Christmas on local radio… Old school style.

[louiemanno]

The Manno and Condon Family Christmas Special

I produced the last of these exactly 10 years ago… After weeks of over dubbing, and blade and tape edits… it was mixed live, in 3 marathon sessions - on 3 8-hour videotapes. (Sort of a rudimentary form of unattended operation)

A brand new version of this special ran every Christmas Eve at the old 1390 WKDR. It featured live recordings of high school bands, local Christmas pageant’s - celebrity Christmas greeting bumpers, and 12 Burlington Police Officers singing the 12 Days of Christmas.

I was so lucky to have had the freedom to indulge myself to this degree; engaged is a pursuit that was truly a labor of love.

I was surprised to discover that mannoandcondon.com is still active…. And to find that this page is still up

http://www.mannoandcondon.com/xmasspecial.htm

Pardon me for reminiscing out loud… But it’s the holidays and like most, I always get a little more sentimental.

Louie

 

[BTN BRI]

Wow! Thats some great stuff!
Any way we can get that to broadcast on our community radio station in Bennington, Vermont?
Wbtnam.org
WBTN AM 1370

Thanks,
BTN BRI

 

[louiemanno]

Sure… I’m flattered that you asked. Just download it from the link.

Merry Christmas

Louie

 

[mfwills]

Good one, Louie.

Now, If we could only get WEZF to use this instead of cutting over to 100% Christmas music before Thanksgiving...

Do you still have the deli?

Matt

 

[louiemanno]

Hi Matt:

Sold the deli in May of 07… Worked for Champlain Radio Group a week shy of a year. (My last day was election day) I was ironically let go for automated Christmas music. (The weather outside is frightful )

I am currently in conversations with 2 companies in town and am continuing to search for meaningful work.

I remain optimistic,
Louie Manno.

PS. Check out Joel Najman as Bernie Sanders on cut 5 and Thom Richards as John Housman 2:14 into cut 12. (circa 1987)

Happy Holidays

 

[mfwills]

I remain optimistic

As do I. I don't know if I'll still have a job at IBM from week to week, and if I do, whether IBM itself will even still be there. People who have been there 25-30 years say they have never seen it this slow.

Joel and Thom are a hoot. Back then, I recognized Thom (probably because I was hanging out with him and Mary regularly), but couldn't figure out who was doing Bernie. When Thom told me it was Joel, I had an "Of course!" moment ("TOH-ully!").

Matt

 

[nhradiochild]

I found the first thing that really tweaked my knob... (sounds dirty doesn't it? Well it wasn't meant to be! )

In Part 3 where it says "the machine ate the tape". I can only imagine how many of the new generation will say, "WHAT ate the WHAT?" ;D

 

[mfwills]

I can only imagine how many of the new generation will say, "WHAT ate the WHAT?"

You left something out:

"What DID WHAT to what?"

The image of tape being "eaten" and its aftermath (extracting the tape from the machine), is no less archaic than the image of physical equipment doing the eating something being eaten.

It goes further. Many of us are among a disappearing breed that knows what turntables or reel-to-reels are, much less how to cue them, or, as Louie mentioned, how to use a razor blade and splicing tape.

It goes in the opposite direction as well. My last radio gig (almost ten years PT at WVMT) ended in the early Nineties, by which time the music was all carted (I helped dub the library from vinyl) or on that still fairly new-fangled CD thingie, and a lot has changed even since then. I am highly computer savvy, but I have never worked in what I would call a "modern" studio, so I would have a learning curve just getting acclimated should I ever get back in.

On the bright side, I haven't lost it entirely. I can still hit the post over an intro (yes, I still "play radio" in the car). And, unlike far too many I hear on the air today, I know how to pronounce "W."

</rant>

 

[BTN BRI]

Re: Christmas on local radio… Old school style, NOW PLAYING!!!

Louie,
It is GREAT, We started it at 2 today and 5 calls already! Our listeners love it. We have credited you with promo's for the last few days and will
provide your email if requested ( If that's OK with you) Thanks so much!! You can listen on the web at www.wbtnam.org click listen live till 6 pm today and I think we will replay it tomorrow at 2 also.
Thanks so much for such a great mix!

BTN BRI
WBTN AM 1370
Non-Profit / Commercial Radio for our community.

 

[louiemanno]

Thank for throwing that old ana-log in the fireplace. I am heartened that your listeners enjoy the show. I am also heartened by your commitment to your community. Relevance takes hard work, passion and empathy. I’ll toast WBTN with a ”fortified” glass of eggnog when I start getting festive later on this eve.

Keep up the great work… I wish you another successful year of service to your community.

My email address is [email protected] and I welcome all emails.

All the blessings of the season,

Louie