OK, it’s been three weeks. Time to reveal our first batch of secrets in the Hitz Reunion Mix. Every rare remix. Every little Easter egg.
Let’s do this.
Oh, and before I start – this is a list of quirky highlights and backstories (complete with timestamps so you can jump straight to them!) Obviously it’s not the FULL list of songs – they’re in this 2024 Hitz reunion post.
Oh, and when you see a timestamp below – just click on the audio player above to have a listen! Easy as that.
Broadcast 1: December 1992
Some audio from the very beginnings of Hitz FM when hard rock ruled, followed by pop and New Jack Swing.
| ID: “Announcing… Melbourne’s new POWER station… Hitz FM 89.9” Voiced by Anton Vanderlely, co-founder of Hitz FM. He was also the first person heard in Hitz FM’s 1st broadcast. Time in recording…. 0:09:12 |
| Hot Tracks 1992 medley – Various Artists One of those megamixes you only ever heard on Hitz FM. An incredible 13-and-a-half-minute summary of 1992. Lots of house, hip hop and New Jack Swing. Time: 0:13:22 |
Broadcast 2: July 1993
Hitz FM’s 2nd broadcast featured a huge influx of R&B and hip hop tracks, at a time when Australia – and the Western world’s pop music changed forever.
Read more about it in this post about the Xavier College Hitz broadcast.
| Promo: “The Power 20 Countdown – fun n games with Troy & James!” Troy Ellis (now heard on the Marty Sheargold Show on MMM Melbourne) teamed up with his mate James Valentini to host our nightly countdown in December 1992 and July 1993. Fun n Games with Troy n James! Time: 0:35:46 |
| Aint No Love – Sub Sub This was an absolute fave track amongst the Hitz staff in 1993. Time: 0:40:36 |
| Promo: “The FINAL Power 30 Countdown” That’s the voice of Ty Frost, heard these days on Smooth FM right across Australia. As he says here… “From Guns and Roses to Arrested Development… James Ash plays 30 of the most requested songs – on the Hitz. Sunday July 18, 1993.” Time: 0:47:09 |
Broadcast 3: Summer 93/94
Hitz FM’s 3rd broadcast – and first time Melbourne-wide – changed radio history in Australia. The station mixed Eurodance with pop, alternative and club remixes and in less than 90 days that crashed Melbourne’s number 1 FM station down to number 4.
Here are just a FEW of the Easter eggs and other secrets in the Hitz Reunion Mix you might have missed….
| Promo: “Barry and Ken call Hitz FM” Barry and Ken from (cough) “one of Melbourne’s big FM stations” were two characters who called Hitz FM to request classic rock tracks. (Strangely enough we never said “yes”…) Time: 0:55:17 |
| Walk this Way Mastermix – Run DMC/Various This DJ-only remix from UK-based Mastermix was incredibly popular. And there’s a pretty bizarre story about the other megamix its producer made. Time: 0:59:57 |
| University Elevator Music – Raspberry Cordial Talented writer, comedian and presenter John Safran made his media debut on Hitz FM as one part of ‘Raspberry Cordial’. This song shows off his lyrical skills, along with his trademark envelope-pushing ability. Time: 1:05:15 |
| Sponsor promo: “Adrenaline at Lazarrs” DJ James Ash (Rogue Traders) reads a promo about his new gig at this 90s venue in Melbourne. Time: 1:09:48 |
| What about Me – Moving Pictures (Paul Calvert’s underground club mix) Every Saturday night, Darryl Rae and myself would challenge Paul Calvert to remix a song at least 10 years old. In 1994, nobody could remix songs on home computers… so he did this only using two turntables! Amazing. Time: 1:18:06 |
| Sponsor promo: “Nova fuel” This hilarious(?) ad for a petrol station features the song ‘Pump It’ by Icy Blu, and the worst/best slogan in history. (“We pump harder, so you can drive away with a smile”.) Time: 1:22:00 |
| Maquina Total 6 Megamix – Various – (radio edit) The Maquina series of megamixes originate from Spain and feature lots of cheesy Eurodance. Volume 6 features a Jurassic Park-style dinosaur, and songs including Give it Up (Cut n Move) & What’s Going On (DJ Miko). Time: 1:38:06 |
| Sponsor promo: “The 75th Squadron presents FREEDOM” This iconic Melbourne nightclub was a great supporter of the Hitz. Check out this promo for some amazing memories. Time: 1:45:25 |
Broadcast 4: Summer 94/95
It was a long wait for Hitz fans after the incredible events of the 3rd broadcast. 279 days in fact. Then Hitz FM returned with new announcers and a new sound.
| Sponsor promo: “TWO HITS of Caffeine! Joy at the Metro thanks to JOLT COLA” One of the funniest sponsor ads that Hitz FM ran, for our favourite drink. Features a so-bad-its-great jingle “The switch is on… Jolt Cola!” 2:06:29 |
| Turn Me Out – Praxis feat. Kathy Brown This epic house track got a huge run in Melbourne Nightclubs like Metro, Inflation, and The Warehouse. 2:07:09 |
Broadcast 5: April 1995
Just a short broadcast – only three weeks. But lots to celebrate as the 1st Hitz FM CD had just gone to number 1 in Victoria.
| Thunderchild – Thunderchild This was the first song played in this broadcast. AND – the first single release from Hitz FM’s own James Ash. It was composed on an Amiga computer in his bedroom. Hear the start of Broadcast 5 in an amazing 4 hour recording. 2:11:39 |
Broadcast 6: September/October 1995
A great time for music at Hitz FM. Big tracks included 3 is Family (Dana Dawson), Lost in Love (Legend B), Mysterious Girl (Peter Andre), Loops n Tings (Jens), Stayin Alive (N Trance), Push the Feeling On (The Nightcrawlers), Let’s Groove (CDB), Wrap me Up (Alex Party), and Total Eclipse of the Heart (Nikki French).
| Promo: The brand new Hitz FM homepage on the internet Wow. When the internet first appeared, people spoke about ‘surfing’ the internet, and radio stations used “surf” music in their promos. So check out this hilarious ad for the brand new “Hitz FM webpage” complete with 60s surf music. We apologise. 2:36:19 |
Broadcast 7: Summer 95/96
A fun broadcast full of amazing songs – naughty promos – and special guests!
| Promo: “The REAL sound of Summer” Probably the cheekiest thing Hitz FM ever did. Fox FM had started playing a promo with the word “hits” throughout. Within a day we’d found all the pieces (music, new vocals, audience grabs) to completely recreate the Fox promo and… ahem change a few words. Have a listen. Oh, and it was the first thing we played in Broadcast 7, just to really drive the point home. 2:53:38 |
| Wrap me Up – Alex Party One of the most popular tracks from Broadcast 7, along with Be My Lover, Push the Feeling On and Apple Eyes. 2:28:29 |
| ID: “Hi, it’s DJ Bobo… and you’re listening to Hitz FM” Just one of the many guests who visited the station at this time. 2:32:23 |
But there’s more!
Click through to… PART TWO… with more Secrets in the Hitz Reunion Mix…
Wow Gabe so many great memories, such an amazing experience to work with so many great people. I learnt so much from everyone there that I have taken with me in life! I loved my time doing “Burnt Toast” in the morning!! Glad you are pushing for the history of this to be remembered forever.
Trent!
Great to hear from you!
I’m not sure we crossed paths at Hitz, I suspect maybe you joined just after I’d left! Of course, my apologies if that’s just my memory being fuzzy.
Would love to hear of any great memories from your ‘Burnt Toast’ era; that too was my breakfast show name.
(in my case, it was broadcast 7, Summer ’95/’96)