Punk, jazz, folk, psychedelic, reggae – that’s just a regular Thursday on WMSE 91.7 FM. The community-supported radio station where I’m a volunteer DJ, commanded from the Milwaukee School of Engineering campus, turns 45 this year. In that time, WMSE has built a reputation for eclectic, unbridled programming and loyal, open-minded listeners. Here are a few memorably freeform moments in the station’s unconventional history.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Almost Shut Down on Day One
On St. Patrick’s Day 1981, a WMSE DJ feared the FM station’s first day on the air would also be the last. Vietnam vet and MSOE alum “Wolfman Joe” Ryan was hosting the drive-time show when a gaggle of students rolled out a half-barrel of beer (literally) past the station’s window. Ryan brought the rowdy bunch into the studio to celebrate, and a well-lubricated student quickly dropped an F-bomb into a hot mic. Fortunately, Ryan was able to redirect the revelers and escape the incident with only a verbal rebuke from the university’s administration. WMSE carried on its rebellious ways – in compliance with FCC regulations.
Risking It All to Rock On
In the early ’80s, WMSE relied on telemetry and engineering wizards such as Julie Cudahy and Dave Hippe to stay on the air. One night when Hippe was the only one in the studio, a strong storm hit Milwaukee, knocking the station off the air. The circuit breaker in need of resetting resided on the roof of the 13-story Roy W. Johnson Hall, so Hippe sprang into action. He took the elevator up to the roof, scampered to the base of the antenna, and as the sky danced with lightning, flipped the switch to restore power to WMSE. You can’t keep “Frontier Radio” down – not with volunteers willing to do anything to keep the music blasting.
44 YEARS OF ‘FRONTIER RADIO’: FOUR STORIES FROM WMSE’S EARLY DAYS
The Replacements Get … Replaced
Unscripted live radio is irreplaceable. At the height of their ramshackle brilliance, Midwestern punks The Replacements dropped by WMSE’s studio and lived up to their chaotic reputation. Despite the DJ’s attempts at salvaging the conversation, the band was asked to leave mid-interview due to some “colorful language and high spirits,” according to current station manager Tom Crawford. Still, the band’s music remains a mainstay on the station.
Let’s Go to the Hop
Live radio on public transit? That’s right. WMSE has broadcast multiple shows on the move from The Hop. In 2024, in between spinning records and taking requests from passengers, DJ Barry Johnson interviewed Mayor Cavalier Johnson and encouraged him to make good use of taxpayer money. Last year, DJ Faux Eyes played transport-themed songs (“Train in Vain” by The Clash, “Broken Train” by Beck) and chatted with Eric Baumgartner, a former jazz trombonist, NASA jet propulsion engineer and the current MSOE president.
45 Years of WMSE
