Clyde Lear: Mac Guy

Learfield CEO Clyde Lear proudly displays his new MacBook Pro. Clyde insists it’s for his lovely wife Sue. If that’s true –and we hope it is– Clyde will soon be trekking back to the Apple Store in St. Louis. I think it would be nearly impossible share a MacBook.

For now, we’ll add Clyde to our gallery of Mac Sliders. Someone call Cupertino, we’re gonna need more Kool Aid.

“Science Fiction Punk Psychedelia”

“I google-image searched “Hippy Witch” and came across this picture. I think it’s a fantastic image!!

Halloween 1974

Anyway, I’m a musician and I wanted to use it as the sleeve for a single I’m doing for a label called “HoZac.” The name of my “band” is Blank Dogs, it’s a home-recording thing and this picture fits the sound perfect. I guess I’d describe it as “Science Fiction Punk Psychedelia.”

It wouldn’t be used ironically, or poked fun at, I just think it’s a super-great photo and I was wondering if I could get your permission to use it. It’s an indie label and they wouldn’t be able to pay anything for it’s use, but maybe you think it’d be cool!”

Radio Announcers (John Mays and Mr. Rudy)

That’s what they called them when my father and Mr. Rudy (Pylant) were on the air at KBOA in Kennett, Missouri. Pop and Mr. Rudy have since made the transition to Pure Amplitude Modulation but the audio waves of their wonderful voices are still streaking through space.

I had never seen this photo of John and Rudy standing in front of the KBOA studio but, based on the automobiles behind them, it could have been as early as ’49 or ’50. The station went on the air in July of 1947 and my father started in 1949. Any of you car freaks able to ID the year of the car at the right edge of this photo?

Mt. Flushmore

Mt. Flushmore

Longtime pal Randy Evans shares the delightful image above. It is the handiwork of one of the talented photographers at The Des Moines Register (where Randy toils as Assistant Managing Editor). Jerry Perkins, father of Learfield’s John Perkins, is George Washington; Randy is in Abe Lincoln’s spot and Thomas and Teddy are a couple of other Register ragamuffins. This puts my sad little effort to shame.

KBOA, Studio A

I’m fortunate to have many photos from the early days of KBOA (Kennett, MO). This one of John Mays, cueing a record in the control room, was taken by Johnny Mack Reeder or Bob Miles. Probably in the early 50’s.

You can see into Studio B which served a number of purposes over the years. Live newscasts and commercials orginated from Studio B. Later it house a large “disc cutter” used for recording spots.

I’ll never forget the pleasantly musty smell of these ancient rooms with their massive doors

Jeff McVey studies Kung Fu in China

Jeff McVeyBack in May, I posted on Jeff McVey and his wife (Deborah) who I live in a martial arts academy in a small village in the mountains outside of Yantai, China… studying Kung Fu from the Shaolin Monks who teach there. (I shit you not)

“I had my first kickboxing match this week. I think I did pretty well. They weren’t actually keeping points, but I controlled the fight and got in some good hits. It’s a little nerve racking to just put on a pair of gloves and go at someone. I know we practice this stuff daily, but it’s a different story when someone is trying to knock you out. However, I really liked it. It’s the best practice you can do for that sort of thing. I think I’ll be a bit more confident the next time we do this.”