Sorry for not posting since like...forever...
Just discovered a great podcast on iTunes called "Stuck in the 80's". Not only do they have a great podcast to listen to, their blog is very thorough and oozing with pop culture. Love it.
First episode I listened to was all about their love for "Sid & Nancy". It was like I was talking. They touched on all the things I would say about the movie. Kinda weird. (Or as Harold Ramis says in Orange County: "Sean, we're the same height. That IS neat.")
Topics include: Novelty songs of the 80's, Fave Halloween Movies, Gabba Gabba Hey, Hall & Oates, One Hit Wonders, MTV, and more.
Likes: Vast array of 80's knowledge
Dislikes: They don't play music/movie clips long enough to enjoy the lines. Like Omigod!
"It's a swingin' shifty!"
Those were wise words once said by a hipster. These are words you could possibly hear on Illinois Street Lounge. It is by far the most retro, throwback radio I've ever heard. Makes me want to drink a cocktail and get out some records or something. Smoke a cigarette and critique art...
Broadcasting from San Francisco, the home of the hippies, Soma FM offers several themed stations with commercial free listening. You can listen to stations such as Secret Agent (spy music), Space Station Soma (ambient), and Illinois Street Lounge, which plays retro kitschy tunes.
The station's whole purpose is to offer music that wouldn't normally be heard on BIG radio.
And you know what? I like it!
On their website, they say that they're one of the biggest online radio stations. I find that hard to believe since I've never heard of them, and I've heard of everybody. But after listening for a few days now, I'm beginning to believe it. Just imagine somebody perusing the internet for vintage cocktail party music--I mean, that's just not your everyday playlist. But somebody's looking for it, and that's where this site comes in.
{+}Ratings{+}
Likes: commercial free, unique & fresh format, great music to relax to, extensive playlist, 14 stations on Soma
Dislikes: constant begging for money (I know they're indie & all, but what the hey?!?!)
Click HERE to listen.
Okay, first off, this site freaking ROCKS! Here's why:
1. It's retro and very nicely designed. (Me being a graphic designer....)
2. They played Annette's "Pineapple Princess" only five minutes after I started listening.
3. You can make requests and they play instantly!
4. They played "Pineapple Princess" for god's sake!!!
Okay, enough of me being a little girl. Geez. But seriously, nobody plays Pineapple Princess....
Here's the lowdown on this fantabulous site: With over 5,000 songs, you're sure to hear some of your all time faves. They have the usual oldies that you'd hear on the radio, but there's plenty more that you haven't heard in ages. I'm talkin' you haven't heard them since you were mackin' at the drive-in circa 1962. That's old, okay.
But here's what's awesome: When the station is on Auto DJ (late at night), you can pick any song you want and it will play instantly. Now you couldn't get that at the ice cream shop for a quarter! Only catch to this good thang is that you get 5 requests each hour. I was on a roll before I knew this. I kept hitting play, play, play and then it said, "Please stop! You're a freak!" Okay, maybe it didn't say that. But it did tell me there was a limit.
You're probably wondering why I like oldie music, and the reason is because of my parents. They grew up during the Baby Boomer era and have ever since then shared with me the magic of the 50's & 60's that they experienced. I mean some kids grow up hating their parents and could give a crap about their past. But honestly, I genuinely like and listen to my parents music. I'm not ashamed to say it. Some of my all time favorite artists and songs are from the 50's or 60's. Sam Cooke, Beatles, Ricky Nelson, Elvis, Patsy Cline, Drifters, Bobby Rydell, etc. etc. Those are just a few random samplings there, but in all seriousness, I love this music. You should give it a try as well.
I mean if you've never listened to oldies music before, you're missing out. You're also probably unaware that the majority of today's music are remakes. Just the other day I heard a Beyonce song and recognized the one loop from a Chi-Lites classic. How dare she, I thought. But then I understand that every couple of years somebody copies off of somebody else. Even back in Elvis' time, he was copying off of lesser known black artists. And who got the fame?
Just take a look at a website called Second Hand Songs. They have info on every song ever made. Which artist originally sang it, who remade it, who sampled it, who referenced it...etc. Look up the song "Yesterday" by the Beatles, which is the most remade song of theirs. See how many bands have remade it. You may notice a few popular ones in the bunch. It's a pretty neat site, I must say. Check it out.
Overall, though, the Sock Hop Radio station is grrrreat. I love it and am now going to place it in my favorites folder. Any station that lets you pick the songs is fine by me. Don' you agree??!?!?!
:+:RATINGS:+:
Likes - variety of rare songs, request tool
Dislikes - limited website
Click HERE to visit site.
The best thing about this station, which I have been listening to for about six years now, is the Dave Glover show. It airs Mon-Fri 4-7pm and replays a 'best of' on Saturday from 4-7pm. Otherwise you have Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Jamie Allman, Michael Savage and other news people that I can't stand. The station's slogan is 'younger.smarter.better' and they are.
Located in St. Louis, the Dave Glover show features offbeat guests, crazy sidekicks (Terbrock - my fave, whom I met), frequent audience participation, live broadcasts from special places(Lemp Mansion, haunted places), and my faves, Battle of the Halfwits, Sweet 16 and Paranormal Tuesday.
Dave, when you hear him, sounds like he'd be this dashing, tall, dark and handsome gentlemen. Infact he used to be a serious, high-paid lawyer for years and quit to do radio. When you see his picture you'll freak. He's about 5'7 or so, bald with a go-tee, wears Hawaiian shirts and is goofy as the day is long. He just never shuts up! But he definitely keeps the laughter coming for the duration of the show.
One of my favorite shows is where Dave was discussing the odd news of the week. Apparently a small town somewhere had a goat born with human features. (The first animal born from beastiality?) Of course he accused the farmer...but the impressions he did were classic. I swear. "No officer, I swear I never touched that goat."
He then finished the odd stories of the week with a fashion designer doing a line of clothes based on The Hobbit. Cause who wants to wear stuff from the Shire?
In St. Louis, we don't have much to do. But every afternoon coming home from work, we know we can depend on Dave to make the day a little better. Actually, I've heard people call in to say they're laughing so hard they almost drove off the side of the road. I've felt the same way! Dave gets on a roll and doesn't quit.
DAVE, I GET IT.
:+:Ratings:+:
Likes - Terbrock's laugh, Halloween Shows, classic rock in between commercials, Catholic Fish Schmackdown, funny tv/movie quotes
Dislikes - seriousness on the show, Jamie Allman, registration to listen, 7:01pm
Click HERE to listen.
Click HERE for a fan site.
I stumbled across this great station a few years ago when I was designing a web page for this local VVA group. I wasn't in the war nor was I even born during this era, but after listening to this music and hearing stories from my father, who served in Vietnam, I feel like I was there. You can't really appreciate what these guys did for us until you've been in a war. But to get a taste of it...just listen...
The music often played is CCR, Pink Floyd, Cream and lots of other classic rock. Heck, you don't even have to be a Nam Vet to like this station. It's just chock full of those classic rock songs that make you want to kick back, drink a beer, and feel like a freaking rockstar. I don't like hard rock that much, but this stuff is pure gold.
Visit the website for intense discussions in the forum section.
:+:RATINGS:+:
Likes - nostalgic feel(instant time portal to the late 60's), old radio ads intertwined, variety of rare songs
Dislikes - fact that it's on Live365 site (if you're a free listener it's ads galore; if you're a premium member, you're out $8 bucks a month)
Click HERE to listen!
I was feeling a little nostalgic today and thought I'd give you a good 80's station to check out. The station is 101.5 The Point and they're broadcasting from Tampa, FL. I guarantee every time you flip this channel on, they'll be playing one of your faves.
The cool thing about their site is that they offer an extensive "Just Played" playlist. So if you want to know the name of that song they played at 1:35pm while you were so rudely interrupted with a conference call...well, you're in luck.
Their music mix is comprised mostly of your classic 80's tunes with a few 90's ones thrown in as well.
:+:RATINGS:+:
Likes - variety of 80's songs, limited commercial interruption, Corey Dylan in the AM
Dislikes - 90's songs thrown in (KEEP THEM OUT!), the fact that they're in Tampa and I'm not
Click HERE to listen.
This is just going to be an intro post, so nothing spectacular.
First off, I'd like to say why I started this blog, and it's simply because I love online radio. I was sitting here thinking, 'How can I show off my fave radio stations? Should I start a lame website, pay a fee, etc. etc.' Then I got to thinking: Why don't I start a blog where I review a cool station each week?
Of all the collective sites out there, my top three would have to be Live-Radio.net, XM Radio Online, and Accu Radio.
I often find my self listening to stations such as:
But those are just a few...
So, if you'll just be patient, I'll put up some links to the best freakin' stations out there. Whaddya say?!?!
