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Thursday, January 13, 2005

Stop the world I'm getting off!!

WHFS 99.1 the local DC/MD/VA radio station that made a name for itself in the 80s playing modern and college rock bands like the Cure/REM/Depeche Mode and rode the alternative music revolution ushered by bands like Jane's Addiction, Sonic Youth and the Replacements and furthered by the Nirvana explosion of 1991 has gone LATINO!!!!!!!..


i think this is further evidence for my rock is dead theory i've been preaching for the past few years and lately with increasing vehemence.. not that there is not rock music and not that there is not good rock music... more that NO ONE CARES!.. thats why there is no room for a station built around playing radiohead and modest mouse.. cause there simply aren't enough radiohead and modest mouse fans who want to listen to rock all days... it does not mean radiohead is not good.... but not enough people care...and there aren't enough weezer or death cab for cutie fans either... rock music is now a marginal subculture...


frankly, HFS had gone increasingly south since the early 90s as they began to play more and more formulaic material.. i believe they were bought by clearchannel or one of those "evil" media empire conglomerates that sends the same list of songs to be played to the "djs", or more like list readers and cd inserters, at the stations they control (in addition to making sure nothing too crazy is aired...)....i never got to hear the HFS that made a name for itself in the 80s with diverse and original playlists...the HFS of last week may have played the Offspring but they had no use for Nick Cave


ultimately, there is no need for slitting one's wrists.. anyone who wants to listen to great radio has millions of options through the internet... with internet technology anyone can pretty much create their own radio station anyways... but still it says something when a modern or alternative rock stalwart like HFS that helped define the scene (hey they even had the HFS Festival going on every year at RFK stadium) changes its identity..

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