Haunted Windchimes “Leadbelly Medley” from Live at the Western Jubilee (2011)
(N) Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams “Just Don’t Care” from Live @ Hodis (2012)
(D) Katya Chorover “Movin’ On” from Big Big Love (2011)

(D) Tennis

(D) Catch Bees

(D) Achille Lauro

(D) Harry Tuft & Friends

(D) Otis Taylor

(D) Coles Whalen

(D) = album debut   (N) = new track from album debuted

(N) Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams “All Along the Watchtower” from Live @ Hodis (2012)
Jonny Barber & the Living Deads “Little Red Riding Hood” from Jonny Barber & the Living Deads (2011)
(D) In The Whale “Woman” from Cake (2012)

(D) Chris Griffin

(D) The Oak Creek Band

(D) Katie Glassman

(D) The Autumn Film

Featured track is “Atlanta” featuring Denison Witmer

I just finished listening to the entire record, start to finish, as I promised Philip Waggoner (Sunshine House) I would.  This is his official solo debut.  This early in the year I want to temper my enthusiasm, knowing there will be excellent albums to come — but DAMN … this is one very very fine album… thoughtful, sentimental, open, moving … everything on here is top shelf, grade A, masterful.  I can see too why I was asked to listen beginning to end; it is really well sequenced, and stands up well for the nearly 47 minute long journey.   There are plenty of “singles” on it for those of us in radio to get excited about – but it’s one hellova an excellent long play too for a Saturday afternoon.

CORPORATE PAYOLA: MADONNA AND THE BAIN CAPITAL/CLEAR CHANNEL SUPER BOWL

Monday, February 6, 2012

By Jerry Del Colliano

Used to be that music started from the ground up and found its way to local radio stations.

Then, when regional stations could show results, major market stations would pick up the song.

Once a new song or artist broke in one region of the country, the others would be tracking it.

Did the song get its bullet in Billboard or did it lose momentum.

That system served the record industry and radio well prior to consolidation and the arrival of peer-to-peer file sharing.

Once consolidation came along – and we tend to forget this now – the major consolidators like Cumulus, Clear Channel and a handful of others tried to pull highway robbery on the record industry by charging them for access to their program directors – yes, they had program directors back in the ancient days of 1998.

They also told the labels that they would give them a several hour advance notice before the music trades were notified about which songs corporate radio would be adding – wink/wink.

That’s what I call corporate payola.

The labels didn’t like it and I don’t blame them.

Old-fashioned payola was better.

The jocks paid money to play songs or the PDs got favors or the stations got free albums to give away.

When Bain Capital arrived on the scene all that changed.

It took then New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer to scare the sh#t out of the labels and some radio groups for the practice of giving labels useless information and access in return for money.

Believe it or not, things have gotten worse for radio and records.

Take that Super Bowl performance of Madonna yesterday.

Madonna, the aging icon of materialism, is ready for her third reincarnation. You can’t blame her for trying.

She already got a lucrative deal with Live Nation for touring and a not so lucrative deal to distribute her new single “Give Me All Your Luvin” at $1 million per album.

The video of the Madonna single debuted at the Super Bowl is all too footballish – what a coincidence!

I’m an ex-program director and maybe I’ve developed a tin ear but I sure would like to see how this song plays in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Reading first if I am programming a station in Philadelphia.

Or see how it is playing with peer groups online.

Maybe “Give Me All Your Luvin” is a hit.

Or maybe it’s just the latest in corporate rape of the music industry.

A custom-made football video before a major football game.

Madonna’s name sprinkled in the song almost as much as the world “luvin’”.

And Clear Channel with its pre-eminent MTV Zen Master Bob Pittman is guaranteeing airplay on 60 Clear Channel stations even if Madonna’s song turns out to be a stiff.

Again, time will tell and that’s not the point.

The point is – what the hell is Pittman and Madonna and even the NFL doing to the music industry?

Now that Clear Channel Media + Entertainment is going to leverage (excuse the word) every last aspect of Clear Channel’s existence for promotional consideration and/or money, you have to feel that the dying music industry will join the dying radio industry sooner rather than later.

Because Bob Pitchman has his global view of Bain Capital and it’s his party and he will sellout if he wants to.

Meanwhile, I’d love to be a competitor of Clear Channel right now.

Here’s how I’d wipe Clear Channel all over the floor as they think they’ve reinvented music and entertainment:

1. No corporate playlists. None. Every song is added by a local PD and that means I’d need to have a local program director, which I would. Radio is nothing without a local PD. And if the local PD wanted to add some local acts, do it. Music lovers love discovery.

2. Wake up America, the music buying (and stealing) public doesn’t look to radio or even The Super Bowl to figure out its musical tastes. They look to each other. They share files and share what is cool and new. The NFL’s choice of Madonna was for the old folks at half-time but if it had been Bruno Mars instead, the corporization (if there is such a word, and if not there should be) of music falls on its face because it is driven by corporate partnerships, needs and profits and not true musical tastes. So, I’d start a local social media network and feed it with new local artists and empower the people who turn away from corporate music to determine their tastes.

3. While Clear Channel is forcing local stations to promote its iHeartRadio app more than anything else locally, I’d have my station exploit it with a local concert that isn’t in Vegas and doesn’t have Lady Gaga performing. I’d look for the next local Gaga and bask in local music.

4. Every night at 12 midnight I would play 3 or 4 new songs and artists in my format genre (including local or regional) to get exposure. They may not remain on the playlist but I’ll bet you’ll get more input from music discovery than one more rotating of your top 25.

5. Do a Bain Capital promotion. Make the audience a $10,000 Mitt Romney bet that they can’t find the next hot artist in your genre. Imagine in a social media age what would happen if you put out a call to the radio and cyberspace audience to find the next big act.

Of course, I would have been fired right after I tried step 1.

And maybe the People Meter wouldn’t like 3-4 new songs at midnight. We know PPM loves the same hit music over and over.

But I’d win the hearts of music lovers.

I’d be the go to place for music discovery in my market.

I’d own that brand.

Or, sit back and wait for the next innocuous Bob Pittman corporate partnership, which shows the former hip MTV creator is as out of touch with the common person as pundits say the original Bain Capital man Mitt Romney is.

Radio and music thrives from the street up not the skyscraper down.

Please feel free to share my articles with your friends

Rob Roper “Me” from Misfit (2011)
(D) After Midnight “Hit That Jive, Jack” from Hit That Jive, Jack (2012)

(D) SLP (Sarah Louise Pieplow)

(D) Lindsay & the Lost Caravan

(D) Coupstick

Paonia, CO: Localore is a $2 million initiative produced by Boston-based AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio. More than $1 million in funding will support 10 station-based innovation teams for up to one year. The teams are tasked with bringing their ingenuity to blend digital and broadcast technology, and invent new forms of storytelling that will appeal beyond public broadcasting’s traditional core audience. KVNF was selected, along with KALW San Francisco, KCRW Los Angeles, KQED San Francisco, KUT Austin, WBEZ Chicago, WGBH Boston, WYSO Dayton, Prairie Public Broadcasting Fargo, and Twin Cities Public Television Minneapolis.

Julia Kumari Drapkin, a multi -media producer from New Orleans, will spend 12 months leading and producing her project “iseechange.” Bringing together public radio, a mobile documentary unit, and a custom crowdsourcing multi-media platform, Drapkin seeks to engage residents of the North Fork region in a conversation about how they see change through the course of a year – season to season. Based in the KVNF building, but having a robust field component to the project, “iseechange” will serve as a central access point to collect observations, organize conversation threads, and report stories.

KVNF listeners will enjoy regularly produced short segments on the airwaves and posted on http://www.kvnf.org. At the end of each season, Drapkin will create a final, highly produced multi-media documentary that summarizes the conversation that took place in sound, image, and online.

Upon notification of this prestigious effort, Sally Kane, KVNF’s General Manager said, “We are honored to have been selected in this highly competitive process. Julia Kumari Drapkin’s “iseechange” project will be a source of inspiration to our listeners as well as our professional staff as we continue to strive to be a source of quality community-based journalism in the region.”

Mountain Grown Community Radio KVNF provides non-commercial, people powered radio programming for 10,000 square miles of the Western Slope since 1979. More information can be found at:  http://www.kvnf.org

I’m sorry to report that I still have not managed to get everyone I want in the state to report — so this month, we’re without valuable contributions from KRCC (Colorado Springs), KGNU (Boulder), KCSU (Fort Collins), and Radio 1190 (Boulder).  I promise to continue working to get their information each month, but with folks being as busy as they are… you know.

There are several titles that debuted in January – none so surprising as the debut release from Longest Day of the Year, rocking the spins at #1 thanks to KAFM (Grand Junction) and KDNK (Carbondale) making it a top five release, and KRFC (Fort Collins) for their top ten love.  I also expect to see the new release by Varlet, and the very long awaited release by Harry Tuft & Friends to do well in the next few months as more excitement builds around them .. Varlet because of Lilly Scott, an American Idol finalist in 2010 … and Harry because of his legendary status in Colorado music going back to the 1960s.

Other HOT titles on the way that I’ve seen some pre release spins of for 2012 … 3 Twins Broadband – Whodunit, being released officially statewide in late February, a spinoff project featuring former Subdudes members John Magnie, Steve Amedee and Tim Cook (recently retired) … and a new one from Oakhurst (their first in about three years now) due out this month as well.

That’s it for the news and notes this month … here’s the SPINS

TOP 40 MOST SPUN TITLES – Jan 2012
(311 titles tracked / 148 titles reported)
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground (self) Americana [Nov-11]
2. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down (Mad King Records) Folk [Sep-11]
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti) Adult alternative [Dec-10]
4. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) Adult alternative [Apr-11]
5. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records) Blues [Apr-11]
6. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s (self) Alt-country [Jan-12]
7. Rose Hill Drive – Americana (Slowly and Shirley) Rock [Jul-11]
8. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self) Bluegrass [Apr-11]
9. The Don’ts and Be Carefuls – Sun Hits (self) indie/alternative [Sep-11]
10. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn (self) indie/alternative [Nov-11]
11. Varlet – The Drifter (self) indie/alternative [Dec-11]
12. Cassie Taylor – Blue (Hypertension) Blues [Aug-11]
12. Honey Gitters – Poor Gitters’ Almanack (self) alt-country-rock [Sep-11]
12. Paper Bird – Carry On (Long Spoon) Americana [Jul-11]
13. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder (Music Maker) Blues [Aug-11]
13. Chris Kennison – Simply Steel (Seldom Fed Productions) Country, instrumental [Jan-12]
13. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold (Manasses Records) Folk [Nov-11]
14. Air Dubai – Day Escape (self) Pop/dance [Nov-11]
14. Churchill – Happy/Sad (Wired Bird) Folk-rock [Mar-11]
14. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost (self) Alternative country-rock [Oct-11]
14. Jesse Manley – Devil’s Red (self) Folk/indie [Nov-11]
14. Mancub – The Secret Machine (self) Electronic [Aug-11]
14. The Yawpers – Savage Blue (Adventure Records) Alt-country-rock [Jan-12]
15. Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Barn Burner (self) alt-country [May-11]
16. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity (Woomusic) Adult contemporary [Jun-11]
17. El Toro De La Muerte – Danger These Days (self) Rock/alternative [Aug-11]
17. John Statz – Old Fashioned (self) Americana [Jan-12]
17. Sam Lee – Better Half (self) Adult contemporary [Nov-11]
17. The Quiet American – Vol. II (self) Folk [May-11]
18. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco (self) alt-country-rock [Jul-11]
19. A Mouthful of Thunder – Slow Burn (self) indie/alternative [Jan-12]
19. a. Tom Collins – OH NO! (self) alternative/indie [Apr-11]
19. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love) (self) Jazz, vocal [Aug-11]
19. Ian Cooke – Fortitude (Pop Shop Music) indie/alternative [Oct-11]
19. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap (Naked Jaybird) Blues [Jan-11]
19. Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul (Suburban Home) Folk/alternative [Sep-11]
19. Mike Marchant – Lost and Found Sound (2008-2011) (self) indie/alternative [Sep-11]
19. Patrick Dethlefs & Friends – Stays the Same (Suburban Home) Folk/alternative [May-11]
20. Places – No More Wasted Days (self) Pop/adult contemporary [Jan-12]
21. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self) Blues [Aug-11]

STATION BY STATION

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground
2. The Quiet American – Vol. II
3. Driftwood Fire – How to Untangle a Heartache
3. John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
4. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson

KDNK (Carbondale)
1. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
1. The Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into The Ground
2. Colorado Goat Ropers Guild – Fly
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. Freddi / Henchi and the Soulsetters – Crown Princes of Funk:  The Last Set

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s
2. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
3. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
3. Turn 4 – What You Do About It
4. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder

KUNC (Greeley)
1. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
2. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
3. Driftwood Fire – How to Untangle a Heartache
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know

KUVO (Denver)
1. Playground – Dreams Go Through My Mind
2. H2 Big Band – You’re It!
3. Georgann Low – Les Progres De L’Amour (Seasons Of Love)
4. Hazel Miller Band – Coming to You Live… From KUVO
5. Coyote Poet’s of the Universe – Pandora’s Box

KVNF (Paonia)
1. Cassie Taylor – Blue
2. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder
3. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
3. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
3. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost

Open Air 1340 (Denver)
Heavy Spins (alphabetically)
A Mouthful of Thunder – Slow Burn
Tom Collins – OH NO!
Devotchka – 100 Lovers
Ian Cooke – Fortitude
Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul
Mike Marchant – Lost and Found Sound (2008-2011)
Patrick Dethlefs & Friends – Stays the Same
Princess Music – Roger Tranquility
Rose Hill Drive – Americana
Varlet – The Drifter

The Colorado Sound
1. Places – No More Wasted Days
2. Kathryn Mostow – Rich Girl
2. Ryan Dart – The Shift
3. Charlotte Sass – Lighter Things
3. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s