My thoughts on the demise of WAAF...

My thoughts on the demise of WAAF

Well, WAAF certainly has gotten more mentions this past week than it has in the last 10 years or so. I was one of the few who did actually still listen to it. But the part that makes me the saddest about the fall of the last rock station in Boston is losing Bay State Rock, the local music show run by Carmelita for the last 30+ years. I won my first concert tickets ever from Carmelita during a BSR show. The band was Flesh. I’m pretty sure I still have a cassette recording somewhere of me winning and claiming the tickets on-air.

After recording our first cassette as “Living In Exile”, I submitted the tape to BSR for airplay. It was acoustic so it was a long shot for airplay. I came home one day to my answering machine light flashing. The message was from Carmelita herself (!) She told me she had found the cassette, listened to it and loved it. And while it wasn’t the right genre for airplay, it showed real promise and that I should keep sending her music. I saved that message on my answering machine until the machine itself died. I listened to it often to keep me going through those many moments of self-doubt one encounters in the music biz.

For someone who was so immersed in the music biz, who receives hundreds of submissions and requests for airplay, to take time out to personally call a young songwriter with such an encouraging message truly illustrates how much Carm cares about the music scene. I’ve encountered many many dis with not nearly the amount of cred Carmelita possesses, who treated me as if I were wasting their time.

My first on-air radio performance was on BSR back in the 90’s. I was terrified to say the least. I was left in the studio to play my 3-4 songs live on air after our interview with Carmelita’s beautiful but terrifying Doberman sitting on my toes and staring at me through the whole thing. Over the years BSR has played my recorded music, replayed my live performances and listed my shows. I’m eternally grateful to Carmelita for giving me that first bit of confidence and for our mutual love of all things dog. I hope she finds a new home for Bay State Rock. The music scene needs her more than ever. Wherever she lands, I’ll be listening and you should too.