Okay, I admit it.
I actually like a song that the Weather Channel plays during the local forecast.
I know saying that you like a song from the Weather Channel is like wanting to go to the airport for lunch. (that one's for you Jeff) But, it was a catchy little ditty.
I think they use a rotation of about 25 songs during the local 5 day forecast and doppler radar maps. It wouldn't surprise me if they've used the same songs since its inception in 1982. You know what type of songs I'm talking about too. Heavy on the piano, new age or light jazz, whatever you wish to call it. Imagine Spyro Gyra done by people who think that Amy Grant may be a bit too risque for the children.
About a year ago they played a song that was more upbeat and had a nice guitar twang. I've heard it about 3 times since then. Every morning for the past 2 months I put on the Weather Channel in the hopes that I get to hear the song again.
The annoying thing is that even if I do come across the the song again that deep voiced man comes on and interrupts constantly by announcing, "Your local doppler radar." or "Here's the weather in cities around the world." (I think he may be the movie-phone guy) Plus, the real dilemma is how on earth do I even figure out who created and performed the song? Is there a Weather Channel music composer who had a spunky day one time? Or do they use crappy songs that they find in the bins of musak radio stations?
With the internet these days, we don't want for much information. I'm one of those people who can't stand not knowing things but I suppose this one thing I would prefer it to remain a mystery. I need to keep alert in the mornings and if paying attention to the Weather Channel helps me do that then I can suffer in ignorance of where the music comes from.
Showing posts with label mp3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mp3. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Rapping to the oldies
When I was a kid, the AM dial on the radio had quite a few stations that were devoted to "oldies" music. They played Sinatra ballads, show tunes, swing music and big band songs. My dentist loved to listen to that stuff and would have the radio tuned to those stations. He had the volume way up as well as he was hard of hearing. Perhaps, it's why I hate Sinatra so much. I associate the pain of my teeth being drilled with blaring staticky versions of My Way and Chicago.
As a teen, the oldies stations started to play early rock n' roll. Buddy Holly, Elvis, and all of those wonderful one hit wonders from the 50's. My friend Mike and I would often tune into the FM station that played those dittys and listen to it on occasion, especially when we cruised around in his 1970 Pontiac Firebird. We'd often scream the lyrics out the car window- "Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey- Goodbye!!" "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty girl your wife!!" Even though the music was created well before we were born, we enjoyed the simplicity of the classic style. We scoffed at the fact that this music was even considered remotely controversial as it was so tame by the day's standards.
Nowadays, the oldies stations are now mostly classic rock stations. They play the Beatles, Rolling Stones, early 70's stadium rock, Pink Floyd and Led Zepplin. This progression of what an oldies station has become has made me realize that the oldies stations will be playing corny 80's music in about 10-15 years and eventually grunge music and hard core rap.
I can just picture it now- in 30-40 years, driving my grandchildren somewhere with an oldies station on and they start to whine that 50 Cent is old people's music. I would be quick to retort back, "Listen here children, 50 Cent has more talent in his left thumb than those awful singers, if you can even call them that, that you guys listen to!"
"Comon' Pop-pop, don't make us listen to that Madonna chick again, that old bag is almost 90!"
"Hey that 'old bag' looks damn fine for a 90 year old, if I wasn't married to your Mom-mom I wouldn't mind striking a pose with her, if you catch my drift!"
"Ewwwww, Pop-pop! You're so gross!"
We have to remind ourselves that history repeats itself. The young will always have music that the old will hate and that music will someday become oldies music.
As a teen, the oldies stations started to play early rock n' roll. Buddy Holly, Elvis, and all of those wonderful one hit wonders from the 50's. My friend Mike and I would often tune into the FM station that played those dittys and listen to it on occasion, especially when we cruised around in his 1970 Pontiac Firebird. We'd often scream the lyrics out the car window- "Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey- Goodbye!!" "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty girl your wife!!" Even though the music was created well before we were born, we enjoyed the simplicity of the classic style. We scoffed at the fact that this music was even considered remotely controversial as it was so tame by the day's standards.
Nowadays, the oldies stations are now mostly classic rock stations. They play the Beatles, Rolling Stones, early 70's stadium rock, Pink Floyd and Led Zepplin. This progression of what an oldies station has become has made me realize that the oldies stations will be playing corny 80's music in about 10-15 years and eventually grunge music and hard core rap.
I can just picture it now- in 30-40 years, driving my grandchildren somewhere with an oldies station on and they start to whine that 50 Cent is old people's music. I would be quick to retort back, "Listen here children, 50 Cent has more talent in his left thumb than those awful singers, if you can even call them that, that you guys listen to!"
"Comon' Pop-pop, don't make us listen to that Madonna chick again, that old bag is almost 90!"
"Hey that 'old bag' looks damn fine for a 90 year old, if I wasn't married to your Mom-mom I wouldn't mind striking a pose with her, if you catch my drift!"
"Ewwwww, Pop-pop! You're so gross!"
We have to remind ourselves that history repeats itself. The young will always have music that the old will hate and that music will someday become oldies music.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Cleaning out the Mp3 player and the cobwebs in my head.
You'd think 8 gigabytes of songs would be enough to satisfy a person for at least a year. Yet, here I am again removing songs I've found myself skipping lately over so I can fit some live music or songs I haven't heard in a long time or brand new songs onto the MP3 player. I find myself doing this about once every 6 weeks or so. It's like spring cleaning but without the dust bunnies or screaming from your wife that you missed a spot.
I'm also finding that studio recordings tend to wear on me quicker. I'm more apt to get bored with 3-4 minute ditties than a live performance with improvisation. Soon my MP3 player will be strictly filled with Phish and Umphrey's McGee shows. Perhaps as I age I've become more accustomed to the jazzier and freer side of music. No more repetitive drum beats and song refrains over and over. Just trippy guitar riffs and piano scales with funky percussion and even bass solos for me now.
My dislike of pop music has to be partially my fault because if I ever do like a song's melody, I tend to overplay the damn thing until I almost hate the song. Maybe, we all like to replay things we like but as we get older we tend to dislike recurring or predictable things. I know my kids love to watch reruns as did I as a kid. Their tastes aren't mature enough to be more varied or they're afraid to try new things. Like music, formulaic movies and TV shows have also started to bore me.
What it comes down to for me that if entertainment becomes too predictable then I'd rather find something else to do. The underlying problem is that as I see more and more things as I age there is less and less that is original or fresh enough for me to like. Thankfully, the wife and kids have been eclectic enough to hold my attention so far.
I'm also finding that studio recordings tend to wear on me quicker. I'm more apt to get bored with 3-4 minute ditties than a live performance with improvisation. Soon my MP3 player will be strictly filled with Phish and Umphrey's McGee shows. Perhaps as I age I've become more accustomed to the jazzier and freer side of music. No more repetitive drum beats and song refrains over and over. Just trippy guitar riffs and piano scales with funky percussion and even bass solos for me now.
My dislike of pop music has to be partially my fault because if I ever do like a song's melody, I tend to overplay the damn thing until I almost hate the song. Maybe, we all like to replay things we like but as we get older we tend to dislike recurring or predictable things. I know my kids love to watch reruns as did I as a kid. Their tastes aren't mature enough to be more varied or they're afraid to try new things. Like music, formulaic movies and TV shows have also started to bore me.
What it comes down to for me that if entertainment becomes too predictable then I'd rather find something else to do. The underlying problem is that as I see more and more things as I age there is less and less that is original or fresh enough for me to like. Thankfully, the wife and kids have been eclectic enough to hold my attention so far.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
My mp3 player is reading my mind!!
I realize that this sounds completely made up or I've gone off the deep end (finally!!) but I swear on my left testicle that it's true.
This morning when I was ready to leave for work it was pouring rain. Dummy me, I left my umbrella in my car, so I had to make a break for it and I got soaked as I ran to my car. Once inside I started up my mp3 player and hit the shuffle button. I have 641 songs on the player, it's supposed to hold 1000 songs but I have alot of jam band songs that last 10 minutes or longer on the player, so I'm actually surprised it holds that many. So out of the 641 songs I have, it decides to play "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head". Now I know most of you are wondering why the hell I have that song on my player. But I allow myself some guilty pleasures like BJ Thomas and Barry Manilow, thank you very much.
Of course I recognize that the apt song playing at that particular time was a small coincidence. But just then- I drove through a large puddle and swerved and lost control of the car a bit. The Blind Melon song, "No Rain" came from the mp3 player.
I quickly called my wife and told her how freaked out I was and how my mp3 player was the devil or possessed by demons or it was magical and it will somehow lead us to the promised land. She scoffed at me (yet again) and I hung up the phone. I turned onto Bristol Road in Warrington as the clouds were parting and the sun started to peek it's way through. "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles was the next tune the shuffle produced for me.
I called my wife yet again sounding even crazier than before. "It's trying to tell me something!!" My son Gabriel also picked up the phone and started to laugh at me. My own son, a non-believer. I hung up the phone and screamed frantically at the player-
"What is it that you want?! Tell Me!!"
I hit the next song button.
"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac came on.
Stupid me. It had wanted what everyone wants, a little love and attention. How could I have not seen this before? I held the credit card sized player gently and caressed it's display and whispered, "shhhhh...there, there, poor sweet baby"
I think it liked that as it started to play, "And You and I" by Yes.
When I arrived at work I knew our short but intense affair had to end. No one could ever understand how two things so different could be together. I had to turn off the player and right before I did it started to play, "Let Forever Be" by the Chemical Brothers.
Yes my little mp3 player, I will let forever be.
This morning when I was ready to leave for work it was pouring rain. Dummy me, I left my umbrella in my car, so I had to make a break for it and I got soaked as I ran to my car. Once inside I started up my mp3 player and hit the shuffle button. I have 641 songs on the player, it's supposed to hold 1000 songs but I have alot of jam band songs that last 10 minutes or longer on the player, so I'm actually surprised it holds that many. So out of the 641 songs I have, it decides to play "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head". Now I know most of you are wondering why the hell I have that song on my player. But I allow myself some guilty pleasures like BJ Thomas and Barry Manilow, thank you very much.
Of course I recognize that the apt song playing at that particular time was a small coincidence. But just then- I drove through a large puddle and swerved and lost control of the car a bit. The Blind Melon song, "No Rain" came from the mp3 player.
I quickly called my wife and told her how freaked out I was and how my mp3 player was the devil or possessed by demons or it was magical and it will somehow lead us to the promised land. She scoffed at me (yet again) and I hung up the phone. I turned onto Bristol Road in Warrington as the clouds were parting and the sun started to peek it's way through. "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles was the next tune the shuffle produced for me.
I called my wife yet again sounding even crazier than before. "It's trying to tell me something!!" My son Gabriel also picked up the phone and started to laugh at me. My own son, a non-believer. I hung up the phone and screamed frantically at the player-
"What is it that you want?! Tell Me!!"
I hit the next song button.
"Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac came on.
Stupid me. It had wanted what everyone wants, a little love and attention. How could I have not seen this before? I held the credit card sized player gently and caressed it's display and whispered, "shhhhh...there, there, poor sweet baby"
I think it liked that as it started to play, "And You and I" by Yes.
When I arrived at work I knew our short but intense affair had to end. No one could ever understand how two things so different could be together. I had to turn off the player and right before I did it started to play, "Let Forever Be" by the Chemical Brothers.
Yes my little mp3 player, I will let forever be.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
How did I ever live without that?!
It's been a busy week at work so far. Lots of packages shipping out, stuff coming in that needs organization. In other words Brian has to get off his fat ass and do some tedious manual labor.
The good news is that my new MP3 player has made this almost a pleasant experience to go out and do some work while I'm groovin' to some tunes. There are some really cool features that I enjoy. The best of which is the shuffle button. I'm able to have my player randomly choose from 665 songs that I like and have uploaded to the player. What's cool about that is that I'm listening to songs I haven't even thought about listening to in a long time or would consider seeking out.
The summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school I spent alot of time listening to Paul Simon's Graceland album over and over again. I haven't listened to that album in years, but since I uploaded it to my MP3 player I can now enjoy "I Know What I Know" all over again. It's true That I could've done this without a MP3 player but the ease of use is what created the new desire.
It's yet another technological advance in my life that makes me wonder how I ever got along without it before. The internet is a huge example of this. Just the other day, Comedy Central was playing the movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and one of the other actresses playing a nerdy beauty contestant looked familiar to me and for the life of me I couldn't remember what the heck her name was or what else she starred in. BUT because of the internet I hopped onto imdb.com and found out it was Brittany Murphy. (When in the hell did she suddenly become so hot? Turns out that she was in a bunch of movies as a nerd or plain friend like "Clueless".) Before the days of the world wide webs, I might've lost alot of sleep wondering who the fuck that actress was. If it really bothered me, I'd have to go look it up in a book IF I had it or go to the library- in either case that's too much work and the inconvenience inhibits me to do it.
So Thank You Al Gore and your wonderful information highway. I don't know what I'd do without you.
The good news is that my new MP3 player has made this almost a pleasant experience to go out and do some work while I'm groovin' to some tunes. There are some really cool features that I enjoy. The best of which is the shuffle button. I'm able to have my player randomly choose from 665 songs that I like and have uploaded to the player. What's cool about that is that I'm listening to songs I haven't even thought about listening to in a long time or would consider seeking out.
The summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school I spent alot of time listening to Paul Simon's Graceland album over and over again. I haven't listened to that album in years, but since I uploaded it to my MP3 player I can now enjoy "I Know What I Know" all over again. It's true That I could've done this without a MP3 player but the ease of use is what created the new desire.
It's yet another technological advance in my life that makes me wonder how I ever got along without it before. The internet is a huge example of this. Just the other day, Comedy Central was playing the movie "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and one of the other actresses playing a nerdy beauty contestant looked familiar to me and for the life of me I couldn't remember what the heck her name was or what else she starred in. BUT because of the internet I hopped onto imdb.com and found out it was Brittany Murphy. (When in the hell did she suddenly become so hot? Turns out that she was in a bunch of movies as a nerd or plain friend like "Clueless".) Before the days of the world wide webs, I might've lost alot of sleep wondering who the fuck that actress was. If it really bothered me, I'd have to go look it up in a book IF I had it or go to the library- in either case that's too much work and the inconvenience inhibits me to do it.
So Thank You Al Gore and your wonderful information highway. I don't know what I'd do without you.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Technological/generational gaps
Im starting to wonder if I've become older than I previously thought. I just got my first MP3 player for Christmas this year. I almost expected a "Welcome to 1998 Brian!" note to be attached to it. Even though it's taken me ten years to fully enjoy a technological gadget, at least I know how to use it. I watched my in-laws get a navigational GPS system as a gift from my sister-in-law. Their eyes seemed to just glaze over as she was explaining how simple the touch screen is to use.
I shouldn't paint all older folks as having technophobia . My 63-year old father is further ahead the learning curve on the internet than I am. Then again, the internet is a place where you can find things for cheap or free, so for him to miss out on such things would be uncharacteristic. I'm constantly getting links on where I can get services or stuff for free from him. He really should be the one with a blog as he's an expert on finding the best deals on the web. I bet he would have thousands of hits a day if he were to put something like that together.
I guess part of my reluctance on some technologies is wondering whether they'll become obsolete or better after a few scant years. I'm still waiting for the dust of the high-def DVD player war to settle before I take a plunge on buying either Blue-ray or HD DVD. Not only that, but part of me wants to wait to see if bugs can get worked out and costs drop. (hoping for a cheaper and better iphone in 2 years...) When I was younger I had the gotta get it now impulse. Nowadays, I am much more patient.
Maybe, the older we get, the more we get used to doing things a certain way. I know my father-in-law loves to read maps, so I'm sure a little computer telling him to make a turn in 1 mile seems foreign to him. I guess if they could change the GPS voice to sound like my mother-in-law nagging him that he's going the wrong way he'd feel a little more at home with it.
I shouldn't paint all older folks as having technophobia . My 63-year old father is further ahead the learning curve on the internet than I am. Then again, the internet is a place where you can find things for cheap or free, so for him to miss out on such things would be uncharacteristic. I'm constantly getting links on where I can get services or stuff for free from him. He really should be the one with a blog as he's an expert on finding the best deals on the web. I bet he would have thousands of hits a day if he were to put something like that together.
I guess part of my reluctance on some technologies is wondering whether they'll become obsolete or better after a few scant years. I'm still waiting for the dust of the high-def DVD player war to settle before I take a plunge on buying either Blue-ray or HD DVD. Not only that, but part of me wants to wait to see if bugs can get worked out and costs drop. (hoping for a cheaper and better iphone in 2 years...) When I was younger I had the gotta get it now impulse. Nowadays, I am much more patient.
Maybe, the older we get, the more we get used to doing things a certain way. I know my father-in-law loves to read maps, so I'm sure a little computer telling him to make a turn in 1 mile seems foreign to him. I guess if they could change the GPS voice to sound like my mother-in-law nagging him that he's going the wrong way he'd feel a little more at home with it.
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