Here’s an early Christmas present for all of you: a pair of archive files that each contain 90 minutes of somewhat innocuous holiday music. The real bonus, though, is hidden in the recordings: between the usual bits of Nat King Cole, Kenny G, and 101 Strings are little snippets of Chicago media history. These are recordings of two Chicago radio …
…But If You Call Right Now…
I’ve recently become a source of amusement to my lovely wife. I suppose in some ways I’ve always amused her, but lately she’s been cracking up over my reaction to a series of TV commercials. We keep running across half-hour infomercials for those Time-Life music collections: you know them– a has-been musical celebrity like Tony …
Sweatin’ to the Oldies (Not That I Really Want To)
Over the years, I’ve made an observation about the music they play at my health club. Depending on the time of day and where in the gym you’re working out, you’ll hear a different music stream running. For example, the locker rooms always seem to have the Soccer-Mom music channel on: you know, “Sunny Came …
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Keep That Thing Clean, Liz
Liz Phair has a new album out. And on the cover she’s
Thanks for Sharing
Yesterday, some guy (I’m guessing between the ages of 18 and 22) was waiting at the train station with the rest of us morning commuters. He had a set of earbuds on, which is not noteworthy in itself, and he was playing his music pretty loudly so many of us could hear it– again, nothing …
Satan’s iPod V: Holiday Edition
This is a tough blog entry to write because I could go on for days about Christmas songs that belong on The Dark One’s player. I’ll try to restrain myself, though. The other day, we were at Pottery Barn and were subjected to the most God-awful rendition of holiday “music” I’ve ever heard. Some idiot …
Satan’s iPod IV: Karaoke Edition
The Chicago Tribune printed an article last Sunday about the worst songs ever performed by karaoke singers. Now, I am not one to brag… and in fact, I won’t. Martini-induced singing is best left to the memories of Saturday nights that have faded with the ink on the request slips you pass to the karaoke …
Satan’s iPod III: Mephistopholes’ Response to the Blender Article
The ‘net has been abuzz with the recent articles in Blender magazine listing the 50 Worst Bands and Songs of All Time. Now, some of these songs would appear by default on Hell’s Muzak System (which I envision as a less reprehensible version of Satan’s iPod) based on their mediocrity or plain stupidity. The Red …
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Satan’s iPod II: Soundtrack Edition
Today I want to mention the songs that will appear in the “Soundtracks” section of Satan’s iPod. You’ll know ’em. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. Every single time there’s a scene in a movie where a woman gets the upper hand over some idiot male in her life (the one that comes to mind is Bridget …
Satan’s iPod
Lately, I seem to be hearing a lot of songs that grate on my nerves. I mean, really grate on my nerves. They seem to pop up all over the place– radio, TV, in stores, in the car next to me with the nasty subwoofer… but mostly at my health club when I’m working out. …