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View Full Version : When Riding a Rising Star, It's Scary to Look Down...


tstone
02-08-2008, 05:03 PM
Since I've returned to Connections, our network Classic Rock show. I've kind of, on my own volition, chucked the format (without authorization, but without advertising that fact), chucked a good chunk of the playlist, and started using more and more ad-libbing and stream of conscience. I then made the show more interactive. And here's the kicker, although I planned on making it actually calls on the air, it's just been me telling tales about our listeners. The regular callers and contributors are called "regulation callers" or "The Regulators". The rest are "The Happy Campers", and the rest of the assorted riff raff.

I spend some time each show, especially the introduction of each hour, just on a two minute improvised riff, promoing what's coming that hour and just going off on a tangeant, which I've been told are highly entertaining.

The last hour, I throw out the music format entirely, and play an hour straight of hard rock and heavy metal, calling it the "rocket booster home".

My biggest fan? The network commanding officer.

And now? They want to make me the permanent personality on Connections, with a TV promo campaign and everything. I'm about to be one of the official network "Personalities".

I'm thrilled, but very...well, I'm used to struggling in...well, just about every endeavor in my life. And to have this one finally succeeding, and succeeding this wildy...

...again, it's a long way to the top, if you want to rock and roll...

Who rules? Yes....



I've been doing this for a long time, though. Even on a Rapidly Rising Star, it's a scary ride when you look down...

I know I'm good, I know I'm talented. But I'm not used to this. Not even remotely. Been years of struggle. So yeah, it's a bit...unnerving.

mckracken
02-08-2008, 05:34 PM
congradulations Tstone, I only know one other DJ who is on the radio and I saw him rise through the ranks of Late Night Radio on 92.3 KSJO before he relocated to some obscure Bakersfield radio station to do country western, I even sat in while he prerecorded all of his shift slots (the breaks) and took callers (he would, very obviously, BE THAT CALLER while he was talking to himself in a very obvious different voice - the bit was funny watching him talk to himself)

kah
02-08-2008, 06:19 PM
Congrats, hun.

tstone
02-09-2008, 01:11 AM
It's happening at a strange confluence of branches, too. My reenlistment is coming up...I'm up for NCO...now this...I really don't know how all this is going to shake out...

RedKarma
02-09-2008, 02:06 AM
Congrats on your show!

It sounds like you found something you're good at, and better yet, makes you happy. That's pretty rare.

Take some time to think about what you want, and I'm sure the right decisions will come to you. Good luck.

Nostromo
02-09-2008, 02:46 AM
It's happening at a strange confluence of branches, too. My reenlistment is coming up...I'm up for NCO...now this...I really don't know how all this is going to shake out...


Let if flow over you t. Don't fight the motion of the ocean. Huge congratulations! Keep on rockin while keeping our world free. :) N

rappites
02-09-2008, 04:43 AM
Play Van Halen all day long.


Congrats!!!

Kaeos
02-09-2008, 06:26 AM
Dude, thats awesome! Congrats man - any way to listen in or do I have to enlist? Podcasts? I wanna hear it man!

tstone
02-09-2008, 06:38 AM
'Fraid not. At some point, I'll have copies of this stuff put up on a web site of my own, but for now...

...however, I've begun conducting interviews. Those will be going up on our web site. As soon as they are up, I'll let you know.

The first interview was with Sandy Wood, who host an astronomy radio show called "Star Date". We carry it on AFN's Power Network, the same signal that carries my show. She's heard stateside on mostly public radio stations.

My next interview? Just scored it Friday and will likely do it next week. Who? Writer of "World War Z" and "The Zombie Survival Guide", Max Brooks.

How cool is that?

kah
02-09-2008, 06:41 AM
Damn. That is cool.

neglet
02-11-2008, 09:54 AM
That's awesome, Tstone!

Jakester
02-11-2008, 10:06 AM
Gratz, Trey! I know you've been working at it for a long time! We're all proud of you!

Bill_the_Pony
02-11-2008, 08:38 PM
Get an interview with Tolkein, because I want to know what happened to the Hobbits at Isengard! :eek:
















:wink:

Congrats, you great big hunk o' tStone! :eyebrow:

tstone
02-12-2008, 05:15 AM
Eyes on the prize, babies, eyes on the prize, what it's all about. That and actually being worth a damn at the thing you want to do.

:D

Trazalca
02-12-2008, 01:02 PM
Serious congrats to you Tstone.

And what you described is just simply the butterfly finally breaking out of the coccoon. It may be scary to look down, but remember you got WINGS now.
So start flapping. I'll be expecting nothing but the best aerobatics display from you.

So enjoy the air up there my friend.

:D