On my way home last night from work, I turned on the radio. I generally only listen perhaps one way to or from work, not for any philosophical reason, but because often I have tunes going through my head that I’m working on, or I have a particular problem I’m thinking about that I need quiet to figure out the solution to… whatever. I caught the last few minutes of the “Most Requested” nightly countdown on 97.1, KZHT.
The first thing that struck me is that there was a song I really enjoyed at one time that I no longer enjoy. It’s by Linkin Park, called “Numb”. The first twenty or thirty times I heard it on the radio, I was really impressed at the unique sound, the powerful lyrics, and the emotional delivery of the lead singer. When I heard it last night, after hearing it so frequently on the once-an-hour rotation schedule over the last several weeks, I was just sick of it. It still has the cool qualities that made it a kick-ass song, I just stopped liking it.
Anyway, after about twenty minutes of commercial break between “number two” and “number one”, “number one” finally came on. I have no idea who sings this song, what their musical history is, or what. The weird thing is, I listen to the radio periodically, and I’d never heard this artist. How’d they get to be “most requested” when they aren’t even on a local rotation?
I figured it out shortly. You see, “Most Requested” is a nationally-syndicated program on Clear Channel. The Utah Audience wouldn’t appreciate this piece of work.
The chorus went, literally, something like this:
F— this for some reason.
F— that for another reason.
F— you, you B—-, I don’t want you back
I wasn’t sure whether to be mortified or laugh really hard. It was like one of those angry songs I wrote when I was fifteen and ticked off at some girl, only worse. The funny part was that they actually cut the works apart so that you only heard the first consonant of the swear word, and a healthy chunk of this otherwise lovely-sounding song was cut-off swear words by the lead singer. And what the heck was it doing on the radio?
I guess I’m officially “old” — I don’t appreciate that kind of art on the radio.
I agree…
but what the crap are you doing listening to that garbage station? At least with a couple other stations they play 1 hour rotations of GOOD music. And if you listen to stations not playing brand new music, the selection is much better. I’m a fan of 103.1 (100.7 in Tooele) KJQ. I really dig 107.5 in the mornings but only for the personalities, I usually switch away when they play music. Its usually Coldplay or Nickleback or some other poop like that. Also, what is with the length of commercial breaks. I mean, I get that they have to pay the bills but some of these breaks are longer than my… well, let’s just say they’re long.
Rappin like…
The main reason is that I want to learn to rap like Justin Timpane. No, really, I’m not joking! Well, OK, maybe I want to rap better than Justin Timpane. Or was that Timberlake?
Anyway, it’s mainly for inspiration. There’s not a lot of it floating around, but I wanted to get a handle on what’s hot and what’s not out in the pop world, so I forced myself to turn off my country, classical, and techno music, to hear what “pop” sounded like these days. Overall, it seems about 50/50… most of it is still crap like it’s always been, but of the stuff that’s not trash, there’s about 50 percent I enjoy, and about 50 percent that I acknowledge is well-done rhythmically, lyrically, and melodically, but that I just don’t “get” or enjoy very much. I’m intentionally seeking out rap music so that I can hear some common syncopation to try to mix up my melodic styles in some of the tunes I’m writing.
Yeah, I know, it’s probably weird that a fat, white, freckled, short-haired thirty-something guy dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt is listening to rap music. I don’t care that much though, I just want to “get it” and see if what’s out there can contribute much to my own music.
So far, the results aren’t very promising, but there have been a couple of tunes I’ve really enjoyed and gone “how would one go about getting that sound?”.
Thanks for the tips on other stations, though. I need to check them out. And yeah, 97.1 ZHT has commercial breaks from hell. I just turn the radio off and watch the clock until ten minutes has passed, and then turn it on again.
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Good Radio
A couple years ago, I started listening to live365.com because I too was sick of local AM/FM transmitting. Since Clear Channel extended its control over 50%+ all nationwide programming, I went elsewhere.
Some cool stuff because there’s a lot of international stations. I started playing recently with this guitarists who’s done a lot of Celtic and African tours. Fantastic rhythms and open tuning. Followed up through live365.com to find other stuff. It’s neat what’s out there on the international waves.
Do you guys know of other stations like this?
—
Sammy G
What’s out there
Sam, I don’t know of a station, but have you ever tried playing two different station’s at the same time on top of each other. I did that one night with a combo of actually African gospel and a gritty Celtic sound. It was fantastic. It’s neat what kind of sounds you can make doing that. Inspirational I might say to Matt. Teresa
WHITE BOY RAP
HAHAHA HAA HAA HAA!! No, seriously, HA! HA HA!
Okay, thanks for the plug. Seriously, I do find myself enjoying rap a lot more, but the fact is, the vast majority of the good stuff is expletive based.
That being said, here are the guys I would check out.. Listen to “THE BEASTIE BOYS: Liscense to Ill” fo an hour every day. AND, it won;t make you feel old, because its from 1985. Barely an expletive in sight, althogh its still graphic in other ways.
Then, Listen comparitively to the old Pop-Rap Angry song “I’m gonna knock you out” by “LL Cool J”, and “Dream On” “Girls” “Lose Yourself” and “Square Dance” by Eminem. You can find clean versions of these, but the dirty ones are better. Listen specificalyl for the improvement of slant rhymes like
“To stand and fight for the right to say something you MIGHT NOT LIKE (this) WHITE HOT LIGHT that I’m UNDER No WONDER I look so SUNBURNED, Oh no, I won’t leave no stone UNTURNED”
THEN: Gain perspective on the use of curse words in songs and the silliness of white-boy rappers by listening to Ben Folds’ “Rockin The Suburbs”, which includes the scary threat, “You better watch out because I’m gonna say F**k.” (This song is a satire, railing specifically against Korn, because Korn is a bunch of middle class white guys, WHY ARE THEY ANGRY?)
While they suck most of the time, listen to ths Limp Bizkit song from MI2, “Now I know why you wanna hate me”, to hear an example of how a white guy who just can’t rap at all manages to do it because its mixed well.
Finally, spend an afternoon listening to the real hardcore stuff (Tupac, B.I.G., Dre, Mystikal, and some Snoop) for perspective, listen to the Will Smith album “Big Willie Style”, and his song from “Wild Wild West” for squeaky clean alternative.
Finally, listen to every song SUM 41 had gotten onto the radio (Most notably “Fat Lip”), and listen once ore to “liscense to Ill” and an Eminem song or two to remind yourself, you aren’t as smooth as Willie and will never be as scary as Dre, but you can still make some cool music if you use that semi-ironic white boy rap groove.
Or you can make music like me, white boy rap for an audience of seven.
inspiration in music
Matt the only thing I can tell you is that it is good that you want to expand your musical taste. But you don’t completly shut off what is already inspiring you. Listen to it all. I have a Baltimore country station, DC 101, 98Rock, Oldies 100.3, Mix 107.3, and 94.7 Classic Rock all programed in. So I flip through them all the time. When it comes time for my weekly Karoke visit ( yes I know it sounds lame ) I can chose from all sorts of genres. Wheather it be the Bluesy sound of Janis or the bell like voice of Martina McBride. Chose from them all Matt and make them your own. Teresa
BY THE BY
Matt, you need a good dose of UNDERPRODUCED music in your vocabulary.
Check out Violent Femmes, ben Folds Five (First album), Nirvana (not “Smells Like teen Spirit”), The Dead Milkmen, and some early REM.
Oh, and The Beatles “Let it be.. Naked”, Barenaked Ladies “Rock Spectacle”, and any number of “Unplugged” albums.
You’ll hate it at first, but it will grow on you.
Best Rap Album EVER
Beastie Boys — “Paul’s Boutique”
Talk about genius…
Paul vs. Ill
I’ve only heard Paul’s boutique once, and I remember not liking it as much as ill.. but I was much younger.. perhaps its time to listen once again.
Pauls’ Boutique Rocks
That album launched the whole 1990s rap music genre. Listen to it and keep in mind it was from 1989. It was one of those works that wasn’t recognized as a true work of art until way after it was released.
Plus, any group that can mix egging a house with the shadrach story and throw robotron and rapunzel in for good measure deserves lyrical awards…
milk… cereal… baby
Actually Weed, I have fond memories of being in the apartments in UMBC listening to Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” over and over. I still find myself singing “milk.. cereal” at odd times.
Chronic
I like 1 and 2. A little too much reliance on guest artist, though, eh?
Its been awhile since I explored new stuff.. perhaps I should listen alittle more to mainstream stuff again.. (Been listening almost exclusively to Ben Folds’ new EPs, Barenaked Ladies’ new album, Let It Be.. Naked, and talk radio)
BTW: Where is Mr. benny these days.
Kid Tu’Fonqué
Mr. Benny is in New York City, currently between careers (full update later).
Ben Folds rocks – I’ve got all of his albums (including “Fear of Pop”) and saw him in concert last year. Big fan.
I’ve gone cold on BNL – they were better when nobody knew who they were.
— Ben Schuman Mad, Mad Tenor
FEAR OF POP??
Is it new?
Saw huim alone in Georgetown last year (Like the Live album) its was tres cool. it was my second time.
BNL’s newest album is the best one since Born On A Pirate Ship.
Fear of Pop
Actually it’s an older one. It’s a weird experimental album he did in 1998, all instrumentals and spoken word pieces, including one with William Shatner. Very funky and groovy, not at all like his other albums. You can get it over Amazon.
I’ll check out the new BNL.
— Ben Schuman Mad, Mad Tenor
I will!!
I’ll get it this week. In concert, he said he’s producing a Shatner album. We’ll see.
But yeah, “Fear of Pop” will join my collection this week. I’ll come back to you with a review
I DID!
Ordered it tonight. Will get it in 14 days.
JT
ZHT countdown
That song’s by Eamon and oddly got a lot of airplay in Idaho … *shrug*
It was kind of weird/funny at first, but yes… local audience probably would not like.