The Times They Are a Changin

Greetings from the Rock Shop,

Its been a few months since the last posting which mean much had changed while a lot has stayed exactly the same.

Starting with myself, I'd have to say that my "network" has grown of late, I've been trying to get more interviews (which I've succeeded in getting) and I have a bunch of wicked ones on the way. So far I've done Useless ID and Kill The Drive. In the next few weeks I have the winner of the Global Battle of the Bands (which all my listeners thought was an Israeli high school music competition) Umlala!! I was at the final competition and Umlala were fantastic, they were great performers, got everyone laughing and dancing. Well see if they speak as well as they sing probably next week on the show. Also coming up are Got No Shame, Carusella, and Metallica.... fine, not Metallica but if they knew Rock 4 Rookies exsisted. they would totaly be on the show.

All these interviews have added a whole new spin on to Rock 4 Rookies which was kinda the point, as at some point, things tend to grow stagnant. New voices, co host Dj's, and themed shows, all do their best to keep the show fresh, of coursae, brand new rock also helps.

Recently Ive been doing my best to bring several new bands to the show every week, a taste of something new. Again, I have to add that these aren't always brand new bands but simply bands that I've never played on Rock 4 Rookies. I managed to do that very well a few weeks ago on a
"Protest Song" themed show, of which the highlight was, in my opinion, a beautiful rendition of Bob Dylan's "The times they are a changin" sung by the Pearl Jam great, Eddie Vedder!!

Now before I put out the playlist for this weeks show, it would be amiss if I didn't pimp the other shows on the Rock 4 Rookies Network. Country Love and the Indie Insurgence have been putting out solid shows for months now and so stand as the peak of those specific generes of music!! A special shout out to the Electronic Voyage for an amazing Spy Show a few weeks ago and Poprox, the reason I don't watch MTV anymore, the best music without annoyance!

I will of course keep eveyone updated as I am inspired but life is not with out its little quirks like work and school so the blog, unfortunetly, remains on the back burner.

Right now, its the play list for November 29th, 2009.

1. Billy Ido - White Wedding
2. Bayside - Devotion and Desire
3. Blacksabbath - Supernaut
4. Slipknot - Dead Memories
5. Boxcar Racer - Tiny Voices
6. Them Crooked Vultures - Scumbag Blues
7. Interpol- Obstacle
8. Norman Greenbaum - Spirits in the Sky
9. Notimefor - Dress Up To Get Down
10. Fuel - Bittersweet
11. Smoking Popes - My Lucky Day
12. Slayer - Scarstruck
13. Puddle of Mudd - Spaceship
14. Fall Out Boy - From Now We Are Enemies
15. A Day To Remember - The Down Fall of Us All
16. Anvil - Jackhammer
17. Chickenfoot - Learning to Fall
18. Steel Panther - Death to All But Metal (I'm Sorry about this song guys)
19. 3 DoorsDown - Right Were I Belong
20. Stick To Your Guns - A Badge A Brand
21. Burn Halo - Save Me
22. The Strokes - The Modern Age
23. Sick Puppies - You're Going Down
24. Iron Maiden - Can I Play With Madness
25. Pop Evil - Jupiter in June
26. Eric Clapton - After Midnight
27. Protest the Hero - Goddess Gagged
28. ACDC - Fire Your Guns

As always check out this weeks show. Andif you ask, Ill definetly put up the playlist of whatever episode you want.

See you at the show.
Maximum Mike

Episode 80 and the Chaos That Reigns

Tonight I go live on Rock 4 Rookies for the 15th time. I have traveled back and forth from my home in the center of Israel to the capital 15 times. I have fretted, worried, and sweated on my way to the Rusty Mike Radio studio. I have also laughed, smiled, and rocked on the road to the live show.

Now I don't want to polish my own statue but sometimes I feel like I'm running my own online radio empire at www.rock4rookies.com !! Keeping things running smoothly isn't easy, its like being in charge of the UN,but we don't hate Israel. Its like organizing different races with different religions but in this case, the religion is music, the race is simply being different people with our own lives. Its hard to keep the herd grazing smoothly and I had help obviously (Thank you Web Master D) but the herd have grown. Our trance/electro show the Electronic Voyage has been picked up by another web site hence bringing hundreds of more listeners. Country Love with Ilona is now being broadcast on www.rustymikeradio.com, the home of my live show. We also have the Indie Insurgence, slowly but surely gaining ground in its fight against the mainstream. Finally in the last few months we've picked up a new show, the bubble gum Pop Rox, playing the best in pop music.

All of this...this Online Radio Empire, began 80 weeks ago with my first Rock 4 Rookies show. Its funny but when I go back to listen to that first show in the archives, I shudder at how bad I was as a Dj but I still love my music choices, it was and still is my favorite playlist.

So what is Rock 4 Rookies to me right now? Its every thing I wish I had a few years ago, all the music I wish people had been introducing me to. Now its your chance.
Join me tonight at 8pm Israel time(1pm New York) by click here to listen to my live show.