As a result, Vinyl Voyage Radio was born in February 2011 and I started hosting the K-Tel-themed show, Adventures in Vinyl, which featured a different K-Tel album every month. It's been fun hosting the show and becoming reacquainted with the music, history and memories.
We've been on the air now for just about a year. Over the year people from all over the world have listened. Recently, the station has clocked hours from Israel, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Belgium, Ukraine and Mexico. Total listening hours is relatively small, however. Just under 1000 hours in 12 months. If we were a commercial station we would have been out of business that first month.
But we are not commercial. Although it does cost us to run the station, the fee is relatively small. Hosted by Live365, we are able to keep costs down while Live365 pays the royalties for every song we play. The station is run off a computer in my basement. We have about 150 hours of music loaded and that number increases regularly as I record more vinyl into the computer.
So I had to decide whether or not to continue for another year. Today, as I was listening to K-Tel's "Music Machine," I was placing all of my K-Tel albums into a brand new record case my parents gave to me for Christmas. And then it struck me: I have much more K-Tel to share.
I don't know how many people have listened to Adventures in Vinyl. I know my mom has. Perhaps she is the only one. I don't know.
So I made a decision: as long as I still have K-Tel, Vinyl Voyage Radio will remain on the air.
For a few days coming up, we will most likely go silent as we make different arrangements with Live365 (and I try to clear a major virus off of the computer). But we will be back in early February playing great music the way it should be: on glorious vinyl.
And if no one listens, that's okay, too. This isn't about getting the most listeners or making money. It's about music. And if one person, somewhere in the world, enjoys the trip through my record collection, then it is worth it.
Vinyl Voyage makes me happy because it reminds me of a time when music was sheer joy, and you were not so controlling about it. Whether real d-jays (like on KMET!) crafted the playlist for you, or you sat down to really *listen* to an entire album, it seems like then we could appreciate it all more, or at least differently. I was young in the 70's, but I remember the K-TEL commercials vividly, just like the NuVinyl or Krazy Glue ads. Anyway, I have not really transitioned well to the iPhone/iTunes music age, but stations like yours on Live365 give me hope!
ReplyDeleteThanks, "Dairygodmother,"
ReplyDeleteI was young in the 70s as well. I remember buying albums and listening to them in their entirety, laying on a bean-bag chair. Thanks for your nice comments and thanks for listening.
Hi Bruce,
ReplyDeleteThank you from the bottom of my heart for your awesomely eclectic Vinyl Voyage Radio. It's how radio should be, yet I feel as though I've discovered you through a parallel universe or something:)) MY GREATEST, MOST FANTASTIC FIND IS YOUR K-TEL HEAVEN HERE!!!
I just can't believe I lucked out, thinking I was one of the last K-Tel records nerds out here:)
Bruce, you are certainly and most generously shoring up my early-teenage memories, and I just can't thank you enough, man!
BEST,
Terry Grundy
Vinyl Voyage Radio continues to captivate audiences with its eclectic mix of music, promising an exciting journey through musical eras. As it charts new territories, OTHM Assignment Experts can help navigate academic challenges, offering expert guidance and support for OTHM assignments. It's a harmonious blend of entertainment and academic excellence
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