It's Only Rock And Roll

I went for the obvious as opposed to the obscure for this title tune. The rumors are flying that the Stones are getting together to cut a new album, and a tour will undoubtedly follow, if that's the case. So it isn't stretching things too much to use a Rolling Stones title for this complaint. If the Stones do indeed put out a new compilation, where will I be able to hear it? Nowadays, the artists' web site is the most likely place. In New York there is no more rock and roll radio that's going to go out on a limb and play anything that isn't already proven to be a hit. If you doubt what I'm saying, just try and name three tunes off the "Bridges To Babylon" disc. See my point? Even the group labeled, " The World's Greatest Rock And Roll Band" isn't a shoe-in for automatic radio play. On the other hand, Spruce Stringbean and the Pee Street Band are also coming out with a new album and I'm sure that my ears will be assaulted with that drech non-stop. I have to ask, who decides what music gets played on the radio? Yeah...I know, The Music Director. The stooge at some mass market conglomerate, who's given the power of his/her superiors and a laundry list of advertisers that're paying their salary dictate the choices of what I get to hear.
I've mentioned before that I used to be employed at a radio station and I don't think I'm bragging, by stating that I considered myself to be reasonably competent at what I did. Yet I was kicked to the curb for something not related to any on-air activity and I've been a nomad ever since. I listen to a great deal of disc jockeys, most of whom are not conversant in proper English, which I believe should be mandatory in a country where English is the national language. That aside, I'm REALLY pissed that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominees have been selected and Joan Jett was passed aside, but The Beastie Boys are being inducted. I was working at the one radio station I had any experience at, when the "License To Ill" album came out. My station was playing the song " Fight For The Right To Party". It was brash and abrasive and I thought that was something I'd get some mileage out of, so I invessted my hard earned cash on the LP. When I took it home and put it on my turntable, I was mortified that I'd wasted good money on that horrible piece of shit. There wasn't one good tune on it. I now even hate the song that inspired me to buy that piece of crapola. I cringe when I hear the name of the band, let alone any of their godawful songs. I've despised everything to date that I've heard by them and yet this lame-ass White-Boy Rap takes precedent over a real rocker, Joan ( Jett) Larkin? Who makes these decisions? I'm not a regular reader of Rolling Stone, and I think that Jan Wenner is one of the major dipshits who calls the shots, and this is a fine example of why I'm reluctant to put any faith in what's written in that rag. I have to wonder what defines Rock And Roll, and what separates it from other Popular Music? Hell, they mights as well start nominating every schmoe who had a top ten hit to the institution, they don't seem to be too discriminatory about who gets in and who doesn't, so don't be surprised if Weird Al Yankovic, Barry Manilow, and Slim Whitman also get their names on the roster. Nobody makes a stink over the selections, so who am I to make those decisions? I seem to be wrong about everything else on this planet of our.