Welcome to the pond

Hi everyone! It's Monday again, and I have another Monday Music Mambo for your enjoyment. This week's theme is Radio Day:

1. Did you listen to the radio growing up? What kind of stations? Remember any of the crazy DJs?

I definitely listened to the radio when I was a kid. My first radio memories involve playing around with the radio and tape recorder on my clock radio when I was about, oh, nine or ten years old. I'd randomly scroll through the stations and record songs or bits of songs that sounded interesting. I didn't know the names of any of them, but I was just fooling around for fun.

When I was a year or two older, I started to listen to Top 40 radio. I was a big fan of hip hop and dance music, so those stations provided what I wanted to hear. I still remember when one popular Top 40 station switched to a country format. I was devestated! Then, about a month later, I found a new Top 40 station called 104.7 KDUK. I was overjoyed at getting Top 40 back! It's still there today, strong as ever. I also remember listening to the college and independent stations and trying to find interesting stuff like jazz or techno.

I also listened to classic rock radio when my dad was driving, because that's what he listened to. It must have made an impression on me somehow, because that's what I like to listen to today.

2. Do you listen to the radio now, and if so do you listen to regular radio or sattelite radio? What's your opinion on the state of radio today?

I really don't listen to traditional radio these days. If I do, it's mostly rock music. I do listen to "Loveline" regularly, but not much else. I do, however, love to listen to Internet Radio. Winamp provides free AOL Radio, and it's awesome!

My thoughts on radio today are these: Radio, at least the free kind we've all grown up with, is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Independent stations are becoming few, and thus chances to hear something that's not already splashed all over MTV and other media are becoming scarce. As radio becomes more corporate, listeners are going further away from it. People today want to hear things on demand instead of playlists predetermined and unchanging.

Also, the word of the day in radio is Business instead of Service. There is no country station in New York City, and they're also about to lose their only non-classic rock station too. Those are two giant segments of listeners that are losing out. People aren't getting to hear the kinds of music they like because those kinds of music are not profitable for the radio stations. It's all about advertising and money now, and that's not what music is about at all.

Basically, I think people will stick with their Ipods and Sattelite radio, and leave traditional radio behind. I know I have.

3. If you could have your own radio station, what would your format be? Would you have any special shows? Let your imagination run wild!

Ok, if I hadn't left radio behind and was given my own station, I'd probably have a station that plays a little of everything. I'd probably play a lot of rock and roll, both new hits as well as classics. I'd have no problem giving the kids what they want, but I also want to educate them about where the music comes from and where it has been.

I'd probably have a show for the blues, with other wild guitar styles thrown in. I'd definitely have a Beatles/Rolling Stones show too, maybe with a couple other classic acts thrown in. I'd love to have a show that plays current hits (90s and 00s) and then plays the artists/songs/styles that inspired and influenced those hits. I'd have a world music show, as well as a show just for Celtic music. I'd have a show for people who write and perform their own music, both big and small acts. I'd have a show that showcases beautiful voices. And, of course, I'd have a show that plays only requests.