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Bob Rivers

 
Artist:

Bob Rivers

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Performed Songs By:

Terry Gangstad, Dennis Amero
See Bob Rivers Lyrics
  • Active: '50s, '60s, '70s, '90s
  • Genres: Spoken Word
  • Instrument: Producer
  • Representative Albums: "Twisted Christmas", "I Am Santa Claus", "The Best of Twisted Tunes, Vol. 1"

Biography

The morning-show DJ for Seattle's KISW, Bob Rivers began recording Weird Al-type song parodies in 1984 with the American Comedy Network's "Breaking Up Is Hard on You (Don't Take Ma Bell Away from Me)." Sung to the tune of Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," the track eased its way to number 70. He continued producing for the network, even while he switched stations from city to city. After writing the parody "Twisted Christmas" in 1987, Rivers recorded an album around the song and released it in 1992 through Critique Records. Additional Christmas LPs followed in 1993 and 1997, as well as two volumes of The Best of Twisted Tunes. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia:

Bob Rivers

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Bob Rivers
Born 1952
Origin Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres Comedy, parody, rock and roll, christmas music
Occupations Music producer, comedian, radio personality, disc jockey
Years active 1986—present
Website BobRivers.com

Bob Rivers is a well known American rock and roll radio on air personality in the Pacific Northwest as well as a prolific producer of parody songs, most famous for his Christmas song parodies.

Rivers' radio program, The Bob Rivers Show, is broadcast on Seattle rock station KZOK-FM.

The Bob Rivers Show current cast includes: Spike O'Neill; "Downtown" Joe Bryant; newswoman Maura Gallucci ; director Arik Korman; and producers Luciana Bosio and Pedro Bartes.

Previously, between late 1989 and August 2000, the show aired on Seattle, Washington Active Rock radio station KISW-FM under the title Bob Rivers Twisted Radio. The Bob Rivers Show was also simulcast on Portland, Oregon "1980s Rock Hits" radio station KVMX (now KXJM) "Mix 107.5" from 20 March 2006 until 5 October 2006, when the station dropped the morning show and switched to a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary format under the new branding "Movin' 107.5".

Contents

WAAF Bob and Zip

Bob Rivers spent almost 6 years at WAAF-FM in Boston, as part of their successful Bob and Zip morning show with fellow on air personality Peter "Zip" Zipfel.

During his tenure with WAAF, Rivers started producing parody and novelty songs, both for the station and for the KATZ/Newcity "American Comedy Network", a radio syndication service that provided comedy material to local U.S. and Canadian radio stations. One of the first parodies he produced was "Breakin' Up Is Hard On You", about the lawsuit and the resulting Bell System divestiture, the court ordered split up of U.S. telecommunications company AT&T's Bell System. The song was sung to the tune of Neil Sedaka's #1, 1962 hit "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" and peaked at #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart.

In 1987, Rivers released Twisted Christmas, which contained the Christmas music radio hit "Twelve Pains of Christmas", a parody of the holiday standard "The Twelve Days of Christmas". "Twisted Christmas" was certified a gold record by the RIAA.

WIYY "98 Rock"

In the spring of 1988, at Baltimore radio station "98 Rock" WIYY-FM, as a lead morning show personality between 1987 and 1989, Bob Rivers gained national attention for an 11-day, on-the-air marathon during a Baltimore Orioles losing streak. He vowed to remain on the air until the Orioles won a game. He kept his vow and became a local celebrity among Orioles fans for his pledge.

During his time at 98 Rock, he and WIYY radio collaborated with Sheffield Recording Studios to continue his campaign of 'Twisted Tunes'

KISW Twisted Radio

After arriving at KISW in Seattle in 1989, Rivers released a second album of humorous holiday-themed music in 1993 entitled I Am Santa Claus (the title track was a parody of Black Sabbath's song "Iron Man"). Since then, three other Christmas-themed albums have been released, including: More Twisted Christmas (1997); Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire (2000); and White Trash Christmas (2002).

Bob Rivers and his Twisted Radio show have also produced a countless number of regular, non-holiday parodies covering anything from pop culture to politicians, to the various sports teams and players in the Seattle area. These "Twisted Tunes" can be heard for free on his website. CD compilation albums are also available.

KZOK The Bob Rivers Show

In 2001, the cast and show moved to KZOK. The cast currently includes Spike O'Neill, "Downtown" Joe Bryant, newswoman Maura Gallucci, director Arik Korman and producers Luciana Bosio, Pedro Bartes and Shalia Figgins.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Holiday US US Heat US Country
1988 Twisted Christmas Critique
1993 I Am Santa Claus 23 106 1 Atlantic
1994 Twisted Tunes
1997 More Twisted Christmas 13
2000 Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire
2002 White Trash Christmas 42

Compilations

Year Album US Holiday Label
1994 Twisted Christmas 19 Atlantic
1997 The Best of Christmas Tunes, Vol. 1
The Best of Christmas Tunes, Vol. 2
The Best of Twisted Tunes, Vol. 1
The Best of Twisted Tunes, Vol.2

Film appearances

References

  1. ^ STARTREK.COM : Article
  2. ^ The Bob Rivers Show: Contact Us

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Bob Rivers" Read more

 

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