FUTURE MUSIC
Tune your computer into Glasgow's first on-line radio station. Words: Jane Hamilton
Scottish radio has embraced the age of cyber-technology unusual with the weekend 10am show, Hang Up hosted by with the introduction of Scotland’s first and only station Richard and Des, a combination of wind-up phone calls, broadcasting over the internet. Based in Glasgow and run music from up-and-coming Glasgow bands and a bit of by Strathclyde University, Fusion may be familiar from its chat. previous incarnation as a
temporary four-week
Students make up a high proportion of the listeners
broadcaster last November.
lts plans were thwarted when Beat 106 was awarded a licence to broadcast, preventing Fusion from applying for a new licence itself. Despite the backing of Beat 106, Fusion gave up on the whole licence idea and decided to go through the happening, what—the-kids-want, cutting-edge world of technology instead. The station can be accessed through its web site www.fusion.strath.ac.uk or through its streaming site www.mudhut.co.uk.
All that’s requrred to take part in this broadcasting extravaganza is a” computer, access)“ to the internet and the Media Player plug-in which
allows you to download and listen in. The broadcast
schedule covers seven days and runs from 8am most
thanks to the introduction of free internet access on campus, but it’s also being logged onto on an international level with hits from as far afield as the US and Asia. No AM or FM transmission could match a global reach like that. Fusion plans to continue down the information super- highway route with the possibilities of live broadcasts from clubs and events as well as the introduction of a webcam which will allow you to see the DJs at work — whether this is a good thing, only the fashion police, bad hair days and time will tell. When the new term starts in
mornings (with the obligatory weekday breakfast show)
until midnight.
The shows cover all genres from cyber jazz and rock (a favourite with The List’s Glasgow office) to club sounds and mellow laid-back grooves from well-known Dls from in and
October, Fusion hopes to expand with a
permanent AM licence and a short-term FM licence allowing it to broadcast to the few technophobes
left in this world.
around the Glasgow scene. There is also a hint of the
Fusion Radio, Strathclyde University, Glasgow. 0141 553 0763. e-mail fusion radio@hotmail.com Broadcast sites: www.fusion.strath.ac.uk and www.mudhut.co.uk
So this is more popular than sex?
10am To get me off the mark, I have a cheap PC with a Pentium P200, a soundcard and a basic 56k modem. I also have the urgent desire to get something for nothing.
10.053m I start the hunt for a player, the first, all—important piece of software. I obstinately refuse to shell out the $30.00 demanded for the very popular and reliable Real Player 7 http://www.real.com. so I decide to download one of the
18 THE “ST 30 Mar-l3 Apr 2000
free players called WinAmp http://www.winamp.com The WinAmp also boasts a cataloguing facility for all the free MP3 goodies I am itching to get my hands on.
11.15am The software is finally installed. My cheap modem and the demand on WinAmp’s popular servers meant it took ages, but lam now ready for the MP3s themselves. I begin my search at http://www.mp3.com, where I’m confronted
by a bewrldering list. I panic and go for a hip— hop act called Southern Playa who promise to play in a ’dirty southern’ style. 11.30am The MP3 takes 15 minutes to download. I am desperate to find out what the hell 'dirty southern hip-hop' is. It turns out to be. quite good; laid-back raps over bluesy southern riffs. It's not really what I’m after though. 1pm I am (lose to desperation. l (‘an't find anything I actually want. All the big sites
such as http://www.songs.com and http://www.people sound.com are primarily platforms for unsigned acts, some of whom are unsigned for good reason. Other sites like http://www.emusic.com let you download 30— second clips of some good stuff, but it's just a promotional device to get you to then go and buy the CD. Sol start looking for less- than-legal copies. Unfortunater the lawyers are doing their
You've got the computer, so where's the music? A first-timer logs on Words, Tim Abrahams
jobs and every link I click on is dead. 1.30pm I try searching the official sites of various bands I like. Although this proves to be a bit more profitable many of the files I really want can only be downloaded using the $30 Real Player 7. Not only do I need that, but I also need a faster phone connection and a bigger computer. Somewhere along the line | forgot that you don’t get anything in this life for free.