In the week since I started my personal boycott of Bell Media properties and my once-favourite radio station CHOM-FM in Montreal — to protest against their layoffs across the country — I’ve been getting reacquainted with my collection of albums.
Funny how we buy CDs, listen to them a few times, and store them away, seldom to be played again. In my case, at least, I attribute that to my former radio-listening habits. I was tuning in CHOM not so much for the music, but for the voices of people like Rob Kemp, Ronny Mack, Terry DiMonte et al. As for the music, especially classic rock, my collection features a lot more than CHOM is offering.
This past week, I’ve loaded up my MP3 player and plugged it into my car stereo system — my commute is just over an hour, so I have time to listen to whole albums. One such album I’ve been rocking to again is by a band called Days of the New, from 1997 (jacket cover above). You may recall the songs Touch, Peel and Stand (video below) and The Down Town, among others, from the album. Wikipedia lists them as “alternative rock, grunge, post-grunge, acoustic rock.” It’s more than those genres — it’s straight-up rock and even bluesy.
The album, in my opinion, is one of the great treasures of rock and roll, and it isn’t getting the air time it deserves now on stations like CHOM that blend classic rock with today’s rock.
Hey, maybe I should start a radio station, yes?
So, am I listening to any radio stations? Yes, when I need to hear a live voice — which keeps me company sometimes when I am alone — I’m listening to The Buzz in Burlington, Vermont. (And I’m watching CBC News and Global News on TV — no Bell Media properties for me.)
Keep rockin’!
— Jillian
Related links:
Toronto Star report on Bell asks: How much profit does it really need?
When one voice becomes 100,000 voices
Goodbye, CHOM-FM: Rob Kemp layoff strengthens my resolve to switch stations
Jillian Page 
Vinyl?
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No, silly (I’m allowed to call him that because we are personal friends) . . . Album means “a collection” of something. I transfer albums from CD to computer to MP3 player.
But I do have many albums on vinyl, which I don’t listen to because my stereo system is not working.
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I know what “album” means. I also know you’re a left over 60’s-ite, and am surprised you’ve updated your tunes past the vinyl era, which I suppose you listen to while smoking a water pipe (not a hookah or nargil), and weak your tie-dyed t-shirt.
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I don’t smoke anything anymore. I’m a good girl now. The song by Days of the New in this post is from the 1990s. And I like current local bands, too!
What are you listening to these days?
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No vinyl, no smoking, and since you’ve taken up being a nudist, probably no tie-dye either. *Sigh* You’re losing your hippie-dippie credentials, sister (or is that Sister).
I’m mostly listening to nursery rhythms and children’s songs.
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Yes, nursery rhythms and children’s songs come with the parental turf, at least until your kids start getting into grunge in a few years.
Yes, it’s Sister. I’m writing from the convent — cloistered as I am — when Mother Superior isn’t watching.
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I thought you were the
MistressMother SuperiorLikeLike
If it will make your little sixties heart proud, am currently listening to “When the Levee Breaks.” London Philharmonic playing something called Tin Dirigible (or is that Led Zeppelin).
BTW – the chain of “replies” are not in order. Is that something you can adjust on your blog?
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I couldn’t think of a greater torture than to have to listen to the London Philharmonic sanitize that song . . . You are a true masochist.
I don’t have a clue about the replies thing . . .
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Of course you view it as masochism. As Mistress Superior, you like to think of men suffering, although preferably at your hands (or rather, at your feet). Sorry to disappoint you, M. Sup., but no suffering at all, it’s an excellent edition to my “Ambiance” playlist, which is great for studying, or well, for ambiance.
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As you know, men like to suffer at my feet, but even I wouldn’t torture them with some symphony orchestra playing Led Zeppelin tunes. That is cruel and unusual punishment.
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Now I know why they call it “head-banger” music. If you listen to it long enough your head turns to mush. Still, it’s better than “bang-bang your dead” or “ka-boom” I suppose %P
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Did you actually listen to the song? It’s not head-banger music.
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To be honest I don’t have the ear for this “genre” of rock & roll. And when I saw the word “grunge” I recoil because I think of Kurt Cobain = nihilism. What do you expect from the Do-Wop guy %O
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Be brave: listen to the song, please.
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I see, I think. Something about abuse and being abusive. So I imagine this has some bearing on Bell Media being the 800lb gorilla of the air waves. I have no argument there. But again, I don’t see “Canadians” getting real upset over loosing CHOM unless it was tied to Hockey. And even then I’d be hard-pressed to be convinced we’d do anything about it. Good side. We did manage to get rid of the “Harper” government and return to a more “maudlin” form of self-government. Mussolini is not quite my style. Nor that “bunga-bunga” guy. Much prefer the Venetian Masquerade parties %@
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A lot of Montrealers are upset about cuts made at the sports radio station Bell Media owns in Montreal. In fact, Bell Media is pissing off a diverse cross-section of Canadian society with the cuts.
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Your mission: Change.org I’ll sign if you make %@
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I’m leaving it for someone in that industry to do it — someone who can write an intelligent petition. I’ve put out the idea, and it has been seen by people in a position to do so. But, let’s be honest, most people do not want to take on Goliaths; they are afraid for themselves and they probably see a petition as futile. I can only do so much: if the people in that industry are afraid to speak up, so be it. And, god knows, why haven’t they joined a union yet?!
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I believe they all ready have a Union for Telecom employees. However, Bell being what it is I think the rest have been silenced(bought off). But as someone said: “everybody has a price”. And the Price is Right %P
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