Saturday, April 22, 2006

Rockstars

let us take a look at that title: "rockstar." after the gym, i passed by (and into) a bar where i am known to sling drinks on occasion. playing was a person that went by the name "rockstar." this is a solo act--guy and his guitar--that is trying in every sense of the idea to be a one man bar band. first: there is no such thing as a one man bar band that does not sport a captains hat and a piano, and is capable of playing any request that the drunken masses can throw at him. it is up to this one man bar band to decide what songs he (or she) will play for the ever-loving debaucherous masses dictated by style, worth and the feel of the room. second: by definition, a bar band is a band that plays in a bar in order to keep asses in the seats and a feeling of i-need-to-be-drunker camaraderie in the air. this is not an "i am in the limelight and you need to listen to what i am doing" kind of affair. you are playing to the bar and you are not doing the musical rocks-off thing. a rockstar, by definition, is someone who is the party, is the innovation, is the end-all-be-all show; tunes, scene and patronage not withstanding. so, in order to be a "rockstar," you need to have something special. when i say special, i do not mean a good personality, weak-ass, half-baked original tunes and only a rudimentary knowledge of the guitar. you need to be the shit.

the music tonight hurt me.

not only did this guy chase half the bar out of the show in the first 15 minutes, due to annoying sights and sounds, he continued to devolve into a self-appreciating maelstrom of "look how cool i am, and everyone sing along!" it was a fucking street-corner act! you know, one of those things that hold your attention for ten seconds when you are walking by on the way to the galleria, and if you are feeling really happy with your life, you throw a dollar in the open guitar case thinking, "wow, he sure is trying really hard!"

this is the symptom of the weak music scene in my city...not the problem. the problem is, these fucking hard-ons get booked in legitimate music venues to pimp their egos to a bunch of young kids that are looking for either the next new thing, or that thing that everyone else thinks is cool! i beseech all of you who have an independent thought in your head...STOP BUYING INTO THIS WASTE OF TIME, SPACE AND AIR!!!!! don't let them get away with it! the only reason these things are perpetuated on stage and in other mediums is because we are all of us pretending to be tolerant! speak the fuck up! if it is shit, call it shit...don't be delicate because you think it is another listeners enjoyed art...they are saying the same thing about this tripe as you are! call people on their self-indulgent bullshit--don't let the waste of your time go unnoticed! save your "that was great" comments for the bands that you really feel that about! tonight's show was a rich kid getting out and getting on stage for the sake of getting on stage, while there are talented STARVING players out there that are giving it their heart and soul! love those kids...or tell those kids that they suck and need to stop wasting their time, our time and need to get a day job. that is harsh, but better for everyone. enabling half-assed music kills the folks that are going for gold...even though they, most times, eat shit!

soooo pissed about this. wish some people would just choke on a peeled grape. hate the good people who stand by and do nothing. they suck too!

music and innovation is being trampled...won't you help?

5Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not bad... another option: make up a small "Limp Wristkit", consisting
of a dwarf piccolo, then on break,
announce to the audience that it's
hard to play, only an artist who
consistently blows can coax a sound
out of it, then switch on the houselights and announce a special
at the bar, and award the kit.

12:54 AM  
Blogger particleman said...

hear, hear. there is too much crap polluting our airwaves. bad bar bands, bad radio bands, bad everywhere bands. they need to be relieved of their egos and their attitudes. and their guitars.

but i do think natural selection eventually does its job. only the creative and determined will stick it out. the boring and the vacant will give up, or be booed by you and yours.

5:44 PM  
Blogger sarah said...

haha.. i think people get scared of saying anything because the challenge of "could you do better" comes up.

there is always this answer:

fuck no. and you don't see me up there, you twat.

lalalalatida!

(disappears into wind)

3:32 PM  
Blogger Jeffg said...

Life is too short for pretend music...

4:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

~Ivar~
i'm with u, brother. half-a$$ed music sux!!!!

methinks the latest trend of reality shows featuring 1/4 baked artists has something to do with it.

vultures just waiting to market the next 'latest trend'.

example, ever watched Tomb Raider II? was a big marketing ploy, thinly veiled in box-office and boobies.

pathetic.

seriously, if you wanna make it big, marketing is the way to go. even if you have a legit thing going and talent to boot.

thats just how it works nowadays, and the guys with the money *most of em* aint interested in the music, only the green!

sad, but true.

dont give up though. music aint my forte, but i dont like giving importance to fake musicians anymore than i'd give it to fake artists or guys from any other field.

of course, there is some genuine talent out there that even though under-baked deserves a shot..but not like this!!

peace,

2:30 PM  

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