Tag / Boiler Up!

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Mix Tape Monday – Volume 6 Revisited

Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD.  Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.

Volume 6 takes us through the end of high school, through the summer, and into the beginning of my freshman year of college.  Sadly, this is not the original version of volume 6, which was lost after being borrowed by my sister for a party.  The steady stream of hair metal and pop starts to become overtaken by alternative and hip-hop.

Side A

Genesis – I Can’t Dance

The last hit for Genesis has more than tripled its number of listens in the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 4/12/2015

Ugly Kid Joe – Everything About You

The first hit for the band who came up a few years too late has put together a decent increase over the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 8 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 15 plays, most recently on 8/7/2014

Joe Public – Live and Learn

The one hit for the so-called new jack swing group managed to double its plays since our last check.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 4/2/2015

Boyz II Men – Please Don’t Go

I still haven’t listened to the final release from Cooleyhighharmony.

2012 iTunes stats: Never Played

2015 iTunes stats: Never Played

Def Leppard – Make Love Like A Man

The second hit from Adrenalize also managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 8 plays, most recently on 8/16/2014

Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

Somehow, I haven’t listened to this song at all over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 7 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 3/31/2012

Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Under The Bridge

The mainstream breakthrough hit for the Chilli Peppers, and the first appearance of “alternative” music, has had a healthy increase.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 5 plays, most recently on 1/10/2015

Side B

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Time To Go Dancing

It’s that time of year again, as the nation’s attention turns to the college hoops scene for the next few weeks. I’m in three different pools again this year, one at work, one at my mom’s work, and one run by a friend.  For the first time since 2012, the Purdue Boilermakers return to the tournament, though they will not have an easy go of it.

2015midwestrd1The Midwest bracket has the overall #1 seed, the undefeated Kentucky, who I envision will make it to the Final Four.  Purdue, should they make it past their first round opponent, will run into Kentucky in the second round, so it is extremely unlikely they make it past this weekend.

2015westrd1After winning the Big Ten Tournament, Wisconsin earned the #1 seed in the West bracket.  The only big upset I am picking here is Ohio State over VCU.

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Back To The Dance

purduebasketballFor the first time since 2012, the Purdue mens basketball team is heading to the NCAA tournament, earning a 9 seed in the Midwest region and an opening round game against Cincinnati.  Of course, should they advance to the second round, they will face the overall #1 seed, the undefeated Kentucky.

After a shaky start to this season, including an embarrassing home loss to Gardner-Webb in December, the Boilers turned things around during conference play, finishing in a 3-way tie for third place and earning a double-bye in the Big 10 Tournament.

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Fitbit Week 5

Week5_FBThe week got off to a slow, but rebounded to be my best week in 2 months.  Sunday was its usual slack day, not even breaking 4000 steps.  The work week was very productive, with my worst day, Tuesday, just missing 6500 steps.  Saturday managed to be a plus day, thanks to a trip down to Purdue with Danny and Michael for an exciting basketball contest against the University of Illinois.

Total steps: 51,124

Daily average: 7303.4

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Top 200 Albums – #38 – 45

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today, we look at the 8 albums that rank from 45th through 38th, with 68-75 listens.

#38: The Beatles – Please Please Me [2009 Stereo Remaster]
iTunes stats: 75 plays
The remastered version of the first Beatles album uses 7 songs to make the list.

#38: Poison: Swallow This Live
iTunes stats: 75 plays
The first CD I ever owned, which I received for Christmas in December of 1991, makes the list thanks to 8 tracks from the double album.

#40: Pearl Jam – Vs.
iTunes stats: 71 plays
Pearl Jam’s second album, which I purchased as a midnight release at the record store in Purdue West whose name escapes me, makes the list thanks to 7 tunes.

#40: Various Artists – Television’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
iTunes stats: 71 plays
23 theme songs, from shows like Perry Mason, Leave It To Beaver, and The Munsters, make up the total from this compilation.

#42: Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
iTunes stats: 69 plays
7 tracks make up the total for this breakthrough album.

#42: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour [2009 Stereo Remaster]
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Top 200 Albums – #54 – 64

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we crack the top 60 and look at the 11 albums between 64th and 54th place with 52-57 listens.

#54: Foo Fighters – The Colour And The Shape
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Many years ago, a few years after the album had been released, I picked this up for $5 at Best Buy on Black Friday. Since that time, 4 tracks have made up this total.

#54: Garbage – Garbage
iTunes stats: 57 plays
The debut album from the Garbagers, whose total would be higher if not for their greatest hits album, makes the list on the backs of 12 tunes.

#54: David Cross – Shut Up, You Fucking Baby!
iTunes stats: 57 plays
Every track from the first comedy album from David Cross makes up this total.

#57: George Carlin – Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics
iTunes stats: 56 plays
If I remember correctly, this special was my first introduction to George Carlin as a young man back in the late 80s. The whole album makes up its total.

#57: Various Artists – Monsters Of Rap
iTunes stats: 56 plays
10 tracks, from the likes of Onyx, Positive K, and 3rd Bass, make up the total for this compilation album.

#59: Garbage – Not Your Kind Of People
iTunes stats: 55 plays
The latest album from Garbage uses 13 tracks to make up this total.

#60: Bon Jovi – Cross Road
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Top 200 Albums – #84 – 91

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today, we get closer to the top of the list and crack the 80s by looking at the 3 albums tied for 84th with 40 listens and the 5 albums tied for 87th with 39 listens.

#84: Rolling Stones – Forty Licks
iTunes stats: 40 plays
This all-encompassing, double CD hits package has 13 different tracks to make up its total.

#84: Tegan and Sara – If It Was You
iTunes stats: 40 plays
8 tracks from Tegan and Sara’s second album, and the one that introduced them to me, makes up its total.

#84: Purdue University Marching Band – Back Home In Indiana
iTunes stats: 40 plays
A version of the fight song for my alma mater makes up this entire total all by its lonesome.

#87: Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
iTunes stats: 39 plays
7 songs from Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance, the first Nirvana album released following the death of Kurt Cobain, put it on this list.

#87: Def Leppard – Hysteria
iTunes stats: 39 plays
The first album that I fell in love with back in junior high makes this list on the back of 7 different tracks.

#87: Dr. Dre – 2001
iTunes stats: 39 plays
3 tracks from Dr. Dre’s second, and, to date, last, solo album make up this total.

#87: Gin Blossoms – New Miserable Experience
iTunes stats: 39 plays
The debut album for the alt rock band lands on this chart thanks to 4 different tunes.

#87: Various Artists – Austin Powers
iTunes stats: 39 plays
The soundtrack to the original Austin Powers film, featuring the work of artists like Strawberry Alarm Clock and Divinyls, makes this list thanks to 4 songs.

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Top 200 Albums – #131 – 138

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list and look at the 4 albums tied for 135th with 31 listens and the 4 albums tied for 131st with 32 listens.

#131: Pearl Jam – Vitalogy
iTunes stats: 32 plays
The 3rd studio album from the Seattle grunge band, and the last that I purchased, uses the totals from 4 different tracks.

#131: Various Artists – Rock N’ Roll Era: 1958
iTunes stats: 32 plays
This edition of the Time Life series, featuring songs by The Big Bopper, The Monotones, and Little Richard, had 7 songs make up its total.

#131: Various Artists – Pulp Fiction OST
iTunes stats: 32 plays
The soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus, featuring tracks by Urge Overkill and Dusty Springfield, had 6 songs and/or movie clips make up its total.

#131: Various Artists – Bones (Original Television Soundtrack)
iTunes stats: 32 plays
Only one tune, the original version of the theme song, contributes to the total for this soundtrack album for the long running Fox show.

#135: Weezer – Weezer (Green Album)
iTunes stats: 31 plays
After a long layoff, Weezer returned in the early 2000s with their third album, which had 2 songs make up this total.

#135: Guns N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion I
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Book 17 (of 52) – We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm

We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm: The Oral History Of Q101 - James VanOsdol

We Appreciate Your Enthusiasm: The Oral History Of Q101 – James VanOsdol

In 1992, Q101 flipped their format from adult contemporary to alternative rock, starting a 19 year journey that took them to both the top and bottom of Chicago’s radio rankings.  James VanOsdol, one of the jocks from the station’s mid-90s heyday, put together this history of the station, starting with it’s switch from Murphy in the Morning to the Cure in 1992 to the station’s swansong in 2011, ending as they started with Friday, I’m In Love.

I started listening to Q101 probably soon after they became Chicago’s New Rock Alternative, which coincided with the end of my senior year of high school.  Despite going to college 120 miles away, in Backwater, Indiana, it would not be an understatement to say that the station, and the music it played, was the soundtrack to my college years, and looking back to those years was easily my favorite part of the book.  Hearing recollections from all of the familiar names from back then, Robert Chase, Samantha James, “Join Me” Steve Fisher, and Wendy & Bill, brings me back to that time.

In 1998, Mancow moved his morning madhouse to Q101 from Rock 103.5 and the feel of the station started to change, which was part of the reason I stopped listening as frequently.  The music became harder, Tori Amos and Jewel gave way to Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, to connect with Mancow’s audience and nuMetal was not something I was into.  I would still tune in occassionally, but not nearly as often.  While this is what pushed me away from the station as a listener, the stories from this time period are fascinating.  The culture clash between the Q101 people and the Mancow people is probably deserving of a book all of its own.

By the time Mancow left in 2006, I had left terrestrial radio behind for Sirius.  Alt Nation and Lithium were now my go-to channels for my alternative music fix, so this era of Q101 I was mostly unfamiliar with.  When the station was sold in June of 2011, it didn’t really register in my world.  I can’t remember if I tuned in on the final night, July 14, 2011, or caught a stream or YouTube of it later, but I heard the end, when a bunch of “current” and former jocks got together to say goodbye, exiting as they entered nearly 20 years earlier with Friday, I’m In Love.

This book came out 2 years ago, and, in the time since, the 101.1 frequency has gone through multiple formats and is once again playing alternative music under the call letters of WKQX, though not the Q101 name.  A few weeks back, I was in a friend’s car where I heard the “new” station for the first time, and heard a Live song from 1994.  In a way, it was like nothing had ever changed.