LENNY: i have decided that i am no longer going to submit my column to this magazine, instead people can just monitor me and figure out what i am thinking
KAREN: how will they monitor you?
LENNY: i am thinking about putting a chip in my brain
KAREN: funny--i was just reaching for a potato chip to put in my mouth
LENNY: now that is funny, does anyone care that the infinity stations will stop reporting adds
KAREN: i think we can now refer to new songs on infinity as "songs they're now giving exposure"
LENNY: i like it, new terms are forward looking
KAREN: so those days of being "most added" are long gone, unless you can close both johnson city stations
LENNY: and then get 2 adds and be most added, very cool. questions:
1. will there still be 10 records in the top 10?
2. are there any great new records out there?
3. are you now doing your job on a treadmill?
KAREN: does it matter if there are great new records?
LENNY: to me it does. but since i no longer report, i assume you don’t care
KAREN: you're right, i don't
LENNY: ok, what about question #3
KAREN: i'm way too big a spazz to keep from falling out of my chair, let alone work on a treadmill. besides, ok go have the treadmill thing cornered. i heard they'll be performing "here we go again," treadmills and all, on the VMAs
LENNY: yes, that is true, it should be hilarious, especially if they fall
KAREN: also heard the Jackass guys will be "participating" in the performance
LENNY: doubly hilarious
KAREN: i would pay money, however, to see van, amy and david cohn on treadmills
LENNY: is radio going to react to the okgo video explosion?
KAREN: i hope so. more than 4 million people have seen the ok go video on youtube.com
LENNY: me too, it would be foolish for them to sit on the sidelines when the whole world is exercising
KAREN: hah
LENNY: it's a big week for gym equipment you know, i am dropping by to say hi to the red jumpsuit apparatus later this week
KAREN: so entercom purchased the cbs radio clusters in memphis, rochester, austin and cincinnati. this will impact wmfs, wzne and waqz. (i changed the topic because this is usually when you tell me how brilliant bill carroll is, which enhances my paranoia)
LENNY: will those stations remain in the alternative format?
KAREN: perhaps--entercom will do market research first. i love the pds at all 3 stations: rob cressman, jeff sotolano and julie evans
LENNY: well, then let's hope the presearch is positive
KAREN: i think you're confusing companies
LENNY: it is confusing to analyze the growth of records without reported adds. but we will adapt and grow
KAREN: so danny buch & co. have an exciting project (among the 3,000 records they're working): the employee of the month soundtrack
LENNY: is that the movie with jessica simpson?
KAREN: i prefer to think of it as the dane cook movie, but yes
LENNY: i like jessica, i think she is cute and personable
KAREN: camp freddy, the supergroup comprised of scott weiland, dave navarro, matt sorum, etc. covered cheap trick's "surrender," which is like one of the best songs EVER
LENNY: i don't know that much about dane cook
KAREN: dane cook is the biggest comic for the modern rock demo
LENNY: not jackie mason? not shecky greene? nor henny youngman?
KAREN: take my format, please. dane cook has 1.4 million myspace friends. and i'm one of them
LENNY: i don't think i get him.... does he do any nazi humor?
KAREN: so joey scoleri is making a big showing with plain white t's this week:
LENNY: excellent, that song is super good
KAREN: khbz, ktbz, wrox, wrax, etc. it's very hard to get traction on anything right now, but this song is breaking through. It also looks as though lorraine caruso will have another #1 with three days grace
LENNY: she is hot hot hot. LORRAINE is sweet
KAREN: here's what i was wondering: stations are playing half the number of currents as they did a few years ago and their ratings aren't any better. are they better off ratings-wise because they're playing 20 currents rather than 40? no.
LENNY: and they are all following their research which seems to be helping no one
KAREN: i love the idea of stations embracing a WIDER variety of music, whether it's indie-rock or hip-hop or even metal, within the context of a male-targeted station, but with "core" artists taking up 75% of the list, there's VERY little opportunity for new bands. what has an impact on the marketplace now? IS there a marketplace?
LENNY: well, clearly people still love music and care about their bands. but i still think a generation has grown up thinking music is free, and for the most part it is accessible for free
KAREN: do they care as much about music as they do madden 07?
LENNY: i think they do, but they care more about buying the madden games
KAREN: i'm encouraged when bands like belle & sebastian, the flaming lips and zero 7 can sell out each of their headlining shows at the hollywood bowl. and i'm sure kroq's inland invasion with guns n’ roses will sell out, if it hasn’t already
LENNY: i will be missing all of those events
KAREN: but how do we get people to buy music again?
LENNY: i think the next generation will buy music again, but this one is lost forever
KAREN: so back to my question--should radio play fewer currents? will the format get to 10 currents and go away?
LENNY: no, radio should play more varied music, people like more different types of music than any niche format expects. AND GIRLS LIKE ROCK N ROLL
KAREN: I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO PROGRAM A "ROCK FOR GIRLS" FORMAT
LENNY: yet if a record at alt or active tests female, it is a negative... and on that note, it is time for me to say goodnight to all the boys and girls
KAREN: you should hear the band of horses cd on sub pop. now that's an exciting new record
LENNY: ok, get me one..... now, say goodnight, gracie
KAREN: goodnight, gracie