Randy Is Back With A Big Bang.

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Gordon Zlot, owner of KZST, KJZY, and KTRY in Northern California manages to eek out a fairly decent living even though I’m told he employs far too many people according to today’s Radio standards. During my recent vacation to the Wine Country, Gordon was kind enough to fly us to Mendocino in his Jet. Cami’s friend AJ even got to fly Co – Pilot which I’m sure he will remember for the rest of his life. I had The Sir Douglas Quintet running through my mind as I looked down at the breathtaking scenery we were flying over. When Reid Reker saw the photos he said … Hell I’m in my 50s and have never been on a Private Jet, Cami is only 15. Whats up with that.

Randy Michaels sure came back into Radio this week with a big bang and he brings John Gehron with him. They appear to be a very dangerous team and I don’t think will have to bother wearing black to be scary. Now I hear Walt Sabo is part of the mix, wow it’s almost the Beatles. Randy’s plan must be to do the reverse radio thing. You know … Work your way down in market size.

Embree McDermid and I have been e mailing each other back and forth about how it’s time we had a CKY reunion. So many Winnipeg people who went on to great radio careers had their early beginnings there. The list unfortunately of the deceased is growing too rapidly for my comfort so if we are going to do this thing we better get on with it now.

Roy Laughlin’s wife Ellen is getting her own Star on The Walk Of Fame in Hollywood. How neat will that be for their son to look down and say … That’s my Mom!

Most highly paid Air Talent do many subtle things that only listeners are able to hear it appears. Low paid Jox must not be able to hear them otherwise they would do them too don’t you think. Or hey maybe they just don’t want the big money and all the fun problems that come with that.

When you are a programming guy the toughest job you may have is ignoring your radio buddies. They may know what’s hot right now but most have absolutely no idea where it’s all going. Unfortunately for you though they have enough power to talk you out of doing anything very special on the Radio.

Dave McBride, our News Director at WFTL just won an Edward R. Murrow news award. Good for you Dave. One of the reasons I love this is because I always like the news intro to go … Now with all the news that is fit to print here is award winning News Dude Dave McBride. Next best I think would be to be able to intro him as Sir David.

As I look around at our liberal society it appears to me that the only folks left in America without any special rights are white males with no money.

I just read that Radio ranks as the #2 gadget of all time right behind the Smart Phone which eventually will have a radio in it too.

I really don’t think a smart phone is a phone at all. It’s just an amazing device that happens to have a phone in it.

Wow, Motown is dead! The Times They Sure Are A Changin’

Clarence Clemons is dead also. Kinda makes you want to take Tug’s kid’s advice and Live Like You’re Dying.

One of my favorite Country Acts Brooks and Dunn retired. Now Ronnie Dunn is out with a brand new album and it sorta sounds like Jagger without The Stones.

The average person all over the world only cares about one thing … His job! What I cant figure out is why the Governments are all working on something else.

Some folks in America thought the Canadians who were rioting in Vancouver after The Canucks loss in The Stanley cup were moving a little slow for real rioters. After as many riots as we’ve had in America I guess we kinda have it down and know how it should go.

When I turned 21 my Father shook my hand and said congratulations the family name is now in your hands to do with what you may … It is no longer my burden!

How did Heinz get us to believe the tougher it is to get out of the bottle the better the ketchup is.

I think one of the weirdest things I got to see while out in California was all the little old ladies with tattoos.

Do we actually have to pay for the fuel we use in Iraq.

I’m thinkin’ maybe if business was done for the customer rather than the business there wouldn’t be a recession.

Most people in radio today only know how to do what they are already doing not what it is they should be doing.

One of the main reasons I’m told that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor was because America cut off their oil supply. I’m almost afraid to ask where Germany got it’s fuel from.

What I dont understand about war about war is why the people on both sides who were rich before the war even became a whole lot richer once it was over.

Walt Disney operated his company from the bottom up unlike today’s companies who like US Steel operate from the top down. What do you mean US Steel is no longer in business.

Daughters are very expensive but not near as expensive as their Mothers.

Cami, AJ and I finished up our California vacation and are flying Virgin America back home. (love the WiFi @ 35000 ft.) We spent Fathers day at Francis Ford Coppola’s magnificent Vineyard. Cami and AJ lay out in the sun while I sat at the bar and let the lovely Casey Callahan ply me with booze. She told me I better hurry up and bring her a big ring because she couldn’t wait on me much longer. She did confess though that she had been doing a little practicing just to stay in shape while she was waiting. Uh Huh!

While in Sonoma County during our vacation, Brent Farris took us to Safari West for dinner. It was great looking out at Giraffes and such as we were eating. While enjoying the BBQ Brent turned to Cami and asked if she had figured out who I really was yet. She said … Yeah he’s my Dad.

Before we went on vacation I picked Cami up at school everyday her last week and couldn’t help but notice how provocatively most of the girls who go to were dressed. I wonder how the hell the High School guys handle all that. Hey maybe they have just grown are immune to it and don’t really notice it anymore. Just like in places like Africa and Hawaii back when most of the women were half naked.

Steve Gallagher claims “Radio Perks” went away when they became taxable income. But I figure the accountants scooped them up. Those boys all know their way around that taxable income stuff I’m sure.

Thank God For The Guess Who & Cami.

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On my drive up the west coast of California with my Daughter Cami and her friend AJ we stopped in at Moonstone Beach near Hearst Castle to visit Tom Cochran and have a little lunch. Tom was a great news guy I had worked with at WIBC/WNAP in Indianapolis all through the 70’s. As I told Cami, Tom went on to win many Emmys and a few Edward R Murrow News Awards. While lunching, Tom graciously asked Cami if she had any idea how brilliant her Dad was. He went on to say to her that there once was a time that if anything good was happening on radio anywhere her Dad was probably at the center of it. Cami just looked at him like he was an idiot.

One of my all time favorite things to do is drive through Big Sur in Northern California. My Daughter Cami is asleep in the back seat as I do it and uncaringly misses it all. Her only interest is in how soon we will get to the Spa hotel.

Speaking of Hotels is it just me or are the rooms getting smaller as the lobbies get bigger.

Cami’s Grandma Summerfield once told me that any Man can be a Father but it takes a “Hell Of A Man” to be a Daddy !

Buzz Barnett claimed on WFTL in FT. Lauderdale the other day that Mother’s Day is celebrated for a whole week but Father’s Day it seems is celebrated mostly with a card.

I’m pretty sure I was a better Father than my Father. I hope to become even a better Father than I was this 2nd time around.

Arbitron claims that almost two million more people listened to radio this year than last. Imagine the possibilities if it only sounded better.

The kinda bad news if you can call it that is you cant beat the truth. The really good news is you can beat Arbitron.

What part of … No tax breaks for companies that don’t employ mostly Americans doesn’t the Government get.

Are there really people in America who are Republican or Democrat no matter what. I find that kind of scary.

There needs to be full disclosure before the marriage about how it ends financially, just like any other partnership. The problem with that disclosure is it may lead to fewer marriage ceremonies.

There is no such thing as a 50-50 Marriage, the best you can hope for is 60-40. Each day you start the day with whose got the 60, which probably leads to even more problems.

Are all the paid for seamless endorsements embedded in Limbaugh’s, Beck’s, and Hannity’s programs on the log do you suppose.

In the early 70’s when I was at CFRA in Ottawa, the CRTC in Canada decided that all Canadian radio stations had to play at least 30% Canadian talent. I remember thinking at the time “Thank God for The Guess Who” I bet Rosalie Trombley formerly of CKLW in Windsor (serving Detroit) recently honored at a gala event may have felt the same way.

Tim Moore claims that the most non expendable employee is the one who hits all the goals while following your system. I figure the only way to over exceed all the goals is to not follow the system.

When Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon invented Top 40 Radio, they only played the records that were already sold out at the record store. They had 60 shares using this system. Other than the Record Companies I wonder who came up with the idea that we should play them before they got in the stores as we all sit here in the 4’s.

Radio people only tend to need a lot of specifics for a project when they don’t really want to do it.

What happened to all “The Perks” in radio.

Why does everything that grows real big seems to start turning evil.

Why do stolen sex tapes always restart an otherwise fading career.

Speaking of stolen sex tapes, everyone of the guys in them are well endowed which kinda leads you right to them as the first suspect don’t ya think.

What you think is kinda useless information. What you know is where all the money is at.

Someday I think I’m the one who will have to explain to my Grandson what a great Woman his Mother is and tell him about all the things she gave up to be his Mom. Right now he’s convinced he’s “The Great One”

Speaking of Nathaniel he just graduated from Kindergarten and on the last few days of school the teacher was telling the class about what it was going to be like next year for them in 1st grade. When she asked if there were any questions about 1st grade my Grandson asked if they teach division in 1st grade. His teacher replied with, no they start that in 3rd grade. Nathaniel said, then I want to go to 3rd grade.

So the Bruins (Broons in Canadian) were the first ones in the Stanley cup series to figure out how to win one on the road. The rest as they say is history.

The Bruins actually had more Canadians playing for them then did the Vancouver Canucks, so maybe Canada did win it after all !

Speaking of Hockey, they got that Winter Sport wrapped up just in time didn’t they what with summer being only a moment away. I mean how long could the ice last under those those kinds of conditions. (-:

LeBron Plays Small !

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As I Write this I am driving up the California Coast with my Daughter Cami and her friend A J. Along the way we popped into Thousand Oaks to see my good friend Bob Christy who is opening a brand new state of the art driving school called “DRIVE” While there we put Cami in a simulator and let her have at it. Had a real driving instructor been in a real car with her he would have jumped long ago.

Speaking of driving with two teenagers, you soon find out that early morning departures mean around noon.

Recently I received a royalty check for a couple of tunes used in a Music Documentary by my old group “The Jury”  The check turned out to be much bigger than any we received back in the mid 60s when we had a few top 10 records on the charts. I hope our record company isn’t waiting for a share. I think they already got theirs and a bunch of ours also.

Most Band members have very little in common which occasionally produces some very good music because it is full of compromises and much more palatable for we the public. The differences in opinion of band members may create some very fine music but in many cases it also leads to the break up of the band.

Years ago when we launched KVIL in Dallas much of the programming was very different and experimental. Consequently it took us almost 3 years to dominate the market. When we put the Daughter of Kay-Ville on in Palm Beach we called her WRMF, she only took a year to win. The reason she was faster was because we left out all the stuff that didn’t work so good in Dallas.

My good buddy Reid Reker has just joined CBS in Vegas. That sure sounds like it has real good possibilities becoming a memorable market visit. I can hardly wait.

Wow I just read that 25 – 64 is going to be the new demo. That’s sure to change billing as we know it.

There are ways around PPM but there are no ways around the truth. Thank God we don’t have to deal with that as we chase ratings.

Back before PPM we used to just pound the call letters trying to get the phantom cume to remember they heard us. I wonder how stupid it must have sounded to our loyal listeners as we kept reintroducing and explaining ourselves to them, over and over and over again.

If your cause is big enough it really doesn’t matter if you’re AM or FM.

Cris Conner says the lesson learned from Weinergate is, “Don’t Tweet Your Meat”

I noticed the press was writing about Country fans were a little bit upset that Justin Bieber was on the CMT’s the other night even though he won an award for a collaboration with Rascal Flatts. On the other hand there was no mention by the press of what the fans thought about Ludacris rapping on the Country awards show. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Is it just me or does LeBron seem to play small.

Speaking of James once again only teams he doesn’t play for win the NBA title.

My brother Reg is back in the laboratory and is almost ready to launch something that will bring radio and the artist closer together than they have ever been.

Looks like somebody is going to have to win an away game if they want to win the Stanley Cup and there is only one of those left.

My good friend Bobby Cole is at it again with his “May Rap Wrap Up”

LeBron And Wade Need To Be As Good As They Think They Are.

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In 1987 John Einarson wrote a book called Shakin’ All Over which goes on E-Bay now for $250.00 a pop. The book is about all the Winnipeg bands from the 60’s and the music they made that went Global.

Because of all the interest in John’s great book they decided to reunite as many of the most popular 60’s bands as they could for a concert The sold out charity concert featured Neil Young and the Squires, The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Jury and many many other great Winnipeg bands. I realized during the plane ride from my home in San Diego that it had already been 20 years since I last played my ’58 Strat and I had no plan to start up again anytime soon. My only plan was to hang out backstage with Termite, Terry, Bruce, and Ray of The Jury and catch up on some old times. (I don’t think you ever get tired of retelling all those on the road stories about how many times we were almost killed) It was also good to see all the guys from the former bands we used to share the stage. While standing there watching them set up The Jury’s gear I remembered how competitive we all used to be back in the day but that was all forgotten for the glory of this night as everybody was hugging each other like long lost friends.
Now it came time to introduce The Jury and the next thing I knew was somebody pushed a guitar into my hands as Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings pushed me on stage saying it wouldn’t really be The Jury without me. Seeing as you started the band you should finish with them they laughingly shouted.
Talk about stage fright… TV cameras everywhere, lights flashing, big bright spotlights on us and me standing in the middle of the stage with my old band mates. I had no idea how to play the guitar any more I left that far behind years ago when I entered the world of Radio. A side bar here is I am now going back to Winnipeg for a Radio Reunion this Month and the real neat thing is Burton is going to entertain all us old Radio Dudes. Anyway when the opening notes of our first record “Until You Do” came pouring out of Terry Kenny’s amp my hands knew exactly what to do even if my brain didn’t.

I would feel a lot better about The Heat in this years playoffs if LeBron and Wade were as good as they thought they were.

Will Rogers once said … There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.

When you’re a Young Turk you have no need for a rear view mirror so you just tear it off and throw it away. Years later though somehow it gets reattached and if your lucky you get see some pretty amazing stuff in it.

My Canadian friends say I now have an American accent and am not very Canadian anymore. If thats true how come all my American friends fall on the floor laughing every time I say the word “about” Hey! How bout them Winnipeg Jets. Next year baby!

I realized a long time ago that Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern are simply great actors. Anybody as passionate about their topics as they are would lose control occasionally. These two never lose control. Michael Savage on the other hand always loses control. He seems pissed all the time. It may not be what he is presently talking about but believe me he’s pissed about something.

So here’s all ya gotta ask yourself. If a client runs a commercial on your station does anything need to happen. You know like does somebody have to go shopping there go to a Web page pick up the phone and call somebody text someone or send something in the mail. If not than you don’t really need that expensive morning show. Just roll some tunes.

Radio in it’s quest to be totally consistent has forgotten that one of the of the basic needs for success has always been the “Element of Surprise”

The good things people do aren’t as glowing as the bad and for some reason the dark side is 10 times as bright.

Nothing’s changed to have a successful business you still need 3 things, a Dreamer a Businessman and a Son of a Bitch.

Only Men really understand how special little girls and a few women are.

Have War Games gone out of style is that why we’re playing for real on so many fronts.

During my lifetime there have been a few musical phenomenons. Frank Sinatra, Elvis, The Beatles, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna and maybe a handful of others. But only two of them ever changed the World. Elvis and The Beatles!

I remember back in the day when only a couple of stations had huge ratings. Jack McCoy warned me that Arbitron was going to need to fix this because 90% of their clients were unhappy and unhappy clients don’t pay. He predicted they would figure out how to give everybody a 4 share. That sure didn’t take long did it and I’m not sure it turned out that high.

Is there such a thing as a Born Again Jew or a Born Again Muslim. What do those folks do to bring themselves back from rock bottom.

Wow for at least two years in a row now the Christian folks have banned together and made one of theirs an American Idol. I heard they are changed the voting rules this year to keep Tim Tebow and his ilk from voting?

I think the only health care plan we should be talking about is how we get on the politician’s or they get on ours.

If you don’t want politicians screwing with your retirement benefits elect older politicians.

Jerry Del Colliano claimed a while back that the whole World has changed but radio still has the same attitude as it did 20 years ago. Women for example have become leaders in a lot of industries but not in ours. They have become very assertive over the last 20 years and control 81% of all purchases in America. They are the major consumers of most media not to mention the fact that they are now writing and singing most of the music we hear on the radio. Even most of the big novels are written by women. Radio though is still very much a Man’s World. On air we have mostly relegated them to the position of the Morning Man’s giggle chick a a lot of more music less talk midday shows. Hey maybe they are all upstairs lets go peek in the corner office … Nope not a lot of ’em in there. Ahh there they are over there headed out the door to make some sales and doing a damn good job of it. I bet they are out selling their male counterparts. The times they are a changin’ my man and radio better change with them or get left behind in the dust.

Lesley Palmiter said the only reason that the only reason the women of Iraq and Iran cling to the age old sexist tradition of walking 10 paces behind their men is … Land mines!

A good time to go with systems I figure is when you run out of the “good stuff” Radio ran out a little early didn’t it.

Speaking of good stuff I understand they ran the movie/documentary Naptown Rock Radio Wars on TV again in Indy because of popular demand. Good going Dave Fulton.

At this moment I am working on brand new local talk show in Ft. lauderdale which features Joyce Kaufman, Rich Stevens and Barsky. It’s a whole new talk concept that I am hoping will start the whole town talking. Updates as soon as they become available.

Back when I was doing some work with Jim in Boston we had a great morning team called Loren and Wally. Hilliard hired another great talent by the name of Tom Doyle to do afternoons. As Jim and I were walking down the hall we spied the 3 of them in the studio getting reacquainted. Jim pushed the door open and said … I’ve got a lot of money tied up in you guys somebody better make me laugh quick. Without missing a beat Loren said, “Show him your d**k Wally”