WLIR Legend Larry Dunn on New Wave Radio and the Sound of the ’80s

Before streaming playlists, social media algorithms and satellite radio, discovering new music often depended on one thing: adventurous local radio stations willing to take chances on unfamiliar artists. Few stations became more legendary in that role than WLIR, the Long Island station that helped introduce countless American listeners to new wave, punk, synth-pop and alternative music during the late 1970s and 1980s. This week on the Stuck in the ’80s Podcast, Spearsy and Brad welcome WLIR icon Larry Dunn — known to generations of listeners as “Larry the Duck.”

During the interview, Larry reflects on the magic of working at WLIR during one of the most creatively explosive periods in music history. Spearsy and Larry discuss how the station championed artists long before they became mainstream stars, helping expose American audiences to bands like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Cure and countless others who would later dominate the MTV era.

The conversation also explores what “new music” meant during the 1980s, when genres like new wave, synth-pop and post-punk still felt strange, futuristic and wildly exciting to listeners raised on classic rock radio. Larry reflects on the thrill of introducing audiences to songs and artists they had never heard before and why adventurous radio culture played such an important role in shaping Gen X musical identity.

Along the way, Larry previews his appearance aboard The 80s Cruise and shares his dream lineup for a hypothetical “Larry the Duck Cruise” packed with alternative, new-wave and underground artists from the era. Like many great Stuck in the ’80s conversations, the interview becomes as much about the joy of musical discovery as it is about nostalgia itself.

If you love alternative radio, new wave, synth-pop and revisiting the stations and personalities that helped define the soundtrack of the 1980s, this episode belongs in your playlist.

The Stuck in the ’80s Podcast has spent nearly 20 years celebrating the music, movies, television and pop culture of the greatest decade ever. Support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, exclusive livestream hangouts, behind-the-scenes content and merch for longtime listeners.

And don’t forget: Spearsy and Brad will once again be part of The 80s Cruise, the ultimate floating celebration of ’80s music and nostalgia. Use promo code STUCK when booking your cabin to receive up to $250 in onboard cabin credit while sailing with fellow Gen X fans and enjoying performances and appearances from many of the decade’s biggest artists. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.