Here’s how you could pretend to be a radio DJ in 1963

May 6, 2021 Alan Cross 0 Comments 0 min read

Props to the moderator of the SOWNY Radio-TV Forum for finding this gem on YouTube. Released in 1963, this do-it-yourself radio broadcasting school record entitled You Be a Disc Jockey came with all sorts of practice tools for the aspiring DJ.

Users pretended they were on staff at a fictional radio station called WBDJ (Be the DJ, geddit?) and featured music beds, scripts, commercials, liners, jingles, and more.

In retrospect, it’s cute and quaint–but it does remind me of the hours I spent pretending to be a radio announcer using my stereo and my collection of 45s. If I’d know about this album back in the day, I would have definitely bought it. Nice find!

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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