I had a very long and convoluted journey into work this morning, due to one thing or another, which gave me more time than usual to sample the delights of my ipod.
When you've got it on random, it's amazing how often the same things come up, day after day. Probably the last few times I've randomized I've got Norma Waterson's version of God Loves A Drunk, Cousin Norman by Marmalade and always something from the soundtrack to Requiem For A Dream on consecutive days. Why does this happen?
Anyhoo, apart from Norma, today spewed forth a lot of Foreigner. I'd forgotten what a fanatastic number Urgent is. Then came Hot Blooded, which I only recently realised was sampled by Ton Loc in Funky Cold Medina. You can keep you're I Want To Know What Love Is, but the rest simply rock. There's no xenophobia on my ipod.
Where are they now?
7 comments:
They're still going, according to Wikipedia. They've been touring with Def Leppard and Styx, and they're working on a new album. Oh, and the current line-up includes Jason 'son of John' Bonham.
On the iPod randomiser, the guys who wrote 'Freakonomics' (which I just finished, and which I can recommend) talk about this on their blog:
http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/2005/08/page/3/
Their basic point is that most people don't really understand the concept of 'randomness' - if you tossed a coin 50 times and it came up heads every time, that's every bit as 'random' as if it came up with roughly equal numbers of heads and tails. At least, I think that's what they mean.
Yeah, they are still going but without Lou Gram.
And, I've Been Waiting For a Girl Like You never works as a chat-up line.
And Mick Jones' stepson is Mark Ronson, who I think rather rocks.
'Your teeth are like stars - they come out at night' is another rubbish chat up line.
Don't get too excited, F-C, but Foreigner are touring this autumn. Personally, I think they're dreadful.
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/artist/735109/?search_redirect=foreigner&tm_link=tm_header_search
As for the iPod thing, there was an article in the Guardian alst year that covered just this. Buggered if I can find it anywhere online though. To be honest, it was quite tedious, but yes, the official line is they're totally random, but total randomness can throw up what appear to be related tracks or tracks you think you hear every time (like Tim T's 50 heads above). So Apple invented the "Smart Shuffle" (go to your preferences, iTunes users) which appears more random when it's actually less random.
OK, I've bored myself now.
Get your coat, F-C, you've pulled.
Oh well thanks everyone for those tips, and to the Squirrel for that bit of itunes insight. I shall do it forthwith.
Glad to hear Foreigner are still on the road. Not sure I'd want to see them though, without Lou Gram.
Another iPod selection technique which I favour is the 'pick a letter' one( a big favourite in the car, for some reason). For example, "Today we will be listening to the letter R". Go to 'songs' and scroll to start of titles beginning with 'R'. So, Racey (snuck into the 'songs' file rather than the 'artist', but welcome nonetheless) are followed by 'Racist Friend', which is followed by 'Radar Love', which is followed by...you get the idea.
Obviously not a random selection, but somehow seems equally democratic.
Yes, I know what you mean on that one Ishould. I've often started from A, and because the artists are all different, yet begin with the letter A, it is like a compilation. So everybody wins.
Post a Comment