From : <DaveRaveXMRadio@aol.com>
Sent : Sunday, May 30, 2004 12:57 PM
To : DaveRaveXMRadio@aol.com
Subject : Relics & Rarities Status on XM Radio


To all previous supporters of Relics & Rarities on XM Radio:

Let me first say thank you to those of you that I know have listened to and supported "Relics & Rarities" on XM Radio.

Ever since I was a kid, beginning at age 8, I had this passion for the music blaring across the AM radio, and later on the FM band. The music was varied, not as segmented as it is today on many terrestrial or otherwise radio stations. I grew up loving the likes of soul, surf, garage, doowop, instrumentals, pop, and British Invasion (did I leave anything out, if so, please include).

Record dealers love me because I don't just buy one type of sound, I buy whatever sounds like it might have been, or was, a top 40 hit on AM radio. As you probably can tell, I am passionate about my record collecting.......okay...YES...I am a proud record geek!

My first radio job was at my own station beginning in 1966 at age 11 when I created WDAV, broadcasting to appx 2-3 friends on channel 14 of my walkie talkie. I was passionate then about the music as I am now. On this past weekends XM show, you all heard a taste of my radio days on WDAV (I know I still sound the same ).

I dreamed of one day being able to DJ to more than just 2 people all the cool tunes that this here record geek had acquired over the many years. All of the tunes that I selected for play are tunes that I truly believe deserved a play on the radio, or it's second chance on the airwaves.

The cool thing about the XM radio show was that Cleveland Wheeler, the 60's program director, found out about me, and the show I did on a 5000 watt central NJ FM radio station and convinced me that a great home for these lost treasures was XM 60's.

My childhood dreams had been realized.....records that fell through the cracks, or that never got played due to segregation issues of the airwaves in the early days of rock & roll were finally being aired! I loved it!

The emails that you people sent me told me that others were out there like myself that shared my passions and the desire to hear those lost "shoulda been a hit" 45's that were lost in the crunch to be heard upon their initial release.

Finally a show where the 60's could come alive, and come crackling over your speakers, whereby nobody could say "oh it's the same old tunes over and over again".

The 45's that I have played over the last 28 weeks hadn't even scratched the surface of the vast amount of lost 45's still looking for a home to be heard in. Okay, so what is Dave the Rave shouting about and why is he sending me this letter?

RELICS AND RARITIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

I wanted to personally tell you in advance instead of tuning in next week as many of you do and wondering what happened to Dave the Rave and his Relics & Rarities show.

All of you who have written to me and made comments, suggestions, and/or requests, I can't thank you enough. You have all let me know that there is indeed many other 60's music fans, or record geeks (please don't be mad) like me that are passionate about the music of the 60's. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I didn't wanna just disappear without saying thanks. You can't imagine how much all of your emails meant to me. It meant the world to me.

Some XM forums have speculated that Relics & Rarities is being dropped due to money matters. If only you all knew!! Money never played any part in the decision to cancel the show.

Cleveland Wheeler, the program director/DJ at XM 60's, the man who brought me to XM, was not responsible for the termination of Relics & Rarities. It appears that Cleveland Wheeler remained an ardent supporter of my show until the very end.

The decision to terminate the show was made by Steve Harris (Steve.Harris@XMRadio.com), a corporate VP, who basically determined that an hour of relatively unknown 60's was a bit too much for the XM airwaves in any one stretch.

I ask for those of you who wish to express your concern over his decision that you politely do so. I suggest that letters sent be carbon copied to DaveRaveXMRadio@aol.com.

A great fan of my show has established a website that he owns and controls, www.davetherave.com, where archived shows can be listened to. You will also find on the home page, under Dave the Rave news, that information is given with easy one click links to send email that will reach all the decision making persons at XM radio.

Well, I have taken way too much of all your precious time, so let me once again say thanks again for past support of Relics & Rarities, and as always.....Keep listening for Relics & Rarities!

Sincerely,
Dave the Rave-Relics & Rarities