Commercial assaults on our ears

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I still miss the English Garden Lady.

[Rob Richardson]

Nicole Marie,

It still seems to me strange that a company would advertise on a classical music radio station, even one with such progressive listeners as BR has, with an ad that is so likely to be objectionable or even repulsive to them. The same ad on a rock station would work, but does it really work here? I think it's counterproductive from BR's point of view, since I'm likely to throw off my earphones in disgust or click to something else, and then miss the next advertisements.

But they're paying the bills, and if you didn't have them and people like them, I wouldn't be listening to you!

Rob

[DavidS]

What I would like to see is a little reciprocity - i.e. advertising on a "rock" or "pop" staion using extracts from classical works. After all, today's "pop" is 200 years hence's "classical" - I am really not comfortable with the separate "compartments" music is divided into.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Originally posted by DavidS:
What I would like to see is a little reciprocity - i.e. advertising on a "rock" or "pop" staion using extracts from classical works...

I think they do that. At least the buy-your-sweetie-a-real-diamond people do. There was a series of car ads with Copland's Appalachian Spring "Simple Gifts" section. And a plumbing commercial with the Mozart Requiem Dies Irae playing loudly (that bit is fall-out-of-my-chair funny!) The more I think, the more classical commercials come to mind.

Classical in commercials is pretty much everywhere.

[barfle]

Gee, quite a discussion! I also lived through the fifties, as well as the surf music I enjoy so much.

Although it wasn't classified as such at the time, I'm of the opinion that the first "surf" record was "Moon Dawg" by The Gamblers. I would have to check my pop music encyclopedia to be sure when it came out, but if my rusty synapses are functioning at all, it was in '59 or '60. I had just moved to Southern California when I heard it on the radio, and surf music, along with British Invasion, girl groups, and Motown, pretty much made up the pop music of my high school and early college years. It's not hard to hear the distinct sound that later came to be associated with surf music.

As far as Dick Dale is concerned, I have a rather roundabout connection with "Miserlou," which didn't chart nationally, but is generally credited with being the birth of "surf guitar" music. An engineer I worked with when I was a technician at Altec-Lansing (that would be 1972-1974) and probably one of my greatest mentors, was the session engineer for that song (as well as "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday" by the Spiral Staircase). Unfortunately, Hal Keeling died several years ago, so I can't ask him exactly when it was done, but he played a big part in the use of reverb in surf guitar music.

YRH, if you could give the names of a few "50s surf" songs, I could decide to agree that the genre actually existed at the time.

To go back before the hijack, as you know, I can't listen to the stream all day any more, but I believe the woo hoo woo hoo hoo that I've heard in Vonage ads was originally from a song called (honest!) "Woo-Hoo" by the Rock-a-Teens. It probably became more famous when it was spoofed by Stan Freberg in his recording "Those Old Payola Roll Blues."

[DavidS]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:
Classical in commercials is pretty much everywhere.

On reflection, you are right, Selma. It is also true for cellphone ringtones.
Do we draw encouragement from that?

[Schmeelkie]

I'm not always thrilled with the commercials...but I'll take them over your PBS stations fund drives any day. Besides, I listen at work (in cube-land) on headphones and usually just flick the headphones back during the commercials so I can barely hear it and put them back on when the music starts again. In the car, I switch between several channels to avoid commercials, or will switch to a CD. I also aggressively use my mute button on the TV - thus will only hear a commercial if I'm intrigued (or totally confused) by what I'm watching (or Pumpkin wakes up from his nap and I don't turn off the TV). And on the rare occasions that my husband and I get to see movies, I tend to arrive in the theater 5 min late so I miss most of the commercials (but I like the previews, so am never too late).

So, the woo hoos can be a bit annoying, but the DJ's usually talk before the commercials, so if you know they're coming, you can be prepared.

[Serenity]

So i take it you dislike "talk radio"?

[Schmeelkie]

Well Serenity, I can't do any work that requires thinking when someone is talking. Sometimes I'll switch to an all '80's station when I'm doing something completely mindless at work, but mostly it's classical.

Besides, I find that most talk radio people are preaching to their own choir and act as though if you don't agree with them, you're stupid. And they're not all that bright themselves (e.g., 'Dr.' Laura - no PhD or MD - not that that doesn't qualify her as smart, just you shouldn't call yourself Dr. if you don't have the qualifications). (E.g.2, the other day on the shuttle bus from my parking lot to work a talk show host was talking about the military coming down on drill instructors who abuse their students - he said (paraphrased), 'not that I condone masochism, but if you can't handle being beaten up by your DI, you won't be able to handle the realities of war.' Um - isn't masochism when you hurt yourself...., and how does not trusting your superiors to be level-headed help you in war? but that's another topic)

[Serenity]

I agree. I listen to B.com to shut out all the office chatter.

[BigJon@Work]

Originally posted by Selma in Sandy Eggo:
I remember the Cirque du Soleil ads. So do you. Ah, well, ads are supposed to be memorable and I guess those ads were. See, the advertisers were right. They worked

The Cirque du Soleil shows have live sung music that I can't understand. I don't know what language the music and the comedy acts are in, but I don't understand it. They're still fascinating - I love Cirque.

Yep, memorable. Drove me to never, ever even consider attending a Cirque show.

In case you didn't know, the language in the shows is made up.

BigJon