Highway Rockin’ From LA To Vegas
• For over 45 years, Heftel Broadcasting’s Highway Radio has been making the drive from LA to Vegas (and vice versa) much more tolerable, thanks to a signal that covers over 40,000 square miles of the Mojave Desert and the major Southern Nevada pipelines — I-15, U.S. Hwy 93/95 and I-40 — reaching millions of travelers and hundreds of thousands of Mojave residents — and now, nearly 700,000 Vegas locals as well.
Long known as The Drive, the hard-rock powerhouse of Southern California’s High Desert has significantly increased its heavy metal footprint of late — in addition to its existing network of transmitters — KHDR (96.9)/Barstow, CA, and KHRQ (94.9)/Baker, CA, the station just added an additional Las Vegas-area dial position at 99.7 (KHYZ-HD3)/Mountain Pass/Las Vegas, along with a rebrand to the more descriptive handle Highway Rock.
“Rock radio in Las Vegas needs a serious kick in the ass,” said Highway Radio VP of Rock “Gonzo Greg” Spillane, who has opted to turn everything up to “11” and fully lean into his past experience at legendary Pure Rock KNAC/Long Beach-Los Angeles and unleash hard and heavy rock that hasn’t been heard on terrestrial radio since the waning days of hair metal, seasoned with new rock that “fits.” We’re talking Ozzy, Metallica, AC/DC, Van Halen, and Aerosmith, tastefully blended with cuts from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Accept, etc.
Spillane noted, “We used to joke about our metal gods playing Vegas — now Mötley Crüe, Sammy Hagar, Scorpions, and Def Leppard all have Las Vegas residencies. We’re the station for those that rebuke bingo night and get out and throw up devil horns.”
Highway Rock is anchored by station voice Rich Van Slyck; music news and personality bits are delivered throughout the day and night by Gonzo as well as Mel Rox, who has previously been heard on KOMP/Las Vegas, and the late KSJO/San Jose. Sunday nights get extra loud with Charlie Kendall’s Metalshop, LA Lloyd’s Rock 30, and Full Metal Jackie.
• Pay heed to Gonzo Greg’s final word of caution: “It should be noted that Highway Radio / Heftel Broadcasting President Richard Heftel has no idea that we’re playing this music, so please don’t tell him.”
