[Slowhand] Stacks of Wax

[Art Arias]

I haven't been keeping up with the latest topics on this list lately but I'd like to let you know of the listening experience I had today.  Some of you know I live in the Los Angeles area and we get our share of junk programable rock, pop, alternative, etc. radio stations like any other major market here in the U.S., so I usually spend my listening time on HD Radio or personal CD's from my collection.  There is a fairly new station here I'd say about a year old that goes by "The Sound L.A.", and it reminds me alot of FM radio in it's infancy where the DJ would play an eclectic variety of music from all sources available.  This stations DJ's play music that would go from the Allman Bros to the Young Rascals or Elvis Costello to Stevie Wonder, mixing it up pretty good altogether.  So last week they started advertising "Album Side Wednesday" where they would play a whole side of an album suggested by the listeners via email from midnight to
 midnight.  I was curious to hear what would get played but just forgot all about it, when I got into my car to go to work this morning and the DJ was just announcing side 1 of Elton Johns classic "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".  What an enjoyable way to start a drive off with and following that was a full side of the Rolling Stones "Exile On Main Street"!  Wow, did my speakers get a workout and all of a sudden my driving went from 'hurry up and get there' to 'let's cruise' mode.  I was definately in no hurry to get there with full album sides rockin' out of my radio, and when I say album, I mean actual vinyl copies, no CD's, some from pristine 180 gram virgin vinyl half speed mastered copies and some weren't.  I couldn't help but grin when they put side 1 of Bob Dylans "Blonde On Blonde" and you could hear the hissing and ticks from the vinyl copy they were using, some even volunteered by the listeners collections as alot of these aren't easy to find
 anymore.  The day was filled with Santana, Bob Segar, Pink Floyd, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Cure, Genesis, The Pretenders, The Beatles and much much more.  When I arrived at work I immediately emailed the station letting the DJ on duty how pleased I was with the drive in and would be happy if they could make it a regular feature in their programming schedule, at least once a month.  He emailed back telling me this was the second time they've done this with a huge positive response from it's listeners and would try to talk the programmers of the station into a monthly event.  He even read my letter on the air and it scares me that just when you find a station this good something happens where a conglomorate like Infinity radio group buys them out and turns them into an all spanish music station, something thats happened to most of the good stations here as of lately.  I would appreciate any feedback on this issue and am wondering if the
 radio stations in your areas who aren't playing the programed junk that makes them all sound like they belong on the AM dial were to find out about this concept from YOU, they might actually consider trying it out once to see what kind of reaction they receive.  You have nothing to lose and who knows, it's concept might actually spread.  My last words on this subject is:  Good Times!

Art Arias

P.S.  My EC content in this message is their playing a whole side of "Live At Budokan" and I am writing this.  Too Cool