http://mentalnomad.libsyn.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mentalnomadshow

Mental Nomad Podcast: Eclectic music podcast. I play almost every sort of music, though geared a little more toward singer-songwriters.

Pod Across America: Also an eclectic music show, but each episode focuses on one American state at a time.

Q: How long have you been broadcasting?

A: The Mental Nomad Podcast started in March 2007; it was initially a twice-a-week show but has been weekly for about a year now, with a few exceptions. The show’s eclectic, with an intention toward including music from outside the United States and music from female vocalists in almost every episode.

Pod Across America started in October 2008 and will be two episodes a month, usually one episode per state. I started in Delaware, the first state, and will go through Hawaii, the 50th state, in order … a few states will get two episodes just due to the sheer number of musicians from those states.

Q: In your opinion, what does a good song need to consist of?

A: To me, a good song is one that gives me some sort of emotional reaction … thrilling to the highs, coasting through the lows, laughing at a clever turn of phrase or feeling my stomach churn over some emotional conflict that rings true to me.

A song can be really simple and yet really powerful: Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow Is a Long Time” and Queen’s “Bijou” contain very short, very simple lyrics but the mix of the lyrics, the vocal delivery and the music turns them into something magical.

Most of the music I really enjoy has lyrics, and usually the lyrics are in English. I do listen to some instrumental music, and I do listen to some non-English-language music, but the instrumentalists or vocalists really have to soar above and beyond for me to really engage the music.

Q: What is your favorite band or favorite genre of music and why?

A: Attorney and writer Andrew Vachss has observed that “blues is truth,” and I agree wholeheartedly. Blues gets down to the core of the human experience, the raw truth of emotions laid bare. It’s naked and honest, and even when the blues singer engages in bragging, the exaggerations point the way toward his or her insecurities.

More broadly, music that tells a story is what really gets my attention. Blues, certainly folk music, certain rap and rock ‘n’ roll, the cabaret storytelling of a Tom Waits or the deeply emotional jazz of Jimmy Scott … music with personality.

Q: What changes in content laws, broadcasting rights, etc., have affected you most?

A: I feel unqualified to answer this question. I haven’t paid a lot of attention to the legal issues, whereas I probably should pay more attention. In early episodes, I was a lot quicker to download a song from MySpace and play it, then ask permission after the fact. I wouldn’t dream of doing that now.

Using a content provider such as the Podsafe Music Network and working with publicists such as the folks at Ariel Publicity — where the music is pre-cleared and podsafe — is the smart way to go, I’ve found. I’d rather be able to find new music I might not have heard before and play that than risk getting sued for playing a U2 song that everyone’s going to hear all over the place, anyway.

So the limitations put in place by respecting the law challenges me to look for the next Bob Dylan, the next Tom Waits, the next Emmylou Harris.

Q: A recent study found blogs to be more effective than MySpace in generating album sales; do you feel podcasts have that power?

A: I haven’t personally experienced any huge revenue surge from doing podcasts and the blogs associated with them, though I do include links to both the music I play and, to a lesser extent, to the videos that strike my fancy from artists podsafe and non-podsafe.

That said, I have absolutely discovered new music that I’ve subsequently bought through blogs and podcasts. Blogs and podcasts offer a great way to sample a lot of music that I wouldn’t hear on heavily formatted local radio or even the music channels on digital TV.

Podcasts come to you. Blogs come to you, if you syndicate their feeds through a reader. They require less effort than logging into MySpace or Facebook, slogging through the many pages of contacts you have, and noticing when a particular band has updated the profile. So yes, I think podcasts are a more forward-thinking way of marketing a band — it’s letting other people be your street team, rather than trusting people to find you.

http://www.bounceradio.net

http://www.digivegas.com

Q: How long have you been broadcasting?

A: I’ve been broadcasting off and on for the past 20 years. I started at my college radio station in the late 80’s, then earning a BA in Radio, Television and Film. Since then I have worked in various capacities at radio stations, TV stations, recording studios, running live sound for musical theatre, corporate events and live music (my favorite of the three). I started podcasting in early 2006 with my show DigiVegas. (That’s where I got the name “Paulie Podcaster”) I started at bounce Radio in May of this year as a DJ, became Indie Music Director in July, and Program Director in late August.

Q: In your opinion, what does a good song need to consist of?

A: First, the instruments have to be in tune, and vocals have to be on key. I can’t tell you how many tracks I’ve rejected because the vocals are off key. It amazes me that people can’t, or refuse to, hear it, whether they are the vocalist, or involved in the musical project in some other way. You’re not doing the band any favors by telling the vocalist that he/she is on key when they are not. You’re wasting everyone’s valuable time and money.

Secondly, the song has to sound like it’s coming from the heart of the performer, not the head. I want to hear emotion, I want to hear the artist reaching out to me on that level. I don’t really want to hear calculated logic. If you simply must put your political or religious beliefs, or whatever, into song, give it to me on an emotional level. Tell me a little story about how it affects you emotionally.

Thirdly, no gratuitous language, sexism, violence, misogyny, etc. That’s my own personal opinion that does find it’s way into how I produce my show and program the station. I have a feeling I may not bee the only producer/programmer who feels this way.

Q: What is your favorite band or favorite genre of music and why?

A: I’ve always been a big fan of indie music, regardless of style or genre. I’ve always been a big fan of the underdog, the unsung hero. I get a kick out of finding some really cool band or song that no one else has heard of yet. I like to be the one to give it to people first, and even gloat a little bit when everyone else jumps on the bandwagon (”I was listening to these guys way back when…”. Either that, or I just don’t like being spoon-fed the music, being told by some corporation what I’m supposed to like simply because they say so.

Q: What changes in content laws, broadcasting rights, etc. have effected you most?

A: The biggest thing to affect me is reading in the news about how certain private citizens have been prosecuted for having a few “illegal” mp3’s on their hard drives. Remember that one where the mother was facing tens of thousands of dollars in fines and maybe even a prison sentence because her kids downloaded some “illegal” mp3’s? “It was her computer, she should have known and controlled what was going on with it” was the prosecutor’s argument. That’s complete B.S. IMHO. Lighten up people. Yes, piracy is wrong, and every artist should get paid for every copy of their work that’s made, but come on. Go after the right people.

I make sure I cover my behind… legally, that is. Bounce Radio is a fully licensed station and essentially, we can play anything we want. As far as the podcast is concerned, I have to be very careful to attain the artists’ permission before I play anything. I rely on services like Ariel, Podsafe Music Network, and even the direct, written permission of the artist before I play anything on my podcast. It’s one of the reasons I do an interview show. I highly doubt someone will turn on me and say they never consented to have their music on my show when they consented to an interview and sent me their tracks to play.

Q: A recent study found blogs to be more effective than MySpace in generating album sales, do you feel podcasts have the same power?

A: No. I might say that if this were 2005 or 2006. I feel as if podcasts run the risk of going the way of 8 track and cassette tapes if we’re not careful. I quickly discovered, after producing my own podcast for only a few months, that unless you were one of the fortunate ones who got in on it on the ground floor, like Adam Curry, Fr. Roderick, or C. C. Chapman, you were facing an uphill climb to get your podcast noticed. All too quickly, everybody and their brother was producing a podcast. There are now thousands and thousands of podcasts starting up, and fading, every day, offering a huge variety of content. It’s extremely difficult being a podcaster trying to stand out as a gem in a giant bin full of junk. It’s extremely difficult for the consumer these days to sort through all these podcasts to figure out what suits them. All too often they swing and miss, and get something of low quality, or content that doesn’t measure up to their tastes or standards.

Think about it, it takes time and effort to download a podcast. How likely is someone to take a chance on one they have never heard of before? After a few sessions of fruitless searches they give up on podcasting all together. That, I think, is causing podcasting to be passed over as a legitimate, viable, first tier medium. Sure, they will always be here, and they do serve their purpose, but I think they have quickly taken a back seat to more timely and immediate mediums such as streaming media, blogs, social networking sites, etc.

I am delighted to re-post Charlie’s post on me at Well Rounded Radio!  He is featuring an interview we did together back in February at my office and his podcast has been one of my favorites to listen to for years now so I was very flattered…  Take a listen and please sign up for Charlie’s wonderful podcast.  He will be including many more music industry profiles in the future for artists who are interesed in hearing about the state of the “new” music Business - Thanks Charlie!

From Well Rounded Radio Post:

http://www.wellroundedradio.net/episodes/2008/09/arielpublicity.html#more

Thanks again to everyone who took our recent online survey. I learned some great information about who is listening to the show, what you like and what you’d like to hear more of. I was especially surprised to learn from the group that responded that 57% of you identified yourselves as musicians.

I have had fun doing interviews with music industry thought leaders in recent years as it’s obvious that the music business is in a great deal of flux for both musicians and music fans. Truthfully, though, I haven’t heard or read many good interviews about these changes. If you go to music conferences or subscribe to things like the Pho list you get to be on the inside of all these changes, but otherwise, it’s a classic case of being shut out of ideas that are advancing around you.

I hadn’t realized that musicians are tuning in to Well-Rounded Radio as an educational outlet, but that does seem to be the case and this episode, with an interview with Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity, it’s a perfect case of providing some additional insight that I think can be very helpful to musicians.

As Hyatt explains in the interview, she started out doing traditional publicity in the music business, but realized that the world of music marketing was changing and so her own agency changed with it.

Ariel Publicity helps artists and labels get their music in front of the growing legion of citizen journalists or prosumers, as folks like me have started to be called, who are creating text, audio, and video for others to access via the Web.

Hyatt and her team also help to educate musicians through various online and in-person boot camp sessions and seminars and they’re helping to connect independent musicians with independent media outlets like Well-Rounded Radio.

At the same time, music fans are discovering music in a wide range of new ways, from podcasts and audio blogs to recommendation engines, streaming stations, and mobile devices to simply speeding up the word of mouth process that have always happened, but now is happening faster and globally with new technologies.

As print publications cease production, terrestrial and satellite radio tries to evolve, and more people around the world start using these technologies as a matter of course, how will we each discover our next favorite band? I have heard the story again and again how music fans who used to simply listen to what was in the charts or featured on the cover of music magazines now are finding they listen to very little mainstream music and are finding all kinds of niches online that take their curiosity in new directions. The idea behind the Long Tail is very much changing what we consume.

This episode features a number of artists that Ariel Publicity has worked with over the last year or two. You can find links to their web sites below.

I met with Hyatt at her office in mid-town Manhattan back in February to discuss:

* how the agency came to be born and her own experience leading up to it
* some myths about the old music guard that need to be shattered
* how musicians can be smarter and strategic about using social media to advance their careers

If you enjoy this interview, be sure to listen to other interviews I have done with music industry thought leaders. Tell me who else you’d like me to interview and I’ll do my best to get them on the show.

Music featured in the show includes:

1) Le Rug: Gloss (Bleenex) (in preview)
2) Fiskum: The Crossing (Darkness/Fire/Dancing)
3) Kaliopi: Naked (Around the World)
4) Kito Peters: CEO (Stories)
5) Booze Monkey: Solitaire (The Old Way)
6) N Side: Bad Manners (Just a Broke Brotha’ Trying to to Come Up!)
7) Howard Britz: Scatterbug
Dudley Saunders: Take Me Back Home Again
9) Sarah VonDerhaar: It’s Not the First Time
10) Animate Objects: Clive (Riding in Fast Cars with Your Momma)
11) Black Fortress of Opium: Dulcet TV (Black Fortress of Opium)
12) Blood Red Sun: Pray for Rain (A Nation of Saviors)
13) Inga Swearingen: Black Crow
14) The Callen Sisters: Wake Up
15) I/O/I: Compass (I/O/I)
16) Michael Wolff: Solar
17) Yahweh’s People: Oh My Lord (Yahweh’s People)

http://www.mevio.com
 

As the premier social media community, Mevio is the only network providing single-click access to the best in new media in audio, video, podcasts, and music to be delivered to your computer, iPod, mobile device, or television.
 

Q: What is the background story of how Mevio came along?
 

A: Mevio was originally Podshow. The company was founded by former MTV VJ Adam Curry and his business partner Ron Bloom.
 

In 2004 Adam had been messing around with audio blogging, before the term podcasting existed. He and Dave Winer were experimenting with adding enclosures to rss feeds and podcasting was born. Soon, podcasters were starting shows and shortly after, Podshow was started. They signed some of the early producers including my show (The Rock and Roll Geek Show), Dawn and Drew, Yeast Radio and some others.
 

Back then, people were playing whatever music they wanted on their shows. Then people started getting worried that the RIAA may not like that so Adam and some other creative minds started a place for bands who actually wanted to be heard on podcasts to post their music and The Podsafe Music Network was born. Shortly after, Adam and Ron asked me to quit my job as a house painter and work with artists on the network. 4 years later, it is THE place for bands, record labels and content creators to connect.
 

Q: What do you see the future of Mevio being?
 

A: I can’t speak for the entire company, since I only work on the music network but my goal is to have every record label, band and aritst on the network. I want independent content creators to have as much power in the music business as radio stations had in the good old days. It is my dream to have back catalog available to podcasters. I can’t speak for everyone but as a content creator, I want to play not only up and coming independent artists but also bands that were a part of the soundtrack of my life.
 

Q: What is your favorite band or favorite genre of music and why?
 

A: I am partial to 70’s rock and punk because that is what I grew up listening to. My favorite bands are still Cheap Trick, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Ramones and Joan Jett.
 

Q: What changes in content laws, broadcasting rights, etc. have affected you most?

A: When I reach out to some of the major labels to try to get their artists on the Podsafe Music Network, some of them still think that posting an mp3 on a website is piracy. The indies have been posting mp3s on their own websites for a few years not but the majors are a little harder to convince. That being said, the majors are now starting new media departments so there may still be hope for the dinosaurs.
 

The Podsafe Music Network now deals with some of the largest digital music distributors and independent labels in the world and I am really proud of that.
 

Q: A recent study found blogs to be more effective than MySpace in generating album sales, do you feel podcasts has the same power?
 

A: I think the labels are slowly realizing that by releasing a song from their artists to blogs and podcasts does more good than harm and can actually help break a band. For example, last year, there was a band from Australia called Airbourne. No one in the US or Europe had ever heard of them. I started playing them on The Rock and Roll Geek Show and listeners seemed to really like them. They emailed the band and let them know they discovered them from my show. Soon after that, got a CD from the band’s management and offered an interview with the band. I interviewed the band and continued to sing their praises. Now that band has taken the country by storm and has released one of the best selling independent hard rock records this year.

http://www.accidenthash.com
http://www.myspace.com/accidenthash
 

Boston based Accident Hash is the premiere independent music podcast to find the best mix in podsafe music. If you’ve never listened to a podcast it’s simple an MP3 file that you can listen to anytime you want. Accident Hash is usually a half hour of talk and music.
 

Q: Boston music listeners have been known to be a little finicky when it comes to their music – backtrack to the Run DMC remix of “Walk This Way” scandal which was originally by Aerosmith. What do you think Boston listeners want to hear and why?
 

A: I don’t see this as just a Boston thing. Music fans are passionate about what they listen to and love and are not afraid to tell anyone about it. Most music fans want to hear the latest track by the favorite band and to discover new tunes that fit into that which they love. A fan in one area of the country is not that different then another in my mind. It is all about the love of music.
 

Q: Why do you podcast? And do you think it’s a good idea for artists to invest energy in promoting their music via podcasting networks?
 

A: I always liked being the guy who found a new song and had to tell everyone about it. Podcasting gave me an outlet where I could do that on a global scale and that excited me. From the first one up to today, every time an artist or fan drops me an e-mail excited over a track I played I get a renewed energy to keep doing what I’ve been doing for almost 4 years.
 

Artists should certainly invest energy into promoting their music on any channel that allows them more exposure and podcasting is a great tool for this. By making a track(s) available on sites such as the PodSafe Music Network, IODA or others it opens up the possibility of being heard by people that might not find them in any other way. This doesn’t mean that they can just upload a track and then do nothing. They still have to actively promote themselves either on their own or through a company or individual working on their behalf. Sure, luck plays a little bit into it, but hard work is not replaceable.
 

Q: What, personally, is your favorite genre to play?
 

A: I LOVE it when a hard rocking band strips it down and plays a loud track acousticly. I always loved MTV Unplugged when it was on beause you could instantly tell the real artists from the people who only sounded good in a studio. I’m a sucker for a solid acoustic track. If not that, then anything that I can put the top down and crank as I fly down the high way gets me going.
 

Q: What other social media ventures do you have besides podcasting?
 

A: I co-founded a digital marketing agency called The Advance Guard in 2007 that focuses on building marketing programs using emerging technologies so it is crucial that I at least have a foot in whatever the cool new pool at the moment is so that I can understand it for my clients. I’ve also been blogger for just over 6 years now and I’m an avid photographer and lover of Flickr.
 

Q: Your pretty big on twittering. How do you feel Twitter has helped your podcast?
 

A: Twitter allows me to stay connected to fans, bands and to meet new people that I can introduce my podcasts to. Besides Accident Hash I also do a new media focused one called Managing the Gray and a lot of my target audience for that show uses Twitter as well.

http://www.radiodos84.com
http://www.eixordador.com
 

L’eixordador Internet Radio plays the best in new releases of pop, rock, indie and electro music.
 

Q: Do you have a bigger Spanish based audience or English?
 

A: L’eixordador has two different audiences. Audiences can listen through the Live365 network, these people come basically from the United States (about 35%) followed by Spain (about 20-22%) and the rest come to the music channel from UK and Germany equally (we can’t forget other countries with some listeners like Mexico, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands or Australia). On the other hand we can find the people that are subscribed to the podcast and radio listeners. Here you can find the difference. The feed subscribers are basically Spanish (70%) followed by American subscribers (about 14-15%), Austrian (2%) and British (2%). The rest (11-12%) comes basically from other countries of Europe).
 

Q. How long have you been playing music?
 

A. Since 1997. The radio show started as a local hard rock show but after some changes over the years the show has finished being a mixture of pop, indie and electronic.
 

Q: What type of music, genre, do you enjoy playing?
 

A: Lately, and the subscribers of the podcast can confirm that, I love to play artists and DJ’s defined in the latest edition of the Sonar festival as bastardism: all those bands that play indie mixed with electro under house or funky beats but you can’t put them on the genre of “indie” or “alt rock” or “electronica” or something else. Good, but different… The music channel in its rotation is a bit different, it’s open to general audience, playing better known artists for the general masses and well known genres.
 

Q: Why do you play music?
 

A: I’m playing music for the pleasure to discover new sounds, through unsigned artists to independent labels or netlabels. There are thousands of artists ready to being discovered, knowing one artist is the best way to know another one which can share his/her music with the rest of the world. Look at MySpace or Last.fm for example, this is a great way to discover a lot of amazing music. Feeling the vibe is the reason to play music.
 

Q: What is your goal for L’Eixordador.com?
 

A: The goal for L’eixordador.com is promoting new music, from the major label artists to unsigned artists, only with one condition: good quality work. We appreciate the compositions a lot that give us a good feeling, a well structured composition showing us something fresh and new. Trying to get a comfortable environment for the listeners who loves the music and the new tendencies.

http://mikeshotdish.com
http://www.myspace.com/mikeshotdish
 

Are you sick of hearing the same songs day in and day out on the radio? Do you find yourself listening more and more to your existing music collection? Do you wonder where you can find more great music like what’s already in your music collection? There are literally hundreds of independent bands that you have never heard of that would drastically expand your music collection, and Mike’s Hotdish is here to help. Mike looks for music from the hottest heavy metal to the mild (but flavorful) rock and pop. Each show will bring you something new that you can add to your music collection. The best part is, if you loved the song, you can rewind and listen again. If you hate the song, fast forward to the next song. You control what you hear and you can tell us what you like.
 

Q: What is your favorite band and why?
 

A: While grew up with mostly country music, I always liked the music that was a bit heavier. Garth Brooks really filled that ticket real well. Now after listening to all of the independent music I play on my show, I can’t just really pick one. It really depends on my mood. Matthew Ebel is one that really enjoy listening to. His music allows my mind to wander and build my own story with his lyrics. On the hard rock side, I have been enjoying Nick Black and Clawfinger lately.
 

Q: What do you think artists can do to prevent themselves from becoming ‘One-hit-wonders.’
 

A: Don’t release all of your music at once and don’t focus solely on the single, a well done album could be full of great singles. You need to stay in touch with your fans and those that play your music and inform them of your new single. Maybe create a new song that isn’t on any album or send a station ID to shows that have played your music in the past and introduce a new single. Nothing is cooler than a band sending a station ID to a show without having to ask for one.
 

Q: Is there a reason why you tried to incorporate the idea of food with your blog and podcast? If so why?
 

A: I first started out with a different show. Being inexperienced at the time, I branched that show off so quickly that I didn’t have time to focus on them all. I threw that whole concept out the window. When coming up with a new name, I wanted something that reflected the variety of different things that I would have in the show and have a simple name so it would be easy to remember. But I also wanted something fun and something that would make a person do a double take and came up with the name “Mike’s Hotdish”. Hot dish is a term in the Upper Midwest for a dish that contains some sort of combination of meat, sauce, noodles, vegetables, and cheese. I believe it is also known as casserole in some areas. That really fits my show. It is a combination of various types of music and other things. Whatever appeals to my “taste buds” for that show is what you get. To add to the fun factor, I like to make use of the many puns available to me.
 

Q: What inspired you to become a music critic?
 

A :I don’t think I am much of a critic. I usually play only what I like to listen to. I have little musical background but have always loved music. I usually don’t pay much attention to the details of the band or who is in what band. If I like their music, I listen to it and play it on my show.
 

Q: What do you think is the number one mistake artists make?
 

A: Marketing. Either they are doing it the wrong way, or they aren’t doing it at all. Many times I have had a band just send a message saying something like “Hi, could you play my music?” They don’t make any sort of effort to make it look personalized, even if it is a mass mailing. More often than not, those emails get deleted because I have access to so much music and get so many emails that I don’t have the time to play it all or listen to it all. Make your email catch my eye somehow and I’ll definitely look more into your band. Many times that includes mentioning my show by name or my name. Another part of that is if all they have is a MySpace page, what will happen when MySpace closes up shop? They need their own website with some way to reach out to their fans and it needs to be something they have more control over. I don’t think the band has to have a degree in marketing by any means, but they should invest at least some time in learning some of the methods that work or find some people or fans willing to help them out.

Man Behind the Monitor: Jason “Macedonia” Smith

Radio BSOTS : Both Sides of the Surface

http://www.bsots.com
 

BSOTS: A cyberspace archive of life commentaries and music reviews written between 1999-2005, as well as a portal to artist and record label sites and online music stores, also the home base for the Radio BSOTS podcast playing electronic soul, funk, and hip-hop.
 

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a podcaster?
 
A:  My biggest challenge is (and continues to be) successfully navigating my way through this world of new media and social networking.  I consider myself an old head using new technologies in order to express my love for music and support for its artists.  I am flesh, blood, and bone, but to be a part of the podcasting game you must learn the language of ones and zeros to some degree, whether it’s RSS feeds, tagging blog posts, search engine optimization, or whatever new social platform will premiere in the next five minutes.  All of these things fight for my attention; as a result, time management and prioritizing become rather challenging.  Never mind that real life demands that you go to your day job, make sure your child gets to day care, etc.  I can only speak for myself:  I do not have a mind for marketing or metrics.  I do, however, have a mind for music.  My passion for music drove me headfirst into podcasting.
 

Q: I’ve noticed you tend to feature on your podcast more unknown and indie hip hop artists what’s your reasoning behind that?
 

A: Radio BSOTS was created because I had so many friends that were making great music - MCs, DJs, producers, and beatboxers.  I just wanted to be a platform for them, an avenue for them to get some exposure.  So right from the beginning, championing the unknown and independent artists was key to the show.  In my opinion, their efforts can stand alongside and even outshine so much of what’s being released within mainstream circles.  Soul, funk, and electronic sounds add to the musical makeup of the show, but hip-hop remains at its core.  To be honest, I didn’t even realize how much of a hip-hop head I was until I started doing this podcast.
 

Q: Any words of wisdom … anything you’ve learned so far in podcasting that you’d care to share?
 

A: What’s true for an artist goes for a podcaster:  this has got to feel good to YOU, first and foremost.  Podcasting is too much work for it not to be fun, so what got you excited about it in the first place has to remain present in order for you to continue doing it.  All artists go through their creative slumps or feeling of apathy about their craft.  However, if those times start to outweigh the good times, you seriously need to reassess your situation.  Beyond that, there is no “right” way of doing this.  Since August of 2005, I’ve been podcasting on a dial-up modem and a computer that still had Windows Millennium Edition on it.  I just got a new computer in the past month, but the dial-up situation remains.  I didn’t let that stop me, though.  When you have something that you’re passionate about, you find ways to make it work.
 

Q: I see you are very active in the Twitter world. Why do you think Twitter is important for a Podcaster, Internet Radio Station, etc.?
 

A: Honestly, it was the simplicity of Twitter that got me hooked.  It’s a microblogging tool that’s perfect for a person like me who’s constantly on the losing side of time.  With Twitter, you’re forced to get your point across quickly and in a limited number of characters.  Somewhere along the way, I started notifying people whenever a new episode was posted.  A number of my followers tend to go check it out within minutes after that.  For a musician, blogger, or podcaster, that’s valuable real-time feedback from people who have a vested interest in your content.  And if you’re involved with communicating with your followers, it’s only a matter of time before relationships build into something more tangible.  What you have is a potential community.
 

Q: What’s next for Radio BSOTS?
 

A: Right now, I just want to continue putting together the best shows possible.  There’s so much incredible music out there it’s almost overwhelming.  As much as I like putting together freeform shows, I see more genre-specific episodes in the future, as well as shows dedicated to one record label’s output.  With the summer coming up, it’s a great excuse to put more continuous mixes together as well.  The month of August will mark the third-year anniversary of Radio BSOTS and I’ve been trying to figure out how to celebrate.  Maybe I’ll unveil some “behind the scenes” recordings or audio collage craziness from my college days, who knows?  What’s next is more music, more episodes, and more reasons to spend your cold hard cash in support of talented artists so that they can continue doing what they love.

This week’s newsletter Q&A features Cyber PR artist Jaik Milller from the Jaik Miller Band, who got the chance to interview Bill Prevost of RIF Radio.
 

Jaik Miller Band Genre: Rock, Americana, Soul http://www.arielpublicity.net/clients/2195
 
Guitarist and songwriter/singer Jaik Miller had a major presence in the 1990’s New York rock scene. His “wusscore” band XANAX 25 played with everyone from Son Volt and Me’Shell Nd’geocello to King Crimson and Dave Matthews Band. Jaik has written with Warren Haynes, Barry Reynolds, Oliver Ray [Patti Smith Band], Elijah Blue Allman’s DEADSY and Sabina Sciubba (Brazilian Girls).
 

RIF Radio http://www.rifradio.net
 
A radio station dedicated to all of the Men and Women serving our great nation. This station plays a great assortment of Rock and Roll.
 

Q: What made you want to start your own radio staion?
 
A: I got fed up with the “mainstreet media” bashing the very people that protect them and nake it possible for them to use their First Amendment Rights all for the sake of an agenda. When I started rifRadio it was to give our troops around the world a little taste of home via the internet, (w/o the commercials). When they visited the website, they saw that I would report their accomplishments, (infrastructure, education, welfare, etc. that they supplied to the people of Iraq). It’s faded from that now because of the great success there. But I still take the time to thank and acknowledge them every chance I get. we owe a lot to these people, your relatives or neighbors, everyday people that chose to put their lives on the line for something that they belived in. I admire them for that.
 
Q: Why R.I.F. radio?
 
A: This is easy if you haven’t figured it out yet. The rif in rifRadio stands for Radio Iraqi Freedom.
 
Q: What kind of reception did you get from the folks at armed forces radio?
 
A: It took about a year, but I have been told that I am one of the few, if not only in some cases, internet station allowed on the bases.
 
Q: The F.C.C.?
 
A: Nothing from the FCC. I lke it that way.
 
Q: I think podcasting is awesome. I am constantly finding out about new music through this medium. A recent study found blogs to be more effective than myspace in generating album sales; do you feel that podcasts have the same power?
 
A: The closest I’ve come so far is offering the rifRadio shows on the new website, www.128thnote.com . Although I believe that my streamer, Live365 is making it possible now with Radio365 Mobile and TIVO access. That will be a matter of economics. Right now I do this solely out-of-pocket. I am, however, working on a way to make the station self-supportive. I do like the concept of “mobile” because of the new technology available. This will give me more exposure.
 
Q: You told me about an article in wired magazine a while back about how artists like Radiohead and David Byrne are creating a new paradigm in the music industry. Will you talk about that a little bit?
 
A: David Byrne, (Talking Heads), and Thom Yorke (Radiohead) have brought to the forefront the “unspeakable”. The fact that, in the real world, the majority of the artists that you’ve heard through the years didn’t make much from their talent. To get a contract they would sign away their rights to their own music and settle for minute royalties. I think that Thom had a great example of this. Radiohead released their last album themselves over the internet. They offered it for whatever people felt they should pay for it. Their response was that around 40% paid for it, an average of around $6 each. They still made more on that one album than all of their previous albums combined that were under recording company contracts. Technology today is incredible. It’s possible for bands to do it all themselves. It takes a small chunk to start, but the benefits, if they do it correctly, are incredible. for too long the record company execs have been more concerned about lining their pockets at the expense of the artists and consumers. they made the money off of the artists talent and hard work, and forced, yes forced, the consumer to buy no-talent crap by sexing it up and flooding the market. With people like Byrne and Yorke letting the proverbial “cat” out of the bag, I see a chance to revolutionize the entire industry.
 
Q : Since you started rifradio, what changes in content laws, broadcasting rights, et cetera have affected you most?
 
A: You’re just baitin’ me on this, aren’t you? Well here goes. The new digital copyright act is going to change a lot, including rifRadio. To a point. I am going to have to move away from the “whole album” format. The new laws won’t allow it. However, I will be able to play 3 songs by one artist in a certian time frame. This means that rifRadio will no longer be an “Album” station. Instead we will become a “block” station. Just means more work for me until I find a new software that will make it easier. The record company lobbyists managed to buy enough of our honorable politicians to get this through, so we just comply as we must. But we can push the envelope. These stations are for the artists and the listeners.
 
Q: How has the project evolved since its inception and where do you plan to take it in the near future?
 
A: We’ve gotten away from the news format and to some extent, the military format. Still there are many good military links and blogs on the site. Because the big record companies have taken it upon themselves to decide that we don’t know what they like, and they do, I’ve chosen to go into a dynamic support process for the Independent Artists that want to actually make a living from their talents. Music is making that cycle again back to it’s roots. Alternative, even Rock, is starting to sound like it should and I want to be there to support this. You don’t need to have music with dancing babes, shaking their…… Anyway, I’m a red-blooded American male, but when I listen to music, I do just that, listen. Even Country music has gotten away from it’s roots. When Country singers start doing Rap, something is definately wrong.
 
My goal is to eventually build a studio that Indie Artist can rent, cut their albums, reproduce their albums, promote them through my site, podcasts, and many other sources at a reasonable price. And they don’t sign away anything.
 
Q: Alvin Lee or Warren Haynes?
 
A: That’s tough. but of course I’m going with Alvin Lee. The guy has two arms, two legs, and a guitar. I’ve never heard anyone that can make the transition to so many genres. Rock, Pop, Rockabilly, Blues (I love blues), even some Gospel. I eventually want to learn to play for myself. when I do it will be on a big red Gibson.
 
Q: If you walked into your studio and found a mother badger nesting amongst your hard drives, which one would you try to save before she ripped your face off?
 
A: LOL! Been there, done that. Neither! I run like hell! (Good one Jaik)
 
Q: Where do you find the music for your programs?
 
A: I have over 700 albums, CDs, and tapes that I’ve converted to several hard drives. Backups and backups of backups, etc. Took me two years to get ready for the station. I guess you could say I’m committed, (or at least should be).
 
Q: Other than rifradio, what do you think is the best podcast and/or internet radio station out there?
 
A: I refuse to answer on the grounds that someone else may go listen to it. The “broadcasting fifth amendment.”