RFW SPEAKS!
Radio As Art
Composers, musicians, writers, poets, photographers, painters, monologists, sculptors, designers, builders and all that use their God-given and self-taught talents for the sake of creating art are all members of a very special group of people. The ability to start with an empty space, blank canvas, block of wood, piece of stone, mound of clay or lump of metal and turn it into a finished piece to be enjoyed is a rare gift to be used and celebrated.
All of these forms of art are still valid, appreciated and accepted as a vital part of most cultures. New artists study those from the past and are influenced, directly or indirectly, but add their own
style, ideas and passion to keep the mediums exciting and compelling!
I, too, consider myself an artist. My skill is the ability to take a theme, sound or feel and turn silence into a music program with several diverse layers of continuity. Then to add to that process, information, education and infectious enjoyment of the results. Rather than paper, instruments, words, a pen, a camera, a brush, paints or raw materials - I use the sounds of recorded music to make a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
I heard this magic performed by sonic wizards of my industry that came before me and was amazed and inspired by their deep knowledge of subject, pitch, tone and tempo. To see the distinction of being a "disc jockey" become celebrated and recognized has been a real pleasure. I am excited by the fact that a turntable or deck can be turned into a unique instrument of musicality and improvisation. The art of dance floor DJing and mixtapeology is also encouraging and in some cases very impressive. But to me, simply segueing hit songs by beat-per-second is akin to painting a by-numbers picture. Colorful, but artistic?
In the case of commercial radio, art has all but been eliminated from the process. Even the Sirius/XM, Pandora and Spotify world of personalized programming is usually a data driven computerized process devoid of any real soul.
It has and remains my desire to provide audio stimulation for me and you by creating RFW as something different with every Transmission - it appears to be working. I see glimpses of a gradual return to genuine talent, ears and ability and pray for the re-emergence of the endangered species that is
Radio As Art!
"So don't become some background noise
A backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour"
RFW
