Hitz FM Memories - GabeMcGrath.com - Blog

LISTEN: Today in history, Hitz FM got hacked

The youth station’s 5th broadcast went quite smoothly until the day Hitz FM got hacked.

And if you scroll to the bottom of this post- you can HEAR the recording!

We’d tweaked the music to add a bit more hiphop and alternative to the mix. We were smashing out the big pop/dance tracks of early ’95 like The Bomb (The Bucketheads), Living in Danger (Ace of Base) and the Hardfloor remix of Yeke Yeke [Mary Kante]. We had fantastic Jeep Renegade vehicles for giving out prizes. And the Hitz team were living on a very healthy (?) diet of Jolt Cola and Kettle Chips.

But one day in the final week of the broadcast, a little “beep” changed everything.

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The DNA of Hitz: Press Gang

For many Aussie kids in the 80s, watching ABC TV after school was an addiction. Monkey, Star Blazers, The Goodies, Inspector Gadget, Secret Valley, Astroboy, Metal Mickey, You can’t do that on Television. And then, there was Press Gang.

This show hit our screens just as the 80s were ending. A story of a bunch of schoolkids making their own little splash in the world of media. Becoming more sucessful than the adults imagined. Hmm, reminds me of another story…

Today’s post is the first of a series called The DNA of Hitz. We’ll be saluting shows, films and books with strong echoes of the Hitz FM story.

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Remembering Hitz One CD (1998)

On this day in 1998, the Hitz CD series had a ‘reboot’ of sorts. No more ‘Original Hitz’. No more single CD releases. The Hitz One CD modernised the series, going to a two disc format, and adding an exclusive megamix with each release.

Today we look back on this historic CD, and I’ve invited a few of the team who put it together to share some memories.

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The Top 9 big bass 90s songs

After the fun of creating my first Hitz FM Top9 (the Top 9 controversial 90s songs) it’s time to do it again. With the big bass 90s songs.

This time around, we’re pressing the ‘bass boost’ button on our ghetto blaster. We’re plugging in the subwoofer and saluting the top 9 tracks with the biggest bass played by Hitz FM in the 90s.

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LISTEN: On this night: Hitz FM’s 3rd broadcast ends

Right now, it seems a lifetime since I posted about the anniversary of the start of Hitz FM’s 3rd broadcast. And back on this night, March 11 in 1994 – it felt the same. Ninety days felt like ninety weeks.

Our planned 2 month broadcast – had been extended to three months. Our borrowed school classroms had become a proper office. We knew we’d be able to be heard all over Melbourne – but we didn’t realise people would LISTEN all over Melbourne.

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Hitz news team promo

In February this year, Australians were caught in a media war between Facebook/Google, the Australian Government and traditional media. For about a week, Facebook blocked all Austalian ‘news sites’ and many others.

When the ‘news’ returned, I made a little funny video on my Gabe McGrath Facebook Page to celebrate. You can watch it below.

The thing is though – whilst I’m clearly teasing our news team, it was made with much respect. Let me explain…

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Madness panic PANDEMONIUM when Peter Andre visited Hitz FM

First of all, happy Valentines Day. The day that Peter Andre visited Hitz FM.

Tonight I bring you news of a February 14 like no other. And for the first time ever on GabeMcGrath.com – I’ve invited a few of my old Hitz friends to help me.

As I noted the other day in our A Current Affair post, early 1994 was a pretty crazy time at Hitz FM. We had tonnes of media coverage. Hundreds of phone calls every day.

Then one night, Peter Andre dropped in…

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On this Day: Hitz FM on A Current Affair

It was one crazy Summer. The Summer of ’93/’94.
When Hitz FM appeared on A Current Affair.

Sure, every day during the 3rd broadcast, things seemed to be getting bigger.

First we noticed when we stopped at traffic lights – other people listening to our youth station. Other people we didn’t even know. Then the phone calls kept coming in… soon we had 4 telephone lines ringing all day.

Then, ACA arrived…

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The Top 9 CONTROVERSIAL 90s Songs

If a youth radio station’s 100% approved by parents – is it a real youth station? That’s what I thought to myself as I gathered these controversial 90s songs.

Hitz FM certainly didn’t set out to shock or offend. But if we thought our audience was going to like a track, you can be damn sure we played it. Especially if the requests were rolling in. And throughout our 9 year run, we played… some… doozies.

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STREAM: 1st HOUR of Hitz Broadcast 3 – Summer 93/94

Today’s the day. December 10. The day back in 1993 when something pretty amazing started. Hitz Broadcast 3. The 3rd broadcast of a little youth-run radio station that soon caused a BIG fuss.

Over the next 90 days the request phone line went from 1 phone to 2 phones, to 4. The media went crazy. Radio ratings showed Melbourne kids were tuning in – in their thousands. And a near riot occured when we invited a popstar to visit.

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Mashing up Pies n Pitbull

After a few Megamix Mondays, it’s time to get back to the mashups. Today’s track is DJ got us falling in Hot Stuff.

It’s one of those jawdropping mashups that make me wish I was DJing again. Plus the fact you don’t have to carry heavy crates of music anymore. And the fact that the new DJ lights weigh much less..

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The biggest 90s HipHop megamix had a daggy secret

Now THIS Megamix Monday will be hard to top. The Walk this Way Megamix soon became the unofficial anthem of Hitz’s Summer 93/94 broadcast.

And yet, ‘the one megamix to rule them all’ has a super-cheesy backstory very few people know.

Follow the link below to stream the famous Walk This Way Mastermix. You’ll learn a little bit about why it made such an impact, and discover the skeleton in the closet most would never have suspected.

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FOUND: First Hitz FM Breakfast

As I mentioned in my recent November update, people have been going through their cupboards/garages/parents spare room. They’ve been reaching up to the top shelf, opening those old shoeboxes, and finding 25 year old cassettes of Hitz FM. And some of them, might be a recording of the Hitz FM Breakfast breakfast show.

But today’s recording is not a recent find. It’s a tape I’ve had for almost 28 years. I’ve kept it since the morning I recorded it; Friday December 11, 1992. And it’s one of the rarest recordings we’ve found so far.

After the jump – you can hear it.

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November update

Hey guys, wanted to give you a quick update re everything happening with the Hitz FM book and my GabeMcGrath.com blog. And that means, a November update.

BUT FIRST – A GIFT FOR BUSY PEOPLE.

This blog can now send you the latest posts automatically.

It’s easy. Just look for the big black box. (If you’re on a mobile, it’s probably below this post.) Pop your name/email in, and you’re sorted.

Now, what else has been going on…?

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Megamix Mondays 2

I’m a big fan of megamixes, and today I’ve got you a real Hitz classic. Macquina Total 6. Or as the man in the megamix used to say “Ma KEENA Toe Tell – SAY!”

Maquina Total 6 was very popular during Hitz’s Summer 93/94 broadcast. The destinctive thuds of the approaching T-Rex. The crazy chicken noises. The finger-on-the-pulse inclusions of songs like Mr Vain (Culture Beat) and What’s Up (DJ Miko).

And now, I’ve been able to solve a big mystery about this megamix… 26 years later.

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Mashup Monday 6

OK, after launching my fortnightly Megamix Monday last week, it’s time for a Mashup Monday.

And that’s what I might do for a while – alternating between mashups and megamixes each Monday. That work for you guys? Cool.

Now….we’re due for a Rock / Pop one, so that’s what I’ve got for you today.

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Live From Inflation – The End Of Hitz FM’s 6th Broadcast

25 years ago tonight, a certain youth radio station was broadcasting live from Inflation Nightclub. It was the final night of Hitz FM’s 6th Broadcast. Time to celebrate. The station had come back onair, it had a new CD in the shops, and it had one of those brand new “webpage” things on the “internet”.

Yes – it was clearly 1995.

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Hot Tracks best of 1991 Megamix

Why just post mashups on a Monday, when I can also bring you a great 1991 Megamix?

For my first Megamix Monday, I’ve got something special. It’s one of the oldest 90s Megamixes that Hitz ever played. It’s from one of the great DJ remix services of the 90s. I believe it’s the first song Hitz ever played on the radio.

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James Ash is Right in the Night!

He’s back.

James Ash (Rogue Traders, Union State, former Hitz FM announcer and committee member) has come back to where it all began. He’s re-signed with legendary Melbourne-based dance label Vicious Vinyl. And his first release – is a cover of a true Hitz-era classic.

But what I found most interesting about all this – is that it’s NOT the first time he’s tried to cover this song…

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Smash Hitz: Dreams – Gabrielle

Dreams (and it’s performer, Gabrielle) seemed to come out of nowhere.

When the song was released in Australia in late 1993, the charts were dominated by romantic R&B (Freak Me – Silk), reggae-flavoured pop (Can’t help falling in love with you – UB40 / Sweat – Inner Circle) and adult rock (What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes / I’d do anything for love – Meatloaf). Dreams – with it’s romantic soul-tinged pop sounds… seem to arrive from another planet.

It also seemed to remind me of another song, and 27 years later I know the answer.

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Mashup Monday 5

Ahh, mashups… like this one today “Yelling Physical Me“.

Mashups: when somebody (more talented than me) combines one or more song instrumentals with one or more song acapellas. The result can be funny, inspiring, impressive or just amazing to dance to.

Sometimes I’ll be posting tracks from my collection that are 10-15 years old. But not today. This track is one that I’ve been blasting in the car for the past month or two and it’s brilliant.

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Smash Hitz: U Sure Do

Time to salute another mid-90s dancefloor classic – U Sure Do.

We all know the song – but did you know it was composed of samples from a number of other tracks? (Don’t worry, neither did I. All but one of them are pretty obscure.) Even more interestingly… did you know about Strike’s strong Australian connection?

Read on, and all will be revealed.

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Mashup Monday 4

You what? You ring me round (like a telephone)?

If you’ve got a child/niece/nephew in primary school… At some point they’ll ask you what “1 + 1” equals. If you answer “2” they’ll say “Wrong, it equals ‘window’…”. If you say ‘window’, they’ll say “Wrong, it equals eleven.”.

In the case of mashups, “1 + 1” often adds up to something amazing. Indeed, today’s track, despite using one of the most over-mashed instrumentals of the early 2010’s… still works.

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The first four weeks frenzy

So, we’re 4 weeks into this crazy adventure, and little did I know what ripples would occur, once I threw my little stone in the pond. So, what’s happenned in the first four weeks?

I’ve received audio (from old tapes). I’ve obtained photos. And scans.
I’ve done interviews. I’ve regularly published features. And my newsletter subscriber list is growing.

Let’s break each one down, shall we?

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Mashup Monday 3

Another Monday, another mashup! And today’s track is called “Don’t Start In the Middle”.

But before I get to the track, a quick reminder how this works…

‘Back in the day’ (pre-internet) I used to scour CD sales, Cash Converters, etc to pick up bargain music, and great remixes. And then, back in 2005 – I discovered mashups. What’s better than your favourite songs? Your favourite songs brilliantly deconstructed and recombined together. So I started collecting them.

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