THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 7, 1995 TAG: 9507070572
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY BONKO
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
THERE ARE NO Perry and no Henry competing for air time when Holly Williams sits in a Suffolk studio to tape ``Radio Vision: College Music Television.'' No Stone. No Bull. Just Her Hollyness.
Williams - she of the smoky voice and Morticia Addams 'do - went one-on-one with Perry Stone on WROX-FM until the station's bosses rocked Hampton Roads radio by swiping Henry ``The Bull'' Del Toro from WNOR-FM.
Now there are at least three voices banging on the listeners' ears during morning drive on 96X. Williams will need her bony elbows to clear space for her news and weather thing.
On television, there is no such problem.
``Radio Vision,'' which recently moved from a wretched time slot on WTKR (it was on at 3:07 a.m. Friday night) to a better one on WVBT (12:30 a.m. Friday night), features Williams flying solo.
She has the camera and the set at Atlantic film studios all to herself. Williams sits in dim light with the microphone cord draped around her shoulders like a lazy serpent, introducing artists from a corner of popular music called modern rock.
Williams insists that young people are mad for it.
``Modern rock is the hottest thing in music,'' she said.
This music sounds like the lids on garbage cans crashing. But what do I know? I think Louis Prima and Keely Smith are cool.
While listening to ``Radio Vision,'' I learned the names of artists who are advancing the cause of modern rock. They include Alanis Morissette, China Drum and Bad Religion. Williams the VJ on ``Radio Vision'' issues orders to the modern rock devotees in a mellow manner.
``Check this out.''
``Dig it.''
That's about all there is to being a VJ.
Williams, who hails from Philadelphia and started her radio career here in 1991 as Holly Anne on The Fox, says she is pleased to be on ``Radio Vision'' because the program extends the reach of modern rock.
And ``Radio Vision'' shows the face that goes with her voice heard by thousands of listeners mornings on WROX-FM. Williams is on the air solo after 10 a.m., and also does a local dining-out show on 96X's AM sister station, WNIS.
About that long, thin face of hers. . .
Sexy? Well. . . sure.
``But sexy in the sense that I am not threatening to the women who watch,'' said Williams.
To be a successful VJ is to turn on the males and not turn off the females who watch. Duff did it on MTV in the past. Kennedy does it on MTV today.
Holly accomplishes both, say the show's producers.
``Radio Vision'' is the work of Big Dog Productions, a local group that includes producer Bill Gaunce and associate producers George Hudgins, John McClung and Greg Swanson. They are musicians - some have an association with the group called the Barflys - who thought it was time for Hampton Roads to see music videos that MTV and VH1 wouldn't put on cable.
There could be money in it.
``Radio Vision'' has been exported to the NBC affiliate, in Raleigh, N.C. Gaunce and his colleagues will put your band on ``Radio Vision'' for a price. Call 423-1572.
WROX-FM extends its presence on the tube by supplying the music and some of the talent for ``The Vibe,'' a local TV show produced and directed by Bill Green. It airs Friday night at 11 p.m. on WGNT. A local TV explosion! by CNB