AM Radio & the era of mixed tapes

Growing Up With the Sound of 1380 CKLC

Throughout my elementary school years, 1380 CKLC was the soundtrack of my town. It played everywhere — in classrooms, corner stores, hockey arenas, even drifting across the fairgrounds each summer. Compared to my dad’s retro band music, CKLC felt futuristic to my young ears.

That station opened the door to everything new and exciting: The Police, Styx, Journey, Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson — and those sequenced, otherworldly sounds from artists like Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Human League, and countless one-hit wonders. It all felt like a transmission from the future.

The Emotional Power of the AM Radio Era

The AM radio era didn’t just expose me to new sounds — it created the emotional backdrop to so many of my early “firsts”:

• first sleepover

• first school dance

• first kiss

This music became woven into the rhythm of my childhood. No wonder those songs still hit me with an instant, warm rush of nostalgia today.

How These Early Sounds Shaped My Musical Identity

Those early discoveries continued to influence how I hear, feel, and create music today. The combination of analog warmth, early synth textures, and strong melodic hooks still fuels my creative world — especially when I’m writing or experimenting with arrangements.