Taylor Momsen of "Gossip Girl" fame continues to spew out her angsty teenage rebel blabber. Whining about how she never set out to be a role model and waving her cigarettes around like an angsty flag for all the world to see how oh so bad-ass she is.
For a seventeen year old trying so hard to fight against her clean-cut child star status, she really just looks like a typical try-hard seventeen year old.
She made a mockery of herself on Warped Tour, punk-rock's veritable summer camp. She claims she wants to just make rock music, but the racoon-eyed seventeen year old pranced around in ridiculous high heels, barely moving onstage due to what seemed like chaffing from her outfit made of lingerie.
Wearing high heels and smoking cigarettes isn't (in itself) punk rock, little girl. You need to earn your rock and roll. I want to see you sweat, and bleed, and piss people off, run around, get hurt, do something dangerous. We've seen your act before, whiny young chick looking sexy and risque and giving guys boners onstage. You don't even need a band for that.
Why not try doing something unique? Being a rockstar isn't about being a rockstar. If you are oh so rebellious, then do something that hasn't been done before, reject the stereotypes, kill them, eat them. Give the boys a run for their money, not just hard dicks. Spit on someone, wear something that at least makes it possible for you to ROCK THE FUCK OUT as opposed to stand there looking like a fourteen year old Slayer fans wet dream.
You remind me of a twelve year old girl trying to be Courtney Love. It seems as though you are mimicking something you are too young to fully understand. Take a page out of Courtney's books, girl was SAYING something. Courtney seemed as if her music was a demon she was wrestling, or maybe the music was her weapon to wreslte demons. Whatever it was it was something much bigger and much more important and much more valuable than a childish desire to not be a thought of as a child anymore-cough Miley Cyrus cough. But aha! Taylor, there you have it! You want to fight the world because it sees you as a joke, as a child, as a pretender...well then fight it! With words, with music, with talent, with art, with passion, not with underpants, stilettos, and whining. Pour out your soul, woman!
In this day and age a teenager smoking cigarettes is practically part of the status quo. How about you say fuck cigarettes, I'm going to light this bass drum on fire. Just an idea. I want to see you do something surprising.
Taylor outdid her cliched rock chick wannabe self in her band "The Pretty Reckless'" new video for "Miss Nothing". She writhes around in her underwear in a scene paying homage to the Last Supper. Newflash rebel Momsen, Madonna did that sexuality and religion thing first, and better. Then Gaga did it, and people we unimpressed. And now you're doing it and you just think you're such a bad girl!
Taylor, et me ask you, do you even know why you did that in your video? Being offensive for the sake of being offensive is not punk rock. It's just disrespectful to religion and to the Gods of Rock. Jimmi Hendrix is rolling over in his grave because of you. If you had any motivation behind your video other than "hey, hey, look at me, fuck you, fuck you, I'm angry, look at meeeee", I'd ignore the fact that you are perpetuating the stereotype of women in rock as mere sexual objects, but you can not be let off the hook.
Take a look around you Taylor, look at the women whose footsteps you are following in; Joan Jett, Janis Joplin, hell, even Haley Williams from Paramore does it better and more bad-ass than you. Because they all challenged and continue to challenge the female rock and roller stereotype, they were and are able to stand up next their male counterparts and overshadow them with talent, power, and their truly rebellious rock and roll personas.
If you have something to say Taylor, then say it. That is what rock and roll is about. It's not about not being a role model, it's not about smoking cigarettes because they're bad for you. It's about telling the world "this is who I am, this is what I want, I don't care what you want me to be". Rebelling merely for the sake of rebellion is shallow and trite, and the world and rock music do not need anymore of that. Pissing on religion for the sake of proving to people that their twelve year-old daughters shouldn't grow up to be like you is just immature and laughable.
Luckily for Taylor, she does have talent in terms of her singing ability, the girl has a voice. Lets just hope that with that voice, she finds something to say.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Music that should be in your iPod, genious!
1. Weatherbox
Brutally honest lyrics, brutally beautiful music. Cry and laugh and learn to love again. Order now!
Tracks to check out first: The Clearing and Trippin' the Life Fantastic
myspace.com/weatherbox
2. Gogol Bordello
A swift kick in the pants for all hipsters that don't dance. Gogol Bordello will turn you into a crazy Ukranian and you'll be dancing like a gypsy punk in no time. Beards and violins not included.
Tracks to check out first: Wanderlust King and Start Wearing Purple.
myspace.com/gogolbordello
3. The Black Lips
Grown men with incredible talent and slight ADHD channeling Johnny Cash. Great soundtrack for a post-graduation textbook burning.
Tracks to check out first: Bad Kids and Veni, Vidi, Vici.
myspace.com/theblacklips
4. The Presets
In Australia it is illegal to not dance to the Presets. Legislation pending in the US and UK. Always use protection!
Tracks to check out first:My People and Are You the One?
myspace.com/thepresets
5. Datarock
More than just their hit single. Track-suits and Norwegians, what else do you need?
Tracks to check out first: Computer Camp Love and New Song.
myspace.com/datarock
Brutally honest lyrics, brutally beautiful music. Cry and laugh and learn to love again. Order now!
Tracks to check out first: The Clearing and Trippin' the Life Fantastic
myspace.com/weatherbox
2. Gogol Bordello
A swift kick in the pants for all hipsters that don't dance. Gogol Bordello will turn you into a crazy Ukranian and you'll be dancing like a gypsy punk in no time. Beards and violins not included.
Tracks to check out first: Wanderlust King and Start Wearing Purple.
myspace.com/gogolbordello
3. The Black Lips
Grown men with incredible talent and slight ADHD channeling Johnny Cash. Great soundtrack for a post-graduation textbook burning.
Tracks to check out first: Bad Kids and Veni, Vidi, Vici.
myspace.com/theblacklips
4. The Presets
In Australia it is illegal to not dance to the Presets. Legislation pending in the US and UK. Always use protection!
Tracks to check out first:My People and Are You the One?
myspace.com/thepresets
5. Datarock
More than just their hit single. Track-suits and Norwegians, what else do you need?
Tracks to check out first: Computer Camp Love and New Song.
myspace.com/datarock
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
EPIC SUMMER 2008: Music and movies!
Movies:
1. Step Brothers: I would pay to watch John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell clean toilets, but seriously this movie is pure comedic genious. My best friend and I left the theatre in pain from laughing so hard. This will beat the fuck out of your laughing muscles so wear protection. Did I mention I like guacamole?
2. Pineapple Express: If the name of this movie reminds you of Coconut Records (the band), then you are way off. I can't even deal with this movie, it's so brilliant, I seriously had no idea how ridiculously amazing James Franco was until I saw it. Comedic Gold. Go see it or I will fight you.
3. The Waking Life: DO NOT WATCH THIS IF YOU ARE DEPRESSED. This is brilliant cinema, and it's not deppressing, but it's very philosophical but not wordy or pretentious. If you start questioning your own existence after watching it, call me.
Music:
1. Does it Offend You, Yeah?: Would you like to feel like God? Then listen to this music.
2. MGMT: Would you like to feel like someone is making sweet love to your inner ear? Then listen to this band.
3. Josephine Collective: If you need me to explain why you should listen to this band, then go hump a whale.
4. Saves the Day: Really, if you don't listen to this band, I don't respect you.
5. Lil' Wayne: "Rare, like Mr. Clean with hair." If that lyric doesn't convince you to listen to his raps, then you're an asshole.
6. The Academy Is...: Listen to the new album, Fast Times at Barrington High, this band is evolving into a monster of talent, happiness, and musical sexperience. Their new stuff shows that they have grown exponentially since the release of their first album, Almost Here, and even since Santi. If you don't like their old music, check out the new songs, you may be pleasantly surprised.
7. 3Oh!3: You will thank me later for this reccomendation.
8. Tokyo Police Club: The lyrics would be enough to satisfy me, but they even write great music. They're taking indie rock to new musical realms.
9. Wolf Parade: If you do not like this band, never leave your house again you pathetic, tasteless, loser. Haha, just kidding, but seriously.
10. This Could be Dangerous: I don't know how they do it, but it's amazing. I'm kind of addicted to it. myspace.com/thiscouldbedangerousrock
-Sarah
PAY FOR MUSIC!!!! DO NOT ILLEGALLY DOWNLOAD IT. Unless you live in a cardboard box, you have no excuse not to pay for it. You don't have to buy it on CD if you really are that much of a douche, but at least iTunes those bitches.
P.S.
READ VONNEGUT!!!!!!!
God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Breakfast of Champions, and Cat's Cradle to start.
Also read Confederacy of Dunces.
*Please note that you should always be listening to Pixies. That's a given.
1. Step Brothers: I would pay to watch John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell clean toilets, but seriously this movie is pure comedic genious. My best friend and I left the theatre in pain from laughing so hard. This will beat the fuck out of your laughing muscles so wear protection. Did I mention I like guacamole?
2. Pineapple Express: If the name of this movie reminds you of Coconut Records (the band), then you are way off. I can't even deal with this movie, it's so brilliant, I seriously had no idea how ridiculously amazing James Franco was until I saw it. Comedic Gold. Go see it or I will fight you.
3. The Waking Life: DO NOT WATCH THIS IF YOU ARE DEPRESSED. This is brilliant cinema, and it's not deppressing, but it's very philosophical but not wordy or pretentious. If you start questioning your own existence after watching it, call me.
Music:
1. Does it Offend You, Yeah?: Would you like to feel like God? Then listen to this music.
2. MGMT: Would you like to feel like someone is making sweet love to your inner ear? Then listen to this band.
3. Josephine Collective: If you need me to explain why you should listen to this band, then go hump a whale.
4. Saves the Day: Really, if you don't listen to this band, I don't respect you.
5. Lil' Wayne: "Rare, like Mr. Clean with hair." If that lyric doesn't convince you to listen to his raps, then you're an asshole.
6. The Academy Is...: Listen to the new album, Fast Times at Barrington High, this band is evolving into a monster of talent, happiness, and musical sexperience. Their new stuff shows that they have grown exponentially since the release of their first album, Almost Here, and even since Santi. If you don't like their old music, check out the new songs, you may be pleasantly surprised.
7. 3Oh!3: You will thank me later for this reccomendation.
8. Tokyo Police Club: The lyrics would be enough to satisfy me, but they even write great music. They're taking indie rock to new musical realms.
9. Wolf Parade: If you do not like this band, never leave your house again you pathetic, tasteless, loser. Haha, just kidding, but seriously.
10. This Could be Dangerous: I don't know how they do it, but it's amazing. I'm kind of addicted to it. myspace.com/thiscouldbedangerousrock
-Sarah
PAY FOR MUSIC!!!! DO NOT ILLEGALLY DOWNLOAD IT. Unless you live in a cardboard box, you have no excuse not to pay for it. You don't have to buy it on CD if you really are that much of a douche, but at least iTunes those bitches.
P.S.
READ VONNEGUT!!!!!!!
God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Breakfast of Champions, and Cat's Cradle to start.
Also read Confederacy of Dunces.
*Please note that you should always be listening to Pixies. That's a given.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
OZOMATLI INTERVIEW by Sarah Tither-Kaplan
Question: What are your biggest challenges as musicians?
Justin: I think the biggest challenge for me in the band over the years has been, I don’t know. I mean basically our band is a huge mix of a lot of different styles so the challenge for us has been getting pigeonholed. There’s no category for a band that play Latin, Hip-Hop, Arabic music, but people from the music geek side of the spectrum or as a rock by people on the commercial side categorize us as world music. Over the years that has been one of our biggest challenges, but we’ve always tried to ignore all that. Now more than ever, music has changed so much that anyone can do whatever the want and get their product out there on their own and do it independently. It makes it a lot easier to just do what we want as a band and not worry about the categorization.
Raul: I really like writing songs and making music but most of being a professional musician is not about that, it’s about other stuff. When we tour, most of the time we’re not playing music , we’re just getting from point A to B, and that’s always been a strange thing for me, but it’s just part of the reality of it. I think dealing with that has always been strange, but I’m really happy when I play music. Constantly writing and constantly being on tour, and with a band as large as ours it’s sometimes hard to get everybody on the same page, but we love what we do.
Question: What’s the most important thing for you as a band?
Justin: First and foremost that we’re happy with what we’re doing, musically and as musicians. This lifestyle is not always glamorous so we just want to be happy. Touching and reaching people with our music and not catering to any one person, just having a good time and trying to reach people. Recently we’ve had a lot of great experiences in other parts of the world that most bands don’t get. We went to the Middle East, Jordan, Cairo, Indonesia, we’ve been to so many places that the people have never heard one note of our music. But in a lot of places we had an instant connection, like in Cairo, as soon as we started playing kids were up out of their seats dancing. Those experiences just make you want to keep going and keep doing what you do.
Raul: Trying new things. Right now we have a radio show, and we’re working on a movie, we’re always recording, making music, playing live, and constantly creating and working.
Question: What do you want fans to take away from your music?
Justin: I’m not much of a preacher, so I don’t know. I just want them to have a personal experience, our lyrics are very socially involved and politically involved. We do have a message, just to love and to have a good time. Like Bob Marley, he wrote a lot of politically conscious songs, but at the same time you can’t listen to a Bob Marley song without wanting to get up and dance and move around. People are going to take whatever they want, we’ve played shows where people have no connection to it at all. But we just want the ones that do to enjoy it.
Justin: I think the biggest challenge for me in the band over the years has been, I don’t know. I mean basically our band is a huge mix of a lot of different styles so the challenge for us has been getting pigeonholed. There’s no category for a band that play Latin, Hip-Hop, Arabic music, but people from the music geek side of the spectrum or as a rock by people on the commercial side categorize us as world music. Over the years that has been one of our biggest challenges, but we’ve always tried to ignore all that. Now more than ever, music has changed so much that anyone can do whatever the want and get their product out there on their own and do it independently. It makes it a lot easier to just do what we want as a band and not worry about the categorization.
Raul: I really like writing songs and making music but most of being a professional musician is not about that, it’s about other stuff. When we tour, most of the time we’re not playing music , we’re just getting from point A to B, and that’s always been a strange thing for me, but it’s just part of the reality of it. I think dealing with that has always been strange, but I’m really happy when I play music. Constantly writing and constantly being on tour, and with a band as large as ours it’s sometimes hard to get everybody on the same page, but we love what we do.
Question: What’s the most important thing for you as a band?
Justin: First and foremost that we’re happy with what we’re doing, musically and as musicians. This lifestyle is not always glamorous so we just want to be happy. Touching and reaching people with our music and not catering to any one person, just having a good time and trying to reach people. Recently we’ve had a lot of great experiences in other parts of the world that most bands don’t get. We went to the Middle East, Jordan, Cairo, Indonesia, we’ve been to so many places that the people have never heard one note of our music. But in a lot of places we had an instant connection, like in Cairo, as soon as we started playing kids were up out of their seats dancing. Those experiences just make you want to keep going and keep doing what you do.
Raul: Trying new things. Right now we have a radio show, and we’re working on a movie, we’re always recording, making music, playing live, and constantly creating and working.
Question: What do you want fans to take away from your music?
Justin: I’m not much of a preacher, so I don’t know. I just want them to have a personal experience, our lyrics are very socially involved and politically involved. We do have a message, just to love and to have a good time. Like Bob Marley, he wrote a lot of politically conscious songs, but at the same time you can’t listen to a Bob Marley song without wanting to get up and dance and move around. People are going to take whatever they want, we’ve played shows where people have no connection to it at all. But we just want the ones that do to enjoy it.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
I KISSED A GIRL, BUT I CAN'T PLAY LIVE
Katy Perry's new album is climbing the charts, her singles are nothing short of addictive, she's hot, but the poor kid is definitely not one of the Warped Tour boys.
After watching a kick-ass set from the Maine I pushed my way to the middle of the crowd, it was a typical hot as balls Warped Day. Katy Perry had been on the top of my list for artists to watch that day, so I was eager to get up close to the stage. I love her shameless lyrics and catchy pop-rock hooks.
As we waited for the set change to finish a band dressed in all white suit pants and polo shirts came on stage. I checked my schedule to make sure I wasn't at the wrong stage, to my surprise the polo boys had Katy Perry logos on their chests. But I didn't judge it right then, I told myself I would wait for Katy to play, maybe she was just joking around.
Then Ms. Thing came on stage wearing a little mini-dress and twirling an obnoxious pink umbrella in front of her face.
Then Lady Perry has the nerve to cover Madonna's Like a Virgin. Twirling her umbrella she sang the chorus of the song, I looked towards my friends, and we both knew that we were not about to stand there and watch this seemingly talented singer butcher a Madonna song and parade around on stage like she were a debutante at a country club.
Where was the ballsy, cute, shameless Katy Perry? Where was the woman who wrote those hooks, called out all the annoying hipster boys, and rebelled against her upbringing? She looked like a stereo-typical girly-girl and practically ignored her crowd.
I can't fault her for her fashion sense, the all-white boys were ridiculous, she looked like a Barbie, but Barbies don't belong on Warped Tour.
Katy Perry's music is good. Catchy, edgy, and unique. Katy's single is blazing up the charts, but if she wants to maintain her new-found fan base, she needs a little more rehearsal.
After watching a kick-ass set from the Maine I pushed my way to the middle of the crowd, it was a typical hot as balls Warped Day. Katy Perry had been on the top of my list for artists to watch that day, so I was eager to get up close to the stage. I love her shameless lyrics and catchy pop-rock hooks.
As we waited for the set change to finish a band dressed in all white suit pants and polo shirts came on stage. I checked my schedule to make sure I wasn't at the wrong stage, to my surprise the polo boys had Katy Perry logos on their chests. But I didn't judge it right then, I told myself I would wait for Katy to play, maybe she was just joking around.
Then Ms. Thing came on stage wearing a little mini-dress and twirling an obnoxious pink umbrella in front of her face.
Then Lady Perry has the nerve to cover Madonna's Like a Virgin. Twirling her umbrella she sang the chorus of the song, I looked towards my friends, and we both knew that we were not about to stand there and watch this seemingly talented singer butcher a Madonna song and parade around on stage like she were a debutante at a country club.
Where was the ballsy, cute, shameless Katy Perry? Where was the woman who wrote those hooks, called out all the annoying hipster boys, and rebelled against her upbringing? She looked like a stereo-typical girly-girl and practically ignored her crowd.
I can't fault her for her fashion sense, the all-white boys were ridiculous, she looked like a Barbie, but Barbies don't belong on Warped Tour.
Katy Perry's music is good. Catchy, edgy, and unique. Katy's single is blazing up the charts, but if she wants to maintain her new-found fan base, she needs a little more rehearsal.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The music is not at fault...
I promised myself that I was not going to enter the "War on Emo", and that I was going to stay as far away from it as possible.
Then I read an article about a 13 year old girl who hung herself. The journalist blames the "emo" cult for her death. The article goes so far as to post photos of My Chemical Romance album art, and claim that the girl killed herself because she wanted to "join the Black Parade". The journalist goes on and on about the girls' double life as a "secret emo", and her obsession with My Chemical Romance. Though, the fact that the girl told her mother that she felt like killing herself before she went into her room and hung herself is overshadowed by all this MCR nonsense.
The media is telling us that this whole "emo" thing caused this girl to end her life, and it seems to be blaming her taste in music for her suicide. What about her parents? They should be held responsible. The girl told her mother that she was suicidal, and her mother just let her run off into her room. Any parent in their right mind would see that as a warning, and at least talk to their child. But because the girl liked to wear black, her mother is no longer accountable for her well-being. What the article seems to be telling us is that a fad is completely responsible for this girl's death. Where does this end? At this rate, every time a teenager committs suicide, parents and reporters will be claiming that My Chemical Romance should have stopped the kid, that bands should be the ones taking their fans to psychiatrists' offices, and that the reason their kids are dead is because they spend time on message boards.
This girl had a history of self-mutilation and before it was too late, she told her mom she was suicidal. As tragic as this is, "emo" is not the cause, lack of parental intervention is.
Then I read an article about a 13 year old girl who hung herself. The journalist blames the "emo" cult for her death. The article goes so far as to post photos of My Chemical Romance album art, and claim that the girl killed herself because she wanted to "join the Black Parade". The journalist goes on and on about the girls' double life as a "secret emo", and her obsession with My Chemical Romance. Though, the fact that the girl told her mother that she felt like killing herself before she went into her room and hung herself is overshadowed by all this MCR nonsense.
The media is telling us that this whole "emo" thing caused this girl to end her life, and it seems to be blaming her taste in music for her suicide. What about her parents? They should be held responsible. The girl told her mother that she was suicidal, and her mother just let her run off into her room. Any parent in their right mind would see that as a warning, and at least talk to their child. But because the girl liked to wear black, her mother is no longer accountable for her well-being. What the article seems to be telling us is that a fad is completely responsible for this girl's death. Where does this end? At this rate, every time a teenager committs suicide, parents and reporters will be claiming that My Chemical Romance should have stopped the kid, that bands should be the ones taking their fans to psychiatrists' offices, and that the reason their kids are dead is because they spend time on message boards.
This girl had a history of self-mutilation and before it was too late, she told her mom she was suicidal. As tragic as this is, "emo" is not the cause, lack of parental intervention is.
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