Archive for September, 2006

Dreamin’ Dreams

{ September 26, 2006 @ 3:00 pm } · { blogs }
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I’m back. Back in the bustle of the broadcasting game. Don’t know what exactly I’ll be doing, yet, but I know I’ll be in it.

 

Good going, Shane. 

 

I’m proud of myself. One of those times when it’s good to pat myself on the back. I’m excited. Anxious. Nervous. Creative. Determined.

 

Reminds me of the Shane from 15 years ago.

 

The Shane of 15 years ago who made his way for a two-hour commute starting at 5am just to cart a few CD’s, fetch coffee, make some phone calls to the cop stations, edit real-tape and talk about radio stuff.

 

The girl form Rogers TV said she’d be giving me a call when she knows which holes I’ll be able to fill in terms of writing or being an on-air talent. My orientation is in exactly two weeks.

 

Obviously, my dreams are starting to reflect my total mindset at the moment. A couple nights ago I had this one dream where I was leaving some huge building. I was walking. Walking up hill. Down hill. Through forests. Through the City. Back into the forest and then up this huge hill. Down the hill. Back up the hill. This is where it gets weird. I jump over some little cracks in the ground for a bit until there’s one huge jump. I made it. All of a sudden, both sides of the ground breaks and I’m there in a little slice of what was once a football field length of country greenery, to only look down and see the long drop. I could jump and try to make it to the other side but it’s a good 30 feet each way for me to jump. I try to climb down. That’s when I wake up.

  

I checked out what being on a cliff meant. It said the that I “have arrived to an increased level of understanding, new awareness, and a fresh point of view.” It went on. “You may have reached a critical point of life and may fear losing control”.

 

It’s True.

  

Again, last night I had an unusual dream. I was leaving the TV studio but I was happy because I made a bunch of `sales’. I don’t know where this came from, as I don’t see myself being in sales when I head to Rogers. Anyway, I start to walk away from the building. Home? Out to meet friends? I didn’t know. I arrived at this bar that looked like this bar I frequent in Richmond Hill. I enter. Some of the same staff is working and some familiar regulars are sitting at the bar. I head to the back of the bar and say Hello to my mom. My mom? She doesn’t work there. Why is she doing the bar? I start to work with my mom – packing away plates, glasses and ordering more beer for the bar flies. I then wake up.

 

I look up what it means to dream about being in a bar. I got this. “You are seeking acceptance in some aspect of your life”. I can see this, too. But which part? Am I looking for more acceptances with this new gig? Is there something else coming up that I’m looking to gain more love for?

 

 I really don’t know.

  Hopefully this whole puzzle will make sense, soon.

Playing Tag on the Radio

{ September 20, 2006 @ 2:40 pm } · { radio sites }
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I remember when I first met Dick Smythe. It was the same day when met Tom Rivers. It was a weekday morning in the summer of 1989 when my father and I got up in the wee hours of a summers morning, to head downtown Toronto to meet the Rivers Air Force on All Hits 680 CFTR. Back then, a young person to head into the studio to meet the number one morning show, was like being able to sit in on a studio session with Beyonce.

In those days, the disk jockeys were celebrities. The radio show was like a TV Show. If you met one of those guys on the radio, you better have your autograph book out because you’d need proof when you tell your friends you met a real life Dick Jockey from the Radio!

I met a few that day. First it was in master control to meet my pal, Rivers. We chatted on and off air. I looked around examining how he would answer the phones, talk to the producer, and get into the mood before going on air. I drank my orange juice slowly taking everything in and practicing any bits that Riv would pass my way. Then, it was a break. Rivers got up and told me I was taking `a trip around the Force’. He and show producer, Dave Tooke gave me the tour. First, the Music Library where I learned that Rick Deez never did a show from the downtown studios, but it was pre-recorded and put on record. Second, it was other production rooms where the commercials were made. I took a quick peak inside the some offices of “the suits” – as Riv would call them – and then it was time to head into the newsroom. Three of my favourite all time news people were working, that morning. Evelyn Macko, Gloria Martin and the legendary Dick Smythe.

“He was the guy from TV,” I thought. Both my Dad and I were memorized as I remembered how I made fun of the broadcasting vet just a few weeks prior. After a Jays game one Sunday, I saw Smythe walking out and throwing something into the fountain. As the good RAF correspondent that I was, I called Rivers the next morning to tell him the eyewitness report of the events that went down the day before. Earlier on that morning, Dick remarked during a commentary that he had spent most of his time at the bar because the game of baseball was getting boring. As Tom and I were waiting to record the bit, Tom advised me to say something as the punch line. I agreed. Seconds later, we’re on. Tom and I talked about the Jays win and my new box seats that my father had just bought earlier on that season. I then told him of the Smythe sighting. I told him that I saw newsman throw what looked like a penny or a dime into the fountain after the game. Tom asked if Smythe said anything when he did it. I promptly replied, “Yeah. He said to keep the change, bartender”.

I quickly zoomed back to the present day. I heard someone talk to me. It was he. Smythe asked me if I was the little guy who is always on the radio with Tom. I replied, “Yes I was, sir”. He asked me if I liked news. I said, “kinda”. He asked me if I wanted to replace him. I said “someday”. He laughed and went on with his work.

People you look up to always seem bigger and have this light surrounding them when you first meet them. Dick had the light. He seemed huge. Moments later, I would see him in his realm. In the newsroom reading the news. His shaking head would move from left to right constantly looking up for the time check. Confident. Determined. Passionate. He was the Dan Rather of Toronto radio news. The Paul Harvey of Toronto radio Commentaries.

Always controversial, Dick was the best at delivering his own opinions. Sometimes it sounded like how he just wanted to get through the news just so he could tell the listeners what was on his mind – much like how a kid had to clean his room before going to play tag. The commentaries were Dick’s game of tag.

In Toronto, some people were fans of Brian Henderson. Some were fans of John Gilbert. I was a Smythe supporter.  Like how a “bad-guy” wrestler knows he did a good job after a match when the whole venue wants to kick his butt, Smythe knew he did a good job when he got calls about what he said during the 8 o’clock commentary. Fans would’ve gotten into the ring with him after each morning show in a steal cage match.

The passion Smythe carried into the newsroom every morning is missed. We still do have the Oakley’s, the Richards’, the Stafford’s, the Carroll’s, but like how every year the grade nine class looks up to someone in grade 12, the kids looked up to the vets of the school. They paved the way, after all. Smythe was the rebellious one. The one in the leather jacket, smoking his cigar in the middle of class – but still scoring top grades because he had intelligence.

   

Watch out Barkeep, your talking to a wise one there.

Tales from Sin City..

{ September 5, 2006 @ 7:18 pm } · { blogs }
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The Tales: The first couple of days in Vegas I was really sick. I had a really bad flu. I was stuck in bed until Saturday when I felt better which is a good thing as that night I was going to the UFC fight.

The rest of the week was pretty usual. Drank, Slept. Shopped. Slept. Relaxed. The normal vacation type things. Compared to other times in Vegas, this time it was pretty low-key. Didn’t really do much. I guess I’m growing out of Vegas. The flashy lights. The tourist attractions. The ongoing energy being pumped inside hotels. The late nights. It was all repetitive to me. Been there. Done that.  The first night at Paris Hotel was pretty good, however. I spent most of the afternoon with my father playing the slots and getting free drinks and food from the VIP section. After he left, I went up to my room for a bit and watched some TV. I then got bored, so I decided to check out what was happening downstairs. As soon as I got onto the main level, I heard some music. Funky music. As I got closer, I realized a band was playing. I had to check them out. Soon enough, I found the band. They were playing in a small airport-type lounge bar near to the entrance of the hotel. I sat down and ordered a few drinks. Checked out a few sets. They were good. Did some good covers of Steve Wonders’ `Superstition‘, Supertrmp’s Its Raining Again, and of course, Frank’s melody, My Way. After the show, I strolled along what seemed to be downtown Paris and finished up my rum and coke. I noticed a circular type bar Decided to check it out. Sat down and ordered a beer.  Met a few people while there. Even a drunk Canadian from Vancouver who thought Maestro Fresh Wes was the best thing to come out of Canada since Led Zeppelin.

HA!

   

On the flight home we got a bit of a scare. Well, not really, but it was pretty funny. As my father and I were sitting in the comfy first class seats (once you go first class, you never go back) on the plane, a guy came on. He was around 5′6ish, early 20’s. Typical American Eagle type guy. Likes rock, drinking and is from a middle class family. Anyway, he told the flight attendant that his girlfriend was caught at security and if they could wait another five minutes for her to get onto the plane. The attendant said it should be okay and that they should be waiting for another ten minutes. The guy went to sit down. Before you knew it, the plane was getting ready to depart. The guy’s girlfriend still wasnt onboard. As they were closing the doors, the guy came rushing back up the isle and asked the attendant why they couldn’t wait for his girlfriend as she promised. She said that they had to leave. They were on a tight schedule. He was about to head back to his seat, when he decided he wanted to leave. By this time the plane was about a hundred feet away from the gate. We had to turn around. People upset, the staff members quietly making fun of the mad boyfriend, the plane made the turnaround and headed back to the gate. As they opened up the doors once again, there was another couple waiting to get in. They were allowed to enter the plane, as was the girlfriend who was left back. However, the boyfriend was so mad at the airline that he decided he didnt want to fly anymore. So, after all that trouble the guy and his girlfriend had to leave the plane. After another twenty-minute wait for us to get clearance from the tower, he were finally on the way back home.

The quote of the flight came from a guy sitting next to us. He asked the pilot if he could request to get off in Chicago because his girlfriend was waiting for him.

 I felt like I was on that A&E TV show.

Dreams and Flow..

{ September 4, 2006 @ 1:52 pm } · { blogs }
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Tequila Sunrise: I just had to wake up. I had to write something. I know
what I’m supposed to write, actually. Like a great writer, however let me
build up to it.

Still on vacation. I’m heading back to Toronto in T-minus-3 hours. Its
3:14am in mild early morning suburban Detroit. Clouds are out. Its sixty
degrees. Looks like rain.

I had a dream. I was writing something to someone. Don’t know who. I
remember I was in an upscale café and I had to write something to some
blond girl. I don’t know who she was, but from what I remember from what I
wrote, we were romantically involved once.

I remember writing down a few things in the dream,  but the thing that got
me out of my sleep, springing out of my Dad’s comfy cotton couch to only
open up his laptop and break-in his Microsoft Word program are these
following words.

“Maybe more people should let themselves not ‘move on’ and get over the
love of their life by not moving on, and not having that major break of
communication after the break-up….”

Paraphrased, that’s what I dreamed I wrote down.

Don’t you ever wonder what one little feeling if executed properly and its
results in the future?

Like this little splurge of early morning thought, for example. If I
hadn’t written this, what would’ve been the results? What will happen now
that I did wake up to write down that line of dream discussion?

Back to the line from the dream. I think I was trying to say that more
people should be able to `move on` without `moving on`. Not having to
loose all ties from the ex-girlfriend for that set amount of time but able
to let the ex help you out as a friend with the grieving process. Make
sense?

A friend once told me after a break-up you must use alternate pathways
just so memories from the relationship don’t affect your mindset. Turn
that left instead of the right on the way to the bar. Don’t go to that
café on Wednesday when you know she’ll be there. Watch Friends instead of
Cosby Show if that was your show with her. Don’t hang out with Jimmy if he
introduced you two. Same rules apply as quitting smoking. Should a long or
short term romantic jig just wind up being diagnosed the same as harming
your body with a substance that kills you? Or is this how we as human
beings just deal with getting rid of bad habits or making us forget what
once was?

We never forget. We just avoid thinking about it.

More Radio Stuff: I’m sorry. There couldn’t be one blog that has gone by
this summer without any mention on the latest trials on Toronto Radio.
Summer usually does this to me. So much
moving-and-shaking-format-flipping-advertising-ass-kicking-radio ramblin’
going on, I just have to put in my two cents.

Flow recently repositioned themselves and fired a bunch of on-air people.
Namely, the morning run and the mid-day guy. Industry whispers say that
the station is flipping over to Top 40 radio very soon. Other sources say
the opposite.

I wonder.

The source that denies the rumor works at the station. In this kind of
case I tend to go with the ones outside of the building. You don’t need me
to remind you of the many stories of employees not knowing anything about
a format flip until upper-management invites them out for dinner only to
return to radio ranch and have all the locks changed and a new logo at the
stations front desk

“Why doesn’t my pass card work and why doesn’t it say JACK on top of
Donna’s desk? Is it April 1?

”Because we’ve been canned and it’s September 3rd, stupid”.

Many conversations like this have occurred over the years in the local
radio hallways. Even though I’m not too surprised about Flow’s sudden
change of mind, it’s sad. So many years of the urban community fighting to
get the first all-black station in Canada only to have it switched off due
to bad use of format which resulted in a low number of ears tuning in.

The fans won’t believe it though. The radio stations fan is loyal. Like
the way a kid son looks up to his father, the listener looks up to their
favorite radio station. They’ll always be Number One. Usually not the
case, it’s great to have the listener think so. See, people usually hang
out with others with similar tastes. When Barb goes into Nat’s car, she’ll
often hear the same station she listeners to in her car. Great minds think
alike. Therefore, Barb says wherever she goes; she hears that station
which therefore, must be the number one radio station in town. Nada. It’s
the number one radio station to the people who you associate yourself
with. You’re just feeding the stations demo. If you want the number one
radio station in town, listen to what’s on in the doctors’ offices or on
the loudspeakers when doing your groceries. Most of the time, it’s the
same station and most of the time (in this market anyway) its soft rock.
Hint, Hint.

FLOW is a heritage station. They should’ve fed off that. Instead of
pushing an urban image and using African based art as billboards and bus
ads, they should’ve used the listeners’ loyalty to their advantage. Cue up
ads  quotes from Martin Luther King or Malcolm or Spike talking about
overcoming and being the first in the community and being a leader. Use
references from classic black films to describe your on-air talent. Have
the audience make up different logos for the station to make it feel like
it was their station, too. They could’ve even made it local. Have your
talent do spots talking about what they used to do to catch the latest
tunes when there wasn’t any black station in Toronto. The stations top
talent came from community radio and helped build the urban music scene in
Toronto. Talk to them. Get their input.

CHUM and CFRB are great at pulling on the hearts of loyal fans. However,
they’ve been in the market for so long, they know what Toronto wants to
see and hear. As a newcomer, FLOW didn’t. They didn’t get it. Get the
audience. This was the downfall. Hopefully, they’ll know how to work it as
they move ahead with plan B. Good luck