My world of music just got much better. For the first time since arriving at this unit, I am able to pick up the TCU radio station, KTCU 88.7. That was the first station I looked for on the dial when I got here and I was disappointed that I found static in its place. The TCU radio station was one of two stations I listened before my incarceration, the other being KERA, the local NPR station.
Shortly after I arrived here a new station came on the air that played indie artists that I'd heard of. KXT started out great, but has been playing more and more 70''s and 80s music, moving away from the new stuff that I wanted to hear. My friend, West, had repeatedly told me about brief periods of time where he picked up KTLV. This gave me hope. College radio was out there and I was going to tune in.
After stripping the cord to a broken pair of headphones and manipulating the coverage for about an hour to find the sweet spot, I was met with success. KTCU came in stereo and even with some static, it was worth the effort. College radio, in all its goofy,
eclectic glory, is mine to hear once again. That includes Fanboy Radio, a weekly talk show about comics, to indulge my nerdy soul. The only thing better would be making my own playlists. Hopefully that isn't too far away, either.
Boy, I can't express how great it is to have a radio. For the first time since incarceration I have new terrible pop songs stuck in my head. The best part is that I actually enjoy them in their stupid catchiness. I wonder how long that will last. I began by listening to classical music on my cellie's radio. I was able to buy my own radio last weekend so I didn't have to wait until he wasn't using his. The radios don't come with antennas so I attempted to make one out of a paper clip and the foil seasoning packets from ramen soups - ramen seems to be useful for everything in prison.That first antenna didn't work too well, so I cut a Coke can into a long, thin strip and jammed it into my window frame. Immediately my station count went from a low one digit number to a high teen, including many in stereo. It doesn't look pretty at all but it works very well.I got my musical feet back starting with the pop and adult alternative stations. I don't think music has changed a whole lot, but it was almost all intoxicatingly new to me. After admitting to myself that, yes, I did actually enjoy Taylor Swift's and Lady Gaga's music (did I really say that?), I moved over to the rock station to reintroduce myself to great hard guitar riffs from the likes of Chevelle.Now that I had my mainstream music foundations, I was ready to hit the indie airwaves of college radio from Rice (University). Whoa, maybe I did that a little fast. The crazy time signatures of avant garde stuff was a bit much for my atrophied ears, but after hearing a couple familiar songs from Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! and M. Ward, I was hooked again.
When I'm not exploring sounds on college radio, I'm listening to the news and familiar radio shows on the public radio station. This evening I closed my eyes as I listened and laughed along with Prairie Home Companion and I felt like I was at home with my family. It was a good serving of comfort food to sing along to "Powder Milk Biscuits."
* Take Me Home, Country Roads, John Denver
