Northern

Ian · House on Fire

Northern

franna · V Deep

You might enjoy my favorite classic R&B radio show - Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez, available on the web via WBGO-FM on Saturdays from 10am-2pm eastern (US) time, which translates to 3pm-7pm in the UK.

http://www.wbgo.org - click on the "listen now" tab in the upper right corner

WBGO is primarily a jazz station (and an excellent one at that!), and an NPR partner. They will occasionally have fundraising drives, a necessary evil under the noncommercial circumstances.

My other favorite local station is www.wfuv.org which is a noncommercial college station, and also an NPR partner. I think they call their focus "Americana" (aka "Woody's children"), but that's misleading. They're very eclectic, have a lot of guests, a TON of stuff in their online archives, and since a huge portion of the alumni base is Irish-American, much of the weekend programming is given over to Irish music of all sorts (programs such as: "Thistle & Shamrock", "Ceol na nGael", "A Thousand Welcomes", "Mile Failte"). Oh, it's a Jesuit University, so they also broadcast Mass on Sunday. And the occasional (American style) football or basketball game. Several of their more general music programs are definitely worth listening to on the stream - "Idiot's Delight", "City Folk", "Words and Music from Studio A", "Mountain Stage", "World Cafe", etc.

Ian · House on Fire

Currently we are listening to The Damnwells on WFUV Radio, whilst doing the admin. Thanks Franna, we're really enjoying listening to some great US singer/songwriters and bands we don't know.

Not so keen on Jazz 88.3, but having said that the second track they played while we were listening was Nat King Cole so can't say fairer than that.

I think we may have hit on a good idea with this thread, other posters out there, do you have any suggestions for streamed radio we should check out. For instance I would like to brush up on my world music, especially after the Live 8 recent debate on African music.

Perhaps Oeokosko will have some good recommendations for us.

Ian

-- Edited by Ian at 16:18, 2005-08-10

franna · V Deep

Ian - I was suggesting WBGO primarily for the Sat "Rhythm Revue" show. Unless you're a jazz fan, you probably won't like the rest of their programming all that much. Rhythm Revue however, is all classic R&B and soul. You'll love that one.

Check out WFUV's archives sometime. (Apparently Bob stopped by during the S/A/D tour, as there's a photo somewhere on the site, but I don't know if he got any airtime. At any rate, nothing's in the archives other than the photo.)

franna · V Deep

Coincidentally, my "other" message board currently has a thread on this topic. I'll investigate the stations mentioned.

First, the UK's own www.gaydarradio.com when you need a dance fix (bitchy commentary occasionally included).

Can someone please explain the BBC stations to me? Someone's suggested BBC 2 and BBC 6.

www.wxrt.com - rock radio from Chicago, Illinois, USA. Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" followed by Melissa Etheridge covering Tom Petty's "Refugee." In other words, my definition of heaven. I think it's a commercial station, though - but it's done well.

www.kexp.org - excellent college radio from the University of Washington (Seattle - in the State of Washington on the west coast of the USA, not Washington, DC - the nation's capital, on the east coast.) Much more "indie" - not at all like Fordham University's WFUV in NYC. (east coast stations usually start with W, west coast stations with K. Don't know why, can't be bothered to do the reearch at the moment.) Interesting stuff I'd never heard before.

www.kcrw.org - another college station, this one from Santa Monica (college), California (near Los Angeles) USA. Another NPR partner station, this one is pretty heavy on NPR's licensed programs - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The site is organized well - you can choose the live stream, music, news, particular shows on demand, etc. I chose the livestream (simulcast) and got NPR news.

www.b949.net - KBZT from San Diego, California, USA. They bill themselves as an indie station, but when I checked them out, they were playing Coldplay - which will never make any points with me. I find this station annoying, but others might not.

www.indie1031.fm/main.html - Apparently out of LA (or someplace nearby) California, USA. Seemed pretty interesting. LIked what I heard, an interesting mix. I stumbed on some stuff that was somewhat more classic rock-y than I expected from the site's graphics. Probably an interesting mix of stuff.

www.kcdx.com - Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Now THIS is interesting. I think this is the pet project of some rich guy in Phoenix. For all I know, it could be Alice Cooper's (can't think of any other likely suspects who live there). From the site: KCDX, a privately owned and funded radio station, operates each day with one mission in mind: Staying true to the music. We have thrown the corporate radio guide book out the window, and replaced it with real listeners' views and opinions.

www.edge102.com - Toronto, Canada. They have FOUR separate streams. The Edge - Listen Live, Edge 2, The Next Big Thing, and Punk-o-Rama. Perfect.

www.studiobrussel.be - Studio Brussels, Belgium. Not a clue what I was listening to, but it was cool.

www.yorinfm.nl - Yorin FM, Netherlands. Started off with Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing." It's a small, small world. Annoying commercial radio from the Netherlands, but I like it when they say "urine fm" - OK, so I'm eight years old. At least I admit it. Hard to believe this stuff comes from halfway around the world, it's soooooo similar to home. Except thay say urine and the news becomes unintelligible in Dutch.

For all u2, all the time, it's u2radio.net (but I can't seem to get it to work) and to a slightly lesser extent, http://www.radiofreevirgin.com/channels/zooradio.html#

Here are the rest of Virgin's channels: http://www.radiofreevirgin.com/channels/

From the USA's "public" (noncommercial) radio network, NPR (National Public Radio), here's their general program guide http://www.npr.org/audiohelp/progstream.html , music programs include: World Cafe http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4724307 , All Songs Considered http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/ and here's their general "music" page (which includes stuff from World Cafe and All Songs Considered) http://www.npr.org/templates/topics/topic.php?topicId=1039

Finally, someone recommended KFOG out of San Francisco (California, USA), but it seems as if you have to register to listen to their stream, which put me off. They apparently subscribe to www.streamaudio.com and you can find their list of stations here: http://www.streamaudio.com/radiostations/default.asp It seems as if you do have to register with each station (provide an email address) to listen. Personally, I'm not in the mood. It's kinda sad, because there are stations from Uganda and Puerto Rico and more ...

Ian · House on Fire

Brilliant Franna

We have been listening to WFUV Radio all day. Great station. We heard a New Teenage Fan Club track, 'It's All In My Mind' from their new album 'Man Made'. I hadn't been aware they had released a new album, great to hear the fannies back in action.

Will check out some of the others tomorrow. It seems its only me and you here, how cosy. Let's hope a few more come on with suggestions.

24 Hour Northern Soul Station
www.northernsoulradio.co.uk

Cheers
Ian

-- Edited by Tina McBain at 22:05, 2005-08-11

franna · V Deep

uh-oh.... http://www.radio-locator.com/

My comment above about having to register with certain stations might be incorrect. I'll check again tomorrow. It might be that I gave up too soon, or not.

If you're going to spend a lot of time listening to WFUV, you should probably get used to the fahrenheit to celsius converter: http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm LOL

Tina McBain · Administrator

Franna

The BBC is the British Broadcasting Corporation. It is the main national broadcasting authority in the UK. It is paid for by licence, everyone who has a TV pays a licence fee which covers the TV and radio broadcasts from the BBC.

As you are no doubt aware the BBC is highly regarded throughout the world.

In a nutshell, BBC Radio 1 is a youth orientated, dance, pop, rap etc station.

BBC Radio 2 - 25+, indie pop, rock, news etc

BBC Radio 3 - classical, jazz, world and the arts network

BBC Radio 4 - speech based radio - world class

BBC Radio 5 - sport based

BBC Radio 6 - best in new music, indie rock.

BBC Radio 7 - Comedy, drama, books, children

You can access the BBC Radio home page by going to http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

You will be able to find your way around all the BBC Radio stations. Look out for the music documentaries - good stuff in there.

Tina

franna · V Deep

Thanks. Tina. I seem to have become somewhat addicted to in Chicago for the moment, so checking out the BBC is on temporary hold. Don't worry, I'll get around to it.

I don't know how I ever left this one out, but if you're in the mood to listen to LEFT wing political radio in America... http://www.airamericaradio.com/ It's informative, sometimes awfully funny, but WHAT they report is enormously depressing, because they're reporting on the right-wing majority. It IS a commercial station, though - and new, with a small listerership, therefore the commercials are REALLY pathetic. And they seem to have the same handful of advertisers, repeating the same crap over and over again.

-- Edited by franna at 23:01, 2005-08-13

Ian · House on Fire

Franna I have tuned into Air America. Quite interesting, although as it is a commercial station I don't know how you put up with all those ads. Drives you mad. The BBC don't have ads.

Ian

Ian · House on Fire

There is another thread somewhere on the site 'what are you currently listening to' - listed below is exactly what I am listening to. It's getting mighty lonely here. I can't believe there aren't any other people interested in such great music - oh well it's not the quantity, it's the quality that counts.

Northern Soul B sides

Playlist for seven days from August 12th 2005

Starting the Hurt all Over Again - Brenda Holloway / My Weakness is You - Edwin Starr / It's Getting Mighty Crowded - Betty Everett / Bok to Bach - Father's Angels / He's all I Got - The Supremes / Dearly Beloved - Jack Montgomery / Seven Days is too Long - Chuck Wood / Condition Red - Baltimore Ohio Marching Band / Love Love Love - Bobby Hebb / Our Love is in the Pocket Darrell Banks / Third Finger Left Hand - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas / First I Look at the Purse - The Contours / Angie Girl - Stevie Wonder / Oh Ho I Miss You - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell / Sweet Soul - Junior Walker / I got a Feeling - Four Tops / Picture Me Gone - Madelaine Bell / The Beginning of the End - Chris Clark / I'll Turn to Stone - Four Tops / One Way Out - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas / I'll Always Love You - Detroit Spinners / Thumb A Ride - Earl Wright / All Turned On - San Remo Strings / Stay In My Lonely Arms - The Elgins / Who Could Ever Doubt My Love - The Isley Brothers / My Girl - Temptations / My Whole World Ended - Kiki Dee / Time Is Passing By - The Monitors / One Nighter - Dynamic Superior / I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love - Fantastic Four

You can listen to this 2 hour show by clicking here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/music/northernsoul/index.shtml

Ian

franna · V Deep

Ian wrote:

Franna I have tuned into Air America. Quite interesting, although as it is a commercial station I don't know how you put up with all those ads. Drives you mad. The BBC don't have ads. Ian

I agree, the ads are absolutely maddening - especially on that particular station because the ads are just so awful, and the same ones repeat so frequently. The important thing to remember is that in the US, just about EVERY radio and television station is "commerical" (all revenues through selling advertising). AND the FCC (federal communications commission) has recently relaxed laws that prevented one owner from controlling too many stations, or too many radio stations + TV stations + newspapers.

What does this mean? Monopoly media.

A single owner (say, ClearChannel) may own thousands of radio stations across the country. To save money, all those stations are programmed from ONE central office, and given the same playlist. Local advertisements will be inserted, as will local news and weather broadcasts, as appropriate (every half hour or so). Result: While you'd never know it while listening in your home - the station really has zero connection to your hometown. It's just a profit machine. Result nationally: A dull sameness, no local character, the hits are the hits are the hits - no matter where in the country you go. (Well, depending on what "format" you're listening to, of course.) That's why US radio SUCKS right now.

The exceptions are the college and other "public" stations, most of whom are NPR (national public radio) affiliates - they'll either license NPR's news only, or add other NPR produced shows as well. And every so often those stations will have a fund drive, begging listeners to send in money. Those are horrible to sit through, but a necessary evil.

And even more rare, there's the occasional decent (apparently independent) commercial station. That station in Chicago seems to be one. God bless 'em.

---------

Television's even worse in certain ways. Because of the reliance on income through commercials, and because news departments (especially international news departments) are EXPENSIVE to run, they've been cut waaaaay back and replaced with celebrity-hype. We get almost no actual news on our news shows, and certainly close to zero international news. All the broadcast networks have now become smaller businesses in huge conglomerates. You must always remember that there is no longer any sense of responsibility on the part of the television networks to inform the country - the responsibility is simply to the shareholders of the parent company, namely, to be profitable.

Even CNN and MSNBC, as 24 hour news channels, don't report anything deep or insightful. They show whatever's most sensational and cheapest to produce. And Fox simply caters to the right (it's a big audience).

As in radio, the only alternatives are the PBS (Public Broadcasting) stations and and the few cable channels that run BBC's international news. Actually, it seems like NYC's PBS station (the flagship station, or one of them) is now running BBC international as a nightly news show. To their credit, the main networks will occasionally do documentaries looking into a specific issue for an hour or so - but that's soooo not enough.

Of course, Congress wants to pull PBS/NPR's funding entirely. The rationale being: If they can't survive commercially, people must not really want them. GRRRRRR.

Thank you for allowing me to indulge in that rant. And now to change the topic: Did you listen to Rhythm Revue on WBGO yesterday?

Slim · I Don't Like Mondays

RE: Northern RANT

franna · V Deep

RE: Northern

Slim · I Don't Like Mondays

ha ha ha - funny fat bottom person, get on down - lalalala