On The Air: Radiohaif

[editor]

Radio HAIF is on the air.

As part of this forum's continuing effort to promote Houston, foster communication between Houstonians, and create a sense of community we are launching Radio HAIF.

At first, the music you hear on Radio HAIF will be from mainstream bands that everybody knows. But the goal of the station is to give emerging artists from Houston and the rest of Texas the exposure they have been sorely lacking. For every ZZ Top and Beyonce to come out of the Bayou City there are dozens of equally talented bands and singers who for one reason or another simply don't get the airplay they deserve.

That's where Radio HAIF comes in.

What's on Radio HAIF?

Radio HAIF is a community-driven station with music produced by Texans for Texans. There is no "format." Over-formatting is what killed radio in the 90's. The music is simply "good" music.

• It could be a high school garage band from Katy playing a favorite song.
  
• It could be a bunch of guys from the West Loop who get together after work to blow of stress through a jam session.
  
• It could be an old man with a harmonica from the East End with a song in his heart and not a penny in his pocket.
  
• It could be a cheerleader from Sugar Land who thinks she's the next big thing.
  
• It could be an amateur operatic club from The Heights doing an aria.
  
• It could be a group of migrant workers in El Campo who know how to work a squeezebox like no one's business.
  

How can I listen to Radio HAIF?

Radio HAIF is streamed over the internet via a service called Live365. It is possible to listen to Radio HAIF through a regular web browser like you have at home or at work. If you don't want to use your web browser, you can listen through a standalone program called Radio365. It is also possible to listen to Radio HAIF in iTunes. And when you're on the move you can use many Windows Mobile smartphones and PDAs.

How's the sound quality?

The sound quality will vary depending on your speakers or headphones. Generally speaking, if you're listening through headphones or good speakers, it approximates the quality of FM radio. The stream is actually 32kbps. While this isn't the highest quality we can deliver, it places the least burden on many people's computers and allows more people to enjoy Radio HAIF since a portion of our regular HAIF readers are on dialup. The stream will easily play through a 56k dialup connection. As more HAIFers migrate to high-speed connectivity we will increase the quality.

How can I get heard on Radio HAIF?

That's the best part of Radio HAIF -- you help decide what's on the air. If you have a band of your own, or maybe your neighbor's kids have a band, or you see some great group at a local bar -- let us know about them and let them know about us.

If you have a CD, send it our way. Use the standard HAIF mailing address.

Another way to submit music is through the email address bands@radiohaif.com. Here are a few guidelines:

• Songs that arrive via e-mail must be in MP3 format.
  
• MP3 files must be properly tagged with the artist name, song title, and album title.
  
• If you have a record publisher, that should also be noted. Radio HAIF doesn't care if you have a record deal or not; we'll play you either way. We just need to know for royalty calculations and copyright auditing.
  
• Songs must be understandable. I'm sure you're very proud of your flaming speed metal band, but it's going to sound like someone trimming a hedge underwater when played through the internet. Even the biggest head bangers did a ballad every once in a while. We're more likely to play those.
  
• Songs must be work-friendly. Most people surf HAIF from work. And if they listen to Radio HAIF at work, we don't want to get them fired. Try to find a way to express yourself without using expletives.
  

Again, there is no specific genre of music on HAIF. Send us your honky-tonk boogies, your blues riffs, your rocking jam sessions. We'll listen to it all and pick the best stuff. We cannot guarantee that we'll play your stuff just because you submit it. But when a song is added to the playlist, we'll let you know.

What about commercials?

Unfortunately, at this point Radio HAIF runs commercials from the hosting company Live365. We don't have any control over that right now. Hopefully we will get enough regular Radio HAIF listeners that we can shell out the extra money to dump the Live365 commercials and just have good local HAIF advertisers. But for now since we're just starting out, we're stuck with their ads.

Future plans for Radio HAIF

Future plans include expanding from simply music to include news and talk. No, not the horrors that you hear on AM radio. I'm talking about short interviews with people like local celebrities, reporters, the HAIF moderators, and even HAIFers like you. The visitors to HAIF are a lot more interesting than you might think.

We're also exploring a couple of other possibilities -- an audio version of the HAIF community calendar that you see at the bottom of the main screen, and possibly regular traffic and weather updates. These will be worked on in the coming months.

When can I hear Radio HAIF?

Right now Radio HAIF is being tested by a few selected HAIFers. We hope to be live soon. If you'd like to join the test, just send me a PM.

So there it is -- Radio HAIF. If you want to help, know a talented musician, have a great idea, or just want to give a little encouragement we're eager to hear from you. Please post your thoughts below.

[Vertigo58]

One billboard (placed strategically) is all they need to promote and it wouldnt hurt to have T-shirt give aways and or bumper stickers. Reminder cards to pass out at evening hangouts are also effective. Market this baby!

[editor]

HAIFers often talk about handing out HAIF cards in the forum, but when the rubber meets the road, they're all talk. I spent a couple of hundred dollars printing up HAIF cards that are available for free for HAIFers, and all those people who encouraged me to do it over the last year suddenly fell silent when it came to giving me their mailing addresses so I could send them.

[Vertigo58]

Today is your day. Your talking to an advertising/marketing person. Send em my way. Wish I could see a sample, I just hope they appear professional thats all. I can assure you they will be seen in the most heavily visited spots in town.

[Gary]

I think this is a great Idea, and quite frankly I'm excited! We haven't had a true community radio station here for a long time. I for one plan on sending in a lot of stuff, and promoting the hell out of it.

[editor]

Today is your day. Your talking to an advertising/marketing person. Send em my way. Wish I could see a sample, I just hope they appear professional thats all. I can assure you they will be seen in the most heavily visited spots in town.

Samples were posted in this thread a few weeks ago. Here's what they look like:

I'll get some in the mail to you on Monday.

I think this is a great Idea, and quite frankly I'm excited! We haven't had a true community radio station here for a long time. I for one plan on sending in a lot of stuff, and promoting the hell out of it.

For those of you interested, three of Gary's songs are already in rotation. Now it's time for everyone else to send in their material.

[bachanon]

this is so freakin' cool editor;

and i'm diggin' the cards. i have them on my desk at work, in my car and in my shirt pocket when out in public.

for the record, those who want cards could come to the GHPA tour of rice u and get a few. hint, hint........

i WILL have HAIF cards at the unofficial HAIF event.

[bachanon]

i've created a playlist of songs i want to email for radiohaif. is m3u sufficient? i can't see how to reformat to mp3? any help is appreciated.

thanks.

[editor]

I'll respond in PM.

[editor]

Here's the link to radioHAIF. Or you can simply use http://radioHAIF.com.

At this point I've tried it in iTunes and in AppleTV. I'd like to hear what other people's experiences are.

Here's radioHAIF playing through AppleTV:

[PapillionWyngs]

LOVE IT!

[TJones]

Make sure you put some Scabs and some Bob Schneider on there.

[TheNiche]

Radio HAIF is a community-driven station with music produced by Texans for Texans. There is no "format." Over-formatting is what killed radio in the 90's. The music is simply "good" music.

• It could be a high school garage band from Katy playing a favorite song.
  
• It could be a bunch of guys from the West Loop who get together after work to blow of stress through a jam session.
  
• It could be an old man with a harmonica from the East End with a song in his heart and not a penny in his pocket.
  
• It could be a cheerleader from Sugar Land who thinks she's the next big thing.
  
• It could be an amateur operatic club from The Heights doing an aria.
  
• It could be a group of migrant workers in El Campo who know how to work a squeezebox like no one's business.
  

Could it be Abba playing 'Dancing Queen'?

I'd like to suggest that one of the truely unique selling points of HAIF Radio is that content must have local connections, and that for those of us ignorant of such connections, it would be immensely helpful if we could be informed of that.

I'm not sure whether Live365 provides for this, but if there were a way to scroll some background information along the bottom of the radio player such as in a ticker tape, giving a listener the opportunity to pick up on local culture, that'd be immensely helpful and also very marketable. Perhaps also a quote by the HAIFer that submitted/requested the song.

[crunchtastic]

Make sure you put some Scabs and some Bob Schneider on there.

damn, those are cool suggestions. I don't know many people outside the SA/Austin crowd who have seen Bob Schneider.

[houstonmacbro]

Could it also include podcast type interviews, etc.?

[editor]

Make sure you put some Scabs and some Bob Schneider on there.

Never heard of them. Do you have any contact information?

Could it be Abba playing 'Dancing Queen'?

I'd like to suggest that one of the truely unique selling points of HAIF Radio is that content must have local connections, and that for those of us ignorant of such connections, it would be immensely helpful if we could be informed of that.

I'm not sure whether Live365 provides for this, but if there were a way to scroll some background information along the bottom of the radio player such as in a ticker tape, giving a listener the opportunity to pick up on local culture, that'd be immensely helpful and also very marketable. Perhaps also a quote by the HAIFer that submitted/requested the song.

The ABBA song you hear is because right now I've just loaded up the station with a bunch of music from my iPod. As new music comes in from Houston artists it will push out the filler.

So far we have three songs on radioHAIF from Houston bands, and before or after each song there is a voice track indicating that it's a Houston artist. Again, as we get more Houston artists interested in radioHAIF the other stuff will be pushed out.

I don't know much about MySpace other than it appears to be the reincarnation of Geocities. But it's my understanding that there's lots of musicians on there. What would be great is if some HAIFer with a little time on his hands could search MySpace for Houston (or Texas) bands and let them know that radioHAIF exists and invite them to submit their music. Does anyone know if you can search by geography on MySpace?

Could it also include podcast type interviews, etc.?

Absolutely. This is one of the directions we discussed having it go when the mods met last month. We'd like to have interviews and other non-music programming on radioHAIF. Anything of local origin is welcome.

We might even interview HAIF members! CBC Radio 3 does an interesting featurette called "The 60 Second Egg" which is a very quick interview segment that is more compelling because it's heavily edited down to just quick questions and answers. It's a nice concept I think we can expand on. Since I'm the monkey in the middle here, I guess it falls to me to conduct the interview. I'll have to sign up for Skype service so I can record it on the computer. Another new thing to figure out!

[Gary]

Never heard of them. Do you have any contact information?

I've got a connection to Bob Shneider. I'll see what I can do to get in touch with him.

[TJones]

damn, those are cool suggestions. I don't know many people outside the SA/Austin crowd who have seen Bob Schneider.

You'll absolutely love THIS then crunch. They will be playing at my wife's bestfriend's wedding in May. I am stoked !!! It will be a ROCKIN' goodtime !!!

Bob Schneider website comin' up!! Dang eidtor, Bob had a HUGE hit a few years ago, called Big Blue Sea. It came out on the Lonelyland CD, I remember driving ALL OVER Austin trying to find it, because it was a limited release of like 10,000 or so copies, then I think a second printing was done about 6 months later for alot more.

Here's the link: http://www.bobschneidermusic.com/

[mojeaux131]

What a fantastic idea this is! As far as Houston music goes, I humbly submit this:

http://news.houstonpress.com/2007-09-27/news/the-h-town-20/

It's a list of "Houston's Very Best Songs Ever" from the Houston Press. It was written by the great John Nova Lomax and my UH classmate and music scholar, Chris Gray. Maybe there are some good ideas there, eh?

p.s. Bob Schneider puts on a great show. We saw him at the Engine Room once and he made fun of my friend for talking on his cell phone during the show. Hilarious.

[editor]

What a fantastic idea this is! As far as Houston music goes, I humbly submit this:

http://news.houstonpress.com/2007-09-27/news/the-h-town-20/

It's a list of "Houston's Very Best Songs Ever" from the Houston Press. It was written by the great John Nova Lomax and my UH classmate and music scholar, Chris Gray. Maybe there are some good ideas there, eh?

p.s. Bob Schneider puts on a great show. We saw him at the Engine Room once and he made fun of my friend for talking on his cell phone during the show. Hilarious.

Excellent. Thanks for the link. I'll look at it tomorrow and see what I can do with it. I'll also try to start mining MySpace for material.

And for those of you who don't know -- HAIF's own Bachanon has his own music show on radioHAIF. Wednesday and Friday nights at 8:00pm.

[TJones]

Here's the link to radioHAIF. Or you can simply use http://radioHAIF.com.

At this point I've tried it in iTunes and in AppleTV. I'd like to hear what other people's experiences are.

Website blocked at work by Websense !!! Oh Well, looks like it is time for good ol' Kproxy (mission impossible theme playing in the background)

[Mark F. Barnes]

Excellent. Thanks for the link. I'll look at it tomorrow and see what I can do with it. I'll also try to start mining MySpace for material.

And for those of you who don't know -- HAIF's own Bachanon has his own music show on radioHAIF. Wednesday and Friday nights at 8:00pm.

You do know our very own Gary is in a band, there are several of us it myspace music pages. Usually linked in the signatures, hint hint

[Mark F. Barnes]

Here's a good friend, I have known Bill forever, he was an old Austin Head, use to hang out with us doing the Austin Scene, but then one day he up and join the Peace Corp, Now he lives in Kolonia, Pohnpei, Micronesia, is the Editor of the local paper and has the only rock band in the country, pretty trippy if you ask me. I visit him a couple of times a year and bring him guitar care packages from Stewart-MacDonald, and a few amenities he can't get over there, and usually about 100 pounds of M&M's. I am sure he'd love some air play.

http://www.myspace.com/wetterthanseattle

[editor]

You do know our very own Gary is in a band, there are several of us it myspace music pages. Usually linked in the signatures, hint hint

Gary has already submitted his music and it's already playing on radioHAIF. I bet there are more HAIFers out there with musical talents they're not telling us about.

[Mark F. Barnes]

Didn't know that, of course I just got access to it 10 minutes ago, but I have it streaming now. Thanks.

[editor]

Didn't know that, of course I just got access to it 10 minutes ago, but I have it streaming now. Thanks.

I'm the first to admit that it's a little rough. OK, a lot rough. But as we add more Houston sound and more features I think it will be great.

[Gary]

I just sent 3 more songs to the Editor. These guys are a Texas rockabilly band called the Octanes. They frequent The Continental club, and are a pretty talented trio. I've been doing some session work with the drummer (Steve Candelari) who has played in just about every inner loop band in town, and he happens to be a great guy.

Anyway, give the station a listen.

[editor]

I just sent 3 more songs to the Editor. These guys are a Texas rockabilly band called the Octanes. They frequent The Continental club, and are a pretty talented trio. I've been doing some session work with the drummer (Steve Candelari) who has played in just about every inner loop band in town, and he happens to be a great guy.

Anyway, give the station a listen.

I just listened to those songs you sent in from the Octanes -- they're really good. I can't wait to get home so I can put them on the air.

[Gary]

I just listened to those songs you sent in from the Octanes -- they're really good. I can't wait to get home so I can put them on the air.

Yeah their pretty darn good, and really put on a good show as well. I got the ok from Adam (lead guitar & vocal) to use the whole album, so when you need more I'll shoot em over.

[lockmat]

It's playin some pretty cool tunes tonight. Who created the playlist? Is there a place we can get it?