Even though I have a constant soundtrack playing in my head, I don't listen to radio like I used to. Radio can annoy me very quickly. I like to listen to the local news on WHMI but their music selection is uninspired and boring. I like to listen to WWJ in the morning on the way to work for about five minutes because I can get all the recent news quickly. WWJ is all news, all the time and is yet another sign that I've turned into my mother. After my news fix, I either scan the dial or listen to a CD. Often Liz Phair or Steely Dan or Jimmy Buffett. I can no longer listen to the Ramones in the morning on the way to work, it tends to make me hostile. I love the Ramones but they don't induce a mellow work vibe for me.
I came across 93.1, which is WDRQ out of Detroit. I used to listen to WDRQ back in my top 40 days, when I was in seventh or eighth grade. It was pretty cheesy. I was 12, what did I know?
WDRQ, however, is trying a new format lately, after several tries at various programming styles and I hope this works for them because I love it. They call themselves Doug, 93.1, We Play Everything. And they do. I've heard everything including Frank Sinatra, Zepplin, Tom Petty, Steely Dan, Linda Ronstadt, The Bee Gees, Soft Cell, Peter Frampton, Guns N Roses.
I like listening to them because they surprise me with things they play. You just never know what it might be. Disco might be followed by a ballad by Bryan Adams followed by A Flock Of Seagulls and while I might not like every song I hear, I enjoy the variety. More than once I have been driving along and a song comes on that I haven't heard on the radio in years (most recently Dire Straights, Sultans Of Swing) and I think, "Wow, cool, I haven't heard this in ages!"
So Doug, 93.1, good job in taking a chance. It's nice to hear such a variety. Just quit with so many damn commercials, okay?
It must be the coming thing--we have "BobRadio" here.
I listen to KUT, which is public radio, out of the University of Texas. They do news etc., until 9 AM, and then they have a program called "Eclectikos, on which they could play anything, depending on the whim of the announcer.
Posted by: vero | August 31, 2006 at 01:14 AM
The funny part is that I had never heard of the station until I jumped in the car to make a wine run for Lisa the other day. She had set the radio and I simply turned it down instead of off. All of a sudden I heard some stuff I hadn't heard in years, so I turned it up. Now I'm hooked too!
- MG
Posted by: Martin | September 01, 2006 at 05:07 AM
I rarely leave my NPR or a good mix-cd but when I do, I look for Doug too. I like the selections because having had young parents; I grew up with some awesome tunes and then lived through the 80's (the best) I think I have pretty diverse music appreciation. All hail Doug!
Posted by: HOLLY | September 01, 2006 at 01:55 PM
The format sounds a lot like JACK FM here.
They're pretty good about keeping the yammering down.
Posted by: Nadine | September 02, 2006 at 02:23 PM