ADIOS: Rockland USA : Mix Hits

It is with deep regret that I must announce the official end to our newer station Rockland USA : Mix Hits. The station will only be available to Live365 VIP members beginning February 11. 2005. The playlist will be put into an auto-random mode and downgraded to 32k mp3pro so we can fit more music onto the server before the account is cancelled. Once the account is cancelled we will no longer be able to access the station controls.

WHY?
Our main station Rockland USA : Pop Rock is booming! Due to our recent highlight on the front of the Windows Media Player program guide, the Pop Rock station has welcome thousands of new listeners every day. Due to the increased traffic, we are forced to put our limited funds towards the Pop Rock station in order to accomodate as many new listeners as possible.

This was not an easy decision as we did not plan on our listener growth to triple in two weeks. If I do not continue to raise the listener caps on the main station to make room for every new listener that checks us out, we are only hurting the future expansion and possible future sponsorships.

We have NEVER asked for money from our listeners to keep our stations running. We do not have any sponsorships or any other form of income to help with the costs of Rockland USA. It is our dream one day that a company or corporation will provide a major sponsorship to Rockland USA to cover the costs of operation in exchange for exclusive advertising rights where legally possible. Until that day, we will fund the stations as best as we can while considering all growth opportunities as they arise.

So, we ask our 'MIX' listeners to come on over to the 'Pop Rock' station - you will find out that the playlist is really not that much different! If you can stand to give up your Spice Girls for some Green Day, you will be very happy :)

RUSA'S LOVE NOTES!

Rockland USA stations will be giving you the chance to dedicate music along with a Love Note to your favorite valentine! For participating you will have a chance to win dinner for two at any Outback Steakhouse nationwide in the continental United States!

How To Participate:
1. FILL OUT THE FORM: Simply send us your music request and love note dedication using the form on the Rockland USA website.

2. RECORD YOUR LOVE NOTE: Make your own voice recording of your dedication in any audio format and we will play it on the air for your valentine! Please keep your love note recordings short (under 60 sec). Email us your recording along with your music request to rockon@rocklandusa.com.

We will be playing all Love Notes between 12:00PM and 5:00PM EST on Monday, February 14, 2005. Outback Steakhouse prize will be awarded by random drawing from all Love Notes we received. Deadline for Love Notes is February 12, 2005.

All New Playlists

We have totally revamped our entire music track airplay collection adding literally hundreds of new top hits.

Needless to say this took several weeks to accomplish. Each and every track has been customized for Internet streaming, ID tags for each track have been fully researched and edited, and finally assigned to a minor-playlist bank thus making it much easier to create full daily playlists.

I personally feel the sound quality is MUCH improved as well as the pop rock hit variety.

Lunaticradio.com Show Roast

Just finished producing a 3 minute spot for the upcoming Lunaticradio.com Show. They are apparently doing a 'roast' of the show which will be aired next week via their station, the podcast, and on Rockland USA (SAT. 7PM EST).

When they asked me to participate with a recorded roast, I wasn't sure how to approach it. While I was playing around with some rants on MS Word and the mic the idea of making it into a bit came to mind. I turned my roast into a cheesy Vegas lounge comedian bit slamming the show.

Using Cool Edit Pro I first recorded my fully prepared script in several takes editing out what didn't sound 'right'. I also added some space between liners for additional effects.

An additional track was created for the opening announcer at the club (which was me again). After recording I raised the pitch by about 10% while adding some additional effects to make the voice sound different than my own.

Several more tracks were added to add the crowd noise, clapping, laughs, rimshots, drums, and more. Then with some careful and tedious listening, the arrangment of all sound clips are put together making additional adjustments to the tracks when needed. In the end, it came out sounding like a real comedy club complete with bad jokes, drunken audience members, drum rimshots, etc. Yes, the jokes are really bad which makes it funnier (IMO).

Anyway, check it out this next week on the Lunaticradio.com show either on the podcast, Lunaticradio.com, or on the expanded version of the show on Rockland USA via Live365 Radio Network next Saturday at 7PM EST.

New Music First

The new music releases are incredibly slow this time of year. I sure hope it picks up soon - haven't been able to add that many new tracks in a while now.

This week we added the new release from American Hi-Fi 'Geeks Get The Girls'. Yet another track with the same style as Bowling For Soup's 1985. Oh, and what a coincidence - American Hi-Fi will be touring with Bowling For Soup. Great. Now you can hear several hours of the same style of music.

Latest release news from the industry:

DECEMBER 13
SINGLES:
AIMEE MANN (AAA)/King Of The Jailhouse (United Musicians/Music Allies)

JANUARY 3
SINGLES:
3 DOORS DOWN (Hot/Mod)/Let Me Go (Republic/Universal)

JANUARY 10
SINGLES:
BRIAN MCKNIGHT (AC)/Everytime You Go Away) (Universal)
JACK JOHNSON (AAA)/Sitting, Waiting, Wishing (Brushfire/Universal)
JOSS STONE (Hot/Mod)/Right To Be Wrong (EMI)

JANUARY 24
SINGLES:
CARBON LEAF (Hot/Mod AC)/Life Less Ordinary (Vanguard)
STEPHEN KELLOGG & THE SIXERS (AAA)/You've Changed (Foundations/Universal)

JANUARY 31
SINGLES:
FEATURES, THE (Hot AC)/Blow It out (Universal)
JACK JOHNSON (Hot/Mod AC)/Sitting, Waiting, Wishing (Brushfire/Universal)