I live in Boston now, but my formative music-listening years were spent in the Hartford area. Some of my fondest memories of the time were driving around listening to Radio 104, the region's lone "alt-rock" station. (To this day, I still remember which street I was driving down when I first heard the Meat Puppets' "Backwater," [it was Montauk Drive] and Edwyn Collins' "Girl Like You" doesn't sound quite right when I listen to it anywhere except inside the confines of my 1992 Subaru.) And even when the station shifted towards Creed/Limp Bizkit mook-rock post-2000, it was still the best (if only) outlet for alternative rock in my town. Plus, I was reviewing concerts for the Hartford Courant after college graduation, and the bulk of the shows I wrote about were sponsored by Radio 104. The station helped me earn a good chunk of change. (Also, Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider's syndicated morning-zoo radio show originated out of this station.)
A few years ago (2003?) I was at work on a Friday afternoon, and Radio 104 played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at 4:55 p.m., then, without warning, became a hip-hop/rap station... despite the fact that the Hartford market already had a hip-hop/rap station. My concert review opportunities dried up almost overnight (though this was rendered moot when I moved to Boston), and the Hartford market had NO alt-rock station. Until this past weekend.
Radio 104 re-launched this weekend, as "fm 104one," and it's like the station never left. The playlist hasn't changed one iota since they changed formats 3 years ago. Here's a sample of songs that I heard (online streaming) on a recent Tuesday afternoon:
- "What It's Like," Everlast
- "By The Way," Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Girls & Boys," Blur
- "Mr. Jones," Counting Crows
- "Headstrong," Trapt
- "Big Me," Foo Fighters
- "So Much To Say," Dave Matthews Band
A friend of mine derisively refers to Connecticut as "The Land of Metal That Time Forgot," (the state's metal scene has thrived for years -- think Hatebreed), so I understand the station's hesitancy to get "too indie," to a constituency that doesn't have the ears for it. But knowing that other stations across the country -- L.A.'s 103.1 FM, San Diego's 94.9 FM, countless others across the nation -- successfully integrate modern indie (Rilo Kiley! Against Me!!) with the classic alternative stuff reminds me what a half-hearted return this is for one of the favorite stations of my youth.
Current listening: Dirt Farmer, Levon Helm
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