Music HistoryOngoing History of New Music

The Ongoing History of New Music, Episode 809: Rock’n’Roll Scientific Nomenclature

How would you like to be remembered when you’re gone?

Most people make do with a tombstone or some such other grave marker. There are photographs, of course, and other detritus from a life.

But maybe you’ve done something exceptional, something that extends beyond just your family and friends. My dad was mayor of my tiny hometown on the Canadian prairies and was instrumental in the development of a tourist area. For that, he had a street named after him.

Others have their names affixed to schools, hospitals, public spaces, airports. Whole towns, cities, countries and even continents have been named after people. (Look up Americo Vespucci.)

Another way to achieve this sort of immortality–if you want to call it that–is to have something in nature named in your honour. And this turns out to be a great way to pay tribute to rock stars.

Among other things, this program delves into a few Latin terms.

Songs heard on this show:

Sex Pistols, Pretty Vacant

Velvet Underground, All Tomorrow’s Parties

U2, Where the Streets Have No Name

Clash, London Calling

Radiohead, Lotusflower

Rollins Band, Low Self-Opinion

Rammstein, Du Hast

Our Lady Peace, Imagine

And here’s yet another complimentary playlist from Eric Wilhite.

Don’t forget that you can get the podcast version of this podcast through iTunes or wherever you get your on-demand audio.

The Ongoing History of New Music can be heard on the following stations:

We’re still looking for more affiliates in Calgary, Kamloops, Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon, Brandon, Windsor,  Montreal, Charlottetown, Moncton, Fredericton, and St John’s and anywhere else with a transmitter. If you’re in any of those markets and you want the show, lemme know and I’ll see what I can do.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38045 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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