So Test Transmission 2 is nearly done.  We’ve kept it late to get as many new tracks up as possible.  We’ve had around a thousand uploaded since we launched on Monday, and we’ll include some intros from some of those artists themselves.  It’s really exciting hearing a brand new song, talking to the artist, hearing their voice, and putting them and the song on the air, all within a few hours.  We’ve also included some of the Blog feedback, which is fabulous, and a small joke about Birdsong.  Should be live some time today (Friday 5th).
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We’ve been all over the papers today – or rather, Birdsong Radio has.  Apparently Terry Pratchett is cross and there’ll be questions in Parliament, if they’re not all cowering under the benches, wondering if they’re next for the chop.  It feels like we’ve wandered into someone else’s fight, and I don’t like the idea of people losing something they loved (even if they weren’t paying for it) ….. but I would just like to point out: Birds Eat for Free – Musicians Don’t.
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Thanks to Kev and Jon for getting the streaming service online today in Vince’s absence (he’s out of hospital. It’s sounding better.  Phew).  More bandwidth is coming, but it should hold for now, unless America cottons on (as it already does on www.amazingtunes.com) and the lash-up server can’t cope with the number of streams.  It’s very hard to know how many people will listen online, how many on DAB. If it’s slow, please bear with us.
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I was going to blog tonight about the astounding number of new tunes uploaded yesterday (day 1), the supportive feedback from people on other blogs and stuff wishing us well (notably Digital Spy – thanks for your comments guys, even those who took some time to get it) – and the remarkable number of new bands and DJs who’ve got in touch in the incredibly short time since we went on the air.  It’s hard to believe it’s been less than 48 hours.  It’s been mind-blowing, brilliant and humbling.  I’d always believed there was an appetite for unsigned radio, and that people would get Amazing Radio if we ever got to launch it, but it’s been fantastic to see that instinct confirmed by people’s comments.  So far, anyway.
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Well, we did it.  Having collapsed in a heap last night after too many long days, I missed the midnight start, but woke up this morning at ten to three, switched the radio on and Amazing Radio was there.  It actually happened.  It’s five years since I had the idea for amazingtunes.com and a couple of years since I started trying to raise money for  Amazing Radio; and here it is.

Today has been weird, with mountainous increases in traffic at amazingtunes.com, incredible numbers of emails, and the curiously satisfying experience of being called ‘a marketing genius’ and ‘totally insane’ in the same hour by various bloggers.  One of them is right.  I suspect you have to be pretty insane to try to do anything this new.
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