During my music career I have had managers, labels, radio promoters, radio promotion managers at labels blah blah, and anytime I asked them about why I wasn’t on radio the typical stockpile answer they would give would be to the effect of, “It is really hard getting on radio. You have to have a big single on radio, be on tour, have a video, lots of press blah blah blah”.
It was a strange answer to say the least. I need to have a big single on radio to be on radio? What? Is this the chicken or the egg question?
I have just realized a big pattern though. Anytime I was on radio it was because of something we in the band did, not something the pros did. The most recent example is when I was interviewed by Paul Cavalconte on WRXP.
I had met Paul months earlier at a James Taylor event and he had caught my attention because of his vast knowledge of music, bands, jazz, and recording techniques bands had used. So, I reached out to him to keep the dialogue going. There was no motivation on my part to be on radio. It was much more innocent. Like when you meet a kid at school who is interested in the same things as you.
Anyway, as it turns out we ended up getting together to hand out early last December. The first thing Paul said to me when I met him in the lobby of the radio station that snowy day was, “Let’s get something to eat and then after I want to interview you for a new segment I am doing called Vinyl Virgins.
Paul and I ended up talking about all sorts of cool things after lunch and he recorded everything I said. If I die in a plane crash tomorrow Paul is the man to see about my vault of interviews! Most importantly Paul got what he wanted which was a snippet of me talking about Radiohead and I, in turn, ended up on the radio the following week.
Moral of the story, in my opinion, is that radio people are just like other music lovers. They are people who do what they do because they love music and musicians. Reach out, be true to yourself and your art, and treat them like people rather than vehicles for your success.
So far I have had the pleasure of meeting Paul, Matt, and Leslie at RXP, and they are just very nice people. I hope all radio people are this nice and if they are not then their loss.
Thank you RXP
Tags: Buddahead, James Taylor, Paul Cavalconte, Radiohead, WRXP
No Comments »
Can you be at Electric Ladyland at 2pm? James is doing a few songs for RXP
That one line from Jim had me canceling most of my Tuesday afternoon and running down 6th avenue towards 8th.
“Hi, I’m here for the James Taylor thing,” I said to the receptionist five minutes after two o’clock.
“That is on Thursday. Today is Tuesday,” she replied.
In my excitement to meet James Taylor I hadn’t paused enough to notice that I was two days too early. So, two days later I made my way back down to 8th street, I walked past the line of ticket winners, down the stairs to the reception area and waited for James to arrive. Five minutes later he walked down the stairs with Jim by his side.
“Hey James, this is Raman Kia, he is a big fan, and his band Buddahead is one of my clients”
“Hey Raman, it is very nice to meet you”. Sweet baby James looked older in person, and thinner, and taller.
Jim then led us to the studio where James began setting up and sound checking. I then walked into the control room where I found myself interrupting a conversation between two strangers to tell them that Paul McCartney recorded McCartney on a 4 track at home.
“That is right, and you know he didn’t even have limiters,” responded the first stranger who later turned out to be Paul one of the RXP DJs.
“So what you are telling me is that Maybe I’m amazed was done at home?” Asked the other stranger, another Paul, who is the program director at RXP.
“Hey guys, stop talking, listen,” said the first paul as he pointed to the speakers, “that is James Taylor, voice and guitar, without anything done to it – how perfect”.
He was right, James was perfect. I remained in a state of awe for the next hour while James played some new and old songs as I sat about 6 feet away from him and used words like “Swell” to describe how he was feeling. It was amazing just to realize that I will most probably never be as good as he is.
Later he signed my copy of Sweet Baby Jameswhile I interrupted with useless facts such buddahead opening up for James Taylor at the Tweeter Center or me knowing his long time producer and manager Peter Asher. James didn’t care. Why should he? I ama bozo and he is a legend. Still, I was on top of the world.
On my way out I got to thank Matt Pinefield for laying Ruin on his morning show. He sounded less gruffy than he does on his morning show but then again, he does wake up at 4AM. That sucks.
Tags: Buddahead, Electric Ladyland, James Delbalzo, James Taylor, Maybe I'm Amazed, McCartney, Paul Cavalconte, Paul McCartney, Peter Asher, RXP, Sweet Baby James, Tweeter Center
No Comments »
