I had never heard of the guy neither but I recognize his contributions to what some may call the golden age of FM. To me Pete would be the anti-Lee Abrams despite his show being similar to the navel-gazing ego exercises you can hear on KUT today. However, it was the Sixties and FM radio had to start somewhere when the FCC used to do its job protecting the nation’s resources.
The other matter of note was Fornatale’s career beginning at Fordham University. I find it hard to believe the Jesuits let this guy do what he wanted on the radio. The Jesuits at my alma mater of Marquette were such control freaks and tightwads…unless it meant keeping the basketball out of jail.
I do want to praise the man in Fornatale’s passing. My tastes and programming strategies may be very different from his yet we would be in complete agreement about what an excellent DJ’s role is. They should be tastemakers with wide a knowledge, passion and/or appetite for music. Now they’re just “talking heads” obeying orders from clueless corporate shills. It’s a small wonder why Clear Channel is strapped with enormous debts as people flee to their iPods.
My cousin Matthew attended Fordham, maybe he can answer some questions I have.