================================================ Subject: Re: Rock From: "Keith P. Mears" To: Date: Sat 3 Nov 2001 20:20:22 -0500 ================================================ I'd like to thank you for the insights into the running of a radio station. You missed (not by too much either) a recent discussion of the "radio scene" in America. I strongly agree that it is in pretty horrible shape, and has been for years. ----- Original Message ----- > I'll reply to some of the other comments later...but for now I'd just like> to say that I think rock is in a wonderful state. Since the emergence of> hip-hop, the alternative music scene reclaimed its name and went back> underground. Bands like Wilco, Sunny Day Real Estate, Whiskeytown, The Get > Up Kids, Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, Calexico, Stephen Malkmus (and> previously Pavement), Modest Mouse, the (now broken-up) Afghan Whigs, Yo La> Tengo, the list goes on...have been producing amazing music for years that > has been going under the nose of radio listeners. But there's no doubt that> it is very powerful rock n' roll, very new, very unique...and it has> expanded the boundaries of music in ways that radio listeners won't> appreciate for years. > But I don't want to dis too heavily on radio music. There is still some> great shit. Disregarding crap like Godsmack, Blink 182, and Offspring,> there are still groups like Metallica, Tool, RADIOHEAD, Santana, and so on.> I think rock is in great shape, but MTV and radio have perverted America's> exposure to it...so much so that incredible acts like Super Furry Animals> and The Strokes will never make it on American radio, in spite of the fact> that they produce intensely good pop. Radio stations are formatted and they > have rigid requirements for the types of music they play. If something does> not neatly fit into a format, someone in a head office in Houston, TX needs> to move heaven and earth to get it on air. And given that about 90% of the> radio stations in the country are controlled by three companies, it only> takes the decisions of three men (just three, not even experts in music, but> rather experts in appealing to an audience) to keep good music from reaching> people's ears. It sucks that things are that way, but with effort anyone > can listen to great rock. > > I mentioned in a recent e-mail that I used to run a radio station here. The> format was Modern Rock. And all the time I spent there, I miserably fought> for changes in format and on-air sound. But there were lives at stake. The > Program Director couldn't afford to change too much because ratings would> slip. The Sales people needed to sell commercials, and so if we weren't> optimally appealing, they would lose cash. We weren't even beholden to the > large companies...we were completely indepedent. Nonetheless, we were> handcuffed by the music on MTV. What we played had to correspond to MTV in> order for people to be accustomed enough to it to listen. We were record> companies' bitches too. So, ultimately, our lack of contractual obligation> to any other company was only a sham. Even as an indie-station, the> pressures of money backed us into playing certain things and avoiding> others. That's why rock appears to be in shitty shape...corporate > influence. To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: http://www.winduplist.com/ls/discuss/form.asp