Which Way Is Up?

Every day you read the trades ... or watch the regular news for that matter ... and you shake your head. So many things changing and at times, it is very distressing.

From the "experts" trying to predict what Millenials want to "experts" telling you about Presidential Polls and why radio in the future doesn't need to be LIVE...

Are you all buying these big brains who have it all figured out? On the LIVE radio thing: Okay, we pre-tape it all, make it sound smooth and perfect ... Then a tornado warning is issued for your community or an 18-wheeler explodes out on I-4 going through downtown ... You are fiddling while Rome burns.

Radio is in a mess! It's there because it fired the overnight people ... then the night people ... then the midday people ... God forbid you hear a live weekend show of anyone interactive with anything from 6p Friday to 5a Monday.

These over-leveraged owners operating "in the public interest" have put 50,000-watt radio stations in hall closets and created five stations ghost radio pods on autopilot during much of the week...

The kids listen to streams ... live radio is all that's left if you are trying to sell advertising to someone breathing and with money! Live is immediacy like on 9/11 ... like LIVE concert music there is nothing like it. A live football game (ever seen a next day tape ... who cares!).

Charlotte has the smell of tear gas as I write this ... These are very unsettled times from any point on the compass. The Country that accepted the Beatles two months after mourning a murdered President. Timing and the mood had a lot to do with that phenomenon.

Right now ... Look at that Scott Borchetta go with Aaron Lewis! Anyone see that one coming? You would have if you were awake and listening. Just one other thing to show you that things are hardly predictable these days.

Billy Gilman getting a second life on "The Voice." Anyone see that one coming? If you are a current major artist touring with healthy crowds at your shows, how do you change the formula?

Chasing trends isn't what got most of these stars where they are now. Following the leader is the dead end road Bro-Country was going down until those trendsetters began changing their style. And wisely ...

Anyone think "Hamilton," the play, would be the rage in 2016? Or "Hello Dolly" with Bette Midler having a nine million dollar pre-sale?

"Eight Days a Week" on the big screen at the new and improved Nashville Belcourt. It's really good on Hulu but on the big screen, it was amazing. See it if you can. Ron Howard did a brilliant job on a much-mined subject.

You learn that success is not all that it's cracked up to be. Extreme anything is bad for you. You learn that practice makes perfect. You learn every story has an ending. You may not know it at the time but products have a shelf life.

The Beatles are still getting my money in 2016 ... That is one long repeat run at the checkout stand ... 178 million sold per RIAA ... and most of you I bet bought the same product more than once or twice!

They didn't set out to be forever but they are. Millenials are finding their music as the other generations have for over 50 years.

Go ahead and pre tape your radio shows ... research to death the audience tastes. Just watch as someone will come along like a fresh breeze and blow you into the sky.

Magic and the X Factor were a huge part of the Beatle formula ... timing ... brotherhood and a desire to be at the Top of the Charts. Dreaming big...

That's all the secret stuff ... the secret sauce ... It's never been about perfection and being sterile ... It's about community and looking over the fence at your neighbor.

Figure out life -- get out and live ... then you can figure out the rest.