LAUNCHcast

I am not in the habit of endorsing products unless I can eat or drink them.  And I am even less likely to praise something that is part of a large enterprise.  So let’s pretend that I am real new to this internet stuff, and I thought “Yahoo” was something that cowboys shouted when they had to go to the bathroom.  

Well… you’re never too old to learn a thing or two.  It’s all a matter of surrounding yourself with the right people.  You know… George Steinbrenner has his baseball people who help him decide whether to give Alex Rodriguez 85 Million and the key to the executive john over the next 10 years.  

I have my music people.  So when one of my chief scouts (Zack) emailed me in June to “check out” Yahoo’s LAUNCHcast music feature… I had to pay attention… even though my initial reaction was Yahoo?  Isn’t that “The Man”?  

As I say… you’re never too old to learn a few things… even if it is from some rapscallion… and even if the rapscallion is your son.  He was not wrong.  If you love music you gotta love LAUNCHcast… and it matters not what type of music you love.  

The idea is to create your own “radio station” based on your personal musical preferences.  Step one is to establish a musical profile.  What type of music do you enjoy?  I am all over the lot: blues, classic rock, classical, Broadway & screen plays… and then you further select artists within the genre.  

Now it’s time to listen to music.  

Tunes start to come your way based on genres and artists that you have rated favorably.  When a song plays you see the title, the artist and the album.  Then you can rate each category — one star: it’s OK; two stars: I like it; three stars: I love it; four stars: can’t get enough; and a circle with the diagonal line in it: kill it for all time.  

Each time you rate music positively, you will get music from the same artist, or from the same album, or music that in some way relates to your likes… ferinstance… if you give Willie Dixon’s “Spoonful” three stars, LAUNCHcast will give you Howlin’ Wolf’s “Sitting on Top of the World.”  

Makes sense.  

Sometimes the songs seem a stretch for my musical preferences… but I figure it’s OK… give that song a quick “kill” (there is a skip button for your convenience) and move to the next tune.  

Meantime, after nearly six months of listening to my LAUNCHcast “radio station” I have been exposed to an ever increasing variety of artists and music… things I probably never would have picked “off the shelf”.  And the more I would rate, the more I would get.  It’s wonderful!  I love music…  

Today I get an exciting blend of music that I have rated, plus new things to rate.  

I sit in front of a computer nigh all day.  I think I would go nuts without music.  

Yes, LAUNCcast has my unqualified approval.  I am a full convert… and sometimes there is nothing more obnoxious as a convert, because we carry our new belief on a banner into battle against the non-converted… and we take no quarter.  

Just ask Sandy about this… I have not only put her into LAUNCHcast… I have made sure that my preferences are on her “radio station”… in my book, my musical book that is, trust only goes so far…  

And here for your consideration is the play list from my “radio station” this morning.  I have added a comment  here and there if the spirit moved me.  

P.S. I don’t answer the phone or email during Brandenburg Concerto #5 or Dire Strait’s “Sultan of Swing”.    

Bryan Adams; Flying **  

Peter, Paul & Mary; Leaving on a Jet Plane ****
I also rated this 4 stars with John Denver  

Deep Blue Something; Home newly rated *  

Bright Eyes; First Day of My Life **
probably liked the theme  

New Riders of the Purple Sage; Dirty Business ****
Off one of my favorite albums. Jerry Garcia on pedal steel.  

The Darkness; One Way Ticket (radio edit) newly rated ** 
I like the cow bell
 

John Mellencamp; Suzanne and the Jewels ***  

Michael McGoldrick; Buain Na Choirce **
I am in my Celtic period.  It must be my heritage.  

Bad Company; Here comes Trouble newly rated **  

Matchbox 20; If You’re Gone ***  

Simon and Garfunkel; Cecilia ***  

Steve Miller Band; So Long Blues newly rated — this is a kill. 
Live track introducing band members and thanking the audience and saying goodnight
 

Paul Simon; Mother and Child Reunion ****  

Sarah McLaughlan; World on Fire newly rated *  

Dire Straits; Romeo and Juliet ****  

Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; Handel Suite #1 in F Adagio e Staccato newly rated ***  

Dave Mason; Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave ****  

Marianne Faithfull; As Tears Go By newly rated ***
A great Stones’ tune, that she actually released first… I guess you get to do these things if you sleep with Keith Richard  

Trey Anastasio; Invisible newly rated *  

James Taylor; Shed a Little Light newly rated ***  

Justine Sane; The Critical Writing Assignment  newly rated 
This is a kill.  I think I could sing closer to key
 

Phantom of the Opera; Wandering Child ***  

Neil Young; Cowgirl in the Sand ****
Off one of my favorite albums with Crazy Horse  

The Faders; No Sleep Tonight newly rated *  

Hot Tuna; Death Have No Mercy ****
Off a near perfect album  

Uncle Kracker; Drift Away ****
This has to be a new cover… I forgot who did the original; but I love this, too  

Traffic; Feelin’ Alright ****  

The Who; Overture ****
This is from the original Tommy… great instrumental  

The Shangri-La’s; Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand) **
I am not keen on these groups… but I dig this one… also I have a soft spot for “Leader of the Pack”  

Harry Belafonte; Pastures of Plenty newly rated **  

Clannad; Two Sisters **** more Celtic  

Blindfaith; Presence of the Lord ****  

Cream; Spoonful ****
I just saw them perform this Live in MSG!  

Madonna; Forbidden Love newly rated *  

Kinks; A Well Respected Man ****
Terrific group and a marvelous tune from their early days  

Andrea Bocelli; L’Ultimo Re ***
Dani tipped me on Bocelli 4+ years ago.  I thought he was a Renaissance painter.  Well, you know a Liberal Arts education only carries you to a certain point

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