I’ve always despised musicals.  Just because you’ve added a bunch of overdramatic, singing, dancing bozos doesn’t make it a good show…but that’s just my opinion. Musicals suck. Most of the time. Lately though, with all the intriguing commercials I’ve seen, I’m beginning to think the Broadway production of “The Lion King” could be the one exception I’m willing to make to my consensus.

It’s interesting how much musicals have changed.  I’m no expert, but from what I’ve noticed, they’ve undergone quite a revolution.

Back in the 60’s, with productions like “My Fair Lady” and “The Music Man”, Broadway shows were known for corny musical numbers, extravagant dance numbers and over dramatic acting.  Some people love that stuff, but I think it’s an acquired taste. People just loved and still do love “The Sound of Music” and “Mary Poppins”.  I’m sure that watching Julie Andrews spin around on an Austrian hillside just seemed like utopia to some people.  And lets not forget Dick Van Dyke, as Bert the Chimney Sweeper.  I must admit, he was a kick butt chimney sweeper.  Like I said before, I’m not a fan of musical theater, but who wouldn’t want to dance around on a rooftop with brooms singing?

Now though, musical theater has changed somewhat.  And occasionally, I’d say it’s for the better.  As I said before, in the 1960’s and before musicals were just singing and dancing and acting.  Today, some of them have encompassed more than just singing and dancing and conventional acting.  The Blue Man Group is a good example of this. The group of bald-headed Blue men combine music, theatrics and multimedia arts to put on a stellar show.  It’s not out of the ordinary for these blue baldies to play percussion with PVC pipes and drums filled with paint.  Nor is it a stretch for them to stand in a line and make a whole skit out of trying to open a Twinkie. Believe me, I’ve seen the show twice.  It’s probably the only time I will be able to wear a poncho and get lost in a sea of toilet paper while I look at a person’s uvula on the Jumbo-tron.

Since I’m jazzed about “The Lion King”, I’m going to share my excitement.  In an Isthmus article by David Medaris, Overture Center Vice President Susan Crofton said, “It was transporting…a visual extravaganza.”  Although I haven’t seen the production, reading this article makes me admire the craft that goes into playing these characters.  Theater veteran Tony Freeman plays Zazu.  He said, “I have to know every expression on the puppet’s face by how it feels on my arms.” How cool is that? That’s one of the reasons I want to see this show.  I think it’s totally rad that actors like Freeman can take a lifeless puppet like Zazu and make audiences forget it’s a puppet…supposedly.

In past posts I’ve stressed how older was better.  But with acts like The Blue Man Group, The Canadian acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil and “The Lion King”, occasionally newer just might be better. Ocassionally.

Most of us know what Weird Al Yankovic is famous for.  Even if you don’t like him or listen to his music, chances are if you aren’t 80 and Lawrence Welk isn’t your MTV, then you’ve at least heard of him.  With hit parodies like “Amish Paradise”, “Smells Like Nirvana” and “Like a Surgeon”, Weird Al is considered one of the most popular parodists in the music business.

The reason I bring this up is because back in the olden days, when I wrote the first post for this blog, I mentioned that although I am a music junkie, I am by no means a composing junkie. If you remember, I tried piano and it wasn’t my forte. In short, I have absolutely no motivation or talent to actually write or play something worth listening to.  That being said, back when I actually embarked on my musical journey and took lessons, my dreams of being a pianist still in tact, I was told to write a parody.  Today, with Weird Al streaming through my computer speakers, I began to reflect on my parodist self. If you feel like bringing out your creativity and music is your outlet, or at least you want it to be but you figured you can’t write lyrics worth crap, think again.  A parody might just be the way to go.

So today, my fine readers, I decided to shake things up a bit and do something just a little different.  In the spirit of my personal reflection, lets talk about parodies. How should you go about writing a parody? What makes a good one?  What kinds of parodies are there? How can parodies be helpful? Who are some great parodists?  Here’s what some of the experts and I think.

First off, it seems to me there are two different types of parodies. One is for pure humor.  The other is for educational purposes.  They exist to teach us something whether we’re three or 53.

For instance, Sesame Street.  That show is one of the best sources for educational parodies. Granted, they are for like…five year olds, but still, it’s quality stuff.  Trust me, if your kid needs to learn about triangles, check out James Blunt’s “My Triangle”.  The original, “You’re Beautiful”, sucks, but the parody? Great. Once again, resorting to Sesame to Street, there’s the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Pride”, a parody of their hit song “Slide” released in 1998.  The Sesame Street version is a collaboration they did with Elmo about confidence and self-esteem.  Once again, I think it’s epic.

Although Monty Python doesn’t make parodies of existing songs, they still create humorous and sometimes helpful songs.  Like, “The Galaxy Song”, it’s so helpful!  I sang that song to death for our unit on the planets.

If you strive to write your own parody:

• Pick a popular or familiar song: chances are, people will get a bigger kick out of your parody if they know what you’re going off of.
• Stick with the original lyrics: one of the reasons a parody is a parody is because the writer kept true to the original lyrics.  If you do this, audiences are more likely to appreciate the humor.
• Keep track: to avoid writer’s block, it’s a good idea to keep a notepad with you so you can jot down ideas when they come to you.  It’ll suck to have a brain drought and no lifeline.

For more tips on parody writing, visit William Tong’s “Parody Song Writing Tips”.

Whether you’re writing a parody to crack your friends up or to teach your kid their vowels, the great thing about parodies is you have an excuse to be a copy-cat.  Want to get more familiar with parodies? Check out artists like Richard Cheese, Ween and Flight of the Conchords.



I figured this time around I’d take the opportunity to commemorate Reggae star Bob Marley.  Unfortunately, the anniversary of his death is coming up (it’s on May ll,) and I feel as though I would be doing Reggae fans and music fans alike a disservice if I didn’t at least mention it. But being as I am a hardcore Marley fan, I feel he deserves much more than just a mention. So here’s to you, Bob Marley.

As I write this I am listening to some of Marley’s music and it just hit me. I really admire the fact that Reggae has resisted the pressure to give in and become a slave to the greedy, popularity contest that has become today’s music culture.  How is it that the genre has been able to stay true to its roots since they emerged in the 60’s?  Are these musicians simply more dedicated? Can we accredit this to Rastafarianism? Maybe partly, but you don’t have to be a Rasta to make reggae. If that were the case, Brooklyn-born Hasidic Jew Matisyahu would be out of a job.  Regardless of what makes these musicians stay true to the lyrical roots of one love and one heart, the important thing is that they’ve done it.

In Matisyahu’s case, he certainly hasn’t strayed far from Reggae’s message, as most of his music, if not all of it, condones staying true to your beliefs and living life as a compassionate, understanding person.  Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe there are many, if any, Reggae musicians who have strayed far from preaching love, peace and embracing diversity.

But as with most other genres of music, some Reggae has undergone a slight sound metamorphosis. Dub, a popular sub-genre of Reggae, incorporates heavier emphasis on the drum and bass along with the sound that is Reggae.  Madison based Reggae band, Natty Nation, describes their tunes as “tight but fluid, rootsy but funky, beautiful, but gritty, righteous but real vibrations”.

I think it would be fair to say that it was Marley himself was the catalyst for what followed in the Reggae world.  Marley’s sons Damien, Julian, Ziggy, Stephen and Kymani have carried on their father’s legacy with their music as well.

Many popular musicians outside the realm of Reggae, such as Eric Clapton, Gwen Stafani, Lauryn Hill and Stevie Wonder call Marley an inspiration. The fact is, though, Bob Marley and his followers have inspired change, peace, love and unity through much more than music.

On February 4, 2005, Bob Marley fans and followers made a pilgrimage to Ethiopia to celebrate Marley’s birthday as well as a UNICEF sponsored event called “Africa Unite”. In an interview before his death Marley spoke of the importance of Africa. “But there is a better life in Africa. I feel for Africa, I want to go there and write some music.  Instead of New York, why can’t people go to Ghana? Go to Nigeria, meet some people, learn a new language. You see, people are only seeking material vanity. . . .Africa was not only a dream; it symbolized a place where the black man could live in dignity and prosperity.”

So get in touch with your inner Rasta, listen to Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots and the Maytals, Matisyahu or Natty Nation and spread the legacy.

Robert ‘Nesta’Marley

February 6, 1945-May 11, 1981

The Pig Squeal, The Growl, The Grunt and The Power Fry.  Who knew these were different types of screams?  I guess if you’re a Screamo fan, you’d know this. Up until today, I barely knew what “Screamo” was. So today, readers, my post is going to be more along the lines of informational as oppose to opinionated.  As I hope you can tell, I think it’s very important to expand one’s horizons in any way they can.  So, searching for a new blog topic, I decided to expand my horizons and learn more about this genre that fans call “Screamo”.

For those of you who are lost, the sometimes fishy, yet relatively faithful online encyclopedia known as Wikipedia, defines Screamo as “a more aggressive offshoot of Emo that developed in San Diego in 1991, which used short, chaotically executed songs which grafted ‘spastic intensity to willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics.’”

If you missed my post on Emo music, feel free go back and check out Flopping-around-in-tight-jeans. It turns out, not only does Screamo take its origins from Emo, but also from Hardcore Punk.  Being a Punk fan myself, I can tell you that Hardcore Punk…is hardcore. Hardcore anarchy, hardcore electric guitar, hardcore moshpits, hardcore injuries and a bit of hardcore screaming.  In more detail though, Hardcore Punk emerged in the 1970’s, took refuge in large metropolitan areas and developed a dedicated fan-base in places like New York, California and Washington D.C.  I guess Punk and Punk Rock wasn’t and still isn’t spastic enough for groups like Black Flag, Minor Threat and The Damned, as they made sure and make sure to play harder, yell louder and unfortunately, sometimes they spit farther.  And one other thing, hardcore punkers may be even further off-key when they sing, but that’s okay.

So now it may be easy to see where Screamo gets its inspiration.  It may pull you in with its soft melodramatic vocals but wait a minute or two and it’ll remind you, in order to get your point across, it’s always best to scream.  Want to get your inner-Screamo on? Check out MetallsMyMiddleName’s YouTube channel. Though I have not heard much Screamo, I can already tell you, it’s not something I’ll be browsing the record stores for.  But hey! If it appeals to you, feel free to check out bands like I Hate Myself and I Would Set Myself on Fire for You and by all means, turn up the volume, put on your tight pants and scream along.

Do you remember when Britney Spears got all that crap for her “I’m a Slave 4 U” hit song and video back in 2001? It was then that Spears’ Pop Princess reputation began to slowly evolve into a Pop Sleaze reputation. I know Britney Spears is so ten years ago, her music, I mean.  Recently it’s been all about her nervous breakdown and her recent personal revelation into a better person (or whatever she’s claimed.)  But anyway, that’s not the point.  The point is, I was talking to one of my friends and we were having a discussion about what constitutes really bad Pop music.  I brought up the Pussycat Dolls and it suddenly dawned on me, I think they might just be able to top Spears’ sleaze! Don’t get me wrong. I am by no means defending Spears’ slutty stage presence.  For Pete’s sake, it’s not like subtlety is her strong suit, but still, subtlety didn’t even enter the minds of the Pussycat Dolls; as far as I’m concerned, these girls are royalty in the “We-Have-No-Talent-So-Lets-Just-Get-Popular-and-Make-Money-by-Allowing-Guys-to-Oogle-Our-Goodies-and-Allowing-Girls-to-Covet-Our-Goodies” department.  These six girls might as well call themselves the Pussycat Whores or maybe the Pussycat Strippers.  After all, that’s really what they are, strippers who happen to make money by shaking stuff around and singing (if you can even call it that.)

Here’s the thing. In today’s music world, especially in the Pop music world, you can get away with not being stick skinny and not acting…whorish only if you have a good voice and you’ve proved it to either a record company, Simon Cowell or…yeah, pretty much just a record company or the American Idol judges.  But don’t worry, you can still get a record deal if you’re not the best singer but you better be ready to strut and jiggle around in platform shoes and leather.

Artists like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, The Turtles and The Jackson 5 proved that the majority of Pop music in the 60’s and 70’s was all about having fun and maybe getting lost in the sublime relationship you have with your secret crush. Hits like 1964’s “I Wanna Hold Your Hand”, by the Beatles and 1967’s “Happy Together”, by The Turtles are songs about just that, rejoicing over how wonderful your relationship is. What about The Jackson 5’s “ABC”?  That song is simply awesome.  I don’t care who you are, if you don’t like that song, get your head checked.  Michael Jackson knew how to rock it even as an eight year-old! It seems as though the closest 60’s bands ever came to writing about sex was when female foursome The Crystals and Betty Everett sang songs like “Then He Kissed Me” and “It’s in His Kiss”. Keep in mind that stars like Everett as well as the Crystals were most certainly not stick skinny but they still managed to find fame because their songs were fun.  It simply didn’t matter that they weren’t stick skinny and practically naked when they performed. My problem is this: it’s a shame that most Pop evolved into such attention-seeking crap.  Yeah, some of the old stuff was corny, but some of the new stuff is really trashy.

Back to the future and the Pussycat Dolls.  The all-girl group was formed in 1995 by choreographer Robin Antin and it claims to be a burlesque troop.  Excuse me if I’m wrong but it is my understanding that burlesque dancers aren’t quite as trashy.  Like, for instance, they don’t take off all their clothes. Also, traditional burlesque troops often perform things like comedy routines and miming.  I think it’s safe to say that the Pussycat Dolls don’t do any of that. In the article “Bunny Bravo: Burlesque is Not Stripping”, by Gary Schwend, burlesque dancer Bunny Bravo explains the difference between stripping and burlesque dancing.  “Burlesque is more the whole tease, what’s coming off, what’s underneath? Strippers are just in it for the money…’Look at me! Can I have a dollar?’ We’re obviously not in it for the money”.  Thank you Ms. Bravo!  So, I encourage the Pussycat Dolls to cut the crap and get their definitions straight.

I’m not saying all of today’s Pop stars are like the Pussycat Dolls.  Thank God there are artists like Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah who embrace their plus –size and are good singers.  These women have proven that they may not be a size 2 but they have talent, they’re successful and they know it. In an interview with Self magazine, Clarkson stood up for her bigger body, saying, “Some people seem to have a problem with my weight, I don’t. I’m fine! My happy weight changes, sometimes I eat more, sometimes I play more.” I applaud Clarkson and Hudson for going against the grain of what is expected of today’s Pop stars and accepting their bodies for every pound they carry.  Both Hudson and Clarkson proved that talent and success can have almost nothing to do with body weight.  Clarkson made Billboard chart history when her single “My Life Would Suck Without You” made the jump from 97-1 after it had been downloaded 280,000 times in the first week. I’m sure that has a lot more to do with her voice than her body.

Not only has this entry turned out to be a commentary on the state of Pop music today, but also it has ended up being a sort of commentary on body image.   This was certainly not intentional, but it just so happens that Pop music brings up far more than just good v. bad music.  I urge Pop fans to comb beneath the surface of popular Pop and find a few stars who think outside their weight.  There’s a lot more to good Pop than just 7-in. heels and stripper poles.

People always say, in the words of Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changin’”.  The statement’s validity isn’t far off.  Society is always in a state of flux.  From the apparel we wear to the latest craze among collectibles, to, of course, the music we listen to.   This got me thinking.  Is there any music that hasn’t evolved into something it hadn’t been before?  And the answer is yes and no.  I think the closest a genre can come to keeping its old time originality falls in the realm of Folk music.

In some cases, Folk’s style has evolved into a slightly more contemporary sound, but really, its core motive, to inspire change, expression or creativity doesn’t seem to have strayed far since the early days of the 60’s.  Folk pioneers Bob Dylan or Peter, Paul and Mary embraced and inspired the revolution that was booming among Americans during that time. Peace, love and change were the goals and in some cases, peace, love and change were achieved.  It just so happens that Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Nick Drake and other old time Folksters are beyond my years, so I can’t say I was a first-hand witness to this but thanks to  YouTube, Concert DVD’s and PBS specials, I can conclude it.  They also didn’t waste their time with designer outfits, pyrotechnics or a wacky stage presence.  Most of them began the show with some guitars, a few microphones, maybe an old stool and that’s about it.  The only bells and whistles included were tambourines, perhaps a couple of kazoos and maybe more cowbell.    The music and the message was the point.

In Folk’s biggest decades, the sixties and seventies, it became the proponent for change and social awareness.  Whether it was by taking the stage at music’s biggest festival, Woodstock, “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 days of peace, love and music”, or providing the soundtrack for the many civil rights and Vietnam War protests, Folk never failed to spread its message.

Fast forward five decades (give or take a few years)…

Now we’ve got artists like The Weepies, Alexi Murdoch and She and Him, all of which consider themselves part of the Indie-Folk scene, which emerged in the 90’s.   How is Indie Folk different from original Folk?

They still manage to remind people of the importance of the right of speech and that believe it or not, brain power in combination with speech and actions can do some good.  Although there hasn’t been much protesting going on with the war in Iraq, Folk artists still bring out their inner activists.   In 2007Folk/Singer Songwriter’s Damien Rice, David Gray and James Blunt contributed to the world wide Live Earth benefit with performances in London.  Artists like Ray LaMontagne and the Weepies have played gigs for Live 8 and the San Francisco Bike Coalition, promoting bicycles as a safe and clean alternative to automotive transportation.

The downside to this though? An established artist has a better chance standing on their soapbox bringing in the dough.

Have you ever seen someone slide a credit card down someone else’s butt crack? I hadn’t…until I saw the video for Gansta Rapper Nelly’s song “Tip Drill”.  By the way, if you don’t know what a ‘tip drill’ is, look it up on Urban Dictionary.  I’m going to save myself the embarrassment and indecency by not explaining it here.

Let me describe the ‘Tip Drill’ video in a nutshell.  Butts, more butts, breasts, more breasts, money, more money, thongs, more thongs, bling, more bling (over and over again for eight minutes). Oh, yeah, and the best part?  When he slides an American Express card down a woman’s crack.   That’s what I call priceless vulgarity.  I would post the video, but the truth is, it’s so graphic, I would feel trashy having something this disgusting on my page, even if it is to protest it. So if curiosity strikes, open YouTube in another tab. 

Now, on to my point: Why can’t socially conscious Rap/Hip Hop make a bigger comeback, or perhaps, will it make a bigger comeback?  We had some of that in the good old days, and even have a little bit now but when will more sprout?  Many rappers such as 50 Cent and Eminem claim to be influenced by Hip Hop and Rap veterans like 2pac Shakur, whose claim to fame was the socially aware and relatable music he wrote.   Shakur often rapped about the perils of the inner city black community that was fueled by drugs and gangs and how one can make something of themselves despite the circumstances. But the question is, are artists like 50 Cent and Eminem inspired by the lyrical content of Rappers like Shakur?  It certainly doesn’t seem that way. 

Take Eminem’s song ‘3 Verses ‘ as an example. He seems to talk of a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Something along the lines of, “I grew up in a bad neighborhood and had a crappy childhood, so that’s why I’m like this and I’m not going to change”.  He says:

I grew up in the wild youth
As a hazardous youth,
With a f***ed up childhood
And aint s**t changed
But kept the same mindstate
[. . .]
You probably think I’m a negative person, don’t be so sure of it
I don’t promote violence, I just encourage it.

Shakur’s song, ‘Brenda’s Got a Baby’ deals with the same subject matter.  Shakur says:

Just cause you’re in the ghetto doesn’t mean ya can’t grow
But oh, that’s a thought, my own revelation
Do whatever it takes to resist the temptation

I was little confused when I read the vastly different messages the two songs had.  If Eminem claims to be such a fan of 2pac, why not write like him?

Eminem and 2pac aside, what about Nelly?  With songs like ‘Drill Tip’ and ‘Body on Me’, women and money seem to be the idea.  How could you argue they’re not when the music videos are not shy to showcase credit cards, hundred dollar bills and naked women flaunting themselves over black Cadillacs, diamond studded grillz and million dollar bling? 

On a contradictory note, I praise the Rappers/Hip Hoppers of today who seem to follow the trend that 2pac and 80’s Hip Hop group De la Soul tried to set.  Thankfully, the world does have Rappers and Hip Hoppers who strive to make a difference through their music.  Somali Hip Hopper K’naan and Reggae/Rap fusion star Matisyahu, are among those who use their cultural background and beliefs to spread a difference in the Rap world as well as the world itself.  In his song, ‘In the Beginning’, K’naan talks about having the courage to make a difference and stand up for yourself and what you believe.  K’naan seems to encourage his listeners to speak up against the injustice that’s around them.  He says:

Suspicious he moved
With vicious caution

He thinks is a little often
By the void inside em’

YO!
The void said

‘I’m poised to speak inside you’
Rejoice then…please let me invite you
…To evil, greed and lies to

[. . .]
Then things changed
And we keep holdin’ on
And we keep bein’ strong
And we keep goin’ on
And on and on and on

With that being said, I invite Rap/Hip Hop listeners and artists to learn a lesson from these artists. The bottom line:   It’s not all about sex, cash and credit cards. If we’re in an age that promotes independent thinking and being, always being pressed to make a difference, maybe we should take a hint from artists like K’naan and Matisyahu and start doing what we’ve been told.

Emo: Genre of softcore punk music that integrates unenthusiastic melodramatic 17 year olds who dont smile, high pitched overwrought lyrics and inaudible guitar rifts with tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans, itchy scarfs (even in the summer), ripped chucks with favorite bands signature, black square rimmed glasses, and ebony greasy unwashed hair that is required to cover at least 3/5 ths of the face at an angle.

-Defined by urbandictionary.com

It just so happens that the other day, while browsing for a new Bob Marley shirt, I happened to notice someone who seemed to be the walking, breathing, whining version of the above definition.  And it got me thinking, why does Emo music suck these days? How did it slide so deeply down the crapper over the last two to three decades?

Today it’s all about show. Take for instance, Emo band 30 Seconds to Mars.  Their song, “The Kill” chronicles a 20-something-year-old’s slow and painful emotional death thanks to his girlfriend’s indecisive, fickle behavior.  In the music video for this incredibly insightful song, one sees the lead singer, Jared Leto, literally falling all over the place.  The guy looks like he’s practically having seizures.  Really? It seems to me, if you were really that depressed and distraught, would you even have the energy to put on such an overwrought show? Frankly, falling all over the stage, screaming in distressed agony just makes me laugh at you, not feel bad about your unfortunate relationship status. And another thing, as the above definition states, Emo includes, “unenthusiastic , melodramatic 17 year olds[. . .] with tight wool sweaters, tighter jeans [. . .] and ebony greasy unwashed hair that is required to cover at least 3/5 of the face at an angle”. Who would have the motivation to dress so meticulously when they’re supposedly so depressed? I wouldn’t.

Back in the 70’s and 80’s, when The Cure, Sisters of Mercy and The Smiths were all the rage among depressed, mellow dramatic individuals, it didn’t seem quite so nauseating.  Yeah, the music was depressing and it may have conjured images of one wallowing in their own self-pity in a room with the shades drawn, but here’s the biggest difference: the music actually mattered, not just the look. Eighties bands of the Emo and Goth genres may have sung about bleeding out the pain, trying desperately to find the girl and being swallowed into an internal abyss of darkness, but at least it looked like they meant it.  When they sang and played more imagination and passion seemed to be part of the music.  The artists didn’t seem to flipping and flopping like a fish out of water, because the point was, the lyrics and ambience of the song depicted that.  Who cares about stage presence? From what these artists sang, they made it obvious that they could barely carry-on breathing, let alone put out so much energy flopping around.

In short: Back in seventies and 80’s, the lyrics were desperate, raw and overdramatic but at least the look wasn’t.  One may want to tell both generations to relax, take a personal day and a Xanax and go to sleep.  But today’s Emo, they’re more likely to grease up their hair, put on their sister’s jeans and go whine and fall all over the place at their local venue.   But they must make sure of course, that the venue has enough seating to accommodate the millions of fans that will whine and flop with them.

Alright, people.  Now, I know the Grammys were weeks ago, was it the beginning of February?  I think so.  In any case, every year I’ve had a bone to pick with the Grammys and this year is no exception.  But c’mon now, Taylor Swift? Beyonce? I must say though, it’s a (slight) relief that the Black Eyed Peas won for ‘best vocal performance by a duo or group’…they were up against Bon Jovi.  In a situation such as this one, it’s bad against atrocious.  When are people going to realize that a 50 year-old in tight pants with a tan so overdone they look like an old shoe, is just not something to encourage?  Isn’t it enough that he can’t sing his way out of the front door, or does he have to sport such fashionable attire?

Anyway, here’s the point of this post.  What happened to praising someone for their musical talent, rather than their appearance? Maybe someone who can actually sing on key and write thoughtfully?  Not that it matters, but if we’re so focused on appearance, I’d like to assure the music industry and the rest of you, there are actually attractive individuals with talent.  Rest assured: all is not lost.

That being said, let me complain some more.  Taylor Swift.  The girl won three Country music Grammys! Three!  And she’s only 19!   Props to Taylor!  She doesn’t even sing Country! It’s Pop with a twang! That’s false advertising!  Yes, dear, your long, golden, curly locks are to just die for! Oh, my gosh! I can barely stand it! They’re wonderful! It’s okay, your weird eye makeup will distract them from your voice! It’s no big deal, you look fabulous! Those killer dance moves are most definitely coveted.  Swift’s performance proves that if you do have hopes for a successful singing career, practice your karaoke.  You just may be on your way to winning a Grammy! It can be done!  Taylor proved it! After all, most of the time the Grammys are just a glorified version of karaoke. They have a better sound system, a bigger audience and better food.  I applaud Swift’s audio producers.  I think they’re the real artists here.

I’ll give her this though.  I am jealous of her flawless, frizz-free hair.  How does she do that?

So…

Here’s the good side of Country music.  I could blab about Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline all day.  But, it’s the 21^st century and more importantly, they’re both dead.  So instead, I’ll blab about Lucinda Williams.  I’ll admit right now, I’m not the biggest fan of country music.  However, I will say, the woman’s good at what she does.  Her raw, gravelly voice, which I’m sure she can thank to an abundance of booze and cigarettes, is fitting for the grimy, grungy, twangy vocals she has been known for.  What I like about Williams is her lyrics have depth and her vocals…don’t make me nauseous.  Thank god her lyrical intelligence expands farther than princes, white horses, sexy tractors and patriotism.  Yeah, she may sing about car wheels and gravel roads, but she also sings what she wants, how she wants. Her instrumentation and style goes beyond country, as she blends elements of Blues and Rock into her twang.  Why isn’t she popular?  Simple.  She’s old and she’s not the most attractive broad in the industry.

Sadly, video really did kill the radio star.

Well, hello everyone!

My name is Francesca.  I am a student at UW-Whitewater majoring in journalism.  After graduation, if all goes well I hope to combine my passion for music and writing and get a job as a music journalist/critic.

I absolutely love music and writing.  The two are like oxygen to me.  Sit me down in front of a baby grand, and the skill stops there.  I tried musicianship…it didn’t work out.  I’ll leave it at that.  Being a pianist was a dream, but my lack of motivation and patience squashed that dream.  Whatever.  I’m over it.   I’m a concert go-er, a Lollapalooza frequent-er and of course, a record store browser.   Listening to music is my gig.  I’m one of those freaks who actually still buys CDs and LP records!  I know! You’re shocked, aren’t you?!  Just kidding…  I listen to everything worth listening to and then I talk about it.  Yeah, I know what’s good is subjective, but you’ll get my point soon enough.

So, that’s where this blog comes in.

Every week I will post an entry on a topic relating to music in pop culture, music not in pop culture,  Music I’ve heard, where I’ve heard it, what’s on my ipod and what should be on yours; that kind of thing.  Most likely, it’ll work like this:

1. Francesca sees, reads or listens to something relating to music in pop culture today.

2.  Francesca forms an opinion about that something.

3.  Francesca posts her opinion on ‘TuRn iT uP!’.  Does she love it, abhor it?  Is it of epic proportions?  She’ll tell you.

Also, it’s likely I will pick one musical genre per entry, pick an album that falls within that genre and review it.  In an attempt at coherence, I will try to pick something that relates to the’ music in pop culture’ comments I have made for that week. (i.e. If I write about Taylor Swift’s most recent performance on David Letterman, I’ll pick a country album to review.  That’s what Taylor Swift claims to be, right? A country star?)

So, that’s the drill.

Lastly, dear readers, this is my opinion.  You can agree with it, or not.  In the event that that you don’t, I suggest you go read someone else’s and/or politely tell me why you disagree.

Until next time, cheers!

-Francesca