Blog Posts by Robert of the Radish

2006 was the 20th anniversary of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, whose most well-known function is "to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll by inducting them into the Hall of Fame."

An artist or band cannot be eligible for induction until 25 years from the release of their debut album. And the official criteria for consideration include "the influence and significance of the artist's contribution to the development and perpetuation of rock and roll".  Of course, many sub-genres feel they are under represented at the Hall, so not everyone agrees with the foundation's selections. 2006 inductee The Sex Pistols even referred to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a "Piss Stain". But then again the Sex Pistols would not be the Sex Pistols without such a comment, and in fact, the band generated much more publicity by publicly rejecting the Hall of Fame.

Personally, I'm not so sure I

Although I love all genres of music, and usually pick what I listen to based on my mood, I find that lower-key music wins a good chunk of the time. In addition, I'm love acoustic guitar. I've always loved the instrument since I first heard Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan and Crosby, Stills & Nash way back in high school.

I put this playlist together for myself. It features new-ish male indie singer-songwriters and acoustic guitars. I have no preference of male over female vocalists, but honing it further made sense to me, so keep an eye out for the female version to come.

Although you could certainly argue that not all of the artists in this list could be considered "indie", especially Kevin Devine, Ray Lamontagne, Damien Rice and Ryan Adams; I find that their music fits like a glove with artists like Elliot Smith, M. Ward, Badly Drawn Boy and Iron & Wine. I've taken care to include only significant tracks that feature the beauty of a good voice and an acoustic guitar.

In the end, this

I'm a sucker for a good death related playlist and for this death-centric collection of songs I thought I'd return to a favorite subject of rock and roll — suicide. It's a theme you can find woven through every style of music created by mankind. This playlist contains 20 great songs about the act of killing yourself, but it's limited to the "classic alternative" genre.

What's "classic alternative" you ask? Well, it's a personally tagged genre that helps me classify bands who create alternative music, but have been around for 15 years or more. It's not adult alternative, or indie, but the forefathers of these genres.

Bands like U2, R.E.M., The Replacements, Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain are all bands I would consider "classic alternative", and are all included in this playlist.

The destructive act of suicide does not only destroy a single life, but has serious impact on the lives those who loved the deceased. It always leaves unanswered

Although ABBA does not receive the same widespread respect across subcultures as a band like The Beatles, they were nonetheless a worldwide phenomenon, well within the borders of what could be called a "supergroup". The mixed-gender quartet has sold mind-boggling numbers of product. Over 300 million records sold worldwide puts them on a level enjoyed by very few. And their active years were only from 1972 through 1982.

The hits rolled in like waves during the 1970s for this Swedish band. ABBA had an uncanny knack for writing big, memorable hooks backed up with harmony, and rooted in European folk music, as opposed to the blues, which was the foundation that most rock & roll is built upon. They were also known for helping to bring synthesized sounds to the forefront, and for an extravagant fashion sense that appealed to the legions of disco fans around at the time. And as a side note for trivia buffs, the song "S.O.S." was the first song with a palindrome title by a group whose name

Roxy Music was born of the 1960's art rock movement and became very influential in the progression of avant-garde music and glam rock, as well as what would eventually become "new wave". Bryan Ferry leaned to the pop end of the spectrum and was an important ingredient in producing the kind of hooks that sell records, while Brian Eno was, and continues to be, a critical darling unafraid to push boundaries.

In addition to these two respected musicians, Roxy Music had 18 other band members over the course of the group's lifespan. This playlist contains musicians that were members of Roxy Music, or bands with members that were a part of Roxy Music at some point in time. It's a great family tree view of this important rock entity. The list below shows the members of Roxy Music as well as other projects each has been involved with, click any linked name for more information:

Bryan Ferry
Roxy Music

Phil Manzanera 
Quiet Sun
The Explorers
Roxy Music

Jimmy Maelen
Roxy Music

Roger Bunn
Quiet

For many in America Martin Luther King Jr. day is just another day off of work. Why no universal traditions, mass reflection or soul searching on how to build a better world free of injustice?

Sure, MLK day is an honored time for civil rights activists and an opportunity to shine a light on civil rights and the life of Martin Luther King. But what is it to you? How will you contribute to the dream of MLK this year? Will you help bring people together or drive us further apart?

This playlist honors the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. It may be a good starting point to help you reflect on not just this martyred American hero, but something even more important.

His cause.

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ode To MLK Playlist

1. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaking - Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Why? (The

The kazoo is an instrument that's easy to learn and easy to master. To create music with a kazoo, you simply put your mouth around one end and speak or sing through it.  This vibrates a membrane that's usually made of wax paper and poduces a distinctive buzzing sound.

The kazoo is played professionally in jug bands, comedy music and by amateurs everywhere, but for this playlist I wanted to include popular music that features the instrument. Some obvious choices are not included because they're not available on Yahoo Music Unlimited including, The Beatles "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", and "Lovely Rita" as well as the MTV unplugged version of The Cure's "The Walk".

So even if you can't play an instrument and have no singing talent, you can pick up a $.50 kazoo and easily jam along with this playlist.

The Kazoo Madness Playlist

1. San Francisco Bay Blues - Eric Clapton

2. Seaside Rendezvous - Queen

3. Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix Experience

4. Skinned - Blind Melon 

5. Let

Some time ago I read this article online about how scientists have discovered a genetic mutation that causes a rare disease, which makes those afflicted smell like rotten fish. Fish-odor syndrome (primary trimethylaminuria) is a bodily emission of trimethylamine (TMA). TMA is a byproduct in the breakdown of choline rich foods, such as fish, liver and eggs.

What a bummer disease.

Anyway, this story got me thinking about creating a playlst. Could I actually create a playlist of songs about "Smelling Like Fish"? Well, the answer is yes. The majority of the stinky fish songs I found are innuendo dealing with a certain part of the anatomy. And most of them are blues songs with the exception of "Rotten Fish" by Blowfly and "Seafood Taco" by Canned Hamm, which are.... well, just plain wrong.

If you're aware of any other fish-centric songs that fit this playlist please add them to the comments.

The Smells Like Fish Playlist

1. I Want Some Sea Food - Peetie Wheatstraw

2. No Fish For Me - Al