or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
27 used & new from $3.14

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir (Hardcover)

~ Tom Feran (Adapter), (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

Price: $24.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Only 3 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Tuesday, November 10? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
9 new from $3.14 16 used from $3.14 2 collectible from $39.99

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover $24.95 $3.14 $3.14
  Paperback $10.17 $8.64 $8.64

Frequently Bought Together

The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir + Big Chuck: My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV + Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio)
Price For All Three: $51.98

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir by Tom Feran

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Big Chuck: My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV by Chuck Schodowski

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio) by Tom Feran

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Cleveland Rock & Roll Memories: True and Tall Tales of the Glory Days, Told by Musicians, DJs, Promoters, and Fans Who Made the Scene in the '60s, '70s, and '80s

Cleveland Rock & Roll Memories: True and Tall Tales of the Glory Days, Told by Musicians, DJs, Promoters, and Fans Who Made the Scene in the '60s, '70s, and '80s

by Carlo Wolff
4.4 out of 5 stars (8)  $15.56
Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio)

Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio)

by Tom Feran
4.2 out of 5 stars (13)  $13.46
Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's Fm Air Wars

Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's Fm Air Wars

by Mike Olszewski
4.8 out of 5 stars (5)  $22.04
The Get Downs, Vol. 1

The Get Downs, Vol. 1

~ Murray Saul
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  $15.99
Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter

Browns Scrapbook: A Fond Look Back at Five Decades of Football, from a Legendary Cleveland Sportswriter

by Chuck Heaton
4.6 out of 5 stars (10)  $10.17
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

A nostalgic, narcotic ride through the history of a station that broke some of music's top groups while leaving local competitors in the dust. -- Currents, November 15, 2007

For anyone who remembers the days when the Buzzard ruled the airwaves, this is a rare glimpse into the sex and drugs, music and merchandising that made the station so successful. -- Northern Ohio Live, November 1, 2007

Gorman's book is filled with anecdotes that transport the reader back to the rebellious days of radio (before corporate culture took over and deals could still be made with words and handshakes alone,) and his recollections provide a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the station's hallways, concert events, DJ personalities and celebrity interviews . . . His memories and behind-the-scenes accounts are the next best thing to having the WMMS of the late-1970s to mid-1980s still on the air. This entertaining and amusing read will be appreciated by avid listeners of "The Buzzard" during its heyday and anyone interested in Cleveland's music history. -- Cleveland Magazine, December 1, 2007

John Gorman is a personality and an astute radio guy . . . his energy and ingenuity-and the requisite ego-shine through here, making [the book] a vivid, entertaining addition to the Cleveland rock story. -- coolcleveland.com, December 5, 2007

What was it like behind the scenes at WMMS, the nation's hottest station during FM's heyday from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s? John Gorman, who ran the Cleveland radio station as music and program director and later operations manager, provides a riveting look at the events and people who shaped the station's history. -- Maple Heights Press, December 20, 2007

Written in an easy manner, parading zany, wonderful stories in a coherent, wildly entertaining style, Gorman's book reveals much about the inner workings of WMMS -- Goldmine Magazine, July 19, 2008


Product Description

This rock and roll radio memoir takes you behind the scenes at the nation's hottest station during FM's heyday, from 1973 to 1986. Sex and drugs, music and merchandising--it was a wild time when the FM airwaves were wide open for innovation.
John Gorman led a small band of true believers who built Cleveland's WMMS from a neglected stepchild into an influential powerhouse. The station earned high praise from musicians and even higher ratings from listeners.
Gorman tells how WMMS remade rock radio while Cleveland staked its claim as the "Rock and Roll Capital" by breaking many major international music acts. The fun may have died when FM went corporate in the late 1980s, but it was a hell of a ride while it lasted.
Filled with juicy insider details, this fast-paced story will entertain anyone who listened in during those glory days when FM delivered excitement and the Buzzard ruled the airwaves.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Gray & Co., Publishers (September 21, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1886228477
  • ISBN-13: 978-1886228474
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #563,527 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #77 in  Books > Entertainment > Radio > History & Criticism

More About the Author

John Gorman
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's John Gorman Page

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir
85% buy the item featured on this page:
The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of Wmms and Cleveland Rock Radio--a Memoir 4.4 out of 5 stars (17)
$24.95
Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio)
6% buy
Ghoulardi: Inside Cleveland Tv's Wildest Ride (Ohio) 4.2 out of 5 stars (13)
$13.46
Big Chuck: My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV
5% buy
Big Chuck: My Favorite Stories from 47 Years on Cleveland TV 4.5 out of 5 stars (13)
$13.57
Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's Fm Air Wars
3% buy
Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's Fm Air Wars 4.8 out of 5 stars (5)
$22.04

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(2)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (11)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Unique memoir and remarkable history of FM radio, November 12, 2007
This book is so good that my husband and I clearly needed two copies, as we wrestled each other nightly for reading rights (I finished the book last night, so he has it all to himself now).

The Buzzard is John Gorman's unique memoir and singular history of WMMS. For people who love Cleveland/Northeast Ohio and WMMS, it's a must-read.

The book is also a remarkable insider's view of the beginnings of FM radio. My sons (in their 20s) are music aficionados, and I've tried and failed to convey to them the thrills, the excitement, the quantum leap that FM radio was many moons ago. Where I failed, John Gorman succeeds brilliantly, in prose that's conversational, intelligent, and engaging.

I also found The Buzzard to be a timeless primer on genius in marketing and promotions, and the physical/mental/emotional and spiritual dedication required to achieve greatness in a business endeavor.

I'm still laughing at Gorman's stories about Joan Jett's visit to WMMS and the "Welcome WMMS Buzzards" banners at the Roman Gardens restaurant -- my favorites among dozens of unforgettable moments he shares.

Enjoy The Buzzard!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the great radio books, November 13, 2007
By John E. Hannibal III "Bean" (Olmsted Twp., Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a must read for radio fans, rock music fans, Cleveland fans, marketing fans. In other words, a number of people will find different things to enjoy about this book.
The book describes the rise and fall of one of the greatest radio stations. For Clevelanders who've always tried to describe what we had to others...well, hand them this book.
I plan on buying multiple copies for Xmas gifts and for friends hitting 50 as I'm about to do.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I'd buy the next one too!, April 26, 2008
This book is fantastic for anyone who came of age during the 70's and early 80's in Cleveland, OH, and listened to radio. WMMS was what EVERYONE under 30 was listening to back then, and the DJ's were larger than life personalities who were friends with Springsteen, Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, etc. This book gives insights into the world of WMMS of that era. HIGHLY recommended from this displaced Clevelander now living life in Seattle (sigh....)
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars 10 stars!!!
the definitive book of rock and roll from CLEVELAND'S own rock station.....YEP THAT'S WHY THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME IS HERE!!!!!
Published 11 days ago by Paul Storm

5.0 out of 5 stars If it was only an audio book
Great book that gives great insight to the rise of WMMS. It brought back a lot of memories and wishing that I could hear the voices that I remember through the 80's. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Chtulhu's Pilot

2.0 out of 5 stars The Buzzard was great, the book not so much
As a Clevelander, you just have to be ticked off. I was born in 1956 and the Indians haven't won the World Series in my lifetime. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Wingnut dzy88p

4.0 out of 5 stars The End of the Century
It was a special time in Cleveland, Ohio, when stations on something called FM radio became more than playing programming from its AM affiliate. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. Richard D. Coreno

4.0 out of 5 stars Brought back a lot of memories
Good book, particularly if you lived in the Cleveland area and listened to WMMS- what a bunch of memories this books stirred up, things I had totally forgotten about. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Larry

4.0 out of 5 stars Memories!
Anyone growing up with MMS in the 70s and early 80s will love this book!! Brings it all back, the songs, artists, DJ. Loved this book. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Gerard F. Zemek

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Memories
Having lived in Cleveland from '73 to '84 and attending Cleveland State during that period, this book resurrected some great memories for me. Read more
Published 19 months ago by D. White

5.0 out of 5 stars Radio Nostalgia
I was a parttime DJ in the late 60's and this book is a trip down memory
lane even if I wasn't anywhere near Cleveland. Read more
Published 20 months ago by T. Chapman

5.0 out of 5 stars The Rock Stops Here
Anyone growing up in Cleveland in the 70s can relate to Gorman's vivid recollection of events that put Cleveland on the map as the "Rock and Roll" capital of the world. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Michele Dene

5.0 out of 5 stars WMMS 101 / 100.7 FM Cleveland , Ohio (the BUZZARD)
In the Late 1960s two things "stuck-out" and I'm ashamed to say that I remember them to this day...the Hough Ave Riots (racism) & the Cuyahoga River caught fire (1969)... Read more
Published 21 months ago by James R. Petrak

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.