5/21/07

644-1VFS

On weekend nights when I've got beer but no money and buddies at the house but no plans, I realize how lucky I am to live in Tallahassee. Because that's the time we flip on the radio, dial in 89.7 (The Voice of Florida State), and start playing Take Over the Station.

The vast majority of FM radio stations in this bright and beautiful land are corporate owned and corporate programmed. The DJs have nothing to do with what songs you hear. Heck, the music is basically just a top 40 draw to get you to listen to the commercials. You call 101.5 on Friday night and request the Dead Kennedys' cover of "Viva Las Vegas" and then let me know how that goes.

Call V89, on the other hand, and you'll talk to the person in there picking out cds and - sometimes - actually spinning records. Request all you want - if they have it, if it's not full of fun words like FUCK, and if it's not completely out of line for any theme show they might be running, well, you get to make everyone listening to the station enjoy your selections with you. And if that's not enough control, you can always go down to one of the twice-yearly Cattle Calls and volunteer. Student or resident, local or out-of-towner, they take all types. And then you can be the one playing Brazilian ska or delta blues and telling the world they'll hear it, "only on the Voice - V89."

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