by Tom Jeffries » Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:16 pm
Mr. Jeffries? Please, it’s Tom - and thanks.
I am glad you enjoyed my ramblings, but I have decided that I have to wrap it up, because it is kind of ancient history. Shoot, listening to ‘Boom Boom' Benson and Jack Casey - that air check from CFUN was 2 years before I came back West. 42 year old memories, probably don’t have a lot of relevance.
Steve Harvey, the comic has a great line - “You can’t drive the car, looking in the rearview mirror”. I think for too long, I was doing just that. Living in the past.
Yes, the basic rules apply - communication is communication - but the style we affected might not work now. That being said, I can’t listen to what is being served up - because, of course, it is NOT aimed at me.
Just like us back in the CFUN Glory days, we weren’t aiming at old farts - we wanted the sweet spot. 25-54 at the outside.
Radio is still something I mull over, and I try and figure it all out, and I realize it all went by in a flash.
What other business would allow me to meet Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, George Plimpton, Farley Mowat, Fleetwood Mac, The Beegees, Elton John, Charlie Daniels, The New Animals, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore of the Doors, ‘Wolfman’ Jack (*What a prince), The Rolling Stones, Anne Murray, Gord Lightfoot, Lord Jeffrey Archer, Ray Kinsella, Trent Frayne, The Neville Brothers, The Temptations, Barry Gordy, The Commodores, Rick Derringer, The Ramones, June Callwood, Darryl Sittler, Eddie Shack, Guy Lafleur, “Pinball” Clemons, Richard Brodeur, Jim Robson, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, David Foster and I went to school together, and we were in the same band. (Yes, we knew he was special - and he is). Cheap Trick, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Tanya Tucker, Billy Cowsill (under appreciated genius, Bless Him), Glen Campbell, Bryan Adams, BTO, Billy Joel, Styx, The Eagles (Glenn Frey and Don Henley and Joe Walsh), The Right Hon. Pierre Trudeau, Lloyd Robertson, and about 200 more fascinating and generous people.
There are a few more names I must mention.
News people we a big part of radio, back in the day. Kathy Danford, JJ Richards, David Palmer, Susan Booker, Merv Connally, Drew Snider, Clint Nickerson, Jon McComb, all from CKVN/CFUN - Hugh Curtis at CFAX, Larry Silver and Marvin Piuti, Robert Holiday - CFTR. They were all special and made my time sound so much better. Art Simmonds, from CKDA is also a sentimental favourite.
Sports? Stuke, David Pratt, Tommy Larschied, Gary Raible....John Hinnen at CFTR (He is a President with Rogers or something now - a really talented man). Thanks, all.
Sales. They fed my family. Barry O’Donnell, Rob Collins, and the CFUN Crew - the KISS-FM team and so many hard working people deserve a hand, because it is NEVER an easy sale. I always admired my sales team, and I enjoyed doing remotes. The extra money was welcome, but also I got to know the account executive a bit and so it was really pleasant, if somewhat like walking a tightrope. If no one shows at the remote, you look like a schnook. Oh man, you should have heard the wriggling. “It establishes the name in the marketplace”. “Too sunny - everyone went to the Beach”. I even did a remote the day of “Live Aid”. Not one visitor. I was a smash!!
Program Directors. Chuck McCoy, of course. I liked Al Pascal at CFRA. He was the real deal. Paul Ski and J. Robert Wood, Neil Gallagher, and Pat St. John all had superior skills.
I worked with some stiffs. One of the stupidest people in the world, was my Boss for a short while and he defined the Peter principal.
So, it wasn’t all roses. Man, some of the people were venal, dim, and didn’t give two hoots about anyone but themselves. Luckily, they were few and far between. I am sure I wasn’t on everyone’s top ten - so I think it evens out. There is only one person I was ever tempted to punch in the face, but that immature way of dealing with being treated like crap, is just lowering yourself to their scummy level.
“Radio is s a shallow plastic trench where thieves and pimps run wild - and then there is the negative side” - Hunter Thompson.
Yes, there were some folks that filled that bill - but they were treated like lepers, and many just washed out, or became managers. LOL.
Cheers.