Salutations™!!

You know how I’ve been spouting nondescript and cryptic posts over the last week about changes and such? Well, it’s time to let that cat out of the bag, yeah?

All my podcasting, video production, voice overs, podcast consulting, audiobooks, etc. are all handled through the business of Such-N-Such Media which is owned by my (and my partners’) parent company, Such-N-Such Limited, Inc. We’ve been doing this media thing since at least 2010, or at least I have. It worked fine out of my house for a while but then we started having a lot of guests, guests were the feature and not just the hosts. That original studio was in my house, first in a downstairs room that became my son’s room and then in the upstairs “loft” that also housed my bedroom. That got awkward. So, I wanted a change.

In December of 2012, we moved downtown off of Fourth Street into the Chatham Building. The first location in that building was pretty cool. It was where we needed it and all was right in the world. They had to do some building and improvements and that created a reroute of how to get into the building. Okay, no sweat. Then they added one of my favorite places downtown, Washington Perk right above me. That wasn’t too bad, either. But, then we realized that every time they would grind their coffee in the coffee shop, it would sound like a cat getting raped in the basement. I asked to move and the landlords accommodated me.

We moved into a new space directly diagonal from the old into a lonely, sometimes dark and cold hallway, which again, worked fine for me. However, after moving in that spot, I started getting more and more business and doing more and more podcasts. I was in there, sometimes, from around 8am until 11pm. Let me tell you, if you can’t see how the day’s progressing one day or so, that’s not too bad. When it’s almost every day, then it starts to get depressing. Add the fact that we had to have a separate key to go to the rest room and it was just a bit annoying. So, it was time to look for something else. It took us a while. I looked at several places, mostly around Main and Third and SOB40 near where DiLisio’s and Twin City Hive are. Those, for whatever reason, didn’t work out.

Back at the end of 2015 and into this year, our co-host was the “Right Reverend Cool,” Bruce Cole. He had a vision to start a radio station of some kind, whether terrestrial or internet radio, and was looking for places for us to do that, together. He found a place. It turned out that his brother, Brian Cole (from now on called BCole), owner of Single Brothers and Silver Moon Saloon had just purchased the Luna Lounge and Tiki Bar from its previous owner. In the back of this building was an extra space that once held the Lucky Strike retro store. It was sitting, well I can’t say empty, er… it was sitting unoccupied and needed something in there. Enter Bruce and me.

Bruce moved back to Chicago to be close to his wife (that’s a different story and it was sweet, but dang do I miss him) and that left me in negotiations with BCole. That’s fine, we’ve known each other for a while, even longer than I’d known Bruce. We had some talks and serious thoughts about what we could do. We came to an understanding as to what that was going to be. There were some repairs and mods to be made to the space, sure and there are still some that need to take place (and are taking place) but we decided that that was going to be the new The Less Desirables Studio. But, also, it wasn’t. At least we weren’t going to call it that.

When BCole and his lovely and brilliant wife, Drew, purchased the Luna Lounge and Tiki Bar, they had every intention of changing the name and theme. And, they did that. It is now called Test Pattern. It will go back to being a smaller music and performance venue and it has, because I’ve played there with The Threadbare Trio and will again in August. BCole and Drew decided that they wanted to be the “studio sponsor” of The Less Desirables Network and that they are. With that deal in place, every podcast that is recorded there (whether it is a TLD Network show or contract show) must state that they’re recording from “The Test Pattern Studio” and we’ll talk about what they have going on.

Now, that will not affect the sponsorship of The Garage. As BCole said on The Less Desirables this past week, there has always been a symbiotic relationship between The Garage and whatever Test Pattern has been and as far as he’s concerned, it will stay that way. I’m glad because I certainly don’t want to lose The Garage. So, located at the corner of 7th and Trade, 701 North Trade Street is where Test Pattern is located. Right behind there is where the Test Pattern Studio is where The Less Desirables Network now calls home. We’ve very proud and excited about this new venture.

Some of the highlights? Only one door (and a gate) to go through to get to it; a window that I can see out to the world and not be blocked off from it; a private bathroom that doesn’t need a separate key to use; access to glass washing (either mechanical or practical); accessibility to the area; an “On Air” sign that will light up when we’re recording; the ability to advertise that we’re there. There are more, this is just the beginning. Did I mention that we’re excited? So, while we’re still working out the bugs with things and getting everything just right, bare with us on the production quality of the shows as we’ll be working to tweak what we need to. Each room has its own personality and I’m still learning this one. But, no matter what… thanks for listening to all the TLD Network shows!

I do want, quickly to thank my landlords at Chatham bldg. (WRCP) for all they have done prior to me leaving. It afforded me the opportunity to grow and expand my biz. Thanks, so much.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“That literally and figuratively makes sense on the side of Test Pattern…” – BCole on the idea of TLD being in the new studio.