Music To Rant and Rave By

My personal theory of success in the music biz involves the supermarket, in respect to the fact that whenever I was hovering over the deli counter or stalking the frozen aisles of prepared meals, if I heard an instrumental version of an artist's song, then I concluded that that particular artist had reached the peak of success. Now I'm beginning to think that radio talk shows are providing a new outlet.

Listen to Sean Hannity's show opening and you hear a burst of country, specifically a song called "Let Freedom Ring" , which has become a conservative anthem. Hannity even does concerts for his listeners, a unique form of cross promotion. Listen to the whole show, and you'll hear instrumental bridges that range from heavy metal to vintage rock and roll riffs, as if the "conservatives in exile" - as Hannity refers to his listeners - are still energized by the sounds of their youth .

Michael Savage's show "Savage Nation" is frequently punctuated with commanding guitar chords, probably as a gonzo reference to music soothing the savage beast. The intent seems to be that ripping off a powerful chord progression will make Savage sound even more important, the prophet of doom "skanking" over a bed of shrieking feedback.

The fact of the matter is that all AM radio talk shows use music. Many stations would routinely carry specific vinyl compilations of anonymous musical "bridges" to use as on air transitions as well as commercials and on air promos. Despite the spectre of fair use, the trend has been to use familiar, high profile music in place of the old timey jingles. The air of authenticity provided by real artists singing their own work can almost be a mystical experience for the boomers.

As long as the Fairness Doctrine remains a quaint memory, it's a sure bet that the right wing talkmasters will continue to dominate AM, which means that the music they use will continue to be significant. As the recording industry continues to collapse, the marriage of rock and talk may result in increased sales for the artist, truly an off the wall collaboration between fire-breathing conservative commentators and extreme left wing rockers. Politics does indeed make strange bedfellows.