If you worked in and around the Detroit and Chicago markets, you probably know the name Allan Stagg. Allan worked at (among other stations) WABX here in Detroit, and a number of Chicago stations, including WCKG (back in the Classic Rock days), CD94.7, and The Drive.
Allan passed away this past weekend from complications from pneumonia. He had been programming Rock 104.9 in Battle Creek.
Allan was very much a throwback jock, who had the ability to create his own unique atmosphere. He was at his best hosting his "Sanctuary" show, radio that could take you to an entirely different place. Allan had a real sense of "theater of the mind" – something that we all talk about, but he was able to bring to life on the radio. While Allan always had that serious "Voice of God" sound, there was always a lot of winking going on as well.
One of my favorite bits of Staggdom was on Halloween when he would transform into Count Staggula, and do his entire show sounding like a cross between Arthur Penhallow and Bela Lugosi.
He will truly be missed, and we will keep you up to speed in this blog about arrangements. Allan leaves a wife Kathy, and five sons.
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Fred,
Allan was a showman. Beyond his rich, warm, unforgettable voice he had a deep understanding of theater. He loved being on the radio and serious about his craft; he never did a “shift” preferring always to stage a show. When last we talked, just before New Years, he was excited about “producing” his radio station. Sharing some of his thoughts and ideas about where he was taking his station he was positive and very enthusiastic. It was ever thus. On more than one occasion he said to me “Fred Jacobs gets it.” We have lost a great artiste.
This was a shocker and so sad for the family. Allan was struggling with only part time moments at WLAV and took on the programming and morning slot in Battle Creek. Everyone there was so happy to have his creativity in the building and he was happy to have a canvas back again. Just go to the website https://www.keener1049.com/pages/allan.html and catch is Bio – if you want to catch some of his craft. Having worked with him and Fred in the CKG-Classic rock days he had great talent and will be missed. Another Allan Bit – St Pats – day Allan O’Stagg with the whole show done in a hokey Irish accent and a personality fueled by too much green beer.
Re: Allan Stagg (Peace my friend)
So sorry to my sons..and yes…it hurts me too..despite everything …I feel their pain.
I was informed by a friend in Chicago radio that my former husband and co-worker had died. I’m deeply hurt.
Allan and I had our personal differences, but professionally we were a team. From WABX to KAZY and many mornings of marathon meetings ..he opened doors. Allan, if you’re listening, I knew something was wrong, for the past three nights..I haven’t slept, I thought it was my heart yesterday…and it appears it was.
As a co-worker, teacher, comrade and “Theater of Mind” influence, he brought a morning team together, helping everyone to transform talents they didn’t know they had. He was magnetic.
As a father, he was an extreme workaholic, dedicated to his craft. We had ‘riffs’ but in spite of that, my sons had time to know him, and the years have flown by…I’m glad they got to know him.
He could dream of concepts, and in our early days, shock value was a dirty word, but he was ahead of his time in that arena. Now, shock is just another story. What everyone else is doing now…we did then.
We performed the essence of Firesign Theater, he was impressed with the influences of Chuck Blore, Stan Frieberg, and any idol of influence that gyrated the imagination into a thinking machine with a ‘twist’.
When he spoke of joining the ‘circus’ in “his own words” he wasn’t kidding, those morning shows we did together were full of clown acts…complete with title’s that no one could remember, and in my ‘foggy’ mind I believe they went something like this:
It’s Allan Stagg’s Morning Side-Show and Rock ‘N’Roll record rodeo and refugee camp. (?) One was at WABX the other at KAZY – the morning team consisted of Dave Segal, Mark Paris and myself (then Corinne Stone).
Even another sometimes player in our scenes was Todd Fowler who I hope get’s this message. We’ve all lost touch over the years, but it’s through Allan once again, I believe we are connected through his spirit. Heck, there were times he’d drag everyone into the control room and some, (at the risk of credibility) performing material only a mother could love. But, he was the inspiration and force that brought it out in us.
Born a Balsamic personality, he always had his foot one step into the future, and the future is where he always lived. Although he may be off the air in this realm, I’m certain, the man I knew, is still taking your requests.
Yes, when I heard this news, knowing him the way I did, I’d only hoped it was a “Theater of Mind” stunt.
To our two sons – (his two eldest) I love you…and I’m here for you. This hurts in ways I never expected, and I’m deeply grieved by his loss.
To Kathy, and the entire family – peace, I know what loss is…and I feel your pain as well.
Stoney
stoneywolf@earthlink.net
https://www.stoneywolfvoiceover.com
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Allan’s passing.
I first met Allan when he arrived at WCKG in late 1987 or early ’88. Our paths continued to cross during my 13 years at WLS, while Allan was on Kicks County, WXCD, etc. Although I lost personal contact with him the past couple years, I knew he was in Michigan.
Allan was a one-of-a-kind guy. He was innovative and edgy…probably too innovative and too edgy for some of his stations (certainly some of his programmers!). Allan was ahead of the curve before the curve was cool.
I’ll never forget his stories about the Tin Foil people…the time he made a comedy bit out of the executions of a ruthless Romanian dictator and his wife…and, of course, the creative genious that was Sanctuary.
My sincerest condolences to Allan’s family, friends and co-workers. He will be missed on so many levels.
Steve Scott
WCBS Newsradio 880
New York, NY
On a Much lighter note but somewhat lengthy:
He was also known to Detroiter’s as
Uncle Al-Your Intergalactic Pal:
This was the sign-off Allan used during the days of WABX complete with the Close Encounter’s Third Kind Theme – and Doak Breen voicing — “You’re having a close-encounter of the 99th kind – It’s Allan Stagg’s morning side show and rock and roll record radio boot camp, on 99.9 WABX — SFX:
(phase out with the Close Encounter’s communicato bum..bum..bum..bum..bum..) Only Doak knew that title well enough to memorize it – – it sounds close to what he said.
You really had to be there. But together, we shared these ironies, from him trying to toon into me during a my near death experience of which later dawned on me, (like a bag of hammers) I wondered why he didn’t call 911.
But other ironies about his own death:
In the news Jan 1, 2007, Chicago O’Hare proclaims with pictures that there was a UFO siting, in spite of many denials, there were also too many believers.
In a report by Allan in 1998 he states this:
ILLINOIS
CAUS thanks Allan Stagg (Allan.Stagg@ABC.com) What caught my attention was a second light, about half the intensity of the first, which seemed to come up in a subtle curve from horizon line …The impact caused an initial burst of light followed by a lengthy stream of white sparks trailing the first light as it continued in a southeasterly direction. The second light appeared to fall practically straight down following the collision. I was shocked at what I saw and began to brake thinking I had witnessed a midair crash between a smaller and larger aircraft. … The event was eerily reminiscent of night footage of Patriot missiles striking Scuds during the Gulf War.
So, Uncle Al the intergalactic pal, the man with the foil on his head, made final contact on Jan.2.
The concepts of what we call death, are but perceptions, and Allan, was one guy who dared to travel where angels feared to tread … was big on those philosophies..in fact that was a shared interest.
Allan could send signs, he was a transmitter, maybe from working so many years in radio, he became the vehicle of the stations himself. We both strongly believed in the metaphysical notions and his quests for philosophy was a love he indulged. At least during those days.
In Denver, he climbed a top of sky balloon in order to promote KAZY — I feared that was going to be it. There he was, smoking several cigerettes before climbing on the KAZY balloon in order to test the limits. All I had was a polaroid. You think that the station would have taken photos that would have caught the look on his face.
Not knowing he had died …on the morning of Jan.3 I drove my daughter’s to school saying “You know kids, sometimes people don’t make it to New Year and sometimes they don’t last too long after.” Now, I live in a wooded area, surrounded by beautiful forests, and nothing blocks the light of stars or sun-rises. But on this particular day, driving further down the road we saw the most awesome globe of the Sun..in the morning mist ..a globe you could stare straight into. I said, “Look at that beautiful sunrise…..Don’t ever take a sunrise for granted you never know if you’ll see it again.”
Just last week speaking with my father we were discussing Grand Rapids and Gerald Ford, and Allan’s name popped up, as Ford was to be buried there. My father said flipantly, “I suppose Allan will be there.” Not knowing what form he’d be there in…BTW: Gerald Ford lived across from us at the Beaver Creek Ski area in Vail Colorado…he was just one ski slope away…ironic, their paths cross again.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, he didn’t fear the reaper, he embraced the unknown with courage, and there were some spooky tours through graveyards we went through on Mackinaw Island (now well over 20 years ago) that made me jump as we dodged bats flying at us. Don’t worry they won’t hurt you. “Aha..ok…can we go now?”,
I asked. On New Year’s Eve I pulled out the old group shot of us at KAZY with the morning crew with Timothy Leary. But this time…I couldn’t take my eye off the seven pointed star he wore around his neck.
I also recall reports of strange lights circling Portland the day our first son (Luc) was born…and when in Arlington Heights…again for our second son (Levi) another siting…Call it what you will, I called it magick.
So during this phenemonal trail of tears,the latest news reports that I hope provided some miracle of closer to what he said I hope he’d like you all to believe he’s there riding that space-ship, and conducting interviews with more celebrities and political figures, and as well bumping into Tim Leary for a walk down memory lane along with those who’ve just crossed over, and those he’s always wanted to meet.
This is Uncle Al your intergalactic pal, tuning in, turning on, and signing off, until we meet again.
Feeling the loss here of not one, but two, Rock originals over the past week. First, Len “Boom” Goldberg, the VOICE of the Buzzard WMMS, and now Allan’s passing. I used to listen to Sanctuary over the years on ‘CKG, then CD 04.7 and finally at the Drive. Allan understood theatre of the mind in a very special way. My condolences to his family —
Sitting in a city snowplow in the middle of a blizzard, I take a few minutes to re-group. Then this voice comes though my cheap radio: “This is Sanctuary.”
The game plan was familiar, movie drops and a song. But this was different. Chimes, a small waterfall and an occasional bong bubbling. It sounded like a cross between Venus Flytrap – ala WKRP – and Wolfman Jack – right after Richard Dryfus leaves the lonely transmitter building in the middle of the California desert in American Graffitti.
It wasn’t as easy of a task as it seemed. You all are right, TOTAL Theater of The Mind type stuff.
The voice was real. NO over modulation. No reverb. Just straight pipes. (A friend of mine from work, who is black, called him the white man’s Barry White.)
Every hour had a theme of sort. Serious or that sly sarcastic undertone that would fly right over the heads of the over righteous.
The person couldn’t have been any more real than the Chicago blizzard I, and my co-worker’s, was fighting.
He always took a call. Apologized for cutting it short to give the next listener in line their turn to request a song or even just to say : “Hi. Thanks for staying up with me.”
A great talent will be missed in person, but, the spirit behind everyone’s Sanctuary, will live on forever.
Was he political? Hell yeah! He’d convince you he had the Iron Curtain for sale, but lost the claim tag for the dry cleaners. 😉 Someone called him a Marxist one time. His reply. A picture of Harpo Marx. You may not have agreed with him. But he made you think of the possibilities on any subject that came up.
How can anyone ever let this talent get passed them. We’ll never know in the world of generic corporate radio.
He had his heros. Biondi, Bell, to name only a couple.
The love of labor was for the listener.
To my friend:
Happy Chemtrails to you… until we meet again.
Allan was one of the very few people in this business who awed me with talent. He understood what truly good radio was supposed to be. He helped me through some difficult times. Awed me, yes, and inspired, encouraged, cajoled… Pretty high praise considering the last time we worked together he took my job — with my help!
John:
I remember that too!
I’m sure Alan already has his own new sanctuary radio show wherever he is…
He is truly a kind man who loved radio and made me love listening to his show.
As a cop I worked nights and was a faithful listener of Sanctuary on WDRV.
I had the great fortune of meeting Alan and becoming a friend.
Alan did not give in to the corporate machine, and I never listened to WDRV again…
Happy trails,
Officer Keith
Al was one of a kind. Or two of a kind depending on how many of his personalities you met on any given day. Cosmo. The Joe Flynns. Corinne. Big Mark The Dancing Spark. Dave Siegel, Frank Joyce, The Fowl Toddler, Mike Koste, We wuz all there with Al and it was the best of times. Noone had his goofy outlook on life, tempered with his down-to-earth focus on what was important to him. He could make us all laugh with the lift of an eyebrow, or have us all looking inward from deep discussions on subjects arcane or politically current. I learned a lot from Al, and not just about radio, although there was a lot of that. I suspect he’s still teaching whereever he is.