You'll hear in the Bret Michaels show I ask him, "What was the last thing you shot?" In case you're wondering how I came up with such a random question, I'd read this interview in PR.com where the subject of hunting came up, and it seemed pretty interesting: 

Bret Michaels: I'm an animal freak lover!! I do not kill any animal! However I do love to shoot. I grew up as a kid in Pennsylvania learning to hunt, and I just decided for myself very early that it was not for me. I love animals and I'd rather save them then kill them.

PR.com: Especially for sport. It doesn't make any sense.

Bret Michaels: Yeah, it didn't for me. I'm like, "Hell, we got plenty of hamburger meat. Why do we have to kill this bear???" 

So he told me about his archery a la Ted Nugent, and how, though he loves to have "fun with his guns", he doesn't hunt anymore. 

Closing the hour I said, "This labor of love has been a Radiobu production."  I threw the "labor of love" phrase in because when we put together our tribute shows, that's truly what it feels like. We craft and weave and sculpt, all to present everyone in the best possible light. The featured artist, me, and all the bands who's music we're privileged to play. We call the shows our "sonic symphonies." I hope you enjoy the Bret show as much as we enjoyed making it. (btw I believe I stole that line from one of the Beatles, they said it on one of their Christmas records, referring to all the albums they'd released in the past year.) xoxoxo, Martha

p.s. It was Paul, god bless the internet. Check it out: http://www.thebeatles.com.hk/lyrics/lyrics.asp?lyTitle=Another+Beatles+Christmas+Record

Sorry you have to highlight and paste, no direct link from blog section.

p.p.s. Have you ever heard Coldplay's song, "Yellow?" My husband thinks everyone knows it but I'd never heard it. Just curious...

p.p.p.s. Miss you already! xoxoxoxo, Martha 

This weekend we're airing our special, Martha Quinn Presents...Bret Michaels. And what a great weekend to do it, he just announced he's doing Rock of Love 3!

I posted a link over in the clicks section to Joe "Def Leppard" Elliot putting down some of the Sunset Strip bands, and then you can check out Bret Michaels' response. I like it because he gets a bit gritty and emotional. That clip gave me a sense of him as  "kickin' ass and takin' names" Rockstar, more than his soft-spoken, totally together-man interviews do. I like it. Bring it on! Though I do agree with his predominantly high-road stance of not being derogatory about other people's music, and he even went on to say he liked a bunch of Def Lep tunes. That was a good touch. 

We played a few tracks from his new album, Rock My World, as well as some fave Poison tracks. I always love to hear about the brotherhood of musicians coming up through a similar time, and he shares with me a bit about Axl and Motley and Van Halen. 

Sorry I didn't write sooner, right after Curt left I threw my suitcase into the car and dashed to the airport.

Curt was fantastic, and he and his band sounded like angels. Hearing Curt Smith sing "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" in our humble little studio felt like baptizing our new baby. I was so emotional! We worked night and day the past year and a half, putting all our emotion (and quite a bit of our cash) into building our  Radiobu studios, and that moment made me feel like it was all worth it. And we get to share it with you! We'll have 3 live songs in the Curt Smith show, which will air in August. I'll let you know. xoxo, Martha

You know how I said I'm so not calm, cool, and collected? Case in point!

Curt Smith from Tears For Fears is HERE at our Radiobu studios RIGHT NOW! He was just practicing and sang "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" with his band. I was freaking out. I ducked out using the "I'm gonna go check on the kids" excuse and ran in to write to you.

I was meditating before, saying to myself, "find the spot deep inside that stays calm no matter what's happening on the outside. Like the bottom of the ocean remains undisturbed regardless of the raging storms on the surface."

I better get back out to the studio. I'll keep you posted. xoxoxoxoxo, Martha 

Because today, all these years later, I'm lucky enough to receive an e-mail like this one. Steve, thank you  so much for taking the time to send this memory to me. It's an honor to be part of one of your life's definitive moments! My very best wishes. xoxoxo,  Martha 

Subject: Re: You started the 80's for me. 

Martha,
 
I tell this story over and over again, whenever anybody brings up the 80’s.  San Diego stadium (before It was Jack Murphy), three acts.  The first was virtually unknown guy known as John Cougar.  He was the warm-up act. The second was a group that I thought would have stuck around longer, Loverboy. Of course, the headline was my favorite group of the time, The Who.  Between Loverboy and The Who you came on and said, “Hello, My name is Martha Quinn, and this is MTV.”
 
This was a clear and definitive moment in my life, like watching the Berlin Wall come down and 9/11.    Lasers shot off and John Cougar’s ‘Hurt So Good” was on the overhead monitor. I know it was probably part of a very long publicity tour for you to help kick off the new channel, and I know it may sound shallow of me to say this, but it really was one of those moments that left a lasting impression on me.  I don’t care if it was a corporate promotion, to me that was the official kick-off to an era.
 
I  just listened to the  “Stuck in the 80’s” interview you were on, and I have to say it was one of the best interviews I’ve ever heard.   I loved how you broke down if you’re east coast you’re Bon Jovi and Areosmith. West Coast it’s Oingo Boingo and Depeche Mode. And you mentioned KROQ. Yeah, I totally got you! I actually had a chance to meet Richard Blade back in the 80’s, he was the nicest guy you could imagine.
 
I  liked how you summed up the 80’s but I can add one more thing if I could.  To me the music of the 80s were definitive different sounds, and a lot of untested ideas. Today, the music pretty much sounds the same because they work on ideas that have worked in the past. We are part of an innovative generation, that time and time again has proven to have changed the world.
 
-Steve
 
BTW, true to form I have to say this, I have never stopped having a crush on you, and when you are 105 and all your hair has fallen out, I will still have the biggest crush on you!  Thank you Martha!

Hi! We're working on a bunch of killer shows for the upcoming weeks on Martha Quinn Presents. At this very moment I'm sitting in my studio working on the Bret Michaels special. It was a little crazy because he was scheduled to come in at 11:30 last Friday morning, and all of a sudden, at 10:30, Jordan came running into the house saying, Bret's coming now! I was still in my Pilates pants!

And I'm not calm, cool and collected, not even close. I still feel like jumping up and down when a guy like Bret makes time in his schedule to appear on my show. I wish I would get jaded already. I wish I'd be like, oh ho hum, he's just a guy, what's the big deal? Instead I'm running around the house all giddy, "Yeay, Bret Michaels is coming!" You can hear me singing "Nothing But a Good Time" 24/7...and I get nervous! Believe me if I sound like I'm just hangin', that's an act! My heart is pounding!

He said something so funny about his early look-he said he thought that spandex pants tucked into cowboy boots was a look that would never go away. Ha ha! That's how I feel about flare jeans and a t-shirt. That's my look and I'm sticking with it.  

And then Curt "Tears For Fears" Smith is coming in with his band to perform a few songs, some solo, some TFF. He's got a new album, Halfway, Pleased, AND he just became a U.S. citizen.  That's happening in just a few days so if anyone has any last minute questions for Curt, send 'em in and I'll ask him for you. 

xoxoxo, Martha 

That's right, I've been taken over by a Mommy Pod. It's the only explanation. Otherwise how could I even think to say, "Listen Mister, if you need gas in your 'Get-It-Together tank', you might need to go take a nap."

Even as I was forming the phrase "Get-It-Together tank" I was groaning. Who in the world could be talking? The little hipster from Greenwich Village who would scoff at Tipper Gore for claiming parents needed to be forewarned if their kids were being exposed to explicit or violent lyrics? Ha. Now look at me. I think Sponge Bob is too negative.

Pod fer sher.