WHFS, RIP

DCist contains some more local commentary on the demise of what was once my favorite radio station.

When I was a freshman at Johns Hopkins, I arrived eagerly awaiting listening to a real alternative station.

Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, the only station available was WDCE, which was a 100-watt student station at the University of Richmond. I attribute hearing bands like Public Image Limited, The Call, Stump, and most notably, Game Theory to that station, but loathed the mainstream music that permeated most of Richmond's radio scene.

So, turning the way-back clock to August 1990, I remember coming back to my room from a practice for the Hopkins cross-country team (which, as I found, I probably would've been a hell of a lot better off sticking with rather than walking-on my junior year) I turned on the radio, which was tuned to WHFS, and lo and behold, the song was "Every Dog Has Its Day" by Let's Active. I knew that this was ultimately something special because I knew that I'd never hear that song in Richmond.

In my brief recollection of the station, the best part of it was the 1991-1992 period. WHFS started to, well, suck after that, and I had largely stopped listening to it by 1994 when I graduated because it was different than I was wanting to hear.

Of course, the method of its demise is absolutely amazing; no warning, no heads-up, just a massive change in format. Unbelievable.

I don't live in the Baltimore area any more; I probably would've known about WHFS's demise earlier, but the only reason I caught it was because a mention of it made the Washington Post's news digest.

Now to depart for a 7.6 miler...