There Must Be Some Kind Of Way Out Of Here

[athelind]

On my morning commutes, I shift between the local jazz station, two different classic rock stations, and the news-weather-and-traffic station on the radio. A classical station or two will sometimes make its way into the mix, depending on my mood and how recently my mechanic has unplugged my battery and wiped my presets.

(Hush, you whippersnappers; I'll stop listening to the radio when they figure out how to cram traffic updates into podcasts.)

This eclectic morning mix has revealed a deep and hitherto unsuspected facet of my personality:

I can hear the William Tell Overture without thinking, "Hi Ho, Silver!"

I can hear Also Sprach Zarathustra without picturing black monoliths.

For the life of me, though, I cannot hear Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" without thinking of Watchmen; I grew up on top 40 stations in the '70s rather than any decent rock venues, and thus my first real exposure to the song was Moore and Gibbon's invocation in the climax of the miniseries. Zack Snyder's cinematic adaptation may have been uneven in its execution, but its translation of that scene was perhaps the high point.

I must confess, however, that while nothing can equal the classic Jimi Hendrix rendition as a rock anthem, I still harbor an affection for Bear McCreary's haunting interpretation for the rebooted Battlestar Galactica:

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I would be honestly pleased if that version got the occasional radio airplay. It needs more love.

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Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

I really ought to pay more attention to radio - not just music, even, but all the drama and comedy. huskyteer's spoken highly of Cabin Pressure, for one. Musically, too, I'd welcome more variety in my listening - I've got a fair assortment on the iPad, but that can't compare to a seasoned DJ with a love of exploring music (ah, did John Peel have to leave us so soon..).

I need to catch up with what non-superhero stuff Gibbons and Bolland have been up to lately. My introduction to them, of course, was in the pages of 2000AD (indeed, you probably noticed Dave Gibbons' presence in that BL panel a few entries back). Heck, I could do with just catching up with 2000AD!

I wonder if a commute will be in my future again? Quite likely, I suppose. As is, of course, it might be quite local, or requiring a move south, or maybe even a move back to familiar Western territory. =:)

[drleo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I too really like the rendition from BSG. I have that in the music collection in my car.

[kyhwana.livejournal.com]

Ahh, missing the Rick Emerson show then? ;)

[kyhwana.livejournal.com]

Ahh, missing the Rick Emerson show then? ;)

[stalbon.livejournal.com]

I would appreciate having satellite or HD radio so that I can listen to more tunes and less talk on my way to and from work...but I have to admit that the shows provide a lot of (mostly) useful information! So I'd end up missing them, probably.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

Well, there's the flip side: my local weather-and-traffic station is also the local CBS NEWS station. Listening to the latest news while I drive is one of the least objectionable ways to stay informed.

(They've got a bit more of a bias to the right than I'd prefer -- but then, so do the DEMOCRATS these days,)