Are You Offended By 'The Rock Star Myth'

[Scar]

Does it bother you that radio bands have bad ass stylists that put them in studded belts and black eyeliner??

Does it bother you that they get to wear cool spooky clothes that they didn't even pick out and that doesn't even match their music style....?

Does it bother you that they don't write their own music?

Does it bother you that they don't come up with their own ideas for music videos???

Does it bother you that they pretend they DID dress themselves, put on their own make-up, write their own music, and come up with these spectacular ideas for videos???




I was discussing this with a friend and we decided that if music were presented to us as theatrical entertainment, the way movies are, that we would not be so bothered by radio MTV type bands. It is the fact that we are supposed to believe the 'rockstar myth' that is so annoying.


Any thoughts???

[KilLAtomiK]

all those things bother me, but what bothers me more is that people buy into that crap . If people keep buying the record companies will keep churning crap out meaning people with actual talent dont get heard

[Kidthorazine]

I'm not bothered by it, but those asshats on MTV are hilarious, even more hilarious are the 14 year old girls who think that those asshats are sooooo rebellious.

[Anarkey]

no ,i feel jaded ................................

[Mindgames]

It bothers me that there are people who don't get that the whole thing is a marketing campaign, and assume their favorite star does it all personally. A 5th-grader knows that Ronald McFcknDonald doesn't personally make all the burgers, but 30-year-olds expect that all the acts on TRL wrote their own material, designed their own jackets and drove themselves to the studio. Of course they pretend they did - it's part of the act. Lance Burton pretends he breeds doves, Jon Stewart pretends he wrote his own lines and Pink pretends the story about her name is true.. but it just doesn't work to be honest all the time. The public want slick patter and airbrushing as it's entertainment, not an expose on CNN, but they're supposed to suspend disbelief - not to believe it all in the first place!

[Kidthorazine]

yeah I don't expect them to not have image help at some point, but I do expect any band that wants to be taken seriously to write their own songs.

[Morning Glory]

Nope, doesn't bother me at all because I don't have to turn on the idiot box and see them. Now when people that I do have to deal with act like that, like people need to kiss thier ass and show them the respect that they haven't earned, then it bothers me a little bit. but I can still walk away. those people aren't a part of my life and anyone that wants to be real can come over and kick it with me if they want to.

[Mindgames]

yeah I don't expect them to not have image help at some point, but I do expect any band that wants to be taken seriously to write their own songs.

Why? Lots of major artists now and in decades past were damn good musicians or singers, but didn't write their own material. Even in bands that do write, it's usually only one or two members that do it - so should the others be rejected because they played bass instead of writing the chorus? Songwriting is important but if it was the only mark of credibility Caesar's would book Will Jennings and a session singer instead of Celine Dion.

[One Eyed Cat]

I don't watch tv unless just by chance at an airport or something. It is funny to me when I see it. The images just zoom! zoom! I find pop culture to be idiotic even after suspending my disbelief. At what point do they become rockstars though? I don't think there is a strict cut-off where it's only about marketing.

OEC

[mmmcherry]

i dont really care if bands dress up or do or dont write their own shit... if i like the music ill listen to it, if the band members are kindof assholes... it ruins the whole thing for me. i like it when the band or singer actually respects the fans... ive met a couple people that were not exactly the nicest people and i find myself kindof not liking their music the next time i hear it.

[Kidthorazine]

Why? Lots of major artists now and in decades past were damn good musicians or singers, but didn't write their own material. Even in bands that do write, it's usually only one or two members that do it - so should the others be rejected because they played bass instead of writing the chorus? Songwriting is important but if it was the only mark of credibility Caesar's would book Will Jennings and a session singer instead of Celine Dion.

Because I see little artistic integrity in it, if they don't. I can understand two members of a band being the main songwriters for the band, but least they are in the band instead of some hack that churns out pop songs for people (of course some people in bands do this too)

[EasyRider]

Video killed the radio star.

Gone are the days where you could look like a gasfitter and get a record contract, which is why Phil Collins, though very talented, is living off royalties.

It's a business and a racket like everything else. Any delusions one has about it being an artistic venture is bullshit. You're shifting product.

[Kidthorazine]

Its possible to be artistic and still sell a crapload of records, not so much as it used to be but I think it can be done, especially now given the internet and other ways of getting out there other than MTV and commercial radio.

[Wickedanima]

I'm intensely bothered by it, if not just for the principal of the thing. It wouldn't bother me so much I think if it was easy to tell if they just happened to upgrade from doing their own makeup/wearing thriftstore finds... But the fact that they all probably dressed themselves out of the Gap really bothers me.

As much as I love some Rock Stars, I don't think they should be praised for a good sense of style when they have someone that chooses style for them.

Its a royal pity what has happened to music, and how the labels have gotten out of hand, and how they can pull some suburban girl and make her into a 'punk rock chick' and how most people are stupid enough to buy it.

[EasyRider]

Are we talking about a certain would-be-otherwise pregnant at 15-working-at-Giant-Tiger wunderkind from Napanee, Ontario?

[Mr Karl]

nope doesn't bother me one bit.....course they aren't getting any money from me either

[Annabel Elaine]

Its disgusting but I find that if I think about it too much I feel really jaded- so I don't, I do feel that is a duty that sensible humans have to the stupid to tell them that their idols are fakes.

Heh, its like kiddies believing in Santa, people need some one to believe in.

[Bondage Clown]

I was an individual.. just like everyone else.
I dressed like a rockstar, just to go to Denny's... The grocery store,bookstore... It just got looks... Fuck em if they take life too seriously and don't have the balls to express themselves.

[Mindgames]

Are we talking about a certain would-be-otherwise pregnant at 15-working-at-Giant-Tiger wunderkind from Napanee, Ontario?

Nope. Strange though it may be, she does actually write a good 50% of her material with most of the collab being on the instrumentals, and the last two videos were her own storyboard. Album 1 was different but these days the little varmint has a lot of input compared to most SWF acts.


Now, who else wore a studded belt on her first video... hmm....

[One Eyed Cat]

Nope. Strange though it may be, she does actually write a good 50% of her material with most of the collab being on the instrumentals, and the last two videos were her own storyboard. Album 1 was different but these days the little varmint has a lot of input compared to most SWF acts.


Now, who else wore a studded belt on her first video... hmm....

Madonna in Borderline? I liked how she was back then. Sure, it's all contrived. She just kind of got it and has been laughing for 20 odd years now.

OEC

[a_small_death]

This is sailing towards the island of emo