Ric Chetter - From Radioland

Episode 269: Stream This

A good number of us cut the cord some time ago. We thought we had it all figured out. We'll stick it to the cable companies and get what we want. For a while, that worked pretty well. That is until the broadcasters figured out what was going on. They'll have you pay them directly for the content you want. Soon, you are right back in the same boat we were in with the cable companies. It's the next big front in the war over your television. That is, until they find out the number of people who actually own televisions is falling, rapidly. Also, are people having enough of the raw, unfiltered live streaming videos?

NEXT WEEK: Life hacks and Jerre Dye.

Episode 268 - The Unravelling of An Idiot

One of the beautiful things about The United States of America is the ability for all of us to be critical of those who bring us the news. Of course, "news" can be defined in all sorts of manner. In this episode, Ric takes a look at what has been happening with Alex Jones of Infowars fame. He's currently being sued by some family members of those who were killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting. Jones, in the past has claimed the shooting was "staged" and was nothing more than a "false flag" for reasons you'll soon hear. The end result was Jones' followers who had been hounding the parents of those children who died. But the real story here seems to be the incessant pointing of the finger at what Jones calls the "main stream media", whoever that is. There is a bit of a warning here, some of the audio you are going to hear is a bit difficult to listen to.

Additional audio courtesy Katie Mettler of The Washington Post and Kaster, Lynch, Farrar & Ball, LLP.

NEXT WEEK: Was SNL ever relevant?

Episode 267 - Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

It's all the rage right now on the internet. ASMR. Apparently, certain sounds can trigger certain responses in the brain akin to "a brain orgasm". In this episode, Ric is going to attempt to recreate those triggers with a few self made ASMR sounds. Is there anything to this? Why are there all these channels on YouTube devoted to this subject? Why are these people making so much money on these videos? It all points to very thing that drives the internet. Content is king. No matter how ridiculous that content may be. 

NEXT WEEK: Adaptation in a strange new world

Episode 266: Brooke Fair

If you ever wanted to get into the head of a 14 year old songwriter, here's your chance. Brooke Fair came to the studio with a new song. Brooke is someone who has lived quite a bit for her 14 years in life. Sarah Simmons brought her to Radio Memphis to show just how talented Brooke is. You'll hear her new song which was produced at Langston Studios. Also in this episode, Ric talks a bit about St. Patrick's day and just how messed up it really is and how it has earned it's title as "rookie night". 

NEXT WEEK: Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response

Episode 265: Sarah Simmons-Langston & Gregory Langston

From the world of pop music comes Sarah Simmons. She was on The Voice. What was that experience like? In this episode Sarah and her husband Greg will talk about that and what it can mean for a young artist trying to make their mark in the music industry. Also, this couple run a studio (Langston Studios) where they show young artists what actually goes on inside such a place from how to make music and recordings to how to become a better musician. Plus, Ric talks about some of the things people in show business have to deal with on the psychological level. And, they play favorites.

NEXT WEEK: Marie Hutton

 

Episode 264: Marie-Stéphane Bernard

In this episode, Ric sits down with a world travelled opera singer. But, not just any opera singer. Marie-Stéphane Bernard. Originally from downtown Paris and now residing in Memphis (for the most part), her talents have put her literally on the world's stage. Having performed on stages in France, Austria, Washington, D.C., Memphis, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and many others. She came to Studio C for a conversation with Ric to talk about the life of a performer in opera. This is fun conversation as we learn about this difficult and entertaining end of show business. For more and to see a few selections of her work, take a look at her website.

NEXT WEEK: Sarah Simmons-Langston and Greg Langston

Episode 263: The Mendoza Brothers - Canz & Windows

Due to a production schedule conflict, Sarah Simmons will appear on this show in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, meet two guys from El Paso, Texas. They made an appearance at Radio Memphis last month while they were on the road. They stopped into the studio while Ric was on the air and talked about new music, what they are writing and performing and some great stories from the road. They will tell a funny story about how they named the band. Also, you'll hear one of their recordings and a live performance in studio.

NEXT WEEK: Marie-Stephané Bernard

Episode 262: Austen Onek

Fairly early on in Ric's broadcasting career, Ric spent some time in television. In one market he worked in, he was on the air with Austen Onek. As things happen in this business, people move from city to city and over the years, Ric and Austen's paths have crossed again, this time in Memphis. Austen in a meteorologist for the CBS affiliate in Memphis and Ric, of course wound up in the radio business. Now, after all these years they sat down for a conversation and what did they talk about? The weather, among other things.

NEXT WEEK: Sarah Simmons 

Episode 261: Talking Tech with Dianna Fryer

It is the beginning of a new year for this show. With that milestone comes the new changes. In this episode of From Radioland, Ric sits down with the General Manager of Pirate Radio Studios, Inc. to talk about how technology seems to have sucked the fun right out various industries. With that, how to inject humans back into the radio business. Of course, when you put a person into anything, you are inviting some sort of catastrophe. Plus, the addition of a new element in the show, Playing Favorites.

NEXT WEEK: Talking about the weather (among other things) with Austen Onek.

 

Episode 260: Benny Turner & Cash McCall

This episode marks the last episode of year 5 of this show. Ric will lay out the future of From Radioland and what to expect as we begin production of the 6th year. Also in this very special episode, new music and a great conversation with 2 blues legends, Benny Turner and Cash McCall and how not seeing each other for over 40 years put these two gentlemen back in the studio for their brand new CD. Plus, you'll hear some of the cuts from this new collection of songs and some of the stories as to how it was made.

NEXT WEEK: Technology sucking the fun out of everything with Dianna Fryer