Mike Pell's Blog (1,444)

ROCKOLLECTIONS: CHRISTMAS EVE 2013 PT.2 END

Alright, it's back in the low 30's temperature-wise in New York, and that is proper- it feels like Christmas.

As I mentioned in the first half, I don't remember this show ever falling on December 24th.

So Christmas Eve is the Theme.…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 24, 2013 at 12:24pm — 12 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: CHRISTMAS EVE 2013 PT.1

First off, it almost hit 70 degrees today in New York City...that's just not right!

I have the fan on now, lol!

Next, while thinking about a Theme for this year’s Christmas shows, I saw that the second week's terrestrial broadcast would fall on Christmas Eve.

And oddly, I don't remember the show ever falling on December 24th.

So the Theme for these next two halves is in fact Christmas Eve.

ALL the songs I play will…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 22, 2013 at 11:33pm — 8 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: CHRISTMAS PARTY 2013 PT.2

We begin this 2nd half with a song that is not a Christmas song at all.

But so Joyous it seemed right to play.

Then a quick 180, with a song by Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements that made Dolly Parton cry!

After that, an annual tradition, the Beatle Christmas Message to…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 18, 2013 at 12:24pm — 5 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: CHRISTMAS PARTY 2013 PT.1

When I started to do this show, it occurred to me now in 2013, that it was at Christmastime in 2009 when I launched the official name change to Rockollections, complete with a new theme song.

I was never happy with that old name Rock Lives, and I wasn’t the one who picked it.

Nothing else changed- even to this day I am the same guy, and have continued to play my somewhat eclectic choices of…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 15, 2013 at 11:45pm — 6 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: VOL.5- ODDS AND ENDS PT.2

Finishing up with our Odds & Ends, something the late Scott McKenzie, of San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers in Your Hair) fame, did with his Music that to my knowledge was unique, and went extremely undetected by listeners.

He re-wrote the same song 3 times in the course of his life!…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 11, 2013 at 10:07am — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: VOL.5- ODDS AND ENDS PT.1

Time for a Personal Day.

I like these because I say to myself, let’s really go free-form and see what happens.

Some Odds & Ends I hope you are ready for, as I am unfettered even by a Theme.

And I'm…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 8, 2013 at 11:40pm — 7 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: REMEMBERING GEORGE & JOHN PT.2 END

A show originally broadcast in 2006.

December 8th, 1980 was the night John Lennon died.

While most were watching Monday Night Football, I remember I was watching a hockey game (it's a BETTER game!) on TV with a buddy when the phone rang and another friend told me John was shot.

I quickly put the stereo on to WNEW-FM, then the best…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 4, 2013 at 1:10am — 5 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: REMEMBERING GEORGE & JOHN PT.1

This is an old show, originally broadcast in early December 2006.

As I note in the opening, it's that odd time where we are between the deaths of George Harrison, November 29, 2001 and John Lennon, December 8, 1980- two former Beatles.

If you had the unparalleled joy of growing up with the Beatles, as they grew with us, and watching them develop into the what I will always call the Greatest Group That Ever Existed, then you know…

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Added by Mike Pell on December 1, 2013 at 9:49pm — 6 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: HOME FOR THANKSGIVING 2013 PT.2 END

I really miss doing these Thanksgiving shows with Engineer Ken Stanley.

They and the Christmas Shows were the most fun for us each year.

Like every Rockollections, I get to make a statement, send a message.

As I have said many times, Music is my form…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 26, 2013 at 10:53pm — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: HOME FOR THANKSGIVING 2013 PT.1

A different kind of start this year, as I am perplexed by all this Black Friday business.

Seems to me that instead of people being thankful for what they HAVE, they are more interested in what they WANT!

Once again, I remind you that Thanksgiving is the most heavily traveled time of the year in the U.S.

50 million travelers…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 24, 2013 at 10:53pm — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- GHOST OF RADIO PAST FINALE

This Salute To Radio has been 15 years in the making.

To begin this Grand Finale, I'll have a look at how it must feel for a struggling artist or band to finally get played on the radio- subject nowadays to the odorous, obscene power of Program Directors.…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 20, 2013 at 11:28am — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- RADIO IN FILM AND TV

Nearing the Finale, the first of the last two Chapters of our Salute To Radio, I'll start with a song I only have on an old cassette from the 80's.

And it sounds it, lol!

Then a brief look, not as long as I would have liked, at how Radio has been portrayed in other Media.

In this case, Film and TV.

All leading us to the Sad Life of a DJ, and the best song ever about that.

One that had to be…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 17, 2013 at 11:43pm — 14 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- BROKEN RADIOS AND HEARTS

Moving on with the Salute to Radio and my 15 Years as the host of Rock Lives, Rockollections or anything else you want to call it…as long as it’s nice!

To start, I will finally be playing that song I mentioned way back in in Chapter Two- one of the all-time great Rock & Roll Namedropping…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 13, 2013 at 10:48am — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- SEX AND THE RADIO

Still Saluting Radio, and now over 15 years ago I did the first Rock & Roll show at a station that never played that Music.

Back then it was quite a bit different- more emphasis on my talk rather than Music.

I would read the Billboard album reviews and tell what were the top 10 or 20 songs on the charts.

But the most fun thing was Engineer Ken and I each time wondering what we could get away with.

Could I play 2 songs…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 11, 2013 at 1:22am — 6 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- THE FALL OF FM

Anyone who has ever listened to my show knows that I do not have any rules about what I am going to play.

Here's the inside scoop on how I work it- most times doing a Theme, the Opening or the Last Song comes to me, sometimes both.

After that, I think of every song I can on the topic and make a list.

Then the most important part- I play them!

And while one is playing, the song that should come next becomes…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 6, 2013 at 8:43am — 4 Comments

ROCKOLLECTIONS: SALUTE TO RADIO- THE RISE OF FM

Time to continue our Salute To Radio, for my 15th Anniversary doing the Rock show.

Previously, I made some promises here- I say them again.

You will hear the BEST damn songs about Radio you will ever hear!

As a kid I liked the radio, but when I heard FM, I fell in love!

These next two chapters will be about the grand, and for the most part failed, experiment of FM Progressive Rock…

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Added by Mike Pell on November 4, 2013 at 12:16am — 8 Comments