With only a couple of weeks of learning and searching, I cannot begin to say how happy and humbled I am to have found a number of local artists willing to give podcasting a chance. The growing `ohana of artists is already so diverse and strong, HawaiiUP could probably go all-music and still have enough great stuff for another dozen shows. But to prolong the goodness, I’m afraid you won’t be rid of my rambling just yet.

While I pull together my next show, be sure to check out the new HawaiiUP Music page, to get a preview of the great sounds in store.

Made a new logo banner, riffing on Apple’s iPod ads. Too cheesy? If so, then it’s perfect! Then, I made some simple business cards, for when I run into that inebriated venture capitalist. (Seriously, though, they helped in approaching people for interviews or to talk music licensing.)

In addition, I posted an overly long “About” page, a geek-focused “Credits” page, and a misleadingly named “Frequently Asked Questions” page (unless once counts as “frequently”). Finally, I added the requisite “Link Me!” 80×15 GIF buttons, picking up the habit that podcasters picked up from bloggers.

What do you think? Er, apart from, “Get a life!”

Navigating the world of music licensing is a nightmare. I’ve wanted to feature music by local artists since day one, but as podcasters everywhere know, filing this and signing that with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and assorted other acronyms is both time and cost prohibitive.

Even though I’m just a hobbyist, family-den podcaster, I have to prove it… and I’m not ready to file incorporation papers and seek out 501(c)3 status for this. At least not yet.

Fortunately, like any town, Hawaii is full of independent artists and small, agile “labels” (though “labels” might be an overstatement of their scope), and they just might be as hungry for exposure as I am for great material. So I’m starting to put the word out to try and reach that solo guitarist who strums away at that corner bistro, or that high school band that plays weddings.

I might end up featuring “the next Green Day” from Hawaii instead of “the next Iz,” but I’m open to all flavors of music, and I’m pretty sure my handful of listeners would be too.

If you know anyone with an MP3 just itching to hit the podwaves (or whatever they’re calling it), drop me a line.

Podcasting: Individual audio programming becomes the latest internet craze, putting broadcasting ability in the hands of the many
Jason Genegabus, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Monday, March 7, 2005:

Maui resident Sunny Hills is one of the few islanders to have already made the jump into podcasting. Other notable local podcasts include Geeknewscentral.com’s Todd Cochrane, Machelpmaui.com’s Scott Waters and the Kailua boyfriend/girlfriend duo of Roxanne Darling and Shane Robinson. Online community advocate and Mililani resident Ryan Ozawa started podcasting from the Web site HawaiiUP.com last week.

Jason even quoted a line out of my first podcast. Nifty! Wish he’d talked to or quoted Todd — who I got to meet yesterday — though. With over 40 shows under his belt, he strikes me as the first local veteran of the medium.

I get the feeling that PodcastAlley.com is becoming the 800-lb. gorilla of podcasting portals.

Sure, Adam Curry’s iPodder is largely where it all began, but it’s as much a site for the software as it is for information, and let’s face it, Manila is not the friendliest of interfaces. Podcast.net is also and oldie but goodie, but relatively plain. PodcastAlley.com looks good, makes it easy to find podcasts, and fosters a community with comments, forums, and voting… for better or worse. (more…)