1975 was another year of live music from KZEW, as many shows from the Travis Street Electric Company and the Electric Ballroom were aired over the ZOO. Many of these concerts can be found circulating on the internet these days, plus a few notable concerts that were not aired.
January 9, 1975 - The Eric Burdon Band live KZEW broadcast from the Travis Street Electric Company.
Eric Burdon 01-09-75 Concert Promo
February 5th 1975 - Peter Frampton was in town supporting Johnny Winter at Dallas Memorial Auditorium for their 4th of February show. The next night, Frampton makes local rock history with a live KZEW broadcast from January Sound Studios. The live version of "Do You Feel Like I Do" from this performance became an instant hit as the number one requested song on the ZOO for 1975, causing Frampton album sales to soar in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, nearly a year before Frampton Comes Alive was released. KZEW's Mark Christopher jokes, "Jeez, Peter Frampton should STILL be mowing Ira's lawn to this day to thank him!"
Peter Frampton 02-05-75 January Sound clip 11:37
February 27th 1975 Rush comes back by popular demand to the Travis Street Electric Company.
Rush 02-27-75 Concert Promo
March 3-5, 1975 - Led Zeppelin rocks the Metroplex at the Tarrant County Convention Center Arena on March 3rd and at the Dallas Convention Center on March 4th and 5th.
Led Zeppelin 03-03/04-75 Concert Promo
Led Zeppelin 03-05-75 Concert Promo
March 20th 1975 - The ZOO approaches Robin Trower who was in town supporting Humble Pie, with hopes of him doing a live KZEW broadcast from January Sound Studios. Robin Trower was hip to the idea, but wanted a live audience. What resulted was Robin performing live at the Travis Street Electric Company to a packed house. Brought to you live by KZEW's Mike Taylor at the show and Mark Christopher back at the ZOO studio. Also on the bill is Mahogany Rush, whose performance would be taped and broadcast on the ZOO the following night.
Robin Trower 03-20-75 Travis Street Electric Company clip 7:43
Mahogany Rush 03-20-75 Travis Street Electric Company clip 3:37
March 31st 1975 - Freddie King live KZEW broadcast from January Sound Studios. Freddie would also perform 4 weeks later at the KZEW Armadillo Festival.
April 27th 1975 - The Zoo Armadillo Festival draws an estimated 60,000 to Fair Park as KZEW welcomes Blood, Sweat & Tears, Freddie King, Rusty Weir, Blue Oyster Cult, Fancy Space and Stoneground.
April 30th 1975 - The Fall of Saigon: The Vietnam War ends as Communist forces take Saigon, resulting in mass evacuations of Americans and South Vietnamese. As the capital is taken, South Vietnam surrenders unconditionally.
May 3rd 1975 - Chicago and The Beach Boys at the Cotton Bowl.
Chicago / Beach Boys 05-09-75 Concert Promo
May 1975 - The KZEW Summertrip album. Capital records released the Summertrip album with co-sponsorship with radio stations across the country.
May 18th 1975 - Fleetwood Mac & Kansas at Dallas Memorial Auditorium.
Fleetwood Mac / Kansas 05-18-75 Concert Promo
June 11th 1975 - The ZOO invites you to see Jeff Beck and The Mahavishnu Orchestra at Dallas Memorial Auditorium.
Jeff Beck / Mahavishnu Orch. 06-11-75 Concert Promo
June 19th 1975 - The Electric Ballroom throws a party for it's employees, the contractors and music big wigs to show off their newly refurbished ballroom. Formally the Aragon Ballroom and the Texas Opry House. The ZOO would broadcast many concerts from this venue for years to come.
It was a broadcast from a different venue however that cut the party short for the ZOO crew that night. They had to rush over to January Sound Studios for a live KZEW broadcast with Chuck Mangione that was scheduled later that evening.
June 20th 1975 - Just as they did with the Aragon Ballroom. The ZOO welcomes the Electric Ballroom to Dallas with a live KZEW broadcast. This time featuring Spirit.
June 28th 1975 - Tim Buckley plays his final show at the Electric Ballroom in Dallas. He would die of a drug overdose the following evening.
Tim Buckley 06-28-75 Concert Promo
July 4th 1975 - Peter Frampton returns to Dallas to the Electric Ballroom.
July 6th 1975 - Rolling Stones, Eagles, Trapeze & Montrose at the Cotton Bowl.
August 21th 1975 - Eric Clapton & Freddie King at TCCC
Eric Clapton / Freddie King 08-21-75 Concert Promo
September 18th 1975 - KZEW celebrates it's 2nd birthday.
September 28th 1975 - Over 60,000 people flock to the University of Texas at Arlington during the Zoo Urban Survival Fair to see a free celebration featuring Jimmy Spheeris, Eric Quincy Tate, Calico and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The crowd was described by police as "very cooperative"
October 11th 1975 - NBC airs the first episode of Saturday Night Live (George Carlin is the first host; Billy Preston and Janis Ian the first musical guests).
October 14th 1975 - Rob Dayton aircheck
Rob Dayton 10-14-75 Aircheck 5:34
October 28th 1975 - While in town for their SMU Moody Coliseum show, David Crosby and Graham Nash stop by the ZOO to chat with Mark Addy.
Crosby and Nash 10-28-75 Concert Promo
October 31th 1975 - Ted Nugent mentions his "Detroit friends" during this show at the Electric Ballroom. Ted's relationship with the KZEW goes back to the days in Detroit when the coming up rock star would drop by the W4 studios.
Ted Nugent 10-31-75 Electric Ballroom clip 1:40
November 1975 - If you picked up the November issue of Buddy Magazine, you would have found the ZOO Iron-On.
November 10th 1975 - Mark Addy aircheck
Mark Addy 11-10-75 Aircheck 6:35
November 10th 1975 - Mark Christopher aircheck
Mark Christopher 11-10-75 Aircheck 4:50
November 14th 1975 - Billy Cobham - Electric Ballroom
Billy Cobham 11-14-75 Electric Ballroom clip 1:21
November 23th 1975 - Chuck Mangione drops by the ZOO to talk about the night's concert at SMU McFarlin Auditorium.
I found a ZOO clip with Ira, who would many times fill in for the jocks who were either out sick or on vacation, under the air name Ira J. Cook. He even had a daily show on the ZOO for a while in '77.
November 1974 - Meanwhile over at Lake Highlands in North Dallas. High school student George Gimarc writes an article for the school newspaper on the subject of radio. Researching the story, he interviews DJs at KZEW, WFAA, KVIL, KAFM and KLIF. George says, "it was my first stumbling step into the industry."
Be sure to check out the new book by ex-ZOO Disc Jockey Bob Shannon,"Turn It Up! American Radio Tales 1946-1996". It tells the story of 58 of the top radio legends in the business for the fifty year period post World War II.
Bob Shannon was only with the ZOO a short time in 1977, but has remained close friends with ex-boss Ira Lipson to this day. In this audio excerpt from the book, with introduction by Ira himself, Bob tells the story about the day at the ZOO when the news came in that Elvis had died.
'The ZOO Wants You' adKZEW began the year by bringing live music to the ZOO listeners. First the ZOO brings you "The King Biscuit Flour Hour" every other Sunday night at 9pm. Then on Monday nights in cooperation with ABC television, the ZOO and WFAA channel 8 brings "In Concert" TV simulcasts (a Dallas-Ft.Worth first). On Saturday nights at 10pm is the ZOO Saturday night concert with a hour of recorded live music.
The Poor People's Concerts were at midnights after a local appearance of a nationally known act, later known as the Concert Replay and Concert Echo.
The ZOO had the phone company hard wire twin (stereo) hi-fidelity lines to January Sound Studios and various venues including The Aragon Ballroom (later became The Electric Ballroom) and The Travis Street Electric Company. The ZOO would air live concerts from these venues for years to come.
April 11th 1974 - Dr John and the Bonnaroo Review live KZEW broadcast from the Aragon Ballroom at 1001 So Industrial. The band was a little late coming on stage, so Ken Rundel with help from Gary Shaw and Mark Christopher keep the ZOO audience entertained with over 7 minutes of banter. This 7 minutes is still circulated among collectors as part of the concert.
December 26th 1974 - Country music on the ZOO? Yes, it did happen. The day after Christmas 1974, Willie Nelson did a live KZEW broadcast from January Sound Studios. Joined by Tracy Nelson (no relation), they played numerous country standards as well as a number of Christmas tunes, including Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. This concert would become a ZOO staple and was re-broadcast on Christmas Day throughout the seventies.
Next Chapter - KZEW-1976 Coming Soon!
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