2004-09-06 - 12:24 a.m.

Why pay a dollar for a bookmark? Why not use the dollar for a bookmark?

Today I was listening to the radio.

But not just any radio; no-sir-eee! The radio I was listening to was my local college radio station that, on this very night, insisted on playing nothing but music from the 1980’s. Now, how is that different from any other radio station on Labor Day weekend? Well, this station not only played 80’s songs that absolutely rock, but they played 80’s songs that absolutely rock in succession! For those of you not familiar with the tunes from this particular decade, let me fill you in on the the particular grooving being transmitted through the airwaves that night:

Same As It Ever Was – The Talking Heads

Bullet The Blue Sky – U2

Pop Song 89 – REM

Puttin On The Ritz – Taco

88 Lines About 44 Women – The Nails

I Need You Tonight - INXS

Stepping Out – Joe Jackson

Cruel Summer – Bananarama

Ana Ng – They Might Be Giants

That’s right. That DJ played everything from the eclectic Talking Heads and They Might Giants to half of every misattributed song ever to appear on Napster! To think, I was so excited to hear the opening snares of “Bullet” that I failed to realize that the DJ was actually taking requests! Had I realized this sooner I would have stopped dancing and picked up the phone far earlier than I had!

“Hello, 89.9 80’s!”

“Umm...yeah, hi. Hey, can you guys play Milli Vanilli?”

“Um...I know that we said we were the number one 80’s station, but...heh...we don’t have Milli Vanilli.”

I. couldn’t. believe. it.

I can’t imagine a scenario where someone would envision a radio station that was to uphold a musical requesting system, yet as they arrive at the pinnacle of their project in the form of programming the music database, they stranglehold all of their efforts to the ground while aiming a gun straight at their foot in the process. By forgetting to include the magical essence that is found within the music of Milli Vanilli’s art and furthermore complicating the situation by labeling themselves as “The best 80’s music block ever”, one is simply asking to be personally embarrassed in the midst of their loyal fanbase whilst feeling foolish for ever thinking they could successfully represent ten years of musical expression.

So as my touchstone to this crime in music history, I have written this short poem in rememberence of Rob Pilatus and the amazing genre in general.

So what am I doing back?

I set back and thought back to all the things we used to do.

You really mean a lot to me.

Yes, you really mean a lot to me.

Girl, you know it’s true.

The Amazing Spider-Man - Web of Spider-Man