MetaChat - Before there were walkmans and iPods

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10 December 2006

Before there were walkmans and iPods there were devices that plucked sound out of the air called radios.→[More:] Radios as we know it are rapidly being swept into the dustbin of history. But for a lot of us, they were a big part of our musical education and emotional lives and I think we should pay tribute. So here's a few tunes giving the old wireless the nod.

AM Radio - Everclear
Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio - Ramones
Border Radio - Blasters
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) - Raspberries
Around The Dial - Kinks
The Last DJ - Tom Petty
(this is dedicated to Alan Freed, Dewey Phillips, Murray The K, Wolfman Jack, "Cousin Brucie" Morrow, Scott Muni, Tom Donahue, Dr. Demento, Pete Fornatale, Vin Scelsa and all the other voices in the air)

post by: jonmc at: 15:42 | 25 comments

Nice. I would add Radio Radio by Elvis Costello. Because I like it, and what I like is very important.

posted by iconomy 10 December | 15:55

I have a version of Border Radio done solo by Dave Alvin off of the "King of California" CD which is quite good.

There's also Radio KAOS by Roger Waters.

posted by eekacat 10 December | 16:45

For the spirit ever lingers,
undemanding contact
in your happy solitude...

posted by Wolfdog 10 December | 16:53

And 'Mexican Radio,' of course, though it's probably better known as one of those things that MTV played a lot during its early years. Ooh, and REM's 'Radio Song,' with the wack KRS guest appearance.

posted by box 10 December | 17:12

Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo.

I love radios. I have several.

posted by JanetLand 10 December | 17:12

Mexican Radio, Radio, Radio, Radio Ga Ga.

posted by arse_hat 10 December | 17:13

Pilot of the Airwaves, by Charlie Dore -- any late 70s/early 80s pop geeks out there got a copy of that?

posted by JanetLand 10 December | 17:20

I'm the leader of the show,
keepin' you on the go,
but I know I can't live
without my radio.
--LL Cool J, 'Radio'

posted by box 10 December | 17:27

Here's Turn Up The Radio by The Rockets.

Dave Gilbert was the lead singer of the Rockets back in the late '70's and early 80's. The Rockets sprung from the Detroit music scene in the early 70's with "Johnny Bee" as lead singer/drummer. The Rockets' catalog is long out of print - the track here came from JB's website.

One night, coked up out of my head somewhere around 1990 or so, Dave Gilbert sat, indian style, in the middle of my living room playing my acoustic guitar (a Gibson L48 - I miss it alot). He played Candle In The Wind - I will never ever forget that. He died in 2001 from uh, "complications of crack".

posted by disclaimer 10 December | 17:34

Oh honestly, why hasn't anyone mentioned Radio Cure by Wilco?

posted by TheDonF 10 December | 17:34

Radio Waves (KAOS), Pilot Of The Airwaves, Turn Up The Radio

posted by arse_hat 10 December | 17:40

Yay, arse_hat!!!!

posted by JanetLand 10 December | 17:43

Oh yeah, also: Radio Campaign by M Ward, Radio Fly by the Joel Plaskett Emergency, Radio King from the recent Jeff Tweedy live DVD and Radio/Video by System Of A Down

posted by TheDonF 10 December | 17:47

Transmission by Joy Division
Capital Radio One, This is Radio Clash by The Clash, who seemed to be obssessed by radios
Roadrunner by The Modern Lovers
Rock n Roll by The Velvet Underground
Radioactivity by Kraftwerk
Raised on the Radio by Ravyns
On the Radio by Donna Summer
Radio by LL Cool J

sorry, I'm too hungover to YSI...

posted by Hellbient 10 December | 17:50

More... On The Radio by The Concretes, You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio by Joni Mitchell, Jesus On The Radio by Guster and Distant Radio by Devics.

posted by TheDonF 10 December | 17:54

Last one: Vanilla Radio by The Wildhearts

posted by TheDonF 10 December | 17:57

Mexican Radio cover.

posted by Wolfdog 10 December | 18:12

Video Killed the Radio Star

posted by redvixen 10 December | 18:16

Life Is A Rock But The Radio Rolled Me - Reunion

posted by sisterhavana 10 December | 19:55

A dissenting opinion.

Turn Off The Radio - Dead Prez

posted by Divine_Wino 10 December | 20:18

There's an Ice Cube song by the same name, too.

posted by box 10 December | 20:23

sisterhavana: Reunion - Life is a Rock

posted by simplicissimus 10 December | 22:35

The Buggles were wrong. Video didn't kill the radio star.

Some likelier culprits:

Clear Fucking Channel. Other conglomerates. Stiff formats. Asshole DJs trying too hard to be provocative. Narrow, repetitive playlists. Lack of creativity and imagination. Lack of local character.

This is the shit that killed the radio star. Or, in any event, made it impossible for me to continue my relationship with the medium.

posted by jason's_planet 11 December | 02:15

actually, radios are more common than ever. we just call them cellphones and wifi these days.

posted by quonsar 11 December | 07:27

A new mass communication channel killed an old mass communication channel.

posted by Daniel Charms 11 December | 12:25

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