Completely Conspicuous 229: Around the Dial

Part 1 of my conversation with special guests Nick Lorenzen and Mike Piantigini as we discuss the death of rock radio. I've also got the Bonehead of the Week and music from Bob Mould, Hallelujah the Hills, Zeus and The White Stripes.

Show notes:

- Boston alternative rock station WFNX was sold to Clear Channel recently

- Rock radio has been on life support for quite some time

- Too much radio programming and formats

- WFNX was pioneer of the alternative format

- Nick: Knew of WFNX more by reputation as a kid

- Mike: College radio introduced me to a world beyond classic rock and metal

- Jay: R.E.M. and U2 were first so-called alternative bands I got into

- WBCN was revolutionary back in late '60s and '70s, playing free-form rock

- Eventually became formatted like all the rest

- WBCN switched to alternative format in mid-'90s to compete with FNX

- Eventually, BCN went to more talk: Stern, Opie & Anthony

- FNX went downhill for a while with nu metal

- Nick: FNX had rebounded in last few years

- We old guys don't get newer bands like Mumford and Sons

- FNX wasn't going after geezers like us anymore

- Many more options for listeners now: iPod, streaming audio, Pandora

- The "Mike FM" stations just regurgitate '90s alternacrap

- The much-bigger WBCN went off air in '09, turned into a sports talk station

- The market for rock music has diminished; kids are listening to more hip hop and pop

- Plenty of new rock bands coming out all the time

- Nick: Hard rock is used more in sports arenas and commercials

- To be continued next week

- Bonehead of the Week

Music:
Bob Mould - The Act We Act (live)

Hallelujah the Hills - Get Me in a Room

Zeus - Anything You Want, Dear

The White Stripes - Jimmy the Exploder

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The Bob Mould song is from Live at Bottom of the Hill, a free EP of three Sugar songs from the album Copper Blue performed live on Feb. 24 in San Francisco. Download the EP for free (in exchange for your email address) at New.Official.Fm.

The Hallelujah the Hills song is on the album No One Knows What Happens Next on Discrete Pageantry. Download the song for free from IODA Promonet.

The Zeus song is on the album Busting Visions on Arts and Crafts. Download the song for free from IODA Promonet.

The White Stripes song is from the band's self-titled album on Sympathy for the Record Industry. Download the song for free from Epitonic.

The opening and closing theme of Completely Conspicuous is "Theme to Big F'in Pants" by Jay Breitling. Find out more about Senor Breitling at his fine music blog Clicky Clicky. Voiceover work is courtesy of James Gralian; check out his site PodGeek.