Kevin Dubrow’s acrimonious departure from KOMP-FM prompts a he said-they said spat

Lisa Ferguson

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997 | 9:42 a.m.

Listeners of the testosterone-driven "Rock 'n' Roll Morning Show" on KOMP 92.3-FM have probably noticed that something -- make that someone -- is missing from the mix.

But little has been said about the sudden departure of Kevin DuBrow -- half of the morning drive-time team which includes longtime KOMP personality Craig Williams -- early last month.

Until now.

Dubrow, who also fronts the '80s rock band Quiet Riot ("Cum On Feel the Noize," "Bang Your Head"), signed a two-year contract last July to co-host the morning show.

The "Rock 'n' Roll Morning Show" ranked 10th (tied with KBGO-FM) among overall listeners in the most recent quarterly Arbitron ratings, scoring the same numbers it had when DuBrow first arrived on the show, though there were fluctuations in between.

It was nearing his first anniversary on the show when the lanky rocker disappeared from the airwaves.

So what happened? Dubrow phoned the SUN recently to report that following a brief absence, he was asked by station executives not to return to work.

As he tells it, his father died earlier this summer (though he's unable to provide the exact date), so he took a few days off. "I had some problems to deal with."

But, he claims, when he called the station back to announce his return to work, station executives said: " 'No. You told people you don't want to work here.' "

DuBrow admits to having "voiced many opinions" to co-workers. "There are a lot of people in this country who are not happy with their jobs. I was one of them."

That is, however, where his story diverges with that of Tony Bonnici, the station's general manager.

"He actually just stopped showing up," Bonnici says, contending that DuBrow had a history of unexplained absences -- a problem the two had previously addressed.

"I kind of wrote them off to the fact that this is the first time he has worked in radio," he says. "I felt that we would be able to explain (procedures) ... and eventually it would all work out."

DuBrow, however, objects to Bonnici's claim, saying he's certain only one missed day has been recorded in his employment file.

While he did have a couple of vacation days coming, Bonnici says DuBrow failed to show up for work two days prior to those.

Bonnici recently questioned employees and learned that DuBrow's father had actually passed away "over 30 days prior to when this incident came down. I find it utterly disgusting that anybody would use the death of their father for this."

Answers DuBrow: "I said I was going through family problems. That was one of them. I feel that people should be able to deal with their problems in whichever way they see fit. I'm sorry if that does not go under KOMP's rules and regulations."

But missed days are not the only issue here, both men contend.

In recent months, DuBrow says he's noticed the "attitudes" of people at the station "getting weird." He also claims to have had 200 tickets -- for the free concert Quiet Riot played for KOMP listeners last May -- stolen from his locker at work.

"I know who stole them but I can't say who stole them," he says, except that "they were sold for their own personal profit."

Bonnici claims no knowledge of the incident and, other than a few "sponsorship packages" for the concert sold by the station's advertising department, says no tickets were sold for profit.

"I started to realize that there was no future with them, but I had a contract," DuBrow says. "It would have been preferable to have been fired, but I was not quitting."

A telephone meeting was called shortly after. DuBrow, with his attorney, explained that he wanted to get back to work. "I said, 'I have a contract with you guys and I'm willing as a professional to honor it.' "

Bonnici, who spoke with the station's lawyers present, says Dubrow's attorney claimed his client did not feel welcome at KOMP. "I said, 'If Kevin really believes that, he can come back tomorrow ... because that is just not true.' "

But DuBrow didn't come back. And he has yet to submit an official resignation.

"I probably would have gotten to it," he says. "I'm one of these kinds of guys that wants to make sure I have something else going first." For now, it's playing gigs Quiet Riot has booked through the fall.

"I didn't do anything to get fired," DuBrow says, adding that he didn't violate any Federal Communications Commission rules on the air. "I like doing radio. I love being on the air. I liked the job. I just didn't like who I worked for."

All Dubrow says he wants are the severance benefits he's due. Should he decide to take the station to court "it won't be for two month's salary," he says, citing another incident that he refused to disclose.

KOMP has also not officially given DuBrow his walking papers.

"According to our attorney, he has quit," Bonnici says. "When you don't show up for work and you're telling people you want to get fired, you've resigned."

The station did, however, offer him a $2,000 settlement sum and are still waiting for his response.

"If I'm guilty of anything here," Bonnici says, "I believed this is what this guy wanted to do and I gave him a job. Anything else and all of this fabrication he's coming up with, I don't understand where he's going with it."

So where does that leave listeners?

For the foreseeable future, plans are to continue "The Rock 'n' Roll Morning Show" with Williams in the driver's seat, sans Kevin Dubrow.