South Bend radio needs more crunk

There’s plenty to miss (and not to miss) about Memphis. Barbecue, warm weather and the word “y’all” doesn’t come with the territory up here in the Great White North. What I miss most about Memphis, though, is decent radio.

Radio in South Bend revolves around classic rock, alternative and christian music. 17-year-old Brandon would have been pleased, but 17-year-old Brandon also had horrible taste in music. The few standouts (i.e., the ones that don’t feature the afore mentioned genres) are interesting (especially the Urban Christian *sigh* station), but are only listenable for twenty minutes or so. I can only listen to White Snake for so long before going mad. (No wonder the 80’s turned out the way it did).

Compared to South Bend, Memphis technically doesn’t have the variety of music that my selective memory is affording me. Like most major cities, the variety of radio stations in Memphis has been lost in favor of a smattering of Top-40 stations and the occasional genre station. However, the stations in Memphis that play non-Top-40 are so much better than what’s played here.

For example, Power 95.7, the rap station in town has nothing on Hot 107.1. I mean, 107.1 was featured in Hustle and Flow. Not so much for 95.7. They also have better access to a fledging community of performers who want to break into the business. People in South Bend seem to want to either drink beer or stay away from the cold, preferably both.

The soul station in Memphis, Soul Classics 103.5, blows the local soul station out of the water simply because they play Motown on top of their slow stuff. Memphis even has a faux Top-40 station in Snap 94.1, which intersperses the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Justin Timberlake (which, really, what station in Memphis doesn’t play him at some point?) with the likes of older acts like Barry White or the Jackson 5.

And to top it all off, nobody in town has nearly as good of a morning show as Drake and Zeke hands down. Sorry, Bob and Tom, you just don’t cut it, although I suspect your Web site is better…

It makes me sad that when driving around that when I’m driving around in Sunny Mishawaka, the closest I’ll get to some crunk music is Styx. I figure Lil’ John’s got a great breakin point in “Mr. Roboto” about halfway through once they get past the slow beginning.

An aside, as entertaining as endlessly comparing Memphis/Tennessee and South Bend/Indiana sounds in my head, I’m afraid I’m going to break into Yakov Smirnoff territory if I keep going. And while I’m not afraid to tell a good submarine screen door joke, nobody likes a whiner.

Wino’s maybe, but not whiners.