Please excuse these ruminations from a tired mind…
A lot of folks assume that since I had a 4-play of C.P.R. (concert psyching rock) of Metallica on this past week’s show and that there were commercials for the concert airing on the station during the show, that surely must mean that I was given tickets for said concert. Well, it would certainly make sense, but here’s the truth: 4 out of 5 concerts I promote on Metal Works, I don’t get in the door of unless I pay for tickets like everyone else.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think that I’m above everyone else and that I’m entitled to free things. And I certainly understand that times are tough for many of these bands and they are fighting for every ticket they can sell. But I have to try hard not to let it frustrate me that I do everything I can to promote these concerts, to make sure everyone who loves this music is aware of them, to help get as many people in the venues as possible, with no acknowledgement of Metal Works’ contribution to their event.
I’m a working stiff like everyone else. I have a full-time job here at the radio stations (which, luckily, I love), but Metal Works is something I do for free. I don’t get paid to do it – hell, in the almost 4 years the show has been back on the air they haven’t even got me any paid endorsements. Metal Works is a time-consuming labor of love that I pour my soul (and free time, and money) into. I’m not complaining – I get to take over a 100,000 watt, large market radio station once a week and play OUR MUSIC. It’s a dream come true. But it doesn’t put me in any better position to pay for all these concerts I’m helping promote.
So the realization I’ve come to now is similar to the realization I came to years ago about not receiving monetary compensation for doing Metal Works:
I’m not doing this for money. I’m not doing this for tickets. I play this music / I promote these concerts for the Metal Works listeners, for the Metal Works artists, and because of my absolute love of this music.
So I thank you for listening to the show. And as I always say: SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!
Play hard. \m/
Lonn
Programmer/Host
METAL WORKS
metalworks@1059therock.com