Update: Space Pirate Radio isn't quite dead after all! I got email from DJ Guy Guden last week; he says his show is now "free floating", meaning he's cutting CDs of what would have been aired as a show (in a fairly dreadful .wav format; a bit of a PITA to play), then he flogs this recording (for a small donation) to anyone who'll listen.
Space Pirate eschewed a "top ten" play list. Instead listeners were exposed to all stuff strange and/or new and mostly from lands other than the United States. There was much "techno" (aka music to hack by), plus strange monologs at the top of each hour.
To get it right he has no commercials (couldn't get 'em if he wanted!). Guy's show was "listener supported" and for good reason. Guy worked the late shift, midnight Sunday night to 5:AM Monday morning or thereabouts. Apparently shows that air between midnight and 6:AM are not included in ratings books (don't know why...) so the only clues management gets as to a "night-owl" show's popularity must come directly from listener feedback. (At his last gig on KTYD, he didn't even rate a listing on their webpage! Nobody could express an opinion pro or con on any of the programming!!)
Because feedback was rare in this time slot, shows like Guy's tend to disappear rather quickly, whether sponsored or not. And because Space Pirate Radio was stuck in this non-rated venue, sponsors were hard to find in any case. Flogging CD copies of the 4-hour shows (which include detailed playlists and other info) at $25.- a pop is the only way he earns a living. For me and a small number of loyal listeners it's a bargain...
I don't think there are any radio stations he hasn't honked off in the Santa Barbara area, but I live in hope that he'll get picked up by some progressive stations like KRSH in Santa Rosa. If, like me, you like this kind of stuff call your local station ; maybe they'll take the bait!
As for Guy's personal website I'm still not sure what's going on; it appears to have been hijacked by some odious operation that invokes many nasty scripts as soon as you arrive, including one that makes it your default page; be warned. I suspect that Guy forgot to renew it after the first year and lost the rights to the name. Even in its modified release milieu this is the best of the night-owl radio shows: I would still give it four stars.
And now for the really bad news: Doctor Demento is OFF the air, at least in the North Bay Area of California. According to the good Doctor's website there are only two radio stations carrying his show in this state; one in Bakersfield and the other is in Fort Bragg!! I don't suppose there are any faithful followers of Doc Demento who would be interested in a tape exchange program, are there??
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