Hello there.
My Modcast began in July 2006, as a subset of my regular blog, just cos I was playing around with Cakewalk Pyro 2004 and wanted to see what I could do. I had only used it to burn and rip CD’s before, so I hadn’t really played around with the other features, so that was the first day I had done anything else with it. It’s actually really easy to create a single-file music podcast in Cakewalk, so I told myself that I’d do it once a week.
Unfortunately, that streak only lasted three episodes, and I lost the third one during a much-needed computer reformat. It lasted so short a time because my health had began deteriorating and so I obviously had better things to do than fart around with music files, trying to decide on the best set for each week, and trying to keep a low amount of repeats. After things started picking back up some, Other things occupied my mind a little more, so I kept putting the Modcast on the back-burner and thinking “meh, I’ll get back to that eventually”.
Well, a little over two years later, I’m back to it. I do this in a similar interest to the old culture of mix-tape trading that I was serious into in the 1990s (I got into music at a young age). My tastes are wide and diverse, though I’ve been into Mod and related musics since, shit you not, I was eight or so and really loved The Who.
So what is the DJ RJ’s Modcast?
Simply put, it’s music I like that somehow works under a rather loose definition of what constitutes “Mod” or “Mod revival” music. In all honesty, “Mod” is not a genre, but the music that gets most often played at Mod club nights and other events does all display a sort of “Mod sensibility” — it’s rather Apollonian, and not in the Neitzchien sense, either: smartly produced (neither overproduced, nor underproduced; exception is anything that had Phil Spector involved — even moderation needs to be taken in moderated doses), smartly written, and the musicians are always smartly dressed. On occasion, I’ll throw something into a cast that will definitely make people go “what the shit, Ruadhan?” As I said, I’m using a loose definition of the styles that can be included as “Mod” or “Mod Revival”, I’m under no pretences that “everybody” who considers themselves “Mod” is going to like this, but considering that every time I’ve filled in for somebody at Direct Hits, I get mad compliments on what I play (and people dace to it like woah), then that’s good enough for me.
How often do you plan to update?
Every Monday, so… up to five times a month. If I get to DJ at Direct Hits in Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA), that month (I’m only an “alternate”, meaning that I usually get told at the last minute, sometimes very literally at the last minute, that somebody is sick or otherwise unable to spin that month, so I fill in when that happens), then I’ll post a cast of my set-list from the night before, meaning that sometimes, on the last week of the month, I’ll post both Monday AND Friday.
How will I know what you’re including in the cast this week?
Track listings are included with every cast.
At some point, I’m also going to post a comprehensive list of my entire record, CD, and mp3 collection — it includes a lot of “definitely not Mod” stuff, and will probably take some people several days to read it all.
ALSO: I have casts set to auto-delete after six or seven weeks. If you’re reading the archives and see a set that you like, e-mail me via the contact form and I’ll send you a CD of that cast (complete with jewelcase and tray card) for the cost of shipping (about $2, within the continental United $tates).
Can I request something? / Will you play my band’s song?
You can use the “Contact” page to send me requests; I can’t guarantee that I’ll get to every request, but if I have it or feel like getting it, I will probably play it within two casts.
If you are in or manage a band, feel free to send me files of whatever you feel deserves to be in the cast *or*, if you want me to love you forever, use the contact page to request an address for sending me a CD or record (I will reimburse you for shipping unless you tell me that I don’t have to). I’ve been meaning to get a P.O. Box for a lot of reasons, too, so eventually I’ll have that up, so you won’t even have to request an address.
Can I advertise on your Modcast?
No. All comments are screened for SPAM, I’m not even having any Google AdSense up right now, unless I notice that this is getting popular enough to warrant such BS. If you have a band, the best way to let me have you band advertised is to send me a CD or record, and then I’ll go on about how great your band is. If you have a clothing line or store, offer to send me something in my size — I’m very hard to fit, so this will win you major points with a lot of people (serious, my inside leg is 21″).
Why do you play [insert band or musician name]?
Probably cos I like them and can argue their inclusion in the cast. Go ahead, feel free to argue it with me.
Do you do anything besides the Modcast?
Yes, actually.
- lots of my paintings and photos
- buttons on Etsy
- follow the appropriate links here for where to purchase my first two novels
I also make custom buttons for bands, artists, local businesses, and even sell ready-made designs at local stores (The GetUp and Star Vintage, linked in the sidebar). If you need buttons for your band or something, e-mail me; $25/100 buttons, free shipping for the first 100 buttons, minimum of 25/ea of up to four designs; $22/100 for local (Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti) people, $20/100, if you’re local willing to pick them up yourself.
I also waste a lot of time on the forum at modculture.co.uk or playing Rock Band II or job-hunting.
I am currently “between bands” due to scheduling conflicts with the rest of the last one.