Four years ago, I was living in LA and I was watching one my magazines decline as the music industry was taking hit after hit with the downloading craze. I wanted out. I had been in LA for 14 years and I was completely burnt on the plastic people the wannabes and the hanger-ons. I needed to get relief and be around real people for a change.
I had visited Atlanta to take a few breaks and I had lived here once before in the mid 80s. I immediately fell in love with the down home southern feel, people actually SPEAKING to you and just the whole laid-back environment. I sold my house, packed my things up and moved to Atlanta.
Today, I am cleaning out my bedroom closet and looking at all the clothes that I still have from LA. My goal was to give a bunch of clothes to the Goodwill. I asked myself why I was still holding on to these things, why my license plate and car are still registered in Cali and why, all of the sudden, am I getting invited to many events in LA outside of Radio? I mean Atlanta is the new industry spot, isn’t’ it?
I heard it said many times that once radio is in your blood you become addicted to it. I don’t know who came up with that but after working at the Beat in the early 90’s in LA, I was pretty much done with it. I have never felt that way about radio and I think that’s a bit limited. I DO however feel that way about the entertainment industry. I AM truly addicted to the industry and I do love it and I am not getting it here in Atlanta and I’m not getting any younger. It’s not enough for me to go to an event featuring a black artist or a local urban radio station when I’m also into independent films, magazines, blogs, acting, writing, plays and so much more. To make a long story short, I should have moved back to LA two years ago. However, in my, at times, foolishly optimistic, thinking about the situation sans candor, I have often surmised: “Atlanta will come around, something will happen.”It still hasn’t and I’m bored here. I’ve already done what I’m doing. I talk to a lot of industry vets who are going to be moving here and I was thinking, well, maybe they see something I don’t see but the truth is, I have a lot of varied interests and while Atlanta is growing, it’s just not there yet.
There are, of course, things about LA I don’t like too. I don’t like the people and it’s very hard to foster true alliances and friendships there but I miss the weather, beach, opportunities and to an extent, the lifestyle.
Atlanta is a GREAT place to visit, but I just can’t live here. I’ve decided today that I’m going to move back to Los Angeles (unless something comes up in NY)(laugh). I’ll keep you posted of my move.
Kevin
That’s great! As a LA brat myself, I moved to Atlanta a couple of years ago and still havn’t found it to feel like home yet. But I am not sure yet when I will be moving back but Best of luck to you. Also I was a Radio Account Executive in LA when I was there.. LAter.
T