What is the meaning of Music? Or how I learned to love the lame (with apologies to bomb ridin' boy Slim Pickens) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/21/opinion/21HORN.html?pagewanted=3&hp In an era where so-called entertainers dominates the music industry, it is refreshing to read about music that is not about simply selling "units." But let us not overlook the fact that the industry wins most of the battles. How many of the top sellers in the music industry can sing? I mean really sing. Consider Justin Timberwhoha who cancelled a series of concerts because he sprained his foot. Or Axl Rose's famous cancelling of a concert because he had a small cut on his hand. Or the increasing corporatization of radio. Take as my prime example of this, WOXY 97X shutting down at midnight this past May 13th. This was an independent radio station made famous in the movie Rain Man (Bam! The future of rock and roll!! -- which Raymond kept repeating over and over). Boy, that was an annoying movie! Over twenty-three years this small alternative modern rock radio station played bands like The Connells, REM, U2, Bob Mould, the Strokes, the Dandy Warhols, the Afghan Whigs, Buffalo Tom, the Replacements, Depeche Mode, the Cure, The Spinanes, Catherine Wheel, Rebecca Gates, Dave Matthews band, Velvet Underground, Pete Yorn, Pedro the Lion, among far too many to list here. If a new band or sound came out in the past 23 years it was played on 97X regardless of whether it was on a major, indie, or self-constructed record label. But how long can one rail against corporatist inhumane culture? First Broadcasting purchased the frequency so that it can build a network of stations that will play "new rock" (symbolized by bands like Linkin Park, Good Charlotte, and several other nasally punk ass bands who like to turn the amps up loud and are lucky if they know two chords). I mean no disrespect, aw hell... sure I do. They have turned the music world into crap. When someone like Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and Jessica Simpson are considered the standard, man we have lost touch. And while speaking of things lost, does anyone really like Simpson's cover of the Berlin song. Hell, Teri Nun could kick her ass and out-sing her at the same time. So, where do we go from here? The Internet? Community radio? Pirate radio? God, its got to be better than what Clear Channel, Infinity, and First Broadcasting are giving us. "And finally goodbye to the future of rock and roll." (last words uttered on 97X before broadcasting was stopped) http://www.wcpo.com/news/2004/local/01/29/woxy.html http://www.citybeat.com/2004-02-04/music.shtml