By Cousin Geoff:

I’ve been wanting Satellite Radio for a while, after listening to Justin’s Sirius since he got it a year ago and then hanging out up north with Gerard listening to Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio hour on XM. 

I’ve also been toying with the idea of getting an ipod, so I can record some of my records to listen to in the car (although I can just do that now with a CD).  I came across the Pioneer Inno, which is a player for XM that is portable and also can store 1GB of audio files from both mp3s and recorded material from XM’s programming.  If you choose to store just recorded XM audio, the limit is around 50 hours.  So I could record and save enough Theme Time Radio Hours to last me over two days straight of listening.  Bob Dylan’s show is the reason I’m leaning towards XM.

But for the rest of XM’s programming?  I’m not exactly blown away.  I signed up for a free 3 day trial.  Maybe I’m spoiled living around here and being able to tune into Ypsilanti’s WEMU’s 89.1 Jazz and Blues station, and Ann Arbor’s WCBN, which has one of the best reggae shows in the country (served up by our friend Brian Tomsic).  WEMU’s specialty is jazz, and their DJs have an unbelievable knowledge and taste - and they play the kind of classic jazz off labels like Prestige, Blue Note, CTI, ect. that I’m into.  They play decent blues when it’s on, but it’s limited.  WEMU also plays some of the best National Public Radio shows, which does radio the way it should be.  Plus, it’s free. 

XM’s stations for the most part seem to be a bit generic.  It sounds like someone’s ipod shuffle across a broad range, instead of specialized formats thoughtfuly carried out by a real person.  Their reggae station, The Joint, apparently just changed their format, which is extremely disappointing.  They advertise that they play roots, rocksteady, ska, and dancehall in a “daily trip to Jamaica”, but it’s really much more modern and commericalized.  I want to discover new music, I want to listen to the best reggae DJs in the world.  I was expecting to tune into more specialized shows, with the deepest roots, the rarest ska, the heaviest dub, the most energetic dancehall.  I want the soul of the music - I don’t want some preprogrammed set list from a limited database.  I’m worried that sattelite radio will be taken over by a Clear Channel type media giant and be ruined, streamlining to the masses in order to increase profitablity.  As I write this, I’m more thouroughly convinced that a computer is selecting the songs because it went from a great instrumental version of One Love to Shaggy. 

The soul I’m talking about is certainly the case with Bob Dylan’s show, which was the greatest radio experience I’ve ever had.  Bob reaches way back in his own personal record collection, playing a mix of roots, country, bluegrass, blues, Americana, folk, and Rhythm and Blues, all woven in with Dylan’s cool distinct voice telling stories about the songs.  It’s the way radio should be.  Tom Petty also has a similar program, and that also looks extremely promising. 

It appears as if Sirius has more shows like I’m describing, but they don’t have Bob Dylan.  They do have a better selection of rock channels, like their Underground Garage channel which looks fantastic and is one of Justin’s favorites.  There’s definitely pluses and minuses to both.

It will take some more investigating and exploring.  I’ve enjoyed the bluegrass, Willie Nelson, and old school rap channels so far on XM (and despite the shortcomings, I’ll still listen to The Joint).  In the summertime, I know I’d enjoy the Major League Baseball channel, which broadcasts every game of every team.  I’m waiting patiently for them to play an encore set of Bob Dylan, which may make it all worth it.