A Temporary Radio Renaissance

[tugmcmartin]

So i turn on the radio on Monday morning while i'm switching out CD's in my changer for my commute. I find that my FM radion station of choice, KBCO out of Boulder, CO (they're mostly a AAA format) is doing an A to Z rundown of their entire catalog of music. Out of curiousity i stay tuned in for the duration of my drive. What a refreshing myriad of musical offerings i heard. To give you an idea, this morning they were on the Ds. For the last 100 minutes they've been playing songs that begin with "Dance". Some artists: Led Zep, Melissa Etheridge, U2, Sly and the Family Stone, Wang Chung, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Idol, along with a couple i didn't recognize. Anyway, its kinda nice to be able to tune in and not have to worry about hearing song "X" for the hundredth time during the week. Also fun to try and guess what songs might be coming up next.

T-

[Finch Platte]

So i turn on the radio on Monday morning while i'm switching out CD's in my changer for my commute. I find that my FM radion station of choice, KBCO out of Boulder, CO (they're mostly a AAA format) is doing an A to Z rundown of their entire catalog of music. Out of curiousity i stay tuned in for the duration of my drive. What a refreshing myriad of musical offerings i heard. To give you an idea, this morning they were on the Ds. For the last 100 minutes they've been playing songs that begin with "Dance". Some artists: Led Zep, Melissa Etheridge, U2, Sly and the Family Stone, Wang Chung, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Idol, along with a couple i didn't recognize. Anyway, its kinda nice to be able to tune in and not have to worry about hearing song "X" for the hundredth time during the week. Also fun to try and guess what songs might be coming up next.

T-

...no pun intended ;)

The only rock station we get at my work (it's a quonset hut) is a classic rawk station The Hawwwwwwk (think phlegm). Lately, they've been playing the hell out of Led Zep, whom I can't stand. I always think "who died in Led Zep, they're playing them so much."

I was driving my "new" car (Buick Skylark Supreme- sounds like a burger) home yesterday. All it's got is a cassette/FM radio. As I didn't have a cassette on me, I was listening to The Hawwwwwk. After a commercial break, they came back on and began to play Stairway To Heaven! Needless to say, the rest of the drive home was in silence.

Sorry about the rant ;) Sounds like you're a little luckier than most of us.

fp

[DarrenH]

You got that right. Temporary. But it's nice to know that there are moments of quality FM broadcasting still out there.

The only thing I can listen to anymore is AM talk. And even that gets annoying because AM reception totally sucks.

Darren

[tugmcmartin]

Here's what else i've heard this morning. No repeats too... which is probably the best part.

Counting Crows - Daylight Fading
Beatles - Daytripper
Police - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Steely Dan - Deacon Blues
Stones - Dead Flowers
Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart
Traffic - Dear Mr. Fantasy
Beatles - Dear Prudence
XTC - Dear God
Collective Soul - December
Kenny Wayne Sheppard - Deja Voodoo
CSN - Deja Vu
Euphoria - Delerium
Sting - Desert Rose
U2 - Desire
Eagles - Desperado
Missing Persons - Destination Unknown
INXS - Devil Inside

Plus 2 or 3 others i can't remember. Pretty cool mix of stuff. I may try and keep posting from time to time what they're playing.

T-

[tugmcmartin]

Still in the D's. Wrote down what i was around to hear.

Mitch Ryder - Devil with a Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly
Shawn Colvin - Diamond in the Rough
Ben Harper - Diamonds on the Inside
Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Samples - Did You Ever Look So Nice
Peter Gabriel - Digging in the Dirt
Lou Reed - Dirty Boulevard
Don Henley - Dirty Laundry
Steely Dan - Dirty Work
Matchbox 20 - Disease
Matthew Sweet - Divine Intervention
Little Feat - Dixie Chicken
Dada - Disneyland
Steely Dan - Do it Again
Lisa Loeb - Do You Sleep
Jackson Brown - Doctor Me Eyes
Van Morrison - Domino
Robert Cray - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
INXS - Don't Change
Tom Petty - Don't Come Around Here No More
Seal - Don't Cry
The Band - Don't Do It
Tom Petty - Don't Do Me Like That
Crowded House - Don't Dream Its Over
Dave Matthews Band - Don't Drink the Water
Pretenders - Don't Get Me Wrong
Peter Gabriel - Don't Give Up
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
The Beatles - Don't Let Me Down
No Doubt - Don't Speak
Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop
The Stones - Don't Stop
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy
Human League - Don't You Want Me
Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me
CCR - Down on the Corner
Little Feat - Down on the Farm
Men at Work - Down Under
Phish - Down with Disease

T-

[MindGoneHaywire]

it's nice to know that there are moments of quality FM broadcasting still out there.
Darren

Quality? I don't know, I stopped listening to AOR & Classic Rock radio stations 20 years ago. I don't see one song on the lists Tug put up that had been released at that time that wasn't on those playlists, which were restrictive enough to drive me away. I can understand that since they rotate 250 songs these days instead of the 500 or 1000 they did back then, that this might seem like some great exercise in diversity. But it sure doesn't look that way to me. There's a title or two there that might provide a pleasant surprise, sure--but I think it's a commentary on how bad radio has been for the past couple of decades that this makes even a smidgen of a positive impact on you guys.

[DarrenH]

Quality? I don't know, I stopped listening to AOR & Classic Rock radio stations 20 years ago. I don't see one song on the lists Tug put up that had been released at that time that wasn't on those playlists, which were restrictive enough to drive me away. I can understand that since they rotate 250 songs these days instead of the 500 or 1000 they did back then, that this might seem like some great exercise in diversity. But it sure doesn't look that way to me. There's a title or two there that might provide a pleasant surprise, sure--but I think it's a commentary on how bad radio has been for the past couple of decades that this makes even a smidgen of a positive impact on you guys.

I'm certainly not advocating the brilliance of FM radio these days. I'm in the camp that FM radio stinks and has been stinking for a long time. I was merely making a friendly comment towards Tug regarding his radio experience. I guess I need to choose my words more carefully. Specifically, using the word "quality" when referencing FM radio. But I am happy for Tug and his 'temporary radio renaissance'.

Darren

[MindGoneHaywire]

Hey, if he got a jolt out of it, that's really all that matters. I was just a bit surprised, because the list looked stale to me. I think our expectations when it comes to radio have been diminished to an obscene extent.

[Dusty Chalk]

Everything old is new again, when you don't listen to it all the time.

[tugmcmartin]

I agree with both you guys (MindGoneHaywire and Darren). That playlist isn't anything revalatory by any means. All of those songs are still the ones you've heard on the dial for the past 30 years. My main point was that its refreshing to turn on the radio for a few days and not know whats coming next and to know you're probably going to hear a song or two that they haven't played in ages, rather than the same 50 song rotation they normally play. Radio still stucks, but i'm gonna enjoy what that particular station is doing for a couple more days.

[Finch Platte]

I'm certainly not advocating the brilliance of FM radio these days. I'm in the camp that FM radio stinks and has been stinking for a long time. I was merely making a friendly comment towards Tug regarding his radio experience. I guess I need to choose my words more carefully. Specifically, using the word "quality" when referencing FM radio. But I am happy for Tug and his 'temporary radio renaissance'.

Darren

Oh, wait.

"I wasted some good quality time listening to FM radio last night."

fp