The New Music-World Order ...

As if there is any doubt as to what has happened to music in the wake of MP3's, I was in the kitchen washing dishes when I heard the familiar intro to one of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs titled 'Today.'

I turned around the nook and peered into the television and saw good ol' fashioned down to earth American images ... people working hard, fruit off the farm truck - I was starting to think they leased one of their songs to a non-profit organization. Alas, it was a commercial for VISA.

In the 90's this commercial would have been enough to get people on the streets with pitchforks and torches. They'd be hunkering down at SP headquarters and calling them sell outs. I wonder how this commercial makes the band feel? Do they care? Was it a hard decision?

I certainly doubt it. The music industry has changed to such a degree that licensing your music to a big corporation like VISA is just plain smart, and it is the way to go.

Does VISA tying the Smashing Pumpkins make me like their brand more? Not necessarily, but I must admit it pulls at my heartstrings a bit. However, VISA's problem isn't necessarily an image problem - it's the fact that they are selling me a predatory service, charging me ridiculous fees if I am a day late on my monthly payment (of which, the day seems to change from month to month), and giving me an interest rate that isn't in my best interest.

So marketing team of VISA who I am almost certain is reading this, kudos to you. I hope you paid the Smashing Pumpkins well.

And to the Smashing Pumpkins who may or may not have a social media monitoring team - thank you for all the great music and I wish you would come back to Portland, OR and put me on the guestlist +1 because I haven't had a decent job in years and wouldn't be able to afford a ticket if you came to town.

Rick Emerson is moving ...

Well, well, well.

Today I have learned of some very interesting news. The Rick Emerson Show ... a Portland, OR staple and probably the finest thing to originate in this city since old growth trees - is moving on.

I had been hoping they would move to AM 620 ... but they moved to KUFO.

I have mixed feelings. Of course, it is a very exciting opportunity for all those involved ... Sarah X Dylan, Rick Emerson himself, and even Ritchie too. But the best part is that Tim Riley is coming back. I thought he was the greatest even before he was martyred in the wake of his firing.

But the Rick Emerson Show has been a great treat for me over the years. I have listened on and off for three years ... between stops on my delivery route ... between commercials on KNRK and pledge drives on OPB. It's a great show. It is like Seinfeld for nerds. I don't understand half of the crap they are talking about and often times when they get into comic book stuff I tune out.

Today they were talking about watching a bum pissing into a bottle outside their office window and I wished I could casually say into the mic "Must be a worker at the VISO packaging plant." Except I'd be murdered by them since VISO is a major sponsor. I tried it once ... I think I had a sugar-free version or something ... but my meager budget can't afford it and I am just not into that whole scene to begin with.

But other times they are the perfect distraction from my horribly mundane and underpaying job. Of which - I got my hours cut today for doing a "great job." Seriously ... I was thanked for all the leads I had generated in four short weeks, and then told that I created a lot of work for people to follow up on ... and was then told that I could go back to working in the warehouse stuffing envelopes until they came up with something else. Needless to say I clocked out early today ...

But moving on - I am not going to be able to listen to the Rick Emerson Show any more. This is a great career move and I hope they get past it as quickly as they can ... I hope they collect a ton more fans and sponsoring and success and I hope they turn into an afternoon show.

Let's face it ... PDX has NOTHING to offer in the afternoon. No offense everyone ... but I am sick of hearing Joy Division followed by Cake followed by Smells Like Teen Spirit on one station ... Enya followed by Keane followed by John Mayer on another station ... and a bunch of butt rock on the other. The oldies ... they are ok from time to time ... any other AM talkers are just shite. Sean Hannity and Rush and Mark Levine are the worst. I actually signed an underground petition that had over 275,000 signatures that said I would never support any sponsor of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, or Mark Levine.

I am going to end this blog by giving my top 5 Rick Emerson Show moments:

5. The Oscillating Fan Remix
4. Rick trying to convince the audience he didn't have an opinion in the last election
3. The announcement of the return of Tim Riley, and the move to KUFO
2. The departure of Tim Riley on December 8th?
1. Performing the 'Portland Theme Song' on air with a previous band