700th Post - A Time For Change!

Hello, gentle reader. Welcome to post number 700 of Bevboy's Blog.

You'll notice quite a few changes this evening. Tired of the old format layout, I opted for this one. It was hard to select a new layout, and it is possible that in the coming days I may choose yet another one. But if I don't, I ask you to give this layout a chance. I usually prefer darker colours anyway, and the light green and yellow layout from before was no longer one I could look at. I am not a girl or anything.

You'll notice a new byline or motto for the blog. It was coined avec moi at my Toastmasters meeting this week. We were all having a hard time saying the name of this blog. Too many B's, I guess, even for me, after a long day at work. I explained how I came to be nicknamed as Bevboy at Toastmasters, and at a couple of my places of work over the years. Adding the "Blog" part ensured an easy-to-remember name, even if it is hard to say. The concept of the blog's name was clean, and clear. I decided to make it the new motto for the blog. Besides, I no longer think this is the most boring blog in Canada. I have worked very hard over the past 700 posts to make it at no worse than the tenth most boring blog in Canada. The most boring blog in Nova Scotia? Probably. But no longer the most boring one in Canada. Give me that small piece of dignity, people. I need every scrap I can get.

Finally, I can officially announce that I have the domain name of bevboysblog.com . If you want, update your webbrowser to point to the above url. The 699 posts preceding this one all point to the new domain. I have also purchased bevboysblog.net and bevboysblog.org . I don't know what I'll do with them, yet. If you have any clean suggestions, let me know.

I began this blog in November of 2007 because I needed a forum to express myself, and write about whatever was bopping around in my head at a given moment. I had missed doing this on a message board which no longer made me feel welcome a few months earler. I wrote about that in post 300 if you want more information. I find that, 700 posts in, I am not running out of ideas. On the contrary, there are days when I come up with more ideas for posts than I have time to write.

My interviews with radio personalities are beginning to take on a life of their own. I have an interview to transcribe now. I will begin that process on Sunday morning. The answers she provides to my humble questions are most revealing, and I look forward to sharing this interview with you. I have 3 more interviews with radio people to work on after this one. Two other people not working in radio have consented to interviews. And, the more interviews I do, the more word of them gets around, and the more people begin to contact me, offering to speak to me about their radio careers. Since we sit down to a meal for these conversations, I fear that I will have to switch to eating salads, or I will never see my feet again!

I'll finish this post by asking you, my readers, to suggest any topics you would like me to discuss here. I am open to any such suggestions. Keep in mind, though, that there are a few things I know nothing about. You know, like sports. Not a good idea to ask me about sports. While you're at it, don't bother to ask me about women, dogs, or mint tea. Other than those things, ask me to write about whatever you want. I'm game, and will give it the old college try.

Post 700 down. Are you up for another 700? I know I am!

Bevboy

699th Post - Not The Way I Wanted The Day To Be

As Newbie scratches my clothes, jumps off my lap, then back on to the computer desk, before returning to my lap, I thought I'd bring you a little up to date on my day.

Patricia got some bad news today. The kind of bad news I can't really talk about other than to say that our hope last week that a long-outstanding problem would be resolved may have been premature. Sucks.

It forced me to take more time off work today than I really wanted to. I didn't even have time to log off my computer today. I just left and didn't have a chance to return. I didn't even come home tonight until about 8:30, which is on the late side for an old fella like me.

My post 700 may be delayed until Saturday. Tomorrow, I work (for sure!). I also interview my latest radio person, go out to dinner, and attend the Halifax Mooseheads game in downtown Halifax. I won't be home until quite late, and post 700 requires more attention than I'll be able to muster at that hour. Sorry.

Have a good night.

Bev

698th Post - My Wednesday

Worked all day, to get you money to buy you things.

Attended Toastmasters tonight, which was great fun. It occurs to me that life would be simpler if anyone were named "Murray". For whatever reason, I called everyone that this evening. I also kept mispronouncing the name of this blog. I did manage to coin a new byline for this blog, and you will see it as of post 700, currently scheduled for Friday, but which may be as early as tomorrow.

(That post will be special. I plan to discuss something I haven't really discussed before. Call it my state of the union address. )

After my TM meeting, I walked one of this evening's guests to a coffee shop and thence to my car, at which time I drove to a local grocery store 'cuz Patricia "asked" me to pick up a couple of items. "Asked". Bwah ha ha. More like, "buy me these after your meeting and bring them to me, post haste, ipso facto, or it will not go well for thee"!

(Hey, remind me of the time I bought maxi pads for Patricia, ok?)

I bought something that no rules of taxonomy I am aware of will permit me to identify; I ate it in the car afterward. Oh, the exciting life I lead! I listened to WCBS 880 AM while I munched away on whatever-the-Hell-it-was. It didn't taste bad, especially with Italian dressing drenched on it. Anything tastes better when it is floating in Italian dressing. It is a fact of life.

I called my parents using my On*Star phone (the car's speakers act as the phone's speakers, so I might hear my mother behind me, or beside me, or both). Turns out that my father needs a blood transfusion, and it will happen this coming Friday. Not good.

I can't possibly help out this time (not with the actual transfusion, you dummy; taking him to the hospital and waiting for him whilst the procedure takes place!). I have several personal things all lined up on Friday like little ducks that I'm gonna blow away, one at a time. Taking my father to the hospital this time is something I cannot do. I will be taking 2 days in March for my parents, and it's impossible for me to help out on the 27th. I am confident that someone else can help out this time.

I drove to Patricia's place, gave her the items she asked for (not maxi pads, thank God), played with Cindy Clawford for a moment, and drove home. I had three messages on my answering machine when I got home. Three! 3! Which is to say, three messages, not "3!" which means 3x2x1. Only one hang up this time, plus a message from my father, and one from my friend Franki, whom I have to call after I get finished with this damned blog post, the one you quit reading five minutes ago when you realized it wasn't going anywhere. But then again, how many of these blog posts go anywhere, anyway?

Is it time for bed yet?

Bev

697th Post - It's Not Too Late

You can still win a ticket to attend the Halifax Mooseheads retro game on February 27th, 2009. It will be a very fun evening. If you don't go, you will spend the rest of your miserable little life regretting it, much in the same way I regret not asking the Olson twins to my senior prom in high school. Yeah, both of them. I had it all worked out. Don't ask.

Anyway, to win a ticket, send an e-mail here, with the answer to the question I posed last week: Name 5 odf the 7 people I have interviewed for this blog. The answer is at the end of the Ian Robinson interview, by the way.

Tick tock, Clarice.

Bev

696th Post - Be Patient!

Just a quick note to let you know that you may have a hard time reading this blog over the next day or two. I have bought and paid for 3 custom domains, and the first one will be transitioned over from the blogspot.com domain to the custom one. You may find posts way laid over the next little while.

But it will be better after that, much better. You`ll be able to type in www.bevboysblog.com and end up right here.

Just be patient while the transition takes place.

Bev

695th Post - Happy Birthday To Me!

I worked on Friday, my normal day off, so I would not have to work today. It is just as well, as I have heard that things were pretty hectic at work today.

I wasn`t feeling well today when I awoke, so I ended up feeding Newbie and returning to bed, where I remained until well into the afternoon. I am finally up, as of about 4:30 this afternoon, just over 3 hours ago.

Perhaps I am a little blue from turning 45. Maybe I picked up a bug of some kind. I am not sure. I just know that I didn`t feel much like doing anything today.

I told you last week that I have lined up my next interview for the blog. It will take place this week. I have already lined up the next, next interview, and I just got off the phone with with him. This is a major, major 'get' for little old me. I am a little surprised that he is going to sit down with me. I just want to make sure I don't screw this one up.

I have been told that some of these interviews are on the long side. I feel the pain of the people who have told me that. It is just that, in many cases, the radio people I speak with don't normally get an opportunity to speak at length about the behind-the-scenes stuff. They always have behind-the-scenes stories that I find fascinating. When these folks move away, or retire, or even die, those stories are lost to us, and a piece of local broadcast history is also lost to us. If this stupid old blog of mine can do a small part to preserve these stories, then I'll do it.

The guy I hope to speak with has radio stories that go back decades. I can hardly wait to sit down with him.

The JD Fortune story appears not to be over. A spokesperson for INXS today revealed that they had plans to include him in an upcoming INXS project. JD stands behind his story. The plot thickens.

I am thinking more and more that when they selected JD in the show a few years ago, that they were going to keep him around for one album and one tour. If he didn't work out, if the album did not sell, if the fans did not accept JD, they could come up with some kind of excuse to fire him, or let him leave with some dignity. Instead, he comes up with a story of being fired and of now living in his car (after paying off his mother`s house, and buying into a bar in New Glasgow). It just doesn't add up. I look forward to finding out the truth, and I'll share it with you guys, because I care.

Five days to post 700!

Bev

694th Post - My Second Post About The Three Stooges

Some time ago, I wrote about, and showed, the only known time that the 3 Howard Brothers appeared in a publicity photo.

Only 2 ever appeared at any one time in the troupe. Shemp was an original member, left for his own career, and returned when Curly became ill and had to leave. Shemp remained until his death in 1955. The Stooges still had 4 films left in their contract, so they hired someone to stand in for Shemp in those films. They mostly show this "fake Shemp" with his face covered.

Someone stitched together pieces from these 4 films, showing many (maybe all!) of the footage with Joe Palma, the poor guy who had to fill-in for Shemp Howard.




After these films, the Stooges got another contract for more short films, and made them. For whatever reason, they hired an actor named Joe Besser to be the third Stooge. Few people today know these films exist. They just assume that the Stooges always consisted of Larry, Moe and Curly. Shemp and Besser, and even "Curly" Joe Derita have pretty much been expunged from memory, which is quite sad, especially for poor Shemp, who deserved so much better.

Herewith: A clip from a Joe Besser Stooge film.

Bev

693rd Post - A Special Lunch

Visiting my parents for the weekend. We are at The Big Stop in New Minas where it is impossible to have a bad meal.

Home for my birthday. Returning to the city on Sunday. The actual anniversary of my birth is Monday. Patricia has plans for me then.

Say hi to my parents. .


Bev
Via BlackBerry enterprise server

692nd Post - Parent Blogging

Drove up to my parent's place this weekend. Remaining here until Sunday I think. Will cook them a hearty mid winter chili on Saturday. Brought home 12 different types of beans I will have returned to the city before the beano kicks in alas.

Taking mom shopping tomorrow. Another very long day!

More on Saturday.


Bev
Via BlackBerry enterprise server

691st Post - INXS News

I heard in the last few hours that J.D. Fortune, the Nova-Scotian born singer for INXS, has been fired by that band. You can google it, but why bother? You can read about it here, if you want to.

First heard he would be a contestant on a reality show a short time before the program debuted in the summer of 2005. When we heard that there would be a contestant from Pictou County, Nova Scotia, we had to watch the show.

Everybody knows everybody in Pictou County. Turns out that Fortune attended the same high school as Patricia, and George Canyon for that matter. JD's mother works for a law firm. Guess I shouldn't say more about that, like how I know that. You'll have to trust me is all.

Week after week, Patricia and I watched Rock Star:INXS, as the members of that band kicked off contestants. J.D. was nearly kicked off after the first week! But he improved, week by week, and finally, he was against one other guy in the finale. When he was selected as being right for the band, I was floored.

INXS released an album, Switch, and toured on it. They played Halifax in 2006, and we managed to get tickets. It was an excellent show, and a good album, to boot.

Then... nothing.

Fortune would spend time in Pictou County, claiming to be on hiatus from the band, that they were taking time off. Last year, he recorded a video for his still-unreleased solo album at his old high school, enlisting the aid of some of the students. He still considered himself a member of INXS.

Finally, just this evening, I received word that he had been fired from the band. I have no idea why news broke just this week, when they must have known some time ago what J.D.'s status was.

He was on ET Canada this evening. Quite frankly, he looked like a fella who lives in his car. He was unshaven. His hair was askew; had he been present, Don King would have lent J.D. his comb.

There may be more to this than meets the eye. We can only go by what we are told, and it is wrong to speculate. But, it sure is sad to see someone go from such exhilerating heights to such an ignominious fall.

I will be marrying a Pictou County woman at some point in the not-too-distant future. I feel like a Pictou County guy when I am there, and look forward to returning there in the Spring, so that we can open the cottage for another year. If we are driving down the road toward Salt Springs, or Westville, or River John, or whatever, and see a truck on the side of the road with a real cool-lookin' homeless guy living in it, I'll be sure to stop and say hello.

Bev

690th Post - Temper, Temper

We have all bought electronic gizmos thinking that they would be the Next Thing, only to discover that they Were Not.

The folks at the Onion New Network, probably the funniest online video community, certainly have, and have the following news piece that you have to check out.

If you're easily offended, probably best not to play this.

I'll write more later.

Bev

689th Post - A New Friend.

Went to Ian Robinson's home tonight after Toastmasters to drop off a copy of a CD I made containing the audio files of our interview. He was wearing this sweater and I had to get a picture.

He also showed me some scrapbooks of radio memories and we talked about that medium for a bit. I regret not accepting the beer he offered me but I have been on the go nonstop since 530 this morning. One beer would have done me in. I hope to accept his offer at a later date.

He printed off the interview. I have no concept of how long these things are. I just type like a crazy person until I am done. Anyway he printed it tonight. 38 pages! 38! Jeepers!

Have booked my next interview already. It will be on the 27th. Looking forward to it.

Very long day. Seepy time bye bye.




Bev
Via BlackBerry enterprise server

688th Post - Once More, Into the Breech

Giving a speech tonight at Toastmasters. This has been one of the toughest speeches I have ever done. Not sure if it means I am losing that talent, or the interest, or just going through a period when it's an uber-challenge to do this stuff.

And, I firmed up a lunch appointment with my next interview subject. I am looking forward to learning more about... her. Yes, this one is a woman. Next one after that might be, too, but she hasn't been booked yet. Up in the air.

Back to polishing my speech.

Bev

687th Post - Wanna Win Something?

On February 7, 2009, when Patricia and I interviewed Ian Robinson for this blog, I received my first compensation for all of these interviews. Ian gave us 3 tickets to the February 27th, 2009 Halifax Mooseheads hockey game.

We only need 2. And we're goin'. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

That leaves one ticket up for grabs.

This is where you come in.

Do you want to go with us to the Mooseheads game on February 27th? Just you, along with the 2 of us. Once you're there, you can pretend you don't know us. Happens all the time. We no longer take it personally.

But, if you want to go, you have to work at it a little bit. I have interviewed 7 people for this blog. You have to name 5 of them.

Send your entry to this
e-mail address. Do not reply to this blog post. If you do, I'll delete it, and not count that entry.

One entry per family.

The contest begins at 16:45ET on February 17, 2009, and ends at 16:45ET February 24, 2009. I will select the winning entry on February 25, 2009.

Good luck.

Bev

686th Post - An Interesting Article

Just read this piece on the Wall Street bailout scheme, and its parallels to what happened in and after 1929. Pretty interesting, sobering, stuff. Go ahead and read it.

Still coming down, and recovering, from the Ian Robinson interview. The thing is, I can see myself sitting down with certain local radio folks and ending up with even longer ones!

Later.

Bev

685th Post - Interview with Radio Announcer Ian Robinson!

Ian Robinson Interview -- February 7th and 15th, 2009.

The Timberlea Beverage Room (TBR) is growing on me.

We never used to eat there, but in recent months we eat there on a bi-weekly basis. (sometimes 3 times a month). Or is that semi-monthly? Does it really matter? Am I over analyzing something again? You have to let me know!

Ian Robinson is practically a neighbour to me, so it seemed natural for us to break bread at the TBR. I was getting over a bad cold, so my voice is even more nasal and annoying than it is by default. You're lucky you only have to read this, and not hear me.

Patricia and I arrived about 5 minutes ahead of Ian. We grabbed our usual table, figured out what we wanted to eat, and awaited him. Ian arrived, sat down with us, figured out what he wanted to eat, and we started to talk.

How did you get your start in radio?

Ian Robinson: Well, I started in high school. I was fortunate enough to take the radio and television broadcasting course at Memorial High School in Sydney Mines. That was way back in 1981. The high school radio station where I got to go on and do my craft. I listen to those old air checks and I think, "What did they ever hear?" But, on a sad note, Charlie MacMillan (he was my advisor, teacher, mentor, friend), he just passed away last week in a skiiing accident out West, so it was kind of a rough week. You don't realize how much somebody means to you when you're growing up until something like this happens. You think he's always going to be around. He was one of those guys that I remember I was applying for radio broadcasting colleges when I was in Grade 12, and he said, "What are you doing?". "I'm applying to radio college in Loyalist.". "You don't need to do that", he said. "Well, I wanted to use you as a reference". And he said, "Don't worry. You'll have a radio gig before you need the radio college". And, sure enough, a couple of months later, I landed at CJCB and CKPE in Sydney. In Grade 12, I was 17, and Dave Reynolds hired me. Dave, from Hockey Night in Canada.

BevBoy: Doug Reynolds' brother.

IR: Dougie over at 95.7. So, I got to work with Dave for 3, 4 years, and I got to work with Doug at CJ. So, that was pretty cool. I started out at 17 and I did 3, 4 years in Sydney and moved on to CHNS for a couple of years and then CJ. I did mid days there starting in 1989, twenty years ago. Man, time flies.

BB: And then in '94 there were massive layoffs at CJCH and you ended up back at Maritime Broadcasting.

IR: I was at CJ for about 6 years. I finished on CJ on Friday. Dr. Laura was replacing me. I was doing one hour on air, and I had to operate Dr. Laura ---

Patricia: And where is she today?

IR: Exactly. I ended up going from CJ one day to CHNS the next.day. My last song on CJ was Glass Tiger's "Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone", and I said, "because I'm not going too far". So, the next day I showed up on CHNS. I wasn't nasty about it or anything. I figured somebody would read something into it.

I did oldies for about 9 months, and then they sent me up to Sydney for a year to program CHER. So, I went back to the Motherland.

BB: You were management at CHER?

IR: I was in management at CHER. I was the program director. Pretty loosely-termed title. I was janitor and everything else in between. I had to buy the toilet paper for the station. [chuckles]. It was low budget.

I did that for a year. My wife is not from there. She didn't really like it, so we ended up coming back to Halifax and back at Maritime [Broadcasting Systems]. The saga continues, [chuckles] Then CJ again.

BB: Until that went off the air. But we'll get into that later.


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You produced the final edition of the Hotline on CJCH on May 29, 2008. Please tell me about that final broadcast.

IR: 9 o'clock, I went in to show up to produce the Hotline for Rick. I go into the news room. Rick is there. He said, "Sit down". I knew it was, "Uh, oh". He says, "Today's the Hotline's last day. Today's my last day. Bring your game face". We heard rumours, but we didn't know for sure.

To go through the whole process: 10 o'clock, Rick goes on as normal. It starts leaking out that this happening, and we start getting calls from listeners saying, "I hear that this is the last day for the Hotline". I'd say, "We'll have more after 12 noon. And that's when the camera crews start showing up. CBC, CTV...

BB: Global?

IR: Global. And [Peter] Duffy was there right from the very start. He followed every step from when I showed up to Rick showing up in the control rooms. The first couple of hours were all right. And, then, the last hour was when Deb Smith joined Rick and to be the quarterback for that... I'm looking across at these 2 people. Deb was basically choked up and crying, and I'm biting my lip and trying not to lose it. And, then, Rick, Mr. Tough, he starts breaking down. Rick is a pretty softie guy deep down, off the air. But, on air, he has that persona, that edge; but at the same time the listeners can see that he's a caring guy, and that's what made him so popular.

But, that final hour when you had Peter Kelly calling in, Steve Murphy calling in, Brian Phillips called in.

BB: Doug Reynolds called in.

IR: Dougie called in, yeah. Gloria McCluskey called in. You have all these people calling in. We only have 9 lines on that phone, and ...

P: I called in. I was talking to you.

IR: Small world, eh? Did you make it on the air?

P: No.

IR: OK.

P: [pointing to Bev] He proposed to me on Rick's show.

IR: That's right, too!

P: I called in to say that was my favourite memory of the show.

IR: Right. It was all a blur, that final hour. There wasn't a dry eye in the place the last 5 minutes. We're all wrecked. And,then, Rick signs off and he kind of composes himself for a little bit and I shook his hand and said, "Great job, man. We went out in style." He goes out of the CJ studio and the entire staff is in the hallway and gave him a big clap, cheering for him. That's when he loses it, and darts back into the studio and tries to compose himself again.

To be a part of that... Next to 9/11 it was the toughest day I've ever had on the air.

BB: Really? Do you think we'll ever see a Hotline type show back on Halifax radio?

IR: I'd love to. Rick has this style that fits this market to a T. There's others out there that try to be Rick, but he's an original. Look at Rick, Steve [Murphy], [Brian] Phillips, Dave Wright. They all had that connection with the listener. And that's something that's missing in the market, so I'd love to have it back. I'll produce it! [chuckles]

BB: Well, Rick will be filling in on News 95.7 this coming week [February 9-13, 2009]...

IR: Oh, is he? For Krystal or Tommy[Young]?

BB: Krystal.

IR: Krystal? That will be fun.



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What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?

IR: Keep your nose clean. Don't burn any bridges. And be yourself. In this business, you never know where you're going to land. I'm living proof. I have bounced around. It's not my fault; it's just the business. I have been to CJ twice, CHNS a couple of times. You just never know where you're going to land. Magic Christian told me that. He worked at CKCW in Moncton. He's now an official in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He's the director of officiating. I remember when he told me, "Caper! Keep your nose clean!". I always remembered that.

BB: Magic Christian? Is it spelled the way I think it would be?

IR: Magic Christian, yes. Larry Christian is his real name. Great guy, big set of pipes. He worked at CKCW for many years. He worked in Toronto at CFTR. I see him around the rink all the time, so he pops into my announce booth, and he says, "Caper! What's going on?" So, that always stuck with me. Keep your nose clean.


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How did you get the gig as announcer at the Halifax Mooseheads home games? What is the latest you got home from a game, and have you ever had to get up super early to do a morning show the next day?

IR: This is kind of funny. People ask me this. I was at Sobeys, Clayton Park, one day. My wife sent me to get groceries. I ran into MMark Church, who is a buddy I met at CJ on a tour. Mark was in to check out the radio station, so we became buddies. He says, "Ian, by the way, the Mooseheads are looking for a new announcer. Tony Thibault is leaving." Tony worked at C100. I said, "Oh, I'll look into that".

So, I called the team up. Matt McKnight was the director of marketing. I introduced myself, and I left a voice mail. Never heard anything back. I called back a couple of days later, and finally got to talk to Matt. I said, "I hear you're looking for an announcer." He says, "Yes. Just drop off your resume". I just had radio airchecks, so I dropped that off.

About a week later, he called me back. This was June, 1997. He said, "Are you still interested in the gig?" I said, "Yes". "Well, it's yours if you want it".

BB: Oh, my gosh. [chuckles]

IR: I just did my 500th game in October. I have missed 5 in 12 years: 2 when my dad passed away, and 3 others for when my kid had a hockey tournament.

It's a passion. I really enjoy it. It's like doing a live radio show in front of 7000 or 8000 or 10000 people, 12000 when it's sold out. I've done the World Junior's, World Women's, NHL Old Timer's, and NHL Exhibition games.

It's a fun gig. It's a pressure gig. You're not just sitting there playing music. You've got a producer in one ear. You've got another producer in another ear. And then, you've got to watch the games. J.C. Douglas filled in for me a couple of times. He said, "Man, of all the stuff I've done, that's the toughest gig". He's done television. He's done Breakfast Television. He says, "You've got to be on when you do that gig". I suppose after 500 games you kind of get an idea of what you're supposed to do.

I remember Bob Cole of Hockey Night in Canada said, "I've been doing this for how ever many years now. I still haven't got it right."

But it is fun to do. And, before I forget, here are some tickets for a game. [He reaches into his notebook, pulls out 3 Mooseheads tickets for the February 27th game, and hands them to me]

P: Oh, excellent!

BB: Bless your heart!

P: Cool!

BB: The 27th? Right after my birthday. Thank you!

IR: Well, happy birthday.

P: Maybe this time I won't have someone drop nacho cheese on my head.

BB: Thank you for that!

IR: That's going to be a good game. It's Retro Night, with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, and we're bringing back Gordie Fader, the original organist from the Vees days. He's going to be sitting in section one. It's going to be a pretty neat game. Cape Breton will be here, but let's cheer for Halifax.

BB: Of course, I will!

Thank you for that. As a follow up question, Pat Connolly works with you. He says who just scored and that kind of thing. Is that the typical division of duties between you and Pat Connolly?

IR: Pat is the game announcer. He does the goals, and penalties, where I do all of the promotional stuff. I do the introductions of the players, the starting line ups, the three stars. If there is a promotion in the stands, I do that choreographed with the big screen Silvervision, or whoever's doing the Sub giveaway, or whoever's doing the fan of the game. That's what I mean. It's a big production. You're never idle. You don't get to see much of the game because there's always something you're playing in the next break. Then, you might have the next break all planned, and somebody scores. So, you throw everything out the window and then you have to replan for the following break. It's always interesting.

Pat is a living legend. I've been doing it [the hockey gig] for 12 years. He's been doing it since the ...

BB: 1940's?

IR: 1940's, yes. Pat was there with the Vees. He was there for the [Halifax] Citadels, and now the Mooseheads. And, God bless him, [he's] still sharp as a tack, and still has the voice. When you hear that voice... Wow! To partly announce with him is quite the honour.

And, the latest getting in? Do you want to cover that question?

BB: Of course.

IR: We went into overtime. We were in the Playoffs. Didn't get home until 11:30 and had a 3:15 alarm, so I was working on about 3 hours' sleep. That was a rough morning show. [chuckles]

BB: What station was this at?

IR: That was at Rogers, when I filled in for sports there briefly. I was doing that news/information/sports run.

BB: You can't phone it in.

IR: You can't phone that in. You've got to be on your toes [chuckles]. There's no songs in between the breaks.

BB: I'm sure the Mooseheads information was especially current.

IR: I took a mic to the game! [chuckles] Got some fan crowd noise.


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I will provide some names of people you know. Please say something about them.

Terry Williams

IR: He has the distinction of firing me and hiring me. I shouldn't say "fire". Laid off. In 1994 there were six of us. At the time, it was pretty tough to take. But it came full circle. Terry called me back and hired me to work at CJ again as well as at Kool because Terry was involved in programming at Kool for a little while. So, when I hear "Terry", the words "fired" and "hired" come to mind. I'm thankful for the hiring again because he brought me back to the dying days of CJ, and I know CJ meant a lot to Terry, and it meant a lot to me as well. It's kind of ironic in that phase. I learned a few tricks from Terry, that's for sure.

P: It was probably a thankless job for him as well [firing Ian and the others in 1994].

IR: Well, that's it. It was a corporate move out of Toronto. I was a part of the CJ family for so long. Six years is quite a long time, and that was my first firing/laying off/restructuring/whatever you call it. You're not a real radio guy until you're fired, and that was pretty tough. We had just found out that we had a baby on the way, which added to the pile. But everything worked out in the long run, and I remember Terry calling me in 2006 when I got laid off at MBS. He [said], "Hey, keep in touch.". When he took me back, he said, "Consider this your homecoming to CJ". It was pretty neat.

BB: That was pretty classy of him.

IR: Very classy.

BB: What's Terry up to these days? Is he still in town?

IR: Yes. I believe he's doing a little consulting. His wife works at the station still. Christine does traffic for the stations. His son is actually marrying a Cape Bretoner, so Christine hauls me aside and gets me to teach her some Cape Bretonese. I have her pretty much fluent in Cape Bretonese now.

BB: Da Mudder Tung.

IR: Da Mudder Tung. I taught her a few things. "You going to the time?" She goes, "What?". "You going to the time?". What's the time? "Oh, that's the wedding reception"; that's "the time" in Cape Breton.

Rick Howe

IR: The Rickster! One of the best news guys I've ever worked with. I've worked with a lot of them. Rick is your typical, hard-nosed news guy. He just lives, eats, and breathes it. He has this old notebook. He probably still has it. It's like a big pad of all of his contacts. It's gotta be 20 years old. But, you ask him, "What's Gloria McClusky's number?", and he Rick just pulls it off. "You have Gerry Lawrence's number?", and he pulls it up. [Rick] is just a true news guy. I remember we did drive together at CJ, and he was my newsguy after John Foster left. I remember Rick would haul out the tag at the news: "3:55, from CJCH. Nova Scotia's Authooooratative Newwwwws Voice". I kept getting him to stretch it and stretch it and stretch it.

Brian Phillips

IR: The funniest guy I've ever worked with. Right from day one, he was one of the guys I idolized growing up. I remember watching Brian do Atlantic Lotto. He would have all of the radio guys on, so you'd get to see what the radio fellas looked like. He would have such and such on from whatever radio station.

I'd watch Phillps do that on tv, and I remember one of the first times I came up to Halifax. I wasn't working here then, but I left Phillips out of the Russell and Robie Street intersecion, in his Porsche. I stopped traffic. "That's Brian Phillips. I have to let Brian out!", so I got to let Brian out, and he waved at me.

And, so, then a couple of years later, I got to work with him. I was doing the all night show. I was training at CJ on all nights, so I would know the board for middays, back when we had an all night show to do. I remember the day I met him. You're always nervous about how these guys are going to be, right? He's in the announcer's lounge, and he's got his great big loud yellow ski jacket on. I said, "Brian. It's Ian. Robinson".

[Mimicking Brian Phillips] "Ian, it's really nice to meet you. How's it going? Ian, you must be really tired, man. You've been up all night sounding good on the radio, sounding good on the radio." Just typical Phillips stuff, eh? I have a Phillips tape. I have to make a dub of it. It's got all of his out takes. You'll piss yourself laughing.

BB: I have to hear that, yeah.

IR: Oh, it's priceless. I remember taking over for Phillips; this was back in the old Robie Street days. I had a cold that day. I was only 22 at the time. He goes, "CJCH. Ian Robinson's up next. He's got a cold today. As a matter of fact, Ian's had a cold since he was 12". [laughter]

And, I was doing the Castle of Coke remote another time, another big CJ promotion, at Mic Mac Mall. I got this new blazer, something out of the '80's, right?

[Mimicking Brian] Ian Robinson's up next in the Castle of Coke. He's got this new blazer on today. As a matter of fact, he looks like the Fifth Top. [laughter]

IR: How does he come up with this stuff, right? Totally off the cuff. He's not writing this stuff down. But that's just some of the funny stuff he's done. But he's one of the Boys, and he was one of the first calls I got when I got laid off (or fired, or restructured) from MBS in 2006. To get a phone call from Brian Phillps is pretty classy. And from Dougie [Reynolds] as well. And Terry Williams. You know who your friends are when you're down and out, because we've all been there. But to get back to Phillips: He's one of a kind, man; a huge talent.

A blast from the past: John Biggs

IR: Biggsy.

BB: We're Facebook friends.

IR: He's a great guy even though he's a Montreal Canadien's fan.

BB: But you're friends anyway.

IR: We're friends anyway. He played goalie for us in the Metro Media Hockey League in the 1990's. I was trying to block a few shots for him, but I didn't block enough for him.

But my favourite memory of Biggs is the day we flipped formats.

BB: Yes. July 19, 1993 or something? 23rd? Whatever it was.

IR: 24th.

BB: A Friday.

IR: 23rd or 24th. It was a Friday morning. We had this staff meeting the evening before. Everybody was convinced we were going to go Country. I was going to wear my cowboy boots to this meeting, but I had shorts on and didn't think they would look right.

Anyway, we go in and they unveil Classic Rock 92 CJCH. Everybody's like, "Yeah!!". Then, "We would like to introduce our new morning man.". The boardroom door opens, and who comes in but John Biggs. We're like, "huh?" [laughter]

Then, "We like to introduce our new morning man for C100". And then Kelly Latremouille comes in and we're like, "huh?". [laughter].

And, then, to hear the switch the next morning... We were all in there, it was such a big event, to hear that switch at 7 o'clock. Kelly signed off on CJ; Biggsy signed off on C100. [It was] an exciting time in radio to be a part of that flip. Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but at the same time, we had a blast doing that.

BB: That was a fun format for six months. I kind of wish they had given it more of a chance. I'm not sure whose decision it was to kill that format, to go to all rock and roll oldies, but it wasn't as much fun after that.

IR: Not at all. And that was kind of the demise for CJ for the talk format, and for a few of us there who it didn't work out [for], but to be a part of that exciting transition with Biggsy and Kelly was fun times.

Deb Smith

IR: Deb. True sweetheart. We hit it off on Day One, being Cape Bretoners and all. We have that mutual connection. Her cousin is a good friend of my wife Roxanne, so we have that as a connection. Newcap is moving out this Spring, May sometime I guess. She will be one of the people I will miss the most when we move out of the building. To deal with Deb and Rick on the Hotline for that last hour is something that I'll never forget. And, Deb and I will always be buds no matter where we work, but ... she'll always be my facebook friend, too. [laughter]. And so will you!

BB: And she's management, now, right?

IR: Friggin' management types! She's got that big friggin' management gig so I have to be careful what I say to her. [laughter]

BB: We can go off the record if you want to.

IR: No, no, no. Keep that on the record. She'll get a kick out of that.

BB: All right.

Chris Mills

IR: Millsy.

P: Millsy?

IR: Millsy. Biggsy. It's like hockey.

BB: Philly.

IR: Philly. Are you open to Bevy?

BB: Well, sometimes they call me "Bevy", yes. [laughter]

IR: My wife goes by "Roxie". You can't get a Y on Ian. I don't like "Iany". But, with Millsy, being on the air with him is like being on the back deck of my house having beers. You've got to watch what you say with him. We forget that we're on the air sometimes. We get carried away. We haven't been hauled in yet. He's just got this great sense of humour, this dry wit. It's like being on the air in a kitchen party. That can be dangerous sometimes.

We've done mornings at Kool, KIXX, and CJCH. We had a blast the few months of CJ when he filled in for Deb and I filled in for Brian Phillips. We'd shut the mics off and say, "Can you believe that we just said that?" [laughter].

BB: Let's hear your side of the story. There was one time on the air, on CJCH when he said "potchy fag". He reported [when I interviewed him] that you almost went off the road. What happened that morning?

IR: I was driving in on the 103 from home. I was a die-hard CJ listener. I was listening to the news. He was doing the weather. We all make mistakes. But, when you make a mistake, you just keep going. He just started losing it, and he started laughing. The "potchy fag" thing just cracked me up. He's got it in tape, and we have it on the computer at work. But, when I hear that, whenever there's fog in the forecast, and he brings in a new forecast for me on Kool, I ask him, "Is there any potchy fag in the forecast there, Chris?" He'll never really live that one down. That was priceless.

I called the CJ control room, the Hotline. Deb answered the Hotline. I said, "I just want to report that we got some potchy fag out here on the 103. Drive with care". [laughter]

We all have the ones that get away from us, and that's the one that got away from Millsy. A classic.

BB: You almost went off the road?

IR: Safely, though. I kept it between the lines. [chuckles]


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Is there a difference in how you broadcast on AM versus FM? Different content? Things you might say on FM you wouldn't dare say on AM?

IR: The other night I was on Q104, and I got to say, "Shitstorm". [chuckles]

BB: Yeah, I heard you.

IR: I can't get away with that on KIXX.

BB: Or most any FM station.

IR: No. The only time I can get away with dropping some stuff is on Q[104] between 9 and midnight, or after hours when it's voice tracked. We have disclaimers running that say, "The program you're listening to may contain language that is offensive to whomever".

BB: Deb Smith does those.

IR: Yes. Anyway, you are allowed to drop F-bombs if you want, but I dropped an S-bomb the other night just because it was such a crappy day with weather.

BB: Did you say that one can drop an F-bomb on the air?

IR: Yes.

BB: You can say the F-word on the radio?

IR: You can, with the disclaimer.

BB: Holy crap. I mean, holy shit!

IR: At certain times, because the disclaimer's running. Same as on television now. If you have a disclaimer, people complain. "Well, we have a disclaimer running".

But, to me, I'll drop an S-bomb, but as far as anything else, I won't go to that line because I'm on the other stations, so I really don't want people hearing me on Q dropping an F-bomb, and hear me on Kool the next day saying "darn" or "frig". There's a certain line.

And there's your reputation. I've been kicking around here for a while. I don't want people to think I'm a pottymouth. I mean, I am when the mic's off but... [chuckles] . On the air, you try to keep it clean.

But, there's different deliveries. Kool and C100 are more uptempo. It's kind of like a Top 40 delivery, where[as] on Q there's the rock delivery. A deeper delivery.

BB: And it's a conscious thing that you do, right?

IR: A conscious thing. You don't go on screaming on Q104. You're not the old rock jock from the 1970's. You're more conversational, talking-to-a-friend-on-the-phone kind of thing. "Did you hear about this? Paul McCartney's on the Grammies this weekend doing it with Dave Rholand of Foo Fighters". You still [have] the rock delivery.

Whereas, you go on KIXX, you're really folksy, conversational. When I'm on there with Stephanie Woodin, again, we have to watch what we say because she's like my big sister at radio. She's got me more gigs than I can count, from the CJ days to when we worked at MBS for a while, and now we're back together at KIXX.

Every station is different. You just try to focus, and try to deliver what they want for that format.

BB: What format would Ian Robinson speak in if he had the choice?

IR: Good question. I like them all. How's that for politically correct? [laughter]

BB: Which delivery is the closest to how you would normally speak to someone off the air?

IR: I'm pretty close with KOOL because it's the music that I grew up with listening to, and the music I work with the most. Not to say that I don't enjoy Q104, or don't enjoy C100. I really enjoy KIXX because I grew up listening to block programming in Sydney on CJCB. Jay Bedford was the country announcer, and here I get to work with his kid Zach Bedford on C100.

So, when I'm on KIXX, it's like I'm 12 years old again and listening to the radio playing the stuff that Jay played when they were hits. Even the stuff I played on Cape Country, CKEP in Sydney, I'll be rolling out an Alabama song that was a hit that I remember playing for the first time in 1983, '84, '85 or whatever. And here it is, classic country. So, on the one hand I feel that I'm getting old.

But, KIXX and KOOL are my favourite formats. And, of course, I can't forget the old CJ oldies format where that was just a blast to work that one. But, to answer your question: I enjoy them all. Politically correct radio guy!

But I'm too old for The Bounce. I'd put a hip out there if I go on there. [laughter].

BB: I'll go on the record and say that I'll listen to Z103.5 before I'll listen to that other station. And I do listen to Z103.5.

IR: Cogsy [Jeff Cogswell] does a good job on that.

BB: He does do a great job [So do Nikki and Shane!]. And he's a great guy. He was one of my interviews. I have to be supportive.

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What does a radio producer do? I'll see your facebook updates saying that you're producing something on Q104, or C100. And, of course, you were the producer of the Hotline for a while there, so what does that really mean?

IR: You're the quarterback for the broadcast. Even though people don't hear you, you are the lifeline to what is going out over the air. Later in the month, I'm producing the C100 radiothon for the Breakfast Club, so they're on location, and I'm back in the station pushing all the buttons and lining up all the interviews, making everything happen. If there's a phone call coming in for an interview that they have to do, I line all that up. I time out the hours and get everything jammed together.

BB: So, you're busy.

IR: It's busy. I operated the Q104 Sex Show a couple of weeks ago.

BB: You're blushing, Ian!

IR: Well, did you hear what happened?

BB: What I heard was that Scotty Mars was talking to a woman. She said, "Can you say what this is on the air?" He says, "Let's just call it a ring". [laughter]

IR: [chuckles]. That was one of the stories, but about twenty after one on Sunday afternoon, everything was going fine. I'm back to the station. We had had to pre-record all of those segments because you never knew what people were going to say. I edited out a few things. "Vibrating pussy pump"; I had to edit that out.

We're taping this interview with Scotty Mars. This lady brings over this high voltage sex wand and is going to zap him. To make a long story short, she plugs it into his broadcast electrical power. Scotty says, "How many settings do you have on that?" [She says] "Well, do you want to start at 3 or 4?" [Scotty says] "No, turn that Big Daddy up to 10!"

She cranks it up to 10, turns it on, and zaps Scotty, and blows our entire broadcast feed! The whole 5K line.

BB: Oh, my God.

IR: The sex wand blew the line off the air. The shit hit the fan. I'm back in the studio, and I had to go on the air. J.C.'s calling me. He says, "Go on [the air]. You anchor it. Get Scotty to do call in's. I wasn't prepared to go on the air. I'm just the producer, so to speak.

I had to grab a forecast, had to do this, had to do that. In the meantime, I have an engineer in one ear, Scotty in another phone, and J.C's. on the intercom saying, "Ian, phone me at home. What's going on here?"

Shit, man. There's too much stuff going on. So, I had to re-launch the broadcast, from our engineering rack. You have to call up the line again from the broadcast site. To make a long story short, for about 40 minutes, all Hell broke loose, all thanks to a sex wand and Scotty Mars. [laughter] You never know what you're up against, from one day to the next. But I think Scotty was happy. He went home with a smile on his face.

P: Thank God it didn't go to 11!

IR: I'm just glad I wasn't there [at the sex show]. Technically, you're called an op [short for operator], but I like to call it a producer because you're doing a Hell of a lot more than just op'ing. Especially when something goes for a dump on location, you've gotta have an announcer there [at the studio] to jump on [the air], instead of some kid who's just there pushing buttons. You can't get a teenager to go on the air and pull it off. It's another part of the business where you never know what's going to happen from one day to the next.

BB: That leads to another question, because CBC Radio 2 lately has been hiring non-broadcasters to do shows. I mean, Rich Terfry (Buck 65) and whatever that messo soprano's name is who does the mid day show on CBC Radio 2 [It is Julie Nesrallah]. These people are not announcers. They have this huge knowledge of this music, but they're supposed to be broadcasting. That seems [to be] the opposite approach to take. Instead of having broadcasters who have a broad depth of knowledge of music, it's the other way around. Do you ever hear these shows and think, "These people need some [broadcast] training here"? It's a little bit insulting to broadcasters, isn't it?

IR: I don't know if I'd call myself a veteran or not, but you look at the kids coming out of broadcast school today, and some of them that are on the air, and.... We had to fight tooth and nail to get to where we are. And then, there's the others that you made an example of [who] just fall into it. We had to pay our dues, so to speak. Then, there's others who, like the CBC kids, they just fall into it. How do they get these gigs, anyway? To me, it's frustrating. Give them credit; give them kudos. It's all being in the right place at the right time, and that's what it boils down to. I'm thankful for what I have.

You think back to when you were young, and think, "Wow! Why couldn't that happen to me?" [chuckles]

BB: Well, have you listened to those shows?

IR: I'm not a big CBC listener. My mother brought me up on CBC. I haven't heard too much of them, no.

BB: To me, it's insulting to professional broadcasters, not to have broadcasters doing these programs.

IR: That's it. It's all across the board. You look at tv as well. You see some of these kids on tv, and think, "Where the Hell did they get their training?"

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There have been times when you multi-task, working at more than one radio station in the same day. Have you ever mis-identified the station you were working at, at the moment? If not, what is your biggest on air mistake that you want to admit to?

IR: No potchy fag so far. I said "Kool" on C100 back in November. I was doing the Retro Request Sunday morning show, where it's basically a Kool format, so you've really got to watch it. I was introducing Godley and Creme's "Cry", which is a Kool format song. So, I'm trying to hit the post, which is like 2 seconds to the intro. I say, "Godley and Creme. Kool... stuff from C100 FM!" [laughter] So, I covered it over that way. Luckily, that's the only time on the air.

There've been a few pregnant pauses, especially when I'm on Q because I'm playing a song I'm familiar with on Kool. So, when I'm coming off a John Mellencamp song, or a David Bowie song, it, "Here on.... Q104, the home of rock and roll".

BB: There must be tags around the station.

IR: There's tags around the station, but you try to be so subconscious of it. That's one of the challenges of what I'm doing right now. People don't realize when you have one station to focus on, that's easy. You go in and do it. But when you're jumping around [it's more difficult]. I'm looking at my schedule for [February]. I just did Q104 this week. I'm scheduled for C100 tomorrow morning; I'm on standby to do the Retro Request '80's. Later in the week, I'm on Kool. The week after that I'm back on C100. And, at the end of the month, I'm back on KIXX. In the span of a month, I'm on 4 different stations. It takes a bit of focusing, but you can always put a call letter sign as big as bullshit in front of you to try to remember where you are.

I did say the wrong call letters on CJCH one time. I don't know where it came from. I grew up listening to CJCB. I was doing the Lunch Time with the Oldies on CJCH. I was coming up to a [commercial] break. I did the break. "Beatles, up next on CJCB!" I hit the commercial and thought, "Where the Hell did that come from? I haven't been there in 4 years". They were so close [in the alphabet], and all it takes is for one second of lapsing. I have that on tape somewhere. My wife calls me a packrat because I have kitbags full of air checks at home.

We all make screw ups, but you don't draw attention to your mistake. I remember Dave Reynolds teaching me this, years ago. "Keep going, just keep going, because if you draw attention to it, you'll bury yourself deeper.". Those words come to mind.

I'm not hoping for any potchy fag in the near future. Millsy!


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What have you not done in radio that you would like to?

IR: Well, I've always been the bride's maid and never the bride. I've backed up morning guys forever. I've been the back up morning guy for everybody like Brian Phillips, Gerry Lawrence, Kelly Latremouille, John Biggs, Frank Cameron, the list goes on. Griff Henderson, Frank Lowe...

BB: Everybody.

IR: Everybody. I'd like to get a chance, the opportunity to work the morning show, whether it's a three person morning show, or just me as the host with a co-host. I really enjoy doing mornings. It's a lot of fun. People say, "How can you get your butt out of bed at 3:30 or quarter to four in the morning?". But, your day is done by 11 o'clock, and you have the rest of the day to yourself. My wife loves it because I get to cook supper when I'm on mornings. [chuckles].

I'd love to get a crack at a morning gig. Whether it happens or not, I'm still thrilled to be the back up the big morning guys. "Phil Inn" is my nickname at the radio station. I walk in, and they say, "Who are you today, Phil?" [chuckles].

So, hopefully, someday it will be Ian doing the morning show with somebody somewhere.

BB: In Halifax, you hope?

IR: Yes. I have such roots here. I don't want to pull my kids out of here. I do 3, 4 gigs between radio, the Mooseheads, freelancing at Eastlink. I do the boxing with Taylor Gordon, so I can make a decent living doing this. I don't want to uproot and go to Calgary. I could go to Calgary. I could go to Vancouver, or somewhere in Ontario, but I'm a Maritimer. My wife's a Maritimer. There's something to be said about the atmosphere and the way of life here. Halifax is where I want to be.

BB: Fair enough.

IR: Oh, I forgot to say that doing mornings on a beach in Barbados or somewhere [would be nice]. That's where my wife and I got engaged, by the way. CJ sent me down to Barbados in the Fall of '90. We got engaged on a beach in Barbados with a bunch of listeners (they weren't there at the time!).

We took five listeners down, and their guests. It's a moonlit night. The power went out at our resort for some reason. So, I get down on one knee and say to Roxanne, "Roxanne, will you marry me?" She starts crying and says, "Oh, why the fuck did you have to do this for?" [gales of laughter]

BB: That's not what a guy wants to hear!

P: [convulsed in laughter]

IR: What do I say to that, right?

P: [to Bev] Now, aren't you glad I didn't say that on the air? [when I proposed to her on Rick's Hotline]

IR: You can use that if you want!

BB: That's a keeper. That's a classic. It's definitely going in.

IR: Obviously, I had to ask her again, and she said yes. Two kids, and 20 years later, we're still going at it.

So, whenever there's a proposal in a movie or someone's asking someone to marry them, I'll whisper in her ear, "What the fuck did you have to go and do this for?" [laughter all around]

So, she'll never live it down. It's good material. I can't use that one on the air, though. That's the only hard part.

BB: Well, after 9 o'clock on Q104, you could, I suppose.

IR: [laughter]


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OK, Ian. I've never done this before in my blog interviews. Lucky Number 7 for the interviews. I thought I'd have you ask me a question. We'll see how that works. I'm very nervous. I have no idea what you're going to ask me.

IR: Don't worry about it. I'll hold your hand. Because you and I have a big spot in our hearts for CJCH, I want to know: What is your favourite memory of the big 92 CJCH, of all time?

BB: Oh, my goodness. Well, I'll tell you my first one. It was probably April of 1977 when, uh, what the heck is his name? He filled in for Brian one summer when Brian was on vacation.

IR: Randy Dewell?

BB: Randy Dewell! He was involved in some kind of charity, and he was on the air for 24 hours straight, doing a radio show.

IR: I remember that!

BB: He did that a couple of times. That was my first memory of CJCH from when I was about 13 years old. I was in the Valley. I could just barely pick up CJCH; it was all crackly and everything else. That's my first [memory]
[Addendum: It was on the local news that evening, and I ran to my radio and found the station, and remained tuned in to CJCH from then, more-or-less, until it went off the air last year]

P: [begins to cough.]

BB: I woke up to that station every morning. I didn't like the station down there. I listened to CJCH as much as I possibly could. I certainly remember hearing Steve Murphy [doing the news] at the top of the hour, and Doug Reynolds doing the news at the bottom of the hour, and Brian Phillips in the middle. I listened to the Hotline as much as I was able to.

So, I'm not sure if I have a favourite memory. I just have a whole bunch of really pleasant memories. And, of course, the most unpleasant memory is when it went off the air last year, on May 30th. It was like losing, um,

IR: A death in the family, man.

BB: A death in the family. Losing an uncle. So, do I have a favourite memory of CJCH? No, but I have a whole bunch of really pleasant ones...

P: [Coughing becomes more insistant]

BB: ... although, come to think of it, the most memorable memory would be April 12, 2006 when I called into the Hotline and proposed to this beautiful young woman sitting next to you.

IR: [laughter] That's what I thought your answer was gonna be originally!

BB: So, I have a bunch of very pleasant memories, and proposing to Patricia very much floats to the top. I have 30 years of memories of CJCH radio, and meeting you is up there as well, Ian.

IR: Oh, stop!

BB: I have the show on cd, by the way.

IR: Oh, it's a classic!

BB: Did you hear it?

IR: I heard the last hour. Terry Purcell, our CJ producer, burned off the last hour, and I listen to it in the car once in a while. The last time I talked to Rick, he said he still wasn't able to listen to it.

BB: You're embellishing that one a little bit, but I appreciate the kind words!

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We reconvened for a special half hour chat on February 15, 2009, at the local Tim Horton's. He wouldn't let me pay for his coffee.

BB: I was transcribing the [original] interview, and you mentioned how 9/11 was your worst day on the air. You were working at Maritime Broadcasting at either CHNS or Country 101. Tell me about that day.

IR: I was doing drive on Country 101, now FX 101.9. It was a typical day that started off like any other. I got the kids off to school. I got my wife off to work. Our oldest guy was just in Grade One back then. Our youngest guy was getting ready to go to the sitter. I can still remember where [I was] when I first heard that news, because it was such a critical moment in history. My littlest guy was getting a pack of raisins out to go to the sitter's. He was only two, two-and-a-half at the time. The phone rang. My wife was at ATV (now CTV Atlantic) at the time. She said, "Turn on your tv". I turned on the tv and she said that something was happening in New York. Like anybody, we thought a plane had collided into the building by accident.

Suddenly, you're watching the tv and see the second plane go in, and all Hell breaks loose. I realized that I'd better get to work. I called my folks to tell them to watch it. My mother-in-law called.

I got off to work. I dropped off my youngest son off at the sitter. I was usually in around 10:30 or 11 o'clock to do my shift. When I arrived, CHNS was voicetracked by Mike Cranston. Mike is also trying to do his news director duties and keep updates going on [CHNS]. The ops manager at the time, Mike Halverson, said, "Would you mind going live on Oldies?" I said sure. We pulled the plug on all the automated programming on Oldies and I went live on midday at CHNS. Darryl Goode would do updates at the top and the bottom of the hour from the newsroom. He would feed me all the latest information.

Then, my wife called me and said that her brother Alden, who is a pilot out of Vancouver, was apparently in New York! That brought a close family tie into this whole tragedy. I'm on the air and trying to keep focused. About an hour later, we found out that my brother-in-law had taken the red eye out of New York on another plane. He got out at 4am, 5am, New York time, back to Vancouver. He was safe at home, but for a couple of hours we didn't know if he was involved in this mess or what the whole story was. It was a little chaotic.

I got that out of mind, and then I had to focus on [how] this was one of the biggest tragedies in North American history. This is unfolding with you on the air at the same time. With the Oldies format, they're always uptempo and happy and [energetic]. One of the saddest days of your career, and you have to re-focus everything. At first you start looking at the music log and see, "American Woman". Gotta yank that. And, you look at all these other songs as did all these other radio stations across the country and North America, to make sure that the songs they were playing weren't reflecting what was happening in front of us.

Through doing that I finished up the mid day shift on Oldies, and then I had to go do my normal shift (2-7pm) at Country 101. I literally finished at one studio at five to two, and at 2 o'clock go over to the other studio to jump on the air over there.

BB: Was this on Barrington Street, or had you moved to Sackville Street by then?

IR: This was Sackville Street, Sovereign Place, 5121. I sit in the chair, I look up at my screen, and the first song I see kicking off my 2 o'clock hour was Travis Tritt's "It's A Great Day To Be Alive". We had a touch screen. Counting down to the song, I did some fancy manouevering with the touch screens to delete that song and get another, more appropriate song, in. Again, in Country, you have to watch what you're playing because any patriotic, U.S. songs which Country is known for, you have to stick handle around that. I also had to delete Brooks and Dunn's "Only in America".

We stayed live on 101 until 7. The drive guy on Country 101 did evenings [voicetracked] on CHNS. And, vice versa, Tony Smith, the drive guy at CHNS, did evenings on 101. I had to stick around to do some more live updates, because the planes were landing in Halifax at that time. You had to put in some live updates there to keep people up-to-date. All in all, it was quite a traumatic day. Next to the Hotline's final broadcast, [9/11] was a pretty tough day.

To put it in perspective, the most emotional day ever, because it was local, was CJ and doing the final day of the Hotline. The last half hour, there wasn't a dry eye in the place. Especially me, trying to keep it together for Rick and Deb. You had all these cameras and people calling you from every angle of the Hotline core listenership. We had everybody from Hotline listeners to politicans to celebrities calling Rick on the Hotline. It was two of the biggest days of my career that I remember for being the most emotional.

BB: As a follow up: Generally speaking, how hard is it to be upbeat and professional when maybe you're not in a good mood to begin with? Maybe there's something going on in your life that is bringing you down a little bit, but you have to go on the air and [be upbeat and positive]. How do you do that? How do you reach into your psyche and pull out happy stuff when maybe you're not in a good mood anyway?

IR: Again, I relate back to when I started out at CJCB in Sydney at CKPE. Dave Reynolds taught me this advice. He said, "You're an actor". That always stuck with me. You could be having the worst day. Your dog could have been hit by a car. You could have been in an accident. As long as it's not life-threatening, you have to go in there and perform. You could have broken up with your girlfriend that day, or night, [but] you have to be professional. You could be having the crappiest day, and you still have to go on the air and turn it on. Not with every job can you do that.

That's where being in this radio business separates the 9 to 5 jobs from the radio jobs where you have to be an actor and be a professional. You have to put your personal life on the side and do your job and focus.

BB: There must be days when it's hard to do that.

IR: I had a fender bender last summer [chuckles]. I had to go over and pick up my rig. I was doing drive at KOOL. I picked it up at the mechanic's. I just walked over from the radio station. Driving back (I was on the air at 3, and this was around 2:30), this eighteen wheeler does a roll back and lands on the hood of my van. I'm on the air at 3!

You're pissed off to the tenth power. I had to go on the air. Nobody knew what was happening. In the background, I'm on the phone with the insurance people. I turn the mic on, [and say], "96.5 Kool FM. We play anything. Here's Madonna. Sunshine and 25 degrees. Great looking day. Kool FM. " Then, I shut the mic off and say, "That son of a bitch rolled back on me!" [laughter]. And I'm still trying to get the frigging insurance to fix it! [laughter]

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Wrap Up:

Ian, thank you very much for doing this. We really appreciate your time, and tearing you away from your loving family for a couple of hours.

IR: No sweat. Thanks for the clubhouse!


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For more amazing interviews, keep checking out Bevboy's Blog! A couple more are in the works!
For my past interviews:


If you want to read my interview with Deb Smith, click here.


The J.C. Douglas interview is here.


The Dawn Sloane interview can be found here.


And don't forget about the Jeff Cogswell interview!


The previous interview was with Rob Johnson!

The interview with Chris Mills is right here!




More interviews are in the works, so keep your browser pointed to... Bevboy's Blog!

684th Post - The Final Score

The Halifax Rainmen lost to The Quebec Kebs 95 to 78.

Good game. What I understood at least.




Bev
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683rd Post - Half Time Fun

My friend Jeff Cogswell explaining the rules of the half time activities.


Bev
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682nd Post - Halifax Rainmen Blogging

To prove that I am here.

I have no idea what is happening on the court. I have to cheer for Halifax but can't figure out which team that is.

There is a sphere of some kind that they throw around and bounce on the floor all in an effort to have the ball in some kind of a basket that has a hole in the bottom. The ball just falls through and play resumes.

What fools these mortals be!


Bev
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681st Post - Happy Valentine's Day

Had a good day. Slept in. Visited Patricia in the afternoon, returning home about 10pm local time. It is now about 10:30.

Bought some stuff for my freezer today. Had some left over frozen meatballs which I tried to transfer from my fridge freezer to the big one downstairs, the one that contains the Hallowe'en candy from 2008 (maybe some from 2007, too!). I placed the meatballs, still in the cardboard container, on a ledge while I arranged other things in the freezer. Newbie came along, nudged the box enough to knock it onto the floor, sending the meatballs all over the office floor. Unable to cook them now, I tossed them out. Thanks, Newbie. Appreciate that I'll getcha for that, buddy.

Having coffee Sunday morning with my latest interview subject, a little follow up interview. And in the afternoon, Patricia and I are attending a Halifax Rainmen game. They are in an actual basketball league this year, not the stupid bush league they were in last season. Last year, they played against teams that might not show up, or the wrong team would arrive in Halifax, or whatever. One dumbass thing after another. I don't really follow basketball, or any sport for that matter; but the odd b-ball game is fun.

Have a good evening, gentle reader.

Bev
P.S. Any meatballs at home you don't want?

680th Post - It's So Close

I received some feedback from my latest interview subject today. He asked for a couple of typos to be fixed. We'll have a quick meeting on Sunday morning to go over a few last minute changes. I'll make those changes to the interview, and it will go up here, maybe as soon as Sunday evening.

Patricia and I went out to dinner tonight after work. It was a combination Happy Valentine's Day/Our Ordeal The One I Can't Talk About on the Blog May Nearly Be Over, dinner. It was at a place called the Five Fishermen, which is right downtown. Good grub. Good time. Good company.

Tomorrow is the big day. We'll stay close to home. Probably watch a movie or 3. Looking forward to it.

Bev

679th Post - I Can Hardly Wait!

I am a few episodes behind watching The Sarah Connor Chronicles. But, starting on February 13th, they're running that show and Dollhouse back-to-back on Fox.

Sarah Connor is a very good show;it got buried on Monday nights. Rather than cancel it, it has been moved to Friday night and paired with this new show, which looks awesome, too.

Here's an official trailer for the 2 shows. I love the Grindhouse quality!

More later.

Bev

678th Post - Isn't He Too Old?

Ron Howard, lately a film director, turned to some old friends when he did a brief return to acting in 2008.

Don't believe me?

I'm hurt.

Really. I am hurt.

Ron Howard's Call To Action from Ron Howard

677th Post - Another Long Night

Spent over 3 hours tonight transcribing and proof reading the latest blog interview. I just sent the first draft to my subject a few minutes ago. Another question occurred to me while I was proofreading this evening, and I asked him if it would be all right for us to meet again for me to ask him that question officially. It is the kind of question that really needs to be asked, and I have never asked a radio person that question before. We'll see if he says if it's ok for us to meet. It will take him a while to go over the stuff I sent him this evening, though. And it will take me a week or two for my fingerprints to grow back!

If you're disappointed in the brevity of some of the recent blog posts, please keep in mind that this is probably my longest interview yet. I spend most of my evenings doing this, leaving little time to conceive, write, research a longer post. Sorry about that.

My father was rushed to hospital this morning, again. Long story, but he's back home now.

Off to bed!!

Bev

676th Post - Just a Quickie

Need to get back to work on the transcription of the most recent interview, so here is a link to a very interesting article about the origins of some of the original Muppets characters.

Check it out.

You're welcome.

Bev

675th Post - Ouch!

Returned to the gym this evening, after work. My new personal fitness trainer, Liam, had me lifting weights and working on building up my upper body strength. That is a problem avec moi, and I hope to overcome it over the next few months. He did have me do some cardio as well. My legs are out of shape from the days when I could do an hour long spin class, not many years ago. It will all come back again. Just give me some time.

Spent about 2 hours today, during my lunch hour, and after work, and just now, transcribing the latest blog interview. I am perhaps 30-40% finished. Once finished, I'll play back the whole thing from top to bottom, correcting as many errors as I can, before I send the first draft off to my subject for his corrections and changes. I am still on track for the interview to go up here sometime next week. I know you'll like this interview! There are places where our laughter nearly drowned out what our subject was saying, and I had to play those pieces over and over again. And, as a hint of things to come, after this interview, I may have a new nickname!

Time for the Jack Bauer show.

Good night.

Bev

674th Post - Listen While You Can

I have been hearing rumours that 89.9 Hal FM will soon be no more. Some time over the next few weeks, they will switch formats away from classic rock to oldies. Which makes more sense because A) CHNS on the AM side was an oldies station for years and years; and B), when CJCH flipped to FM last year, they abandoned that format, leaving that segment of the population interested in that music with not a lot to listen to.

It's a shame, really, because Hal FM has become more and more listenable in recent months. While still playing classic rock, it is not the same hoary stuff that the average person is sick of listening to.

Had a quiet day. Visited Patricia today and had a nice dinner, after which I took a two hour nap. Yes, I'm still recovering from my cold.

I am not going to tell you, yet, who my latest blog interview was. We had lunch on Saturday, speaking for about two hours! I will tell you that it's the funniest interview I've done, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with you. I think you'll enjoy it. Expect it up here in the next ten days or so.

Bev

673rd Post - Almost Human

The title of this post is my tip of the hat to KISS, the glitzy rock group that will be playing the Halifax Commons this summer. It is a song from their 1977 release called "Love Gun". The more fool me, when I was a kid and won that album off Annapolis Valley Radio that summer, I had no idea that the title track was a reference to a particular part of the male anatomy. Similarly, a jaunty tune called "Rocket Ride" from KISS Alive II is not actually a song about a ride on a rocket, at least in the context of the type of rocket that goes up into outer space and unleashes satellites and cosmonauts and the like. As I have stated before, I have a lot of problems with metaphors. Frig, if something is something, I take people's word for it, you know? When people say something is something, I am not mentally equipped to deal with it in any kind of metaphorical or poetical context. Just don't bother.

No, I will not be attending the KISS concert. The guy I interviewed for the blog today is in the vicinity of my age and was a fan of KISS back in the day as well. However, for many of the same reasons I cited, he won't be going, either. We don't feel like standing up for 8 or 10 hours or whatever the duration of the concert will be. And we don't feel like springing the extra bucks for a V.I.P. seat. Also, and this is my opinion, the whole thing is like a pig in a poke right now, because we don't even know who else will performing ahead of KISS.

(Waitaminnit! Isn't "pig in a poke" a metaphor? Aaarrggh!)

Getting back to me for a moment, I blogged over the last 2 days, as you will notice from the previous entries. However, they are exceedingly brief entries. They were all I could manage while I was sick. I was so out of it, that I forgot what the current post number was. When I logged on this evening, I fixed those earlier posts.

Obviously, I am feeling better today. Still not 100%, but I'll be able to function again tomorrow, and certainly be able to return to work on Monday. I know my readers at work have been worried about me. Sure. Right.

As I stated above, I interviewed my latest person for the blog today. He was great fun, and I look forward to sharing this interview with you as soon as I transcribe it. I will start that process this evening, chipping away at it over the next several days.

Think I'll surf the web for a few minutes, listen to what strange combinations of music my mp3 player in shuffle mode will concoct for me, and start on the transcription.

Bevboy

672nd Post - Still Sick

Took another sick day today. Slept all day.

Still plan to interview the next subject for the Blog.

Hope I am better soon.

Bev
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671st Post - Put me Out of My Misery

Hi. Feel like crap tonight. Missed work today and will likely miss it tomorrow.

Kill me now. Please!

Bev
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670th Post - Sick

Had physiotherapy this morning. Went to work.

Picked up a cold from somebody over the last few days. It is catching up to me. Feel pretty crappy tonight.

Ripping a few cd's before going to bed.

May take a sick day tomorrow if I don't feel better in the morning.


Bev
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669th Post - Bev's Latest Purchase

It seems that I am single-handedly keeping the consumer electronics market going in Halifax. In the last number of weeks, I have purchased a new digital camera, an sd card to go along with it; a new computer, which I am using right now; a new digital voice recorder to replace the one that failed me in January; and now...

A portable mp3 player with built-in FM tuner.

It is an RCA lyra model TC1604. It has 4gb of flash memory, holding about 1200 songs (I download a lot of podcasts, so that will be quite a few fewer files). The fm tuner is nice and allows me to record directly from the station I'm tuned to, to the flash memory, creating a wav file (wish it were wma or mp3 instead). I can record voice memos. There is an audio book option, really a folder on the device that is designed to hold audio books from this website. And a coupon that comes with the player entitles me to 50 free music downloads from this here website.

There is a micro sd slot allowing me to add a card for additional storage if I want or need it. What is the largest micro sd card you can get now? 8gb? 12? Not sure.

I got this remarkable device for about 40 dollars. It was on sale, and is cheaper than the corresponding 2gb version of the player.

I bought this because I have been unable to find my 10 year old walkman for the last couple of days. It will probably turn up, but I missed having a radio or tunes to listen to on the bus or whilst walking around. I was reduced to listening to a discman on the bus this morning, which is big and awkward. This new machine is only slightly larger than a folded-up jackknife and contains a built-in usb connector!

I hope this is the final piece of electronics I buy for a while.

Although, those e-readers sure do look nice!

Bevboy


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