Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers — The Last DJ
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Length: 3:26
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Well you can't turn him into a company man
You can't turn him into a whore
And the boys upstairs just don't understand anymore
Well the top brass don't like him talking so much
And he won't play what they say to play
And he don't want to change what don't need to change
And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
There goes the last DJ
Well some folks say they're gonna hang him so high
Because you just can't do what he did
There's some things you just can't put in the minds of those kids
As we celebrate mediocrity all the boys upstairs want to see
How much you'll pay for what you used to get for free
And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ
Well he got him a station down in Mexico
And sometimes it will kinda come in
And I'll bust a move and remember how it was back then
There goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ
You can't turn him into a whore
And the boys upstairs just don't understand anymore
Well the top brass don't like him talking so much
And he won't play what they say to play
And he don't want to change what don't need to change
And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
There goes the last DJ
Well some folks say they're gonna hang him so high
Because you just can't do what he did
There's some things you just can't put in the minds of those kids
As we celebrate mediocrity all the boys upstairs want to see
How much you'll pay for what you used to get for free
And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ
Well he got him a station down in Mexico
And sometimes it will kinda come in
And I'll bust a move and remember how it was back then
There goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ
Comments (124)add comment
Definitely Bills theme song, when they make the RP Netflix this will be the title song for sure!!!
ezzyme wrote:
Well, after Mark Knopfler's
"You Don't Know Your Born"
you realize just how trite this melody is.
I disagree. IMHO this is Bill's declaration of independence. He may or may not be the "last DJ," but if it weren't for his will, you wouldn't have this to, um, rant about. "Trite" is a rant, yes?
Well, after Mark Knopfler's
"You Don't Know Your Born"
you realize just how trite this melody is.
I disagree. IMHO this is Bill's declaration of independence. He may or may not be the "last DJ," but if it weren't for his will, you wouldn't have this to, um, rant about. "Trite" is a rant, yes?
Thanks, Bill, for figuring out an alternative ending to this story ...
Well, after Mark Knopfler's
"You Don't Know Your Born"
you realize just how trite this melody is.
nagsheadlocal wrote:
I used to listen to WABC with Cousin Brucie and Dan Ingram and there was another station that had Murray the K. Yes, them were the days.
Geeze, serious memories. I remember when DJs were like a friend who introduced you to new tunes.
Growing up in the rural South, where the radio stations went off the air at sunset, I can remember the thrill of listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night as he introduced me to the Beatles, Cream, and Hendrix.
Them was the days.
Growing up in the rural South, where the radio stations went off the air at sunset, I can remember the thrill of listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night as he introduced me to the Beatles, Cream, and Hendrix.
Them was the days.
I used to listen to WABC with Cousin Brucie and Dan Ingram and there was another station that had Murray the K. Yes, them were the days.
HonduranRed wrote:
that and janet jackson and the fcc
By the way, Thanks Bill and RP!!!!!! you guys make me happy!
HonduranRed wrote:
HonduranRed wrote:
The 90's execs killed all the DJ's—as well as any originality between radio stations :(
that and janet jackson and the fcc
very fitting for RP
BillG's anthem, no doubt. And... yay for that!
By the way, Thanks Bill and RP!!!!!! you guys make me happy!
HonduranRed wrote:
HonduranRed wrote:
The 90's execs killed all the DJ's—as well as any originality between radio stations :(
The 90's execs killed all the DJ's—as well as any originality between radio stations :(
song's kinda blah but the lyrics stick.
Geeze, serious memories. I remember when DJs were like a friend who introduced you to new tunes.
Growing up in the rural South, where the radio stations went off the air at sunset, I can remember the thrill of listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night as he introduced me to the Beatles, Cream, and Hendrix.
Them was the days.
Growing up in the rural South, where the radio stations went off the air at sunset, I can remember the thrill of listening to Cousin Brucie on WABC at night as he introduced me to the Beatles, Cream, and Hendrix.
Them was the days.
gofishbish wrote:
Yes! 
LOL! Plugged in my ear plugs and thought, "Hey! RP's theme song!"
Yes! His voice does NOT work for me sorry
I love the interview with Tom on the "Running down a Dream" video retrospective about this album. He tells about when he had this album all completed and he brought it in for all the executives to listen to prior to it's release. In Tom's words; "They listened to the whole thing, there was a long silence, and then one of them said "but this isn't about us, right?""
Tom had the greatest smile on his face when he told that story.
Tom had the greatest smile on his face when he told that story.
YourNameHere wrote:
"The Last DJ" was actually written about Jim Ladd. I remember when it first came out Tom Petty was on KLOS with Jim Ladd introducing the song. Ladd then played the song into the ground for the next few months. (Although in his defense it's not everyday someone writes a song about you, so I guess I don't blame him.)
That all said, Jim Ladd really is one of the last "great" DJ's around. He puts a lot of thought into his sets, truly loves the music and has a great voice. Unfortunately commercials and (with few exceptions) obnoxious DJ's have made listening to broadcast radio intolerable which is how I became a Radio Paradise devotee. Incidentally Ladd really made his reputation at a LA station called KMET which some credit with pioneering the AOR format. To me Radio Paradise is the KMET of internet broadcasting. Bill and Jim Ladd would have no problem working at the same station.
By the way "Jed the Fish", one of the most unlikely DJ's ever, but a true original, is still gainfully employed at KROQ. (click here)
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
Ahhh, the memories, indeed. I left SoCal in the late eighties and haven't thought of KMET in years. But I remember listening as a teenager in the 60's...back when FM radio was the place to go to hear the music that wasn't acceptable for top 10 AM staions like KRLA or KHJ. Frank Zappa, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd....and sometimes whole albums. And, if I remember correctly (it's a little vague, now) no or very few commercials. But in the end those radical, underground stations became just like what they started out being against. Commercial enterprises selling advertisement aimed at kids with money in their pockets.
"The Last DJ" was actually written about Jim Ladd. I remember when it first came out Tom Petty was on KLOS with Jim Ladd introducing the song. Ladd then played the song into the ground for the next few months. (Although in his defense it's not everyday someone writes a song about you, so I guess I don't blame him.)
That all said, Jim Ladd really is one of the last "great" DJ's around. He puts a lot of thought into his sets, truly loves the music and has a great voice. Unfortunately commercials and (with few exceptions) obnoxious DJ's have made listening to broadcast radio intolerable which is how I became a Radio Paradise devotee. Incidentally Ladd really made his reputation at a LA station called KMET which some credit with pioneering the AOR format. To me Radio Paradise is the KMET of internet broadcasting. Bill and Jim Ladd would have no problem working at the same station.
By the way "Jed the Fish", one of the most unlikely DJ's ever, but a true original, is still gainfully employed at KROQ. (click here)
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
Ahhh, the memories, indeed. I left SoCal in the late eighties and haven't thought of KMET in years. But I remember listening as a teenager in the 60's...back when FM radio was the place to go to hear the music that wasn't acceptable for top 10 AM staions like KRLA or KHJ. Frank Zappa, Moody Blues, Pink Floyd....and sometimes whole albums. And, if I remember correctly (it's a little vague, now) no or very few commercials. But in the end those radical, underground stations became just like what they started out being against. Commercial enterprises selling advertisement aimed at kids with money in their pockets.
Tom said, 'Bust a move'..... hee hee hee!
LOL! Plugged in my ear plugs and thought, "Hey! RP's theme song!"
Someone send Tom Petty a link to RP
Blasserman wrote:
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
darkhorse53 wrote:
Thank you Bill!!
Bill is the last DJ.
Thank you Bill!! AlienRelic wrote:
Ditto. Here's to you, Bill and Rebecca. You guys make a long days worth of a dismal job a lot easier to take.
Had to bump this. So true, dat.
Ditto. Here's to you, Bill and Rebecca. You guys make a long days worth of a dismal job a lot easier to take.
Had to bump this. So true, dat.
Blasserman wrote:
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
In my town it was WYDD 104.7, they used to bill themselves as "free form radio."
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
In my town it was WYDD 104.7, they used to bill themselves as "free form radio."
Blasserman wrote:
And lest we forget the East Coast: WHFS in Bethesda, MD ... with Cerphe, Einstein and the rest .... now all gone since the 1980's ... sigh ...
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
And lest we forget the East Coast: WHFS in Bethesda, MD ... with Cerphe, Einstein and the rest .... now all gone since the 1980's ... sigh ...
darkhorse53 wrote:
true dat
Bill is the last DJ.
true dat
darkhorse53 wrote:
He sure is!!!!!!!!!
That's why we love him!!!!!
Bill is the last DJ.
He sure is!!!!!!!!!
That's why we love him!!!!!
Bill is the last DJ.
silverghost57 wrote:
Tom could never of siad it better....It pissedoff a lot of corporate monkeys. Now they try to sell us Itunes ,and Sirus radio and its all the same crap.Pop music today sucks more today than it did when I was young even FM has gone so Corporate... all I ever listen to is Internet radio anymore. And thats were I choose the music that I buy be old or new
Okay, I agree with you that conventional radio sucks worse than ever, but I-tunes (which I hate, but still...) is an alternative to the record store, not the radio. Remember those? With the snarky clerks who were going to go into the back room and make fun of you for buying a Tom Petty CD as soon as you left? And Sirius is actually pretty good. It's irrelevant that you have to pay for it. You have to pay for your radio somehow, whether it be with cash, by listening to commercials or by making donations, like with RP.
YourNameHere wrote:
"The Last DJ" was actually written about Jim Ladd. I remember when it first came out Tom Petty was on KLOS with Jim Ladd introducing the song. Ladd then played the song into the ground for the next few months. (Although in his defense it's not everyday someone writes a song about you, so I guess I don't blame him.)
That all said, Jim Ladd really is one of the last "great" DJ's around. He puts a lot of thought into his sets, truly loves the music and has a great voice. Unfortunately commercials and (with few exceptions) obnoxious DJ's have made listening to broadcast radio intolerable which is how I became a Radio Paradise devotee. Incidentally Ladd really made his reputation at a LA station called KMET which some credit with pioneering the AOR format. To me Radio Paradise is the KMET of internet broadcasting. Bill and Jim Ladd would have no problem working at the same station.
By the way "Jed the Fish", one of the most unlikely DJ's ever, but a true original, is still gainfully employed at KROQ. (click here)
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
I also was a giant KMET fan in the 70's and 80's, and cried when it went away... Oddly enough, KMET lives still, but only as call letters now licensed to an AM station here in the Banning pass area of California, playing talk radio.
i'm glad to exercise MY freedom of choice, and my choice is bill
Tom could never of siad it better....It pissedoff a lot of corporate monkeys. Now they try to sell us Itunes ,and Sirus radio and its all the same crap.Pop music today sucks more today than it did when I was young even FM has gone so Corporate... all I ever listen to is Internet radio anymore. And thats were I choose the music that I buy be old or new
YAY FOR BILLG!!!!!!!!! THE LAST DJ!!!!!!!!!!
Hail, William and Rebecca Goldsmith!!!!!
Brimmy wrote:
Bill your our hero...perfect song for a perfect radio station...thanks Bill.
my thoughts exactly as I listened, so much so it brought me here to post . . .
Bill, you are awesome and I thank you! You represent what radio should be.
Tell it like it is Tom. Corporate America homogenizing our music and trying to jam the last thirty years of pop music down our throats, OVER AND OVER again.
Music is no longer the bottom line. It's all about the bucks.
David
sjuttiosju wrote:
I second that.
Ditto. Here's to you, Bill and Rebecca. You guys make a long days worth of a dismal job a lot easier to take.
Brimmy wrote:
Bill your our hero...perfect song for a perfect radio station...thanks Bill.
Yeah, this song says it perfectly!!
weak TOM, weak. is he getting lazy in his old age . . .?
greengarden wrote:
Wow. Someone else who remembers KMET.
A little bit of heaven, 94.7... KMET. Tweedle-dee!
hmmm, never heard THIS on the radio... gee, wonder why....
buckeyes wrote:
perfect song for this looming death of quality internet radio.
It's sad, but I feel this way too.
wxman wrote:
Its your song Bill.
I second that.
buckeyes wrote:
perfect song for this looming death of quality internet radio.
...oh gosh, i hope not...
YourNameHere wrote:
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
Wow. Someone else who remembers KMET.
It was a long dry spell between KMET and Radio Paradise.
Bill your our hero...perfect song for a perfect radio station...thanks Bill.
perfect song for this looming death of quality internet radio.
Was this song written about you Bill?
Ouaouaron wrote:
Well since you don't seem to have any, I've got a lot of wrong damn things for you, at a very, very low cost.
Any? Any profit? Any capitalism? Any damn wrong things? Any glases of vino? Any socialistic tendancies? Living in France for a year instilled a love of both great red wines and American capitalism...
YourNameHere wrote:
"The Last DJ" was actually written about Jim Ladd. I remember when it first came out Tom Petty was on KLOS with Jim Ladd introducing the song. Ladd then played the song into the ground for the next few months. (Although in his defense it's not everyday someone writes a song about you, so I guess I don't blame him.)
That all said, Jim Ladd really is one of the last "great" DJ's around. He puts a lot of thought into his sets, truly loves the music and has a great voice. Unfortunately commercials and (with few exceptions) obnoxious DJ's have made listening to broadcast radio intolerable which is how I became a Radio Paradise devotee. Incidentally Ladd really made his reputation at a LA station called KMET which some credit with pioneering the AOR format. To me Radio Paradise is the KMET of internet broadcasting. Bill and Jim Ladd would have no problem working at the same station.
By the way "Jed the Fish", one of the most unlikely DJ's ever, but a true original, is still gainfully employed at KROQ. (click here)
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
I, live near Los Angeles and frequently listen to both KLOS (I much prefer other classic rock stations that don't have to cater to Disney) and KROQ. I miss Dusty Street but still enjoy the snide and sarcasm of Jed the Fish. Unfortunately DJ's are apparently dying breed with the invent of Jack radio and all it's imitators. I miss a good personality, like Jim Ladd, who have opinions and know about the music they play.
Wack-A-Mole wrote:
I'm an ex-angelino. I remember Jim Ladd and KLOS is a sell out station, but Jim Ladd was cool.
How about KROQ with Dusty Street and Jed the Fish?
"The Last DJ" was actually written about Jim Ladd. I remember when it first came out Tom Petty was on KLOS with Jim Ladd introducing the song. Ladd then played the song into the ground for the next few months. (Although in his defense it's not everyday someone writes a song about you, so I guess I don't blame him.)
That all said, Jim Ladd really is one of the last "great" DJ's around. He puts a lot of thought into his sets, truly loves the music and has a great voice. Unfortunately commercials and (with few exceptions) obnoxious DJ's have made listening to broadcast radio intolerable which is how I became a Radio Paradise devotee. Incidentally Ladd really made his reputation at a LA station called KMET which some credit with pioneering the AOR format. To me Radio Paradise is the KMET of internet broadcasting. Bill and Jim Ladd would have no problem working at the same station.
By the way "Jed the Fish", one of the most unlikely DJ's ever, but a true original, is still gainfully employed at KROQ. (click here)
And finally, speaking of weird DJ radio names... one of Jim Ladd's fellow DJ's at KMET ("The Mighty Met" as they use to say) was "Paraquat Kelly" who took his nick name from a pesticide at one time used to eradicate marijuana crops. (click here)
Ahhh the memories...
fahartle wrote:
There's profit to be made through good old fashioned capitalism, and there ain't a damn thing wrong with that...
Well since you don't seem to have any, I've got a lot of wrong damn things for you, at a very, very low cost.
Forbsey wrote:
Love the sentiment, just not the song
Hate the sentiment, love the song (well, sort of as I think it's being overplayed a bit as well). Petty seems to have gone a little overboard on this album with his anti-capitalism rant. If this DJ was insanely well-liked he'd be on the air, period. If he ran afoul of censors (ala Stern) he can, in this day and age, get a gig on Cirius or, heaven forbid, an eclectic listener paid show like Radio Paradise.
Petty has a couple of other songs on this album about the rising costs of concert tickets and the corporate music machine (I love his bit in the guise of a corporate mogul - "Bring me a girl, they're always the best. You put 'em on stage and you have 'em undress. Some angel whore who can learn a guitar lyc . . . Hey! That's what I call music!). But concert tickets are going to rise with inflation just like anything else and if someone hits it huge, no doubt they can charge an arm and a leg because they can "get" an arm and a leg. It's still no problem finding affordable concerts for local "un-knowns." And, admittedly, there are a ton of god-awful cookie cutter singers out there, but the machine keeps cranking them out for only one reason - their crap gets bought. You can't expect too great of a change in the face of simple economics like that.
I can respect him for speaking his mind, but it always irks me when millionaires promote semi-socialist sentiments. The rest of us "masses" are trying to run a business for ourselves or want to succeed in a meritocracy and demand higher wages. There's profit to be made through good old fashioned capitalism, and there ain't a damn thing wrong with that...
wxman wrote:
Its your song Bill.
I'd like to dedicate this song to the DJ!
Love the sentiment, just not the song
eyelykearrpee wrote:
Big TP fan and I like to hear what the people who make the music that I like have to say. This statement however, is incorrect. Yes there is a lot of garbage on TV and it seems like everytime you turn around there's another formulaic show about an ugly guy with a good looking wife where he's always wrong and she's a wench and they treat each other like crap, or somebody undergoing drastic plastic surgery in a competition, or cop show (how many times can they make CSI?) that starts with a gory homicide, or damn Judge Judy, or somebody's neighbor coming into their house and redecorating it so that it looks like a bunch of cats just at a box of crayons and threw up all over the place and they bring in the two idiots who own the house and they jump up and down like escapees from the mental ward and hoot and cry and say they love it when the guy is really thinking "when this camera goes off I'm going to do something very uncomfortable to all of you with a soup spoon", or they get three or four guys or girls, who think they're the best thing on the planet but they're so shallow that if put all they're values together you couldn't drown a fly, together and they compete for "true love". But why do they keep making more of these shows? Because people watch them. They know they're crap but they watch them. And if it offends you...TURN IT OFF! If you don't want your kids watching it...TURN IT OFF! They came out with these great things a couple of thousand years ago called books. Or how about music, or maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, talk to each other? Or exercise? Or...sorry. (stepping off soapbox, wiping foam from mouth) Didn't intend to rant like that.
good song. :)
But you still have to pay your cable bill. Maybe we should go to a system where the cable companies only get paid when people watch.
I used to like this song, but it gets way too much play... put it in mothballs for a bit and use sparingly afterwards.
mperry wrote:
9 And TV is worse
"I think television's become a downright dangerous thing. It has no moral barometer whatsoever. If you want to talk about something that is all about money, just watch the television. It's damn dangerous. TV does not care about you or what happens to you. It's downright bad for your health now, and that's not a far-out concept. I think watching the TV news is bad for you. It is bad for your physical health and your mental health. The music business looks like, you know, innocent schoolboys compared to the TV business. They care about nothing but profit. They will make a movie about murdering their kids, you know? And they'll put the guy who killed them on TV. And before long, he might even have his own show."
Big TP fan and I like to hear what the people who make the music that I like have to say. This statement however, is incorrect. Yes there is a lot of garbage on TV and it seems like everytime you turn around there's another formulaic show about an ugly guy with a good looking wife where he's always wrong and she's a wench and they treat each other like crap, or somebody undergoing drastic plastic surgery in a competition, or cop show (how many times can they make CSI?) that starts with a gory homicide, or damn Judge Judy, or somebody's neighbor coming into their house and redecorating it so that it looks like a bunch of cats just at a box of crayons and threw up all over the place and they bring in the two idiots who own the house and they jump up and down like escapees from the mental ward and hoot and cry and say they love it when the guy is really thinking "when this camera goes off I'm going to do something very uncomfortable to all of you with a soup spoon", or they get three or four guys or girls, who think they're the best thing on the planet but they're so shallow that if put all they're values together you couldn't drown a fly, together and they compete for "true love". But why do they keep making more of these shows? Because people watch them. They know they're crap but they watch them. And if it offends you...TURN IT OFF! If you don't want your kids watching it...TURN IT OFF! They came out with these great things a couple of thousand years ago called books. Or how about music, or maybe, and I'm going out on a limb here, talk to each other? Or exercise? Or...sorry. (stepping off soapbox, wiping foam from mouth) Didn't intend to rant like that.
good song. :)
anybody that is here should appreciate the sentiments expressed on this album, regardless of their sentiments regarding Petty's sound.
cool interview post mperry
this song is whiny and all that, and as a free-standing song i might give it a 5 on a good day. Otoh I think it should just be pegged at 10 on Radio Paradise on the basis of its other merits.
It is the "fish-heads fish-heads roly poly fish-heads" + "video killed the radio stars", of Internet radio.
Its your song Bill.
I was in New York about 2 years ago standing in line to the half price ticket booth in Times Square (got Beauty and the Beast tickets, which was OK) when someone from CBS came up to us and asked if we wanted to see Letterman that night. Sure! The musical guest was none other than Tom Petty and he perfomed none other than this song!
That probably marks the only time that song was played on a Viacom outlet... Heck, even one of our classical stations in LA is voice tracked!
And now we have Bill! God bless the internet!
Appreciate Tom's lyrics and sentiments here
I never liked him and probably never will 
WOOT! Love it! Take THAT "Clear Channel" (whose choice?)
This song bores me to DEATH! I usually can groove to TP, but this is just BAAD 
Seems longer to me though, since it happens to coincide exactly with my growing up when I spent most time listening. Oh well. At least we got RP!
;) ;)
Originally Posted by basslice:
It's OK what's happening to FM and the music industry in general. It needs an enema. FM and associated corporations will finish the death of FM. Long live internet and satellite radio! In ten more years, we'll look back on the golden age of FM (ca 1978-1988) for what it was - a short-lived bright time for music. Things change, things move on. I remember listening to AM in the 60's and 70's thinking it was pretty good. All in all good FM wasn't around much longer than the 8-track...
;) ;)
It's OK what's happening to FM and the music industry in general. It needs an enema. FM and associated corporations will finish the death of FM. Long live internet and satellite radio! In ten more years, we'll look back on the golden age of FM (ca 1978-1988) for what it was - a short-lived bright time for music. Things change, things move on. I remember listening to AM in the 60's and 70's thinking it was pretty good. All in all good FM wasn't around much longer than the 8-track...
Originally Posted by mellotron:
down with Clear Channel & the like with their trivial shock-jock syndicate shows and pathetic playlists! 
down with Clear Channel & the like with their trivial shock-jock syndicate shows and pathetic playlists!
I have always preferred Petty\'s solo work over his Heartbreaker work (just like Neil Young vs. NY & Crazyhorse). The latest album confirms my slant. It\'s OK, just not very imaginative or captivating. :oops:
Ordinarily Petty is likeable, but I can not swing this.
Who needs corporate radio when we have RP. Oh, by the way Bill, my check is in the mail.
very appropo considering the FCC ruling approaching in June re: the media monopoly :(
Well I do share the enthusiasm for Tom Petty, but CALM DOWN BOB!
Originally Posted by bobamish:
BOW DOWN TO THE GOD OF ROCK YOU LITTLE BITCHES!!
for TP
for RP
for the labelsFor more of what Tom Petty is talking about,read these two books. Richard Neer\'s FM the rise and fall of rock radio.Also, Radiowaves by Jim Ladd.
Originally Posted by Marigold:
Sadly, KPCC Pasadena has fired The Last DJ and gone to an ALL-TALK format.
Marigold...I remember Dusty Street from KMPX and KSAN in SF 1967-1975.Check out this website www.jive95.com
Originally Posted by mperry:
I posted this earlier, but just came across "The Last DJ" here and thought I would re-post this Petty interview again. Hail TOM!!
------------------------------------------------------------
I always thought there were good reasons for liking Tom Petty and his music. Now I have more reasons.
Thanks RP for being one of the first to play this and for continuing to play it.
:D
:D I posted this earlier, but just came across "The Last DJ" here and thought I would re-post this Petty interview again. Hail TOM!!
TEN REASONS WHY TOM PETTY IS PISSED ABOUT THE MUSIC BUSINESS
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The man who told the world "I Won't Back Down," "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Don't Come Around Here No More" doesn't need any assertiveness-training course. Tom Petty's determined, sometimes defiant attitude has collided with the music business throughout the years. For instance, in 1982 Petty recorded Hard Promises with the Heartbreakers, only to find that his then-record company had plans to use his name to initiate a new, higher $9.98 list price for albums. Petty withheld the tapes and threatened to retitle his record $8.98 in protest.
That same spirit is alive and well on Petty's latest album, The Last DJ, which takes a hard look at the lack of moral grounding in the music business. The title track has kicked up considerable controversy, with some radio stations seeing the song as a slap in the face and banning it. But Petty is not just biting the hand that feeds him. Music is only the beginning of what's pissing him off these days. "The Last DJ is a story about morals more than the music business," he says. "It's really about vanishing personal freedoms."
1 Radio is not even worth listening to
"I don't really give a flying f**k about any of it. I've tuned out. But I was elated when my song was banned. I mean, nothing could have complimented me more than to hear they just banned it at such-and-such a station because it's anti-radio. Now, in 2002 to have a song banned that doesn't have a dirty word, doesn't advocate violence -- it's fascinating, you know. Like, what are you afraid of? No record has ever been made that was more pro-radio, you know.
"I remember when the radio meant something. We enjoyed the people who were on it, even if we hated them. They had personalities. They were people of taste, who we trusted. And I see that vanishing. I thought it was a good metaphor to start the album."
2 All anyone thinks about is money
"You don't hear any more of, 'Hey, we did something creative and we turned a profit, how about that?' Everywhere we look, we want to make the most money possible. This is a dangerous, corrupt notion. That's where you see the advent of programming on the radio, and radio research, all these silly things. That has made pop music what it is today. Everything -- morals, truth -- is all going out the window in favor of profit.
"I don't think it's a good attitude in your life to feel that you have to be rich to have self-esteem. You know, I saw a billboard in New York I wish I had photographed. It was for the TNN network. It said three words against a patriotic background of red, white and blue - BIGGER, YOUNGER, RICHER. Now, I find that fascinating: 'Bigger, younger, richer.' This whole idea of being wealthy has gone too far. I never ride in a limousine, you know. I feel gross if I get in a limousine. One good thing about the Sixties was it sort of was the opposite back then. You looked silly trying to appear rich."
3 It's ridiculous to make people pay twenty dollars for a CD
"It's funny how the music industry is enraged about the Internet and the way things are copied without being paid for. But you know why people steal the music? Because they can't afford the music. I'm not condoning downloading music for free. I don't think that's really fair, but I understand it. If you brought CD prices back down to $8.98, you would solve a lot of the industry's problems. You are already seeing it a little -- the White Stripes albums selling for $9.99. Everyone still makes a healthy profit; it might get the music business back on its feet."
4 Only a complete greedhead would charge $150 for a concert ticket
"My top price is about sixty-five dollars, and I turn a very healthy profit on that; I make millions on the road. I see no reason to bring the price up, even though I have heard many an anxious promoter say, 'We could charge 150 bucks for this.' I would like to do this again and maybe come through and not leave a bad taste in people's mouths. I was at one of our gigs recently, and I was just stunned driving in that it cost thirty dollars to park your car. It's so wrong to say, 'OK, we've got them on the ticket and we've got them on the beer and we've got on everything else, let's get them on the damn parking.' You got to care about the person you're dealing with."
5 Record labels don't care about artists
"An act like ours wouldn't even be around today if someone hadn't brought us along and let us make mistakes and grow at our own pace. Today it seems that if you don't have a hit -- or even if you do -- they have no use for you the next time. It's like, 'Well, why wait for these guys to come back with another hit when we can bring in somebody else?' It's an asinine way to conduct yourself. These people are looking at balance sheets, not music. Most people involved in putting this music on the air or bringing it to us aren't really listening to it."
6 Filthy lyrics make me sick
"I'm frustrated by what I hear. Maybe it's not meant for me. Personally, I'm way too bright for a lot of the hip-hop lyrics to affect. I'm much too smart to think that jewelry or how cool I am is really going to change much about my personality. If you're dumb enough that it entertains you, have a great time. But I am seeking more than that.
"When I was a young rock & roll star, I was really fascinated and shocked at times by the power that I had, by the power of my words, and shocked that it can be taken wrong. I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is putting out there. And I think a lot of these young kids are going to have to learn the hard way before they realize that you can actually do some damage if you're being careless or frivolous in what you're saying."
7 Only a sick culture would sexualize young girls
"It's disgusting. It's not just pop music, it's fashion, it's TV, it's advertising, it's every element of our culture. Young women are not being respected, children aren't being respected. Why are we creating a nation of child molesters? Could it be that we're dressing up nine-year-old women to look sexy? And even if we're wrong, let's not do it anyway. I really don't put it past these advertising people to say, 'Well, look, we made a lot of money when we brought the nine-year-old out and made her look like a hooker. Let's do it again.' "
8 Why are we rewarding people for being rich?
"Getting back to the whole issue of ticket prices: We don't do the Golden Circle/VIP thing. I don't see how carving out the best seats and charging a lot more for them has anything to do with rock & roll. A lot of the time, some corporation's bought up these seats with someone's money who doesn't even know it's being spent -- and they are going to use it to entertain clients. A lot of the people who buy these seats don't give a damn about the music -- they're going to get a waiter. What you see from the stage is a group of people just talking to each other, not really interested in being there at all. And the poor guy who really is interested, he's sitting way in the back."
9 And TV is worse
"I think television's become a downright dangerous thing. It has no moral barometer whatsoever. If you want to talk about something that is all about money, just watch the television. It's damn dangerous. TV does not care about you or what happens to you. It's downright bad for your health now, and that's not a far-out concept. I think watching the TV news is bad for you. It is bad for your physical health and your mental health. The music business looks like, you know, innocent schoolboys compared to the TV business. They care about nothing but profit. They will make a movie about murdering their kids, you know? And they'll put the guy who killed them on TV. And before long, he might even have his own show."
10 A lot of artists are as greedy as the industry
"Let me say this so it's definitely in the story: I don't think the industry is entirely to blame. Let's face it: The music industry has always been laughably corrupt, always. It's the artists themselves that often cause problems. Artists aren't necessarily business people. And they aren't neces-sarily aware of all the things that go on in their names. Some just want to make some music, but there is a lot of greed among artists as well. Whether or not we know it, we are all to blame. I think it's time -- starting with the artist -- to try to be a little more responsible and aware of what goes on in our name."
from Rolling Stone magazine
Originally Posted by Platypus:
i dig the sentiment... but the song itself is kind of sub-par for RP.
Agreed
i dig the sentiment... but the song itself is kind of sub-par for RP.
I\'m sick of this song already...
we got the best dj we got bill!
Sadly, KPCC Pasadena has fired The Last DJ and gone to an ALL-TALK format.
Originally Posted by Wack-A-Mole:
I'm an ex-angelito. I remember Jim Ladd and KLOS is a sell out station, but Jim Ladd was cool.
Does anybody remember KPPC from Pasadena? the DJs had names like the Pierce Family and Outragious Nevada.
How about KROQ with Dusty Street and Jed the Fish?
RP is the last stand of Redwood forest for radio, we have to fight to keep it going.
Originally Posted by Wack-A-Mole:
I'm an ex-angelito. I remember Jim Ladd and KLOS is a sell out station, but Jim Ladd was cool.
Does anybody remember KPPC from Pasadena? the DJs had names like the Pierce Family and Outragious Nevada.
How about KROQ with Dusty Street and Jed the Fish?
RP is the last stand of Redwood forest for radio, we have to fight to keep it going.
i remember all of those. KPPC was great. they were the only l.a. station to play little feat. i remember when they changed to KROQ. how about jimmy rabbit or larry woodside? now those were dj's. i still have a lady and the doorknob bumper sticker. or how about a skylab catchers mit tee shirt? that was a day when they didn't know what kind of music to play, and it made them great. talk about eclectic!!!!!!! now they're just a shadow of what they once were. typical. I liked it the first couple times I heard it but it is getting old despite the message of the song.....
the only thing to say about the song is that the lyrics are somewhat meaningful...
sorry just don\'t like the tune :(
I'm an ex-angelito. I remember Jim Ladd and KLOS is a sell out station, but Jim Ladd was cool.
Does anybody remember KPPC from Pasadena? the DJs had names like the Pierce Family and Outragious Nevada.
How about KROQ with Dusty Street and Jed the Fish?
RP is the last stand of Redwood forest for radio, we have to fight to keep it going.
how ironic that the local clear channel station is playing this as part of their \"then and now promotion\".
oh btw, i am a huge tom petty fan.
Originally Posted by KevinM:
Jim Ladd, has his own "free form" radio show from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM (who in the heck is up at those hours anyway). The man is very predictable, his "free form" consists of The Doors, Pink Floyd and Neil Young. Very rarely will he play anything besides those 3 artists.
really! in california there are still a few fm stations that are independant. KOTR in san luis obispo,(the dj's still program their own music), is one of the best. it's to bad they had to shut down their internet broadcast. they were as good as paradise and not even close to klos. after all they're the home of childish mark and brian. GAG!!!!
Your spoken intro to this song mentioned that Petty is having a hard time getting it played on corporate radio. KINK-FM in Portland (101.9)- a mainstream station - has been playing it regularly.
Every time I get sick of Tom Petty, he ups and does something like this that reminds me why I liked him in the first place, whiny voice and all.
Kind of ironic that this was just played a few hours ago :(
Originally Posted by FerretRob:
Oh, and for RDR that was Jim Ladd a true DJ that has been in and out of the LA radio scene for years. He is on 95.5 KLOS. At least until he pisses them off... And check out his "HeadSets" show. It's awesome!
Jim Ladd, has his own "free form" radio show from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM (who in the heck is up at those hours anyway). The man is very predictable, his "free form" consists of The Doors, Pink Floyd and Neil Young. Very rarely will he play anything besides those 3 artists.
There\'s a local FM classic rock station that still hasn\'t been corrupted by Clear Channel and the like.. they were playing this the other day..
How very appropriate and fitting to the situation.
It is also nice to hear Tom play as he is largely ignored by european radio stations
The Anthem for Internet Radio.
Does anybody know if this ever gets played on Corporate Radio?
I think it takes great artist like Petty to drag this issue kicking and screaming into the light. Thanks Tom and RP for playing it!
Oh, and for RDR that was Jim Ladd a true DJ that has been in and out of the LA radio scene for years. He is on 95.5 KLOS. At least until he pisses them off... And check out his "HeadSets" show. It's awesome!
Wow. Truer words have never been spoken. Great song.
This one gets bumped up to 10 (high marks already just \'cause it\'s TP), but bonus points for the material!
Very Timely.
Originally Posted by Queue:
BG's theme song?
You beat me to it! Kind of a bit self-aggrandizing, but part of me half expected Bill to come on and say 'Oh well, that's it- the RIAA wins, I have to fold.'
Already lost the only other radio station I listen to online to CARP....
Originally Posted by pkeys:
Definitely a theme song for what's happening to independent radio staions and Internet radio.
I couldn't have said it better myself, so I won't.
Definitely a theme song for what\'s happening to independent radio staions and Internet radio.
BG\'s theme song?
I heard this in the car and immediately thought of RP.
Petty never was afraid to speak his mind, glad to see he\'s not changed.
RIP Jim Ladd (1948-2023)