Video Killed the Radio Star

Are you familiar with the song by that name? A friend had no idea what I was talking about the other day.

  

MTV premiered with this one hit wonder in 1981. Did we have MTV at my house? No. To this day my parents do not have cable. No satellite. Just broadcast TV. They did upgrade to a digital set a few years ago. Given the current trend to “cut the cord” … and a cost-benefit analysis of paid television service … I’m not sure I’d recommend otherwise.

A lack of cable in the 1980s could result in one being considered uncool. Or just rural. I remember watching MTV at random get-togethers and slumber parties at friends’ houses. We’d buy vinyl albums of the artists we really liked and play them on our parents’ big ol’ stereo consoles. Some of which also played 8-track tapes.

“Video Killed the Radio Star” represents change to me. Changing times. Changing technology. The dawn of an era. An era that at this point has kind of gone away.

So. 

Last week I was on the radio. Internet radio. Talk about changing times and technology and eras.

My friend Sue has been connected with Final Flight Radio for some time. The show recently went online-only but has been around in a broadcast format for decades. They play classic Christian rock. I’m talking Stryper and Petra, people. Get excited! There’s a good variety, and the second hour includes newer selections. We are told that back in the day Rich Mullins liked to stop by the station when he was in town. His favorite thing was to read the weather report. Sounds about right.

Sue reached out to Final Flight a few weeks ago to gauge their interest in helping promote “Brennan”. To our delight, they enthusiastically jumped on board. They have been promoting the movie for several weeks, and they will be at the April 30 screening in Pickerington, Ohio.

They also scheduled an interview with Sue last week. Being that we work together with Color Green Films, I was invited to tag along. I said ahead of time I wasn’t sure if they were putting a mic in front of me or if I was just in charge of spreading sunshine and grace. Didn’t matter to me either way.

I met Sue at her house and rode along to the in-home studio at an undisclosed location in central Ohio. If you’ve ever heard of any of our “ragadventures”, navigating – and I use that term loosely – through the mountains of western Pennsylvania for example, you might not be surprised by some of the happenings along the way to the studio. I speak only hypothetically of course, but it’s possible that while navigating – again a loose term – through several turns and winding subdivision streets … it is possible that the following conversation was had:

“I don’t want to alarm you, but do you realize you just blew a stop sign back there?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I checked for traffic. I would have screamed if any cars were coming.”

Not the stop sign we blew. But this is my pic. Excuse me, allegedly blew.

We arrived safely and on time and unscathed. Dinner was first, with a lovely and fun group of people. Then on to the show and Sue’s interview. And then they put a mic in front of me.

My view in the studio.

I’m really happy with how the interview turned out. You can catch it here. It will be on a continuous loop at the web site this week, and if you download the app you can listen to archived shows on demand. (I’ve downloaded the app, and I like it.) Look for the first hour of the 4/9/16 program.

P.S. Yours truly may be responsible for the dc Talk selection.

It was largely a Ragamuffin-themed weekend. In addition to the radio show … and the insanity that is my life right now … home reno, don’t even get me started … I did some movie promo around town ... and then …

Sunday I met up with friends for dinner and a “Brennan” screening. We almost were late for the start of the movie. Reason one … we were ministering to our server, who was awesome and good at his job, by the way. Reason two … um, well … we sort of dead reckoned our way to the church.

J

A legal (!!!) u-turn by multiple vehicles may have been involved. It was a most interesting parade. Poor Nigel, my hot British GPS dude, was feeling a little out of sorts as it was, but I might need to whip up some tea and crumpets to apologize for the trauma. At least – praise Jesus – the skies did not open up until after we safely arrived. Travel home on a dark and stormy night was, um, interesting, but everyone arrived home safely.

The dawn of a new era. It happens all the time. Good. Bad. Indifferent.

Well, we had high hopes for the weeping cherry. And then it snowed. 

I'd tell Reading Angel to keep looking up, but she might get snow in her eyes. 

For more thoughts on Video, Radio, and Stars from my writing partners, see Sue Bowles at bebold7.wordpress.com and Leisa Herren at life4inga.blogspot.com.

Bright lights swing across the road

But no one seems to know

Just where I'll put my feet down next

Brown eyes, come with me tonight

You could be my Bonnie

And I will be your Clyde

I know who I am, my dear

I'm a wanted man

The world I see looks good from here

Right from where I stand

Together we could disappear

I'm a wanted man

So come and get me

You know we are so alive

That even if they kill us

We would never die

I know who I am, my dear

I'm a wanted man

The world I see looks good from here

Right from where I stand

Together we could disappear

I'm a wanted man

So come and get me

Hey, hey, I am on the run

Because of what I've done

My mistakes are stacked a mile high

I know who I am, my dear

I'm a wanted man

The world I see looks good right here

Right from where I stand

Together we could disappear

Cause I'm a wanted man

I know who I am my dear

I'm a wanted man

So come and get me

~ NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Wanted Man”