Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > September > 13 > Entry
9/14: Visiting Leslie Fram and Steve Craig in New York City
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Leslie Fram with Steve Craig. 99Xers reunited at 101.9/WRXP-FM. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com, Sept. 12, 2008
I visited former 99X program director and morning cohost Leslie Fram and mid-day host Steve Craig on Friday morning Sept. 12, 2008 at their new home WRXP-FM, a new rock station in New York City.
Ensconced in the West Village, WRXP-FM plays an intriguing blend of classic rock, alternative rock and new rock. Fram joined the station in June as program director and co-hosts the morning show with Matt Pinfield, best known nationally as former host of MTV’s “120 Minutes.” Craig jumped aboard about a month ago as mid-day host.
Fram, a workaholic, is at the station from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. some days. She said there are three or four rock concerts a night she could go to. Her first week, she went to five in a row including R.E.M., My Morning Jacket and Steely Dan and realized she has to be more selective. “I can’t do this every day,” she said she thought. “I’m going to die!” Yet you know she’s like a kid in a candy store.
Craig is enjoying the music mix, too, the ability to blend the Stones and the Who with the Ramones and the Clash, along with Nirvana and Green Day, plus the Strokes and the Killers, as well as new bands such as Kings of Leon and the Hold Steady. I don’t know of a station that goes as broad as this one. Will it work? Time will tell.
Both Craig and Fram were let go from 99X back in January when the station was taken off the Atlanta airwaves and sent online. (Craig did some work for 99x.com until his contract ran out over the summer.) Fram and Craig helped launch 99X back in 1992 and lasted more than 15 years.
Fram hasn’t forgotten Atlanta. Her husband Lanny manages her stores here and flies up to New York a couple times a month. She still has commitments here, including three events this month: a benefit for P.A.L.s, helping pets for the elderly and disabled Sunday called Rubbing Noses with Holly Firfer. Then Friday Sept. 19, there’s Fram Jam, an Americana showcase at the Atlantis Music Festival at Smith’s Olde Bar. Then she co-hosts the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Sept. 20 with Monica Pearson at the Georgia World Congress Center.
The WRXP studio is modest since it used to house a smooth jazz station. She wants to rejigger the space to give visitors more space to hang out. Pinfield stands in the main spot, with the producer Matt Iannik next to him. Fram stands near the window facing Pinfield. Pinfield is very smooth, very lively and plays off Fram well. The pair are both into the music. They recently spent 50 minutes with Brian Johnson with AC/DC, a band Fram never had a chance to deal with at 99X.
This particular morning, they interviewed a new band called Pure Essence and actor Jamie Kennedy. They did a daily bit called “local licks” featuring a song from an act with ties to the tri-state area. On Friday, they chose a duet with New Yorker Regina Spektor and Ben Folds “You Don’t Know Me.” While many DJs turn the sound down in between songs, they kept this song up and Pinfield noted, “I really like this song!”
Steve Craig, who just moved his furniture up to Forest Hills, NY, says he’s still getting into gear but is loving every minute of it.
Athens native Matt Pinfield, former host of MTV’s “120 Minutes” is the lead morning guy at WRXP-FM,
Comments
By eddie k
September 13, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
Skeletor and her minions are going to lose an intriguing blend of money on a format that won’t work. People want variety, but the don’t want to shift gears back and forth too radically between songs.
By Jim H.
September 13, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
I’ll say it again. That’s one UGLY woman.
By Brian
September 13, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
It didn’t take Grammie Frammie long to spot-weld her bony ass to the morning show, did it? And all those concerts at her age? I hope Lanny got her a MedicAlert bracelet and an economy bottle of Geritol.
By Chief Wiggum
September 14, 2008 3:20 AM | Link to this
Never understood the fascination with Old Man Fram. Maybe she was gold in the 90s, but she became a real mess in the current decade.
By Neil
September 14, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this
Congrats to Rodney Ho for figuring out a way to write off a trip home. I hope the Cox accountants take a look at this one. I wonder if there is a trip to Phoenix planned soon?
By Neil
September 14, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
Congrats to Rodney Ho for figuring out a way to write off a trip home. I hope the Cox accountants take a look at this one. I wonder if there is a trip to Phoenix planned soon?
What about Dekker? You went all the way up to NYC and forgot to interview Dekker.
By Toucher
September 14, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
Love how Steve Craig says he lives in Forest Hills, NY. Steve we know you live in Queens. Guess they aren;t paying you too much to play songs on a radio station no one has ever heard of (with no listeners).
The King os Queens riding the subway for an hour to go to work.
You may have it worse than me. Well not quite.
By Bored To Death!
September 15, 2008 12:41 AM | Link to this
Rodney, This has to be the absolute BOTTOM STORY OF THE YEAR!
It’s the blog equivalent of a TV station on Sunday at 11:00 p.m. with only 4 apartment fires and a dog charity event to fill 18 minutes of news!
Do you think ANYBODY cares about a low-rated NYC radio station, no matter how many former Atlantans are on the staff???
And you’d better buy a flash for your camera, because that fourth photo of Leslie Fram looks like the front display window of a Halloween Express store!
I’d have somebody else open your mail from Leslie in the future!
By baloney
September 15, 2008 5:48 AM | Link to this
First I ever saw of her was this pic. What a skank!
By zest
September 15, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
good grief she is ugly! i wonder if she is still mad about the regular guys taking her ratings, job and manhood…
By haystackboi
September 15, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
Interesting piece about former Atlanta radio people who are getting almost no attention at all from New York City listeners.
By Op
September 15, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
Rodney, I just heard that METRO has FIRED HALF THEIR STAFF!
Budget cuts, man.
Get on it and bring us that story.
By Op
September 15, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this
Rodney, I just heard that METRO has FIRED HALF THEIR STAFF!
Budget cuts, man.
Get on it and bring us that story.
By JB
September 15, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
This comments section should be re-named “Forum for jealous a-holes who can’t stand the thought of people doing better than them”. Good for Leslie and Steve. They were both instrumental in molding the Atlanta music scene and I’m happy for them. Nice to see them rewarded for their efforts, especially after being crapped on by the Lew and John Dick.
By Harrison
September 15, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
JB, good call, just a forum of hatred for people that have probably been fired from radio many times over (some of you by Leslie, right Chris Williams!). Good for both of them, great people who are now working in the #1 market in the country… wow, they really deserve the hate, good job guys. And just how did Rodney manage to write-off a trip to NY to cover a story not many (if any) people in Atlanta care about?? I can’t believe you didn’t get popped with all thos AJC layoffs Rodney!
By Eileen
September 15, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this
There was just a recent article in R&R restating that Leslie Fram is one of the best people radio….Her talent and drive surpass any of the negativity that gets thrown at her…She handles her job, her life, and her passions with intellect and grace, and WRXP is just going to be another example of how Leslie uses her Midas touch to create something incredible….She has only been up there a few months, and has already made her name a force in the industry….and then besides all that, she STILL has not forgotten Atlanta, the city she has always loved, and is still promoting local artists….It is understandable why all the negative commentators would be jealous of Leslie….she CONTINUES to succeed, while no one will ever remember you…..
By Bud
September 15, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
Rodney…here’s a good topic to post to the blog…
Sirius XM Sends Signals of Change
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122143532408734143.html?mod=hpsusinside_today
I particularly like the part of the article that says…
” Talk-show host Howard Stern’s five-year, $500 million pay package, announced in 2004, included 34.4 million shares payable to him and his agent, Don Buchwald. Then, the shares were worth about $110 million; by the time he joined the company in 2006, they were worth more than $220 million because of the stock’s sharp rise. Today, those shares would be worth $32.6 million. Mr. Karmazin declined to comment on Mr. Stern’s current holdings; Mr. Buchwald wasn’t available for comment. “
BWA HA HA HA HA HA!!! The King of All Media lost $77.4 Million to work at $att Radio! (He may have dumped his shares earlier, but somehow I doubt it)
By IYH
September 15, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this
all of u who rip on leslie and steve r just jealous. atl radio sux now all cuz they killed 99x. cumlus is the loser.
By huh
September 16, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this
Good to hear they both landed on their feet. Rodney, will there ever be another rock station in Atlanta. That is one that doesn’t play Freebird, Ac/DC or fleetwood mac 3 times an hour. Or one that doesn’t cater to 9th grade angry white boys and their 30 year old friends with tribal tattoos. Or one that doesn’t claim to play rock only to play easy listening. Or one that doesn’t doesn’t have snarky djs and a playlist that butts a rock song against indian folk music or worse play a decent song then play 15 minutes of nails across a blackboard
By jungleland
September 16, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
This station sounds WAY better than anything we have in Atlanta. Good for Steve & Leslie
By tmyork
September 16, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
You can get a live stream on WRXP’s website. Plus check out their playlist; the music mix is amazing. Makes me wonder if Atlanta will ever have another great rock station. Until then, 88.5 and WAWL (91.5/ Chattanooga) will have to do.
By barbara
September 19, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
Music has no age. Music is to be enjoyed by everyone. Just hope you can keep up with Leslie. Steve’s show in Atlanta was the best mid morning ever. Atlanta misses them.
By chairman
September 19, 2008 9:28 PM | Link to this
Damn, Leslie, smoke much meth lately?
By Teresa
September 22, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this
Fram’s Wikipedia page says she was “let go from 99x after a steady decline in ratings”. After a look at RXP’s latest ratings(2nd to last in NYC) it looks like history will repeat itself. (why they would hire her to begin with is beyond me) This station has become terrible over the past few months. And please tell me why she thinks her southern accent is an asset to a NYC morning show? It is completely unlistenable.
By A.L.
September 23, 2008 1:44 AM | Link to this
I just love the over-gloried amount of asshattery,stupidity,and hatred just permeating from the depths of some of you decrepit and bitter ass souls.Leslie may not remotely even look as good as she did a decade ago,but she has and will always be passionate about her job in music as will Steve.Even though I had only started listening to 99x 8 years ago,things were so much better when they were spearing heading things along with all the original DJs and all.It’s sad that with the format change and slew of new djs that the station in general does that hold that original splendor and charisma it had when they were there,and I think it’s awfully pathetic of many of you to be badmounthing them.Yeh,the station they are working at now may not be ranked too high in the top 10 right now,but considering that it’s still wet behind the ears,it’s a decent start.
Some of you need to get your heads out your asses and stop trying to get high and mighty of that methane you’ve been breathing in.99x was alot better then than it is now because they actually cared about what the listeners wanted.If you think these corporate douchebags and that balding,bulldog-faced t** of a program director (named Rob) care about what the listener thinks,you’re sadly mistaken.To them,figures speak louder than words,and money more so.They could care less what the hell you or anyone else want to listen to or even if it’s remotely good as long as it sells.