Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 3, 2025 ~ Malden Musings ~ Carl Chimi Speaks By Peter Levine “W hat you are about to read is a matter of human record. Explain it: we cannot. Disprove it: we cannot. We simply invite you to explore with us the amazing world of the Unknown ... to take that One Step ... Beyond.” When some guys talk, you just gotta listen. Here we have Carl Chimi from Maldonia USA retelling some tales that must be heard. For your reading pleasure, take it away, Carl: “In 1970, I was a 17-year-old senior at Malden High School. My friend, Phil Belanger, was also a senior, although a year younger. Phil and I shared a love of the music of that time. He was the first person I Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 knew who had a hi fi system; that was a big deal back then. He introduced me to Traffic, the Allman Brothers, and the Mark Almond band, among others. Phil was very outgoing and cool; I was very shy. Somehow, Phil had become a volunteer at WBCN. He invited me to go with him to the station very early one Sunday morning. “In those days, the station was on Stuart Street in downtown Boston, not far from the Common and Public Gardens. It was on the second or third floor of a nondescript office building. Phil showed me how to jimmy the outer door using a piece of card stock. I’m sure after 54 years I don’t remember everything accurately, but I do remember entering a big open room with desks. Directly across that room was the main broadcast studio, which was small. To the left was the teletype room. Behind that, across a hall from the studio, was the record room. Behind that was a small production studio, which was our goal that day. We used it to edit a school project tape recording. Phil amazed me, showing me how to dial in edits and use a razor blade and tape to splice cuts. “To me, the record room was a treasure. We were allowed to take albums home as long as we returned them promptly. I think I first heard Buddy Holly and Hank Williams from records I borrowed. Phil somehow got me in as a volunteer, which amazed me because I was so shy and backward. It was absolutely the coolest thing I was ever part of when I was young. I met many of the DJs, although only Charles Laquidara and Tommy Hadges stand out, because they were both friendly and seemed not to recognize or accept that I was shy and backward. I remember Kate, the volunteer wrangler. Another volunteer was Leigh Buckley, the niece of William F. Buckley; we bonded over the (Stones) Let It Bleed album. I remember Steve Brandano (another classmate of mine) and I pulled from the teletype the news of Duane Allman’s death and rushed it into the on-air DJ, who then played Allman Bros songs for Devir Park Bandstand in days of olde a while as a tribute. “After high school I went to UMass/Boston, which literally surrounded the ’BCN offices on several sides. That meant I could still be a volunteer. I met quite a few interesting people, including Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup, David Frye, and Joe Perry and Steven Tyler from Aerosmith. Their song, Dream On, was just getting airplay and they were having their first little taste of fame. I had seen them perform in Dover, MA, in a gazebo, so I told them I thought they were great. They seemed almost shy to me, very likeable, very down-toearth. I remember being surprised that they were a few inches shorter than I was; I guess I thought all rock stars were huge back then. One summer (1971?) we all went over to the Common and played a softball game with Professor Irwin Corey as the umpire. He was manic and hilarious, and R-rated. No way his schtick involving the women who were playing would fly today. “I also remember meeting Arnie ‘Woo-Woo’ Ginsberg, years earlier my favorite DJ from WMEX. That was exciting. He seemed by that point to have morphed into some kind of radio businessman bigwig, because I remember he was there for a business meeting. “My memories of ’BCN in the very early ’70s are of a very funky, quirky, cool place to be. Phil and I got on the air for an hour at least once, and I think Phil even had his own program for a while. There was a lot of freedom in that place. No one told the DJs what to play. That was their domain and expertise. For me, it was a place that, by including me without a second thought, by making me a small MUSINGS| SEE PAGE 17 — Vinyl Siding — Carpentry Work — Decks — Roofing — Free Estimates — Replacement Windows — Fully Licensed — Fully Insured
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