Z Rock

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"Z Rock" was a radio network based out of Dallas, Texas in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s that played heavy metal and hard rock music. The format was one of ABC Radio Network's 24-hour satellite formats (formerly Satellite Music Network). Z-Rock debuted on Labor Day 1986 and is credited with being the first nationally focused radio station/network. In March 1990 nominated for Billboard Awards, the only fulltime hard rock/metal programming ever nominated in the history of Billboard Magazine. After several changes in personnel and programming direction, the network was discontinued on December 31, 1996.

Some of the stations that carried the "Z-Rock" format included:

• 760 AM KSJL (now KTKR) San Antonio, TX
• 98.9 FM KUTZ (now KHHL) Austin, TX
• 92.1 FM WTZR (now WQFM) Moyock, NC (Norfolk/Chesapeake, VA)
• 1480 AM WZRC New York City
• 98.7 FM WXZR (Z-Rock 98.7) (East Lyme, CT)
• 94.5 FM KZRK (late 80s) Dallas/Fort Worth
• 99.1 FM KDZR (early '90s) Dallas/Fort Worth
• 106.9 FM/1070 AM KKZR Houston
• 107.3 FM WCZR Elyria (Cleveland), OH (now WNWV)
• 102.7 FM WDZR Mt. Clemens (Detroit), MI, early and mid-1990s (now WHTD)
• 1330 AM WDLZ Flint, MI, c. 1989-90 (formerly and now WTRX)
• 104.1 FM KJJO Minneapolis, MN (now KZJK)
• 105.3 FM WCXT Hart, MI (now WHTS)
• 1010 AM KZRC Portland, OR 1988-1994
• 106.1 FM WRZK (Z-Rock 106) Tallahassee, FL
• 106.7 FM WZRC (Z-Rock 106.7) Chicago, IL *1st Affiliate: Launched Labor Day 1986
• 105.1 FM KZRQ Albuquerque, NM 1991-1996 (now KJFA)/1310 AM 1988-1991 (now KKNS)
• 100.3 FM KZRX Phoenix, AZ 1991-1992
• 102.3 FM WZRQ Clifton Park, NY (now WKKF)
• 1440 AM Portland, ME
• 103.1 FM WRZR (early 90s) Johnstown/Columbus, OH
• 1340 AM KMTW Las Vegas, NV 1989-1993
• 1550 AM KZQQ Salt Lake City, UT 1988-89, 107.9/103.1 FM 1992
• 560 AM KLZ Denver, CO 1988-?
• 1410 AM WKTH Grand Rapids, MI 1988-1991
• 1590 AM KZOK Seattle, WA (early 90s)
• 95.3 FM/1320 AM KZZK Eugene, OR 1991-95
• 100.1 FM KZAK Reno, NV 1990-1995
• 96.5 WZRZ Hamilton/Cincinatti, OH (early 90s)
• Other cities that carried Z-Rock at some point: (late 80s) Panama City FL, Ft Myers FL, Jacksonville FL, Billings MT, Charlotte NC, Kansas City MO, Tucson AZ, (early or mid 90s) Spokane WA, Fresno, CA, Chico CA, Amarillo TX, New Orleans LA, Albany GA, Deming NM, Champaign IL, Charleston WV, Honolulu HI, Watertown NY and probably a few others.

Original crew: Rockin' Randy Davis, Wild Bill Scott (OM/PD), Boobie Bondage, Killer Kilpatrick, Shelly Steele (Hammer), Tracy Barnes, Madd Maxx Hammer, Pat Dawsey. Steve Show, Matt Wolfe (production) 2nd crew: Dave Bolt, Crankin' Craig, Tracy Barnes (OM/PD), Mike Paine, Pat Dawsey, Madd Maxx Hammer, Steve Show, Scorchin' Scotty, Matt Wolfe (production). 3rd crew: Dave Bolt, Pat Dawsey, Madd Maxx Hammer, Crankin Craig, Jason Lee Tipton:The Tiptonizer, Wipeout, Sharkmann , Ward Cleaver, Matt Wolfe (sound designer/Imaging) Last Crew: Dave Bolt, Crankin Craig, Ward Cleaver, Matt Wolf, Wipeout, "Loud" Debi Dowd, Sharkmann , Jim Coda, Chaz, Pat Dawsey (OM/PD), Matt Wolfe (production). Lee Abrams (Managing Director)

[edit] Programing

• "Blistering Leads" Focused on guitar breaks and heros.

• "Mandatory Metallica" 11/86 The original all-Metallica feature copied by stations nationwide.

• "Nationwide Mid-day Requests": A daily all request show.

• "Z-Rock 50": weekly countdown of the networks top rock tracks aired Sunday nights.

• "Z-Rock 1000": end of year countdown of all time "greatest" rock songs with songs from the previous year included. AC/DC's "Back in Black" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" would typically have the top spot.

• "Headbanger's Heaven": Heaviest metal including demos and imports hosted by Mike Paine.

• "Coast to Coast Concert Series": Over 50 live broadcast concerts featuring many of the genre's top names, including Metallica.

• "Wounded Radio": Sunday night show featuring heavier rock music hosted by Wipeout.

• "US240": Saturday night all-request show spanning 240 minutes (4 hours)Originally hosted by Sharkmann.

• "The Mighty Met": half-hour to an hour of Metallica songs (perhaps the most popular band on the network) aired Saturday nights.

• "Back-Rockwards": Nightly phone-in contest to guess identity of backwards played song (song was played in its entirety with random noises played over it).

• "Bad-Ass CD Side": Weekly playing of half of an entire CD. Was notably promoted by saying, "Bad-ass CD half, is grammatically correct, but 'Bad-Ass CD Side' Sounds Cooler!"

• "Too Much": one Saturday each month would give about four hours playing songs from a select artist. Eventually "Too much" would become a daily mid-day show with one hour of music from any artist sometimes featuring deep album cuts.

• "Old Stuff": Sunday morning classic rock show. Hosted by Crankin Craig.

• "The Nightly Nuke": 'Nuking' of one of two popular hit songs (decided by phone-in votes). After the song was 'nuked' (i.e. an explosion was played a few seconds into the song) the sound clip of Charlton Heston from Planet of the Apes screaming, "You Maniacs! You blew it up! Oh, damn you all to hell!" was played.

Z-Rock RIP News. News bits presented in conjunction with RIP Magazine.

Z-Rock news, commentary and opinions originally hosted by Boobie Bondage and heard in each daypart. The news went through several names and hosts: The Dirt (w/Steve Show), The Mud (w/Michelle), The Sludge (w/Sharkman), The Drudge (not releated to the internet news site) and just The News (both w/Loud Debi Dowd).

From 1989-1991 the network also produced Z-Rock Magazine, available free in all network affiliate cities.