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UPDATE 3/24/2008:    Musicwise, I been listening to funk/new-wave stuff.  Most of the stuff I listen to lately is from the holy music years of 1980-1982 but music these days suck.  That’s right, I said suck.  Unless, it’s indie rock.  There’s talent in there but major labels deliver crap like Fall Out Boy, One Republic, the should’ve-quit-while-ahead-four-years-ago Christina Aguilara, trailer-trash-spokesperson Britney Spears, and overrated Miley Cyrus.  I been listening to good stuff like Herbie Hancocks jazz but with a disco beat ’79-82 stuff, The Quick - a "cool vacation music" type new wave that came out in ’80-’82, jazzy Shakatak, funky but not for everyone, Young & Company.  Player’s Association is awesome jazz with funk beat and their 1980 album is in my top 10 ever, despite only four songs, it still totals up around a half hour.  It’s hard to find, even on mp3, save for "Get Down Mellow Sound", a eight minute Sunday morning with coffee track.  Bohannon was great after "Let’s Start The Dance" (1978 and remixed 1981) and Party Train Sound (1982) with two last albums, Drive and Make Your Body Move, the title track which features Ghostbusters-fame Ray Parker Jr.  I’m listening to Ray’s early 1980s output too and it’s gooood.  Alternative and new wave are great in the early 80s with punk/newwave hybrid Captain Sensible with his 1982 hit "Wot".  Oxo was great 25 years ago this month with Whirly Girl.  People are morons even back then with music because "Whirly Girl" only reached 28 or 29 on the top charts while overplayed crap from Michael Jackson’s Thriller hugged the top spot.  MJ is good but Thriller is not his best.  It’s also having a 25th anniversery and XM satellite radio has a Michael Jackson temporary channel on channel 63.  Black Slate is another great early 80s band.  This one reggae.  They had "Amigo" which was a hit in other country’s because they have better taste than we do in America.

MY INTRODUCTION

Well, where to start. Listening to music is my number one or two hobby. No, I do not play any instruments myself. Just a listener. I don’t have time to screw around with an instrument like my slacker generation.

My favorite types of music:

Pop – from the beginning through 1992 and sparingly after that – Pop is anything that played on the radio and charted, mostly top 40. Top 40 existed before Casey Kasem and was better prior to him reaching the mic in 1970 for AT40. Specifically, I like 1958-1969, the “oldies” era the best with 1964-1966 being the peak. Pop music went into the shitter at the start of the 70s and slowly came back into 1975 to the great year of 1976. Disco/funk/R&B saved pop from the boringness of the early 70s. Disco and co. kept us through 1982 when new wave entered. “Alternative” was cool in the early 80s. Power-ballads and adult contemparary ruled 1985-1989. 1990 begin a era of dance driven tracks and they were good. 1993, pop started declining and bottomed out in the late 90s. A few select tracks from 2000 and now have caught my attention but besides that, LOTS of filler.

Country: Love most of it but specifially the late 70s to the mid 90s before Shania Twain drove it into the ground. It merged with pop music and 13 year old girls were listening to it in urban and suburban areas out east. Not right. Love the 80s country sound when it was well produced, after the twang, before the Shania Twain dance country mix shit. Rednex even combined country and the Belgian dance song "Comin' On Strong" and made Cotton Eyed Joe in 1995. Not really country though although I imagine the trailer trash out there that love it. Country is for all though. Some wealthy people and outside of Nashville I mean, love it. George Strait , Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, Glen Campbell, Garth Brooks, all rule.

Disco and 80s dance: Not a big fan of dance after the early 90s. I got too, dare I say it, too off kilter for a hetero to listen to. However disco and its close cousin, funk, are fun for all colors, genders, beliefs. It’s underrated. It’s artsy in a way. The extended versions are like prog songs, only without the intensive lyrics and nerdy fanboys following them. There’s more to disco than KC & The Sunshine Band, Bee Gees, Village People, and the crappiest song to grace the planet, “It’s Raining Men”. That’s not how I associate disco. I don’t like the extremely cheesy crap disco that Europe (specifically Italy ) spurned out in the 80s. I mostly like the funky (Instant Funk, Skyy, Vaughan Mason, Bohannon) disco and spaced out (Plunky & Oneness of Juju, Gino Soccio) disco more. I am trying to distance myself from this music. It's creative and nice but not to be played around other people and is embarrassing.

Reggae: Love the poppy mostly 80s and early 90s reggae like UB40. Typically don’t like the political lyrics but I can deal with it, especially UB40’s first two albums in ’80 and ’81, which are too great musically to ignore. My UB40 page is coming soon. Enjoying more artists of late like Black Slate, Aswad, and Inner Circle rules. Not talking of the overrated “Sweat” and overplayed “Bad Boys”. Check out their 70s Capital stuff. I like Bob Marley’s popier later stuff, ‘Exodus’ onward.

Rock: Starting to listen to more of it because frankly, I need to listen to manly stuff. Since I am reading Neil Peart's book about roadtrips during Rush's 30 year anniversary tour in 2004, I'm getting into Rush. Not just the radio-play 1977-1982 range but all of it. Besides that, I listen to alternative-[i]rock[/i] of all eras. Classic rock, I am burnt of most of the big songs. Hotel California, Piece of Mind, Money, Another Brick and The Wall, Freebird, Black Dog; bored of the big ones.

Rap: I mostly like old school rap (like Sugarhill, Worlds Famous, Kurtis Blow) and pop-rap (like Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch, Mc Hammer’s 1991 album, House of Pain, Everlast) but I like some lyrically strong rap like Eminem and Aesop Rock. Wutang is cool too, as is NWA, and Dr Dre.

I’ll add more later. I typically avoid new music so don’t ask me “Top Album of 2007”. I like some stuff of today like Rihanna (sans the mediocre Umbrella) and Sean Paul. And a handful of great tracks 2000-2007, most because they hold memories of my 2003-6 summer road trips. Some stuff I can like but the girl plays it to death, so I hate it later.

1. UB40 - the finest reggae around despite what the "Red Red Wine" haters and old school reggae lovers will say

2. Beatles - duh, creative, catchy and the best line of albums to boot. Consider the solo careers added too.

3. Porcupine Tree - good spaced out pop-rock in their later years. early years were spacey progressive rock that is out there.

The rest not in order....

Van Halen - GOOD 80s/90s rock (because most 80s rock sucks. The 80s was a pop decade.)

Genesis - both eras but moreso Collins. I just prefer the catchier later stuff. Phil Collins solo included.

Bohannon - disco/funk. infectious beats.

Delinquent Habits - terrific rap with horns in the background

Steely Dan - great fusion jazz

Brass Construction - more funk with a little disco to it.

Mastodon - aside from the irritating vocals (could be my biased opinion), great metal

Immortal - the best metal. I actually like the vocals and the music is superb.

Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - don't talk shit about them until you heard ALL of their two albums

Radiohead - Different every album. Everything from dreamy pop to hard rock to electronica.

Tears For Fears - awesome 80s pop

Outkast - soul funk and rap. Great combo.

Stereolab - electronic tinged pop, at least for the Dot's and Loops album.

Air - see Stereolab. tasty.

Joy Division

The Hollies - One of the best groups that no one under 30 really knows or maybe. Stop Stop Stop is awesome and I am trying to aquire the original album/LP it came off of.

Frank Sinatra - The greatest voice ever.

Talking Heads - Essential 80s group although a couple of their great albums came out a nick into the 70's.

90's is definitely not my favorite music decade but this came from a thread on the IGN Music Lobby Board. Keep in mind, I said "My" so this is not concrete for anyone. I don't want to send anyone crying because their favorite album didn't make it.

Air - Moon Safari (1998)

Alice In Chains - Facelift (1990)

Delinquent Habits - s/t (1996)

Donald Fagan (of Steely Dan fame) - Kamakiriad (1993)

Faith No More - Angel Dust (1992)

Faith No More - King For A Day (1995)

Faith No More - Album of The Year (1997)

Filter - Title of Record (1999)

Green Day - Dookie (1994)

Marky Mark - Music (1992)

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)

Porcupine Tree - Up The Downstair (1992)

Porcupine Tree - Signify (1996)

POD - Fundamental Elements of Southtown (1999)

Radiohead - The Bends (1995)

Stereolab - Dots and Loops (1997

UB40 - Guns In The Ghetto (1997)

UB40 - Labour of Love 3 (1998)

UB40 - Promises and Lies (1993)

The Verve - Urban Hymns (1997)

Porcupine Tree's Deadwing is the long-awaited new PTree release. A little early to give a good review on it (third day of listening) but I will say that the title track is one of the best PTree songs ever! SCORE: 96

The newest UB40 called 'Homegrown' is good but is their least greatest album yet next to Present Arms (their 1981 release). It's very poppy but not as great as Promises and Lies. It's an import. So it's costly to get. May not be worth it unless your hot on UB40, download or try out 30 sec clips first. SCORE: 70%

The newest Tears For Fears album is the first true TFF album in 15 years. Orzabal and Smith team up for the first album together since Sept 1989's 'Seeds of Love'. Anyway, the new album is called 'Everybody Loves A Happy Ending and it is a WINNER. The songs are slightly shorter and tighter than the old TFF but that doesn't mean a bad thing. The same mellow rock and pop you loved from the 80's. "Closest Thing To Heaven" ranks up with the 1980's TFF. There is just ONE track that is not GREAT, I forget which one but that's not important. It's surrounded by winners. SCORE 98%

Megadeth's The System Has Failed is a damn good album by a hit and miss group. I didn't think I would like this but musically (especially the guitar) it has impressed me. Good riffs. Dave Mustaine's vocals are still bad though but that's no suprise whatsoever. They have improved though. SCORE 80%

Gwen Stefani's new album is a winner too co-album of the year (with the new Tears For Fears) for 2004. Glossy production, catchy dance pop. It's not really like the No Doubt albums. If you're looking for more punk-ska, you won't find it here but you'll find a smooth, sexy album. Plus, she's one of (if not the hottest) chicks in music today. Screw Spears, screw the Simpson sisters, screw Aguilara (can't keep one goddamn hair color). The booklet rules too and album cover. The album I been looking for, for a while. A couple not so hot tracks will be found too but it's hard to find an album this perfect today, especially in the top 40. SCORE: 90%

SHORTER REVIEWS/SCORES:

Morrissey - Viva Hate - Nice mellow album that reminds me of softer 80s Phil Collins and Tears For Fears. Nothing super but solid. Score: 80%

James Brown - There It Is - The first James Brown album I heard was his '72 release. Not a big fan of it lyrically, too many repetitive drug themed songs. The music is great in spots including "Talking Loud..." but inconsistant. I love the horns in a couple songs though. Score: 60%

Mastodon - Leviathan - I hate most vocals in metal, the screams and growns, the non clean vocals so my opinion may not be clear in this. I don't like the vocals. The music is impressive though. Nice guitar and drums. I love the 12 minute guitar gem track contained within, some of the other songs are too short though. Very picky when it comes to metal but I'll give it a SCORE: 80%

BUT. BUT, I don't know if they bought new equipment or what but their signature sound disappeared. That's right, the air/voice compression is gone. Maybe not totally gone but most of it is gone. The compression gave them the unique sound that is RARE to find on radio stations. Songs used to sound better, heavier drums, guitar that has more bite. A sound that is more ALIVE. Now they converted to a sound that is just like a CD. Wimpy. I hate the sound quality on CDs. No bite to them at all. That's why I quite buying CD's. I download MP3's and edit them and add compression with Cool Edit 2.0. I don't dislike WEBN but I'm not hot on them anymore. One could only take so much Linkin Park, Nirvana, and AFD-era Guns n Roses (heard the songs a million times). A few things save WEBN from being complete shit, a cool mascot (THE frog), cool liners and awesome DJ's. I heard every song on their stale playlist a million times. Want classic rock in Cincy? Think 92.5 The Fox. Want new rock? Think X97.7 (The former Future of Rock and Roll). Almost makes me sad. This was THE heritage rock station before the playlist was cut in half March to April 2002. Time flies. So much for being the 36 (37 in August) year old heritage rock station. They don't even play new stuff from older artists like Tom Petty ("The Last DJ") and Aerosmith (their newest album). They didn't even air the Top 500 Albums By Rolling Stone special. Sister stations WTUE in Dayton and WIOT in Toledo did. Instead, more Linkin Park and Puddle of Mudd! They're trying too hard to be like New Rock 97.3 which is just a mediocre station at best. Worst of all, 10-12 minutes of commercials an hour. Not as big a problem as their other worries though. I hope their program director or owner would do something about these problems and return WEBN to the status as everyones favorite HERITAGE rock station since 1967! Dump Clear Channel and make WEBN independent!

SOMEBODY (NOT SOME COMPANY) BUY WEBN PLEASE! Save this radio station from corporate hell!

Go The Funk Back