Radio Ga Ga

While I hated the term Radio Ga Ga, this was their tribute to all of us who played their music day after day...

In 1985, they were done...finished...but for one day...one set...they redeemed themselves and made themselves relevant again....

Radio Ga Ga Live Aid 

I'd sit alone and watch your light

My only friend through teenage life

And ev'rything I need to know

I heard it on my radio

You gave them all those old time stars

Through wars of worlds - invaded by Mars

You made us laugh - you made us cry

You made us feel like we could fly

So don't become some background noise

A backdrop for the girls and boys

Who just don't know and just don't care

And just complain when you're not there

You have the time you have the power

You've yet to have your finest hour

Radio (Radio)

What's That You Say?

It gets louder as you get older....

 

The Greatest What If?

 Mrs. Dunsmore was the principal and she seemed to be a real bitch. It seemed she was devoid of any emotion. "Drink your milk" was her big advice “it’s only a pint.”

In the afternoon, she came on the loudspeaker at Hillcrest Elementary in East Moline and her voice was cracking when she spoke. "School will be dismissed as soon as the buses get here." She couldn't get out the rest of it.

"The president has been killed."

No one spoke, we put our books away and left our rooms. I remember I just had to get home. Walking through the halls to get to the buses, no one said anything but I remember hearing teachers crying, some wailing. Man, I was scared, I thought the world was ending.

We had just been through the Cuban missile crisis, and that was the very first time I ever saw my parents be scared.

No one spoke on the bus, the bus driver never said a word. I got off the bus, ran home and saw my mother with her head buried in her hands.

"This country will never be the same" she said. How correct she was.

My father cried when he watched the funeral. He NEVER cried.

I knew it was bad.

I remember it so vividly.

Parsley and Sage Advice

6 life-changing lessons from the biggest studies on human happiness

Sick of chasing happiness, instead of enjoying it? You may be stuck on what psychologists call the hedonic treadmill. Here's how you can step off it.

If you are of a certain age and you're wondering how to disrupt the routine without getting disrupted, here's some sage words of advice for you.

I practice this as much as I can. I  spend quality time with me when I want and need to.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/hedonic-treadmill

Current State

 

Brush With Greatness 167

 Kerry Livgren. 

This was taken 14 years ago, when Shooting Star was being inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. Kerry was previously inducted with Kansas, of course, but came to the Shooting Star gala. 

We didn't talk too much and I tried hard not to be a fan boy. I did tell him what his music meant to me and I thanked him for that.

He said thank you back and gave me a real nice warm handshake.

The First Time

There was a post on Facebook, some radio thread and the post was about your very first time on the air. 

 I remember it vividly. 

 It was March of 1971. 

I hung around with two other guys in Ava. 

Ava was smack dab between Springfield and West Plains in the southern central part of Missouri. Population was 2,502 and my graduating class would have been 68.

I hung around with two or three guys  from 7th through 10th grade. One was Tom Gunter and the other was Steve Faszholz. They were from complete different backgrounds. Tom didn't have a pot to piss in and Steve's family lived in the "rich" part of town. I was somewhere in the middle.

 

Steve's older brother Chuck somehow got on the local radio station. 

KSOA (Keeping Southern Ozarks Alerted) was on the south side of the square and up the stairs. The local station was staffed by local people and somehow, Chuck, while still in high school, got the afternoon drive job. I was pretty amazed at that since I wanted to be on the radio for as long as I could remember. I hounded Steve until Chuck would allow me to come up and see him on the air. I just wanted to watch. I remember walking up the stairs to the story that had a lot of activity going on. In the front of the office was the receptionist and a number of other people. They seemed to be busy.

I had spent a great deal of the time in the Faszholz residence. Chuck and I knew each other pretty well.

He was kind of a dick at times, but I think that was more big brother than anything else. He never really messed with me. I thought he was a good guy. And me, being in a radio station for the first time after having practiced this in my bedroom over and over again with only me hearing my greatness, this was almost outer worldly. I talked to the receptionist and she went to see Chuck. Man, I could see him through the windows talking on the mic!

He turned off the microphone, the light above the door went out and he motioned for me to come in. 

Oh my God. I was in an on air studio, where the whole thing comes from. It was totally outer worldly. He showed me what everything did, I got to see him at work, getting the carts ready, cueing up songs, preparing to speak, the whole nine yards!

This was one of the greatest days in my life!

He left the studio for a minute, went to the studio next door, grabbed a real long sheet of paper, tore it off and brought it back. He handed it to me and said "do you want to practice reading that?" I said, "sure, why?" He wanted me to just sit in studio, read it and he'll record it for me. "Sure," I said.

So I sat in the room and read the news stories over and over. He came in and said "when I point to you, I want you to read it just like that."

OK.

So, about five minutes later, the light went on in my studio, I read the newscast and nailed it. No mispronounced words and he told me to read it with a "steady pace." Geez, how did  Chuck know what to do so well? I look up and Chuck is playing a song and getting ready for the next break. He gestured to come in  and he handed me a cassette tape. There was my recording he promised me but with this addition. "Congratulations. My news guy was going to be late, so you just did my four o'clock news."

There, in my hand was a monumental recording. My very first time ever on the air anywhere. Just turned 15, I was beyond ecstatic. I went home and immediately played that tape over and over. I kept it with me for years and somewhere along the line of the countless moves I've made, it has disappeared.

I went back to the station with the tape to see if I could get hired. Chuck gave me a good recommendation. But as it went along, my parents announced we would be heading back to the Quad Cities due to my father's health. The closest hospital from Ava was an hour away and my father almost died en route after he had a heart attack at the farm. I was thrilled to be moving back to civilization, but damn the luck.

It was thisclose. 

That was the very first time. Late April 1971, KSOA Ava, Mo.

The station is now KKOZ AM/FM and it's syndicated 24/7 365. There might be people who sell time there, but every time I've been there in the last 15 years, there's no one live.

Fast forward a year and a half and phase two of Randy living a dream takes place

True Love

In September 1979, the week I left for Kansas City, President and Mrs. Carter took a paddle wheel trip down the Mississippi and stopped in Davenport at the radio building I had just given notice to. Pretty sure it was a campaign trip, but not certain. I remember the secret service being around the station for days and the day of his arrival it was a zoo. I did my show at 6am, so I was pretty much in the building and stayed there. The interview with the president was on the AM station, meanwhile Mrs. Carter could not have been any more kind sweet or gracious. It seemed she chatted with everyone and the term “southern belle” was invented for her. I also remember how pretty she was. Stunning woman I hung in the background as it wasn’t anything involving me. I just remember how cool it was to the in the same building as the President. When the interview was over, he shook every hand and gave that smile every time. He too was as gracious as could be. An impression I carry 44 years later as vivid as ever. If there was ever a first class one way ticket to heaven, she’s boarded, I’m afraid he’s about to. Married 77 years. Breathtaking.

Abe

Since I was a young boy of 5 or 6, I've had recurring dreams involving President Lincoln.

I have had probably over 100 dreams of him over the years.

He's very young in my dreams, early 20's or so.

We've been driving to the Florida keys together, that dream was so vivid, that I could feel myself getting queasy driving on all that water.

We were jumping rope one time, and I was amazed how good he was for being so tall.

We were in the park playing catch, and since he's pretty muscular, he's got one hell of a fastball.

We were sitting in the candle light, writing,

We've been to In and Out Burger together eating, etc. and they have all been very vivid and memorable.

We've has conversations together, he has a bit of a nasally sound to him

I have also seen him get shot a few times.

My father was born in the same town so maybe that's it, I don't know, maybe a weird spiritual line from then

Of all of the people, living or dead, there's a weird deal there. I haven't dreamed about him in awhile, either I'm due, or I have grown out of it. It would be too bad if I did.