Block Rocking and Slide

Jam 88.3 has been my radio station of choice since 2002, 2003.  No offense to NU --- I don't know if it's age, but at that time I was not liking what I was hearing.  Too many Linkin Park- and The Creed- rip-offs, and I am not even a fan of those music.  Anyway, Jam was new around that time, and it was actually my sister who suggested I start listening to that radio station.  I guess I was pretty impressed that the station would be a great company, especially those nights when I would just want to take the car for a ride whilst Dashboard Confessional's cover of "Nightswimming" was playing in the background.

I was quite glad when Jam introduced its "Block Rocking Thursday" as part of their programming.  This means tons of music along the orbits of Korn, Chemical Brothers and Prodigy.  It's usually kick-ass music that makes you want to bang your head, and it is a truly great wake-upper as you deal with the building Thursday traffic that is portentous of the weekend jam ahead.

"Slide" is the "oldies" program every Friday and one can expect the great hits of the 90s and earlier.  From The Beatles to Nirvana, your ears will be treated to rock, alternative and grunge.

I kinda thought that Jam was looking for an excuse to play more 90s music.... which is a really, really good excuse!  Admit it, the 90s and earlier years have been the greatest --- so far --- music-wise.  I admit I am biased because these are my favorite genres.  The thing is, even though we have new bands to appreciate like Bloc Party, MGMT, the Shout Out Louds, and those amazing indie rock groups from Canada like Stars, Broken Social Scene and Metric, the 90s remain to be a definitive music era.  At the moment I am not even sure how to define music these days.  The "alternative" musicians do not have the same clout as their counterparts a decade ago.  Sure, they Grammys awarded Arcade Fire with one of the most coveted awards, but Arcade Fire does not have the same influence as, say, Alanis Morisette, if you know what I mean.  I have to say I was expecting Eminem would win and I would think that Eminem deserved that award as well.

In film, productions are defined as either "commercial/mainstream" or "indie" (though "indie" is also associated with "art house", but an indie can be mainstream as well, of course).  The difference is not really in the substance (as opposed to the spectacle, which can be a huge difference), but the main influencing factor, in my opinion, is economic-political.  It's creative control equals who provides the money.  The general understanding is that as an independent you can do whatever you want.  Is it the same in music?

The line among genres are getting blurred these days, and I think it's because artistic sensibilities are changing. It's all about reaching more audiences.  For instance, RX 93, which is more "pop" or "mainstream", has been apparently playing Death Cab for Cutie sometimes.  I guess this is because even though DCC is "indie" or even "emo", the music is accessible to the ears.  I have to say the same for some Stars music, but Broken Social Scene and Metric are still enveloped in this membrane that requires an acquired taste.

I sort of like the idea of being a "snob" when it comes to tastes, from movies to music.  But as sensibilities are changing, so does the art.  Or is this how art evolves?  You know how it is --- from the elitist "high art" perception which is very Victorian to the liberalization that is exemplified by Andy Warhol.  But even though Andy Warhol is "commercial", that doesn't make him a "lesser" artist, right?

So there was the 90s and here is today.  We look back to the glory days mainly because they are worth glorifying.  We just have to figure out what is about today that we will glorify in the future.