So, I made an astounding discovery the other day.
First, some background. Jon Hilliard once, early senior yearish says to me while I'm over at his house "John, I discovered this band that's like mixing Ben Folds with Dashboard Confessional." My response was "EWWW, GROSS! Why would you ever do such a thing?" Till just recently, I always held to this mentality that Something Corporate was actually more hate-able than Dashboard. However, recently, I found out I was wrong.
Why, oh why, didn't anyone tell me this guy was such a poet? This Andrew McMahon? I mean ... this guy! He ... he's got a gift! His piano! It honestly rivals Mozart and Bach in its elegance and complexity. And such words, such lyrics! They flow with a grace far greater than the ancient bards of old.
then you bring me home
cuz we both know what it's like to be alone
and i'm dreaming in your living room
but we don't have much room to live
Oh! ... oh! ... I ... I get it! It's like, dreaming in your living room, we don't have much room to live ... it's like a play on words! Because he's dreaming in the living room, but they don't have much room to live. Not much room to live juxtaposed so nicely next to living room. Shakespeare is rolling over in his grave with sheer jealousy!
::aka, vomit::
But then I decided, "you've been so harsh in the past, and now that you've found reason to love and cherish such musical superiority, why not actually listen to a track instead of stumble across their lyrics in some online profile?"
And what do I discover, a line that I honestly can't choose if I like better than the last one or not. It's so ... pomo. So ... modern out.
it's to jimmy eat world and those nights in my car
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, Something Corporate singing about being a J.E.W. fan!
::vomit:: (boot and rally, boot and rally!)
But being serious, my good friend Stef brought the following statistics to my attention. The following are the respective number of people listing each band as a favorite on thefacebook.com (I'm pretty sure this is Northwestern only, mind you).
355- dmb
255- oar
230- counting crows
192- guster
180- maroon 5
172- john mayer
123- jack johnson
109- ben harper
97- dispatch
And I see a real problem. (btw, I did my own search of Something Corporate and 70 people listed it) This all is far too predictable. While I'm not saying these artists are bad, it just seems like this shouldn't be something to distinguish yourself with.
In the end I don't know where I'm going with this, other than the Something Corporate thing has been bothering me. Music is on my mind, everyone check out the latest post from my brother Joe's blog. Also, my WNUR show was today, and I played two bands from Louisville because I was homesick.
The first, "Shipping News" which was some angular stuff, not bad.
The second you ask? Big Wheel! That's right, good old Glenn/Mr./Coach Taylor for you.
How did I introduce it? something like this:
"So what you just heard, Shipping News, was in spirit of my summer return to Louisville soon. And to continue this tribute to my hometown, I'll be playing another Louisville band Big Wheel. Now what many of you don't know, is that Big Wheel is none other than the band of my Junior Year AP US History teacher, Glenn Taylor on guitar. He told us all the time that he had this band big wheel and that he had fans, too, but we never believed him. Suddenly today I stumble across it in the stacks here at WNUR, and so in honor of what little he taught me about US History, I am going to play a track."
Alright, so only about another week and a half to survive of freshman year of college.
-=John=-
something corporate = totally gross
big wheel on the radio = totally awesome
!!
I'm just worried that he's going to find out I played one of his songs and it'll revive some finally dead ego of his into full spawn of satan redux form. Poor unsuspecting future Juniors/Seniors at duPont Manual the Magnet High School.
J
HOLY SHIT!!!!
How did I miss this line in the song too??
I had these dreams that i learned to play guitar
Clearly McMahon forgot to have the dream about learning to play piano too ... oh, and learning to sing ... or at least not to sing like a whiney bitch.
John "Now that I am on WNUR rock-staff I can be an elitest snob" Hanauer
I especially love that Something Corporate song that either Grant or Ashley introduced me to...."Fuck You Jordan"
haha, that's awesome ... very appropriate
Are the lyrics equally enjoyable?
but seriously ... if I start crying, will you cry with me? ... anyone? (note, this is not quoting anyone I know of ... so don't take the italics to mean even more something corporate lyrics)
I want Grant to comment on here ... I realize that like every 6-10 months I revive some form of emo bashing, but maybe he'd agree this time?
Grantling?
FUCKING A!
Yet another discovery ... This is all from the same 10 minute song with no choruses people!!!
i was thinking
what i was thinking
we've been drinking
and it doesn't get me anywhere
My thoughts!
i was thinkingOh really? Andrew McMahon can think? what i was thinkingJesus, that's twice now. Don't hurt yourself. Maybe you should sit down? we've been drinkingThe girl who quotes this stuff constantly (how I discover these lyrics) does come off as a lush on first impression. and it doesn't get me anywhereProlific! Astounding discovery, Andrew. Deep. But honestly buddy, I'm glad you're friendly with the sauce. It might explain things.The fun never stops. What will I discover next?
i'm going to look taylor up in the yellow pages, tell him he's got a huge following at northwestern, that you've staged his revival, give him your cell phone number, sit back, grab popcorn, and wait....
and something corporate sucks my massive phantom cock
did someone forget to login? who is this?
and yes, I was considering doing the same
diya. sorry.
Ha, I should have guessed by the "massive phantom cock"
yeah, you should of. it is pretty hard to forget.
Very appropriate? I'm not that bad.
i love German techno.
it's the rhthym of the gods.
...wait, wait, it blows.
stop judging.
So you know, it's actually not a lack of marketing funds that stops people from listening to "independent" musicians.
It's things like this entry, spoken or written by fans of indie, that makes listening to Something Corporate seem like a more worthwhile activity than being an elitist asshole.
Just sayin'.
Alright,
First, until you identify yourself "Captain Anonymous" your post holds no credibility.
Second, a few people from Lambda Chi and a few from Fiji are on the same subnet mask as you, meaning I'm guessing you're Lambda Chi (call it a hunch, though I could be wrong).
Third, I never said anything about Indie music in this post anywhere, except a reference to "WNUR rock-staff means I can be an elitist snob" which doesn't imply Indie. In fact, I was merely making a joke because we'd just gone over rock-staff philosophy. Also, I'm not saying I agree with the rock-staff philosophy; I just want a chance to play rock'n'roll. Also, if you knew me (which you probably do) you'd know I was joking. Or even if you knew WNUR rock-staff you'd know I don't fit in fully there.
Fourth, I listen to the [good] popular music just as much as the next guy (dmb, dispatch, and guster off the list I gave) and even some that's embarrassing (Bush is a guilty pleasure of mine). In fact, my knowledge spans far many genres beyond Indie music.
Fifth and I quote
It's things like this entry, spoken or written by fans of indie, that makes listening to Something Corporate seem like a more worthwhile activity than being an elitist asshole.
listening to music because someone else does or does not also discredits your argument and is the worst reason to listen to music. Regardless of your choice of genre, if these are your requirements for music then you've clearly no mind of your own nor a judge for talent.
You also seem to suggest some struggle where "Indie people" don't listen to music because it's popular, and now from this quote that the others only listen to it because Indie people don't. Oh, and somehow marketing funds (and probably class struggles and the caste system, with my luck) fall into play somewhere too. In the end it's ridiculous.
So do me a favor, my argument against something corporate was strictly a question of talent and bibacity, so make your defense such. And do please identify yourself like a real man or woman would.
John Hanauer.
Here is an astounding discovery....the creator of TheSpork.com is a complete faggot. Who woulda thought? Oh, but it's true.
haha. dude....it's this">http://images.somethingawful.com/inserts/articlepics/photoshop/05-21-04-magazines/dorquemada.jpg>this guy. -Diya
hey john,
just typed a lengthy response which disappeared into the ether, so i'll summarize it here:
1) yeah, my post was of little merit. i'll just step aside and say i just plain like something corporate because i do, and i can't especially change that regardless of any arguments one way or the other;
2) didn't mean to devolve into a dick - i know you're not a snob, but i've known too many music-assholes in my life and i've developed a bit of a nasty defense mechanism whenever somebody is particularly harsh with a band i like - or (as often happens in real life) overly harsh with me for liking a band i like
3) anyhow, didn't mean to be a coward and sign anonymously. hope there's no hard feelings.
- adam m
moses,
Yo. I've been in alaska, so sorry for letting your post sit unattended till now.
No problem, and now that you've identified it is you, I not only can personally attest to the credibility of your arguing abilities but defend your right to say whatever you'd like.
As far as the whole something corporate thing goes, you'll find plenty of guilty pleasures in my CD wallet that I still turn to for a good listen (I get crap for owning Bush, Frou Frou (bought the day it released), Junior Senior, and others). I even own the Titanic soundtrack from when I was in the 6th grade and some friends thought it'd be funny to give me both Spice Girls albums for my birthday once (although Titanic and the SG I don't listen to anymore).
Finally, I certainly wasn't bashing the listeners, not even the bibacious young lady I refered to in a comment further up who keeps on quoting something corporate in all her away messages. And I'd certainly never bash you, what with our Oak Park River Forest roots.
John.
FROU....FROU....i'd tried so damn hard to forget that.
-diya
Frou frou is good shit ... I dunno, maybe Frou Frou is my something corporate
But basically,
1) Imogen is a badass name ...
2) Imogen has one hell of a voice
3) Guy did something like either he used to write the tracks for her or he was like a female voice consultant/producer. I don't remember
4) They are slowly gaining fame in the United States, I think they might be on the radio? or in some movie soundtrack, I don't remember ... Marc Farris told me whatever it was
5) Marc Farris listens to them
6) Brandon M. Dickerson listens to them (Diya, you don't know him)
7) It's like Bjork fused with Everything but the Girl. I like.
But mostly, Frou Frou is great for driving at night, or chilling out, or falling asleep to. Also, there's a lot of potential, and for a first album Details is pretty good. Who knows, maybe they'll get really big.
J