OFF: Re: Hi again

[Paul Mather]

On Mon, 2004-08-16 at 11:50, Stephen Swann wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 16, 2004 at 11:25:44AM -0400, Jean Lansford wrote:
> > > Stephen Swann wrote:
> > > fact that I seldom get to hear cool new music (given the
> > > dire state of modern commercial radio), and partly due to
> > > the fact that my musical tastes are almost certainly getting
> > > more and more ossified.  ;-)

The PBS Frontline documentary "The Way the Music Died" pretty much
confirmed my thinking that if you are looking to radio to introduce you
to novel or interesting music then you are on a hiding to nothing.
(See http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/music/ and watch the
show.)

Even aside from the corporate commercial concerns, there's just too many
new releases and too few hours in which to air it.  That's just for
official releases.  There's so much more unofficial (yet legitimate)
output from which to choose.  Even just considering the bands that allow
taping and trading leads to a frightening mountain of material.  So, I
find myself with the opposite problem to you: too much interesting
material to explore and not enough time to do it.

> > Sirius. And Rhapsody. And, dare I say it, New Napster. They've
> > saved what's left of my brain, anyway.
>
> I'm currently debating between Sirius and XM, although I'm
> leery of investing in the hardware to receive something that
> could turn out to be just as crappy and monopolized (i.e. my
> grouse with Clear Channel could just as easily turn out to
> be my grouse with XM?).  Do you have any personal experience
> of it?

I don't have any personal experience with these, but I keep coming
across people all the time who became total converts after renting cars
with XM or Sirius in them.  (I don't know which one: the one that is
commercial free seems to be the most popular in my experience.)  It
seems to be largely a factor of the increased choice and themed channels
that attracts most people I hear sing its praises.

But, I've also heard plenty of people say that a well-stocked CD changer
is a much better alternative for long drives. :-)

Good music is unlikely to land on your doorstep (e.g., via radio or TV);
you'll have to seek it out.

Cheers,

Paul.

PS: Will the guy who said "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" is rubbish please pass
along some of the stuff he's smoking! >;-)
--
e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
 deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
        --- Frank Vincent Zappa