Thursday, September 6, 2007

Luciano Pavarotti

Let's see how many terrestrial and satellite radio stations are creative enough this morning to play Bono, the Edge, Brian Eno, and Luciano Pavarotti performing "Miss Sarajevo."

Any contemporary station could find a way to play it. Wonder if any of them will? My guess is slim to none.

When I was at the Three Tenors concert a few years back I was surprised to see the large number of young to early middle-age people in attendance. The same ones you'd see at a U2 concert.

It's the perfect tribute to Pavarotti for most contemporary radio stations. But does it test?

Here are a couple timely videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj3oQkgzX-I ("Miss Sarajevo")

http://www.nowpublic.com/schuberts-ave-maria-pavarotti-bono-u2-live ("Ava Maria")

Now, let's consider paint-by-number radio programming in the male gender. Here's a fact - if a squirrel crawled up the inside of a pant leg of your typical passive radio programmer, it would starve to death.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is not the programmers. It is those "controlling" us. I would gladly play it and I have a format that is easily compatible to do so. I am not passing the buck here. I have to answer to a regional program director and a consultant that have total control. I just follow orders. It is not a cop out. I need the job. I cannot afford to be written up and to be out of work. I have too many friends who are considered legendary programmers who are out of work and out of favor with the programming bosses and consultants. I agree with you. I hope you understand why I cannot comply.

Anonymous said...

O to return to those days of the freedom to improvise when needed. You should mention Bruce Springsteens new song Radio Nowhere which we were told not to play under any cirucmstances.

Anonymous said...

I was going to call you out on the line the 'duo of the Edge, Brian Eno, and Luciano Pavarotti' since it is a quartet but I see you have corrected it. Good comments. I believe the group that recorded the original version of the song called itself The Passengers.

Anonymous said...

Here in L.A. - KCRW played it @ 9:05 AM.

Anonymous said...

I remember a phone call I made to John Gorman one time. I asked him if would consider hiring someone without tons of experience on the air? He was very kind to me and said he doesn't hire based on experience. Stupid me I never sent a tape and resume to the guy. Glad to see John is doing a blog now. So what is going on at WMMS now? Are they changing formats again?

Anonymous said...

Speaking of WMMS I remember when they played that Bono-Pavarotti song in regular roation during their "new generation" days.

I know this blog is not about WMMS. When the rumors started flying about the buzzard being dropped & call letters changed I checked out their hideous web site.

I bet it is another stunt by Clear Channel and they will try to start a campaign with the buzzard on whether it should stay or go.

Anonymous said...

According to Yes.com no commercial station in America played "Miss Sarajevo" today and no commercial radio station in America played Bruce Springsteen's "Radio Nowhere".
What does that tell you?

Anonymous said...

I just read the Yes.com comments and one thing you should know. Radio Nowhere has not been released to radio yet and that is the excuse for not playing it. So I can download it but radio cannot play it? Cop out.
I called the alternative rock station here and requested Bono and Pavoratti and no one there knew what I was talking about and claimed I got Pavoratti mixed up with Gavin Friday.

Anonymous said...

You gave KCRW the idea. They read your blog.

Anonymous said...

Actually, here in San Diego, FM 94.9, (a commercial station), did play the bono/Pavorrati song, and they also play Radio Nowhere.