The Lost 45s: An interview with radio personality Barry Scott
| Article Disclaimer
|
Quick, get in the time machine and travel back with
us to the 70s and 80s.
Barry Scott is the host of The Lost 45s, a weekly radio show based in Boston, Massachusetts and syndicated in 44 cities nationwide. He plays Top 40 hits from the 70s and 80s by artists like Abba, the Osmonds, Bay City Rollers, Partridge Family, Rick Springfield, Culture Club and Pat Benatar. He has interviewed Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, all the Osmonds, David Cassidy, Susan Dey, Barry White, Richard Marx, Rick Springfield, Tony Orlando. Barry combines nostalgia, trivia, interviews, to give his listeners a groovy blast from the past every week. For readers out there who aren't familiar with your show, what is Lost 45s? Tell us a little about your show. It has been on the air for over 17 years in Boston, having gone into national syndication in 1996. Besides the Top 40 hits from the 70s and 80s the show also features hundreds of artists interviews and thousands of tv/movie/news clips; TV show themes, Schoolhouse Rock lessons and vintage TV ads from the period. When and how did Lost 45's begin? What gave you the idea to feature lost songs from the 70s and 80s? Were these decades particularly special to you? The show began in 1981 at Emerson College in Boston. At the time, no one was playing music from the 70s--so that's how the show began. As time went on, we added more and more music from the 80s--until this year, when we added the entire decade thru 1989. These were my formative musical years as well as my listeners, so I enjoy the music as well. It is also where my knowledge lies. Why do you think your show is so popular? The show is popular because it is so different than anything else on the radio. Radio is so boring and this show dares to be unique. We don't play the same old songs and we don't present them in the same old way. The packaging is different. Plus, where else can you hear Shaun Cassidy these days?! How do you do research for the show? Where do you find your material? How do you go about choosing themes and songs? Since the show has been on for so many years, most of the research is in my head now. I havemany reference books, however, to consult on Top 40 hits, movies and TV facts. Most of the song choices and the themes as well are chosen by listeners. We are a very listener supported all-request program. I'd much rather play what they want than have to choose songs myself! What are some of the more popular themes you have featured in the past few years? The Name Game (songs with names in the title); Teen Idols, Number One Songs, Number Two Songs, and currently--"Infidelity"--songs about cheating (thank you Mr. President) Who are some of the artists you have interviewed? Over 200 of them including Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Dionne Warwicke, all the Osmonds, David Cassidy & Susan Dey, Barry White, Richard Marx, Rick Springfield, Tony Orlando.... What interviews did you personally find the most interesting? Can you share with stories with us. Most of the best interviews were turned into a book I wrote, "We Had Joy, We Had Fun"--which was published in 1994. There have been so many interesting moments and facts revealed in these interviews, it is hard to pick one out. The Sonny Bono interview I did received national attention after his death, because he was so happy with his life just before he died. That was a touching fact. Why do you think so many are enchanted with the 70s and 80s? I think that every generation is very attached to the one they grew up in and with all the baby boomers reaching adulthood and starting to reminisce, the 70s/80s nostalgia was bound to happen. In addition, many younger people who are disenchanted with their current music have found that some of the stuff from the 70s/80s was much better. How do you think these decades stand out musically? How do they differ from the 90s? The music from that period was from many different styles, dozens of different formats and featured many novelty tunes, one hit wonders and unique sounds. Everything today sounds basically the same. If you don't sound like that style, or you don't sound monotonous and the same as everything else--you won't get played on the air. Also, stations don't take chances on songs anymore like they did in the 70s/80s. What are your favorite songs from these decades? I truly don't have any favorites. I like them all. What songs are the most requested? Currently, "I Think I Love You"-Partridge Family; "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede, "Come On Eileen"-Dexy's Midnight Runners and "Jesse's Girl" by Rick Springfield. You often refer to Lost 45's as 'an American pop music lesson.' What do listeners learn from your show? They learn what songs were Top 40 hits, stories behind the songs and artists as well as tons of useless trivia about the era. I listened to the tribute you did to Sonny Bono after his death. It was wonderful and I was more than a little teary-eyed when it was over. Were you surprised at the overwhelming response to his death? What did this say to you? He was my first interview subject who had passed on. It was also a very special interview to begin with and because I interviewed his ex-wife as well, there was a lot of material there. Who would you like to interview that you haven't yet interviewed? Anyone from ABBA. They are impossible to get! Do you think disco of the 1970s is unfairly dismissed by critics? I think the critics are always full of shit. Dance music has always existed, still exists, and will always exist. The music is fun and happy. There is always a need for that. What is in store for the Lost 45's? The show will continue in syndication and I'll be releasing a CD in late May of 14 tracks that are hard to find on CD in America. Look for it on Varese Sarabande Records. How are you able to do such a great job week after week? What does the music of the 1970s and 80s mean to you? I truly enjoy the music and the era, having come from that generation. I think my love for the product is what enables me to have such a great time week after week. Can you share any stories about listeners and how hearing the old songs affected them? Once again, after 17 years there are too many to mention. Listeners are usually most touched when they hear a song from their formative years that they haven't heard since that time. I want to thank you for letting me relive my childhood and teenage years every Sunday night. Why do you think this is so important to people -- being able to relieve long ago memories? Everyone likes to remember their past. Songs have a way of bringing back your life more than anything else. You'll remember a particular time instantly upon hearing a certain song. When that song is a "lost 45" and hasn't been played regularly since then, it becomes an even stronger emotional reminder.
|
Home |
Chat
| Email |
Message Boards
Advertise with Commitment | Beauty
and Fashion | Family | Fun
& Food | Living a Creative Life
Mindy & Body Fitness |
Personal Growth & Self Help |
Relationships | Site Map
| Work & Money