A local disc jockey at a radio station in Amarillo Texas recieved a copy of our CD Boogalu' and liking a few of the tracks started playing us on the air. Keep in mind that all tracks are copyrighted and I am a member of BMI and songs are listed as so. Requests started coming in for the the songs and inquiries about the band so the DJ put them in touch with our website, www.michaelholt.info. The program director after hearing the requests called the DJ to the carpet wanting to know why he was playing music not on the "authorized play list" and just who was it he was playing? The DJ told him about us and that he was playing us on the air because in his words "their great!" The program director told him he was getting two weeks suspension for playin "unathorized" music great or not. the DJ said "fine, I'm just gonna play em again when I get back!" Details on the station numbers and the name of the disc jockey to follow tommorrow when I get the info. Any thoughts on the state of corporate radio in america?
Update: Disc Jockey Landon Shaver from KZRK ROCK 108 Amarillo will be reinstated tommorrow back on the air. I talked to Landon today and let him know that I will come and play a benefit to help him get his two weeks wages back. He told me over the phone that he could understand if it was music no one in the local area was interested in but that people were calling in to the station requesting the track "To The River" and wanting to know how to get a CD. I figure the most I can do is go and help a brother out. If you get a chance call in and request our song or fax a request. Here's their info.
Update March 31st:
Local NBC news afilliate reportedly stated that although newsworthy on a local level, they aren't willing to broadcast something negative against another news media across town! Too funny. If I was mad about all this it would be one thing, I just find the amount of bullshit at a corporate level very amusing.
Here is what is listed from the Govenor's music website from the radio station about themselves.
KZRK (107.9 FM) "Rock 108" is a 100,000-watt new rock radio station. We play the best of new rock by new artists, new rock by old artists and new rock by dead artists! Z-Rock is a station full of energy. We work very hard to promote our clients and ourselves in a positive light. Z-Rock contributes a great deal of air time on on-location events for many local non-profit organizations as well. KZRK-FM is fun!
Found that HIGHLY amusing also!
Update April 15th: Landon Shaver DJ for KZRK 108 in Amarillo Tx was forced to resign as the station stonewalled putting him back on the air. Brandon told me everytime he called in to find out about what shift he would work he was told "we haven't heard back from corporate yet". So finally Landon walked in with papers of resignation from his job at the station.
It is sad that this is the state of radio in the U.S. It used to be different. Renegade DJ's would risk airplay for acts they believed in and then if requests came in they could justify continued play of a song. Program directors were quick to give the listener more of what they wanted. An artist could start a regional buzz about the music in that fashion and then hope to break nationally. Now the program director is told by "corporate" who can and will not be played and they decide what the public will like instead of the public letting the station know what they want to hear. Keep in mind this is not across the board with every radio station, it seems to be a dominate theme in the big corporate owned stations. And even still that may not be the status quo. It just seems to be with this one.
Radio station numbers found below.
(806) 342-5200; (806) 320-0108; Fax (806) 342-5202