Got Sirius? – TOCC TV

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A long time music fan, and in particularly a fan who followed the digital revolution so closely that I was one of the first to have a cd player in my home town. Back in those days when I would venture into the record store, there was only one four foot section dedicated to the format which had been much maligned by those who would claim to be audiophiles. Oh my, where has Julian Hirsch gone? Yes, I admit I wallowed in the perfect perfection pressings of Telarc Digital, and frankly for my money, I still think those records are truly the best and truest format that ever reproduced music.

These days, denigrated MP3’s rule the apple core, and even to my wizened old ears the difference is still relevant. Not just between the Original Master Recordings, but even to the standard CD protocol in use today.

Even still, my pursuit of the digital miracle forces my blood to seek out the newest innovations, and for those of us who know, we know that the satellite radio revolution is truly of the most remarkable magnitude in the evolution of the digital age. Not to suggest that it is the best format either. At least not for accurate reproduction of high quality music. Never-the-less, as I sit here listening to my deep from the vault selections on my complimentary three day guest pass on Sirius, I have to admit that the versatility that will eventually encompass all the world is too much to resist…as least on my free guest pass.

The long term implications are almost incomprehensible, hence the much ballyhooed launch of Howard Stern on Sirius. Even though the event is shrouded on the second place service, and under the torrid incantations of Mr. Stern, the reality is that the event is really of Satellite radio in general. After the doc com bust and skidding out on the tracks, this is the real thing. The world changed today in a way that not even 911 would be able to claim. Because, the real launch of Satellite radio not only carries it’s own implications, but for all purposes marks the final closing of the loop for the digital revolution.

GOD DAMN HOWARD!

The real event is so understated that most still think it’s all about Howard. I wonder if he even knows just how lucky he is, ha ha ha, as he walks laughing all the way to the bank I suppose he understands the money. But, it’s about much more than money. It’s about the entire industrial revolution. It’s about evangelism, it’s about sending the English language to the four corners of the world…and man to the moon. It’s about product compatibility, that the damn manufacturers are still bogarting on. They’ll make more than a bundle in this country, and who knows how much around the rest of the world trying to convince us all to by a new gizmo because they finally got the newest version of USB #486 figured out. But, in spite of the crass commercialism of the digital format…IT CAN BE DONE! TV, VIDEO, MUSIC, DATA, PICTURES, all finally compatible and available…through that damn USB thing. You can even read you favorite version of the King James Bible, reproduced from millions and billions of little ones and zeros right on a screen at the touch of a button instantaneously cross referencing all your favorite sources and resources. Online or on disc.

In spite of all that, there’s still the human element. As I say, I’m listening to my free three day pass on Sirius. I could sign up, I could’ve signed up already, but Sirius is still screwing around with the gizmo problem. I don’t care for a transliterated walkman. I want something like the pocket radio that really plays all by itself. What’s up with that? And, the first time I was listening, on my laptop, to Sirius, I was disappointed because although they are true to their word that they don’t have advertising, they DO talk alot. I don’t mean the talk channels. I mean the music channels. (Trying to make me a liar, right now they’re on a roll.) I just don’t want to them to talk at all. I want to listen, and I don’t want the comments. As far as I’m concerned, it’s as bad as a commercial. To go a step further than that, as I signed back on this evening to get a dose of Howard, I found that Sirius just isn’t offering that particular sample on the free guest pass. Get this Sirius. I don’t care for talk radio even when it’s supposed to be talk, so you were pretty lucky that I was gonna tune in to hear Mr. Stern. Really, it just doesn’t make sense, and for it you’ve flipped the third or fourth switch in the wrong direction. I’m in no hurry to sign up now.

All that said. I wish they’d quit punching holes in the bottom of the damn boat. My Sirius stock didn’t do as well today as I was expecting, and now I’m thinking it’s gonna be a slow boat to China when I was expecting a Glassmaster to Bozart!