Little Steven tried to tear a strip out of the new “be everything to everyone” radio formats (like Jack) at July’s Radio & Records Convention. Speaking to 250-odd radio program directors, he railed that:

“Replacing 33 year old New York oldies institution CBS-FM with JACK is like replacing the Statue of Liberty with a blow-up doll.”

His argument, boiled down to its bones, is that the music industry, and radio in particular, is ignoring the heritage of the 50s and 60s in pursuit of younger demographics with better-paying advertisers.

“What appeals more to kids, Gene Vincent’s black leather attitude, Eddie Cochran’s teenage frustration, Little Richard’s cry of liberation, and Dion’s total Soprano’s coolness - or the Eagles?

You want wild? Put together the Sex Pistols, Audioslave, and the Wu-Tang Clan - they aren’t as wild as Jerry Lee Lewis in his prime.”

That’s historically accurate. Realistically, though, anyone under the age of 45 has only seen Gene Vincent, Little Richard or Dion on B&W filmreels. You can’t sell their work as cool and innovative to the kids, because their albums are sitting in the $6.99 bin at the front of HMV - if there at all.

The key, he argues, is to weave old and new into a narrative, a story that informs new listeners of rock’s musical heritage.

“As long as you’re making your decisions based on musical experience, good taste, and an effective, coherent emotional communication.

As opposed to your Ipod on shuffle.

(laughter, applause)”

Still, Little Steven’s diatribe loses some of its independent garage rock cred when posted up on his site - beside ads for Dunkin’ Donuts and Pepsi.

Thanks to WFMU for the pointer.

While I’m in the neighbourhood of radio programmers: John Moore took a light swing at A/C radio while making some suggestions about how to liven up public radio pledge drives in 2004.