City Journal Article

Sound, Tracks

Will the new T radio play nice with buskers?

By Patrick McGroarty

The next Tracy Chapman who dreams of graduating from T stops to more-august venues may have to turn up the volume: This month the MBTA begins testing a subway radio station that might soon be piped to all underground platforms. But Pyramid Radio, a local firm run by ex–KISS 108 pooh-bah Richie Balsbaugh that provides music for stores like CVS, says it wants to win over buskers, not drown them out. To that end, it’s hired singer Livingston Taylor (brother of James) to spin tunes by T musicians. In fact, as far as music goes, outside of the amateurs there won’t be much. An early demo reveals a talk-heavy format full of news briefs and, of course, ads (Pyramid says the station could be a seven-figure-a-year cash cow for the MBTA). When Taylor’s not on the mike, the chatter will come from the ubiquitous Lenny Clarke, who’s been tapped to edge out transit chief Dan Grabauskas as voice of the T. If Taylor’s brother helps him earn some cred with the tunnels’ music makers, Clarke’s connections should do him even better—his brother was a Green Line conductor.
Originally published in Boston magazine, July 2007
 

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User comments

Horrible idea
Posted by Anonymous | Oct. 9, 2007 at 10:41 PM
COMMENT:
This is a horrible idea. T passengers don't want more noise. Does the MBTA want to make our commutes so intolerable that nobody will be willing to take the T any more?
Please complain to the T
Posted by Anonymous | Oct. 10, 2007 at 9:08 AM
COMMENT:
Please complain to the T about this plan: feedback@mbta.com or 617-222-3200. They can ignore a few complaints, but if they get several hundred...
T-Music Already Exists
Posted by Caleb Aronson | Oct. 11, 2007 at 8:32 AM
COMMENT:
I think the implementation of T-Radio would drive many buskers away from the subways, and quite possibly end their long-time tradition. I have been busking along the T for a while now, and have witnessed the majority of the commuters waiting on the platform either listen to the announcments of arriving trains, listen to their i-Pods, read, or enjoy the live performances of musicians. I believe T-Radio is unnecessary and its further use would replace the engaging, and animated performances of buskers who bring a real, live, human element of entertainment to the subway.

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