Forrest J. Ackerman 1916 - 2008

Monster Kids who grew up between the 50s to the 80s are morning the loss of Forrest J. Ackerman, founder of Famous Monsters. Here is a good piece from the Los Angeles Times about his life and career. As he would have written in Famous Monsters, Prince Sirki (Joe Black to you Brad Pitt fans) has taken another soul from the Earth.

Andy of Mayberry Fans Need to Get a Life

Remember twenty years ago, when William Shatner hosted Saturday Night Live and was in a sketch where he told a group of Trekkies at a convention to "Get a Life?" I feel it is time for Andy Griffith to tell some of the fans of his show the same thing. Especially the ones here in the Ozarks.

They have conniptions every when KYTV moves the reruns from noon. Also, I'm tired of hearing people say "I wish Springfield was more like Mayberry" or "How can we make Springfield more like Mayberry?" or "Springfield is a small town just like Mayberry." Let me explain something to you folks: MAYBERRY IS NOT A REAL TOWN AND SPRINGFIELD IS FAR FROM EVER BEING LIKE IT!

I find it interesting that many of these same people look down their noses at fans of Star Trek, Doctor Who or Dark Shadows, but are obsessive about returning to Mayberry for a visit with Andy, Barney and Aunt Bee. The sad part is these people want to change things so the world is more like Mayberry. They want to do away with cell phones, home computers, rap music and anything that wasn't mentioned or seen on the Andy Griffith Show or Mayberry R.F.D.

Now, before you start forming the wrong idea about me, let me say this, I like the Andy Griffith Show. I feel it is one of the best written sitcoms of all time. I have the utmost respect for Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts and the others because they were truly talented actors. Which brings me to my other gripe about these Andy of Mayberry fans: THEY HAVE NO TASTE IN WHICH EPISODES ARE THEIR FAVORITE! THEY ALWAYS PICK THE ONES THAT SUCK (IMHOP)! My favorite episode is entitled the "Loaded Goat," a goat eats a highway crews dynamite and scares everyone except Otis. I also like any episode involving the Darlings and Ernest T. Bass. Those make me laugh, just like Family Guy and the Simpsons.

However, these obsessive fans here in the Ozarks always say they like the episode where Andy takes the spoiled kid's bicycle away. It seems they always pick episodes where Oppie gets punished. When these Andy fans tell me this, I tell them that I like the "It's a Good Life" episode of the Twilight Zone. It tell them that is the way my childhood SHOULD have been. I could have banished half of Lebanon, MO, to the cornfield and turned the other half into jack-in-the-boxes.

I guess that is why I don't understand the bizarre obsession with the Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry. As a song that was popular when I was in country radio (against my will) said "I grew up in a Mayberry kind of town." Actually, I felt like more like Oliver Douglas on Green Acres, I was the only sane, intelligent person in Lebanon, but that is just me. To me Star Trek, Doctor Who and Dark Shadows are a fun escape (although, like DS, I have some monsters and bloodsuckers in my family). I don't see them as a pattern for my life. Some of this Andy of Mayberry worship stuff has come from the mega-churches. They watch the reruns together and discuss the message. Strange, where I go to church we use the New Testament.

I was really hoping this video Ron Howard made a few months ago would help break these people of their obsession. I guess Andy is going to have to give these folks a Shatner speech. He can use Barney's favorite phrase, "NIP IT IN THE BUD!"

Bill Drake 1937 - 2008

Boss Angeles TV station KCAL is reporting the death of radio programming giant Bill Drake. He was 71. Of the stations Drake programmed KHJ in "Boss Angeles" was the most famous. Drake took the already popular Top 40 format and made it exciting. He gave Top 40 a streamlined style. The Wikipedia entry for Bill Drake explains his importance to radio in the best way.

"Drake streamlined the Top 40 format, using modern methods, such as market research and ratings demographics, to maximize the number of listeners. He believed in forward momentum, limiting the amount of disc jockey chatter, the number of advertisements and playing only the top hits, as opposed to less-organized programming methods of the past. Drake created concepts such as 20/20 News and counter programming, by playing music sweeps, while his competitors aired news. Drake-Chenault controlled everything from the specific DJs that were hired, to radio contests, visual logos, promotions and commercial policy. Drake essentially put radio back into the hands of programming, instead of sales. Drake hired the Johnny Mann Singers to produce the Boss Radio jingles, ensuring a bright, high-energy sound that engaged the listener, while providing a bridge from song to song, as well as a smooth transition from songs to commercials."

Yes, he created a strict format but it was a fun and enjoyable one. His stars were fun guys like Robert W. Morgan and the Real Don Steel, not screaming right-wing wackos. He made radio appealed to those who liked to listen to the radio for new music and maybe a joke or two, rather than people who complain about hearing the same liner or jingle more than once a day. Drake didn't suffer fools and whiners, he made radio for those who wanted to be hip and belong to a generation.

For a sample of KHJ and Drake's master touch there is a composite of stuff from the 70's on About.com-Radio, a 1968 KHJ aircheck of Robert W. Morgan is here on Rock Radio Scrapbook, and a compilation from You Tube with photos of the Top 40 fliers.

25 Songs that Make Me Feel Good, But Suggest I'm Too Hostile for Radio

I always fall into these traps. I was asked by someone at work for a supposed "fun thing" to list 25 songs that make feel good. This co-worker said the song should be "something that can bring you out of a bad mood or put you in a positive mood." Here is the 25 songs I wrote down (with links to You Tube vids of the songs):

1. Chuck Berry "Roll Over Beethoven"
2. Bob Dylan "Subterranean Homesick Blues"
3. The Beatles "Revolution"
4. The Rolling Stones "Satisfaction"
5. The Who "My Generation"
6. The Monkees "I’m Not Your Steppin Stone"
7. The Music Machine "Talk Talk"
8. The Seeds "Pushin Too Hard"
9. Steppenwolf "Born To Be Wild"
10. Sly & the Family Stone "I Wanna Take You Higher"
11. The MC5 "Kick Out the Jams"
12. Black Sabbath "Paranoid"
13. Blue Oyster Cult "Cities On Flame With Rock and Roll"
14. Grand Funk "Rock and Roll Soul"
15. Alice Cooper "School’s Out"
16. Queen "We Will Rock You"
17. The Sex Pistols "God Save The Queen"
18. Bruce Springsteen "Badlands"
19. The Ramones "Rock & Roll High School"
20. Van Halen "And the Cradle Will Rock"
21. Joan Jett "I Love Rock and Roll"
22. Quiet Riot "Mental Health (Bang Your Head)
23. Twisted Sister "We’re Not Gonna Take It"
24. Beastie Boys "Fight For Your Right To Party"
25. Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

What I didn't know was this stuff was going to be given to the format consultant, as suggestions for possible addition to the stations playlist. The consultant has branded me "too hostile for radio." This guy feels that the station should attract a women between the ages of 25 - 60, non-smokers, who drive Volvos and won't let their children watch SpongeBob Square Pants or Thomas the Tank Engine because of the "excessive violence." These women our radio station is supposed to target also have All-Bran and prune juice for breakfast and wear white cotton panties. I might frighten these women.
My question is "What would be wrong with frightening those women?" Mwu-HAHAHAHAHA! I think they would deserve it.
Also I was told by a male co-work that he thought I was a danger to the company because of my hostile music choices. He also doesn't like my blog. He is a really square white guy, who likes talk radio.
Now, my question is how are my music suggestion anymore hostile than the stuff collected from the talk goons by Media Matters?
I guess having "hostile" musical taste is just one more thing that makes me Super-Villain of the Ozarks. Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

R.I.P MTV's TRL

One of my goals when a entered MSU (then SMSU) as an electronic media and broadcasting major was to host a teen music TV show like Dick Clark. I wanted to be that friendly adult the teenagers could trust to introduce them to the cool new music. Sadly, that dream becoming reality is disappearing very quickly.

On Sunday, MTV's TRL will go the way of American Bandstand, the Midnight Special, Solid Gold, Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is and others teen music shows. The New York Daily News reports that original host Carson Daly returns for the two hour final show. This also is the end of MTV as a music video outlet, instead turning, like other networks, to cheaply made reality shows. Daly says he hopes it returns soon. Maybe it will or will it be like two of the above mentioned shows and be come a set of DVDs sold on late night TV through Guthie-Renker.

My fear is MTV is may turn from the young pop music fans who made them great and start catering to paranoid, cranky old white men like AM radio did (see story above).

Hendrix Drummer Mitch Mitchell Dies at 61

Sorry about getting to this a little late, but I've been busy with other matters. CNN reports the death of Mitch Mitchell, whose fantastic drumming accompanied the great Jimi Hendrix on his first three LPs.

I've always believed that Hendrix was murdered by agents from the Nixon administration, instead of that overdose story.

News Leader - Don't Increase The Price, Charge LTTE Writers

Ron Davis over at Chatter announced this earlier this week. The Springfield News Leader is raising it's price. My suggestion, if they need to make more money, is charge the letter to the editor writers. I feel that students who write for a class project and liberals SHOULD NOT be charged. Conservatives should be charged by their topic.

• Anti-abortion letters - $75
• Anti-gay letters $75
• Too much sex/violence/foul language in entertainment $100
• Media is bias against conservatives $500
• Anti-cruising $ 30
• Young people are evil $50
• Anti-MSU $50
• Anti-Obama $100
• Anti-Clinton $100

I feel that with in a year, Gannett will not have to make budget cuts and we will get the paper for free.