27 December 2015

Being Unreasonable

Since the beginning of the show From Radioland, I have found myself in what appears to be a unique situation. The observation of society in the dominion of assholes. They are everywhere and for some strange reason, the end of the year is their time to shine.

Observing is one thing, but there may be a side effect of it all. The concept of being a product of our environment becomes rather scary if our environment is filled with assholes.

Patience is indeed a virtue, my friends.



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NEXT WEEK: A look back.

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20 December 2015

Sarcastic Bastard

My mother likes to say that I was the only person who could make a living being a sarcastic individual. She calls me a "smart mouth" from time to time and it is never intended as a compliment. Now, its a running joke in my family.

Be that as it may, I have learned over the years to finely tune my sarcasm into a comedic vehicle (sort of like an AMC Gremlin) where I can drive a particular point home. Usually for amusement purposes. However, there have times where my own sarcasm crosses the line to insult land and offence. It happens, and I never make apologies for it under the circumstances I use sarcasm.

Anyway, use it with caution. Sarcastic speech is a powerful tool. Used incorrectly, it can be rather dangerous.



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NEXT WEEK: Other peoples problem.

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13 December 2015

See You At The FEMA Camp

Never, and I mean NEVER engage a conspiracy theorist into an argument over the nutty shit they believe in. In the absence of logic, idiocy reigns supreme. The problem is that once you attempt to introduce logic into your argument against their point of view, you are then deemed the clueless idiot.

We all have that one guy in our Facebook feed or someone we know outside of social media that worship at the altar of Alex Jones and others of his ilk. Rule of thumb, if the ONLY source of their news comes from Info Wars, you got one of those people on your hands.

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NEXT WEEK: Sarcastic Bastard

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06 December 2015

Holiday Madness and It's Absurd Soundtrack

I have been in the broadcast business for pretty much my entire adult life. There are a lot of theories behind what it takes to program a radio station. One such idea which exists in many cities (markets) is this ridiculous notion that people want to hear Christmas music 24 hours a day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.

Ever get trapped in a place where you are forced to listen to this shit for several hours? It can drive one to complete madness. Especially for someone who loathes that type of music.

What sadistic bastard thought this was a good idea?



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NEXT WEEK: People who believe in mythical things... like FEMA camps.

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29 November 2015

Xenophobia Runs Rampant

With all the talk in the media of late about the refugee crisis or this manufactured fear of displaced Syrians coming to the US to implant some terrorist activity, it made sense for me to address this from my perspective. I do realize my point of view here may not be all that popular.

Nevertheless, some things in this episode should be said even with the knowledge that some of the things contained are not going to be very popular. The new dirty word of the day is xenophobia. Merriam-Webster defines it as this: fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners.



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NEXT WEEK: Holiday madness with its own soundtrack.

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22 November 2015

Toni Green

Toni Green photo courtesy Facebook
One of my favorite things about doing this job is meeting some truly wonderful people. This episode is indicative of that very thing. Toni Green lives in France and though she comes home to the States from time to time, it is difficult to catch up with her. We got lucky. She had some time in her schedule and stopped in to Radio Memphis.

Jeff Janovetz, Mark Caldwell and myself had a great time on the air with her during an episode of Blues & Booze. If you missed it, here it is.



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BONUS the song featured in this episode was caught on camera. Here she is on stage doing her thing with the band Malted Milk.



NEXT WEEK: Xenophobia runs rampant.

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15 November 2015

Declaring War on X-mas

To me, there are few things more interesting than watching people lose their collective shit over something insanely stupid. In this case, this whole coffee cup fiasco. Yes, I know it has worn pretty thin by now however, I wanted to take a look at this from the perspective of those who are completely out of their minds.

I also know there are those out there who think this is nothing more than a diversionary tactic to devote our attention away from something else. First, let me just tell you that despite what some people would have you believe, I am capable of pondering more than one thought at a time. Secondly, this whole "war on Christmas" thing is something I personally find highly amusing.



NEXT WEEK: Toni Green

A couple of little notes here about the show. The upcoming episode (next week) is a little peek at what the new format of the show is working toward. We hope you like it.

Our guest next week is a resident of France. Toni Green is from Memphis and has relocated to a little town just north of Paris. Since the recent horrific incidents having occurred there, I am filled with sorrow, anger and a lot of hope for the people living there. It is our hope and prayer that Ms. Green was not personally affected by those events.

Stay tuned...



08 November 2015

The Queens of The Nile

Okay, it's the turn of a phrase. It's all about the perspective of things. Some time ago, we talked about conspiracy theories and the people who push them. This time around, I wanted to try and get into the minds of those people and somehow make some sense of all this absurdity.

We humans are a fascinating species. For some us to put forth notions and theories, with no proof, and expect the rest of to think they are right is ridiculous. Yet, some people do. Let's find out why.



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NEXT WEEK: Declaring War... on X-mas.

Stay tuned...

01 November 2015

The Impact of a Podcast

Don't be mistaken, I don't think From Radioland has that much of an impact. Having said that, there is a definite impact the medium has had on the broadcasting industry. That is what this episode is all about. Consider it another peek behind the curtain.

Corporate radio (for the most part) has turned its back on the world of podcasting. Even though they may offer "on demand" programming, it isn't specific to the medium of podcasting, if that makes any sense. What does make sense to me, at least, is these companies continue to ignore the impact of podcasting on the level it exists now, they are going to get bit in the ass.



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A little note on the production is warranted here. For the past 89 episodes, we have been blessed to have the work of Jaeci King as the show announcer. Jaeci is now living in Los Angeles, California and is involved in some pretty exciting projects. Jaeci will always be a member of the Pirate Radio Studios family and if he finds his way back in Memphis, he will always have a home in some capacity.

The new announcer for this show is Joel Martin. He is voice guy here Memphis and is doing some great stuff for Radio Memphis and we are glad to have him step into this very important role.

NEXT WEEK: The Queens of The Nile

Stay tuned...

25 October 2015

Thrift Store Archeology

On occasion, Josephine and I will hit up the area thrift stores to see what shows up. You never know what you might find in these places. I had been in the market for a rather antiquated bit of technology and actually found what I was looking for at a great price.

But, the experience got me to thinking about all the things you find in these places and how at one point in time, some of these things were considered to be the latest and greatest objects to possess. Now, look at these things that are practically useless.

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NEXT WEEK: The podcast world and my thoughts on a particular movie.

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18 October 2015

Lord, Have Mercy... And Send In Your Checks

Televangelists are an interesting group of entertainers. I use that term because they are entertaining. Very much so, actually. When taken with a grain of salt, they make for some great late night television watching. And now, on the internet.

But, when you look at what makes these people tick, you realize rather quickly just how adept they are in the world of show business. Make no mistake, they are in the business of show, if you catch my meaning here.



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Sounds like I am in the wrong business. Then again, I do have a conscience despite what some people might think.

NEXT WEEK: Digging through the history of technology at a thrift store.

Stay tuned...

 

11 October 2015

Music & The City of Memphis

I have lived in this city long enough to make me almost a native. This is a great city and I have no real reason to leave. Don't plan on doing so, either. Like any other city, it has its problems. Some of them are quite responsible.

Take for example, how the city of Memphis treats its only real tourism draw, music. Everyone knows about the history of Memphis music. God only knows the city won't let you forget that.

Having said all of that, there are times where this city will do boneheaded things like flat out ignore certain aspects of the scene.

Take a listen to this episode and you'll understand exactly what I am talking about here.



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NEXT WEEK: God says you need to give me all your money.

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04 October 2015

A Conversation with Robert Gordon

One of the best things about what I do is sitting down with people who have great stories to tell. When it happens on the air, that makes for a real magical moment.

Recently, I had Robert Gordon on the air during an episode of Booze & Blues on Radio Memphis. Robert is the author of a great book about Stax. The book is called Respect Yourself Stax Records and The Soul Explosion. A great read.

Robert is also documentarian with his latest subject currently on the big screen about William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal called Best of Enemies.

We talked about all these things and played some music. One of the tunes we played came from some tape that was left behind when Stax closed. The ghosts of Stax come alive in this episode. It was a fun conversation and I am quite sure you will enjoy it as well.



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NEXT WEEK: Music, tourism, money and the City of Memphis.

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27 September 2015

Out Of The Mouths Of Morons

If you have been paying attention, I have become somewhat of a critic of the media. Especially since I am part of said thing. Social media, in my eyes has made it possible and easier for us as people to say anything. That is the good part. What is not so good is what people are doing with all this freedom. What are we saying?

Between the "Look at me!" and "Like my duck face.", what real substance is being shared with the world?

Not a whole hell of a lot.



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NEXT WEEK: A conversation with Robert Gordon.

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20 September 2015

Putting The Music Business On Trial

Over the years, we have all seen massive upheaval in the music industry. From LPs to tapes to CDs and finally digital media. The industry has managed to survive, up until now.

Thanks to the above mentioned digital media, the industry is facing its largest challenge. How to survive in a world where being a large label is not worth the trouble. Especially in a world where the playing field has become level.

What does this mean?

Dianna Fryer sat down with me in Studio C to have a conversation about this very thing. Along the way, I'll tell you about a conversation I had with someone (not in the radio business) who proceeded to tell me how I have done the absolute wrong thing with Radio Memphis.



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NEXT WEEK: People say incredible things.

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13 September 2015

Let's Go Shopping

I am quite proud of the fact that I was able to avoid setting foot in a Wal-Mart for some 18 months. That ended last week. Thankfully, I did not spend a single penny in this hell hole. I did however, come out of there with something. An observation of what it is like to be in this hellhole.

Also, I visited a shopping mall I haven't set foot in an awful long time. You see all over the news the death of the shopping mall. Thanks to online shopping and the public's preference of strip centers. (Which sadly is a horrible misnomer)



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NEXT WEEK: The indictment of show business with Dianna Fryer.

By the way, I am involved in another show found on Periscope. If you have a twitter account, you can interact with the show while it is happening live. It is a free app. Follow me on Twitter (@RicChetter) and when you see the post that I am on live, click the link and enjoy the show. Right now, Tuesday's and Thursday's at 10PM CDT. Take a look and have some fun.

By the way, the name of the new show? The Cocktail Hour. A live interactive talk show exclusively on Periscope.

Stay tuned...

06 September 2015

Don't Shoot, I'm Just The Messenger

I am certainly no stranger to making ridiculous statements. It's what I do. Sarcastic at times, I'll give you that. This episode certainly falls into the category of "provocative". Will it be? We're about to find out.

Consider it an experiment in the rules of provocation. That is because I say some rather unpopular things here. Feel free to join the discussion.

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NEXT WEEK: Let's go shopping.

Stay tuned...




30 August 2015

Zen, Broadcasting and The Internet

Everyday, moment to moment we are swamped with news from the internet. Some of it is good and most of it is bad. Plus, there is a bunch of it that is just bullshit taken to an extreme.

We all put up with it the best we can. But, there is a time when we all have had enough. We tire of this crap and when we do, we go from being slightly annoyed to being outright put out over this stuff. What do you do when this happens?

Just breathe. That's all you can do.



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NEXT WEEK: Dying to be on television.

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24 August 2015

Other People's Friends

As you may know, I have a funny thing about dealing with people at times. One of the newer things we are seeing in the world is the direct impact of social media on our real world experiences.

Ever finally meet a facebook friend in public AFTER you friended them on the web? It's kind of an odd experience. You kind of have formed an interesting opinion of these people before you actually meet them.

It happens to me every once in a while. A lot of it answering questions about my work in show business. Radio, TV, etc... It comes with the job. But, some of the questions people will ask (in public) are interesting. Especially since I tend to post all my work related stuff to my facebook page anyway. It is fascinating to me how my facebook friends don't even read what I post.

It makes for an interesting face to face meeting.



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NEXT WEEK: Just Breathe.

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16 August 2015

Let's Get Suggestive, Shall We?

Isn't it funny how all the commercials we endure in radio and television and on the web are trying to tell you how you should live your life? Have you noticed how, in order to sell more of their product, they are telling you are doing it all wrong?

I am fascinated by this.

It all started when toothpaste ads showed you how much toothpaste you should be using. There was also a series of commercials that tried (and failed) to teach you how to wipe your ass.

Guess what?

You are doing it all wrong.



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NEXT WEEK: Other people's friends.

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09 August 2015

Willie "Too Big" Hall - Part 2

Willie Hall
You aren't seeing things. Here is part 2 of our conversation with Willie Hall. In this episode, we talk about the movies, writing and performing one of Hollywood's biggest films and stories from the production of the Blues Brothers.

My thanks to Willie Hall, Mark Caldwell, Rickey Self, Steve Davis, Jeff Janovetz and everyone at Radio Memphis.

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After you listen to that, this video will make MUCH more sense.




NEXT WEEK: The power of suggestion compels you to listen.

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02 August 2015

Willie "Too Big" Hall - Part 1

Willie "Too Big" Hall
I am a fortunate guy. In the course of working in this end of show business, I get to take part in some truly great moments. This time is one of those. One of my favorite movies (and is one of many of yours) is The Blues Brothers.

The thing about that band, it is truly one of the greatest bands ever to perform. Like any band of this nature, the rhythm section is the key to the whole thing. The backbone if you will, falls to the bassist and the drummer. In that band it was Donald "Duck" Dunn and Willie "Too Big" Hall.

Willie came to Radio Memphis one night and Jeff Janovetz and I had a great evening talking about music, movies, the road and all things Willie is doing. This is part one of that broadcast. It was only edited to remove our commercials and other Radio Memphis bits of business. We talk about where his nickname came from and how he got is start in the music business.

Included in this episode are a couple of songs played by permission from the Bar-Kays and The Bo-Keys. We also start a conversation about working with The Blues Brothers and how the movie was made.



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Our thanks to Mark Caldwell of The Memphis Blues Society  for making this happen.

NEXT WEEK: Part two of this conversation including how the theme from Shaft was made, the whole story about The Blues Brothers and what Willie is doing now.

Stay tuned...

26 July 2015

Crazy From The Hate

That's not a typo. Yes, it is hot here. Very hot, in fact. There are those around here who hate the heat. But, they also tend to hate a lot of things out there. Social media has allowed me to see an interesting slice of people. Hate is high up on the list of things people talk about.

It may be politics, people, situations, music, movies or whatever makes people feel this strong emotion and then become so vocal about these things.

The bottom line is this, it would seem before you go and hate something, maybe you should see if you, in fact hate that thing. Hate is a strong word. A very strong word and right now, in our weird politically charged world, there has been a lot of talk of hate. Maybe we should take a closer look at what we really hate.



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NEXT WEEK: Part 1 of a conversation with Willie "Too Big" Hall.

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19 July 2015

This Just In, The News is Awful

Those who know me, know that I spent some time working in the television news world. I was a reporter and an anchor. Fun job. At least it can be if you are numb to the shit you are telling the public. When I did it, I did get numb. Dangerously so. But, we'll save that for another day.

What I wanted to get into on this episode was the perspective of how the media is supposed to be in the category of "infotainment" (shocking that word actually exists). Here's the thing, it is neither informative nor entertaining. At least if you are entertained by watching the drunk anchor man stumble through his copy. Every stinking night.

Is there a great media conspiracy? Nope. Give this a listen and I'll explain.



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NEXT WEEK: Crazy From The Hate

A little side note here: I just noticed that iTunes actually censored an episode of this show. Episode 71: Assholes With Money was censored. Not the content of the show of course. But the title was. It was changed to Episode 71: A**holes With Money. Even though the episode was tagged with the Explicit tag. Funny how that works. God forbid I should offend someone with that word. Assholes.

Stay tuned...


12 July 2015

A Roll of The Dice

The immigrant and I thought it would be fun to hit up a casino. So, we did. Over the course of the night, we managed to lose about forty bucks between us. No great shakes. The way I see it is that we had about forty bucks of entertainment.

Granted, I may not have won any money of note, I did hit the jackpot when it came to people watching. Ever notice how there are a very distinct type of person depending on the game you are playing?

Wanna see a cross section of life all in one spot? Go to a casino.



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NEXT WEEK: Just what is this thing called "news"?

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05 July 2015

I Got Robbed & Am Being Held Hostage

The American banking system is crooked, wrong and a necessary evil. There is an old saying that goes like this, "Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he can rob the world." Truer words have never been spoken.

In the course of living life, I got hosed by a bank. Big time. My situation is nothing new. In fact, many of you may gone through this exact scenario as I describe in this episode. If that is the case, you will know EXACTLY the frustration I have gone through.

Yes, I do name the bank in the episode for purposes of educating the general public on how they do their business. At the very least, how they conducted their business with me during this issue.

It's a cautionary tale.



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NEXT WEEK: Like a roll of the dice.

In the meantime, please click on the link in the upper right hand corner of this page that says, "Be my patron." Please.

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28 June 2015

Get Bent (Politically)

We have entered the time when a good chunk of your social media feed is regards to very political posts. People seem to think, for the most part, that you should follow what they believe. No matter what you think, if it is not like them, you are dead wrong.

Acceptance has left the building and everyone now has a voice on social media. Some of the things I have seen have made me quite nervous. Someone actually invited me to a confederate flag rally where the words, "... we really need to get as many WHITE people to come...". Yup, that happened. I unfriended him.

Then I was added to a similar group as though they were thinking I believe in the same thing as they do. Nope. Pro tip: Don't blindly add people to groups if they haven't asked to join in the first place.



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NEXT WEEK: Bank Robbery

On another note. Look to the right of this post near the top of the page that says, "Be My Patron". Please give that a click. Thanks!


21 June 2015

Assholes With Money



Ever met someone with a lot of money? They tend to be assholes. Hell, you might be one of those people. If that is the case, then why is this? It's a valid question. Did you get your money from being an asshole? Or were you a nice person and then became an asshole after the fact? Personally, I think it is the latter.

Nevertheless, I take a look at this phenomenon along with the whole idea of what motivates some people to be something that they are not. Yup, we're going catfishing in this episode From Radioland.



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NEXT WEEK: Let's Get Political (if only for a little while)

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14 June 2015

Believe It Or Not - We're All Human

In my position over the years, I have been incredibly fortunate to meet and talk to people from all walks of life. Including those who walk in the world of celebrity. This has afforded me the ability to learn something rather obvious. We are all uniquely human. This has some people upset, apparently.

Yes, I'll tell you this right now, I do discuss the Caitlyn Jenner thing. I also talk about the Kardashian thing. Just a little forewarning in case you really hate those topics. But, fear not...

I'm not a fan either. The point I am making here is simply that we are all different and that has NO bearing on the rest of us.



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NEXT WEEK: Assholes With Money

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07 June 2015

So, You Wanna Be A Rock Star?

Seems like a logical question for sure. And it has a logical answer, believe it or not. This is a special episode of the podcast as I didn't really get involved with what you are going to hear.

Dirty D at Radio Memphis has a show called Radio Memphis Around The World. She features music from artists from all around the world and has some fantastic conversations with people that are in the business of making music.

In this episode, there is a fantastic conversation with Michael Wagener. He has produced most all of the hair bands of the 80s and 90s and is still cranking out hit after hit. He sat down with Dirty D live on the air and this what happened. Enjoy, you are going to learn something.



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NEXT WEEK: Why is everyone all worked up?

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31 May 2015

A Vast Wasteland

Those of you who follow history should be somewhat familiar with the great Newton Minow. Some 50 years ago, he famously stated that television was a "vast wasteland".

Ever scan the channels and realize just how right he was? And still is?

Although I don't actually elaborate too much on this thought, it leads to the idea that changes have taken place on TV that will change our perception of what the medium is all about. It was all set in stone the day David Letterman took his last bows.



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NEXT WEEK: Dianna Fryer has a conversation with Michael Wagener, record producer to the stars.

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24 May 2015

Not Now, Can't You See I'm Drinking?

Well, not really. I made mention of actually video taping this episode. After the session, the video got lost somewhere. Bummer. Or maybe not so much. That end of the production of this show is still being developed. It's not that I am having issues and yes, I was drinking during the session BUT, the video somehow was lost. Operator error, for sure.

Anyway, in this episode I wanted to talk a bit about some of the more darker elements of show business. It is an interesting thing and many folks don't necessarily understand. The business we chose to be in is not an easy one to be in. Make sense?



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NEXT WEEK: All these channels and there still not anything good on TV.

Stay tuned...

17 May 2015

Howard Grimes - Part 2

Not much to expand on here. This is the second half of the conversation I had with Howard Grimes along with Jeff Janovetz and Mark Caldwell as it happened live on Radio Memphis.

There is a story in here Howard tells that will send chills down your spine. Fantastic stuff in this one.

If you haven't heard the first part of this conversation, check out last week's first.



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NEXT WEEK: How about a drink?


10 May 2015

Howard Grimes - Part 1

Howard Grimes
When the phone rings and it's Mark Caldwell offering you one of the true legends of Memphis Music, you say, "Yes, please." and that is exactly how it happened. We happened to have a hole in our schedule for the Booze & Blues show on Radio Memphis and like that, Howard was in Studio B talking to Mark, Jeff Janovetz and myself.

Howard is a remarkable guy and a tremendous drummer. He started working at 12 with Rufus Thomas and got his first studio work at 14. He's still going strong.

In this first part of a two part series with Mr. Grimes, we talk the early days of Memphis music and we play some of the stuff from those days. This is an education on the history of the music from this town from a world wide known session guy.

A little note here regarding this episode. There is some music played in its entirety and was used courtesy of Howard Grimes with full permission.



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NEXT WEEK: Howard Grimes - Part 2

Stay tuned...

05 May 2015

Lucky Buddha: The Video

Okay, there I was thinking about saving the beer for another episode of the show. Then my show schedule kinda got booked and it would be a while before I could get to opening the thing up during a future episode of the show.

Thanks to the miracle that is the internet and this whole video concept, I got to thinking about why not just video the whole thing and make it an addendum to the original show.

If you haven't heard Episode 64: Lucky Buddha, stop now and go listen to that first, THEN watch this video.

Here's the thing, I am no sommelier and there is no such thing for beer drinkers. People who judge beer are beer drinkers. Nothing fancy. About as fancy as they get is Beer Critic. Nevertheless, if it comes to be a critic, then we all are critics and this video is fine example of that uneducated skill. Frankly, it doesn't matter what I think of a beer. If you like it, drink it.

Here is my take on the Lucky Buddha Enlightened Beer.



Stay tuned...



03 May 2015

A Lucky Find In An Unlikely Spot

Here is the beer.
Some of the things we all have to do is go out in the public and take care of little bits of usual business. You know, going to a random, big box home improvement center and some random grocery store. I know, mundane tasks. How is this even remotely interesting, you ask?

As the Buddhists like to say, it's never the destination as much as it is the journey. So true. This day was certainly a fine example of that saying. What started out as day of doing the usual things turned out to be a bit of an adventure with a pretty cool thing at the end. Happiness lies within, or does it?



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NEXT WEEK: Part 1 of 2 of a fascinating conversation with Howard Grimes.

Stay tuned...



26 April 2015

A Conversation With Brad Dunn

A guy has become a great friend of Radio Memphis and all of us personally is Brad Dunn. Brad, in case you didn't know, is from American Recording Studio here in Memphis and is the nephew of the Booker T and MG's bass player, Duck Dunn. He's also a font of knowledge and history when it comes to the whole Memphis Music thing.

We recorded the episode while on the air at Radio Memphis and had a tremendous discussion about the history of the music scene here and where it seems to be going. Many of you have asked if we could get Brad on the show, so here he is. I hope you enjoy this show.



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NEXT WEEK: A trip to the grocery store made for an interesting discovery.

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19 April 2015

Famously Stupid

There are those people out there in the world who we make famous. Yes, you and I have some control over just who gets to be a celebrity. Think for a moment about all the people out there who are incredibly famous. Yup, those people tend to be incredibly stupid. Most of us admit these people are horrible people. They say things that make them look moronic. But, they are famous because we made them that way.

Be that as it may, they are a fascinating group of people. On the flipside of this, there doesn't seem to be too many smart people who are famous. With a few exceptions. It is those exceptions, one that I mention explicitly that should step into the role of politics. Even that would piss some people off.

Ah, the perils of having a point of view.



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NEXT WEEK: Brad Dunn and the business of Memphis music.

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12 April 2015

Clickbait

The internet is a fun place. At least it ought to be. There are so many things to see and do there. That is something we all know about. There is also this thing called "clickbait". You probably know that is and if you aren't too familiar with that term, I will explain it in this episode.

The one thing about clickbait is the attempt to make posts go viral all for the sake of advertising. Of course it does. That is the single purpose of driving the internet, with your finger. So insidious and yet, so compelling. Or is it?



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NEXT WEEK: Seriously, stop making stupid people famous.

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05 April 2015

Day To Day Rhythms

Everyday, we all have a set routine of things we do. Some of them have to be done, some not so much. I'm no different. I live a different life than others. That's no big deal either. The thing is, we seem to incorporate things and activities into our weirdly scheduled lives either for our entertainment or exact purpose of our existence.

The newspaper is one of those things. For years, I have been a subscriber to our local paper. Now days, specifically for my wife. She loves to read it. She bitches about incessantly, but she does read it for her amusement and for her ability to know about things in the world. Or as the case may be, she learns about "stuff".

How long is this archaic form of news delivery going to stick around? It's a question that has been on the table for sometime now. Is it dying or merely evolving?



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NEXT WEEK: Ric says some remarkable things. 22 minutes in, he says something that will blow your mind.

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29 March 2015

You People, My Therapists

Life is tough. It can be so much more difficult if you do nothing.

That is not some poignant saying I found somewhere on the web. I just thought of that on my own. The thing is, it's true. At least, from my perspective. The past several years have been a real fight to survive. Probably more than it should be for a guy like me. Here's the thing. I'm okay with that now.

In this episode, I had a bad several moments before sitting down to record the thing. "Bad moments?" you ask. Nothing Earth shattering. Like anyone else, I have good days and bad days. And like everyone else, some are worse (and better) than others.

The thing about this episode is that I have learned to cope with these things. In some sort of way, this show IS my therapy. Hey, if it happens to relate to you in some sort of way, that is good. Maybe, I have helped you.

I hope you enjoy it.

A quick note. For some strange reason, the computer I was using to record this thing was acting sort of funny (to add to my woes) and there is a couple of really small parts of this episode where it sounds like it is sort of skipping. I have since solved the issue and you may not even notice it here. But, it is the least I can do to let you know that I am aware of the issue.



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NEXT WEEK: Extra! Extra! Read All About It. ... or not.

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22 March 2015

The Art of Being A Picky Whore

Part of the "fun" of being in the business I am in is finding a way for making what I do pay. It's the age old question. Part of the "fun" of being in the business I am in is understanding just how much show business has evolved. Social media, TV, radio and the internet have inundated us all with advertisements. They are everywhere and we, as a society, has found a way to evolve along the way to allow us to selectively tune it all out.

This of course, is what makes the business I am in that much more amusing and challenging. But there are limits. You would think I would accept an advertisement (and check) from anyone. The truth is, not so much. There are things out there that I won't do for money. Maybe the list is getting a bit thin.



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NEXT WEEK: Don't be a quitter, it makes you look bad.

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15 March 2015

The Aliens are Judging You

Yeah, here's a thought. What if another advanced civilization out there in the universe is watching us. They have the ability to decide our collective fate based solely what they read on Facebook. Yeah, that.

There was a time we used to dabble in that very thought but trying to figure us out based solely on what they saw on television. That was a very different time in our history. Now with social media, we share entirely too much and have very strange opinions about certain things. Then we bitch and moan about privacy when we have willingly given all of our information away.

The aliens must think we are pretty messed up.



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NEXT WEEK: We are whores. Picky whores. But, whores nonetheless.

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08 March 2015

Eric Sommer

Eric Sommer
It has been too long. Too long since From Radioland has been in production that I actually included some audio from what happens on the air at Radio Memphis. So, it made since to include in this episode, a really cool conversation and live music from our friend Eric Sommer. He stopped by the studio to play and have a talk.

That is exactly what happens in this episode. In case you missed it when it happened on the air, you can hear it here.

NOTE: There are mentions of a performance Eric was to have that evening. It happened already. So, don't head to the gig. You can learn more about Eric at his homepage and get his music from the same source.



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NEXT EPISODE: What are the aliens thinking of us if all they had to judge us was what they saw in social media. Yeah, we're doomed.

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01 March 2015

A Change is Gonna Come (and you are not going to like it)

I say that because we, as a society in general, seem so resistant to any sort of change. The world is evolving thanks to technology. The way we adapt to any sort of change is amusing to me. Part of how we react and, indeed change is something entertaining to witness.

Yes, I talk about everything from technology to immigration. How does the rest of the world perceive us? That is also rather amusing.

Also, why do I carry a bag to just about every place I go? Because I carry too many damn things.



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NEXT WEEK: From Radioland - From the air. A visit with Eric Sommer as it aired on Radio Memphis.

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22 February 2015

Weather & Sports

Harking back to my days in the television industry, I found myself talking about the weather and sports. No joke. Also, I decided to provide a little social commentary regarding Memphis drivers. Everyone has an opinion about the way people here operate 2,000 pounds of mobile steel.

Regarding sports, you probably won't like what I have to say about it. In general terms of course, I will explain to why I think NASCAR and the NFL sucks. Oh yeah, I'm going there.



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NEXT WEEK: A change is gonna come and there is nothing you can do about it.

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15 February 2015

The Agency Blues

One of the interesting aspects of working in the broadcast field regards the money. Here we are in a brand new world. The internet is kind of like the wild west. This is a good thing. As an internet broadcaster, things get a little weird. This is the price we pay by being ahead of the technological curve.

As a result, we deal with advertising agencies who just don't understand the very nature of internet broadcasting. Radio Memphis often gets lumped into the same group of broadcasters that are broadcasting, but have no idea how to do it right.

Are we always right? Nope. But we are professionals and listening to what some advertising agencies have to say about internet radio. It's all based in (of all things) fear.



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NEXT WEEK: A little talk about the weather and sports. Really.

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08 February 2015

Josh Robert Thompson

Josh Robert Thompson & Geoff Peterson
I have a few heroes. I have a few people I look up to (as do many of you). Josh is one of those people. I have been fascinated with his work since I discovered his work through The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. As the voice of Geoff the robot (Craig's sidekick, Geoff Peterson), I became rather curious as to who this guy is and what all he does. A quick Google search yielded everything I needed to know.

In this conversation, we talked about the business of show business, the work as a comedian and the changes that have occurred in the broadcast industry. We also  had a discussion about creativity and the dark side of comedy.

My time spent with him was brief and in that time I learned so much about what it is to do what he does and how it impacts what I do.

I can say this, he's a great guy and was very gracious with his time and my indulgences in the conversation. If you ever get the chance to meet him, I highly recommend the experience. Perhaps one day, we can sit down again and if that happens, we'll record that conversation as well.



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For more on Josh, I highly recommend his podcast. He is also on the road with Craig on the Hot and Grumpy Tour and he may be coming to a venue near you. You can find it all here and here.

Once again, my personal thanks to Josh and to Raymond for making this all possible.

NEXT WEEK: Where the hell is the money going? What it is like to sell advertising to an industry that just doesn't get it at all.



01 February 2015

How I Built The Show

Even though we are not quite through a solid year of shows, I wanted to give you a little look into how we produce From Radioland. You can consider this a behind the scenes look at the making of what has turned out to be a rather popular little show. Over the past year, several people have asked me how the show is done and how we do the layout of the thing. Here is that look.

Over the the last year, we have had some remarkable growth. We may be hitting a little goal we set out for ourselves by having 100,000 subscribers by the end of the first year of production. That is a big thing for us. We are certainly happy about that achievement and we have some great plans as we make our way into the second year of production. There is something pretty groovy things happening with the show starting with the final episode of our production year which is next week. More on that later.

For those of you who are interested in starting your own show, you can take what I talk about here and use it to help build your podcast. For those of you who are plenty happy just listening, you will get a little glimpse into how the whole thing gets put together. Spoiler: It's not that hard.



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One thing I failed to mention during the recording of this episode was how we got all those subscribers. One thing is certain, we got a lot of you folks through iTunes. Not only that, this show is listed in a number of podcast directories all over the world. I spread this thing around like a disease and all that work finally paid off. Yeah, it was a pain in the ass to do it and the results are never "overnight" but in the amount of time we are looking at here, our growth has been nothing short of remarkable.

NEXT WEEK: Yeah, about that. My conversation with Josh Robert Thompson. Don't know him? Like he says, "Google it." Aw hell, I'll do it for you.

25 January 2015

The Millenial Generation

Why is there a sense of entitlement in the current generation of young adults these days? I think that is a valid question. It is a question the preceding generation ALWAYS asks of the youngsters of their day. This time around, it does seem different. We seem to be living in a world where it is tough to live. There aren't as many careers as their used to be. Corporate America and other outside influences have made life tough for the fabled "middle class".

People of my generation (and you know who you are) are still licking the wounds from the Great Recession and as we wake up from that fight we have seen the world change dramatically. Add to this the children born around the turn of the century. They are coming of age and they are a demanding lot.

BUT, they are also in control of the things we all take for granted. Maybe not literally... yet. They are part of a massive consumer target audience and they have become rather particular as to how they consume their media. Most of them have no subscription to cable or satellite TV services and they certainly don't listen to antiquated technology known as AM/FM radio.

All they want is an internet connection and a thirst for the things their parents love and enjoy. But on their terms. But, is there a redeeming quality this generation can offer?



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NEXT WEEK: How to make a podcast. At least, how I make a podcast. Plus, a look at what should be a stellar Season Finale and the really cool future of From Radioland as we enter our second year of production.

18 January 2015

God & Guns

This was an episode I wanted to do for some time now. With the terribly tragic events that occurred in Paris at Charlie Hebdo. A senseless act where provocative comedians raised the ire of some fundamentalist religious zealots who acted in a brutal manner. An act of terror based under the name of God.

I suppose some people are offended when their religious icons are the subject of comic delivery. To me, it is far more offensive when innocent people lose their lives over their comedic sense in regards to such religious icons. Personally, I am more offended by those who seek out such offensives to further their own causes. Heresy, I know.

A brief word about this episode. It occurred to me while I was recording this episode that what is said in this episode may be considered deeply offensive to some. As a result, those of you who are listening outside of the United States might want to keep that in mind. Sadly, we live in a world where consuming this particular episode could actually be dangerous. Listener discretion is advised.



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NEXT WEEK: Kids These Days. It's the attack of the millennials. Sort of... if they could just give a shit.

Stay tuned...

11 January 2015

Dianna Does LA (part 2)

As promised, here is part 2 of my conversation with Dianna Fryer. In this episode, she talks about self improvement, life after death, the radio business and what 2015 holds for Radio Memphis. Of course, she is headed to Los Angeles, California to appear at NAMM. She has now been asked to work the red carpet at the She Rocks Awards. This proves once again that we at Radio Memphis are doing things other stations cannot nor are willing to go the extra mile. Ha!

Also in this conversation, we talk about getting a certain person on this podcast as a guest. Dianna gives me hell about it but it is all in good fun. I can tell you all this, if you ever have the chance to sit down with Dianna to have a conversation about anything that comes to mind, do it. You won't regret the time spent.



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NEXT WEEK: That is blasphemy! We'll have a discussion about some things that will more than likely upset a bunch of people. Religion and violence all in the name of comedy. Sad but true in the world we live in now.

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04 January 2015

Dianna Does LA (part 1)

Dianna Fryer has been a guest on this show a couple of times. She actually requested a return visit to Radioland to talk about her upcoming trip to Los Angeles, California and her appearance at NAMM. This is a big thing for Radio Memphis. Apparently, the station has a lot of fans there and not just in music lovers but musicians themselves.

The last time she was a guest on this show, I got her to storm out of Studio A. This time, she holds her ground despite the fact I managed to annoy her toward the end of this episode.

We talked for over an hour and a half and we covered a lot of ground. This is why I broke up our talk in to two separate episodes.



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NEXT WEEK: Part 2 including jobs in the afterlife, the people we have dealt with in the past and who we want to deal with in the future. Also, there is a guest I would love to have on the show that Dianna finds to be fodder to TRY to get under MY skin with.

Stay tuned...