Last week, I spent three hours a day, ever day listening to KROQ and writing down songs. I have to turn in my findings next week. I'm not really sure if I found anything.
Fifteen years ago, I would have been in heaven if a teacher told me I could get class credit for listening to the radio all afternoon. I would have had findings, too, in the form of a fifteen-page paper on why Liz needs to run off to Manchester (Reason #1: The Smiths; Reason #2: New Order; Reason #3: Stone Roses; Reason #4: Happy Mondays; Reason #5: James etc.). It would have been the best fifteen-page paper on why an L.A. kid should run off to the industrial north of England ever. But, it didn't happen.
Instead, I ended up listening to the radio every afternoon where any song that I find remotely interesting is juxtaposed with Linkin Park, who I humbly submit is one of the worst bands to ever get a recording contract. Now, one thing that I did notice is that KROQ seems to play a lot of requests. At least that's what I gather by the amount of songs on the most requested chart that are played once every three hours or so. Given that I heard Linkin Park at least once a day, more often twice during a three-hour stretch, I would presume that there a lot of people requesting Linkin Park. Why? Is there some sort of beauty in "Numb" or "Crawling" that I just can't grasp? I'm pretty sure that there isn't, but just humor me regardless.
As the week went on, I began to notice other things, such as the intro for "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor." Good song, terrible intro. It sounds like 311 with its weird, quasi-punk drum solo.
Then there is "The Adventure" by Angels and Airwaves. You might recognize this as being the side project of Tom DeLonge from Blink 182. I never liked Blink 182, and that's putting it nicely. I didn't even like them when they were called Blink and they were this band from San Diego that were somehow connected to these girls that Estelle and I kind of were friends with until we got pissed them (maybe for blathering on about Blink so much) or they got pissed at us (maybe for making fun of their Blink obsession) or whatever (I don't really remember, ask Estelle). Anyhow, I flat-out love "The Adventure." I love the Cure guitars and the Kid A-style rock-meets-Warp Records electronics. The production on this song is filled with such stubble-raising intensity that it makes me forget how whiny DeLonge's voice can be (although, he has toned it down some).