Tag Archives: Micheal Ziants early days

Radio-Activity in Harrisburg, PA? TMI, it Ain’t!

MichealZiants-aka-JohnSaintJohnWKBO1976AirliftProductions

Airlift Proprietor Micheal Ziants as John Saint John, WKBO Radio,                                                     Harrisburg, PA ~ circa 1976 ~

Long before I dreamed of New Orleans – to say nothing of owning and operating my own recording studio – and in those dark, prehistoric days before the dawn of the internet, I was radio-active in the state capital of Harrisburg, PA.

This has nothing to do with the infamous Three Mile Island incident, although it did make for a rather clever blog headline, no?

Actually, America’s most volatile and scary nuclear accident occurred in early 1979 shortly after I exited Harrisburg for my first major market radio job at the Pulitzer family-owned 55/KSD Radio in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Yes, long before New Orleans and long before Airlift Productions, I was thrilled to be the #1 Arbitron-rated afternoon air personality/disc jockey in Harrisburg, PA! Along with the largest cumulative audience between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. I always kind of looked at my ARB ratings as ‘bowling trophies’.

WKBO Radio was just smokin’!  The air was filled with the sounds of the Steve Miller Band, David Bowie, BeeGees and Donna Summer … weekends were spent in the sun, sand & surf at the Jersey shore.  And the internet, mp3s, i-pods & downloads were but dreams in a tech-head’s head. Radio – and AM at that – was it!

A name like Micheal Ziants just wouldn’t cut it for 1970’s radio … so John Saint John was born!  It was my stage name, my alter ego, the Batman to my Bruce Wayne for a total of twelve years, through Harrisburg, Saint Louis, Nashville & Philadelphia.

Truth be known? I would have paid THEM for the opportunity. To be hanging out, stoned  backstage with George Carlin and on-stage with Cheech & Chong … to ride the largest elephant in the Ringling Bros/Barnum & Bailey circus – bareback!  And fly upside down at 500 mph with the Blue Angels.

Radio active?  You betcha’! Catch just some of the fever ( Saturday night and otherwise ) with Harrisburg’s ‘politically apathetic, though ultra-liberal, and semi-hippie rock ‘n roll disc jockey’ –  John Saint John here… 

Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n Roll, everything was on the table, er… ah Turntable … and ‘On The Air’in this edited WKBO AirCheck of Micheal Ziants as John Saint John from June 1978, Harrisburg, PA ~

MichealZiants-aka-JohnSaintJohn-Behind-JoeyTravolta-WKBO1977-AirliftProductions ~ Micheal Ziants aka John Saint John, standing behind John Travolta’s brother Joey at a WKBO Radio promotion, Harrisburg, 1977 ~