Robin

On the air, looking out over the Hudson, and I just don’t get how two flying objects that are small, could have hit each other right there over the river! Trying to put logic in the mix, and it isn’t working.  I know, if logically looking,  two objects, no matter what size, cannot physically occupy the exact same three-dimensional physical space at one time … it becomes easier to understand. .. but yet,  Not.

Ipods? Texting? Sexting? Autopilot access to the 1000 feet club? … Airman’s Information Manual is clear on the topic. “Watch Out!” written in clear daylight?

My hero for today is Chris Tobin at FRESH 102.7 right here in NYC.  The AC has not worked for WEEKS at the radio station, and he came in and basically clicked his heels and he was wearing shorts and sneakers, so it was easy to see his feet. All I know is, he’s the ‘man!’and ‘whalah!’ He fixed it! First time in weeks I’ve let me hair down, LITERALLY! My neck was always too hot! Thank you Chris!!!

I wanted to answer a question that a lot of you have asked me, that being: How did you get into radio?
I LIED MY ASS OFF! That’s how. I was a rock n’ roll singer songwriter, and the front person of my band called Entourage. (we used to play in front of the Good Rats! LOL!) We played all over NYC, including TRAX and CBGB’s, out on the Island, US Blues, My Father’s Place, etc… We had a record and were trying desperately to get distribution on it. Had it played on WBAB’s Homegrown show too! Haha! What memories…
We came up with the idea, that because I had an ok voice, I should try and get a job on the air, so that we could sneak our record in!
I had my ‘pre husband’ write me up a fake resume on being an air talent, because years ago, HE had been on the air, and knew a bit about it. He wrote that I’d been a PD, MD, on air… I didn’t know what a PD was! I then went to Bob Shannon- yes, CBS FM’s Bob Shannon. He was from Pgh, so was I, and it seems that people from Pgh will do anything for another Pittsburgher… so he brought me up to his studio, and helped me to make a FAKE AIR CHECK! It was for B94 in Pgh! LOL!
Now! I was ready to do this! When you’re young, you think you CAN do this kind of stuff!

I walked in to WAPP right here in NYC with both resume, aircheck and short skirt, the day Mark Coppola walked out. Steve Ellis, PD, was stuck and needed someone right away, hired me on the spot! That night, while on the air for the first time EVER, I called my pre-husband, and he walked me through how to use the pots, (unit then, I thought pots were soley for cooking) talk into the mike, thread a reel to reel machine, OMG… when I think back, I was out of my mind.
Flash ahead 6 months, that’s when I told them I was a singer, and had a record. Needed to build credibility first, right? Well, they LIKED it! It was put on steady rotation for a while, but still no distribution. So that was the end of the band, but I stayed on the air!

Who else do you know that can say they STARTED on air in NYC, and STAYED on air in NYC for 25 years?
Moral of the story: (you know by now, I always have a moral) NEVER SAY NEVER. TEACH YOUR KIDS TOO!!!
You can be anything you want to be, when you grow up, as long as you think ‘outside the box!’

Robin/Jayne