RAMP (Radio and Music Pros) LAUNCHES NOW
I had two tours of duty in radio and one tour of duty in the record business in the daze before working at MTV/VH1 and launching My Damn Channel.
There's never a doubt that the music you first heard through the radio played as much a part of creating who you are as the food you ate. In some fashion, you are what you hear.
But radio and the music business has been taking it on the chin for years. Layoffs have been brutal. When the legendary industry trade Radio & Records was shut down after 36 years, more of our friends hit the beach. It was time to put some of the bitching and moaning aside (not all of it) and launch RAMP.
Kevin Carter, Keith Berman & Steve Resnik are the artists formerly known as Street Talk Daily. Their unique brand of accurate reporting - laced with snark and laffs - covers every hot story inside radio and music.
Weekday mornings - before the crack of dawn - RAMP delivers an e-mail blast with news breaking now. If you're a Radio and Music Pro, sign up for a free subscription now at RAMP@MyDamnChannel.com.
RAMP is ad supported by our friends in the music business dedicating to getting new sounds into the ears of radioheads who bring new music to humankind.
The RAMP website is an extra shot in the arm to give My Damn Channel fans access to music videos and to videos made by the best air talent in radio. Videos will promote and link back to bands and radio stations. Find the kitty now at www.MyDamnChannel.com/RAMP
Senior Editor Kevin Carter, his "Evil Minion" Keith Berman, Sales Pro Steve Resnik, and scantilly-clad operators are standing by to take your submissions: RAMP@MyDamnChannel.com.
Posted in
My Damn Channel with tags
My Damn Channel,
Spärhusen,
Easy To Assemble,
Illeana Douglas,
IKEA,
RAMP,
Radio and Music Pros,
Harry Shearer,
Don Was,
Stella,
Grace Crashers,
Keanu Reeves,
Paul McCartney,
Knights of the Round Table on 9/13/2009 7:39:46 PM by Rob Barnett
Those 3 tired words are decades old but Hollywood hopes they help you fall in love
with new shows.
We put quotes around our "new fall season" - knowing we can't fool you into love - but hoping it feels just a little funnier that way.
In two years, we’ve birthed 25 channels of music and comedy…working with
artists we love. We think you’ve taught us how to get talent and new
series worthy of your evil eye.
Help us buy another bag of chips for lunch!
Share the
full press release.
Share these links to our New Series:
Spärhusen
Easy To Assemble: Co-Worker of The Year
Knight Shift
RAMP (Radio And Music Pros)
Harry Shearer: Greed and Fear
Don Was: The Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music (Season 3)
Stella Live in Boston
Unwigged & Unplugged: An Evening with Christopher Guest, Michael
McKean and Harry Shearer
Animation Block (Season 2)
Grace Crashers Presented by Southern Comfort
New Stars:
Illeana Douglas
Keanu Reeves
Ask A Ninja
Sir Paul McCartney
Rob Mailhouse
Sir Sean Connery
Todd Spahr
Sir Richard Branson
Wallace Langham
Ryan Hunter
Taige Jensen
Sir Ben Kingsley
Jeff Goldblum
Stephen Hawking
Brad O’Farrell
Justine Bateman
Tom Arnold
Sir Elton John
Kevin Carter
Keith Berman
Steve Resnik
Prince William
The Queen
Ed Begley Jr.
Craig Bierko
Kevin Pollak
Sidney Poitier
Jane Lynch
Cheri Oteri
Ricki Lake
Tim Meadows
Dave Ahdoot
Daryl Sabara
Eric Lange
Posted in
Radio with tags
WBCN,
radio,
My Damn Channel,
Boston on 7/18/2009 5:34:21 AM by Rob Barnett
Famous deaths surround us these past few weeks. The nature of heat and fame create imagined personal connections to a legendary news oracle, to a Pop King, or a Pin-up angel. But this time, it's personal.
The death of WBCN is a painful loss felt deeply by everyone of us directly influenced by its greatness.
Every music fan whose ears and taste were shaped by the artists, songs and albums heard on 104.1 lost a friend.
Don't believe everything you hear from Spinal Tap. Boston IS a college town. If you've ever called this city "home," you owe respect and appreciation for the fun, the spirit and the sounds that BCN put into Boston.
My first college internship was at BCN. I remember the intense electric feeling as my heart beat way too fast on the first night inside that studio. That internship was the first step onto a path chasing dreams. I'll always be grateful.
If you're a fellow mourner, do you accept all the nice nice talk about change being inevitable, or can you imagine a new kind of radio powerful enough to make hearts beat way too fast?
Seth Godin once said that one of the problems with radio in the modern age is that it should no longer be called "radio."
What would we call it?
How could we forge a new model for "radio" with the honesty, passion, brains and balls to a co-create a business too powerfully protected by its fans and artists to be stopped?
Where would you launch such a thing?
Just asking.
Posted in
Don Was,
Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music with tags
Don Was,
Nicole Sandler,
Stand By Me,
Air America,
Radio or Not,
Was (Not Was),
Andy,
Jon Bon Jovi,
Richie Sambora,
John Shanks,
My Damn Channel,
Ben E. King,
Wasmopolitan,
July 4th on 7/4/2009 6:50:15 AM by Rob Barnett
Happy 4th!
The method to our madness at My Damn Channel has always been simple. We put independent artists we love & trust in charge of their own channels to bring you free comedy & music.
Don Was conjured up mighty free magic with the release of "Stand by Me," a new version of the Ben E. King classic - made for the people of Iran - by Iranian superstar Andy, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, John Shanks, Don Was & friends.
"Stand by Me" is only one week old today and we're closing in on the first million views worldwide! THANK YOU for sharing this song and video and free mp3 and for moving it across continents and into Iran.
Here's the first, in-depth interview with Don about how this all came about by Nicole Sandler. (giving me trouble on IE - fine on Safari?! - must need more beer)
Nicole has one of the most impressive careers in radio. She's broadcast on some of the best music radio stations across the country. A true music fan with fine taste. You can find Nicole talking music, politics and more on Air America and we also recommend her blog at RadioOrNot.com.
Nicole spoke with Don Was about putting together the "Stand by Me" project - about Was (Not Was) - and about creating, producing and curating the Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music here on My Damn Channel.
I'm listening to Adam Carolla online in NY this morning. I'm filled with sadness, anger, disappointment, and other badness because Fri 2/20 is the last morning the Ace Man broadcasts from 97.1 FREE FM in LA.
I hired Adam for this job back in 2004. For the past four years he built one of the best morning radio shows in the country. Adam is being so gracious this morning to all the enemies of good radio that it's....well....too gracious.
Over four years ago, nobody could 'replace' Howard Stern, he could only be 'followed.' Adam followed better than anyone else ever could. A caller to his show remarked that Howard may not be the same man in real life as he is on the air. Adam is an unusual talent. If you were sitting at his house, poolside, with a beer - you'd be hearing much the same man you'd hear on the radio. He'd be grabbing every, seemingly small detail of the oddities of life and pulling you inside the inately funniest aspects of all of it.
Adam Carolla is an entertainer, a radio host, an improv artist, an actor, a writer, a producer, a boxer, a filmmaker, a carpenter, a car nut, a husband, a father, a dancer, a brilliant brain, and above all ... an extremely decent human being.
You won't find many of those in the radio business in 2009. The magic of truly free thinkers and the music stations many of us all fell in love with long ago is all but dead. There are too many killers to name.
Instead, thanks and respect go to Adam, Teresa Strasser, Bryan, Angie, The Mikes, Kimmel, Dixon, Brusca, Dameshek, every affiliate that helped create big numbers in markets all over the country, and to the fans who embraced all of it.
As a fan, I'll keep tracking the movement at www.AdamCarolla.com.
As an new media outlet, truly FREE, without any job justifiers, or weak-kneed corporate suckass wannabees....the doors of My Damn Channel will always be open to you my friend. You're a class act Carolla.
Posted in
Daily Grace,
My Damn Channel Music Nights,
Press with tags
My Damn Channel Music Nights,
SoCo,
Daily Grace,
Southern Comfort,
Rob Barnett,
Gnarls Barkley,
Justice,
The Roots,
The Black Keys on 6/16/2008 3:14:57 AM by Rob Barnett
For Release – Monday, 6/16/08 – 7a et
MY DAMN CHANNEL CLOSES MAJOR BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT DEAL
Southern Comfort Launches Partnership for Summer Music Campaign
New York, NY – June 16, 2008 – My Damn Channel (www.MyDamnChannel.com), the entertainment studio and new media platform today announced a major branded entertainment deal with Southern Comfort. The two companies are partnering to create twelve weeks of “My Damn Channel Music Nights” in music bars and clubs in New York and Los Angeles and on the SoCo Music Experience festival tour this summer. Tour dates feature Gnarls Barkley, Justice, The Roots, The Black Keys and more. Starting in July, original content will be produced for a customized, co-branded channel presented by Grace Helbig, host of My Damn Channel’s “Daily Grace.” Programming will appear on My Damn Channel and across its network of syndication partners.
Founder and CEO of My Damn Channel, Rob Barnett said, “We’ve started building a big audience and turning quality content into significant sponsorships. Southern Comfort made a major commitment to back branded entertainment and to put our channel and our fans together on the road. We love our jobs.”
Southern Comfort U.S. Brand Director Ken Rose said, "Music is a major part of the lives of our consumers. Whether it's at a club or a music festival, they're going out with their friends to see live music. Partnering with My Damn Channel allows us to speak to our consumer in a relevant and meaningful manner, as well as take the SoCo Music Experience to music fans that can't make it out to one of the six festivals."
About My Damn Channel
My Damn Channel is an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower filmmakers, actors, comedians and musicians to co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video. Artists create programming for the My Damn Channel site and for syndication on today’s most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. Co-conspirators include Big Fat Brain, Coolio, Grace Helbig, Steve Kerper, A.D. Miles, Andy Milonakis, Harry Shearer, David Wain and Don Was. The company is supported by advertising revenue and by licensing the studio’s entire portfolio of content across all forms of digital distribution.
About Southern Comfort
Southern Comfort®, a fruit, spice, and whiskey flavored liqueur, was founded in New Orleans by bartender M.W. Heron in 1874. Today, it is sold in over 90 countries around the world and continues to grow as an icon brand. Please visit us at www.SouthernComfort.com. For Southern Comfort press information, please visit www.socopressroom.com.
From Sound Check to Encore, Play It Safe. Please Drink Responsibly.
Liqueur, 21-50% Alc. by Volume, Southern Comfort Company, Louisville, KY ©2008
Media Contact:
Maria Diokno
866.424.8864
Maria@MyDamnChannel.com
Posted in
Coolio,
My Damn Channel,
Radio with tags
Coolio,
My Damn Channel,
Radio on 2/12/2008 9:35:00 PM by Rob Barnett
Episode 2 of "Cookin' with Coolio" will debut next Wednesday, Feb. 20.
Our newest My Damn Channel man will be on your dial that morning across the land. Details on the way.
If you're a radio pal & want him on the air email me or Gary@MyDamnChannel.com.
Merry Christmas to all. A few more days of relative calm before we return to battle.
Our band of merry rebels won't take anything away from the mega success of the self-help phenom: "The Secret." But an obvious lesson learned in old media fuels our web war machine for '08: Corporate secrets are poisonous.
When I started in rock radio, the first wave of FM freedom fighters were under attack by a small handful of wolves dressed in corporate clothing. A few ex-disc jockeys and program directors cut their long hair, dressed up in fancy new suits, and jumped up on a new pedestal as self-appointed "consultants." These bad boys devised plans to rake in megabucks by convincing radio owners and general managers they possessed secret formulas for ratings success. Veteran radio warriors earned scars and stripes as we watched these wise guys disappear behind the closed doors of power and suck the spirit out of an industry built on innovation and creativity. Originality was replaced by cookie-cutter formats with identical playlists making stations separated by thousands of miles sound exactly the same.
A number of these same consultants invaded other bastions of cool and followed some of radio's best & brightest to new fronts fighting for mindshare of the pop culture planet. It was surprising and sad to see these wise guys show up in the hallways of MTV. More secret meetings, more secret memos, more secret sauce to romance executives into dishing out fat retainer fees to the con-sultans.
We have a few important rules in our rebel army. "Dirty Hands" means anyone who works with us has to produce actual work. We can't afford the luxury of paying people to navel gaze and dispense wisdom. The new world moves too fast and our gang is too skeptical to be sucked in by snake oil.
We've got another pretty old-fashioned rule for My Damn Channel.
"No secrets." Everyone in our community has direct unfiltered access to our people and our site. Everyone who works with us - our artists - staff - interns - co-conspirators - and backers - get the buck naked truth. It's easier. We're unafraid of what lies ahead and too psyched to be bogged down by bullshit.
