Another catch-up posting, with the return of a personal favorite feature (since I had the time & no internet)...
It's back. :-) This feature is one of my favorite parts of the site (well, I like it better than covering the ratings anyway), so after a couple months away, we're gonna take another go at reincarnating one of the BEST parts of now-departed 97.3 the Planet. As I write this, it's Thursday, I'm jobless and trapped at home on the wrong side of a low water crossing in my driveway, with the internet down for almost a day now. These things happen in threes, I tell ya! So what better time to take random songs and share them with a little tie-in to KC radio? Let's do it.
The one I really wanted to hit this week was, believe it or not, a Kanye West single from last fall that reminds me of both the turmoil in local radio exactly a year ago AND some recent changes as well. You probably remember all the cuts in KC radio last October; large layoffs at Entercom and Cumulus, where corporate-driven mass firings carved away at the very personality of many local stations. We could go round and round about the art vs. commerce, personality vs. music-intensive formatics, etc, but my personal love of radio begins and ends with the people who make the listening experience. For that reason I'll never believe that Kansas City radio as an artform is better today for having shed folks like Phil Jay, Charlie Knight, Ken Snyder, Moffitt & Frankie, Dr. Don Daniels, and so many others who departed last fall. And I'll say point blank, as I have in this space before, that the departure of Dell Rice took KMJK's Classic Soul Sunday from appointment listening every single weekend to a complete non-factor for me.
Kanye ties into the discussion based on my experience hearing his then-new single "Heartless" on KCHZ at night. The Vibe had shed original night host Sweet Lenny (who's now at Cumulus' WZOK-Rockford, IL) and went with a jockless presentation that continues to this day (but will apparently change soon). In a series of "They couldn't have... Did they really?" moments, I flipped to the station every night that first week to see if someone else was holding down nights. Every single night, I invariably heard a new music liner and "Heartless." Maybe the darkness, the bitter cold, or the empty road were partially to blame, but for me, a radio station never rang more hollow that that song on those nights (other than the last 24-hours of 99-7 KY, perhaps).
A little-known talent odd habit I have is parody songs, and I actually came up with one based on Sweet Lenny and the cuts. All I remember now is the first verse:
In the night, I heard him talk, Playin music, takin' calls. Then one night he had to go, He lost his show, in a business so heartless.
With or without the parody aspect, the title "Heartless" can certainly fit radio well at times. Whether it's folks who have been KC radio lifers, synonymous with their stations (like Shorty & Mike Savage, and Dan Hurst), or KC alumni, whose love of radio has taken them across the country (Neanderpaul, EZ, and Darren Wilhite & Tim Wall) hearing this song always makes me think of those jocks who've been a part of my listening over the years but aren't currently on the local dial. From last year, it's Kanye West, with his track "Heartless" on your Freeform Friday at BroadcastKC.com.
With all the job/no internet hubbub of the last seven days, it came to mind that I hadn't posted this yet. My apologies... It's from the 18th through 24th, so "last" week days aren't really last week anymore...
URICH JOINS 99-7 KISS FM -- As we told you on Friday, former KMXV afternoon host (and for those of you with long memories, KKCJ country jock as well) Kelly Urich is getting back into the terrestrial radio game, as he announced Friday morning he will soon be joining Entercom's KKSN for an as-yet undisclosed airshift. Urich maintains ownership of his KCRadio.com web station, leaving that operation in the hands of Joel Roberts. For more on the move, CLICK HERE.
KCHZ TO FILL MORNINGS; NIGHTS -- Cumulus has announced via All Access that the company plans to fill a number of CHR openings across the country, including mornings at KCHZ, which were recently vacated when long-time morning team Shorty & Mike Savagewere released. In a good sign for local radio, the company also plans to fill the open night shift at 95-7 the Vibe, which has been running jockless since the departure of Sweet Lenny in budget cuts a year ago this month.
VIBE GETS NEW LOGO; WEBSITE -- With the station's recent transition to mainstream CHR, Cumulus's 95-7 the Vibe got a new logo and website this past week, both of which you can see HERE. If the site and/or logo look familiar, that's because both are also used at other recent Cumulus CHR converts including KLIF-Dallas and WRWM-Indianapolis, both of whom use the company's new "i" branding.
SERRANO JOINS METRO SPORTS – Since the dawn of television, Kansas City radio personalities have been finding their way to the camera and the bright lights. The latest to do so? That would be KMXV night host Steve Serrano who last week officially joined Metro Sports as sideline reporter for the Friday night high school football Game of the Week. Serrano, whose work with Metro began through a Mix/Plato's Closet promotion, will be live on the sidelines at every game the rest of the season. You can find out where he'll be next by checking out the Game of the Week schedule HERE.
UMKC STUDENT STATION IN PROGRESS -- Could a student-run radio station be coming to UMKC? That's the goal for UMKC senior Derek Greer, who is coordinating an effort to build an online station to integrate into Communications department courses. The station, which would be known as "KROO," still needs funding and a location to call home. For more information on the project, CLICK HERE.
KPRS PARTICIPATES IN SUMMIT -- An interesting conversation has begun between KPRS and local artists, as the local talent seeks more airplay on Hot 103 Jamz. The station's Big Kenny Diamondz and Brian B. Shynin' took part in a summit with local musicians on Monday night, hoping to work together for the benefit of both sides. Check out the full story from The Pitch by CLICKING HERE.
KCRADIO TEASES; ADDS COOK REPLAY -- As we told you on Monday, the big announcement KCRadio.com had teased over the past weekend turned out to be a flip to Christmas music at noon, followed by a flip back to Insane Music Variety at 2PM, and the announcement of a Monday night replay of Andrew Cook's "AC on KCRadio.com" program. For our original post on the topic, CLICK HERE.
POESSIGER PRESENTS PPM POINTERS -- Jack Poessiger, PPM Professor, has posted a new story on the new ratings measurement system at KCConfidential.com. For all the info you need to know on everything from public radio impact to sample size, CLICK HERE.
RAINES LEAVES THE RIVER -- Former KCFX Program Director Beau Raines has left Triple-A WXRV-Boston. Raines, who joined 92.5 the River in January, had been at the helm for less than a year.
KELLY & ALPHA RELAUNCH WEBSITE -- Remember Kelly Stevens & Alpha Trivette? The duo, who hosted mornings at KBEQ in the waning days of the station's Top 40 format in the early 1990s, has launched a new website as they seek out a new morning gig. You can access the site, which comes complete with walking, talking K & A on each page (no, really) by CLICKING HERE.
Thanks for reading this week's recap! Have a great week!
Let me preface this post that I planned to put up LAST Wednesday by saying that, wow, quite the last seven days. Ya know how bad things happen in threes?... Tuesday was, of course, the job thing referenced below. Wednesday, my wonderful rural internet service went down (and I learned they've not only cancelled their 24-hour help desk, but they also don't return phone calls) and it didn't come back until Saturday - and STILL comes and goes at will. Then Thursday with all the rain, the low water crossing in my driveway made for an effective moat, keeping me home & internet-free most of the day. You probably didn't really care about all that, but in case you were wondering why we've fallen a bit behind... With that, as Casey Kasem would say, "On with the survey..."
There's a common thread that runs through pretty much every significant moment in my life. I turn on the radio, and there's always a song for me. I have more examples of that than I could ever count, with the latest being what happened when I got in the car yesterday after my suddenly last day at my job of the last 9+ years.*
* Since Tuesday, that's changed a bit. I'm not totally done, but have effectively made the small business move equal to going from PD to weekends/swing. Anyone need a marketing/web/communication guy? :-)
It was a budget thing, and I'd had an inkling it was coming, so I wasn't totally hit out of the blue. But yesterday afternoon, I joined the Twitter club of folks who predict their imminent demise in 140 characters or less, then I got some help brainstorming a farewell song for the drive home. As always, my awesome Tweeps had great suggestions, but between the stress, the exhaustion, and old habit, I got in the car and turned on the radio.
Did some dial flipping, and ended up on 106-5 the Wolf as a SheDaisy song I'd never heard before was starting. "Don't Worry Bout a Thing." The chorus:
Life is funny, life's a mess Sometimes a curse, sometimes a blessing Don't worry 'bout a thing, don't worry 'bout it Life gets sticky, life can bruise Sometimes you win sometimes your losing No matter what it brings Don't worry 'bout a thing
Kinda fitting. After it was over, did a little more flipping, and landed at 105-1 Jack FM right as Shinedown's "Second Chance" began. Maybe I'm taking the whole thing a bit TOO well, but I'd tend to agree with the song's sentiment that "Sometimes goodbye is a second chance."
That sort of thing happens over and over, with the good and bad, big and small - KC radio just ALWAYS has something waiting for me that fits. Amazing, if you ask me.
