FNX Playing the Tried and True Leftovers During The Weekend

[Retro]

WFNX did a retro leftover weekend playing the old songs that were popular in the day. The only thing though, is that they basically played New Wave "hits" and not necessarily the stuff that they actually used to play back in the 80's. While it was nice to hear the older songs, it still would have been nicer to hear the more obscure stuff instead.

 

[WBIMDJ]

I figured there would be a thread about this, as the Leftover Lunch is one of the more popular shows on 'FNX. Overall a good weekend for music. Allthough yes they did tend to stick to New Wave artists (The Cure, U2, Depeche Mode, B-52's, Blondie, The Smiths, The Clash, The Ramones) they did throw in a few obscure 80's and 90's gems that I heard (Stone Roses - Fools Gold, Jesus & Mary Chain - Head On, Pixies - Debaser, Tribe - Outside, SoHo - Hippychick, World Party - Way Down Now, Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro etc.)

*waits for Ciao to jack thread saying they played too much Peter Gabriel*

 

[WBIMDJ]

Also thought I'd share that I heard Dinosaur Jr. "Start Choppin" this weekend on 'FNX as well. That was a great song that I was happy to hear.

 

[Neanderpaul]

Tribe - Supercollider would've been fun to hear.

Of course now all the music heads will search their brains and try to "out cool" each other with their music knowledge.

I'm very surprised that with all the niche formatting that's happened over the years that a "New Wave/Skinny Tie" format hasn't happened. That stuff was almost as big as disco culturally. And therefore perhaps reviled by thr masses? I dunno. Frankie t-shirts were everywhere, and the "Madonna" look was considered "New Wave" back then.

Just ramblin'. I'd have loved to hear the weekend though.

 

[inthewolf]

Seems like it was all over the place. Alot of 80s new wave but a lot of 90s one hit wonders and some of the 70s glam stuff that people get very mad at on this board. Also many songs that Ciao would have hated.

This is 4pm from Saturday.

Elvis Costello - Whats So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding
Mazzy Star - Fade into You
Ramones - Blitzkreig Bop
Soul Coughing - Super Bon Bon
Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
Live - White Discussion
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peek-a-Boo
U2 - Pride
B52s - Roam
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth
Blind Melon - 3 Is a Magic Number

Oh and congrats Neaderpaul..i heard you won an FMQB award a month or so back. True?

 

[Chow]

I listened off and on over the weekend and thought it was decent sounding. Although my friend thought that General Public sounded a bit "disco-ey" and "gay" on the station. eh? They should let the DJ's talk more on the station, I personally love more words to describe something.



-Chow

 

[WBIMDJ]

I hope your friend realizes that General Public are from the same guys from The English Beat? Sounds like he needs to brush up on his 80's, or go listen to some Godsmack or something

 

[Chow]

"I hope your friend realizes that General Public are from the same guys from The English Beat? Sounds like he needs to brush up on his 80's, or go listen to some Godsmack or something"


Does it really matter if the song sucks where the members came from? I love Echo and the Bunnymen, do I have to care about Electrafixion? As for brushing up on the 80's, it was 20+ years ago and who really cares? Does my friend need to know the history of new wave in order to listen and enjoy so called alternative music of today.

I gotta go now, my mom's basement is starting to leak.

-Chow

 

[Neanderpaul]

Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
Oh and congrats Neaderpaul..i heard you won an FMQB award a month or so back. True?

Thanks...Appreciate it.

I LOVE "Dance Hall Days" Remember Bill Smith used to play that video almost every day on that jukebox show on Ch. 56 way back when.

 

[Retro]

Most of what FNX played over the weekend are bona-fide hits! Not that is a bad thing per say, as they likely broke half of them back in the day, however some of them they never played at all when they were new.

 

[redbaron]

I heard Richard Hell this weekend. Awesome.

 

[ciao99]

I figured there would be a thread about this, as the Leftover Lunch is one of the more popular shows on 'FNX. Overall a good weekend for music. Allthough yes they did tend to stick to New Wave artists (The Cure, U2, Depeche Mode, B-52's, Blondie, The Smiths, The Clash, The Ramones) they did throw in a few obscure 80's and 90's gems that I heard (Stone Roses - Fools Gold, Jesus & Mary Chain - Head On, Pixies - Debaser, Tribe - Outside, SoHo - Hippychick, World Party - Way Down Now, Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro etc.)

*waits for Ciao to jack thread saying they played too much Peter Gabriel*

Judging by the list of artists you mentioned, it sounds like WFNX is getting its balls back, even if it's only on the weekend. I wasn't fortunate enough to hear it that weekend. Then again, the artists upi mentioned were probably intersperced with carefully tested adult contemporary songs from U2 and Green Day.

I did hear WFNX today. Leftover Lunch was good. It usually is. One of my biggest complaints is that the music that made the WFNX brand is regulated to the lunchtime show.

Outside of that, it was the obligatory big name bands. A playlist of carefully selected, audience tested Top 40 tracks from the likes of Pearl Jam, REM, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2.

 

[ciao99]

Seems like it was all over the place. Alot of 80s new wave but a lot of 90s one hit wonders and some of the 70s glam stuff that people get very mad at on this board. Also many songs that Ciao would have hated.

This is 4pm from Saturday.

Elvis Costello - Whats So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding
Mazzy Star - Fade into You
Ramones - Blitzkreig Bop
Soul Coughing - Super Bon Bon
Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
Live - White Discussion
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peek-a-Boo
U2 - Pride
B52s - Roam
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth
Blind Melon - 3 Is a Magic Number

Oh and congrats Neaderpaul..i heard you won an FMQB award a month or so back. True?

What I find ironic is how it took a slide in the ratings and a 0.8 to get you guys to wake up. And it's only on the weekends. As for the songs mentioned above, well of course you played U2. You don't go an hour without playing one of their carefully tested adult contemporary songs.

 

[FNXEd]

i bet you are a blast at parties...

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Maybe 'FNX is trying to capitalize on WBOS' format change by adding some of the AAA rock that they dropped.

 

[Retro]

But that wasn't stuff that BOS typically played for the most part though.

 

[MoLarryMoLarry]

criticism of FNX aside....and I used to work there 'back in the day' and they're doing a pretty good job of representing alternative today......I think what you are clearly seeing is proof of what many of us who work/worked in the alternative format feared long ago: the format, in its purest form, is limited and hasn't grown at all like we hoped it would. And when I say purest form, I mean playing artists that are truely alternative and not those that are dictated by the label industry. Those of us who were there when alternative was the new radio flavor remember the bitter taste of having to play Alanis Morrisette and Barenaked Ladies as the "new alternative" artists................

The future of the format is stagnant; successful new artists within the format are having their top 40 spots filled by the American Idol castoffs, Online download of the month, and hip-hop and country wanna-bees. As a result, alternative is left to dig up old bones to keep the playlist friendly and familiar.

There are few of us left in Boston who crank up the radio when Think Tree's "Hire a Bird" or Pixies "Hey" or Orangutang's "Shiny like gold" comes on, so yes, FNX has to mainstream the leftovers that they play to accomodate a whole new breed of listener who wasnt listening 'back in the day'. But its the nature of the format to do that, so you have a fighting chance to maintain a measurable listener base. It's no different then when a once-alternative band like REM plays more current hits than fan favorites from their early catalogue. Think they'll play "laughing" or "Catapult" on this big tour they're having this year? not if it only appeases a half-percent of their audience that night.

Boston is a unique city where a unique product like FNX can exist. That cannot be said for too many large or even medium markets in this country. So enjoy FNX while you have it, and thank god you get to hear some old faves once in a while. Its never gonna be the way it was - nothing in radio is - but at least you have an outlet that allows you to recall how great the format once was, and makes you get your 40-plus year old butt off your couch and into a used record store to find that old cd...........

....and if you find a Chameleons UK record called Script of the Bridge, let me know.....

 

[inthewolf]

The people who criticize FNX on this board obviously don't ever listen. The station plays more new music than any station in the market. You could argue that this might even hurt them

WBCN plays 12 currents. WBOS plays like 10 currents (if you count Foos "pretender" as a current). WAAF is more current than the other two but less than FNX.

WBCN recently held an extensive perceptual study in the market. The results what were what? LESS CURRENTS. More Jane Says.

FNX plays around 40 currents a week and continues to be the station to turn to for the true alternative stuff. Death Cab. Vampire Weekend. MGMT all in heavy rotation. MIA, Kooks, Alkaline Trio, Black Kids and new Cure all in medium. Rogue Wave, Whigs, Black Keys, Phantom PLanet, Santogold in light.

You could argue that the problem with FNX is maybe not all the, and I quote Ciao here "Mix 985 songs" but too MUCH new songs. Maybe FNX sounds too unfamiliar. Maybe the people who would tune into FNX listen to their Ipod or are too cool for radio.

When FNX had its 2 share in 1994 the world was completely different. No internet. No Ipods. No WBCN playing alt songs. No WBOS playing alt songs. WAAF still being a fringe hair metal station. If you were a 22 year old MIT student in 1994 you listened to FNX. If you are a 22 year old MIT student now you listen to your Ipod, hate radio, download music on bit torrent sites and wear skinny jeans.

 

[NSPUNX]

IMO during the 90's it seemed like rock/alt radio played a lot more new "cutting edge" music than they play today. If my memory serves me correctly it seemed like practically over night people got sick of the "Hair" bands and radio immediately tossed out 7-8 years of music and started playing strictly new grunge, and alternative. It seems that they were pretty succesful with that. Now rock/alt radio is still playing mostly the same playlist as they did in the 90's with a few new songs thrown in! I guess the wisdom is that they did so well playing those songs back then. I dont think that it was those specific songs but the fact that they were playing mostly new and cutting edge music. I am sure Neanderpaul is going to be able to better explain why radio was more succesful then than now

 

[WBIMDJ]

The people who criticize FNX on this board obviously don't ever listen. The station plays more new music than any station in the market. You could argue that this might even hurt them

WBCN plays 12 currents. WBOS plays like 10 currents (if you count Foos "pretender" as a current). WAAF is more current than the other two but less than FNX.

WBCN recently held an extensive perceptual study in the market. The results what were what? LESS CURRENTS. More Jane Says.

FNX plays around 40 currents a week and continues to be the station to turn to for the true alternative stuff. Death Cab. Vampire Weekend. MGMT all in heavy rotation. MIA, Kooks, Alkaline Trio, Black Kids and new Cure all in medium. Rogue Wave, Whigs, Black Keys, Phantom PLanet, Santogold in light.

You could argue that the problem with FNX is maybe not all the, and I quote Ciao here "Mix 985 songs" but too MUCH new songs. Maybe FNX sounds too unfamiliar. Maybe the people who would tune into FNX listen to their Ipod or are too cool for radio.

When FNX had its 2 share in 1994 the world was completely different. No internet. No Ipods. No WBCN playing alt songs. No WBOS playing alt songs. WAAF still being a fringe hair metal station. If you were a 22 year old MIT student in 1994 you listened to FNX. If you are a 22 year old MIT student now you listen to your Ipod, hate radio, download music on bit torrent sites and wear skinny jeans.

Excellent post, couldn't have summed it up any better!! Seriously one of the best posts I've seen in a while to a subject that just gets beaten to death!!