All that upsets me about Triple J is the almost fanatical following by some that can end up sounding like an attack on everything else that isn't Triple J. I don't listen to Triple J, but I appreciate its importance as Alex28 has said, and I am willing to leave it alone and move on due to individual taste, there are too many people I know that cannot reciprocate and respect the decision.
The issue of the bandwagon is a big one too. It's been brought up previously in this thread, but only going so far as to say "we heard this first so you suck". Case in point: One of my mates is a massive JJJ and Jebediah fan from their beginning, he owns everything by them and goes to most local live shows etc. He is also devoted to independent music which makes arguing about this difficult. Now I only heard about Jebediah through the Hottest 100 and then commercial radio, so I came in halfway through. Therefore, no matter how much I like the band (if I did), in his eyes I can never be a true fan because I heard of them after they became popular. And there is no way to fix that.
I imagine everything that people have said in this thread concerning commercial stations playing this music before too long will happen. And this will only serve to enforce the ill-feeling towards the non-JJJ listeners. Even though it is a sign that, technically, more people will be listening to what they consider good music, which I thought would be a good thing, and it may inspire some to become proper fans of a new local band on their own esteem, but there will always paradoxically be resentment because of the bandwagon. Therefore I am led to believe that part of every dedicated JJJ listener either doesn't want to have their music heard by the majority, or eagerly awaits the opportunity to whinge when it does happen and say "I was here first". Or a 'playing hard to get' combination of both.
I don't listen to much radio, but when I do I respectfully avoid JJJ because to come in as an outsider would either be too much effort or I would feel like I was trying too hard to be 'independent cool' when it's a culture I have never aspired to be part of. Therefore I can only hear about this kind of stuff secondhand or through commercial radio. Which seems to be the biggest sin. It's like only naming 'Stairway to Heaven' when asked about Led Zeppelin's best songs, then being lambasted by someone saying "you need to listen to ALL of their stuff! It's better! You don't understand!" I get the feeling these people purposefully listen to something they know is second-rate to get such a point across that not everybody actually cares about. Either that or it's like some girl that dresses up in the most revealing clothes possible in an effort to get attention, and then gets offended when a guy sneaks a look.
Such devotion can be dangerous because for some people I think it's gone beyond listening to music they like, instead listening to anything of the genre for the sake of it. I don't think that's the way to listen to music and such people probably need to reassess what they actually want to get out of music. Watch any independent music awards ceremony, and everyone who says something about Australian music gets the biggest cheer no matter the context. I know people that pretend to be long-term Black Eyed Peas tragics because of their recent (unfortunate) success. I have heard a Christian radio station bragging about playing Guy Sebastian before Australian Idol. But I prefer to be left alone to like what I like (no, not Guy Sebastian) with no bloody musireligous doorknockers.
Sorry bout the rant ;-)
