KFMG Off The Air

This is basically for readers in Des Moines. Most of you know this by now, and some of you knew this was coming but KFMG, the little radio station that refused to die, has gone off the air once again. From what I can tell from emails, and press releases that the low power station's license could be bought or transferred from the community group that has it now. I would hope that whoever ends up with the signal uses it to continue to support not only the blues, but jazz, folk, and alt rock that doesn't make it on commercial radio.

for more click HERE for the Des Moines Register article.

KUNI Live Broadcast From The Des Moines Arts Festival

Press release from KUNI

Iowa Public Radio broadcasts live from the Des Moines Arts Festival:

Join Iowa Public Radio on Thursday, June 26 in downtown Des Moines as we celebrate the load-in of the 11th annual Des Moines Arts Festival. Iowa Public Radio will broadcast live on WOI 90.1 FM and all KUNI stations from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. from the legendary Blues on Grand featuring break-out blues guitarist Mike Zito. Admission is free.

Singer, guitarist and songwriter Mike Zito grew up in St. Louis, immersed in the gritty and soulful sounds of the city's south side that would help provide the groundwork for his future in music. He began singing and performing at the age of five and has been touring heavily since the age of nineteen. But throwing himself headfirst into the pursuit of his art had a toll, and Zito paid it. The non-stop rock 'n' roll lifestyle led to a dark and dangerous period during which Zito came close to destroying all that he'd worked so hard to establish. It took time, but thankfully, with the help and intervention of friends and supporters in the music business, loved ones and the woman who would become his wife, Zito regained his faith in himself and his music, cleaned up his act and settled down in Southeast Texas to begin anew.

With a clean slate, a fresh outlook and a new found dedication to his music, Zito now embraces a positive message of hope and redemption; illuminating his music with a deeper relevance and validity, while elevating his craft to all new artistic heights. Together with producers David Z and Tony Braunagel, Zito's previously untapped potential is fully realized and complimented by an assemblage of world class musicians that can best be described as "The Dream Team." Joining Zito on his brand new release, "Today," are bassist James "Hutch" Hutchinson (Bonnie Raitt, Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker), keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash), drummer Tony Braunagel (Eric Burdon, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal) and Michito Sanchez (Joe Walsh, Elton John, Crosby, Stills & Nash).

Zito is that rare new artist who is completely in-synch with the contemporary music scene, while at the same time having a lifetime’s worth of experience to draw from that informs his music with soul, depth, and lasting appeal that grows with repeated listening. With a new chapter of his life unfolding, Mike Zito has only begun to scratch the musical surface yet again.

For more information about the Des Moines Arts Festival visit www.desmoinesartsfestival.org.

Iowa Public Radio informs, enriches and engages Iowans through radio programming and other media. Iowa Public Radio includes the WOI Radio Group (Iowa State University, Ames), KUNI-KHKE (University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls), and KSUI-WSUI (University of Iowa, Iowa City).

KFMG 1st Birthday Bash

Just got this from T-Bone even if you are not in Des Moines you can catch KFMG on the internet.

Ladies and Gents ...

T-Bone Erickson here, inviting you to KFMG's 1st Birthday Bash this Sunday!

Obviously, many of you have already heard about this event, and may even have your tickets, or may even be Charter Members, but just in case, I did not want you to miss out on this special event and wanted to make sure that you are reminded that it is indeed this Sunday and I would love to see you there!

Please join me and the rest of the KFMG staff in celebrating our first full year as the radio station that supports Des Moines musicians, artists and cultural events.

There will be Live Entertainment. Prize drawings throughout the event. Food and beverages available for purchase.

KFMG’s 1-YEAR BIRTHDAY BASH April 6th!

Jon us Sunday, April 6th as KFMG celebrates with YOU our first year anniversary at the Hotel Ft. Des Moines at 10th and Walnut in downtown Des Moines!

There will be the CHARTER MEMBER HOUR from 3-4 p.m. for all of our Charter Members that have helped support KFMG get started and rolling! You will be able to meet the Nadas, tour the station, and enjoy some appetizers.

Then the Birthday Bash begins for everyone at 4 p.m., featuring live musical performances:

4:00-5:00 p.m. - Jason Walsmith and Mike Butterworth of the Nadas playing unplugged

5:30-6:30 p.m. - Lady Blue featuring Tina Haase Findlay

7:00-8:00 p.m. - Sam Salomone - master of the Hammond organ and host of the "Jazz Gumbo" show on Sunday nights from 7-9 p.m. on KFMG

There will be prize drawings throughout the event. Food and beverages (including alcoholic) will be available for purchase.

Admission to the Birthday Bash is $30 per person/$20 per student at the door. (Students must show student ID at the door.) Children under 16 free with paid admission.

(Please keep in mind that KFMG is a non-profit station and depends on listener support to stay on the air!)

SPECIAL OFFER: $50 Charter Membership includes admission for two and participation in the Charter Member Hour.

Please come join us and help us celebrate!

For more info contact us at kfmg@efr.org or call (515) 473-6001.

You can register for advance tickets by going to www.kfmg991.org!

KFMG - a service of Employee and Family Resources and the radio station that supports Des Moines musicians, artists and cultural events!

Streaming the entire planet at www.kfmg991.org!

And remember that I will be doing on the air doing my "Blues & Groove" show this next Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. and "The Chill Zone" from 9-10 p.m.

Thanks!

Don "T-Bone" Erickson

DJ - KFMG

BBC Blues Radio On The Internet

Just recieved this cool email from the BBC!! You can now listen to the BBC online, and hear some great blues! Here is the 411.

The Blooze News Update...Don’t forget to tune in!

Radio Station: BBC Radio 2

When: Monday 17^th March 2008

Time: 7.00pm (UK, GMT time).

Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jones/

DJ Paul Jones will be playing tracks from the new Chris Barber Presents: Blues Legacy: Lost & Found Series and talking to the Jazz & Blues legend Chris Barber about how he introduced the UK and Europe to Blues by bringing seminal artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee to tour with him.

If you are interested in having a listen but live outside the UK you can log onto the BBC website and look for the “Listen Again” function.

The Blues Lost & Found series is now officially released in the UK but it’s worth knowing that international blues fans can simply order the CDs via www.blueslegacy.net and get them delivered to your door.If you just fancied downloading a few tracks then the releases are active on most reputable download stores such as i-Tunes across the world.

Happy Bloozin'

ATTENTION CANADIAN BLUES FANS

Just received an email from the people at DAWG Fm. They are in the process of trying to put a couple of blues format radio stations in Abbotsford/Chilliwack, and Vancouver. Ed Torres has sent a note wanting people who support the radio station to fill out some forms to help out their cause. Looking at my latests stats I know that a large number of Canadian blues fans read this blog. Also if you live near the boarder by these two areas why don't you give fill out the forms as well! I can't think of anything more cool than a radio station that plays blues 24/7! Oh-Yeah! I have one of them HERE. Just remember to click on the yellow circle.

Please help Ed out! Read his note below and click on the links!! Long live the Blues!!!

Hi Bluesman

My name is Ed Torres I’m the Chairman of DAWG FM.

We have made our first presentation to the CRTC and we think that our format and business plan were well received.

We are in the process of gathering support for our Abbotsford/Chilliwack and Vancouver applications. Anyone interested in publicly supporting our applications can do so through our website at www.bluesincanada.com They just need to click on one or all four of the Dog logos at the bottom of the home page and fill in the required fields.

They can also support the application directly through the CRTC site at http://support.crtc.gc.ca/rapidscin/default.aspx?lang=en&applicant=n2007-18 and select the applications that are made by Frank Torres OBCI. There are two applications that are still open for support, Vancouver and Abbotsford.

We will continue to apply for more stations through 2008. Your support is really appreciated.

Ed

KFMG LIVE! Newest Internet Radio Station

Just got this from Don "T-Bone" Erickson. KFMG a lengendary radio station that has just recently come back to life as a community radio station in Des Moines is now streaming live. Here is Don's message

We did it! KFMG is streaming to the entire planet! Check it out at www.kfmg991.org.

For those of you outside of the Greater Des Moines, Iowa area, yes, you can now listen to all of the great radio programming that we have on KFMG 99.1 FM.

Including of course my own show - "T-Bone's Blues & Groove Show" - which happens to be on tonight! I am on every other Tuesday night from 7-9 p.m. (Scott Allen is on the other weeks at the same time with his "Big Dawg's Blues & Boogie Show.")

Tonight also just happens to be the debut of "The Chill Zone with T-Bone" from 9-10 p.m., right after the Blues show.

So check us out if you can and check out our MySpace page at www.myspace.com/kfmg for the entire program schedule and more ...

Thanks!

Don "T-Bone" Erickson

KFMG plays all types of music, and has always been friendly to blues, and local musicians in Des Moines. Go ahead and check it out.

Internet Radio spotlight: Helsinki's Blues Cafe

Tonights Internet radio spotlight is on the Helsinki Blues Cafe. Blues from Finland! You can find the site by clicking HERE. You can also check out their myspace page HERE. Remember when you get to the website, click on the yellow circle with the speaker on it, and your computer will do the rest.

For the latest on the internet radio battles check out Rusty On Radio. At this point nothing is settled yet, but hopefully soon.

Internet Radio: Blues From Oxford

Tonights Internet Radio spotlight goes to Blues From Oxford. A station run by the rockmachine, and dedicated to Oxford area blues performers. Yup, thats right Oxford England! So enjoy some British blues tonight. As always click on the link below, then click on the yellow circle with the speaker on it, and you will soon be listening to some sweet blues!

Blues from Oxford

Internet Radio : Blues Radio

Today's featured Internet radio station is Blues-Radio.com. This station is run by Joe Buckel from Baltimore Maryland. Like always follow this LINK. Then click on the yellow circle with the speaker on it.

No news about the future of Internet radio. Things are still in limbo. Hopefully something permanent will happen in the near future. As for today, the high fees are still on hold, so Internet radio is still going. However, if you want to save Internet radio, then call your Representative, and Senator TODAY! Even though Sound Exchange, has agreed to hold off on collecting fees, that is no means a win for Internet radio. They could change their mind tomorrow. So make sure that you let Washington know how you feel.

UPDATE

Please check out this link to Rusty On Radio. It is pretty much what I thought above. There is no settlement, and perhaps Sound Exchange is trying to do an end around. Typical corporate BS. Muddle the truth, pretend to negotiate in good faith, and then when they have enough politicians, and the public on their side, pull the rug.

I will add Rusty On Radio to the link lists.

Fight For Internet Radio Not Over Yet

Here is another article on the current state of Internet radio. This comes from Great Reporter. Once again it makes the point that independent artists, and small Ma, and Pa internet radio stations will disappear if Sound Exchange gets its way. I think a great example of the future of internet radio, can be shown by looking at commercial radio today. How many stations in your town,(US) are locally owned and operated. I am not talking about small wattage community stations, I am talking about commercial radio stations. If you have one it is a miracle. even up here in the boondocks, we have no local radio stations. Last summer a typical summer thunderstorm came rolling through NW Iowa. The electricity was out, and I was tying to find a local radio station to find out if anything severe was coming through. Amazingly all the stations in town were automated and run by computers, no weather warnings, no live people, just a computer playing music, and commercials. I was finally lucky enough to find a live person broadcasting 40 miles north of me, and he had RADAR! Only through him did I find out that A severe thunderstorm was rolling through my area! What if it had been a tornado?? My only hope would have been to hear the sirens, or the tornado!

This is why commercial radio has been ruined. No local control, and corporations deciding what I get to listen to. No DJs, no request line, no people! This is why it is important to save internet radio since it still has the local flavor that is long gone from commercial radio. Plus internet radio will play music from me and other unsigned and indie musicians.

If you haven't done it yet, go to the bottom of the blog and click on the save internet radio banner, and see what you can do to save the music.

Internet Radio In Trouble In England

I don't know how many of you read the comment from Mike in the previous post. He is one of those famous "Off Shore" broadcasters in England, who in the bad old days gave people something good to listen to because the BBC wasn't. He is a legit Internet radio broadcaster, but he informed me that just like here in the US, the UK is raising rates on Internet broadcasters.


Mike Said

As an artist the record companies have screwed you guys for years with contracts that allow them to keep your royalties.
But now the royalty set for internet radio in the UK is 9 yes NINE times higher than the highest rate in the USA check out http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2129109,00.html

The link leads to an article from the Guardian, which details what is going on in both the US, and UK. Here is the part that I wasn't aware of dealing with England.

From the Guardian:

But the UK ruling, announced on Monday and effective from July 1, creates a new problem. In addition to a percentage of total revenue, for every track they play webcasters will have to pay a minimum charge which is nine times higher than the US royalty board's projected per-track rate for 2010.

The terms were originally agreed last September, in a royalty settlement between record companies and parties including mobile phone operators, music download companies and the MCPS-PRS Alliance, which collects music royalties for publishers. Three webcasters - AOL, Real Networks and Yahoo! - failed to settle.

Now, webcasters face a war with regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. Very large webcasters may be able to stomach the fees, but Pandora is preparing to shut its service in the UK - the only country served outside the US - as early as this week, says international managing director Paul Brown. The service, which had been offered informally while Pandora negotiated UK music licensing deals, was to formally launch by the end of the year, but it could never be profitable under the new rules, he says.

"We want to bring this good service to the UK, but it has to be on an economic base and if you're losing money for every hour then there's no business there," laments Brown. For Pandora UK at least, it turns out that Monday really was the day the music died.

Amazingly the rate charged to British Internet stations are NINE TIMES higher than the highest rate in the US would be in 2010!! I think this just shows that the power of the corporation is no longer just a regional or national phenomenon, but it is truly a global power. Once again it is the little guys, who will be put out of business, sure, Yahoo, Real, and Aol, will whine and cry about it, but in the end they will put up the money and the rest of us small fries, will be out of business.

I will keep you posted, and I will keep all the links to save internet radio up for now. I also am including mikes blog, The Thunder to the links section.

Reprevie For Internet Radio

I just found this article in both the New York Times, and Salon,(plus a ton of others just Google internet radio and click on the news search) I usually don't print an article verbatim, but both the Times, and Salon are members only. I have membership so this time I will post it for you. However, do yourself a favor and sign up since it is free. The links above will take you to either news source.

Here is the Salon article

Web radio stations win a last-minute stay of execution

Wired's indispensable digital-music maven Eliot Van Buskirk reports some good breaking news: Internet radio stations will not shut down this Sunday.

Many Web radio outfits feared closure as their legal fight against staggering new music royalty rates met failure this week. On Thursday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to block the new rates, which are scheduled to go into effect Sunday. But as a result of public outcry -- which, in turn, sparked congressional outcry -- SoundExchange, the recording-industry group that collects royalties, has agreed not to immediately enforce the rates, pending negotiations with webcasters.

I just spoke to Tim Westergren, the founder of Pandora, the hugely popular Internet radio station that allows people to create personalized music channels. I asked Westergren if Pandora will shut down Sunday: "No, we won't," he said.

On Thursday, the House Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, convened an emergency round-table meeting between both sides in the royalty dispute. At the meeting, SoundExchange agreed to cap the $500-per-channel fee that had threatened to wipe out Pandora and other stations that let people tailor radio channels to their taste. Westergren says the cap "was a precursor to any kind of negotiation, because that fee was so absurd. It was like a billion dollars for us and other large webcasters put together every year." Now, stations like Pandora will pay $500 for each radio channel they send out, with a maximum of $50,000.

Besides the per-channel fee, Internet radio stations also face a new per-stream fee that applies retroactively to 2006, and rises each year until 2010. The new schedule charges webcasters $0.00076 per listener per song for 2006; $.0011 for 2007; $.0014 for 2008; and $.0018 and $.0019 for 2009 and 2010. The rates are far more onerous than those imposed on satellite systems -- which pay a share of their revenue -- and for traditional "terrestrial" AM and FM radio stations, which pay no performance royalties for the music they play. (The music industry, though, is trying to change that.)

The negotiations between SoundExchange and the webcasters now center on these rates -- and they're taking place, Westergren notes, "under the watchful eye of Congress." And that, he says, is the main news today. "The reason this deal is happening is because of congressional pressure, and congressional pressure is happening because of people calling in. Everybody needs to know that. A million people in the last three months have called Congress about this. And Congress has said, Look, if you don't solve this, we will. That's very explicit."

I don't know if this will be the end of it, or just a brief time out. SoundExchange has played hardball through out the negotiations. I understand from an artists perspective the importance of getting paid, but these fees pay bureaucrats and other paper shufflers, while most hard working artists get pennies.

Last Internet Radio Blues Show???????

Well kids, this is it. Today is the 14th of July, and the new fees take effect Monday just 28 hours from now. I do not know what will happen Monday morning, but if you haven't contacted your representative please do! Just click on the save internet radio banner at the bottom of the blog. Tonights internet radio show is Blues Train. According to the website it features guitar blues. To listen to the show click here. Then click on the yellow circle with the speaker in it.

Since tomorrow is the possibly the last night for small time internet broadcasters, I will feature another blues show tomorrow night.

UPDATE

From what I am reading on the net the rate change takes place tomorrow. If that is the case then Internet radio will be gone at midnight. I don't know why a rate change would take place on a Sunday night, but I will monitor the situation tonight and will report here at the Blues Historian. As Edward R Murrow once said, " Good night, and Good Luck."