R2OK!

Minx · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:00 am Post subject:

Take your point Ron, though what worries me is the vast amount of really good music from a certain era, from say the thirties onwards, which is not getting an airing these days apart from with good old MC Desmo. These songs are not even from my era, but my parents and grandparents used to sing along to them and they're as much a part of my musical heritage as theirs.

Just as I remember them because they formed part of my childhood, today's kids are only ever going to remember the frankly crappy, poppy rubbish that R2 is churning out. They're being denied access to some great music. Good music didn't only start when the Beatles did, but you could forgive some kids for thinking that, because that's what constitutes history for them.
_________________
Minx

To err is human, to forgive - canine.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

MadeinSurrey · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:40 am Post subject:

Minx and Helen, you are both so right! I was flabbergasted by that Uni Challenge question, H - or rather by the complete lack of knowledge.
It doesn't augur well - we need a decent radio station playing quality artists. When do we ever get to hear Ella, Frank, Bing, etc these days?
_________________
MiS

undiscovered · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 650 Location: Peterborough

kengeo · Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 278 Location: Gloucestershire

Just Like Starting Over was not one of Lennon's best efforts, and was on its way out of the charts just prior to his death, this sad event reversed its fortunes and it shot to number one.

I have to agree with the previous poster, when I was 18 my head was full of The Sex Pistols, Blondie, The Jam, The Police, Elvis Costello and the Undertones etc. If I was asked a question about Bill Haley, Michael Holiday, Adam Faith or even Elvis Preseley I probably wouldn't of had a clue. Even then the Beatles had more or less passed me by.

Only in later life have I gained a desire for more knowledge interest from across all genres.

I have to say that Radio One DJ's back then had more musical knowledge than our current presenters and whetted my appetite for music.

Of the current bunch only Radcliffe and Maconie can do this.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

undiscovered · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 650 Location: Peterborough

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

jimmy mac · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 21 Location: st neots

The contestant on Popmaster this morning correctly named 3 Temptations hits in 3 in 10 but still lost but he was also well out of time on the Deacon Blue question so it should have been a draw...so the guy lost but should have won but since it was a draw he could have won ....or lost...total confusion...sums the show up really

jim

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

ruddlescat · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 18010 Location: Near Chester

I'm sorry but I think its quite ridiculous and indeed worrying that 4 so called intelligent 18 year olds at one of out top Universities not only could not recognise the John Lennon extract played but also none of the others either
There are often contestants on Popmaster in their thirties who are quite capable of answering questions on sixties music so age is no excuse
When I was at university in the seventies it was an experience in education for life not just the subject being studied
What on earth is wrong with these people? Is it the level of their student loans which is dulling their intelligence
Its just as well they didn't get asked any questions on Beethoven or Handel otherwise it could have been even more embarrasing
_________________
Are you ready for a Ruddles?

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Not so sure I agree with you, Ruddles. After all, as a previous post has said, why should a 20 year old recognise that song, which was recorded ten years before he/she was born?
If, as you rightly say, University should be a lesson in life (eg pop culture) and not just academic subjects then surely they would be experts on today's charts whereas we are not.
And similarly an 80 year old would not have recognised the Lennon song either (which is bloody awful anyway). Each generation to it's own.

I get more worried when these supposedly intelligent students don't recognise a painting by Turner or Goya.

And getting back to Popmaster today, the bloke said 'it's not Deacon Blue'. Zoe then coughed as if to say 'yes it is', and he changed his mind and got his three points. A bit unfair I thought.
And didn't the contestant correctly give three Temptations hits, before Zoe said he'd only got two? I may be wrong as I was only half listening.

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

If these students couldn't recognise Elvis i rekon they should not pass their degrees

Ally Gory · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 72

I don't accept a comparison between Popmaster and University Challenge has any validity whatsoever. Although some contestants only seem to have a go so they can say hello to their relatives, most are on Popmaster because they have an interest in music and want to test that specific knowledge. University Challenge is wholly different in the wide range of subjects questions can be selected from and the contestants are just as likely to need to identify Chaos Theory or Debussy as Lennon or Ian Dury.

undiscovered · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 650 Location: Peterborough

Minx · Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:43 am Post subject:

In defence of these students, I would say that I heard the track but although I recognised it (obviously Laughing

) I didn't think that the few bars I heard sounded like Lennon, so I was concentrating on thinking on who else could have recorded it successfully.

I knew all the others though. Wink

_________________
Minx

To err is human, to forgive - canine.

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

I heard Chris hand over between Zoe and him this morning ( Wednesday ). He mentioned about Popmaster, then 10 minutes through the show Zoe mentioned she had a written T&C how to run popmaster from her producer. It tells her how many points for each question. It obviously was a little tongue and cheek, someone has been reading these message boards. Laughing

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

What does get me is when you get contestants on Pop Master & they have no idea on a question & they say "Not my era!". One guy said that more than once! Really annoys me. If they go on popmaster, they need to have some knowledge of Pop music across the decades
I wouldn't diss anyone for doing badly on it. I'm sure my mind would go blank on it or I would get all the "wrong" questions. But using the "Not my era" excuse is a bit lame! Surprised

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 11:30 am Post subject:

I wouldn't get many (any?) of the 1960s questions correct as it's "not my era" - for some reason I've never particularly clicked with anything from that decade - apologies to everyone (Hi Helen!) who likes SOTS.*

20 year olds not knowing "Starting Over"? I was 20 in 1986. I suspect I would have been hard pressed to answer questions on early 1970s music back then. My musical interest only really started when I was about 12 or so, and didn't develop into the more eclectic style it is now until I reached 25 or so. I'm digging out more and more 1970s music and popping it onto my iPod through listening to R2 and for that I'm grateful, in addition to the contemporary stuff that Bob promotes.

* Of course, if anyone cares to supply me with a list of say 10 must-listen-to tracks from the 60s, I'll happily give it a whirl....

Cheers,

Cherskiy
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

undiscovered · Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 650 Location: Peterborough

ColinB · Guest

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Cherskiy: the trouble with listening to SOTS (which I enjoy) is that it concentrates too much on the early 60s. The presenter and producer seem stuck in a pre 1963 time warp when much of the music wasn't that good. Anyone listening would think it was all about obscure B-sides by Frank Ifield and Del Shannon.

So to balance things up, here is my list of ten 60s songs which sum up the decade for me (not my favourites, just good songs) and which you really should hear:

Jimmy Mack--Martha And The Vandellas
All Day And All Of The Night--Kinks
Like A Rolling Stone--Bob Dylan
Good Vibrations--Beach Boys
Shapes Of Things--Yardbirds
Going Back--Dusty Springfield
All Or Nothing--Small Faces
White Room--Cream
Jesamine--Casuals
You Can't Always Get What You Want (album version)--Rolling Stones

I can't imagine Ken Bruce playing those (not camp enough).

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

He has played the Stones - very recently - as the long track after Popmaster.

Phil Swern concentrates less on the pre-Beatles era than his predecessor. On Saturday at least 14 of the 34 tracks dated from 1966 onwards
_________________
Ron

Blondehedgehog · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 286 Location: UK

Never mind pop master.......Get that woman off Kens show...... Rolling Eyes

I thought it was a mums net meeting as I caught a slice of it in the car this moring......the womans dreadful.................she cant stop chatting about her children
_________________
I like hedgehog crisps

ColinB · Guest

Gnasty Gnome · Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 313 Location: West Wales

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Zoe Ball has been an absolute ball!! Excelent show Cool

A bit disapointing cheesy Ken is back next week, but I will still tune in

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19333 Location: Cheshire

Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3415 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Blondehedgehog · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 286 Location: UK

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

She loves her husband and wants to tell the nation. It's like Sir Elton John loves flowers, when he told a court many years ago over his expenses.

Blondehedgehog · Joined: 16 Sep 2010 Posts: 286 Location: UK

_________________
I like hedgehog crisps

Schizoidman · Joined: 20 Sep 2010 Posts: 1140 Location: Rural West Sussex

Colin: I agree, In My Room is a fabulous song, great tune and harmonies.

And as for the sublime Let It Bleed album, that represents the band at their height in 1969. My vinyl copy says on the inner sleeve 'this record should be played loud'.
Incidentally there was a very good interview with Keef about his autobiog on BBC2 this evening.

ColinB · Guest

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2010 5:26 pm Post subject: