mraek blog on Absolute Radio

Christian O'Connell is a tosser

mraek — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:46:00 +0000

I'd like to use a stronger word than tosser but that will have to do.

I like Absolute Radio, it's an improvement on the old station, but I just can't stand Christian O'Connell's show.

The man is an immature bully, it's as simple as that. Listening to his show is like listening to a few 8 year old boys picking on each other. He has these two gimps - Brian and Richie - who as far as I can tell are employed to be sacrificed to his vastly overinflated ego. Brian, I am sure, has the word punchbag on his job description, but seems like a fairly decent guy and I do pity him when he is constantly overruled, interrupted, put down and insulted by Christian.

Christian tries to assert himself as "top dog", he probably thinks that we're all apes and he has to hit everyone else in the group to show that he's in control. But this is bullying. It's nasty, pathetic, a bad example to any children listening and I don't want to hear this tosser in the morning - or any time.

I really laughed when they did the partners' show, and it was revealed that Christian has a male mannequin in his shed that he punches to take out his anger. This sums up the man perfectly - he's really a pathetic man. He even wrote a book called "The Men Commandments" to try to justify that his bullying, controlling way was a normal or acceptable way to behave. Don't buy it, it's crap!

Listen to the Geoff show as an example of how a DJ and his producer can come across as genuinely friendly and matey on the radio. Christian unfortunately is so immature that he has to rely on childish bullying to try to make a radio show.

I forced myself to listen to his show recently because of the pay your bills competition - normally I never listen to Absolute Radio in the mornings. Thankfully I don't have to hear him any more.

Get him off the radio!

Today's Obama mix with Bruce Springsteen

mraek — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:25:00 +0000

I like Bruce Springsteen. Although I think his new song "Working on a dream" isn't quite up to the standard of his classic work, it's decent enough.

I like Obama too. It's good to have a US president who is intelligent, refreshing and commands respect.

But that remix thing you've played a couple of times this morning, of Obama's speeches over Bruce's new song, is AWFUL!

I cringed when I heard it, it sounds like a 4th year student's music project. Putting great speeches over a song with a relevant title does not make a great piece of art which reflects the world today - it just sounds like it was thrown together in a few minutes.

This is going to be another of the very few songs that you play that make me switch over.

Goodbye Mr A by the Hoosiers

mraek — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:20:00 +0000

I thought I'd have a rant about this song. I like the tune, it's nice and catchy, but the more I listen to it the more the lyrics annoy me.

If I've got it right, the singer is bemoaning the fact that his teacher (Mr A) "knew all the answers" but didn't show any love. I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer a teacher who knows his subject well than one who knows nothing but gets on well with his pupils.

"The world was full of wonder till you opened my eyes
Wish you hadn't blown my mind and killed the suprise"

So basically he's complaining that now he's been taught about the world and he preferred it when he was ignorant.

Well that's just stupid! Then again the Hoosiers look like they're just out of school.

The problem with Nickelback

mraek — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:03:00 +0000

Hehe, I seem to only use this blog to moan about things, but I enjoy it so why not :)

I keep hearing the latest Nickelback song 'Gotta be somebody' and I don't like it. The problem is the singer - the band's songs are ok, but the singer is not good at all.
I don't mind singers with gravelly voices. Rod Stewart for example, had a great voice. But Rod had a lot of range and doesn't rely on being gravelly all the time. The singer in Nickelback - Chad whatshisface - can't sing in any other way, all he can do is that Chewbacca-like yell.
Which makes it even more bizarre that they decided to release their latest song. It's a soppy sentimental song about finding your soulmate and all Chad does is blurt out his usual stupid raspy vocals. There is no emotion or subtlety in his voice at all. When I hear him I imagine him as a big fat guy with a goatee who wears a baseball cap back to front because he thinks it's cool.
Seriously, Nickelback, either stick to songs that suit a loud shouty voice ('How You Remind Me' wasn't bad) or get a better singer.

orange rock core

mraek — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:55:00 +0100

Those orange rock core adverts have been annoying me for a while, I've been thinking about why. I think it's because they're so smug and pretentious -"I am everyone I've ever met". I mean, who talks like that??

The do-gooder who started this scheme (who also voices one of the adverts) obviously has no concept of rock but thought it would be trendy and worthy. No wonder they're having to spend lots of money on adverts to try to get people to join in.

Rock is not about emotionally blackmailing people into doing charity work to get tickets to a gig. And there is no "link between music and community" - at least not in the charity sense that this moron means. The only times rock and charity should mix is (a) buying old albums in charity shops and (b) old rock stars feeling guilty about how much money they have and deciding to do a gig for charity.

Music is personal, it means different things to different people. Please stop these stupid adverts which try to push some idiot's ideals onto the rest of us.

Noah and the Whale

mraek — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:51:00 +0100

Please PLEASE PLEASE stop playing this dreadful annoying song! Every time it comes on I switch off the radio.

It sounds like it was written by a 5 year old and the singer is the worst ever! Not only that but if you look at a picture of the band they look like a bunch of idiots too.

Let's get some decent music on!

Geoff show

mraek — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:03:00 +0100

I really like the Geoff show in the morning, why can't he replace Christian O'connell permanently AND do his usual evening show.

Actually, why can't he just be on air 24 hours a day. If he needs to sleep he can put on Stairway or Freebird and catch a few winks.

Noah and the Whale's song

mraek — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:19:00 +0100

I don't like the Noah and the Whale song. The singer has an awful voice, he's not singing at all, just talking like an embarrasing uncle at the karaoke. Also he sings with an awful accent (saying toime instead of time). The lyrics sounds like they're trying too hard to be funny. And there's only three chords.

On the plus side, the bit that goes 'sun, sun, sun' reminds me of the Red Dwarf theme tune.

First blog

mraek — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:41:00 +0100

I've just signed up as a VIP and thought I'd write something. I listen to Virgin Radio a lot, I really like the Geoff Show in the evenings, JK and Joel are good too. The music is always great, I often have it on in the background whether I'm working or just relaxing.

Of course, I can't say I like all the songs they play. For some reason the new Kid Rock song annoys me, maybe because it's such a blatant copy of Sweet Home Alabama (I know it's supposed to be). Oh no, they've started playing it again!

But overall, the 'like' ratio is much much higher than any other station, which is why I keep coming back to Virgin, even if I do go and listen to someone else sometimes.