Random Music Thoughts

The last time I was in London, I took the train from Heathrow into downtown. I didn't know that the train goes right by Battersea Power Station until it suddenly came into view. I didn't have the time to get my camera out before it was behind me. Grrrr.
 
Very random thoughts burble within.

Why does my mind - when set to Music mode - come up with tunes that I haven't heard or listened to in years, if not decades?

Within the last few days, the tune of "Old Black Joe" came to mind, as well as - at different times -"The Syncopated Clock" and the theme music to "Captain Kangaroo." Certain themes from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, at least, I have listened to more recently, but not that recently.

Okay, while my internal CD player is glitching, or reminding me, another thought demands to be heard. I am not thought-broadcasting today, so here goes:

Last week, I half-listened to a Youtube podcast about, I think, rock groups that retained one member of the original group. Not a lot of the AI generated content stood out to me, but I was brought back to my present senses by The Eagles being mentioned and their comeback live album entitled, Health Freezes Over. Somewhere further along that broadcast, I was intrigued to find The Scorpions' most iconic song being renamed, "Rocky Like a Hurricane."

A Seal Beach grocery store where I shop plays recognizable tunes. Last evening, I heard Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train" and Christopher Cross's "Never Be the Same." Last week, they played Foreigner's "Hot Blooded." Nothing can make one feel more humbled than initially trying to sing along while picking up fruit in the Produce section while there are teens and even young adults walking about. I do not need to remind anyone that I am solidly in the 70+ age category.

Come to think of it, I need to add this to the Creepy Songs Thread.

That is all. Stay untuned, my friends.
 
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www.theguardian.com

Khruangbin, again? I quit Spotify for a month to escape samey algorithms – this is what I learned

After being served the same artists again and again, my tastes were narrowing – so I tried vinyl, iPods and radio to see if I could rediscover the joy of finding new music
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

One music-lover's experience quitting Spotify due to same old algorithm songs

Came upon this on The Guardian a day after I was driving with my wife asking her "Why does 'Go Your Own Way' pop up on every Spotify playlist you listen to"? She enjoys Fleetwood Mac but too wondered - it's not her favorite Fleetwood Mac song and wonders why "Tusk" or "You Make Loving Fun" or others pop up. I even laughed as her car showed a Rock Playlist picture of a tattooed Travis Barker of Blink-182 for the playlist which was filled with songs from Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" (another frequent song on my wife's playlists")

This is why I use my own playlists on Spotify. If you listen to music to any substantial degree, you never get cool new suggestions, artists on their playlists. Of course everyone here knows this - just griping. :)
 
religionofsports.substack.com

What’s Going On: Marvin Gaye’s Tryout with the Detroit Lions

One of the great forgotten moments of NFL history came in 1970 in Motown
religionofsports.substack.com religionofsports.substack.com

Marvin Gaye Once Tried Out for the Detroit Lions

Not sure how this little trivial tidbit evaded me until now, but right before What's Going On he was on a little musical hiatus, was buddies with two Lions, and trained to try out for the team
Two of the voices in the beginning of the song "What's Going On" are two of the Lions players who were friends of his
 
Zeeba Neighba said:
www.theguardian.com

Khruangbin, again? I quit Spotify for a month to escape samey algorithms – this is what I learned

After being served the same artists again and again, my tastes were narrowing – so I tried vinyl, iPods and radio to see if I could rediscover the joy of finding new music
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

One music-lover's experience quitting Spotify due to same old algorithm songs

Came upon this on The Guardian a day after I was driving with my wife asking her "Why does 'Go Your Own Way' pop up on every Spotify playlist you listen to"? She enjoys Fleetwood Mac but too wondered - it's not her favorite Fleetwood Mac song and wonders why "Tusk" or "You Make Loving Fun" or others pop up. I even laughed as her car showed a Rock Playlist picture of a tattooed Travis Barker of Blink-182 for the playlist which was filled with songs from Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac and Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" (another frequent song on my wife's playlists")

This is why I use my own playlists on Spotify. If you listen to music to any substantial degree, you never get cool new suggestions, artists on their playlists. Of course everyone here knows this - just griping. :)
Click to expand...
The latest controversy is Spotify pushing AI bands and songs, right?
 
Unsomnambulist said:
The latest controversy is Spotify pushing AI bands and songs, right?
Click to expand...

The author of this article seems to be saying that the Spotify AI algorithms are pushing out a homogenized fare of musical pablum without much variation but consistently including Khruangbin.

Music – like film, TV and food – is now served to us effortlessly, instantly. But this has caused the way we consume music to be more siloed. Spending a month hunting for new music myself, rather than relying on an algorithm, made me feel more connected to my parents, friends, radio presenters and even complete strangers. Their recommendations – whether to my taste or not – came with a part of themselves, a memory or a shared interest.
Click to expand...

Ah, that's the ticket. If only there was such a group on the internet.
 
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