...OK...I had always been into music and decided that in addition to my "real job" I'd get my FCC license and become a DJ and at the time I was under the impression that radio DJs went to work with a stack of LPs under their arm and simply played whatever they wanted. I soon found out that was not true at all and that the Program Manager pretty much laid out the schedule a what was to be played. So needless to say I had quickly become disillusioned with my new "job".
...the boss, called me in one day to inform me that they were promoting a star's new album and wanted to interview her...I'd ask her some predetermined questions and we'd edit the interview later and then air it at a certain time...the artist's name was "Juice Newton".
...aside from having a good voice, she was a gorgeous young woman with big eyes and long blonde curly hair that went down to her ass. Anyway, we sat in a room and started taping...I introduced myself and then introduced "Juice". I was sure this was a nickname and so my very first question to her was "So tell us, how did you get the nickname "Juice" Newton"?...and her reply was, and I quote, "None of your fucking business." Not sure if she was having a bad day or the question was a tender subject or what. But needless to say, the interview and the conversation dragged after that response.
...like I said, I had already become disenchanted with the radio biz so I quit the station shortly afterwards and started DJing nightclubs...trust me, back then, THAT was the job to have. I played pretty much what I wanted to play, only "worked" about 3 hours a night, the money I made easily paid for my bar tab, and as far as women,...well, let's just say that back then, I saw more ass than a toilet seat !
...and I owed it all to "Juice".
Her response, must of blown you away, made you pause, stunning......or WTF- must of been going thru your head.....
sounds like a blessing in disguise....and a great story...!
there's a few radio stations but not many at all, that allow their DJ's to run their own shows, but NOT MANY....to me, the way you describe how you wanted your show to be, is how it should of been....which is dying to commercialization, as radio ownership dictates, by who was/is lining their pockets too.
That's so effed up of a radio station, those kind who are so ingrained into commercialism, (for lack of better words), one can smell out like a dead rat....
The best radio shows I've heard, are like the one you mentioned you wanted to do.
Jim Ladd, 30 yr vet here in So. Cal.
had a great midnight to 6am show, playing all his collections of whatever he wanted. Had entire Pink Floyd night, et al. Played some great bootlegs, or never heard vault stuff. He was fired just this year, to move over for a pop Top 40 DJ. Ladd refused, good for him, took his retirement, and I believe also went to his own Satellite show, (I think, read he was)... Today seem's like the only medium outlet for music at the DJ's taste, has gone all satellite, with less commercialization.