Wings Over the Pyre

07:05 am - How Do I Broadcast Thee? Let Me Count the Ways

I’ve made a few changes to the way Operation BSU’s shows are being put together and presented. It’s actually a pretty heavy-duty structural changes that codifies more than we used to, so go and read it on the BSU community and give me your comments.

Show suggestions are always welcome, and I’m really trying to find a sweeter spot to attract more listeners regularly, both live and via download.

First step is to cut the length of the show back hard. Second is to mix the voices up during the segments up better. I’m hoping I get time to produce new segment bumpers which are topic-related more than Anchor-related before Sunday.

There are times I wonder if I don’t put too much thought into this.

Current Mood: exhausted

04:46 pm - Operation BSU Catches Fire, Ice Cold!

… I won’t be singing the Star Spangled American Anthem Medley. And the crowd visibly droops.

But I will be running the Squid’s Redoubt: Operation BSU with special musical guests, Fire and Ice! Yeeeeeeeeeahhh! [said in best Kermit-voice] The fun’ll be ongoing since, by current reports, Dr Fishkisser will be in live attendance on the show, along with The Big Leneski and Eric the Half-a-Bee. Most folks even have their show notes up for me, too, which makes me happy. :)

Scheduling for the show is getting juggled around a bit, as much to mimic reality as anything. We’ve never actually hit my scheduling in the last half of the show-as-stands, though we always get in our material and get out, so it’s worthwhile to make the actual spreadsheet agree with how I actually run things. Less cognitive dissonance, more joy.

Reminder, too, that you can be a part of the show — live and in person! Just sign up on TalkShoe to get a free account and, more importantly, a PIN, then call in from your cell phone or land-line while we’re on. That’s it! If I don’t get you unmuted immediately, just hit the “I Wanna Talk!” button in the upper-right of the interface to get my attention. Now that ShoePhone has gone beta, you don’t even need to set up a VoIP solution to call in if you’d rather use your computer, so there are even fewer reasons to avoid us!

Come out tonight and give Fire and Ice your support! Or protect them from the insanity. Whatever.

Nota bene: Further news updates for Operation BSU will go over on the Operation BSU Community page from now on, leaving this one a bit more uncluttered. Expect more news there soon!

Current Mood: pleased

06:29 pm - Squid's Redoubt: Top Ten LIVE EDITION

I’m somewhat considering doing a live version of Squid’s Redoubt: Top Ten Podcast. The thing is, it’s really not worth doing unless there really will be some people tuned in live, ready to talk about stuff and roll with the tracks.

If there’s enough interest, I might actually make it a regular thing, because Hades knows it’s easier to make these things if there’s someone else to talk to. The obvious draw back would be the sound quality will bite compared to the usual SRTTP fare. I can try and record the feed from this side at a better bit-rate, but it’ll be interesting to try and get the two output lines sync’d up (ie. high-bit-rate local, low bit-rate Xlite audio feed).

It’s not insoluable, but I really only want to work on it if there’s interest.

Don’t forget you can tune into Operation BSU this Sunday night at 9p and hear Fire and Ice live … and if you’re particularly gutsy about talking to hotties, call in and talk to them.

No, seriously, call in.

Current Mood: thoughtful

03:32 pm - Bang Ques BSU!

Operation NSU went on last night just a little bit late due to a failure of the weather-control machines that generally over-watch the SquidLair. In fact, the weather was so bad that I, literally, took a lightning bolt to the ear while getting the systems back online after the first power outage. That’s not really an experience I want to repeat anytime soon, truthfully.

That said, it was a great show, despite Dr Fishkisser (tryptophan’s absence, but we understand how hard it is to be a world famous raconteur and doctor on Canada Day.

If you’re not subscribed to Operation BSU via RSS feed to your favourite feedreader … well, why? You’ll get near-instant updates to the posted podcasts, and most of them will even go ahead and download it for you. Add us to iTunes even, if that’s your toxin of choice, or hook up using one of the other options on the Operation BSU page.

I believe Zlango when it says:

Current Mood: tired

03:22 pm - Redoubt Request Change

On a rare whim -- granted, not that rare -- I decided to change the way the queue on the Squid's Redoubt works.

Firstly, I upped the default queue size from two songs to five. Why? Because I've figured out how to do remote voice tracking on the system, which means I can actually do live DJ'd shows at a few minutes' time-delay. And that means I can play with some folks listening and be a hardcore jock when the mood strikes me if anyone's around. Good practice for playing a real show between Sunday Operation BSU episodes.

Unrelated, but noteworthy, not this coming Sunday but the next will actually be on Saturday. If you want automatic email updates on the status and schedule of Operation BSU, drop me a line and I'll put you on the list.

Secondly, because of the change in the queue length, making requests doesn't get you immediate feedback (or at least, within 6min feedback) of the fact requests are in the queue. Not the case anymore! I've just cut four rotating request intros that go at the top of the queue when the request-check script runs. Now, you get immediate feedback on whether your song is going into the queue, or at least feedback that runs every 6min for the check ...

If anyone has any suggestions for new bits or wants to submit some, for any of the promos that run on the Redoubt, let me know. I'm happy to take all comers. :)

Current Mood: creative

06:23 am - Redoubt Addenda

Yes, yes, Squid's Redoubt is still running, and thanks to Eric the .5b's original influence via eMusic and my obsession with continuing to acquire music (5.5wk of listening time at last check), we just keep adding the hits.

Alright, not all hits. A lot of just weird stuff I happen to like.

Artists added in the last month:

• Science Ninja Big Ten (Uncle Ghastly's band)
• Kid Rock
• She Wants Revenge (whose track, "Rip You Apart," apparently reminds folk of me)
• Gary Numan
• Psychocharger
• Bobby Yang (both cool and a local)
• The Meteors
• My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
• Tsunami Bomb

Eclectic? Only slightly.

Current Mood: pleased

03:55 am - Podcast, Numanized!

For those who don't follow the feeds (you wretched Luddites), there's a new Squid's Redoubt Top Ten Podcast up, #25: Gary Numanized.

Current Mood: pensive

05:26 am - New Man Numan At the Redoubt

In a rare fit of hunger for industrial dark-synthpop, I pulled a few Gary Numan albums from eMusic tonight and they are now safely tucked away on Squid's Redoubt.

( Down In the Park - Lyrics )

Current Mood: tired