A change of format

-_ambrown on flickr

Before anyone freaks out – no, I’m not planning to abandon Radioactive State. To be honest, very little could probably get me to stop this particular side project, as it brings me far too much joy. While I’m no longer DJing out in the clubs, this show still allows me to share music, which is what I always used to love. (And hey, I don’t have to lug craploads of music from place to place!)

The problem is that I haven’t really been thinking like a radio-style DJ when it comes to Radioactive State. I’m still thinking like a club DJ, and that’s just not working with this format. Let me explain….

When you’re putting together music for a club set, there’s always something thematic about it. Even in a location that allows for an eclectic mix, you want to stick with a certain feel, or a certain idea. So as opposed to building “shows” I’ve been building “sets” – songs that follow one particular concept/genre. When it comes to radio – especially an on-demand medium like podcasted shows – thematic shows don’t really fit the bill unless you’re sticking within a neighborhood or two of a particular genre at all times. (And don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking those who do! It takes a lot of dedication to mine one genre for all the best that’s out there.) Since my intent on this project has never been to stick to one genre, doing thematic sets requires taking the full two weeks to find enough excellent Creative Commons licensed music to fit that one idea.

The other problem with using a club-style thematic mix as opposed to a more eclectic radio-style show is that I can’t really spend time looking up much information about the band. I feel this really does the bands a huge disservice, considering they work their butts off to produce great music and deserve more than a quick nod in the show notes and a link to their site.

What this means for you is that starting with episode #5, you’ll be getting a mix of all manner of great music in each and every show. The other thing is that by (easily) halving research time, I’ll be able to take the podcasts to a weekly schedule. More new music for you, more information on the bands and songs, and less stress in compiling shows. It’s a win-win!

Also, this means I’ll finally have enough time to iron out that annoying iTunes feed issue.

I hope you’ll join me next Wednesday as I take you on a musical ride around the world – and through all manner of different music!

[Edited to add]:  After wrestling with the .htaccess file, purging the permalink cache, and doing a very intricate voodoo dance wherein I sacrificed a toaster with wings glued on it, I believe the RSS feed is now working properly. (At least, that’s what the feed validation services are telling me, so I’m going to go with it.) I’ve resubmitted the feed to the Choirmaster at the Temple of Jobs for inclusion on iTunes.

Let’s hope that the third time I submit it is indeed the charm, and they pass it this time.