Bob Lefsetz on XM & Lee Abrams
"What kind of moron listens to that shit."
Lee Abrams on an Ethel listener stumbling on Willie's Place.
I want you to go to: leeabrams.blogspot.com. On the right hand side of the page, under "Multimedia", under "Lee Abrams On XM Diversity", click on "High" if you've got broadband, and "Low" if you're still stuck in the dialup age.
Passion. It's not something you hear much about anymore. Certainly not from corporate execs. At best you get it from fans. But nobody gives a shit about these fans. They're too busy playing to Wall Street, lining their wallets with bucks. Remember when you were ADDICTED to the radio? Lee Abrams does too.
Forget the terrestrial bands. So focused grouped and researched as to appeal to people who don't even exist. It's all about commercials. When there isn't a single soul alive who loves those spots. Satellite is a new beginning. It's just that too many people say they refuse to pay for radio and wonder how good can it be anyway?
Really damn good. This is an e-mail I got today, unsolicited:
John Van Nest:
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it in different ways...
I have a six hour drive to Phoenix for the Thanksgiving holiday next week. Some people wouldn't like that drive, because there's not too much to see along the way.
But me? I LOVE the drive because it gives me an uninterrupted 6-hour listen to my XM Radio!
I already can't wait for the drive home, too!
The passion just oozes off the screen. This guy didn't want to sell me something, he just wanted to let me know about what he was INTO!
Last June in Lee Abrams' office, I saw a chart. And upon asking Lee what it was about, I was confronted with a ten minute rap, that was FASCINATING!
Lee had no notes. God, he didn't even check his MENTAL notes. Emanating from his lips was THEORY, insight I don't possess myself, that was ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! Lee got it. That people like me need to be RESPECTED! That when you tell me about the upcoming gigs you're INSULTING ME, because I ALREADY KNOW!
I told Lee to videotape his presentation.
This is it.
I'm not completely happy with it. Because it's toned down for public consumption. It doesn't contain enough of Lee's mad GENIUS!
Lee can barely pay attention. His mind is always three steps ahead, working out what's yet to come. He's the POSTER BOY for A.D.D. He's working on a million things at once. But if you know people with Asperger's, people with A.D.D., frequently they're GENIUSES in one area. Lee Abrams is a genius radio programmer. He loves radio.
Remember when you loved radio? Remember when radio used to be about breaking new acts? Remember when you had to tune in to know what was going on? THAT'S the kind of radio Lee Abrams programs. And he's in charge at XM once again. His vision plays.
And his vision is about setting program directors FREE! Inspiring them to get in touch with that inner tuning fork, that got THEM excited about music, made THEM need to go into radio. He wants them to throw off the bullshit. Kind of like Pete Townshend, he's imploring them to put forth the REAL ME!
The audio is too low on this clip. So crank up your speakers (and turn off your e-mail warning chimes, otherwise your head will blow up) and listen.
DON'T e-mail me about how XM won't succeed. Don't e-mail me how Lee Abrams ruined rock radio. I want you to watch this less for what it represents than for the CONCEPTS!
In an age when everything is dumbed down, when it's a badge of dishonor to think, when if everybody can't understand it,= the corporation isn't interested, Lee Abrams is being all he can be, trying to come up with what will resonate with ALL of America's radio listeners. Watch him. You'll learn a few things. |
