Quickly following up his previous solo single "The More I Scroll" from late September, Rob Moss returns with "AM Gold (On the Radio)" — a song that gave me high hopes based on the title alone. Sure enough, this song is a celebration of the early-to-mid 1970s heyday of the AM dial and what it meant to be a kid loving great tunes on the radio. I'm always a sucker for songs like this since I have my own cherished memories of being a carefree kid sitting in my room, playing records, and listening to the radio all night long. By the time I became enthralled with pop music, FM radio was king. But I'm a huge fan of what people might call the "'70s AM sound." Moss, who is a few years older than I, had the privilege of growing up with this music. He brings that autobiographical perspective to this song.
Moss can even tell you the name of the AM station he grew up on: WPGC (1580 AM and at 95.5 FM) out of Baltimore/DC. On this channel, he heard Slade's "Gudbuy T' Jane" and T. Rex's "Bang a Gong" in 1972, Sweet's "Little Willy" and "Block Buster!" in 1973, Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling" in 1974, and the Bay City Rollers' "Saturday Night" in 1975. He also loves many of the poppier hits from that period (such as "Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks, "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods, and "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace). So there's nothing ironic or funny about his love for this music.
Moss's specific inspiration for "AM Gold (On the Radio)" was Slade and similar bands (I'm hearing some Sweet and the Bay City Rollers in the song's DNA as well). The track takes a glam rock 'n' roll approach with a sing-along earworm chorus and incorporates it into Moss's signature musical style. And while this kind of song can sometimes get corny, Moss does a great job of elevating the lyrical approach. The way he contrasts his priceless childhood memories of discovering music with his friend Marc Alberstadt (the original drummer in Government Issue and his pal since Kindergarten) with a recognition that that particular golden era of music is long gone and can never be revived gives the song a wistful, bittersweet depth. But just when you think that this tune is concluding on a bummer note, a fake-out ending changes the mood in a big way. As the music comes back for one final emphatic burst, we're reminded that even if those old times are gone, the songs are forever. Says Moss: "The reprise on this one means only one thing: it's impossible to let go of the music we loved when we were young even if we want to let go of the past." And that's the beauty of it all. We never have to let go of the music. We grow up, live in the present, and form new memories all the time. But those songs we discovered as kids stay with us. They are part of us. In many ways, I'm here right now championing new bands because of records and songs that, as Moss puts it, opened a door for me 45 years ago. And 50 years on from those days in Marc's basement, Rob Moss is putting lots of great new music into the world. I really appreciate this window to his musical soul.
"AM Gold (On the Radio)" is out now and available from the Rob Moss and Skin-Tight Skin Bandcamp site!
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