Remembering 96 Wave

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The now-defunct 96 Wave was unquestionably the most important rock station in Charleston during the 1990s. When alternative music came into its own early in the decade, Wave was on the cutting edge of that trend, introducing a generation of Lowcountry listeners to new sounds and bands that would create a revolution.

Personalities such as The Critic, Uncle Miles Crosby, The Woodman, Dave Rossi, Atom Taler, Richard Todd, Hollie Anderson, Danny V, Michael Blaze and others were playing bands such as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden before anyone else and were part of the original nucleus that made Wave so legendary.

Later, characters such as Stupid Mike, Dick Dale, Storm and Kenny, Carly Maddux and others would carry on the Wave heritage for a better part of the 2000s. When I signed on as a part of the The Critic's (Jim Voigt) afternoon show in 1999, I not only became part of a great station with a stellar reputation well outside its broadcasting range (Rolling Stone magazine gave 96 Wave multiple accolades), I basically owe everything I do today -- in print, on the radio -- to Wave and the opportunity The Critic initially gave me.

It is no mistake that I ended up at WTMA 1250 AM talk radio in 2007, where Wave alumni Todd was instrumental in bringing me on board, and it's no coincidence that a Wave reunion was held last Friday during "The Morning Buzz," where Todd and I were joined by Taler, Crosby and Anderson to relive old memories.

It was good to get the band back together again, and the positive reaction from the listeners was a pleasant reminder of how much 96 Wave meant to so many. Simply put, for countless rock fans who grew up in Charleston, 96 Wave was the soundtrack to their lives.

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The closest thing to 96 Wave on Lowcountry airwaves today is the Bridge at 105.5 FM, where music director has Joel Frank has done a great job of promoting new music, giving quality local bands exposure and choosing rock that fits Charleston well.

But in this age of iPods and Pandora and almost two decades removed from alternative and underground music becoming mainstream, it doesn't seem possible that a station such as Wave would have the same impact today. A performer such as Nashville singer-songwriter Will Hoge became famous in Charleston due to heavy rotation on Wave, and thankfully the Bridge continues to play his music. You can hear The Critic on the Bridge every Sunday from 9 a.m.-noon.

But few people discover new bands exclusively, or perhaps even primarily, from radio these days. There are simply too many new options.