Folk Radio UK

Subject: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 17 Aug 07 - 06:56 AM

Excuse the plug but as a lot of the type of music I play gets mentioned on here I hope you don't mind.

Folk Radio UK is a 24 hour independent, non-commercial internet radio station featuring non-stop British Folk and Celtic Music. Silence is golden so you won't hear any interruptions. What needs to be said can be found on the website. The station broadcasts at 96kbps so a broadband connection is recommended.

You can listen by going to: http://www.folkradio.co.uk

The music played is broad and varied, recent artists include: Spiers and Boden, Blowzabella, Tim Van Eyken, Delyth Jenkins, Allan Yn Y Fan, John Tams, Wistmans Wood, Nuala Kennedy, Martin Simpson, Waterson:Carthy in their many guises, Mary Humphreys and Anahata, The Witches of Elswick, Nic Jones, Bob Fox, Roisin Elsafty, Magpie Lane, The Tannahill Weavers, Daimh, Mawkin, The Demon Barbers and many many more.

So feel free to head over and give a listen.

Also if you're an artist and seeking airplay I can be contacted through my website or on myspace, see website for link.

Enjoy

Alex

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 08:07 AM

I've been checking out this site - the music played is first class and NO ads interupting it! There's a forum that a few stalwart memebrs keep fresh and plenty of information on new bands, new releases, traditions etc. Well worth visiting!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 10:29 AM

I don't know who you are but thanks for the very supportive response.

Just to clarify: there's no talking of any kind: adverts or a DJ. It's just non-stop music all day and night. There's information to tell you which track is playing on the website and it shows up on some media players.

Re: the traditions, I started a few artcles on British Folklore traditions. This was something I started a while back and I hope to add more once I find more time...or with the support of listeners. Anyone wanting to submit such an article can do so by contacting me via the website.

Thanks

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 05:52 PM

It's turning into a good day, we even got a mention in the Living Tradition magazine's Editorial. That came as a nice surprise...

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk1e
Date: 20 Aug 07 - 08:17 PM

Just been playing "Cossacs" with this on in the background!
Eccelent ...... Definately bookmarked!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 01:37 AM

Cheers Folkle

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 01:51 AM

Alex.
Nicely laid out site, well done!
When I get back from Towersey, I'll let you have some records that you might like (Like the now deleted PJD CD)
Keep spreading the word, it's great to listen to good music, whilst doing boring jobs!!
Regards
Ralph Jordan.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 03:03 AM

I'm impressed to note that 'playlist' and 'playing now' refresh automatically, unlike the late lamented theacousticstage.
Clearly you have tested the site on all browsers, not just the dreaded IE.
Well done and long may you continue.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 04:05 AM

Oops, spoke too soon.
Playlist's on the blink.
Just come on is Norma Waterson doing The Cruel Ship's Carpenter (though I think she calls it something else).
Earlier on, Jackie Oates did the same song, not the title that came up.

/nitpicking.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: GUEST,Crazy Man Michael
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 12:40 PM

I've added a Folk Radio feed to My Google home page, a very worthwhile addition, keep up the good work.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 01:28 PM

I've stabilised it by launching FR though the latest version of iTunes and getting the 'track playing' to show up on that.

Very amusing that FR managed to crash Safari, Opera, Firefox and even IE (Mac version) hehe.

Probably an antiAppleMac plot.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: HouseCat
Date: 21 Aug 07 - 01:50 PM

I've recommended Folk Radio UK to alot of people. It's just so well done. Thanks Alex!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 23 Aug 07 - 06:20 AM

Thanks for all the messages. I was away for a few days and it was Sods Law that my server went down yesterday so I had no idea the station was off. Went back up last night.

The now playing should function in all browsers. I publish listeners votes every week.

For those artists on here wanting airplay, you can contact me via the contact link on my website, please include a link where I can hear tracks if possible.


Also a big thank you to those that are spreading the word...

Thanks

Alex

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 05:33 AM

Since posting on here I've had a few queries about how the station works:

So just to confirm: When I add music it gets placed in a large pool of music held on a server, currently 1100 tracks and growing, from which a daily playlist is created. Software is used to help produce a daily 24 hour playlist, although I tinker around with this to get it right. Tracks added rotate over time to ensure they get played at different times of the day. The pool of music is added to every week (176 new tracks were added last week) and some tracks are removed.

For each new Album received I do a promotion on the website with a link back to the artist's website or the record label so listeners can buy the album if they wish.

The music played is Traditional British Folk and Celtic music.

I also add a lot of back catalogue material from my own collection which I don't always do promos on, simply because, if I did, my wife would probably leave me. I do it all in my spare time, after the kids have gone to bed and late into the night...


Thanks for the very supportive emails by the way

Cheers

Alex


http://www.folkradio.co.uk

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: tijuanatime
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 03:54 PM

Anyone following recent long-running threads here may find some recent additions to the playlist .... interesting.

Have a look at the blog on the FR website.

I've heard tracks recently that I confidently expected never to hear in my lifetime.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: John J
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:50 PM

I discovered this today - excellent!

John

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 06:51 PM

Better still, here's a link to a very quick and dirty list I've just put together. It's not all of them but it's close:

http://www.folkradio.co.uk/content/view/454/1/

Gives you an idea at least

Alex

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 11:15 AM

Your site is great - nice layout, very pretty, a real range of material. I'll be spreading the word.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:04 PM

Thanks Tijuanatime, John and Ruth. I've received lots of encouragement from listeners, artists and record labels. That's what's great about the Trad Folk scene, full of keen supporters!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 30 Oct 07 - 11:59 PM

I had this working on my Mac at work, but couldn't open the stream today. And here at home (also on a Mac), I'm not figuring it out -- can someone else who's got it figured out remind me what to do?? I'm using Firefox.

(Originally I right-clicked on something and copied that url to the Advanced, Open Stream menu in iTunes... I can't seem to get the right address at the moment; or something has changed.)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 31 Oct 07 - 04:11 PM

Well today it's magically working if I just click the first icon with iTunes open.

~ B in T

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Nov 07 - 03:26 PM

Is it just me or is it down? I was just getting to enjoy it, too!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Nov 07 - 06:42 PM

I've had it back up again (the programme) for a while now.

Kate Green's "Cruel Mother" is nice. I have not come acros her stuff before. Tell me more!

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 02 Nov 07 - 06:44 AM

Hi all, not sure what timezone you're in but our server went out briefly early last night (UK time), so I don't know if that's the reason for some of your problems. Sorry about that...

Re: Kate Green: the track is taken from her album "An Unkindness of Ravens", here's a link to her bio on my site. Her myspace link in there so you can listen to some of her other great tunes.

Article on Folk Radio UK

Many thanks

Alex

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: 8_Pints
Date: 02 Nov 07 - 05:43 PM

Its amazing! Almost as though we placed our entire library of CDs and vinyl online and pressed random play!

Some nice stuff we haven't heard before as well.

Well done & congratulations.

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 02 Nov 07 - 07:45 PM

There is a wonderful mixture of stuff here. One minute I can be cursing the prevalence of diddly, one minute I can be marvelling that some singers (no doubt better than I, for the avoidance of doubt) get recorded at all, but quite a lot of the time I am going "OOH, why haven't I heard the before?"   This is going to cost me a fortune in CDs I don't already own, and waste hours I have not got trying to get songs that I NEED to play off to a reasonable standard (Just added Demon Barbers "Edward" to that list!)

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 03 Nov 07 - 12:41 PM

Thanks for that, glad to see you hearing some new music as well...re prevalence of diddly, I use scheduling software to help keep a variety of music in any one hour...each tune gets coded before it gets added...saves me heaps of time in doing each new daily playlist.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Nov 07 - 03:04 PM

Much liking Brian Peters' "Bold Lovell" too.

Subject: RE: Folk Radio UK
From: folk_radio_uk
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 04:57 AM

A Folk Radio UK update

Folk Radio UK normally plays a non-stop playlist which changes every day. This is just to let you know that I'm now including a few shows. On board I have:

Alan O'leary (Copperplate, ex-Spyder Radio) is running a weekly show called "The Guest List" which features both British and American folk and Mike Ganley is coming on board in December with his monthly show "The Crooked Road". He'll be doing his top 10 roots tracks of the year and interviewing Rachel Unthank. I'll be finalising next weeks timetable shortly. To find out times etc. just go to "Whats On" on the main site.

I was doing a weekly show myself but the time taken in adding new music, looking after the site, playlist management etc. is just taking up a hell of a lot of my spare time (what's that), so I'll be ducking in and out when time allows.

I've just launched a new forum to replace the old one which was getting a bit long in the tooth. It runs on VBulletin which is all bells and whistles etc. so feel free to drop by and spread any news.

As ever I'm always on the look out for new music. Just contact me through the site with a link where I can hear your tunes...

http://www.folkradio.co.uk