The Bovine Life Support System is a near-monthly music show I started because I wanted to get to know my own music collection better. Then it started getting vaguely popular so I was starting to get sent material. But I do this for joy despite a very slight theme of melancholy and introspcetion, sometimes counterpointed by my rather silly voice.

I try and personalise the nightmare of filtering new music and I take days and days to compile and "test" each show in advance of it posting. I like the intimacy of this method. Believe me, I'm not getting off on the sound of my own voice. Much. And I don't just use this as a platform to promote my own stuff. Much. Although I have a lovely album out on benbecula.com right now!!!

A word on where it is posted:-

I use a free, but advertising based file host called mediafire.com which is very reliable and free and the easiest interface of all the free fileshare websites. But some people still get confused how to download the show, so here we go with a guide.

Each month, you will be greeted with a new show and pic and an instruction to press the pic to download the show. Then a new window opens up and the mediafile page opens. Once there, wait a bit while it loads one reasonably discreet advert on your machine and after it's done that you can get rid of it if you like and look at the "click to start download" link which will take the form of an mp3 file, usually a LARGE file size of between 50mb and 120mb will start downloading. Click it! The files are large but worth it (hopefully!) This can take up to half an hour, even on some broadband systems so go and have your dinner. Then you can simply drag it into itunes or whatever method you choose for mp3 playback.

For the technically minded - I make sure ID3 tags are current and working so it should show up properly in compatible mp3 players with track titles.

I really enjoy doing the show and getting the feedback. I usually try and get permission from all the artists involved and have had some nice conversations with lots of artists on each month's show - this month (April - May) I had a nice chat online with Karine Polwart who describes her featured track as "A Marmite Track" folk either love it or hate it!

Most artists featured on the show like the publicity and I've included a link to each artist's online shop of choice, more often than not, the excellent Boomkat. You may link to this site and i will reciprocate on my site - i would prefer this than direct links to the files on mediafire.

Chris Dooks