I like the Junkies (I know I'm in the minority, even among my frieds, but hey i love sports and i like them so much more than Elliot, and just a lil more than KML) Tim Virgin was good, so was Jen... They felt like old friends and they were such a big part of my life I'll miss them all.
HFS helped define and refine my taste in music and pointed me in the direction of even more non-mainstream stuff... They always promoted the best concerts... I can't even begin to tell you how many times I called in to try to win tix and stuff (never did though...) I guess I wish I had time to prepare for them being taken off the air and maybe some closure (god, it sounds, and kinda feels, like I lost a family member)...
Now the rock stations I'm left with would rather play Nickelback, Creed, DMB and other poprock drivel than Weezer, the Ramones, and smaller unproven acts, like My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, (HFS played Franz Ferdinand and the Killers way before DC101 would touch them) and dont' get me started on Elliot, he is a sadistic self absorbed asshole who laughs manically while exploding fire crackers on someone howling in pain (god listening to that live on the radio made me sick). And then there's the Baltimore station that would rather play Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi and other hair metal (who don't get me wrong are fun to break out with like maybe once a week but not everyday) and who's DJ's pride themselves on being white trash and ignorant. I really feel like i have no good alternatives to turn to. I want to find a way to hook my Mp3 player to my car stereo or get XM.
I wish the best to everyone who worked there, i hope they find jobs quickly and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for... everything (making me who I am), they deserved better. And if you read all this thanks, I think I just needed to get these feelings out there... RIP HFS :-)
