When I ponder about why I got into radio I smile because many people might think it's just stupid. But, that doesn't bother me because I know the wonderful feeling it gives me. For the uninitiated, let me try and explain the sensation of being in control of the beginning of a record.
From 'deejay' to 'radio personality'
Although today I'm labeled a "radio personality" in the beginning I was just a "deejay".
I loved being a deejay. My career was simpler when I was a deejay. I grew up listening to great deejays and the thought of joining their ranks, even in a small way, completed me. In my mind, being a deejay instantly elevated you to someone special because you had the microphone and you were in charge. You played the requests, announced important information, answered the phones, and got to show off.
To me, the best way to show off was to talk up a record. Talking up a record means...
- Talking over the intro or "ramp" until you "hit" the first "post" (a dramatic musical moment in the musical intro)
- Or talking but pausing for one or more "posts" (if they exist)
- Or the big enchilada: talking all the way - hurdling each post like a track runner until you reach the finish line where the lyrics begin.
When I was in Top 40 or Hit Radio, I used to love doing breaks where I could talk up intros. It's a verbal dance the deejay does and for it to be really worthy, there are a few things that have to happen (at least in my mind):
Rules for Talking Up a Ramp:
- You can't stumble.
- You can't sound like you're stretching.
- You can't repeat yourself
- You can't fall short. If you're going to talk up the ramp, you go all the way until the lyrics begin. Plus, you have to sound natural like you were talking to a listener and he was right next to you.
