KSAN, A Rock & Roll History

Panel of former KSAN personalities Ben Fong-torres, Richard Gossett, Bonnie Simmons and Scoop Nisker Bonnie Simmons, Ben Fong-Torres, Richard Gossett, and Wes “Scoop” Nisker share stories and contextualize the important role of FM radio station KSAN in the culture of San Francisco. Recorded June 2, 2016 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco.
Produced by Jim Draper & Kenny Wardell
Director of Photography, Eric Predoehl
Edited by Jim Draper

[@thomasconrad2630]

This is a treasure trove!..great memories, of my brother in his bedroom listening to jive 95 , (me being younger) I was absorbing this from my bedroom, his electronics class would listen to KSAN in high school (Tracy High early 70s). KSAN gave me a great musical exposure .Richard had the coolest laid back style, this is a huge part of what S.F. was about for a lot of us in the outer lying communities, priceless!

[@johnbeckham1483]

I got to experience San Francisco & the Bay Area FM Radio circa 1977 through mid 1978! I also enjoyed listening to Richard Gossett on KSAN FM STEREO 95, KOME, & even KCBS FM which at the time was "light" rock so to speak! Steve on the stereo KCBS! KFRC 610 AM was great at times also! Richard Simmons was still on KSAN in May, 1978 as I left the Bay Area then to go back to the South!

[@deserttrainguy3235]

Between 75-78, KSAN was a savior for me. I was working painting houses around the East Bay, and KSAN was on all day and night. The interviews and info provided helped me know where to catch great music every weekend. How does one explain what KSAN was like? Richard stoned on the air listening to the drumming on Go Your Own Way, Bonnie's lunchtime, Firesign Theater, The Tubes, The Dead, Creedence, Keystone Berkeley, Longbranch. I disagreed with most of the politics, but unlike today, we all got along and enjoyed one another. Remember the station break....'.Where is KSAN?....In San Francisco.' Radio today mostly a horror show.

[@johnbeckham1483]

I can remember listening to KSAN circa 1977 listening to Journey's NEXT album! Who remembers the song Spaceman with Gregg Rolie on vocals!

[@mgtdgirl]

Loved KSAN! So sad when format changed.

[@scooterdu]

How good, seeing all these amazing folks. My two years with them were a super highlight of my life.

[@FeatnikSF]

I moved to SF in late 1974 with KOME disc jockey Don Potoczak who was hired by Tom Donohue to work at KSAN along with other KOME personalities: Tom's son Sean Donohue, Phil Charles and Bonnie's ex-husband, Bob Simmons. I visited the original location of KSAN on 211 Sutter Street and the Sansome Street studio many times. Richard "Gooselegs" Gossett enjoyed having friends in the studio and I remember good times visiting Richard, Bob McClay and another DJ, Tony Kilbert (TK!) who is a very close friend to this day. I have KSAN stationary, Christmas cards, stickers, postcards, posters and tee shirts in my collection. Many of the San Francisco Underground cartoonists contributed their art to the graphics used by KSAN: Dave Sheridan, Gilbert Shelton, Greg Irons and Dan O'Neill are the ones that come to mind but there may be more. In 1975 I met Frank Zappa in the KSAN record library where he was pulling albums for an interview and was truly pissed off that Bonnie had crossed out titles such as "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" with the words NO AIR PLAY!!! He was battling Tipper Gore's censure at that time. Zappa recognized me backstage at the Winterland during the Bongo Fury tour and chatted with me. Ben Fong-Torres wrote the Little Feat biography "Willin'" and included me in the story (I have Lowell George's first autograph) and used my photos, so my name is in the index. What an honor for the Original Feat Fanatic! I've always felt that Scoop's motto was the best ever: "If you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own!"

[@hankrosenfeld8433]

Featnik -- Hank Rosenfeld here, I am compiling oral history of KSAN and would love to reach TK whom I worked with in '78 -- have him contact me? [e-mail]

[@ApartmentKing66]

I had the distinct honor of giving Bonnie her award for induction into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame at the Berkeley Marina Doubletree. After David Jackson's introduction, I put Bonnie's framed certificate directly into her hands. I'll always remember that.

[@SidneByars]

Loved KSAN Radio

[@MrTrundleon]

Thanks for producing this, Jim! I'm a San Francisco native and grew up glued to my radio and these personalities on that stage were my window(s) to the outside world. I'm grateful to have grown up in SF at the time that I did and been a witness to history being made. Before I came to work at McCune A/V in 1998, I'd no clue what went into video productions like this! I've since retired from McCune, 20 + years in the Engineering Dept, and moved to a radio wasteland, Salem, OR. Rick Lucia

[@jimdrapervideo]

Hey Fellow University of McCune Grad! Glad you enjoyed the video. I'm working with a group right now (for about 6 years) on a KSAN doc. Stay tubed! Maybe a radio wasteland out there but internet radio is always your tuner these days... Cheers.

[@johnbeckham1483]

Wow! Richard Gossett, I can remember listening to (KSAN) you when I moved from Florida to San Mateo county back in November, 1976! I can still remember listening to you one night when you played Journey's new song NEXT circa March, 1977! Whatever happen to KCBS FM after that time period? Steve & the music? I enjoyed this great video with all you guys from KSAN! Take care & thanks!

[@seansoblixe9711]

i was 1969 and i was forever an "underground" music junkie with my fingers holding my recorders capstan on cue...

[@hankrosenfeld8433]

Some of these great stories are re-told in an oral history coming from Backbeat Books in August 2023----so look for "THE JIVE 95" fellow fiends and jivers!

[@TheHypnotstCollector]

I do have the Voco Dusty Street "Lights Out" album, c.1973. It was lights out by 73, Haight was dead as dead. I think it was 1967 when a disc jockey did a hour or so of free association on his evening with his girl, in bed, doing it, etc, just talked, no music no ads

[@katiezee2]

Gravity Goldberg what a great name !

[@SidneByars]

Scoop I used to cut your hair at Hairy Ways

[@krusty6246]

It’s always the great radio stations that don’t last. How ironic is that?

[@FeatnikSF]

Jim Draper.... did you work for SRI (Studio Rental Instruments) in 1973?

[@jimdrapervideo]

I was in high school then