Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Troy Riedel, who shares the following announcement:
New Program: ALT UNIVERSE TOP 40
Written and produced by Indie Rock veteran John McMullan of The Trend, Alt Universe Top 40 is a genre-hopping weekly radio countdown that combines real-life chart achievements with “good-hearted adjustments that time and taste demand.”
With each hour-long show, the listener learns a few tidbits about familiar songs, and is gently introduced to music that SHOULD be familiar. In John’s world, The Beatles are still the “toppermost of the poppermost,” but, not far behind the Fab Four are deserving underground rock acts such as Good Question, Fools Face, and a number of other bands that turned in amazing records that were not exactly commercially successful.
Each show begins with a song that, at some point, was perched at number forty on one of the three major American charts, or in England or Australia. As the countdown continues, the musical selections include a song that should have made the Top 20, but did not; a single that charted at #11 in real life; a “should have been” Top 10; a Number 9, number 9, number 9…; something that is “modern and great” and should have reached number 8; a Little Slice of Heaven at Number 7; and the rest of the countdown filled out with bonus hits, a 3 from “Way Downtown,” and a Hall of Perfection Track.
Having designed the program specifically for Shortwave, McMullan draws inspiration from a variety of sources. He composed the opening fanfare and vocal jingles throughout the show by changing the lyrics to the chorus of the Trend classic he wrote in 1982, “Mama Thought You Were a Nice Girl.” The stories are usually trivia for chart nerds, but, with his music days never too far from his mind, McMullan throws in personal memories from time to time. There are AM hits, FM album hits, and jazz & blues selections that are only heard these days on public radio. Give Alt Universe Top 40 a listen, and you will certainly, as he says each week, “Keep on smiling through the static!”
You can hear Alt Universe Top 40 Saturdays at 10 pm Eastern Time (currently 0200 UTC Sunday) on 9455 kHz, and Sundays at 9 pm Eastern Time (currently 0100 UTC Monday) on 9395 kHz.
Aaron here from upstate NY. Awesome to hear a music show on shortwave! Good music too. Thanks for broadcasting. WRMI comes in crystal clear in NY. Would you ever make a QSL CARD for this show?
Glad to discover your show, my wife and I turned off the tv and are enjoying your wonderful music which is all too rare on air nowadays. We’re in Kaplan, La.
Michael,
Thank you for your kind words! So happy that you found us on the radio! Hope all is going well in Louisiana for you and your lovely bride!!
Cheers,
John T. McMullan
Three weeks ago it was 16 ° below zero in oklahoma. Now its 64. I was sitting on my tailgate, finishing a 6 pack when I found this show. I love it!! Music trivia at its best. Every Saturday night now. Let us rock!!!!
Thank you for listening, Mark! And thank you, of course, for your kind words about the show! Cheers, John T. McMullan
I really liked your show on 8/1/20. I listened to this music when I was a younger man. I haven’t aged much in the last 58 years and I still love this music.
I remember listing to Wolfman Jack in the 70s on WLS Chicago when I lived in Peoria IL as a kid.
Rich in Saint Louis Missouri
Your signal sounds strong and clear at 9455kHz
Thank you, Richard! So happy to know that the signal is coming through from WRMI all the way to St. Louis! I have always been a big fan of both Wolfman Jack AND WLS! Also, from your hometown, there was WIRL, a station that I believe gave some spins to us back when I was playing live and making records in The Trend! Thanks again for getting in touch! All the best.
Cheers,
John T. McMullan
I finally caught this station tonight via a KiwiSDR located in California. Great show and great music. Thanks for posting the information. Good shortwave music shows are few and far-between these days and I’m very happy that more of these are starting to appear. Please keep us informed of other shows like it. W9SPY.
Thanks for the kind words, Curt! We sent you a shout-out on the air thanking you. Hope you were able to catch it on SHORTWAVE!
Cheers,
John T. McMullan
Alt Universe Top 40!