Sad news; ART BELL has passed away...

[ka1iic]

Bad news: George N. on Coast to Coast AM has reported that Art Bell has passed away... I have no link to the news but by the time you read this it should be out ... RIP Art

...

[redhat]

It appears to be confirmed by the sheriff's office. https://twitter.com/NyeSheriff

Sad indeed, but that's what a life of heavy smoking can do to you.  Larry Lujack died at about the same age from Esophageal cancer.  No disrespect intended.  I always liked Art's voice, very soothing.

+-RH

[Pigmeat]

You read my mind before I bothered to click the link, Redhat.

When Art entered broadcasting, standard advice for guys with a voice that ran towards the higher ranges was, "Start smokin' and drinkin', kid." It was guaranteed to do to your voice what Mother Nature didn't when you hit puberty.

[ThaDood]

I got the word around 3:15AM EST last night. As if Syria wasn't bad news enough, now this.     http://kfyo.com/breaking-former-coast-to-coast-am-host-art-bell-dead-at-age-72/

[Strange Beacons]

This is really sad news. I spent many an hour listening to Art. He'll be missed. W6OBB/Silent Key: https://www.qrz.com/lookup/W6OBB

[BoomboxDX]

I used to work overnights during the 1990's and early 2000's. Art Bell was a big part of my life, as my Superadio was always there in the studio as I worked, invariably playing Art Bell's show.

Really sad that he's gone. He basically invented night time 'spooky' radio. Coast To Coast AM had a really nice tribute to him earlier this evening, with a few excerpts from Art Bell moments -- JC the wacky guy, the clip with the guy flying his private plane into Area 51, etc.

RIP Art Bell, now you probably know the answers to a lot of the mysteries your show explored.

[Josh]

Best coast to coast ever;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_UdpSNccfI

[Rizla]

Boombox, I agree with everything you wrote except: Art Bell did not invent late-night spooky radio. Long John Nebel (east coast, shows available on Ytube) did, or probably there was someone else before him, maybe. What Bell did invent was "coast to coast" late-night spooky radio. Indeed! And truly a pioneer.

There were times, on the crazier shows, where I thought I could hear Bell laughing. Maybe I was wrong. But I remember this guy who said, "and Art... they have even got recordings of the sounds of Pleadian [space-] ships!", where there was at least a chuckle, or a guffaw, or something.

He also promoted totally bogus stuff, a lot of the time (i.e. guests that he damn well knew were bogus) but that was in the Long John Nebel traditional late night entertainment modus operandi anyway.... i.e., the broadcasters viewed these kinds of shows as what they were: "Entertainment".

Godspeed to Mr. Bell.

[BoomboxDX]

Boombox, I agree with everything you wrote except: Art Bell did not invent late-night spooky radio. Long John Nebel (east coast, shows available on Ytube) did, or probably there was someone else before him, maybe. What Bell did invent was "coast to coast" late-night spooky radio. Indeed! And truly a pioneer.

There were times, on the crazier shows, where I thought I could hear Bell laughing. Maybe I was wrong. But I remember this guy who said, "and Art... they have even got recordings of the sounds of Pleadian [space-] ships!", where there was at least a chuckle, or a guffaw, or something.

He also promoted totally bogus stuff, a lot of the time (i.e. guests that he damn well knew were bogus) but that was in the Long John Nebel traditional late night entertainment modus operandi anyway.... i.e., the broadcasters viewed these kinds of shows as what they were: "Entertainment".

Godspeed to Mr. Bell.

FWIW, I had heard about Long John Nebel. He was on one of the big NYC AM stations, I think in the 1960's. I saw his pic in a UFO mag talking about him. It seems he was a pioneer, sort of when the whole idea of paranormal and UFOs was a completely fringe idea. From what I've read, Nebel was sort of like the Charles Fort of late night East Coast radio.

I hesitated to mention him as I didn't know much about his show, and never heard it, so I really couldn't say much about it... I'll have to check out the sound clips on YT. Wasn't aware of them. Was always curious about the NY and EC radio scene back in the earlier days.

I agree with you that Art probably knew some of the claims by guests were bogus. But it made great radio, didn't it. :-)

[ThaDood]

http://midnightinthedesert.com/the-art-of-talk-art-bell-reads-his-book/           Yep, all 4 1/2 hours of it. Anyone recording this one, since M.I.T.D. will not archive this?