Jim Ladd, disc jockey who was a fixture of L.A. rock radio in the 1970s, dies at 75

[quaint]

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-12-18/jim-ladd-dj-los-angeles-rock-radio-klos-kmet-sirius-xm-dies

Longtime disc jockey Jim Ladd, a central figure in the emergence of FM rock radio in Los Angeles, died Saturday after a heart attack. He was 75.

Ladd’s death was announced Monday by Meg Griffin, an on-air colleague at SiriusXM, where they both worked on the satellite radio service’s rock channels. Ladd had a shift on SiriusXM’s Deep Tracks channel, which features the album-oriented rock he played over his long career.

Ladd was a favorite personality during the rise of rock radio on the FM band in the 1970s, working at Los Angeles stations KMET and KLOS, where he spent 14 years as its midday host.

RIP

[calimary]

1. There goes another one.

Into the big air booth in the sky.

I just saw that a KMET colleague of his, Mary Turner, passed in early May of this year. Also at age 75.

[IcyPeas]

2. Oh wow. Listened to him a lot when he was on regular LA radio.

He always wanted to do his own thing and not follow playlists.

RIP

[BootinUp]

3. Listened to him all the time in my younger years. RIP Jim.

[drmeow]

4. Damn!

I was just talking on Friday about seeing him with the Radio KAOS tour and remembering KLOS (I was less of a KMET fan).

[calimary]

5. I was partial to KLOS because they hired me. KMET never expressed any interest.

I wanted to work at KLOS much more anyway. They were more accessible, and it just seemed like a better fit for me. KMET was what some people referred to as "hipper than thou." I woulda grabbed it if they'd invited me in, though. But they probably didn't want two Marys on there, especially since Mary Turner was already well-established and she was certainly the reigning queen of the air staff.

[drmeow]

7. KMET was to hard for me

I wish I could have reliably gotten KROQ but the signal wasn't strong enough in my neck of OC.

I might still have some KLOS and KMET stickers that they used to give away at concerts!

[drmeow]

9. I probably listened to you

if you were on the air between about 1978 and 1984!

[calimary]

10. Yep, I wrapped it up in 1996 because by then, I had two little kids at home

and I felt they needed me more than my ego did. By then I was at the AP in LA, covering Hollywood. Even though I loved my job, my work, and being “first”, I had a BIG case of the guilties once there were kids involved. For ME, anyway, it didn’t make sense to go to a demanding job (even if I loved it) when there were bigger demands (and different and stronger love) at home.

Guilt. It’s pretty doggone powerful! The Catholics use it as a mallet straight across the face, skull, spine, gut, and throat.

[IbogaProject]

6. I saw him in 1987 at Madison Square Garden

He was part of Roger Water's Radio Kaos album and live show in 1987.

[drmeow]

8. Saw the same show at the LA Forum

Up there as one of my all time top shows - and I wasn't even all that much of a Waters fan. I liked the taking calls from the phone booth on the floor during intermission.