Saving Boston Rock Radio....

[Bostonradiofan]

*Better personalities. Charles Laquidiria made you think, feel, and act locally.

*Quality underground, unsigned, and indie local music. It doesn't have to be all local/indie. Just throw it in more, having at least three or four locals always in regular rotation. The best local acts. Look for the songs. They are there. Carmelita's show is how I discover much of them. Shred's show is good as well. WAAF/WBCN/WFNX need to go a little deeper in their catologues playing deeper classic cuts (you can still play Pearl Jam but not the same 6 songs) and start playing Waltham, Darkbuster, Dresden Dolls, Robby Roadsteamer, Bleu, Beyond the Embrace, the Rudds, the Dents, Raymond, Rocketscience, etc. as well as some of the best Boston classic bands from the past. I would love to hear Mission of Burma, old school Bosstones, J Geils, and the Fools every once in awhile.

Beyond the Embrace is the metal band that tops all the bigger local names, they are made for radio and they have the street cred. The Rocketscience song with Steve Tyler of Aerosmith is a smash out of this world hit if I have ever heard one. Waltham also is a sure hit. What are these people waiting for?

Why not Carmelita playing local Boston bands with DLR in the mornings? She could bring in Gary Cherone and see how it goes. Haha. We need some excitement and to also let the masses know what is going on in the clubs and neighborhoods of Boston. They are starving for it and the clubs reflect it, I see alot of kids from the Suburbs at shows in Boston and Cambridge. This last Saturday night at the Paradise big room for Waltham sold out at 9:30 PM while the Rudds sold out the smallish Lizard Lounge. Neither gets regular airplay and could do it again next week. People are starting to reward the good acts that stick it out.

We have so many bands taking a big step up without the help of radio right now. More of them succeding without radio than I have seen in the past. Why? Because of myspace.com, the internet, the Noise Magazine, three local commercial radio shows, college radio, indie labels, Boston Music Awards, exciting live local club shows, Little Steven gargage show, California's INDIE 103 airplay of Boston Bands, and the lack of good music on WBCN, WFNX, and WAAF during the work week. There's more of course but ust some of the good stuff I see going on. We need Boston radio to open their eyes. This is Boston, not Iowa.

Play Waltham, the Dresden Dolls, Rocketscience, Darkbuster, and watch your station establish the brand as BOSTON'S ROCK STATION.

THE WBCN Rumble and WAAF LOCOBAZOOKA have helped as well but that committment needs to be there more than once a year.....

 

[WizardofProd]

> *Better personalities. Charles Laquidiria made you think,
> feel, and act locally.
>
> *Quality underground, unsigned, and indie local music. It
> doesn't have to be all local/indie. Just throw it in more,
> having at least three or four locals always in regular
> rotation. The best local acts. Look for the songs. They are
> there. Carmelita's show is how I discover much of them.
> Shred's show is good as well. WAAF/WBCN/WFNX need to go a
> little deeper in their catologues playing deeper classic
> cuts (you can still play Pearl Jam but not the same 6 songs)
> and start playing Waltham, Darkbuster, Dresden Dolls, Robby
> Roadsteamer, Bleu, Beyond the Embrace, the Rudds, the Dents,
> Raymond, Rocketscience, etc. as well as some of the best
> Boston classic bands from the past. I would love to hear
> Mission of Burma, old school Bosstones, J Geils, and the
> Fools every once in awhile.
>
> Beyond the Embrace is the metal band that tops all the
> bigger local names, they are made for radio and they have
> the street cred. The Rocketscience song with Steve Tyler of
> Aerosmith is a smash out of this world hit if I have ever
> heard one. Waltham also is a sure hit. What are these people
> waiting for?
>
> Why not Carmelita playing local Boston bands with DLR in the
> mornings? She could bring in Gary Cherone and see how it
> goes. Haha. We need some excitement and to also let the
> masses know what is going on in the clubs and neighborhoods
> of Boston. They are starving for it and the clubs reflect
> it, I see alot of kids from the Suburbs at shows in Boston
> and Cambridge. This last Saturday night at the Paradise big
> room for Waltham sold out at 9:30 PM while the Rudds sold
> out the smallish Lizard Lounge. Neither gets regular airplay
> and could do it again next week. People are starting to
> reward the good acts that stick it out.
>
> We have so many bands taking a big step up without the help
> of radio right now. More of them succeding without radio
> than I have seen in the past. Why? Because of myspace.com,
> the internet, the Noise Magazine, three local commercial
> radio shows, college radio, indie labels, Boston Music
> Awards, exciting live local club shows, Little Steven
> gargage show, California's INDIE 103 airplay of Boston
> Bands, and the lack of good music on WBCN, WFNX, and WAAF
> during the work week. There's more of course but ust some of
> the good stuff I see going on. We need Boston radio to open
> their eyes. This is Boston, not Iowa.
>
> Play Waltham, the Dresden Dolls, Rocketscience, Darkbuster,
> and watch your station establish the brand as BOSTON'S ROCK
> STATION.
>
> THE WBCN Rumble and WAAF LOCOBAZOOKA have helped as well but
> that committment needs to be there more than once a
> year.....
>
Very simple......Nobody cares about that stuff enough to actually want to hear it on the radio. That's it, that's all. Indie 103? wfnx is attempting to do more or less what they are doing but Indie does not have ANY ratings either, none. Local rock is not what people are tuning to hear outside of Sunday nights and even then it's almost exclusively the bands and their friends listening. People want familliar stuff that they know and like and as much as some complain that they do not hear enough variety, the second you give that to them they lose interest because they are not hearing that which is familliar to them. Beyond the Embrace is appealing to a small segment of the audience that does not want to sit through Beck to hear it, Waltham is far from a smash, Waltham is a a kin to a bad journey cover band. If these bands werre as popular and guaranteed smashes as you think every rock station would be playing them. alot, then you would complain that they got played too much. There is no winning really.

 

[Smoke]

So which band are you in?

> Play Waltham, the Dresden Dolls, Rocketscience, Darkbuster,
> and watch your station establish the brand as BOSTON'S ROCK
> STATION.
>
> THE WBCN Rumble and WAAF LOCOBAZOOKA have helped as well but
> that committment needs to be there more than once a
> year.....

So which band are you in?

I'm not disagreeing you on some of it, hell, it looks like my occasional rant on short playlists...

 

[Bostonradiofan]

> > *Better personalities. Charles Laquidiria made you think,
> > feel, and act locally.
> >
> > *Quality underground, unsigned, and indie local music. It
> > doesn't have to be all local/indie. Just throw it in more,
>
> > having at least three or four locals always in regular
> > rotation. The best local acts. Look for the songs. They
> are
> > there. Carmelita's show is how I discover much of them.
> > Shred's show is good as well. WAAF/WBCN/WFNX need to go a
>
> > little deeper in their catologues playing deeper classic
> > cuts (you can still play Pearl Jam but not the same 6
> songs)
> > and start playing Waltham, Darkbuster, Dresden Dolls,
> Robby
> > Roadsteamer, Bleu, Beyond the Embrace, the Rudds, the
> Dents,
> > Raymond, Rocketscience, etc. as well as some of the best
> > Boston classic bands from the past. I would love to hear
> > Mission of Burma, old school Bosstones, J Geils, and the
> > Fools every once in awhile.
> >
> > Beyond the Embrace is the metal band that tops all the
> > bigger local names, they are made for radio and they have
> > the street cred. The Rocketscience song with Steve Tyler
> of
> > Aerosmith is a smash out of this world hit if I have ever
> > heard one. Waltham also is a sure hit. What are these
> people
> > waiting for?
> >
> > Why not Carmelita playing local Boston bands with DLR in
> the
> > mornings? She could bring in Gary Cherone and see how it
> > goes. Haha. We need some excitement and to also let the
> > masses know what is going on in the clubs and
> neighborhoods
> > of Boston. They are starving for it and the clubs reflect
> > it, I see alot of kids from the Suburbs at shows in Boston
>
> > and Cambridge. This last Saturday night at the Paradise
> big
> > room for Waltham sold out at 9:30 PM while the Rudds sold
> > out the smallish Lizard Lounge. Neither gets regular
> airplay
> > and could do it again next week. People are starting to
> > reward the good acts that stick it out.
> >
> > We have so many bands taking a big step up without the
> help
> > of radio right now. More of them succeding without radio
> > than I have seen in the past. Why? Because of myspace.com,
>
> > the internet, the Noise Magazine, three local commercial
> > radio shows, college radio, indie labels, Boston Music
> > Awards, exciting live local club shows, Little Steven
> > gargage show, California's INDIE 103 airplay of Boston
> > Bands, and the lack of good music on WBCN, WFNX, and WAAF
> > during the work week. There's more of course but ust some
> of
> > the good stuff I see going on. We need Boston radio to
> open
> > their eyes. This is Boston, not Iowa.
> >
> > Play Waltham, the Dresden Dolls, Rocketscience,
> Darkbuster,
> > and watch your station establish the brand as BOSTON'S
> ROCK
> > STATION.
> >
> > THE WBCN Rumble and WAAF LOCOBAZOOKA have helped as well
> but
> > that committment needs to be there more than once a
> > year.....
> >
> Very simple......Nobody cares about that stuff enough to
> actually want to hear it on the radio. That's it, that's
> all. Indie 103? wfnx is attempting to do more or less what
> they are doing but Indie does not have ANY ratings either,
> none. Local rock is not what people are tuning to hear
> outside of Sunday nights and even then it's almost
> exclusively the bands and their friends listening. People
> want familliar stuff that they know and like and as much as
> some complain that they do not hear enough variety, the
> second you give that to them they lose interest because they
> are not hearing that which is familliar to them. Beyond the
> Embrace is appealing to a small segment of the audience that
> does not want to sit through Beck to hear it, Waltham is
> far from a smash, Waltham is a a kin to a bad journey cover
> band. If these bands werre as popular and guaranteed smashes
> as you think every rock station would be playing them. alot,
> then you would complain that they got played too much. There
> is no winning really.
>

Not in a band. A music fan. I hate the weekdays of Staind and Godsmack. Beck isn't bad, I wouldn't mind hearing that followed by Beyond the Embrace. The eleusive 30 something male that isn't listening much to WBCN, WFNX, or WAAF these days except for the local shows. Guess they want to keep the crappy ratings. I got excited growing up on Boston radio listening to records with the Fools and tapes of J Geils and the Cars, and then later discovering more obscure new bands on WBCN. It was exciting then. The magic is gone and you say more of the same is what is needed?

FNX isn't doing it all out or in exatly the right way. How many local bands on their play list right now? It also has to be less yuppie intellectual and more man on the street, Johnnie Angel would work there. Indie doesn't mean (BLEEP). You are wrong about Beyond the Embrace. They are a rare metal band that would appeal to a wider market. Have you listened to the "Against the Elements" cd and seen the band live? Melodic songs while still being heavy enough for the guy listeners not to tune out with a lead singer that girls drool over. Put a video on MTV or a song in rotation and they take off. Same with Waltham if you pick the right song. Don't do a Dogfight on WAAF. Went with the wrong song, twice because the hit was written with the old singer. Doh.

Radio takes no chances, the Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones were a household name and getting MTV airplay and WBCN and Kiss 108 still waited until the video went into heavy rotation to add the hit song. You have faith in programmers who dine with Major Labels to find good music. I bet the Rocketscience song takes off in a few months when the major label re-releases it. It's out in the stores right now, a smash hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler singing backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch to pitch it. To stupid to know any better. I have heard that The Police would never have been discovered and played on Amercian radio, had not a local radio programmer decided to play them first.

 

[Bostonradiofan]

Re: So which band are you in?

> > Play Waltham, the Dresden Dolls, Rocketscience,
> Darkbuster,
> > and watch your station establish the brand as BOSTON'S
> ROCK
> > STATION.
> >
> > THE WBCN Rumble and WAAF LOCOBAZOOKA have helped as well
> but
> > that committment needs to be there more than once a
> > year.....
>
> So which band are you in?
>
> I'm not disagreeing you on some of it, hell, it looks like
> my occasional rant on short playlists...
>
I'm not in a band. I go to a lot of shows. And I don't see many of the on air DJ's at the local shows. But seriously, I don't even know the difference between a Marshall and a Fender. Is it so hard for you folks to admit the existence of fans of local music not played on your crappy stations? I got news for you, there are a ton of us.

And, I'm more likely to listen in than my younger cousins who all have I-pods, satellite radio, myspace, etc., etc. They like rock but they aren't going to listen to BCN, FNX, or WAAF and the oldest one of the three just turned 21. I don't think they could name one of the dj's at any of those stations. We talk about music and they dont listen. If you can't get the under 21 crowd, you are really done. They like music like Waltham, Dresden Dolls, brighteyes, Silent Drive, Bane, Robby Roadsteamer, John Cena...

 

[neanderpol]

Re: So which band are you in?

> I'm not in a band. I go to a lot of shows. And I don't see
> many of the on air DJ's at the local shows.

Really? Damn. Cuz I know Mike Hsu goes to everything. And I hosted Friday night rock nights at the Rockpile for a year, and guess what...the bands don't draw as you purport. And do you think that that Waltham show might have been sold out with a little help from Seemless? Perhaps just a little.

But seriously, I
> don't even know the difference between a Marshall and a
> Fender. Is it so hard for you folks to admit the existence
> of fans of local music not played on your crappy stations? I
> got news for you, there are a ton of us.

No. there aren't. Trust me. A lot of stations have supported the local scene over the years. Hell, when I was at WHEB, we even played the hell out of the Swinging Steaks...didn't pay off.

The fact is. Local music is a niche. The Boston stations do a better job than most of supporting it. But, you're looking at the proper level of support right now. If the story gets bigger, the exposure gets bigger. (See: Dropkick Murphys)

> And, I'm more likely to listen in than my younger cousins
> who all have I-pods, satellite radio, myspace, etc., etc.
> They like rock but they aren't going to listen to BCN, FNX,
> or WAAF and the oldest one of the three just turned 21. I
> don't think they could name one of the dj's at any of those
> stations. We talk about music and they dont listen. If you
> can't get the under 21 crowd, you are really done. They like
> music like Waltham, Dresden Dolls, brighteyes, Silent Drive,
> Bane, Robby Roadsteamer, John Cena...

Did you just make a "John Cena" reference? Yes...many professional wrestlers have gone on to create amazing musical legacies.

Your assertions of the necessity of the "under 21 crowd" are quite misguided. Proving you're not really about radio at all. You're just about using this forum to push your local music agenda. It's been tried before. It falls on deaf ears.

 

[epsilon]

> *Better personalities. Charles Laquidiria made you think,
> feel, and act locally. ....There's more of course but ust some of
> the good stuff I see going on. We need Boston radio to open
> their eyes. This is Boston, not Iowa.
>


Above and beyond all that rock radio has to get out of the rap-metal/nu-metal rut that has killed the format. (The new issue of Blender has a good article on how nu-metal has destroyed rock radio.)

Some of the bands that should be every alt-rock station's playlist right now: Kaiser Chiefs, Nine Black Alps, Billy Corgan, Bob Mould, Fall Out Boy, Sleater-Kinney, Frank Black, Maximo Park, Bloc Party, Dead 60s, All American Rejects, Oasis, Dressy Bessy, Youth Group, Razorlight, and Teenage Fanclub.

 

[neanderpol]

> Not in a band. A music fan. I hate the weekdays of Staind
> and Godsmack. Beck isn't bad, I wouldn't mind hearing that
> followed by Beyond the Embrace. The eleusive 30 something
> male that isn't listening much to WBCN, WFNX, or WAAF these
> days except for the local shows.

Well then. Nothing we say, or do is for you anyway. What's the point of any further discussion? Oh yeah...entertainment for the rest of the people who might be skimming this thread. I sometimes forget.

>Guess they want to keep the crappy ratings.

Have you seen any ratings? Do you know that they're crappy? Because crappy ratings usually equals low revenue, which usually equals format change.

WAAF = 38 years as a rock station
WBCN = 37 years as a rock/alternative/rock station
WFNX = 22 years as an alternative station

A total of 97 years experience of doing what they do. Maybe the ratings haven't been quite bad enough yet huh?

>I got excited growing up on Boston radio
> listening to records with the Fools and tapes of J Geils and
> the Cars, and then later discovering more obscure new bands
> on WBCN. It was exciting then. The magic is gone and you say
> more of the same is what is needed?

Look. You're about local music. Excellent. buy a ticket every night. Buy the bands' CDs and enjoy. But accept the fact that you're in the extreme minority.

>> Don't do a Dogfight on WAAF. Went with the wrong song, twice
> because the hit was written with the old singer. Doh.

OK...again. You don't know how it works.

What if the songs just didn't appeal to the masses? What if only the band's fans liked it, and that wasn't enough to justify continuing to play it? Doesn't make it a bad song. Just means that the majority of the audience weren't enamored by the song.

You just griped about exposure to local music. And then blamed the band for it's failure. Which negates your argument.

> Radio takes no chances, the Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones were a
> household name and getting MTV airplay and WBCN and Kiss 108
> still waited until the video went into heavy rotation to add
> the hit song. You have faith in programmers who dine with
> Major Labels to find good music.

Is that how it works? Thanks for the education. This post has begun to take a very familiar tone. Has someone's screen name been banned?

>I bet the Rocketscience song takes off in a few months when the major label
> re-releases it.

OK...do yourself a favor. Please take a constant position. Are the major labels good?...as in when they release the Rocketscience single?...or are they bad, as in when radio stations need to dine with them to find good music?...which using your own analogy means Rocketscience is not?...or is?...or?...

>It's out in the stores right now, a smash
> hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler singing
> backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even
> bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch to
> pitch it.

Yeah because they weren't in the WAAF air studio signing their contracts July 8th...on the air discussing the single. Oh...I forgot..you only listen on Sunday nights.

And by the way...no offense to Rocketscience, but if you're (the fan) going to use Steven Tyler as the reason you should listen to them, how good can they be? You're not that good at this.

>To stupid to know any better. I have heard that
> The Police would never have been discovered and played on
> Amercian radio, had not a local radio programmer decided to
> play them first.

Yeah, but had that slot on the playlist been occupied by a local band... Then what?

*Ding*....ref steps in and says "enough".

Calling radio programmers "stupid" doesn't help your cause either.

Next!

 

[onradioct]

MTV N. E. W. S.

> Put a video on MTV or a song in rotation and
> they take off. Same with Waltham if you pick the right song.

MTV put a Waltham video in rotation a couple of years ago, and included them in an MTV News "next big thing" sort of segment, and nobody requested it. I was one of the suckers who bought the album after reading it was akin to my old Hair Rock favs (ahh the days of White Lion, Tyketto, Danger Danger). The album wasn't bad or good, and it fell pretty quietly off MTV's radar. I too like Indie Music; though I work in radio, the bands I listen to don't get radio coverage. The point is this; the people who listen to rock bands that fly beneath the radar don't represent a large enough chunk of the car, home, kids market to make it commercially viable.

 

[Cam1224]

I could comment on everything Neanderpol said but I feel "it would fall on deaf ears". If you don't agree with the "old school" attitude of radio on this board, and have a "different" idea you get bashed..that simple. Don't comment on ratings when the system radio uses is so flawed.

 

[Bostonradiofan]

Re: MTV N. E. W. S.

> > Put a video on MTV or a song in rotation and
> > they take off. Same with Waltham if you pick the right
> song.
>
> MTV put a Waltham video in rotation a couple of years ago,
> and included them in an MTV News "next big thing" sort of
> segment, and nobody requested it. I was one of the suckers
> who bought the album after reading it was akin to my old
> Hair Rock favs (ahh the days of White Lion, Tyketto, Danger
> Danger). The album wasn't bad or good, and it fell pretty
> quietly off MTV's radar. I too like Indie Music; though I
> work in radio, the bands I listen to don't get radio
> coverage. The point is this; the people who listen to rock
> bands that fly beneath the radar don't represent a large
> enough chunk of the car, home, kids market to make it
> commercially viable.
>

Wrong. We don't listen now much because you don't mix it up enough. It could be a million new bands. If it is a good song should be most important. Not if it fits the formula.

And the Waltham part is pretty delusional, I'm a realist. They were an unsigned band, without a professional MTV video. Yes, they were featured on an MTV show about unsigned bands but they never had a video in any kind of rotation on MTV. I'm not aware that there was a video to request? Request what and for what reason against the millions of Blink 182 and Britney Spears fans? Are you serious? The Beatles could be recreated and not get that off of one MTV unsigned band show.

Name a band with no money that charted from that show? Only two recently that I can think of that are starting to chart regionally. Vendetta Red and Waltham. Both moving up and among the few bands that were able to use that show to get a major indie deal. They also landed a part in a documentary I saw on HBO last week. Waltham performance and interview.

Kiss 108, they made last weeks countdown. Kiss 108 trumping the rock stations? WBCN threw some daytime spins in as well. I'ld rather drive to "Come and Take a Ride" than "Stupified" any day of the week and my lady friends won't tell me to change the channell. DUH!!! Bon Jovi was just a bar band. That's why Waltham played live on the morning FOX 25 show the other day. The local TV news knows how to get ratings.

 

[Bostonradiofan]

> > Not in a band. A music fan. I hate the weekdays of Staind
> > and Godsmack. Beck isn't bad, I wouldn't mind hearing that
>
> > followed by Beyond the Embrace. The eleusive 30 something
> > male that isn't listening much to WBCN, WFNX, or WAAF
> these
> > days except for the local shows.
>
> Well then. Nothing we say, or do is for you anyway. What's
> the point of any further discussion? Oh yeah...entertainment
> for the rest of the people who might be skimming this
> thread. I sometimes forget.
>
> >Guess they want to keep the crappy ratings.
>
> Have you seen any ratings? Do you know that they're crappy?
> Because crappy ratings usually equals low revenue, which
> usually equals format change.
>
> WAAF = 38 years as a rock station
> WBCN = 37 years as a rock/alternative/rock station
> WFNX = 22 years as an alternative station
>
> A total of 97 years experience of doing what they do. Maybe
> the ratings haven't been quite bad enough yet huh?
>
> >I got excited growing up on Boston radio
> > listening to records with the Fools and tapes of J Geils
> and
> > the Cars, and then later discovering more obscure new
> bands
> > on WBCN. It was exciting then. The magic is gone and you
> say
> > more of the same is what is needed?
>
> Look. You're about local music. Excellent. buy a ticket
> every night. Buy the bands' CDs and enjoy. But accept the
> fact that you're in the extreme minority.
>
> >> Don't do a Dogfight on WAAF. Went with the wrong song,
> twice
> > because the hit was written with the old singer. Doh.
>
> OK...again. You don't know how it works.
>
> What if the songs just didn't appeal to the masses? What if
> only the band's fans liked it, and that wasn't enough to
> justify continuing to play it? Doesn't make it a bad song.
> Just means that the majority of the audience weren't
> enamored by the song.
>
> You just griped about exposure to local music. And then
> blamed the band for it's failure. Which negates your
> argument.
>
> > Radio takes no chances, the Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones were
> a
> > household name and getting MTV airplay and WBCN and Kiss
> 108
> > still waited until the video went into heavy rotation to
> add
> > the hit song. You have faith in programmers who dine with
> > Major Labels to find good music.
>
> Is that how it works? Thanks for the education. This post
> has begun to take a very familiar tone. Has someone's screen
> name been banned?
>
> >I bet the Rocketscience song takes off in a few months when
> the major label
> > re-releases it.
>
> OK...do yourself a favor. Please take a constant position.
> Are the major labels good?...as in when they release the
> Rocketscience single?...or are they bad, as in when radio
> stations need to dine with them to find good music?...which
> using your own analogy means Rocketscience is not?...or
> is?...or?...
>
> >It's out in the stores right now, a smash
> > hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler
> singing
> > backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even
> > bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch
> to
> > pitch it.
>
> Yeah because they weren't in the WAAF air studio signing
> their contracts July 8th...on the air discussing the single.
> Oh...I forgot..you only listen on Sunday nights.
>
> And by the way...no offense to Rocketscience, but if you're
> (the fan) going to use Steven Tyler as the reason you should
> listen to them, how good can they be? You're not that good
> at this.
>
> >To stupid to know any better. I have heard that
> > The Police would never have been discovered and played on
> > Amercian radio, had not a local radio programmer decided
> to
> > play them first.
>
> Yeah, but had that slot on the playlist been occupied by a
> local band... Then what?
>
> *Ding*....ref steps in and says "enough".
>
> Calling radio programmers "stupid" doesn't help your cause
> either.
>
> Next!
>

I'm a fan, and I have a right to express my opinion. Having Rocketscience in for the signing is my point! Programming should not be only about listening to money bands. It has to be about finding the best songs! Signed or unsigned,if they didn't get that deal, you know they wouldn't have been there on the morning show. The fact that the song is KILLER is a lucky break for us all. The Steve Tyler bit sells your audience and the song is a SMASH HIT when it finally gets regular airplay. If it sucked it wouldn't matter that he was on it. A footnote in the can. Again pick good songs.

You say I can't make up my mind. You post that the stations know what they are doing in rock but seem to have speculated in posts here that WBCN is going to go sports while others talk of having FNX go Latin.

I listened to two songs on your show on my short ride today and I liked them. Did you pick those? You maverick. New music to WAAF. Heard that on FNX before but they dropped it. Good songs/picks. Even if it turns out suck, you got to take chances. Judging the homeless when I got my bottle is indeed wrong, these kids need to hear that.

You talked about the lifespan of the stations. FNX is doing poorly. BCN ratings are not what they once were because they abandoned and sold themselves out over the years. The Rumble still rules but that is it. They used to play local bands. They used to have local entertaining people that went out to shows and got crazy. Long gone with the ratings. Traded in for a River Rave boobfest that got cancelled. WAAF is mostly boring. Right wing rock radio. yawn. I could deal with a nut like Ozone but now it is College Republicans and jocks that give us jocks a bad name. My also 30 something brother doesn't listen anymore either. He is not a local music person but he used to listen to Ozone and O&A, WBCN. He is all WEEI and WBZ now. I used to listen to rock radio alot. Paul you are not the problem. I tune in to your show. But the music isn't there. I hear a great new Type O song for like one spin then a million of the crap. I'm not out to bury you, just remind you that for the fans of local radio, it is about the songs and local personalities like yourself. Dogfight shouldn't have gotten chosen for that Staid clone of a song. I know and like that band, bad song for them. I was happy when they got the nod but knew it was the wrong song, right from the beginning and then another one. They didn't stand out at all. Sounded like a bad Staind cover act. Made them sound like a "B list" band. Put "No Idea" on there and WAAF crowd would have took to it, they would have stood out like Godsmacks first hit. It is about the song. The wrong new song got presented and they got picked because they were hot. I'm not blaming the management for taking two chances on one band. I just wish they had listened to the cd closer. It was a no brainer. I put that cd in front of a 6 year old or a 90 year old and they pick "No Idea" 9 out 10 times. The band didn't want it because it was a new recording of an old song that was written with the previous singer.

WBCN once had numbers because they picked unknown acts with the right song and made them stars. WAAF did it with Disturbed and Godsmack. It isn't happening now. Labels or no labels, it has to be about better songs. Throw out the formulas and don't try to decide which of the unsigned acts is the most money type band. It's about good songs. Find them and people will come back. We are dying for it.

I love the idea of Mike Hsu's show but find the music sometimes grating. I don't like much of the real death metal or hardcore. I like the idea and think it creates some loyal listeners. But that can't be it. BREAK AN UNSIGNED BAND with a hit song and they will remember you. People want hit HEAVY ROCK SONGS.

I guess I am more mainstream but that is what most of us want that are fans of new music. We want to relive the experience of finding Van Halen, Led Zeppellin, etc. But we no longer want to hear those same songs from the catalogue. We want something new and exciting. Good mainstream songs that we haven't been programmed a million times already round with less emphasis on style, money and record labels. Waltham's "Come and Take a Ride" is my new Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones "Someday, I Suppose". I suspect it will follow the path of the former in that it got the majority of it's airplay years after release. I still hear it now on Bosto radio but didn't when it came out. The song was always there undiscovered and unplayed until FNX picked up playing the band. FNX almost made a run of it then which WBCN stole it out from them.

Paul what do you like? You have to be close to my age. You are not that different than some of your older listeners who want to bring back the rock of Boston and see the kids get something a little more real. I'm trying to give you some ammo to take to PD's and you give me crap. I don't get it. Don't you want a better show? Do you really buy the music they are playing is the best that is available to get you listeners? If they added oe less Godsmack spin and added a new local band with a killer song would it really hurt you? I know I would listen more. Listening for the new song. Key on "KILLER SONG". Because I don't care about the relationship or how good the band is, it has to be a killer song to break should be the bar that is set for new stuff. Play the "Killer SONGS". Spin Waltham "Take a Ride", Dogfight's "No Idea" or the Rocketscience song with Steve Tyler and tell me they aren't good enough. You won't be able to. And I don't doubt it will happen.


<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Bostonradiofan on 08/02/05 09:54 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[TravisWMLN]

Point about rocketscience

I bet the Rocketscience
> song takes off in a few months when the major label
> re-releases it. It's out in the stores right now, a smash
> hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler singing
> backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even
> bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch to
> pitch it. To stupid to know any better.

Actually....Rocketscience has been talked about ont he airwaves of WAAF for some time now...former afternoon co host matty (with rocko and matty) used to pump them up and talk about them all the time...just wanted to make that point

 

[Smoke]

One word: Filler.

> That's why Waltham played live on the morning FOX 25 show
> the other day. The local TV news knows how to get ratings.

One word: Filler.

Who's watching the morning news show for music? It's not like it's the Today Show...

 

[JustinT]

Re: One word: Filler.

> > That's why Waltham played live on the morning FOX 25 show
> > the other day. The local TV news knows how to get ratings.
>
>
> One word: Filler.
>
> Who's watching the morning news show for music? It's not
> like it's the Today Show...
>

I saw one of the worst acts ever on the FOX 25 Morning News a few weeks ago: they were called something like "Harry and the Potters". Nothing against the band (or the two singers/guitar players), but it at least looked and sounded like they were mumbling to a MIDI file and pretending to play a guitar. The lyrics to their song didn't really match the music, but they were all about Harry Potter so I don't know what they were saying anyway.

The moral of the story is: just because the act is on the FOX 25 Morning News does not mean that it is either a) credible or b) very good.

 

[2longinbiz]

Agreed. In the early 90's WCGY had a great Boston music show hosted by the talented and dedicated Harvey Wharfield on Sunday nights. It flopped in both ratings and sales. I was there, I know. Most of the Boston rockers have done local shows at one time or another. It attracts few other than the bands' small following and bandmembers' families. Unfortunate but true. XM has an Unsigned channel, and it's fine, for short periods IMHO, not something that would attract salable numbers, and the Indie labels are hesitant to sponsor these shows due to payola concerns and smaller budgets. Bottom line is there's no money in it. "Throwing in" local music is usually a TSL bomb.


> Very simple......Nobody cares about that stuff enough to
> actually want to hear it on the radio. That's it, that's
> all. Indie 103? wfnx is attempting to do more or less what
> they are doing but Indie does not have ANY ratings either,
> none. Local rock is not what people are tuning to hear
> outside of Sunday nights and even then it's almost
> exclusively the bands and their friends listening. People
> want familliar stuff that they know and like and as much as
> some complain that they do not hear enough variety, the
> second you give that to them they lose interest because they
> are not hearing that which is familliar to them. Beyond the
> Embrace is appealing to a small segment of the audience that
> does not want to sit through Beck to hear it, Waltham is
> far from a smash, Waltham is a a kin to a bad journey cover
> band. If these bands werre as popular and guaranteed smashes
> as you think every rock station would be playing them. alot,
> then you would complain that they got played too much. There
> is no winning really.
>

 

[Bostonradiofan]

Re: So which band are you in?

> > I'm not in a band. I go to a lot of shows. And I don't see
>
> > many of the on air DJ's at the local shows.
>
> Really? Damn. Cuz I know Mike Hsu goes to everything. And I
> hosted Friday night rock nights at the Rockpile for a year,
> and guess what...the bands don't draw as you purport. And do
> you think that that Waltham show might have been sold out
> with a little help from Seemless? Perhaps just a little.
>
> But seriously, I
> > don't even know the difference between a Marshall and a
> > Fender. Is it so hard for you folks to admit the existence
>
> > of fans of local music not played on your crappy stations?
> I
> > got news for you, there are a ton of us.
>
> No. there aren't. Trust me. A lot of stations have supported
> the local scene over the years. Hell, when I was at WHEB, we
> even played the hell out of the Swinging Steaks...didn't pay
> off.
>
> The fact is. Local music is a niche. The Boston stations do
> a better job than most of supporting it. But, you're looking
> at the proper level of support right now. If the story gets
> bigger, the exposure gets bigger. (See: Dropkick Murphys)
>
> > And, I'm more likely to listen in than my younger cousins
> > who all have I-pods, satellite radio, myspace, etc., etc.
> > They like rock but they aren't going to listen to BCN,
> FNX,
> > or WAAF and the oldest one of the three just turned 21. I
> > don't think they could name one of the dj's at any of
> those
> > stations. We talk about music and they dont listen. If you
>
> > can't get the under 21 crowd, you are really done. They
> like
> > music like Waltham, Dresden Dolls, brighteyes, Silent
> Drive,
> > Bane, Robby Roadsteamer, John Cena...
>
> Did you just make a "John Cena" reference? Yes...many
> professional wrestlers have gone on to create amazing
> musical legacies.
>
> Your assertions of the necessity of the "under 21 crowd" are
> quite misguided. Proving you're not really about radio at
> all. You're just about using this forum to push your local
> music agenda. It's been tried before. It falls on deaf ears.
>

Rockpile cred. Not sure what to say of that.

It is not news to me that Mike Hsu goes to metal shows quite often. I like HSU, smart stoner dude. Goes against the dumb stoner dude stereotype. Original, entertaining. I don't know half the bands he plays because I don't go to those types of shows very often. Sometimes. He is doing his thing. I like it. Not my style of music though. But so what. It isn't Trapt.

Waltham sold out the Paradise big room the other night with Seemless and other bands. Seemless, no doubt had a big draw but the crowd grew even larger after they played. Saw quite a few people were pissed off they got turned away at the door when it sold out. Either way, I think both bands drew a crap load that night. Seemed to be a pretty even mix between the metal crowd and then tons of girls(for Waltham), indy rockers, and Waltham townies.

The Rockpile is/was terrible, that is why nobody goes and they get bad bands for the most part. I went to the Paradise Waltham show, I seemed to have missed the Rockpile Waltham show because I pledged to never go there again unless I really needed to see a band. I am not the only one. You put a band on a show in Cambridge or Boston with great acts that have a good record of selling out shows and then you book the same act at a crappy Saugus cheese mall club with crap nu metal bands and which show do you think will sell out? Do you think the draw for that one band will be the same both nights? Not even close. Does the Rockpile do 7 nights a week of original music like the Middle East, TT's, Paradise, etc? Those are real rock clubs, not discos that hire the stations interns to book a local night of garbage with the one caveat that it gets promoted on the radio. No local bands will ever do well at the Rockpile unless a major is on it and even then. True story, I went to two shows in one night. One at the Rockpile with a ton of WAAF radio ads, no people there, then over to Goodtimes, no radio promo besides the local music shows and it is packed. Keep in mind Goodtimes is a weekend, "B" Club just like the Palace. We aren't talking Middle East here. That's a bad deal/sale for a band to play the Rockpile, no good band would play it besides those that value the WAAF ad time. Smart to build the brand for the bands but it is to bad the station can't find a venue that works. No wonder you think local music isn't worthy. You don't see any other club shows? Have you seen the Dresden Dolls yet?

MYSPACE.COM Check it out to see what the kids are doing.

This is a cultural change, you are not picking up on it. People are still listening to rock just not on radio stations. It's the IPOD and MYSPACE and IM's determining what they listen to and end up liking. MTV killed the Radio Star and then the MySpace killed the numbers.

John Cena, yeah. The CD does actually have street credibility. The original John Cena CD was going to be done by the WWE production team but Cena knew better and fought to do it back with some of Boston's best underground to make the CD. It's the critically acclaimed wrestler CD of all time. A novelty but not bad, like Bronson Arroyo's cd.

This isn't about local music agendas. It's about getting at least one good station for the community to listen to and advertise on. College doesn't cut it for me enough with my long driving times and I grow tired of the mix tapes and talk radio 24/7. I want a real rock and roll station that plays the classics which throws in the very best of indie, unsigned and local music. One that finds new songs that don't sound all sound alike. Theory of a Dead Man, Nickelback, Trapt, Puddle of Mudd, etc. Why go all with that?

You mentioned Drop Kick Murphys, I was a little surprised when WAAF picked them up even with the big money backing and the band owning Boston already.

Paul, I gave you four top picks that would go over in this market because the songs kill and the bands are interesting. Brand is created by what makes you different. All the stations have pretty much the same playlists. Look up thse songs below and play them back to back against whatever national new ads are up and tell us which are better. I want to know which new Trapt song was better than these songs.

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=6149735&Mytoken=20050131182210

I'll throw in another, for no charge. First rock station that throws them all in the rotation at once gets the numbers.

Dogfight "No Idea"
Rocketscience song
Waltham "Come and Take a Ride"
Dresden Dolls "Coin Operated Boy"
Beyond the Embrace "Mourning in Magenta"

I'm done. I read this board often to see what is going down in Boston radio but just wanted to put my opinion out there as a fan of local rock radio. If a PD does go with my picks and all hell breaks lose and you want me to help run your station, whe n your numbers go up, just give me a shout out here.

People can say all they want about Ed but he used to listen for the songs. I may not like everything but I liked that he was a fan of exposing new music and would listen to people like me that were passionate about the songs and would just as often find the great new song or band himself. Always had something new and unexpected, even if it wasn't for airplay. But if it is was, the song would work. It is to bad, the other things that went down to ruin it. WBCN had a good run. Now it's just another cookie cutter playlist station in Boston.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Bostonradiofan on 08/03/05 01:42 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Bostonradiofan]

Re: Point about rocketscience

> I bet the Rocketscience
> > song takes off in a few months when the major label
> > re-releases it. It's out in the stores right now, a smash
> > hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler
> singing
> > backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even
> > bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch
> to
> > pitch it. To stupid to know any better.
>
> Actually....Rocketscience has been talked about ont he
> airwaves of WAAF for some time now...former afternoon co
> host matty (with rocko and matty) used to pump them up and
> talk about them all the time...just wanted to make that
> point
>
I do remember that. To often the only way a DJ has the chance to push good new music is by talkig about them....<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Bostonradiofan on 08/03/05 01:45 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Bostonradiofan]

Re: Point about rocketscience

> I bet the Rocketscience
> > song takes off in a few months when the major label
> > re-releases it. It's out in the stores right now, a smash
> > hit song waiting to be discovered with Stephen Tyler
> singing
> > backup and I bet none of the three rock PD's has even
> > bothered to listen to it because nobody bought them lunch
> to
> > pitch it. To stupid to know any better.
>
> Actually....Rocketscience has been talked about ont he
> airwaves of WAAF for some time now...former afternoon co
> host matty (with rocko and matty) used to pump them up and
> talk about them all the time...just wanted to make that
> point
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Bostonradiofan on 08/03/05 01:46 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Bostonradiofan]

TSL. You could say the same about 90% of the air talent. Why not just go Jack all the time? Who sold you the magic formula? I'm not talking throwing in 24-7 local. I'm asking for the best. When FNX was challenging and gaining share by playing the Mighty, Mighty Boss Tones and the Pixies first was it a loss leader or a big money machine? What about when WAAF dropped Godsmack first? What about when WBCN broke the Fools, J Geils, the Police, U2, Mission of Burma, Letters to Cleo first?

> Agreed. In the early 90's WCGY had a great Boston music show
> hosted by the talented and dedicated Harvey Wharfield on
> Sunday nights. It flopped in both ratings and sales. I was
> there, I know. Most of the Boston rockers have done local
> shows at one time or another. It attracts few other than the
> bands' small following and bandmembers' families.
> Unfortunate but true. XM has an Unsigned channel, and it's
> fine, for short periods IMHO, not something that would
> attract salable numbers, and the Indie labels are hesitant
> to sponsor these shows due to payola concerns and smaller
> budgets. Bottom line is there's no money in it. "Throwing
> in" local music is usually a TSL bomb.
>
>
> > Very simple......Nobody cares about that stuff enough to
> > actually want to hear it on the radio. That's it, that's
> > all. Indie 103? wfnx is attempting to do more or less what
>
> > they are doing but Indie does not have ANY ratings either,
>
> > none. Local rock is not what people are tuning to hear
> > outside of Sunday nights and even then it's almost
> > exclusively the bands and their friends listening. People
> > want familliar stuff that they know and like and as much
> as
> > some complain that they do not hear enough variety, the
> > second you give that to them they lose interest because
> they
> > are not hearing that which is familliar to them. Beyond
> the
> > Embrace is appealing to a small segment of the audience
> that
> > does not want to sit through Beck to hear it, Waltham is
> > far from a smash, Waltham is a a kin to a bad journey
> cover
> > band. If these bands werre as popular and guaranteed
> smashes
> > as you think every rock station would be playing them.
> alot,
> > then you would complain that they got played too much.
> There
> > is no winning really.
> >
>