How Many More Songs About Jersey Do We Need?
CJScalazettiAfter hearing about more shows Bruce plans to bless upon the NY and Phila. region this Fall, I had to regurgitate an old blog written near the Super Bowl that made me laugh. James Dugan
Here are the highlights of a conversation I had today while talking to someone regarding the Halftime Show (I will give you the demographics: caucasian, metro-NYC area and remembers what he was learning in school the day Kennedy was shot):
Him: "Hey, you see that halftime show yesterday?"
Me: "Yep."
Him: " How 'bout that Springsteen? He still can bring it!"
Me: "Eh."
Him: "Whatsa matter? You don't like the Boss?"
Me: "Nope."
Him: "How can you not like the Boss?!?"
Me "I have seen my fair share of shitty Jersey Shore bands in my life and hated them all. Why would I have any desire to listen to the Mother Alien that spawned these hacks?"
Him: "What?"
Me: "That is my simple answer. Here is the more detailed version:"
1. I am not 55. I was not rocking the walrus moustache, denim outfits and hoping the plant wouldn't close when Thunder Road came out so the whole "Working man trying to make it BS" does not resonate with me.
2. I cannot listen to a guy write struggle songs and sing about his dilapidated hometown, his old High School harlots, and being a social outcast when he has been a multi-millionaire for as long as I have been born.
3. I am going to quote Grace Slick (lead singer from Jefferson Airplane, a 1960's psychadelic band...I have some friends here reading this who I know have no rock history knowledge prior to Aerosmith singing with Run DMC and felt the need to go into a bit more detail ) here from a recent interview: "Rock should be for the young. I think it is pretty sad when you have 50 year old guys on stage singing about sex and revolution."
Bruce's T-bagging of the cameraman aside, the rest of the band is not holding up well. For instance, I cannot believe the makeup on L'il Stevie in The Sopranos was actually designed to make him look better. Apparently the 3 chins he had that final season was not prosthetically added. Also, the sax player pulled the old Delta Burke move from Designing Women: wear a long trenchcoat to cover up the world of hurt underneath. Leather and Love Handles do not go well together. Stick to the studio fellas and leave the live performances to those without prostates being carted along separately by the roadies.
Baby Boomers in general (and in the media especially) treat Springsteen as if Jesus Christ appeared in 1974, rocked a pimp outfit and sang the anthem of their youth ushering in Rock and Roll. Rock did not begin with him, peak with him, nor did it end with him. (With me it is Zepplin, Metallica, Nirvana. My Father's would be Mamas and Papas, CCR and 3 Dog Night...to each his own) Yet, throw "Rosalita" on any radio and you can see the migration of gray hairs flocking like the undead to the sounds of their youth. While I do understand his impact on the Rock scene and his (ugh) legacy, I (and everyone under the age of 35) can do without the Boss in Blue Jeans adoration.
Reader Comments (4)
Very funny attack against an American icon. The most poignant point you bring up is this incessant need for older rock stars to continue to do the same thing for thrity or forty years. Bruce can no doubt sing and write songs, but what inherent good is he doing touring over and over. Just make the albums and do pay per view.
Is it all for the money? U2, Pearl Jam, Poison -- these are just some of the names I see appearing over and over and I just want to listen to something new. It has to be the celebrity these bands need. They can not let it go, nor can the fans, and no one grows or develops new taste or directions.
It is sad to watch icons of youth's frustration become media and system entrenched tools. I have seen PJ and Bruce and all; it is like watching the same show -- but I have to go because my friends go and we make it fun -- I think we basically pay 125.00 tickets to drink all day in the parking lot.
Thanks for the humorous spin. I would have loved to see what Nirvana would of done?
It might have been the best thing ever for Cobain's legacy that he died when he did. Klosterman wrote about this in "Killing Yourself to Live" in how Cobain's perception changed dramatically once he died. He was almost forgetten behind Pearl Jam and STP, yet after he ate the bullet he became "a voice of a generation" and Nevermind became "the most important album of the last 20 years. I actually was around during this time and was amazed at the revisionist history that took place.
Though to answer your question, I have no doubt Kirk and Courtney Love would have been on some VH1 reality show by now.
Real World Seattle would have be much better if that happened. What was that movie with all those twenty somethings in Seattle? -- it had a great soundtrack. Veder was in it and he looked totally high.
Singles.
Enjoyed the post. I never really got The Boss either.