Radio Nowhere

I used to be on the cutting edge of pop culture.

Books, movies, celebrities, television and music. Especially music.

I was the first in my second grade class to have “Meet the Beatles.” I had seen Springsteen three times before he was on the cover of Time and Newsweek. I was talking about the Sex Pistols, Ramones and The Clash before anyone else in my town had heard of them. I knew “Graceland” was groundbreaking just by looking at the cover. I was the first in my office to successfully execute “The Macarena.”

But no more.

Case in point: Current hipster favorites Radiohead. Yes, they've been around awhile, but the critical huzzahs keep getting louder. People whose opinions I respect greatly rave about them: “Best band around.”"Visionaries.” “Vital and essential.”

As with Nirvana, this one is completely lost on me.

I have listened to “OK Computer,” I have spent time with “Kid A.” I have pondered “Creep.” My most recent exposure was a DirecTV studio concert the other night. I gave it 4-5 songs. It was all I could take.

Here are my quotes, “whiny,” “self-indulgent,” and “alienated, but not in a musical or especially interesting way.”

I would describe them as an updated Pink Floyd. But that would be an insult to Pink Floyd.

This saddens me because I used to be one of the cool kids. A hipster.

I know, I know. I am officially old, incredibly uncool and a curmudgeon.

But you already knew that.