Vermont & Rock
As most of you already know from The Beak, I took a trip for the last four days to see him in VT. It is even more rural than my NJ, which about 50 yrs ago was just like the area. Most of you have already heard about the voyage with Scooter and all that happened. Although for a the Friday I explored Burlington and Williston. I visited the local music store, which was slightly smaller in size than my local one, but didn't have the selection of mine. Their prices on the guitars and basses were pretty good though.
I had one problem with the area- the radio stations sucked. I had found 5 country stations, 2 rap stations, 4 classical, and only 1 alternative rock station. I can understand the country music here, but not the rest. Although, some of the people listened to AC/DC, as that was the band playing throughout the bar and in a couple of cars. There should have been more rock, especially classic rock. I was just happy I brought my iPod for my music fix.
While in VT, I also reminisced about the greatest jam band of all time, Phish. These Vermonters have built a legacy. I was in Burlington last year on the weekend where Phish played their last show in Coventry. The hotel put out (for free) these 30+ page newspapers which were a tribute to the band put out by The Burlington Free Press. I also bought the 2 papers, one of the day of and one of the day after papers. I have now framed all of them, but have yet to hang them up. The radio did not play any Phish tunes, which is a little strange because they have such a mass following, and if they can have all that classical music going, why not have some jam band stuff? It baffled me.
Now back in NJ, I have my radio and TV. My adventures in VT are over now, and I am happy to say, there is no more country.
I had one problem with the area- the radio stations sucked. I had found 5 country stations, 2 rap stations, 4 classical, and only 1 alternative rock station. I can understand the country music here, but not the rest. Although, some of the people listened to AC/DC, as that was the band playing throughout the bar and in a couple of cars. There should have been more rock, especially classic rock. I was just happy I brought my iPod for my music fix.
While in VT, I also reminisced about the greatest jam band of all time, Phish. These Vermonters have built a legacy. I was in Burlington last year on the weekend where Phish played their last show in Coventry. The hotel put out (for free) these 30+ page newspapers which were a tribute to the band put out by The Burlington Free Press. I also bought the 2 papers, one of the day of and one of the day after papers. I have now framed all of them, but have yet to hang them up. The radio did not play any Phish tunes, which is a little strange because they have such a mass following, and if they can have all that classical music going, why not have some jam band stuff? It baffled me.
Now back in NJ, I have my radio and TV. My adventures in VT are over now, and I am happy to say, there is no more country.
posted by Anonymous at 7/18/2005 12:46:00 PM
10 Comments:
LOL! Yeah, I'm surprised too that there wasn't more in the way of classic rock stations there. Course, Vermont is all about maple syrup -- did you find good breakfast places?
Thanks for stopping by my blog. :) And glad you got to visit Beak.
The radio thing...
Its all about Arbitron radio ratings and target audiences. The classic rock stations are disappearing because they are targeted toward older people while everything is geared toward 18-34 year old males.
Somebody decided that 18-34 year old males have the most disposable income so advertisement dollars are aimed toward that group. That drives the stations to play formats that are geared toward that group.
You wouldn't believe the crap I listen to when I get 3 or 4 teenage helpers that are essentially farm boys. The worse part is when they try to sing along.
"My bay-be thinks my trak-tors sex-ie".
"Save a horse ride a cowboy".
LOL
esther:
our hotel had the continental breakfast, so we didn't eat out until the latter 2 meals. beak was able to use the hotel's wireless though, another reason we stayed in.
warren:
lol, i know the pain when someone tries singing but really shouldn't. i will confess i can't sing well, but i'm working on it so i could record everything myself.
about the age target, why would there be multiple classic stations? beak could vouch for me when i say that the Vermonters are not the type of people who listen to that stuff. for example, i walked into the bar with him, and AC/DC's "Back In Black" was finishing up. you'd also be surprised how many younger people actually listen to classic rock.
esther:
i forgot to mention, my uncle despises maple syrup, something i didn't know until Saturday. i also forgot to mention that you have the same name as the Phish song "Esther". pretty cool.
Same as a Phish song....way cool. ;) Beak doesn't like Maple syrup?!? Blasphemy! Hehehe...
elijah:
country sucks, i can't help myself saying it. all their songs sound the same, and their country accents get to me. i don't know why. my first electric guitar was a squire strat made by Fender. i got one of those starter packs. i found i prefer humbucker pick-ups to single coils after i bought an Ibanez.
esther:
i actually said that to beak's face. everyone likes syrup.
elijah:
anyone who can get fresh maple syrup on their farm is living the syrupy dream.
Drummaster said:
"about the age target, why would there be multiple classic stations? beak could vouch for me when i say that the Vermonters are not the type of people who listen to that stuff. for example, i walked into the bar with him, and AC/DC's "Back In Black" was finishing up. you'd also be surprised how many younger people actually listen to classic rock."
Its a profit thing! LOL
Arbitron ratings, (market share), determine how much you can charge your advertisers. I think that since classic rock is a static medium, people get tired of hearing the top 20 "all time hits" and listen less. That lowers the ratings (and the profit) then the station owner switches to a venue that brings in more bucks.
Pop and country always have new stuff so the pool of listeners is higher.
The solution would be to play more that the top 20 or 40 but that doesn't seem to occur to the radio people. They trend to specialize too much!
The division in music is totally different than it used to be. I can only find one classic rock station but there are at least seven country stations and the majority are contemporary country.
Even the teenagers that sometimes work with me sometimes listen to classic rock although there is on of them that raises hell at anything but country. That's ok, when he talks he sounds just like Boomhauer from "King of the Hill"
Drumaster
I like my syrup from the Mrs Blubberworth bottle. I do not eat pancakes or French toast what would you use it for. These nuts place it on cornflakes.
warren:
lol. "King Of The Hill" kicks ass.
beak:
lol. i was there with ranch on mozzerella sticks. you've got to eat maple syrup from the jug with that really small handle. those are the ones with the best syrup.
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