Joplin, Aerosmith on WZLX's Perfect 10

[Varulven]

It was refreshing to hear Janis Joplin's "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)" (written by Jerry Ragovoy & Chip "Wild Thing" Taylor) on WZLX at 2:04.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/janisjoplin/tryjustalittlebitharder.html

Lorraine Ellison's original
http://funky16corners.wordpress.com/2006/08/23/lorraine-ellison-try-just-a-little-bit-harder/

Janis Joplin is a classic rock artist; Kozmic Blues was a major album, yet WZLX is more apt to play "the hits" instead of the popular tracks. Now if The Doors get deep cuts, why not lots more deep cuts from Joplin
and Hendrix, who sell a remarkable amount of items on eBay every single day? Their popularity is obvious.

"Try" went into Aerosmith's "Seasons Of Wither". Nice two-fer in the Perfect Ten

 

[TowerBuzz]

Interesting:

While Im not a Janis fan per se, it is nice to see them going a bit deeper than the usual fare. As they should because ROR will never go ery deep with it's artists as a "classic hits" station. Plus is there really a need for even ONE station playing crud like "sister golden hair" in 2007?.

:

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Janis Joplin is a classic rock artist; Kozmic Blues was a major album, yet WZLX is more apt to play "the hits" instead of the popular tracks. Now if The Doors get deep cuts, why not lots more deep cuts from Joplin and Hendrix, who sell a remarkable amount of items on eBay every single day? Their popularity is obvious.

I think it's because WZLX appears not to be programming to people of our age group (now 50-ish and older) who grew up when Joplin, Hendrix and The Doors were alive and coming out with new albums, from which we relished every track. By the time that the 30 to 40-ish year-old demo that WZLX is going for were listening to music, those artists were already long gone, their "greatest hits" were already Classic Rock, and were already being filtered through the playlists of those stations. Therefore their current audience won't likely know their deeper tracks, and you know what happens to commercial stations that play music that their audience doesn't know these days.

WZLX's target audience grew up on U2, Tom Petty, The Police and Springsteen for examples of artists of their youth. Janis, Jim and Jimi, as well as the Beatles, Stones and even Pink Floyd and Led Zep were already Classic Rock by the time that generation turned on the radio, so most of their deeper cuts were no longer being played as they were when we were growing up with the original "free-form underground" days of progressive WBCN in the late 60's and early 70's. Be glad if you hear "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)" as a WZLX "Lost Classic" once in a while these days.

As for why The Doors may still get a little deeper airplay than Janis or Jimi, I think that may be partially because of the enduring sensationalistic interest in Jim Morrison's extreme lifestyle. Of course, Jimi and Janis were pretty extreme too, but Morrison played the real-life role of eccentric, hedonistic (white) male "rock star gone wild" to the hilt in his short life. While Janis and Jimi had come from originally being blues/R&B artists who revolutionized rock'n'roll, Morrison burst on the scene as a (white) male psychedelic rock'n'roll sex symbol, and his music followed suit. His antics were recreated in biopics and movies, and I think he is therefore more identified with by today's mainly (white) male younger Classic Rock audience than Janis or Jimi, as they look back at the late 60's in today's media revisionism.

I find that in recent years occasionally younger listeners call when I do my 60's/70's album rock show on WMBR when I play non-hit tracks by many of the big artists, having no idea who they are. A kid called who was blown away by a long Cream track, he didn't know who they were until I mentioned Clapton's former band and "Sunshine Of Your Love" and "White Room". Another recently called who had never heard of The Band when they were played, until I mentioned "The Weight" (which he knew as "take a load off Annie...") and "Up On Cripple Creek". Some of my fellow non-comm DJ's may get condescending to kids like that, but I always treat them very kindly and gently tell them what they want to know, and thank them for their interest. Who else is going to carry on the interest in the music?

The stoner joke used to be that "if you remember the 60's, you weren't really there". The current reality is that if you remember the 60's, you're a dinosaur and you're out of the Classic Rock target demographics. Face it, Joe, we're now dinosaurs (and Classic Rock stations are hiring DJ's half the age of the music they're playing). I saw Jim Morrison and The Doors in March 1968, so I'm obviously well on my way to the nursing home now.

 

[Lucylu]

I actually heard a Led Zep deep cut this afternoon on WZLX. What's up with that!!!! They aren't trying to fix one of their many problems are they?

 

[Varulven]

I taped the Doors sans Morrison in 1972 (and the Doors will possibly release my tape on Bright Midnight at sometime in the near future), so you are right Eli, we are el Dinosaur "Paleolithic" era.

But the Joplin cut sounded SO good cruising down Route 93 with the sun shining and the keyboards pristine in their digitally re-mastered elegance. Courtesy of the Chuck Nowlin show.

I've been interviewing Joplin's long-time guitarist (He survived TWO of her bands, Kozmic Blues and Full Tilt)
John Till for 2 and a half years now, clearly my longest interview on record:

John Till Bio
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?...9FCCE454F8D665382DED93&sql=11:2cmtk6axlkr3~T1

so we are going through all sorts of great Joplin rare tracks I'm finding and shipping up to Canada.

 

[Runrigger]

You're more apt to hear deeper, but not obscure, cuts on the Perfect 10. I don't know how it works, but I assume you submit which 10 songs you want to hear & the station goes for a list that's balanced with well-known music & few songs they don't normally play or play that often. I doubt anyone with Ultimate Spinach, Moby Grape, or The Beacon Street Union on their list would get the call.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I actually heard a Led Zep deep cut this afternoon on WZLX. What's up with that!!!! They aren't trying to fix one of their many problems are they?

Led Zep has always been the most likely band to hear a "deep cut" from on Classic Rock stations, behind the (late era) Beatles and maybe the Stones. Led Zep is considered the most mass appeal quintessential hard rock band of the 70's, and they have a very signature sound. A Classic Rock station runs no risk playing an occasional "deep" track from them.

 

[TowerBuzz]

Janis Joplin is a classic rock artist; Kozmic Blues was a major album, yet WZLX is more apt to play "the hits" instead of the popular tracks. Now if The Doors get deep cuts, why not lots more deep cuts from Joplin and Hendrix, who sell a remarkable amount of items on eBay every single day? Their popularity is obvious.

I think it's because WZLX appears not to be programming to people of our age group (now 50-ish and older) who grew up when Joplin, Hendrix and The Doors were alive and coming out with new albums, from which we relished every track. By the time that the 30 to 40-ish year-old demo that WZLX is going for were listening to music, those artists were already long gone, their "greatest hits" were already Classic Rock, and were already being filtered through the playlists of those stations. Therefore their current audience won't likely know their deeper tracks, and you know what happens to commercial stations that play music that their audience doesn't know these days.

WZLX's target audience grew up on U2, Tom Petty, The Police and Springsteen for examples of artists of their youth. Janis, Jim and Jimi, as well as the Beatles, Stones and even Pink Floyd and Led Zep were already Classic Rock by the time that generation turned on the radio, so most of their deeper cuts were no longer being played as they were when we were growing up with the original "free-form underground" days of progressive WBCN in the late 60's and early 70's. Be glad if you hear "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)" as a WZLX "Lost Classic" once in a while these days.

As for why The Doors may still get a little deeper airplay than Janis or Jimi, I think that may be partially because of the enduring sensationalistic interest in Jim Morrison's extreme lifestyle. Of course, Jimi and Janis were pretty extreme too, but Morrison played the real-life role of eccentric, hedonistic (white) male "rock star gone wild" to the hilt in his short life. While Janis and Jimi had come from originally being blues/R&B artists who revolutionized rock'n'roll, Morrison burst on the scene as a (white) male psychedelic rock'n'roll sex symbol, and his music followed suit. His antics were recreated in biopics and movies, and I think he is therefore more identified with by today's mainly (white) male younger Classic Rock audience than Janis or Jimi, as they look back at the late 60's in today's media revisionism.

Eli you have hit the nail right on the head!. That is the problem with classic rock or even oldies stations who are targeting that 25-54 year old demo. If you're a 40 year old man you grew up in the 1980's and most things from the 70's did not age well next to the aesthetic of the 80's. You are correct that Janis was already classic rock when YOU were growing up, in short it is not your music, it s your father's music. Same with Skynard, Allman Bros etc so while Janis Joplin may be a "clasic rock artist" the Police, U2, BIlly Idol. R.E.M, all are as well but they dont feel as old and irrelivant to that audience as say Janis does. Look at the Beatles; "I wanna hold your hand" "Love me do" "please please me" "Paperback writer" etc aren't even classic rock they're oldies songs perceptionally speaking whereas "My guitar gently weeps","Helter Skelter", "revolution" basically anything from the period when they started taking drugs can pass as "classic rock" and live harmoniously with the other artists I mentioned. IF stations that target that demo want to survive they have to concentrate on the less ancient stuff because anyone who remembers Janis Noplin probably isnt an active P1 of that station.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Eli you have hit the nail right on the head!. That is the problem with classic rock or even oldies stations who are targeting that 25-54 year old demo. If you're a 40 year old man you grew up in the 1980's and most things from the 70's did not age well next to the aesthetic of the 80's. You are correct that Janis was already classic rock when YOU were growing up, in short it is not your music, it s your father's music.

I'm 50 and I started listening to rock'n'roll radio as a kid in 1966, so I was listening when Janis was current. We didn't hear her on the radio out here in '67 despite her popularity on the west coast. Then, I remember "Down On Me" was a minor hit in summer '68 (a rock adaptation of an early 20'th century blues), then she broke out into the Top 15 in fall '68 with "Piece Of My Heart" (originally a minor soul hit the year before by Irma Franklin, Aretha's sister). Of course, once WBCN went progressive rock in '68, we also got all her great album cuts.

My dad's music was classical on WCRB. Not at 99.5, and not even at 102.5. He listened to the original WCRB-AM 1330 (now brokered ethnic WRCA). But you're right, Janis, Jim and Jimi were the father's music of today's core age of WZLX Classic Rock listeners.

 

[NHRonin]

I'm 41 and think it's good news. I stopped listening to ZLX' because they kept playing the same old tired threadworn songs over and over again ignoring a lot of great stuff. If this is the case, maybe I'll tune back in.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I'm 41 and think it's good news. I stopped listening to ZLX' because they kept playing the same old tired threadworn songs over and over again ignoring a lot of great stuff. If this is the case, maybe I'll tune back in.

It's still the same idea, now they're just wearing out the same few songs that are a few years newer (along with the old warhorses).

 

[Lucylu]

Too true. Bigger question: how do you save the morning show? I heard, but haven't seen the numbers myself, that they were 16th in the market! Didn't ZLX spend big money on a TV buy for them? That's gotta hurt. How do they save themselves?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Too true. Bigger question: how do you save the morning show? I heard, but haven't seen the numbers myself, that they were 16th in the market! Didn't ZLX spend big money on a TV buy for them? That's gotta hurt. How do they save themselves?

I haven't seen the latest daypart breakdowns, but I know that last year K&M were way behind other adult demo music shows like L&W and Uncle Dale. Somehow, I get the feeling that ZLX won't be able to save the mornings under the current management. The Boston audience has some particulars that are unlike some other places, and trying to program the show to sound like other "wanabee shock-jock ultra-lite" Classic Rock morning shows elsewhere may not work very well here. That seems to be K&M's approach, and I know I can't listen to it.

ZLX's morning numbers tumbled when Charles left, and never recovered. I'm not saying that they should try to lure him back from Hawaii or recreate him in any form. He had three golden decades on Boston radio, and they have passed. But, what has ZLX done since? They made a valiant try for the local "hip" comedian approach with Tai (for a short time) and Sweeney, but Sweeney's on-air delivery and pacing was too low key for a morning show.

Then they get K&M, with a "shock-jock lite" approach that seems to go for the lowest common denominator, while consistently continuing to lower the bar. I think that here in Boston there is some portion of the audience that goes for this (including the buffoons they put on the air for their silly call-in segments which go on way too long), but the ratings show that a larger portion of the audience has turned off and tuned out (even more since Sweeney left), and I think many potential Boston Classic Rock listeners feel that their intelligence is being insulted when they hear this banal show. I don't think that the same dumbed-down tabloid approach that may work for Classic Rock morning shows in some other areas may work very well here.

I think Classic Rock listeners in Boston want to hear Classic Rock, not dumbed-down drivel, even in the morning. People who want to hear a lot of "shock-jock lite" schtick with their morning rock are listening to WAAF or WBCN, and people who want to hear opinionated listeners ranting on the phone are listening to the talk stations. People who want hokey comedy with their Classic Hits are listening to Loren & Wally. I think WZLX should try going with a music-intensive morning show, but not the way WBOS does it with a faceless bland blend.

There should still be a strong, upbeat morning personality, and of course the necessary morning headlines, traffic, etc... as well as promos, contests, and some other (brief) features, but make it about the music with a host who may talk (a little, not too much) about the music and the artists, get occasional brief interviews when Classic Rock artists come to town, and make more of the features about the music, rather than going on and on about the tabloid news of the day which is already being discussed ad nauseum on the talk and shock-rock stations. Of course, important local events deserve some banter, but don't make talk so much the focus of the show.

I don't know who particularly to suggest for a host for this show. It should not be someone whose radio heyday was decades ago and is past their prime, but it should be someone within the stations age demo who is knowledgeable about the music of the entire Classic Rock era, as well as someone who Bostonians (of all various levels of intelligence!) can identify with, and who has an upbeat, entertaining, personable manner, but not insulting or condescending and doesn't make the show into just their own ego trip. It doesn't even necessarily have to be an extremely well-known or heritage DJ as long as they can pull this off. But, it's not going to happen if there's a PD who doesn't know the vibe of the area and who goes with generic cookie-cutter formulas because they may happen to work elsewhere.

 

[Lucylu]

Very insightful. I think sadly you may be very right about that kind of thing not happening under current management. I wonder how far they let things slide before a major shake-up?

 

[TheRover]

You people kill me.....

Just because a "Rock" Hits station plays one or two deep songs.... you're going to listen to all of the tired old commercial stuff, to maybe hear a song that does not offend your sensibilites???

For someone that in thier teenage years, did --NOT-- listen to "Hit" radio stations.... Everything is Upside Down -- Now.... What was "Black is White", what was "White is Black" (referencing Stone's JFK...).

Sorry, but I got very used to radio stations that shunned ANY commercial rock hits, and --ONLY-- played the cool tracks.... deep, or not. ALL--OF--THE--TIME.

At the same time, there were those "Hit" stations, that shunned --ANY-- deep tracks, and --ONLY-- played the commercial Rock hits. These stations used to be on "AM". Then they moved to FM--- no difference. I still had no interest in listening to their shallow music selection.

So now, we have the most commerical "Rock" hits cannonized, ala the old "AM" format. BY definition, a station that plays "hits" of any stripe, is what it is, and is NOT worthy of the respect that comes otherwise.

They've got all the "hits" decided upon.... Now all they have to do, and all they are going to do is focus on the gimmicks, the give-a-aways, the promotions, and idle chat....For Your Entertainment! Their "AM" strategy does not allow for anything else, except in the rarest of occasions. I'm sorry, this strategy can never be appealing to me..... no matter how many deep cut 'bones' they decide to throw your way....

The only thing "Classic" about classic rock radio, is their classic indifference to what music fans would like to hear. That is, those of us that prefer something other than commercial hits.

Either you like commercial hits, or you --do not--.

I'll say it again.... I got very used to radio that did not play the commerical hits of ANY band. I do NOT think that commercial hits and cool music should co-exist on the same station. That's an integrity issue that either you get, or don't get..

 

[Eli Polonsky]

They've got all the "hits" decided upon.... Now all they have to do, and all they are going to do is focus on the gimmicks, the give-a-aways, the promotions, and idle chat....For Your Entertainment! Their "AM" strategy does not allow for anything else, except in the rarest of occasions. I'm sorry, this strategy can never be appealing to me..... no matter how many deep cut 'bones' they decide to throw your way....

I'll say it again.... I got very used to radio that did not play the commerical hits of ANY band. I do NOT think that commercial hits and cool music should co-exist on the same station. That's an integrity issue that either you get, or don't get..

I also loved the "FM underground" radio era, but you and I are in a vast minority among the mainstream of today's radio listeners. What we happen to remember and like can no longer make it in today's radio marketplace which depends on ratings and commercial success.

We remember an era 35 to 40 years ago when the mainstream masses were listening to Top 40 on AM radio, and FM album rock stations were the underground "alternative". However, check out the AM band today. There's (practically) no music left on it. By the late 70's, FM had replaced AM as the choice of the masses for music.

Mainstream formatted rock and top 40 stations and their audiences migrated to FM, leaving AM mostly talk. Quirky "FM underground" deep album rock stations could no longer get ratings on the FM band with the mass competition from new slicker formatted FM stations, and therefore couldn't get enough advertisers to survive. They had to go mainstream with such formats as hit-based Classic Rock, or die (and many did die).

People like you and I who, as you say, "got very used to radio that did not play the commerical hits of ANY band" are a very small speck among today's total radio listenership indeed, and certainly not a viable audience to sustain a commercial station today. In addition, most of the minority who do remember "FM underground" radio are now in their 50's or older, and stations can not get many advertisers catering to that demo.

The show I do on local college station WMBR emulates late 60's/early 70's "FM underground" radio as I remember it. It has a small, but loyal, cult following. However, a non-commercial station, subsidized by a college which is not dependent on ratings, is the only place on the dial where such a show can fly nowadays.

 

[scooty430]

You guys need to give up on boring stations like WZLX.

If you want to hear really deep cuts and adventurous radio, you have to go to internet or satellite radio.

Try:

XM's Deep Cuts
Radio Free Phoenix
Radio Paradise
KFOG's 10@10

Enough deep cuts and unusual stuff with those four alone for a lifetime of listening. And few to no commercials.

By the way, I grew up in the 80's, and for most of us Zep, Floyd, The Who, CSNY, and the Doors were "our" music, even though it was old. Aside from U2 and Springsteen, maybe a few others, most of the then-current music (Bon Jovi, Billy Idol, Culture Club, Prince) was not stuff we liked. A typical rock fan at the time probably listened to COZ in the early 80s, AAF after that, and then ZLX later on, with some BCN all along the way (even though they played dancey stuff like Cyndi Lauper and "Rock Lobster," which made BCN a little less cool.) The biggest bands at my suburban high school were probably the Grateful Dead and Van Halen (Roth-era, that is.) Janis Joplin was not so big, but I distinctly remember a friend of mine who had a collection of Janis Joplin bootlegs. I think the reason for all this was because that music that was originally called "rock," and then re-labelled "classic rock" was just really good stuff.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

You guys need to give up on boring stations like WZLX.

If you want to hear really deep cuts and adventurous radio, you have to go to internet or satellite radio.

Try:

XM's Deep Cuts
Radio Free Phoenix
Radio Paradise
KFOG's 10@10

Internet and satellite radio doesn't originate in Boston, though. This is the Boston board, so we talk about Boston radio.

 

[scooty430]

You guys need to give up on boring stations like WZLX.

If you want to hear really deep cuts and adventurous radio, you have to go to internet or satellite radio.

Try:

XM's Deep Cuts
Radio Free Phoenix
Radio Paradise
KFOG's 10@10

Internet and satellite radio doesn't originate in Boston, though. This is the Boston board, so we talk about Boston radio.

Ah.....but it can be heard in Boston!

 

[Varulven]

it can be heard in Boston providing you have a computer or will pay the outrageous satellite fees.

http://myspace.com/radioparadise is a great station. Until someone puts it on WBOS or as competition to WBOS it isn't going to get ratings in this market, nor will people be able to hear it as they drive around (unless they IPOD it and play it back).


radio paradise playlist
Pearl Jam, Beethoven, Led Zeppelin, Death Cab For Cutie, Oliver Mtukudzi, Radiohead, Gomez, Simon & Garfunkel, Hooverphonic, Supergrass, Beatles, Erik Satie, Porcupine Tree, Calexico, Pink Floyd, Dave Brubeck, Vivaldi, Lou Reed, Sonic Youth, Neko Case, The Who, and lots more. http://www.radioparadise.com