Ferris O’Brien talks about the return of 105.3 FM “The Spy”
“The Spy” is currently locked in a basement, but Ferris O’Brien promises to release it in three days.
Five years ago, 105.3 FM “The Spy” left the airwaves, replaced by a Spanish language station, and a great experiment in ultra-alternative rock radio was consigned to history. Now O’Brien, the morning disc jockey on The Spy, has bought the station from Citadel Broadcasting and the long dormant Spy returns to the airwaves Monday.
“I’ve been working on this at least since March — actually physically working on this deal,” said O’Brien. “But in all actuality, this has been something I’ve been thinking about doing, wanting to be doing, for the last 10 years.”
O’Brien, whose career in radio began with KDGE-FM in Dallas, eventually moved to Stillwater, where he was a key player on KSPI-FM, the stylistic precursor to KSYY. KSPI-FM changed formats in 2000, and O’Brien joined 105.3 FM when that station adopted a deep alternative format in December 2002, playing a diverse selection of underground British and domestic rock.
After KSYY changed formats in June 2004, O’Brien continued to work with Citadel, hosting a “Spy Radio” program on KATT-FM. But O’Brien said his dream has always been to run his own station, and he reached an agreement earlier this year to purchase the station from Citadel with his own money and investment from family members.
Since embarking on the process of buying the station, O’Brien has been collecting and programming the necessary equipment and reaching out to past colleagues such as former Chainsaw Kittens singer Tyson Meade, one of the regular deejays on the station. Meade, who now lives and teaches in Shanghai, China, is expected to return to The Spy with a regular show recorded half a world away.
In the meantime, O’Brien is filling his equipment with digital song files, ranging from classics by The Smiths and Talking Heads to local bands such as Pretty Black Chains.
“I’ve had the automation system for about two months, and I am still working on it today,” he said. “I lock myself in my basement, and my wife refers to it as “mad scientist syndrome.”
While he acknowledged that there are big risks involved in this undertaking, O’Brien said he thinks he can operate a profitable business while bringing a radio legend back to life.
“You know, I’m not in this specifically to get filthy, stinking rich, where I fill up a bedroom with 100-dollar bills and roll around naked. If that happens, that’s great, too. But if I break even and make a good living and can pay the bills and keep it on the air, I know I can do that.”
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Comments
Yeah, it can be called the JOHN FIRE MORNING RUSH, and only play 70′s metal and prog-rock descendants like Wolfmother and Muse.
Fantastic! The SPY rocked; best radio station ever! I am so excited to hear it is returning. Excellent!
kev & jerry I am right there with you. KSPI was about all I listened to on the radio during high school. Getting word that it was back on the air and getting to listen to it yesterday was like seeing an old friend. I swear I was teary-eyed. Sorry KGOU- I’ll still support NPR and listen on the odd occasion but…105.3 is going to be a permanent fixture!
.) Aw, this was a really nice post. In idea I would like to put in writing like this additionally – taking time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get something done.
.) There are certainly a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you bring up where the most important thing will be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Both boys and girls feel the impact of just a moment’s pleasure, for the rest of their lives.
I just read the “Oklahoman” article about your radio station activities and vinyl records making a comeback…sounds very interesting as I am a real “golden oldie”, literally, and I need your help in finding a person, place or thing, to contact for marketing the last of a collection of early 40′s Eddy Duchin Albums to sell. I know you have more important things on your mind, but I would really appreciate a contact place or person.Thanks, and blessings for your continued success.
Sincerely,
W. Sholer
This is better than Christmas baby !!!
I was an original Spy listener and would sometimes call Mr
O’brien when he played something wonderful that I had never heard before.He would give me the name of the artists,the name of the album,and sometimes even tell me where I could buy it.This is just great news folks.I own two original Spy t-shirts and whenever I wear one I always get kudos from other former listeners. You’ve got my undying loyalty Ferris and for once I can’t wait for Monday !
Best of luck and get ready to roll around in money.