Since he was a child, Richard Sands wanted to be on the radio, and when he was a student at University of California, Berkeley, he began to realize his dreams. During that time, Richard worked as a DJ at KALX, as well as KPOO and KPFA, while maintaining a full curriculum.
After graduating in 1975, Richard discovered that getting that first paying job was tough, but eventually he landed in Mendocino doing mornings at KMFB. Later, he DJ’d in beautiful places like Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, and San Diego. Richard moved back to the Bay Area in 1983, doing nights at KITS, and working up to afternoons, then becoming KITS’ Program Director/VP of Programming. In 1986, Live 105 was created, under Richard’s guidance as the initial Program Director/VP of Programming. The Modern Rock station gained great acclaim, winning national awards, and becoming a ratings success that helped change the local club scene and culture.
BARHOF members Ed Krampf and Alex Bennett, and NBC TV’s Carson Daly are a large part of Live 105’s history. After 12 successful years, Live 105 merged with KOME, and Richard moved on to the Gavin Report as that periodical’s Alternative Editor. Later, he created his own targeted report, The Sands Report. For 22 years The Sands Report has been Alternative Radio’s #1 news weekly, with Richard serving as publisher, writer, and editor-in-chief. After nearly 50 years on the radio and helping to create a cutting-edge radio station, then writing about Alternative radio on a national level, Richard continues to stir things up in music and radio.