“Okay, let’s go to the phones!” ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

“Okay, let’s go to the phones!”

That’s one of my favorite phrases in radio. Unfortunately, in the age of podcasting, I don’t get to say it very often. 

Tomorrow, though, that’ll change.

Hello, by the way! It’s me, Andrew, from TBTL. I hope this email finds you well.

Animated gif of a 1979s era person in a busy rooming answering two phones at the same time.

Back when I was 15 years old, my friend Tony and I used to make fake radio shows in his basement. He was a musician with a lot of recording equipment, including a device called the Zoom 9002. It was an audio processor that could create all kinds of weird and wonderful effects when you plugged your guitar into it. 

Lacking any musical talent myself, it wasn’t the instrumental potential that made me fall in love with the Zoom 9002. It was what it could do to our voices.

Tony would plug two microphones into the machine, connect it to his tape deck, hit “record” on a high-bias Maxell XLII cassette tape, and the fake radio would begin. We’d pretend to be two co-hosts, shifting our voices down a little bit for gravitas. Then we’d “open the phones”  and pretend to be our own callers, using the Zoom to radically pitch our voices up or down (usually up). I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing we would also employ the occasional, regrettable British accent to add some variety to our “audience.” 

In a word, it was cool as hell. 

Thirty-five years later, I make my living by talking to my friend, Luke, every day. We record our conversations and post them on the internet as an “Imaginary Radio” show. And while I don’t have a pitch-shifter to enhance my voice, I do still use a Zoom H5 to record our podcast. The only thing that’s missing is the callers. 

That’s why I’m excited to hear from all of you tomorrow when Luke and I open the phone lines for our first-ever TBTL “Tradio” live stream! I know I’ve already spent many TBTL newsletters telling you about his project, so I’ll just summarize the important stuff: 

  • The broadcast begins live at 10am PT. 

  • We’re streaming it live on YouTube (and at TBTL.net)

  • If you have anything you’re looking to buy or sell, you can call in and tell us about it. Be prepared to give out some contact info for people who are interested in whatever you’re selling or giving away or requesting. 

  • The number to call is (206) 414-TBTL (8285)

YouTube screen you can click to watch the TBTL Tradio Live Stream. It says TBTL PRESENTS IMAGINARY TRADIO. CALL THE SHOW LIVE! 206-414-8285

I always love it when we are able to stream the show live and hear from you, the Tens of Listeners. And I don’t know if it’s even necessary to say this, but I’m just so glad you are all actually real. (Not that I’m above making up my own fake calls again, if that’s what it comes to.) 

Hopefully you’ll be able to tune-in live tomorrow,  but if not, we’ll also post the show on Monday, so you’ll find it in the usual place in your podcast app. 

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. Talk to you soon!

-- Andrew

Hey Dummies

YouTube still image of Andrew holding his hands up to his forehead in apparent anguish
 

Music For Your Weekend

Animated gif of a drawing of a record with a little face in the middle, small arms and legs, mostly still but tapping a tiny foot

Listener Dave in NYC: Sweet Lorraine by Patty Griffin

A recent Hey Dummies question about going back and hearing something for the first time hit home HARD. My absolute favorite album of all time (play it at my funeral, can never NOT remember how much it changed my life) is Patty Griffin's Living With Ghosts. To me it is the PERFECT album, and every song had deep meaning to me when I heard it nearly thirty years ago. But if I heard it today, at 56 versus barely 30, it wouldn't have the same impact AT ALL! When I listen today I remember WHY it meant something to me then, and I love it for how it felt then. But today, all the pain of that time is long gone and it wouldn't mean a damn thing if I had amnesia.  So, as my Music For Your Weekend I submit literally any song off Living With Ghosts, but if I need to pick ONE, it would be “Sweet Lorraine.” 

If you’d like to submit a “Music For Your Weekend” recommendation, just email me here!

 

This Week On TBTL

Animated gif of someone twisting a knob back and forth on top of a vintage radio. Looks like the radio is at the beach. We don't see who the hand belongs too.

#4444 Bolstering On A Budget
Monday, April 14
Luke met three members of Metallica today, and he’s meeting the fourth one tomorrow. They’re good guys. 

#4445 Making Mr. Wrong
Tuesday, April 15
A viewing of an old 80s movie has Andrew and Luke wondering when John Malkovich became a Serious Actor. And Luke is still embarrassed about a “four grape breakfast” situation that unfolded in his hotel this morning. 

#4446 The Manchurian Burbank
Wednesday, April 16
Luke saw some very strange things at the airport late last night. He and Andrew also discuss the terrible SNL sketch that is also catching heat for being hurtful. And we get an update on the TBTL Jr. Slugger’s latest little league game. 

#4447 The Height Of Comedy
Thursday, April 17
Luke and Andrew cancel all their plans to discuss a long-lost Zach Galifinakis movie and last night’s episode of “Everybody’s Live With John Mullaney.” 

#4448 I Just Blueskied Myself 
Friday, April 18
Luke and Andrew learn that Mr. Ed (the talking horse) once played baseball against the L.A. Dodgers. They review the tape. They also realize they came very close to accidentally live-streaming their private conversations on YouTube. 

 

Ten Of The Week

Photo of listener Chris, holding two young children, one in each arm, and standing next to a fence in front of a large river or body of water.

This space is reserved for you! If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming TBTL Newsletter, just click here, answer a few fun questions, and you’ll be a podcast newsletter star! 

You can check out prior Tens of the Week in our archives.

Too Beautiful To Live, P.O. Box 33687, Seattle, WA 98133, United States

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