I Crossed the line yesterday

Not in a murder type way, but yesterday a clear generational line was drawn for me, and I was actually quite happy about it.

The "big news" yesterday was Chris Moyles leaving the BBC Radio One breakfast show, which is the most listened to show on the radio (I think, Radio 2 is close now) and growing up was such a huge part of music life for me. That was the show that would air new singles by all the big bands first. Yes it always had a playlist, and was aimed at the youth and the charts, but it seemed to mean a lot, but that could just be rose tinted hearing aids. I stopped listening to Radio One a long time ago, and since getting a digital radio have only ever heard it in shops or other peoples cars. The brash idiocy and sycophancy of it is not for me, and it is not aimed at me, so I was happy with the arrangement. It carried on and didn't affect me, and I did much the same.

So after the news that Moyles was off, the next item was obviously who was going to replace him - for the BBC this is a big issue, the well publicised salaries of the top presenters and hitting their target markets are going to attract eyes from all over, not just the listeners. The news came and it was a man called Nick Grimshaw who is getting a very well paid and high profile new job. Fair play to him.

The thing for me, and I just had to check on the BBC site as I had already forgotten his name, is that I had never heard of him before that news. No idea what he does, sounds like anything at all. I am (very) nearly 44 so clearly not in the target market for Radio One, but I still listen to hours of new music each week via other radio shows and podcasts but popular culture is now passing by without me. I often have to google names of "celebs" or TV shows that people talk about as I have no idea about them. I appear to be turning into a High Court Judge who needs to be told that The Beatles are a popular beat combo or who Paul Gascoigne is.

And you know what, I am quite happy about that.

When I started going to gigs and record shops as a teen I always wondered why there were "old people" there - now I am proud to be that person. Let the kids have Rhianna every 20 minutes and some banal chat about whatever they talk about, I am happy with what I have got, apart from the fact my stubble is now grey...