And the age profile of the station looks right for what you would be playing.

But I think you worry too much about the preciseness of the end-product, as I doubt if too many people (even in New Jersey) would discern what your ears can discern.

Play a few (not overplayed) oldies, and tell them some stories, and you're home and dry.

A mixture of Garrison Keillor and Dr Demento!

I know you can get too specialised, but even then, that sometimes works.

I told you how I got into radio when I was in my 30's - I was asked to sit in with their star DJ to supply facts from the top of my head, for a muulti-week Buddy Holly tribute back in 1979 (his 20th Anniversary), and I obviously enjoyed it so much that the PD asked if I would like to do a wpecialist program each week.

And I said yes, on condition I only played US 45s from 1955 to 1964 (my era).

Obviously he could not fill the time, so he said OK - called it the American Oldies Show, and I was on my way.

I was also terrible, but although there were probably just myself and ten listeners initially, it sort of grew (not because I was any good - but because the records were - and I had stories to tell about each record - mosy of which I have since found out were probably wrong anyway, but at that time, they were better than no information, which is what most people had).

In other words, play them music they know, coupled with stories they do not know, and you have them hooked.

Might not work mass market, but in a specialised niche, it works fine.

And you do not have to be too slick, in fact it helps if you are not.

At the start, I mis-cued records, had those terrible "dead air" silences when I forgot to throw the microphone switch, but people forgave me because I did not (nor could I) sound like a "real" DJ, so they felt pity.

In fact it worked so well, that I sort of included the "mistakes" as a permament feature for many years!

Until one day, a guy phoned about some record or other, and at the end, said something like "I don't get it - you'[ve been doing this for two years and you still cannot tell which turntable is which?" and then I realised I had been rumbled.

Still it continued to work!

And to misquote Wink Martindale..."I know. I was that DJ".

• RE: The Sunrays - I Live For The Sun - 1965 - John 02/14/2010 21:27:51 EST (0)
• RE: The Sunrays - I Live For The Sun - 1965 - John 02/16/2010 04:07:35 EST (0)