Positive Thoughts on Mushroom FM's Second Birthday

Well it's all over Twitter. Mushroom FM is approaching its second birthday and there are various events planned over the weekend to celebrate it. In reading the blog entry on the Mushroom FM site containing the details, I find myself thinking back to two years ago when I was involved in it, and I look back on those times with mixed feelings.

I remember working on the internet radio station belonging to Bill Sparks called The Legend. It is an oldies station playing music from the 80's and before. For reasons which I won't get into, a group of us decided to leave.

Let me say publicly that I do regret that. I should have stayed. That station suited the kind of show I present and my personality. From experience of owning my own internet station, I now fully appreciate what Bill must have felt when several presenters walked out on him. I deeply regret that, but what's done is done, we have to move on unfortunately.

Between the time we left and the setup of Mushroom FM really was Frantic, and I do mean that with a capital F. Totally manick. Getting the first batch of promos, sweepers and jingles ready together with a fairly primitive website inside a few days was just mad! But there was a real team spirit surrounding it, I do remember that. Everyone was doing their part to ensure we got to air on time, and some of those early items we produced lasted at least a year, so we must have done something right.

But from the outset, it was fairly obvious that I wasn't going to get along with a particular group of people on the station. That is just how the world is. It's not that their approaches to life , (or mine), are wrong. However much you do to ensure good team spirit, sometimes you just cannot control the way different personalities fit together, and that is how it was for me. I did a lot of work for the station, but there came a point where I felt I couldn't work with those people any further and that we should go our separate ways. Again, that's all history, we forget it and move on.

I certainly have no regrets about what followed. I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge in many technical areas, including broadcast technology and particularly website development, which I would not have had if I had stayed at Mushroom FM. That knowledge I am certain will be useful to me later in life.

So why am I writing this message at all apart from sharing the memories.

I have to say this given their approaching celebrations. I can honestly say that if it hadn't been for Mushroom FM, I would never have met and come to know L. I wouldn't have experienced the loving relationship I have with her and the truly wonderful life we have together if it wasn't for the station. I didn't know L before I heard her voice on a show the station used to host called Mosen and Minx, which was a short series of talk shows broadcast once a week. That show proved to be a good ground for finding future presenters (or maybe that was just coincidence, smile). In any event, Lulu became a presenter on the station and during her time there we worked very well together. While we both left at the same time for the same reasons, it was Mushroom FM which gave us our first meeting. I can think of other couples (who of course I will not name) where that also applies. So, I really do have to thank them for that.

In terms of the weekend, it's disappointing they've had to resort to giving away more money to secure listeners but that's my own view on the subject. On the plus side, the concept of the cruise ship (and the idea of securing cabines particularly in advance) is truly inspired. Whoever thought of that deserves a few drinks at the Captain's Table because there is considerable mileage in that both on and off the air.

So, as I say, mixed feelings about the weekend, and if you've read this blog entry right through, thanks for doing that!