The Big Man Goes Unmourned

[SirRoxalot]

Arguably one of the biggest music stories of the year went virtually unnoticed by rock radio in Buffalo last night. The canned and syndicated programs had nothing to say about the passing of Clarence Clemons. I guess it's bad luck to pass away on a weekend these days. The topic that hit social media hard got no play on what once was the home of music news, and the place where fans could share the experience of such a momentous occasion.

Radio isn't getting beaten by the Internet streamers and other media. It's abdicating its role by failing music fans everywhere.

 

[majicrockstar]

The only stations I noticed that even said anything were 97 Rock and Jack FM and that was via facebook!

 

[jas2525]

The only stations I noticed that even said anything were 97 Rock and Jack FM and that was via facebook!

Radio isn't being killed off by competition. Radio is, and has been for a while now, committing suicide.

The industry is getting what it deserves.

 

[Bob1370]

You said the key words when you said "canned" and "Syndicated". Does anyone have to guess why TSL is so down?

 

[nocomradio]

I thought I was the only one to notice this.

None of the local automated stations mentioned it. (Really? I'm surprised!)

It got one tiny mention on the morning show of a distant FM that still has announcers, almost in passing without even the courtesy of playing an E Street Band song featuring his sax.

The local newspaper buried it in a "briefs" section about 8 pages deep.

Real talent is irrelevant these days. No one appreciates the contributions made to music in the past, and ultimately, its all about the money generating power of the latest flash-in-the-pan, sex kitten, barely-legal mouthpiece the record labels have conjured up.

 

[therealjm12]

I have been saying for years, downtown Rochester could burn down on a weekend afternoon or evening and you'd never hear about it on the radio.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

I have been saying for years, downtown Rochester could burn down on a weekend afternoon or evening and you'd never hear about it on the radio.

Sounds good. Do it! Let's see what happens! All radios on people! (if that's not what it takes to get radio announcers in, I'm sorry to hear that!)

 

[TVJunkie12]

This kind of thing is all too common. I don't live in St. Louis but I read that on the weekend that the tornado hit the airport the CC stations there were still using the same V/T talking about I heart radio and not giving any info or news about what happened. I totally agree with the previous post that broadcast radio is committing long slow suicide and the watch gets accelerated every time internet radio in the car gets closer to mainstream availability.

It's just sad what a few conglomerates have done to a once great and respected industry.

 

[Element9]

Driving home from Niagara Falls Saturday evening, I caught the story about the passing of Clarence Clemons on NPR. After a few seconds recovering, I pressed the 97 Rock preset on my car radio and heard... Alice Cooper's syndicated show. Went to 97-7 Hits FM which was rockin' hard, but made no mention of the great E Street saxophonist's death. Went to Toronto's Q107. Nothing there either. Even checked 104.1, but all I heard was a pimp disco song.

Okay. It was Saturday night, a time when listening levels are low. But this was a major news and music story. There was a time when rock radio cared and lived up to its image reporting these stories and responding to its listeners' needs: phoners, recollections, maybe some archive stuff and definitely music from Bruce and the E Street Band featuring the Big Man. Saturday night? Nothin'. About an hour later, I went back to radio thinking maybe somebody would go to the radio station, turn on the lights and address the event. Again. Nothin'.

Some will argue that in this age, social media is the place for this stuff. In my estimation, when radio doesn't immediately respond to events such as this, it abdicates. I heard about Clarence Clemons' passing on an NPR radio station. Nobody texted or tweeted the story to me. I stayed with radio and tried to find out more, to hear some Springsteen songs and maybe hear a live (local) jock who could relate to this baby boomer's loss of a key member of one of the great American rock bands of the 70s, 80s and 90s. I was rewarded with apathy and ambivalence.

 

[Silkie]

Do I dare mention that Fox networks carried the story?

 

[John C]

Must be by pure chance but I happened to turn on 97 Rock this morning and caught the end of "Jungleland". I thought maybe they were actually doing a tribute. That thought was fleeting as "Jungleland" faded away to a Pink Floyd song. On a 97 Rock related note I heard about Clarence passing via Anita West and Facebook. Their website mentions that they will be airing the final show from the last tour, which was in Buffalo, this Friday at *p.

 

[John C]

Must be by pure chance but I happened to turn on 97 Rock this morning and caught the end of "Jungleland". I thought maybe they were actually doing a tribute. That thought was fleeting as "Jungleland" faded away to a Pink Floyd song. On a 97 Rock related note I heard about Clarence passing via Anita West and Facebook. Their website mentions that they will be airing the final show from the last tour, which was in Buffalo, this Friday at *p.

darn computer keys- 8 pm this Friday. :-[

 

[fybush]

I guess I know where I'll be Friday night...

 

[Radio_bored-Op]

NO DISRESPECT *BUT*
maybe....someone younger would
have more of an "importance"
(which is NOT the way it should be but)
I believe it is the way it is -
Some one (smaller,less accomplished
and has less creditentials) will get more
respect and love in the time of their passing....

ie: Martin Streek, for one.
125 miles, south or west, NO one should know of this
guy, and HE (the late,great mother effer) SIR martin streek
got a BANNER on the EDGE/ 103.3 WEDG: EDGE start up page...

 

[John C]

I guess I know where I'll be Friday night...

Whether it will be the actual concert replay or just a replay of the live versions of the setlist, I don't know. I feel fortunate to have been at that show. There was a lot of speculation that it might be THE final show but of course nobody suspected this would happen so quickly.

While I'm on a Bruce & The ESB roll, can somebody explain to me why only Bruce is in the Rock & Roll HOF and not the E Street Band as well? As an example, Tom Petty AND the Heartbreakers went in together. Both Bruce and Tom have solo projects but both bands were on the majority of the artists' work. Can somebody enlighten me?

 

[garnet]

Sadly, the only breaks that are "worth" anything to radio groups are these: 1-How great the station is. 2-Return at 'this' time later for something. 3-Go to the website. If you do a break and it doesn't do one of these three things, it is a wasted break for the owner, as you are not selling any of their stuff. I know all groups are like this now...its sad, and really boring as a jock...be creative, but only in this box.

 

[chas108]

That's the problem with canned/syndicated music programming. It was recorded earlier in the week and sent via mail or uploaded to an ftp. I'd bet Open House Party mentioned it - it's a live show and Garabedian has a deep history in the business.

If there were a live talent in the studio he/she could break in with the announcement at the PD's direction.

To Radio_bored-op's point: It's difficult to imagine an act more important to Rock formats than Bruce Springsteen. When "Born To Run" hit critical mass he was impossible to ignore...even if Top 40 exposure was infrequent until "Hungry Heart" in 1980, he was still a "buzz" act and an instant staple of AOR right from "Born To Run". The E Street Band has been an integral part of Springsteen's career much of the way and many people knew their names, especially Clarence Clemons.

Bottom line. This is an item of interest to Rock fans. For a Rock (not Modern Rock but AOR/Classic Rock) or Classic Hits station to not have given Clarence his due this morning is to have missed the boat.

 

[lost45]

I played his Top 20 hit "You're a Friend of Mine" (with Jackson Browne) on "The Lost 45s" this weekend. Response was absolutely amazing. People knew him, loved him and he transcended being a member of a famous band to become his own persona. He is missed by listeners. Radio just doesn't have the pulse...

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Probably not a PD in America who wouldn't like to be live, 24/7, especially when something like this happens. But when decisions are made at home office, there's not much the local guys can do except accept. Have to admit, after I heard the news I turned the radio on immediately. And yes, the heritage classic rocker was my first stop.

 

[bbb]

I guess I know where I'll be Friday night...

Whether it will be the actual concert replay or just a replay of the live versions of the setlist, I don't know. I feel fortunate to have been at that show. There was a lot of speculation that it might be THE final show but of course nobody suspected this would happen so quickly.

While I'm on a Bruce & The ESB roll, can somebody explain to me why only Bruce is in the Rock & Roll HOF and not the E Street Band as well? As an example, Tom Petty AND the Heartbreakers went in together. Both Bruce and Tom have solo projects but both bands were on the majority of the artists' work. Can somebody enlighten me?

The reason that Bruce was put in the HOF and not the ESB is that actually none of the albums (you have to have put out your first album 25 years ago in order to qualify for HOF consideration) were Bruce & ESB. They were just Bruce Springsteen........I do believe that the Live 1975-1985 was the first and maybe only album that has Bruce & the ESB as the artist.......That came out exactly 25 years ago, so it would sure be nice if they go into the next class!