Category Archives: Music

Fans of “The Rockpile” and “Jazz from the Left” can now listen online

Raoul van Hall (Source: Ameristream Live)

After Global 24 went off the air, several SWLing Post readers commented that they were going to miss hearing music programs like Jazz from the Left and The Rockpile.

Fortunately, Raoul van Hall, who hosts and produces both programs, noticed your comments . Yesterday, he commented with good news:

“For those of you who would still like to hear The Rockpile or Jazz from the Left, you can follow these links to hear both programs, whenever and wherever you’d like:

http://ameristreamlive.com/the-rockpile/

http://ameristreamlive.com/jazz-from-the-left/

I’ve exchanged a few emails with several SW stations to maybe put RP or JFTL back on shortwave. Different time and frequency. We’ll see. I’d have to lease the airtime and hopefully get at least one sponsor and some listener contributions. I like the idea of broadcasting on shortwave. After all of these years on AM and FM.

I used to love listening to music on shortwave, when I was younger. When there was some music on SW. There’s something about hearing the music fade in and out on the signal that’s magical to me. I first fell in love with radio listening to shortwave.

Plus I like being able to play lots of music that’s not heard anywhere on US FM.

If I decide to do it, I’ll make sure it’s on a smoking signal and at the right times.

Naturally, I’d welcome any of your thoughts or suggestions.

Raoul”

I couldn’t agree with you more about the magic of hearing music over shortwave.

Raoul, keep in touch and I will post any updates you provide regarding potential shortwave broadcasts. Thanks for making your programs available via Ameristream Live.

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Orchestral music on shortwave?

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Photo: Thomas Fries / License: cc-by-sa-3.0 de

SWLing Post reader, Eric (w4OTN/3), asks:

Years ago I loved tuning in Radio Bulgaria and listening to their orchestra play. The ether would deliver the beautiful music to my ears with some fading at times but I loved listening to it. That is, of course, until they stopped broadcasting. I’ve tried to find an alternative without success.

I wonder if you know of any shortwave station that still broadcast orchestras?

Thanks,
Eric W4OTN/3

Any suggestions for Eric? Please comment with details!

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Shortwave Radio Recordings: Helliniki Radiophonia

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It’s been a while now since 9,420 kHz–a former Voice of Greece frequency–should have gone off the air. Fortunately, it has not.

The station is no longer referred to as the Voice of Greece; it’s now a relay of ERT Open, otherwise known as the Helliniki Radiophonia (you’ll hear this name in the station ID).

Friday evening, I recorded nearly four hours of Helliniki Radiophonia because I love the music programming they air during weekends, yet I rarely stay up late enough to listen live. With this recording, I’ll enjoy Greek music most of my working day today–and you can, too!

Simply click here to download an MP3 of the full recording, or simply listen via the embedded player below.

The music begins, in earnest, a little after 17:00–enjoy:

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Video: 1940s-era holiday treat from Tommy Dorsey (c/o a vintage rig)

Shortwave Radio Recordings: beHAVior Night

Wilco’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” and shortwave radio

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After posting our articles about Joe Strummer and Peter Gabriel, Mike Barraclough writes:

“Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is my favourite shortwave radio related album, I was a fan of the band anyway so when I read about the theme I was really looking forward to the album and was not disappointed.

Reprise rejected it for not being radio-friendly, somewhat ironic given the theme, after streaming it free they released it through Nonesuch to critical acclaim and is to date their best selling one.

“On YHF, Wilco use short-wave radio as a metaphor for communication in a relationship. Short-wave radio allows people to speak who are not in physical proximity, but there’s no guarantee that the coded messages will be received successfully, and atmospheric interference is a given. People involved in a relationship often find their communication imperfect and cryptic, not unlike the experience of those relying on radio. After all, language itself is inherently flawed, inaccurate, and misread—a code often misinterpreted; further complicating matters are external distortions and distractions—a metaphoric radio static. With all of this interference, can we ever succeed in communicating with someone else?”

[Quote taken from this article.]

I later went to see them live at the Hammersmith Apollo.

My favourite track, Poor Places, includes the Irdial recording of the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot numbers stations fading in at the end on top of the music. They hadn’t sought permission to use this so Irdial sued them for copyright breach and won, think it was an out of court settlement. Halfway through the gig they started playing this number, I was waiting with great anticipation for the numbers station recording to fade in during the closing of the song, one I remembered hearing regularly on shortwave from back in the 60s, but was disappointed, just noise came up over the music. Guess the out of court settlement meant a ban on using it live.

Many thanks for sharing this, Mike! I like Wilco too, though haven’t seen them live yet–but I hold out hope as they have been known to venture into my part of the world.

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Joe Strummer: influenced by world travel–and shortwave radio

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SWLing Post reader, Chris, writes:

“After reading your piece on Peter Gabriel it reminded me of Joe Strummer and the Clash and the Mescaleros… The album and song London Calling was written from a huge influence from the BBC World Service…. Need I say more about the song?

Shortly before his death in 2002, Joe recorded an album called at Global A Go-Go along with a song of that title track. The first line in the song is “World Service Bulletin” and references many cities around the world wanting great rock and roll music…

I know there are also interviews with him stating that growing up his father was a diplomat and he lived in various countries. He would tune in to the BBC World Service to get rock music from home!

The Clash ended up taking on a worldly sound in their later recordings. During Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, it was all world music!

The latter is still one of my top three albums of all times!

Shortwave radio is the reason why I love world music.”

Same here, Chris–shortwave radio is directly responsible for my interest in any and all forms of music. Growing up, the variety I could hear on shortwave was beyond anything I could hear locally. I think many SWLs share this global connection.

Strummer via the World Service

After receiving Chris’ message, I did a little more research because I vaguely recalled a program on the BBC World Service that was hosted by Joe Strummer, though I never had the opportunity to hear it live.

Fortunately, I uncovered the original Joe Strummer’s London Calling via PRX. SCORE!

I’ve embedded the first episode below: an introduction to the series where you’ll hear a little about Joe in the first half hour and in the second half, the first episode of the original Joe Strummer’s London Calling.

This is an amazing collection–actually, that’s an understatement. I’m already on the third episode and will probably listen to the whole series by the end of the week (if not end of day).

Click here for the full list of shows via PRX.

This has all prompted me to order Rock Art & The X-Ray Style by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. Thanks, Chris: amazing stuff…

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