“I like Fred, do you like Fred?” (An open letter.)

[Manequin]

To: The XM Community

Before I became a XM listener, I remember looking at my pamphlet and looking forward to listening to Fred. I really enjoy Fred, it has a great variety of Punk, Post-Punk, Goth, New Wave, and other alternative music styles. Yesterday I got a kick out of listening to a Johnny Cash cover of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in fact that was the first time I had heard it. The programmers at XM are really aware of what, I think, we the listeners want and, I feel my subscription is money well spent. I feel that if you like today’s channel line up, just wait till XM is on its own feet (and its getting there), and has the resources to bring about even more channels so, perhaps in the future there will be separate Punk, Post-Punk, Goth, New Wave, New Romantic, Darkwave, Synthpop, EMB....ect. I am thrilled to be a listener and member of the XM community at this exiting time. I am saving up to invest in this company that I truly believe will change the way the world listens.

Sincerely
Manequin

[mrkablooey]

I actually prefer Barney, but Fred is pretty cool. That Yabba Dabba Doo thing gets a little tired after a while.

[Salsaman]

I agree!
I really enjoy the Fred line-up too. The only thing I notice is that they play too much REM....they are alright, but it gets kind of annoying...I'm a Fred-lover too

[Pness]

AHH...fred just pissed me off...so it has been replaced by 150 XM Comedy xl....

[ghicken]

Fred is okay. They play the 80s and early 90s music I liked the most (heard Juliana Hatfield's "My Sister" the other day) but I'm not into that music right now.
It's one of my preset channels though.

[FifthElement]

not into fred. it's not worth sitting through the crap to hear the good stuff.

[mrkablooey]

[XMUfan]

Speak for yourself. I think Fred fucking sucks now! They used to be good, but as soon as Sirius' debuted last Feb, they started to get really weird, and this was to keep up with what was going on, on First Wave.
I hated First Wave, and felt good knowing that Fred was there for me.
Well, no longer!
All those specialty shows, new Dj's, chatter and banter..... Fuck 'em!
Hey Fred........FUCK YOU!

[Fredfan]

Fred is my favorite channel on XM. Basically, it's the music I grew up on or sometimes better, music by bands I grew up on that never made it to the radio. I also like Ethel, XMU, the Rhyme, The Joint, The Move, Luna and even Bluegrass Junction. Frankly, I like having choices, but I generally start out at 44.

[shuba]

If I could only have One station on XM to listen to, It would be FRED.. Though I'd hate to Lose the BoneYard! It's not gonna happen, in fact I look forward to even more cooporation between the stations. For instance, I really like the old 60's Garage Bands, If the 60's does a show on that hopefully FRED will let us know.

My Listening Habits:

FRED - 18%
BoneYard - 15%
70's - 13%
60's - 12%
Deep Tracks - 10%
90% - 8%
Nashville - 5%
The City - 5%
Ethel - 4%
80's - 3%
20on20 - 2%
News/Sports/Talk - 5%

[Disco Stu]

Just try and remember what it was like before Satellite radio. Having to listen to 35 minutes of shit and 22 minutes of commericals/mindless DJ chatter just to hopefully here one song worth listening to. All of those DJ's who think they are just the be all and end all, and the only way your request ever got played is if it was on their preprogrammed play list any way. XM and Fred have changed all of that. It's like having your own personal radio station. Don't like the last song you jsut heard, call in and request one, and it 's on in minutes, and sometime even before you ahng up.

If my life was accompanied by a sountrack, it would be played on Fred.

Fred on true believers!!!!!!

--Stu in Pittsburgh

[Salsaman]

I don't about anyone else, but I'm starting to like Bachmman's show. I appreciate his mix of music with a little background on some of the bands. It's becoming my 'drive to work' station. The 'One Revolution Around the Sun-thing is OK, but I don't listen to any show if it's after 1990 or so...

[Unknown]

Over the past week, i have actually listened to FRED quite a bit as i was driving cross-country with a couple friends who are really into that music. I personally like it too, but not as much as the Metal now.

I like what plays on Fred mostly, but the shows that are on there do repeat too much and are too long. Do the shows less frequently if they are to be 2 hours long, or shrink them to one hour and keep the same schedule.

That's my only gripe. Not enough "regular playlist", and a bit too much specialty stuff.

Teegan and Smoke are great at getting requests on ASAP!!! Thanks you guys.

[FredFanTWinWV]

I've gotta say Fred is doing a good job of recreating 80's early 90's college radio. Yes it could lighten up on REM and Depeche Commode. I could also do without Faded Flannel, but overall excellent.
XM still needs a good transition channel between Fred and XMU. Ethel would be the logical choice, and it has improved, but not quite there, yet.

[rosco]