You Don't Have To Watch Dynasty...
6/16/2005
I sat down the other day and watched about one hour of VH 1 Classics. For those of you who don’t know, VH 1 Classics is a digital cable station who specializes in old music videos. Usually the different hours have different themes like “Super Seventies” or “Metal Mania” etc.
Well the show I watched was “the Golden Age” of this limited art form, focusing on the 1980s. As I watched, I must say I had several “Oh Snap” moments with the grand jaw drop going to “Hold Me Now” by the Thompson Twins. The video was nothing out of the ordinary for that time period; Three English performers (Black guy on bass) in ludicrous fluorescent colored hairdos, lip-synching to a soulless synthesized piece of pop.
No, the video itself didn’t bother me. What I found truly disturbing is the fact that at one time I really liked this song. I was part of that whole scene that through objective eyes looks, more than ridiculous, but down right awful.
I know. I know. I was just a teenager, young and foolish, and that kind of music was popular at the time (Actually somewhat cutting edge!!!) so I shouldn’t be too hard on myself for showing such a lapse of musical understanding.
BULLSHIT!
I grew up listening to the Beatles; I knew what good music sounded like!
So, I throw myself at the mercy of the court and plead guilty to the crime of not knowing my ass from my elbow twenty years ago. No excuses. It is indefensible.
On a much more positive note, on the same show, the video for the Prince song Kiss came on. If you have never seen that video it basically involves a half naked Prince gyrating his hips and withering around on the floor with a half-naked unnamed actress. In other words, pretty much like every other film, video and concert Prince has ever been involved with.
So why do I say positive in my description?
Well, as I was watching this model running her hands up and down Prince’s chest and Prince retorting by dry humping her naked leg, it dawned on me that this song was popular in 1986 and 1987. Do you remember what was going on at that time?
I have never been a big Prince fan, his idiosyncrasies having made him too remote and his on-going contract disputes really sinking his commercial career. But I will say one thing. It takes a certain kind of person to stand up in the face of overwhelming pressure, ignoring "conventional establishment wisdom" and be bold enough to simply point out a basic truth.
A person, twenty years later, who deserves some respect.
You don’t believe me?
Just compare the artistic joy and physical sensuality of “Kiss” with the ultra sterility of “Hold Me Now.”
Your call, hot shot.
Sixth Army
I sat down the other day and watched about one hour of VH 1 Classics. For those of you who don’t know, VH 1 Classics is a digital cable station who specializes in old music videos. Usually the different hours have different themes like “Super Seventies” or “Metal Mania” etc.
Well the show I watched was “the Golden Age” of this limited art form, focusing on the 1980s. As I watched, I must say I had several “Oh Snap” moments with the grand jaw drop going to “Hold Me Now” by the Thompson Twins. The video was nothing out of the ordinary for that time period; Three English performers (Black guy on bass) in ludicrous fluorescent colored hairdos, lip-synching to a soulless synthesized piece of pop.
No, the video itself didn’t bother me. What I found truly disturbing is the fact that at one time I really liked this song. I was part of that whole scene that through objective eyes looks, more than ridiculous, but down right awful.
I know. I know. I was just a teenager, young and foolish, and that kind of music was popular at the time (Actually somewhat cutting edge!!!) so I shouldn’t be too hard on myself for showing such a lapse of musical understanding.
BULLSHIT!
I grew up listening to the Beatles; I knew what good music sounded like!
So, I throw myself at the mercy of the court and plead guilty to the crime of not knowing my ass from my elbow twenty years ago. No excuses. It is indefensible.
Just look at this guy
On a much more positive note, on the same show, the video for the Prince song Kiss came on. If you have never seen that video it basically involves a half naked Prince gyrating his hips and withering around on the floor with a half-naked unnamed actress. In other words, pretty much like every other film, video and concert Prince has ever been involved with.
So why do I say positive in my description?
Well, as I was watching this model running her hands up and down Prince’s chest and Prince retorting by dry humping her naked leg, it dawned on me that this song was popular in 1986 and 1987. Do you remember what was going on at that time?
The height of the aids epidemic where people were afraid to even shake hands
The Reagan Administration who considered pot smokers to be “evil”
The Moral Majority who thought the idea of having sex was unnatural.
I have never been a big Prince fan, his idiosyncrasies having made him too remote and his on-going contract disputes really sinking his commercial career. But I will say one thing. It takes a certain kind of person to stand up in the face of overwhelming pressure, ignoring "conventional establishment wisdom" and be bold enough to simply point out a basic truth.
A person, twenty years later, who deserves some respect.
You don’t believe me?
Just compare the artistic joy and physical sensuality of “Kiss” with the ultra sterility of “Hold Me Now.”
Your call, hot shot.
Sixth Army
posted by Larry B | 4:29 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home