Still Siriusly hooked on satellite radio

By Lethbridge Herald on August 22, 2025.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

Until a friend brought his portable Sirius/XM unit on an 2014 Ontario fishing trip, I never truly appreciated the value of satellite radio.

Whenever I crossed the Prairies on my sojourn to lose fishing lures and golf balls, I had always listened to cassettes or whatever FM  radio had to offer.

While I’d often listened to Hair Nation on the satellite radio units in vehicles I reviewed, that was only for maybe an hour or two. So in 2014 I learned quickly how much different satellite radio offers for what was then a cheap monthly fee.

On subsequent trips, I got to know the variety well including the country offerings which I played – especially Willie’s Roadhouse – all day on my trip with Dad who was an encyclopedia of knowledge on all  the old country greats, most of whom I’d heard of but barely heard until I had no choice.

A decade after I subscribed to Sirius/XM myself with its whole  package, I’m still sold on it (except for the price, which is getting a  bit costly). But I’m willing to endure that for the variety of offerings.

With the ability to save artist stations on my phone app and listen not only to favourite bands and solo performers but also others whose  music is in a similar vein, I never get bored or tired of hearing the  same songs over and over again.

Especially given the diverse range of artists I have, which gives me everything from early 1960s Petula Clark to modern metal and  everything in between including southern rock (Black Oak Arkansas, The  Outlaws and Blackfoot) and new wave.

Thanks to satellite radio, I’ve discovered bands I never paid any attention to or even heard of such as Tyketto, Lillian Axe, Loudness (a groundbreaking metal outfit from Japan), Dangerous Toys and Missing  Persons.

I’ve reconnected with some obscure bands like Gallery (“Nice to Be  with You” and Alive ‘N Kickin’ (“Tighter, Tighter”), those two bracketed songs which got plenty of airplay in the early 1970s along  with tunes from artists such as B.W. Stevenson (“My Maria”) – all  these tunes bringing back memories of a long-ago era when my  generation were just kids discovering Pong and playing road hockey.

Also on my playlist are bands such as Marmalade and Canada’s own Edward Bear, a truly under-rated group that had songs regularly on Canadian radio. When the day calls for mellow listening, these two  band’s channels are staples for me along with The Cowsills. The Fortunes station is another personal favourite when I’m doing housework or just hanging with Lady Di on the couch as is Paul Young, the 1980s English pop crooner.

But when I need energy, I’ve got the  metal groups a click away – Cinderella, Slaughter, White Lion, Great White, Sleez Beez, XYZ,  Krokus, Queensryche and L.A. Guns, just to name a few.

With so many fond memories from the early 1980s, of course  Quarterflash, Asia, John Mellencamp, Scandal, the Go-Gos, REO Speedwagon, Tears for Fears, Psychedelic Furs, Flock of Seagulls, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band and Split Enz are on the listening agenda as well.

After all, a person needs variety and satellite gives me plenty of it for whatever mood I’m in.

And on that note, maybe it’s time for some Flying Pickets or Humble  Pie. Hmmmm….