Dead Radio

And just like that, I got en e-mail from a fellow DJ indicating that the link had been removed from the theater's website, and that the stream was down.  This was a couple of Fridays ago.  I had already done my 2hrs of radio, we was becoming "usual" on the prior Wednesday, early evening.  That show, I had done as I had done a number of times before: I grouped mini-blocks of semi-related music.  I had some brand new music by Jazz is Phish, given to me straight from the band itself.  I bundled that tune along with a live cut from a Phish show I saw, and a Zappa tune which the Phish regularly play.  Later, in the second hour, I had decided to play 3 songs all with the same name: Rock & Roll.  Again, the block was heavily influenced by my interests...hell, it was my show...and featured the Velvet Underground, Led Zeppelin and G. Love (along with Special Sauce).

As per usual, my show started with a cut from one of the Grateful Dead's commercially available live albums: this time a show from the home state of NJ...Englishtown to be precise, recorded on September 3, 1977.  Another very personal track as my Father-in-law was at this show while my mother-in-law was heavily pregnant with my wife.  I don't know if he specifically remembers the encore, but I played Terrapin Station thinking he'd probably dig it.  Immediately following, I play a cover of a Grateful Dead song by Keller Williams for my wife who loves him (he ain't half bad, if I say so myself).

It was a well thought out show like every other show I did.  Granted, I don't really know if people who tuned in thought so.  However, there were always between 12 and 25 people streaming the feed, which was really encouraging thinking that someone out there thought my musical taste was worth tuning in to.  It seemed that things were moving smoothly along after a fairly major bump as the morning DJ/Station Manager departed for more promising work.  And then that Friday, we got the e-mail.

Now, I should say that, as a recent volunteer for this experiment, I feel like I got out more than I put in.  It was a thrill to be on the "radio."  The concept that I was in control of someone else's good time was fun.  I mean, I may have possibly influenced someone to purchase or listen to music they would have otherwise not known about.  Yes, like this blog, feedback is minimal, but I know my mom listened (she's also likely to be the first 'like' on this entry) and I got to meet some really cool DJs...people with years and years of musical experience.  In fact, the Dead-as-the-first-track followed by a cover is something I completely ripped off/borrowed from a DJ whom I'd been listening to for years.

Make no mistake, I would have carried on, mostly because I thought the process of planning a show using almost entirely my catalog of music was fun.  In some cases, I dug deep in my digital jukebox for tracks I had long forgotten, and it was energizing trying to remember how I came across that album or artist in the first place.  A good time.  But I understand the economics of renting a space, maintaining the equipment, paying the licensing and streaming fees and, when push came to shove, the station was working deeply in the red.

A couple of people asked me to find another gig...maybe start a podcast, but short of being on another live show, there's not the same thrill.  Yeah, I would select the music similarly, but being able to react to things like Chuck Berry's death would be gone.  The spontaneity would be missing.  And, for that reason, unless I find something similar, I think I'm done with this extremely short chapter in my life.  If you listened, thank you.  If not, I've got a couple of things I'm thinking of starting/returning to where you'll have plenty of chance to react to it, both positively and negatively.  In the meantime, if you want to hear that show...the one from 1977, there's this copy available on YouTube.

Grateful Dead, Live in Englishtown, NJ 9/3/1977

It's Friday, and a good day as any to blast some Dead from your car as you drive home.  When you do, remember that a (former) DJ recommended it to you...not some soulless streaming algorithm.