Watery Pap on my Radio

[silentC]

It's time for another whinge about the kids of today and their music. I listen to Triple J. They are the self proclaimed champion of youth music in this country, so it follows that they play the music that young people want to hear. How they determine this is beyond me.

There seems to be a bit of a trend towards watery, wishy-washy music at the moment, including the likes of Augie March and The Sleepy Jackson. These are both Australian bands by the way. Boring as bat shyte. They nearly put me to sleep every time they spin one of their tracks.

I remember a time when the J's played up tempo stuff all the time. What's going on with the kids of today? Why are they becoming so boring?

[Felder]

You forgot to mention Pete Murray (SNORE!!), but thankfully Triple J aren't playing him much anymore.

Really though, the 'kids' of today are listening to Britney Aguilera and the Amazing Boy Band - basically anyone the record companies can market and look good enough to make a sexy film clip.

At least Triple J play music based on the music itself.

As to their choice....:confused: I think Richard Kingsmill is the head dude there now, and is probably in charge of deciding what gets a run and what doesn't. He must be pushing fifty now, which is more than twice the age of their target audience. Perhaps this could be a cause?

[silentC]

I suppose when I say 'kids' I'm talking about the weird little gothic kids with all the angst and bleak outlooks. All the happy, colourful ones are tuning in to the commercial stations. Unfortunately, that means all you get to hear are American 'R&B' tunes (it ain't rythmn and blues) and the Britney rubbish.

I suppose I should be happy that there is an alternative to that rubbish, I just wish they wouldn't push some of it so hard. Last year it was Franz Ferdinand and Wolf Mother - that was OK. This year it just seems to be all this sleepy stuff. There's one on now zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

And as for that little cockney chick Lily Allen... It was endearing for about 20 seconds.

[Felder]

And as for that little cockney chick Lily Allen... It was endearing for about 20 seconds.

....and has now been picked up by commercial radio stations, and even a TV ad that I overheard last night!:eek: There goes any cred she may have had...

I honestly thought (and this isn't an attack) that you would've been more likely to complain about the likes of The Herd and Hilltop Hoods than Augie March and The Sleepy Jackson....

You can add Something For Kate to my list of un-interesting bands, too.

[Andy Mac]

I still listen to Triple J, although I have found myself wearying of it a bit lately. The Hilltop Hoods and the Herd are OK, ditto Wolfmother and the Black Keys.
What amazed me a while back was a recent visit by one of my nieces, about 19yrs old, been to uni, lives in the big smoke. As usual we played Triple J at home and in the car, thinking we is up with the times...and she just didn't seem to recognize anything!?:confused: Anyway, during one of those moments when the J's were annoying me I flicked to another station...something like SeaFM or another peurile mainstream top40 pap. And what do you know, this niece of mine knew every track...seems like teenypop mainstream is where they're at!

Must be an old fart afterall...

[Stuart]

I have a real simple solution that I subscribe to, to get through dull radio years. An iPod. Works well in my shed too, and no ads. With over 120 days of 24 hour music without a repeat, radio just doesn't compare.

[bitingmidge]

Silent,

Welcome, you have just passed the point of no return, you no longer "get it" you are now an adult.

Don't resist, there's a whole new world waiting to be enjoyed, it's called "Radio National".

Keep listening to the J's by all means, but just enough to keep up with what your kids are doing. As an old bloke, it is your duty to ensure that your kids don't listen to all this dribble, and the only way you can do that is to pretend to like it.

Oh, and with earbuds, when you get used to it, you can bob your head as though in time to a magical piece of Britney whilst actually listening to a Podcast of Robyn Williams' Science show.

As long as you wear the tshirt, they'll never know.

Cheers,

P

[craigb]

I think that the last time I listened to JJJ was 1993.

I haven't missed it.

[bennylaird]

Just get some Deep Purple CD's and play them loud everywhere you drive, works for me.

[Felder]

I have a real simple solution that I subscribe to, to get through dull radio years. An iPod. Works well in my shed too, and no ads. With over 120 days of 24 hour music without a repeat, radio just doesn't compare.

But will your iPod give you news updates? And how will you ever know about new music?

Bummer about your neice, Andy. I was speaking to the daughter of a friend of mine - she was 17 at the time. I asked her what music she was into and she said "The White Stripes" and then in the next breath "Good Charlotte".

Perhaps I'm a music snob, but I like most styles of music, as long as it is well written, both lyrically and musically. But I hate it when bands are clearly a product of a recording company, with no real talent whatsoever. I reckon this would equate to around 95% of the current tripe doing the rounds of the Top 40 and the commercial radio stations.

And they call themselves "artists"!:mad:

[bennylaird]

But will your iPod give you news updates? And how will you ever know about new music?

Better off not knowing about new music

[silentC]

I actually used to listen to Radio National a lot. Haven't tuned in for over a year now.

I think it's important to listen to as many different types of music as you can. There isn't that much which I really hate. I even don't mind some of the hip hop stuff. It just seems a bit of a trend lately to go for this boring, thoughtful stuff. It's like when The Whitlams were around - everyone raved about them and if you didn't like them, you didn't 'get it'. I reckon they were as dull as dishwater.

Last year I picked up on a few new bands and ended up buying the CDs. This year, well I've bought The Artic Monkeys but that's it. The other CDs I've bought have been by bands I already new about, like Gomez and The Living End. I'm just not interested enough in the stuff they're playing.

I have thought about getting a Coheed and Cambria album. Has anyone listened to any of their stuff?

You're probably right Midge, I am getting past it, whatever it is. The kids aren't old enough to ridicule my music tastes yet, they actually love what we listen to, so I have a bit of time to become a grumpy old fart yet - but I am working on it

[silkwood]

What really bugs me about Triple J now is it used to be a genuine alternative. Now I hear the same song numerous times throughout the day and the ads they have for their own station are nearly as numerous as commercial stations! I guess it just gets us used to how ABC 2 is going to be soon.:eek:

Cheers,

Mark

[Felder]

Better off not knowing about new music

Benny - sometimes you remind me of Benny Hill... , other times you remind me of Grampa Simpson...

[bennylaird]

Got the nickname from Benny Hill

And any music since the 70's just lacks any real grunt.

A luddite and proud!