PAUL:	Time travelling again, past 
	discarded machineries and 
	yellowing personnel files, 
	down crumbling steps, and ever 
	downwards, to the vault, where 
	director of radio Ish 
	Lundrigan awaits us with 
	another offering from the BCN 
	archive.  How are ya, Ish?

ISH:	Paul.

PAUL:	You look like you’ve got 
	something on your mind.

ISH:	You’ve read the editorial in 
	the Daily Telegraph attacking 
	the BCN.

PAUL:	Another one?  No, I didn’t -- the 
	ratings really unnerved me, and I 
	got this ... gas or something, and 
	it’s in my arms...

ISH:	(unfolding paper, and clearing 
	throat)  “A drain on public 
	funds, the BCN is antiquated, 
	adrift, bunged up and rife 
	with labour strife” -- ooh, a 
	little poetic flourish there -
	- “Unless the public 
	broadcaster can develop 
	programming relevant to 
	contemporary tastes and 
	concerns blah blah blah blah 
	blah...”

PAUL:	I agree with the last bit.

ISH:	I have two words for you, 
	Paul: New Coke.

PAUL:	Excuse me?

ISH:	“Relevant to contemporary 
	tastes and concerns” is code; 
	what they mean is programmes 
	that appeal to a younger 
	audience.

PAUL:	Well, there’s something to be 
	said for--

ISH:	One of the first lessons I 
	ever learned as director of 
	radio: no matter how noble the 
	intention, catering to the 
	youth market is a dangerous 
	game -- a shortcut to regret 
	and ruin.

PAUL:	Strong words, Ish.

ISH:	A volatile, unforgiving and 
	traitorous audience without 
	substance.

PAUL:	You sound like a spurned 
	lover.

ISH:	I’d just been appointed director 
	of radio.

PAUL:	After your father retired.

ISH:	Ya, 1967.  Ben Travato and I got 
	to talking about creating a 
	programme for young people, since 
	I wasn’t going to be doing BCN 
	Bandstand anymore.

PAUL:	You did Bandstand until 1967?!

ISH:	Ben was head of the BCN Youth 
	Advisory Council, so I figured he 
	was a good man for the job.  A bit 
	idealistic for my tastes, but good 
	hearted, you know.

PAUL:	I do indeed.

ISH:	The show was originally gonna 
	be called “Club Teen” -- good 
	name for a show, heh, had a 
	ring, “Club Teen”.  Anyway, 
	Ben spent the summer holidays 
	with his cousin out in San 
	Francisco, and when he got 
	back the concept had, well, 
	changed somewhat.  From 1967, 
	Ben Travato with “It’s Now!”.

MUSIC:	BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, “FOR WHAT 
IT’S WORTH”

BEN:	What is going down, people?  

	Whatever it is, It’s Now!  

	Peace.

	I’m your dj man, Ben Travato. 
	Today we’re gonna make the 
	scene with a groovy cat goes 
	by the name of Dr. Theodore 
	Wells, a sociologist from 
	Memorial University.  What’s 	
	happening, man?

THEO:	Thank you for inviting me to 
	speak on your programme, Ben.

BEN:	So, Theo, you’ve just spent 
	some time hanging out with the 
	hip cats and chicks of the 
	teen scene here in town, is 
	that right, man ?

THEO:	Yes, I’ve just completed an 
	indepth survey of the goals of 
	young people in our changing 
	society.

BEN:	Far out!

THEO:	Excuse me?

BEN:	What is going down with the 
	young crowd?

THEO:	There have been significant 
	changes in family structure, 
	the traditional authority of 
	parents is being questioned.

BEN:	I dig that.

THEO:	More worrisome is a 
	perceptible drop in the career 
	motivation of young people.

BEN:	The kids are all right, it’s 
	the times that are a changin’, 
	man.

THEO:	Well, I also think we’ve shown 
	conclusively that changes in 
	everything from diet to school 
	curricula have produced a 
	generation that’s oriented 
	towards a different set of 
	values.

BEN:	That’s far out!

THEO:	I’m afraid, Ben, I just don’t 
	know what you’re talking 
	about.

BEN:	That’s cool.  I dig where you’re 
	coming from.

SFX:	MACHINE OFF.

ISH:	He’d gotten a little ahead of 
	his time, I spose you might 
	say.

PAUL:	That’s right, didn’t Ben 
	hold...”happenings” ... in the 
	cafeteria?

ISH:	Encounter sessions I think 
	they were called.  Ben would 
	wear his Paisley “It’s Now” 
	neckerchiefs, and of course, 
	his Van Dyck and side burns.

PAUL:	Did it work?  Did you get the 
	young crowd listening?
	
ISH:	Oh yes, and the BCN Youth 
	Hootenannies grew enormously - 
	- all the hot bands would play 
	there.  But then it all 
	started to go awry.  Let’s 
	see...

SFX:	ISH FAST FORWARDS THE TAPE.

BEN:	There is a house in New Orleans...

ISH:	No, that’s not it.

SFX:	TAPE FASt FORWARDED AGAIN.

ISH:	Here it is.

MUSIC:	“CRIMSON AND CLOVER”

BEN:	That’s right, love children.  
	We’re goin’ down to Yasgur’s 
	Farm, gonna join in song and 
	celebration.  The Magic Bus 
	leaves for Woodstock from in 	
	front of the BCN building on 
	Saturday, July 15th.  Come on 
	the trip of a lifetime, man.  
	Power to the now generation, 
	peace to the peacemaker. It’s 
	the Youth Jamboree of all 
	time!

	Everyone who boards the BCN 
	Magic Bus will get a 
	complimentary “It’s Now” love 
	kit, including ....

SFX:	TAPE OFF.

PAUL:	The BCN went to Woodstock ?!

ISH:	No.  It was tragic, really, 
	Ben let too much “hang out.” 
	He knew there were lots of 
	kids gonna be going anyway.  
	He was just trying to make 
	sure they had a safe way down 
	and back.  But the parents 
	started going crazy. Said he 
	was fomenting revolution and 
	what not.  And then Monsignor 
	Forward and the Rt. Reverend 
	Drover gave their joint 
	pastoral screed on sexual 
	anarchy.  And finally the 
	magic bus was refused passage 
	on the ferry at Port aux 
	Basques.

PAUL:	And the show was taken off the 
	air?

ISH:	No, I stood by him through it 
	all.  But a few months later 
	the LSD scandal exploded.

PAUL:	The LSD scandal?

ISH:	Yes, some LSD started 
	circulating that had a 
	likeness of Ben on it.

PAUL:	What ?  Of course, Travato 
	blotter -- that was a picture 
	of Ben!  The muttonchops and 
	the van Dyck!

ISH:	At parties all over town, 
	hippies shouting “It’s Now!” 
	as they swallowed 
	hallucinogenic portraits of 
	Ben.

PAUL:	Man, half a hit of Travato, 
	and you’d be tripping for a 
	week.  But, sure, Ben had 
	nothing to do with that: that 
	acid was made by --- some 
	other person I heard about.

ISH:	I know, but it was bad 
	publicity for the station.   
	What could I do?  

PAUL:	Poor Ben.

ISH:	He bounced back just fine ... 
	after a brief ... rest, you know.
	But Paul, I know you’re looking at 
	remaking your image.  My advice is 
	to concentrate on grown-ups.

PAUL:	Ya, sure, Ish.  We’ll see you 
	again soon...

ISH:	In the Vault.

Page 11 of 10	In the Vault -- Ben Travato -- “It’s Now!”