Most of the links below take you to the beginning of the program, and live sets usually start later on in the program.

This page last updated September 26, 2002

9/11 Recordings from New York Radio. An episode of "Aircheck" hosted and produced by Evan "Funk" Davies which features radio coverage of 9/11 from local radio stations recorded on the day of the attack. From July 26, 2021. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!. See the playlist.

"Supa Rockin" Mr. Magic's Rap Attack, Part II. From October 6, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Famous Coachman, host of the nation's longest continually-running blues show. From September 29, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Assorted NYC Hip Hop Radio 80's-90's. Billy Jam presents a mix of snippets from a wide variety of New York radio stations, spanning from the early 80's to the early 90's, that gave love to the "fad" that refused to go away. From September 22, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

A legendary show that was the catalyst for Jeff Feuezeig's documentary "the Devil and Daniel Johnston". On then WFMU DJ Nick Hill's show in 1990, Daniel Johnston played a whole elaborate cast of characters. He's joined for three songs by Yo La Tengo. From September 15, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Radio Odds and Ends / Bands Behaving Badly: DJs Dominic Trix and the Unitelligible Cowboy; KROQ fans w/ messages for Morrissey; Tallow Cross crashes WFMU uninvited,the DJ leaves in disgust & they interview themselves; the Sex Pistols take over KSAN. From September 8, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Al Benson, The Ol' Swingmaster, ruled Windy City radio for nearly twenty years. A true pioneer, Benson influenced celebrated jive-talking jocks like Jockey Jack Gibson, Herb Kent, and legions of others. Hear him ride the airwaves again tonight on Aircheck. From September 1, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Jean Shepherd from 1969: First Day of Kindergarten. From August 25, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

In 1979, "Supa Rockin" Mr. Magic's Rap Attack was the the first rap on the radio. Mr. Magic introduced countless MCs: Kurtis Blow, Whodini, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Starski, Afrika Bambaataa, Run DMC, and LL Cool J to name a few. From August 18, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Sanctified Gospel Visionaries. Two gospel visionaries, The Apostle James Moses White from WLGO-AM and Deacon Jesse McWhorter on WMGY-AM, & one hoodoo root workin' radio genius, the Reverend Izear recorded off of WZTN-AM. From August 11, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Bob Lassiter (Pt 2 of 2). From August 4, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

More from Bob Lassiter (Pt 1 of 2). More from the feisty Floridian radio enigma, previously unaired on Aircheck. Compared to the lock-step right wing bozos that dominate talk radio today, Lassiter's mischievous & misathropic style is practically high art. From July 28, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

More old school freeform antics, dating way back to 1947, unaired on Aircheck before. Jim Hawthorne collaborated on some Slim Gaillard records and later became a TV weatherman where he continued his strange behavior, including making fun of sponsors. From July 21, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Radio First Termer was a pirate station that operated for 21 days in 1971, offering a somewhat irreverent alternative to regular broadcasts to G.I.'s during the Vietnam War. How irreverent? Well, for starters, it broadcast out of a Saigon brothel. From July 15, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Dave the Spazz presents the wacky age of country broadcasts. Rare live radio performances: Loretta Lynn, Spade Cooley,George Jones, Wanda Jackson, Carl Perkins and Hank Williams VD soap opera! June Carter vs Chuck Berry & Johnny Cash shills doughnuts. From July 7, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Who is Ken Sims? We'd love to know. What we do know is that in the 1980's he recorded his local rock radio station onto a cassette every time he won tickets to a concert, or prank-called its DJs. Also Jean Shepherd's "Caterpiller In Salad" from 1969. From June 30, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Brush Creek Follies was the second-most popular hillbilly radio show in the country, second only to Chicago's "National Barn Dance" program. Here's a rare chance to hear the "Twins Night" episode from 1941 of this classic program. . From June 23, 2006. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

This season of Aircheck concludes with more insanely over-the-top gospel radio from from the Reverend Lester Knox of Tifton, Georgia, whose self-financed religious broadcasts were heard from around 1980 til 1992. From September 29, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

On 8/28/69, WFMU's air staff walked out, thus stalling the inevitable rise of loopy freeform broadcasting by at least ten years. Presented here is FMU's final night on the air featuring DJ's Kevin Taylor and MC5/Doors/Stooges/Ramones manager Danny Fields. From September 22, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Acerbic, witty and downright mean, Neil Rogers is the king of talk radio in South Florida. talk host like no other, Rogers is openly gay, furiously liberal, and always at odds with his employers and any caller who gets on his nerves. From September 15, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

9/11 On The Air. It seemed like an accident: a plane somehow hit one of the WTC towers. Through radio broadcasts recorded that day the true scope of what has happened becomes devastatingly clear as the day goes on. From September 8, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

From WWOZ, New Orleans, Billy Dell hosts "Records From the Crypt" with the R&B sounds that the city is famous for including Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, and Frogman Henry.(From 12/04) Destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, WWOZ is trying to return via the internet. From September 1, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

WDIA's revolutionary decision in 1948 to turn the programming over to Memphis's best black talent was not only profitable, it paved to road to fame for many great black musicians & DJs like Rufus Thomas, Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore, and "Hod Rod" Hulbert. From August 25, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Jingles All the Way. Vintage jingles from radio stations across the country -- although most of them came out of a handful of production houses. Plus a couple of rarely-heard promos used by the jingle companies to promote their wares. From August 18, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

The Black Pope. "You're listening to the greatest black radio personality in the world" was the boast the Black Pope made during his shows. He ruled radio in New Orleans in the 70s and 80s screaming over soul records and taking dedications. From August 11, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Coyle & Sharpe: In the early 1960s, encounters by two wandering misfits with a sick sense of play and a microphone with unsuspecting citizens were recorded and then rebroadcast on the now-legendary "On the Loose" radio program. From August 4, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Phil Hendrie:One of the most original and creative voices in talk radio today. From July 28, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Paris Hilton and Wolfman Jack to sort of illustrate the now-and-then spectrum of personality-based broadcasting. Or in Paris' case, podcasting. Six days of Paris bringing you into her inner sanctum. Then, hear a real master, Wolfman Jack. From July 21, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

An encore presentation (with some new material) of the legendary unknown Eskimo janitor of a striking CBC radio station & Jean Shepherd presents "American Dream Sales Pitch". From July 14, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Unshackled! The longest running dramatic series in radio history, running weekly since 1950. The show still features live cheesy organ music, folie artists with live sound effects & original morality plays. From July 7, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Brush Creek Follies was the second-most popular hillbilly radio show in the country, second only to Chicago's "National Barn Dance" program. Here's a rare chance to hear the "Irishman's Night" episode from 1941 of this classic program. . From June 30, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

1960's Soft Drink Jingle Jungle. Some highlights from amazing stream-of-consciousness collection of nonstop soda spew, from the likes of the Troggs, Nancy Sinatra, Tom Jones, the Box Tops plus plenty of random jingles creating a mind-numbing blur. From June 23, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Murray Saul: For years we knew him only as the "It's FRIIIIDAYYYYY!" guy, until finally landing his identity and recordings. We present one hopped-up DJ today for the inaugural show of Aircheck's return to WFMU. From June 16, 2005. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Bob Lassiter Christmas special, Part II. From December 28, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Bob Lassiter Christmas special, Part I. From December 25, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Daniel Johnston from Nick Hill's 2nd Anniversary Show of 2/90, featuring Johnston via phone from WV and many characters played by Daniel himself. He's joined for 3 songs by Yo La Tengo, then Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, & Dave Schramm live in the studio. From October 2, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

WFMU ID Mania!!! In case you weren't sure, our station ID is WFMU East Orange, WXHD Mount Hope, wfmu.org. Tonight's we hear WFMU ID's past and present, edited together and preserved in a flowing, audio river. From September 25, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

The Sex Pistols, on eve of their '78 self-destruction in SF, on KSAN. INSANE elegy to punk icon GG Allin. "Paul McCartney Is Dead" speculation from '69, the legendary Rosco (aka Bill Mercer) departs his microphone on WOR. From September 18, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Lost WABC tapes! In the 80's, Chris T. pulled several unmarked reels of quarter-inch tape out of the garbage, board recordings of WABC's 1967 Go-Go-era content, including jingles, news, Stan Freberg, local battle-of-the-bands & more. From September 11, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

In 1968, Frank Zappa was one freaky Mother, and SF's KSAN was pioneering serious freeform radio. Tonight, Zappa sits in with the Freeform granddaddy of us all, KSAN's Tom Donahue. Their conversation gets wily & contentious at times, and iconoclastic. From September 4, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Monica presents a full hour of the late NYC radio legend Frankie Crocker, one of the flashiest and most flamboyant radio personalities ever. From August 28, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Huey Meaux. Best known as a record producer, Huey "The Crazy Cajun" Meaux lit-up late night radio. Broadcasting out of Pacifica's KPFT in Houston back in the 70s, Meaux mixed in raunchy rock and roll with drunken call-ins and prison dedications. From August 21, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Radio Nordsee under attack! Carl Nordsee, a British DJ manning a pirate station off the coast of England, is merrily minding his business in 1970 when two boats approach his ship and try to take him off the air. From August 7, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Reverend Lester Knox. Insanely over-the-top gospel radio from Tifton, Georgia. Knox purchased tons of time on DIT-radio to spread the word, and it's up there with the greatest stuff by the likes of Rev. Louis Overstreet, Elder Beck, & Claude Ely. From July 31, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

The Professor with the second in his two-part overview of the career of Bob "Mad Dog" Lassiter (See 7/17/03). Compared to the lock-step right wing bozos that dominate talk radio today, Lassiter's mischievous & misathropic style is practically high art. From July 24, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

The Professor, of Audio Kitchen, with the first in his two-part overview of the career of radio veteran Bob "Mad Dog" Lassiter. As a talk host, Lassiter specialized in pissing off the elderly, Christians, and other intellectually-challenged listeners. From July 17, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

DJ Spoke, a psychedelic version of the Mad Daddy, on WLS-FM in Chicago, circa 1968. Spoke was a deep-voiced biker personality rapping through heavy reverb who played some insanely heavy acid jams. From July 10, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Jim Hawthorne. Bizarre freeform antics from way back - 1947! Hawthorne collaborated on some Slim Gaillard records and later became a TV weatherman where he continued his strange behavior, including making fun of sponsors. From July 3, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Sonny Hopson. Aside from being a general music svengali and independent label-owner, Philly's "Mighty Burner" Sonny Hopson ruled the AM radio waves. This 1969 WHAT aircheck serves up scorching soul, ad-libbed commercials, wild chatter, and more. From June 26, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Ernie K-Doe will always be remembered for his 1961 hit "Mother-In-Law" but nothing can compare to his on-air antics at radio station WWOZ in the 80's. He played his own records, plugged upcoming appearances and told outlandish stories. Tonight on Aircheck. From June 19, 2003. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Part Two of the infamous eskimo janitor, who takes over a striking Canadian station and does his freeform thing in native tongue, this week extolling the virtues of acid rock and pot. Also, Jean Shepherd's "Tattoo" from 1964. From October 2, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

GG Allin's Dead, Man plus Jean Shepherd's Inventions and Myth. Chemical-addled, wailing and screaming aircheck of "The Sheik", clearly upset over the death of punk legend GG Allin. Also, Jean Shepherd's "Inventions and Myth" from 1970. From September 25, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Lord Haw Haw aka William Joyce, a Brit who joined the Nazi movement in the '30's, spent WWII broadcasting to England for Goebbel's Propaganda Ministry. He was hanged by the British government after the war. + Jean Shepherd's "March On Washington", 1963. From September 18, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

1970's smooth-talking Frankie Crocker took Harlem-based WBLS to the top spot for the city's young listeners. Crocker offered great diversity and mic style and influened today's jocks immensely. Also, Jean Shepherd's "Ping Pong" from 1963. From September 11, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Bob Lassiter vs. Rocky the Racist, plus "Paul Is Dead" broadcast on WABC, 1969, plus Jean Shepherd's "Jersey Devil", 1977. From September 4, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

WFMU's Vanilla Bean plus Jean Shepherd's "Showbiz Uber Allies" from December 21st, 1964. From August 28, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Eskimo Janitor gets stoned and takes over striking CBC Station / Jean Shepherd's "A Box To Hide In" from 1961. From August 21, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Dewey Phillips plus Jean Shepherd's "How To Make Money In Radio" from Aug. 22, 1964. From August 14, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

The Mad Daddy, whose reverb-soaked banter sounded direct from Pluto, spun R & B through the early '60s in Cleveland before shooting himself in 1966. Also, Bob Lassiter feels the wrath of an angry 1980's PTL supporter, + Jean Shepherd's "Straws In the Wind. From August 7, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Bob Lassiter on Friendliness and Radio plus Jean Shepherd's "Soothing Sounds for Baby" From July 31, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Lassiter & the Dominant Male + Jean Shepherd's "Cockroaches" (1966) From July 24, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Lassiter Talks God / Jean Shepherd's The Age of Total Showbiz (1966) From July 17, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Lassiter and the Callers Who Hate Him, and Jean Shepherd - Party for Elizabeth Taylor. From July 10, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Beatles Hysteria and Jean Shepherd. From July 3, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

John Lennon takes over KHJ, 1974, plus Jean Shepherd's. From June 26, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Radio drama from 1998: Florida radio station WFLA calls up cop killer Hank Carr while he's surrounded by police and holding a 7-11 clerk hostage. Plus, 5 minutes of unknown 70's DJ. Also, Jean Shepherd broadcast from 3/2/61, "Underground Network". From June 19, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Spotlight on Huey Meaux. Also: Jean Shepard's The Roscoe & the Diner (2/26/65 airdate) From June 12, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.

Pastor John Rydgren from WABC-FM ca. 1967, and Jean Sheperd from WOR from 7/28/65: Summer Festivals and The Whoopie Instinct. From June 5, 2002. Listen to the whole show:  Pop-up player!.