If you grew up in Southern California with alternative radio, today is a sad day.
After 41 years on KROQ, Rodney Bingenheimer, 69, legendary host of “Rodney on the ROQ,” hosted his last free form radio show from midnight to 3 a.m. — but, don’t call it a retirement.
“They retired the show,” he says. “I’m not retiring.”
Regarding Bingenheimer’s departure, Kevin Weatherly, senior vice president of programming for CBS Radio and vice president of programming for CBS Radio Los Angeles, says: “we will forever be grateful for the indelible mark that ‘Rodney on the ROQ’ has left on this station, our listeners, and the alt-rock music scene.”
For those who don’t know Bingenheimer, couple of quick facts:
- From The Ramones to No Doubt, he’s broken more bands than any human being on the planet.
- He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- A 2003 documentary was made about his life called the Mayor of the Sunset Strip.
- He was homies with David Bowie.
Any questions ?
Actually, I have a question: why let him go ?!?
“Rodney on the ROQ” aired ONCE a week, on an OFF night, during a time slot that was so late, or early, you didn’t know if it was Sunday night, or Monday morning — how is this a liability ? If it’s for budgetary reasons, can’t we find a sponsor for a dude who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ?
Bahhh, what do I know ? Keep in mind the messenger. I’ve lost TWO commercial radio jobs in 2017, and Rodney’s ex-boss, Weatherly, is way smarter than me.
What I do know, I will always love this man for introducing me to Van Halen and The Smiths, and, most importantly, for inspiring my own alternative radio path.
Thank you Rodney, can’t wait to hear what’s next…
Rodney Bingenherimer’s final Rodney on the Roq playlist, June 5, 2017
Tiger’s Jaw: “Follows”
The Wooly Bandits: “Hard To Forget You”
The Fontaines: “Mercury”
Lola Blanc “Real Boy”
Honeychain: “Going Through Your Purse”
The Dollyrots: “Dance Like a Maniac”
The Pandoras: “I Wan’t My Cave Man”
Van Halen: “Runnin’ With the Devil”
The Suburbs: “Hey Muse!”
Single By Sunday: “It is What it is”
The Vaccines: “Teenage Icon”
The Ramones: “Blitzkrieg Bop”
Black Flag: “TV Party”
Blondie: “My Monster”
Beck Black featuring Tony Valentino: “You’re Never Gonna Stop Me”
Skating Polly: “Louder in Outer Space”
Sløtface: “Magazine”
The Jesus and Mary Chain: “Just Like Honey”
The Bangles: “Getting Out of Hand”
Dog Party: “Round ‘N’ Round”
The Go-Go’s: “The Whole World Lost Its Head”
The Regrettes: “Lacy Loo”
Siouxsie and the Banshees: “Hong Kong Garden”
The Regrettes: “Teenager in Love” (Dion and the Belmonts cover)
The Tearaways: “Name That Tune”
The Jesus & Mary Chain: “Surfin’ USA” (Beach Boys cover)
Travis: “Coming Around”
The Moon Kids: “Something Spectacular”
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: “Bad Reputation”
The Röxy Suicide “Radio Lies”
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes: “Sloop John B” (Beach Boys cover)
Fire in the Radio: “New Air”
Reverend Horton Heat: “Let Me Teach You How to Eat”
The Routes: “No Permanence”
Elvis Costello: “Watching the Detectives”
Here Kitty Kitty: “Lift Off”
Satellite Sky: “Who Do You Love?”
The Postmarks: “7-11” (Ramones cover)
Silvia Black: “I Wanna Be Sedated” (Ramones cover)
The Atomics: “Voulez Vous”
Ninet: “Superstar”
The Donnas: “School’s Out” (Alice Cooper cover)
The Atomics: “Live For Today” (The Grass Roots cover)
Artbreak: “Will to Survive”
Roxy Music: “Virginia Plain”
St. Tropez: “I Wanna Live in St. Tropez”
Cotton Mather: “Girl with the Blue Guitar”
The Jigsaw Seen: “The Best is Yet To Come” (Frank Sinatra cover)
Al Jardine: “P.T. Cruiser”
All We Are “Human”
Death Valley Girls: “Love Spell”
Fuzzy: “Girl Don’t Tell Me” (Beach Boys cover)
The Fontaines: “Mercury”
The Monkees: “Porpoise Song”
