Parenteau is noticeably absent in 'BCN sendoff

Boston Globe ^ | 08/07/09 | Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein

[raccoonradio]

Charles Laquidara is having second thoughts about participating in the four-day farewell to WBCN that starts tomorrow morning. The legendary former disc jockey, a centerpiece of the marathon sendoff, is upset that former jock Mark Parenteau is not invited to take part. “Mark’s one of the key figures, and we’re not allowed to mention him. His name’s been wiped out,’’ said Laquidara, who hosted “The Big Mattress’’ show back in the day. “I feel like a whore and a hypocrite doing [the farewell] because it’s not being handled in the ’BCN spirit.’’

After 40 years, the station is about to switch to an all-sports format, but before that happens, virtually everyone with a connection to WBCN is participating in the long goodbye. The station’s promising on-air appearances by Ken Shelton, Howard Stern, Billy West, Steven Clean, Albert O, Bradley Jay, James Montgomery, Sam Kopper, Mississippi Fats, Ray Repien, Maxanne Satori, Shred, Mark Hamilton, Bill Abbate, DickyBarrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Greg Hawkes of the Cars, Robin Young, Carter Alan, Oedipus, Jerry Goodwin, Steven Nelson, Nik Carter, Tami Heide, Cha-Chi Loprete, Jay Leno, Steven Strick, and Tony Berardini, among others. Parenteau’s not the only person excluded - Peter Wolf, Opie and Anthony, and former ’BCN DJ Matt Siegel are also not on the list - but he’s perhaps the most notorious.

The station had no comment yesterday, but it’s likely that Parenteau’s past legal troubles are the reason he’s persona non grata. In 2004, he was convicted of one count of child sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old boy, and sentenced to three years in prison. (Parenteau declined to talk to us yesterday.) ’BCN marketing man Loprete said the four-day farewell will be more fun than funereal, and include snippets of ancient interviews with Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Bill Murray.

[raccoonradio]

Mark Parenteau did have some words about WBCN and how corporate radio killed it off, in a Boston Phoenix piece a couple weeks ago.

[SamAdams76]

Also missing was Oedipus, who still does his Christmas Eve shows on BDC radio. It is odd reading about terrestrial radio, which used to be such a big part of my life. Between satellite radio, Pandora and iTunes, I can’t remember the last time I listed to anything terrestrial.

[raccoonradio]

Yes that’s the way things are going though I certainly listen to Howie on ‘RKO...and I do occasional blues shows on WMWM up at Salem State etc

[SamAdams76]

WBCN went downhill when they put Howard Stern on in the mornings and became the radio voice of the New England Patriots. When music was no longer the priority, they ceased being relevant.

Kind of like MTV.