New Programming Schedule for 2024
Category Archives: Radio-N8
Music for Myeloma / Miles for Myeloma
As you may know, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer, in 2020. For the last 19 years, the myeloma team at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center has really gone the extra mile for patients like me.
Dr. Rafat Abonour (my doctor), members of the IU research and care team, and even some patients have raised awareness about this rare cancer by logging miles – cycling, running, counting steps or laps. This initiative is meant to raise awareness about this rare cancer and generate funding for research and enhanced patient care.
That being said, I’ve never been much of an athlete, but the good folks at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center nursed be back from Stage 3 multiple myeloma and treated me, a patient who was no summer breeze, with care, dignity, and respect at a time (pandemic era) when it wasn’t easy. And they did it without bankrupting my family. I need to do something to honor and repay that experience. Hence, September 8th, I am taking the day off work and going live all day on radio-n8.com and the associated apps to play requests, and to speak candidly about my battle with multiple myeloma (expect some tears). I’m going straight through, so I’ll have to figure out bathroom breaks. 🙂
For a minimum $10 donation you can request a song, and I will play it (see guidelines below), and if I can, give a story or memory associated with that song. My goal is to raise $500 for the cause with my matching up to $500. Due to time constraints I will have only time to play a maximum of 50 songs.
After you donate, wait until you get the email receipt then forward it to my email address: n8@radio-n8.com. Make sure to include the name of the song.
Song Guidelines
– Must be Safe For Work (Friends could be listening at work)
– Must be easily findable or somewhat mainstream at least
– If I don’t already have it I will be buying it from Amazon at my expense
Maybe you feel I have wronged you in a past life or you would like to hear me rant, then here is your chance. See Song and Band / Individual Artist Exceptions below.
Song Exceptions (Require a minimum of $25 Donation)
– Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
– Summertime Blues – as covered by Rush
– Tiny Dancer – as covered by Tim McGraw
– Closer – Nine Inch Nails
– Day In the Sun – Peter Frampton
– All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow
Band / Individual Artist Exceptions (Require a minimum of $25 Donation)
– Steely Dan
– Rage Against the Machine
– The Black Crowes
– Blessid Unions of Souls
– Paula Cole
I can’t see this happening, but I reserve the right to not play certain requests.
Thank you so much for your support for the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, This should be an emotional but fun day. I look forward to playing your requests.
Going Live Notice!
Just a heads up I’ll be going live this Friday (February 10th) at 10AM. The show will feature songs and stories from my high school years (1990-1994). Most all songs will be from that era, but I might play others if they are attached to certain memories. I hope you’re able to tune in either on the apps or here.
Apple App is Live!
You can download it HERE!
Android App Is Live!
You can download it HERE!
Updated Playlist
Was scoping all the tracks and found an embarrassingly low amount of of MJ and Van Halen, so I fixed that glitch. In the general rotation and a few to be featured on a future live DJ session I’m sure.
Updates
Just a few notes on updated items. I successfully tested the live interface, and will be able to go live soon. I am usually done with work for the week by Friday morning, so expect a Friday afternoon time slot, 1pm (Indiana time, so EST?). No guaranteed show length. Guessing at least a minimum of an hour. Debut show will be announced here. I am still learning the software, so there’s that. Debut show will be within a week or two at most.
Apps for Android and Apple for the radio station are under way. No clue on when these will be ready (3rd party development), but my guess is weeks and not months. Links will be posted. These should strictly allow quick access to the radio station, and not the blog. Quick free music with nothing but bangers and clappers!
On DJing…
When I am finally able to do my live show, you’ll notice my philosophy on DJing is nothing like DJing you might hear on terrestrial radio. No wackiness, zaniness, or shock jock bullshit. Also, no prescribed format other than music I want to play.
You see this is where I think modern radio has it wrong. Most major markets have stations dedicated to a genre and/or time period; and even certain time slots have a dedicated format. Take for example a lot of morning DJs. A lot of them come off as and are being paid to be obnoxious idiots who appear not to know much about music.
I remember about twenty or so years ago Tom Petty came out with “The Last DJ.” Now it was a fine song, and that was back when Tom Petty would still get some top 40 consideration. A corporate DJ in the market I was in at that time played it, talked over it, and then proceeded to talk about how it reminded him of… you guessed it, him. Like dude, you fucking poser. You’re a corporate DJ who barely plays music let alone plays “what you want to play.” I would gamble that every other major market had some corporate jock playing it that morning too and saying the same shit… Jackasses.
That philosophy is just lost on me. I think most modern radio has it wrong. The best concerts I have ever been to play out like an episode of VH1 Storytellers. I want to hear stories behind the music. I really enjoy it, and in my opinion, it helps develop a bond with the music. I think that should be applicable to radio. A real connection.
With me, I DJ with my head and my heart. You’re either going to learn something (e.g., a back story or facts) about every song I play, or I am going to tell you a personal story. Some stories will probably get emotional. That’s just who I am. It could be what the music means to me, or the first time I heard it, or of who it reminds me. I love having that connection, and I don’t mind sharing it. I think listeners (mostly friends who might be bored at work) will too. We’ll see.
Looking at a weekly Friday after lunch show, hour or two live format. Will post more details to follow.
Coming Soon
App in development that should be available in both Apple and Google Play stores. Easy access to the free music offered at Radio-N8.
Me live DJing (thoughts on DJ philosophy coming soon). Eyeing a weekly Friday afternoon (EST) time slot. Should be easy to listen to from the app.
I’m an old guy that hasn’t stayed up to date on the software, so I have to relearn some stuff – but both the app and the live DJing will occur by February.
Expectations for the Station
If you have tuned in, or if you haven’t, please do, and you might find the music is dated. Ok, that’s my bad. The music comes from about the last time I updated my 80GB iPod classic – say 2010ish? That used to be my everything. What I would listen to at work, what connected to my car, my workout jams, etc. Some newer songs might have snuck in there, but a very few would be about it, since I haven’t used iTunes regularly for years.
That being said… I will be continually updating the playlist, and what you will hear on the station. A basic expectation is all genres of rock from soft to hard, ’50s to eventually current time frame, with some crossover country, pop, and hip-hop songs in the rotation too. I really want every song to be ear candy. No unnecessarily long jam band shit or b-sides. I’m the type of listener who can recognize the talent that goes into the music production, but still doesn’t want to hear 90+ % of what that artist puts out when I’m tuning in for my enjoyment. And I’m not going to be fake deep into bullshit to act as if I’m hipper than anyone else.
Since this was basically an iPod dump, I am searching for artists to get rid of their lesser known works or songs I don’t want to hear. I want to hear bangers and clappers. I think people tuning in to this station want the same. It’s a process with thousands of songs.
Album art… I know some of it that pops up is blatantly wrong. This has happened the several times I have converted my catalog to mp3. For whatever reason, the album art of someone else’s “greatest hits” or the like will appear perhaps due to the commonality of that name. Or just some weird compilation album art appears that is sometimes proper, and sometimes not. I make a note when I see improper album art and take care of it.
The last time out this station got pretty popular – something like top five for its associated genres. I mistakenly had contact info listed. That resulted in self-produced artists contacting me trying to get radio play. There was a reason they were self-produced (e.g., 95% crap). No thank you. Too exhausting.
Like I said, it’s a process, and I fully hope to get the station refined to where every song is a banger or clapper. Even if it isn’t necessarily in your preferred genre, you won’t mind listening because its a great AND ear friendly song. Or it just makes you smile or speaks to your heart.
I must note I pay extra to be ad-free, so you don’t have to listen to anything but music. I might make some station IDs, but I think that’s a little vain. So please, just tune in and enjoy the station when you can.