Radio Blah

I listen to a lot of the Radio on the way to and from work, never mind driving around town running errands all weekend. And to be honest, there isn't much out there on the radio waves that has perked my interest.

I listen to a wide range of music, so when the radio plays crap I pop in a CD and get my fix that way. Plus, it's hysterical to roll up on a group of kids while cranking opera, or bluegrass, or Scandinavian death metal. It's the little things that brighten my day.

It seems we hit a dry spell for new releases. The latest Metallica album was about as exciting as a postage stamp collection. The new Green Day album sucks. Although the new Killers album is interesting, so far I only like one song. I like going to shows and concerts, but right now there isn't a whole lot going on.

The warped tour had Bad Religion, Less than Jake and Anti-Flag... is it 1992 all over again? Oh yeah Offspring, a re-united No Doubt, Stone Temple Pilots, and Staind are touring as well. Yep it's the 90's again.

ZOMG! the B-52's have 2 shows out on the cape, might have to go! Wait a sec, they are going to be in RI on 8/7! I'm going, never saw them live so that will be a hoot. I brought up the list of shows that are coming, and this jumped right out at me.

I just noticed Little Feat is still touring. Wow. I got dragged to see them in Boston like 20+ years ago, and they looked old then. wow. I thought they sucked - I'm not into the whole jam band thing. (It's surprising what we will go see when there is a hint of hooking up. So i wasn't "dragged" per se, just lead there by my dick.)

Wow. Just noticed REO Speedwagon/Styx/.38 Special coming to Boston. And later on this month Judas Priest and Whitesnake. That is a riot.

Then I noticed that KMFDM is coming to the house of blues on 9/26. I'm definitely going to that show.

Is it me or is there a lack of new music out there? If bands like Motley Crue, Whitesnake can tour 20 years after their peak and have successful tours. How about Judas Priest or Styx touring after 30 years out? Instead of getting a modern equivalent of The Cars, or Areosmith, or Rage Against the Machine we are bombarded by the marketing machine of the Jonas Brothers or Mylie Cyrus. Yuck!

I guess what I was saying back in the late 80's when MTV went from a radio station on the TV to a media powerhouse has come true. Because of the nature of music videos and the "image" being equal to the song's star power, I seriously doubt anyone as fugly as Stephen Tyler could make it today. I've met him in person, and he is one ugly guy. He's really cool in person, but that doesn't cut it when your agent is running a media blitz with your face all over the late night circuit.

And it's a shame. Shame on all of us. There could be great singers but because they don't look like a fashion model they never get a chance. I spoke with quite a few people who went to the American Idol tryouts and unless you were half-naked wearing a wonder-woman outfit, or looked mildly retarded, you didn't stand a chance. There were several people I know that could sing who never even got a chance. Now if it was one, I would think about maybe stage-fright or something, but when several people say the same thing? c'mon.

Style over substance. It's more important on how you look than you perform. Open almost any magazine today. How much is bubble-headed crap vs. real information. Even the woodworking and gun magazines have articles pimping someone's latest product, rather than any objective journalism on the pros and cons of whatever they are reviewing. I cut my subscriptions down to one, Fine Woodworking, but even they print occasional articles of man-love for whatever sponsor's product they are pimping that month.

Style over substance is one of the hallmarks of the Cyberpunk genre. Another is the corporate buyout of the federal government. Are we there now? When the dollar crashes will a consortium of corporations bail us out, forming the first mega-corporation in the process? I need to re-read Neuromancer to get prepared.