Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born 3 March 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano, and bass guitar. After leading the Soft Boys in the late 1970s and releasing the influential Underwater Moonlight, Hitchcock launched a prolific solo career. His musical and lyrical styles have been influenced by Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Syd Barrett, Captain Beefheart, Martin Carthy, Lou Reed, Roger McGuinn and Bryan Ferry.
Hitchcock's earliest lyrics mined a rich vein of English surrealist comic tradition and tended to depict a particular type of eccentric and sardonic English worldview. His music and performance style was originally (and remains) heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, but also by the English folk music revival of the 1960s and early 1970s, and this was soon filtered through a then-unfashionable psychedelic rock lens during the punk rock and new wave music eras of the late 1970s and early 1980s. This combination of musical styles won Hitchcock's band of the time, The Soft Boys, a very enthusiastic if small fanbase, but an extremely frosty critical reception from the UK music press of the era. However, the Soft Boys' final album together, Underwater Moonlight, posthumously earned them a glowing reputation (particularly in America) as a major influence on bands like R.E.M.
After finding a measure of success in the latter 1980s in America, Hitchcock's lyrical and musical horizons broadened further to encompass a range of approaches while still retaining a recognisably surreal, but more serious, signature style. He has recorded for two major American labels (A&M Records, then Warner Bros.) over the course of the 1980s and 1990s, and was the subject of a live performance/documentary film (Storefront Hitchcock) by major motion picture director Jonathan Demme in 1998. Since the turn of the millennium he has also finally received belated critical recognition in his home country. Despite this, mainstream success remains limited. He continues to tour and record prolifically and has earned strong critical reviews over a steady stream of album releases and live performances, and a dedicated "cult following" for his unique body of work.
Keep playing this tune. It isn't that much out of synch, musically with what you have going 80-90% of the time.
Okay, its not exactly the most up-beat tune, and there is a hint of silliness with the ping-pong game going on there, and yeah, its a "deep track" from a non-really-huge star, but its well-crafted, well done tune.
But then again, apparently the ratings have little effect on what gets in rotation, as a 3.8 shouldn't even be played, but then again, my guess is this is eclectic, intelligent radio, and as such, somebody's gonna get their noses tweaked (or have to resort to such dastardly techniques as muting the station) when something new, different, odd, controversial, or off the beaten track comes on the playlist.
Personally, this is how I've expanded my musical tastes: I don't ever turn you guys off. Just let 'er rip, damn the torpedoes. If there is something that just affronts my ear, I figure worst case, it will last 2 or three minutes, and guess what? Somebody cool will come on and I will enjoy that. Like some kid playing While my Ukulele Gently Weeps. Corporate music can take a leap, as far as I'm concerned. The complainers can always revert to the safety of what they're comfortable with. The "hate" comments just get awfully tedious, I don't see how you can read them all. Except for PhysicsGenius- he rocks.
Your ratings determine what you have on your "My Mix" playlist- listen to only your 9's and 10's if you want. Curating your own station from your favorites.
Negative comments are just self indulgent, lonely people who want everyone to know how they feel, and the pains they're undergoing listening to music they could skip if they used the >I button.
But then who would know their anguish?