More Rants and Ramblings

In keeping with the tradition of this blog over the past month or so, this post will feature no coherent writing, but rather, a couple of tidbits that have been floating around in my mind. So, while you will have to be patient for another month or so for actual, solid writing (or you can head over to sega-16.com...), enjoy these thoughts and rants for what they are.

--I hate the Phoenix Suns with a passion, but I must admit that I am kind of glad to see Shaq's mini-resurgence. It was depressing to see the big man play like a shell of his former self in Miami, so it's nice that he still has some basketball left in him.

--I was watching the film Let It Be the other day, and when Paul McCartney began playing the title track, a thought popped into my head: 'Did The Beatles create Christian Rock?' Admittedly, I have no idea how and when Christian music intended to appeal to mainstream listeners originated, but it surely could not have been too much earlier than 1969. And if Let It Be did indeed pre-date this music, it certainly poses an interesting question. Granted, the lone setback to this theory is that McCartney has made it clear that the Mary discussed in this song was his mother, not the Blessed Virgin. But, no one can deny that the song resembles a church hymn. And it starts with a piano, then organ, but finally kicks in with some electric guitar. Are you with me yet? Well, just look at the lyrics, specifically the first few lines:

"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

or

"And in my hour of darkness, there is still a light that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be."

and let's not forget

"For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer, let it be."

All of the lyrics seem to have that inspirational 'everything will be all right' theme; does that not at least resemble, albeit subtly, today's poppy Christian music? Now, chances are that this theory of mine could have a large hole put in the middle of it thusly: Let It Be is simply a subconscious plea by Paul McCartney to the rest of the band to stay together. If you consider the problems the band was going through at this time (George Harrison, like Ringo Starr during the White Album sessions, actually quit the band, prompting this nonchalant, drug-induced quip from John Lennon: "...fuck him, we'll get [Eric] Clapton."), this just might be the case. Still, I like to at least entertain the possibility that, like music videos, hip-hop, and the concept that rock and the rock album could be art, among many other things, The Beatles created Christian rock.

--A post like this wouldn't be complete without a rant, would it? Well, you are in luck, because I have one prepared. It may seem a bit dated, but I have felt this way for quite some time, I just never have had a chance to record my thoughts. My beef stems from perusing a friend's Facebook page. While listing her interests in music, she listed that she likes "Old Green Day." Do you know how many times I have heard people voice this or similar though processes? Guess what? Now is the time the gloves come off:

I do not understand why people have such a beef with the album American Idiot. Oftentimes, I'll hear people complain "radio stations just overplayed it, so I don't like it anymore." Well, maybe you should have stopped calling in and asking them to play Boulevard of Broken Dreams, you stupid bitch! I would actually understand your point if over half the airplays weren't preceded by a bunch of giggly teenage girls screaming "play Wake Me Up When September Ends again!"

Then of course, you have the drunk/stoner/wish they were drunk or stoners crowd who try and pretend like they are cool by liking things that aren't "mainstream." Yeah, as if old Green Day didn't get lauded with sales and awards (they had a song featured on the last episode of Seinfeld for crying out loud, I don't think that they represent the 'cool, garage band' you so badly want them to) prior to their meisterwerk. Come to think of it, has there ever been another case where a person or group created a masterpiece, only to have it criticized only a few years down the road? You don't hear people whining about the airplay of Sgt. Pepper's, do you? This leads us to the next part of the equation:

The dumbass factor.

Bear with me on this one, but if critics still hold American Idiot in such high esteem, yet the public chastises it, what can you discern. Let's also consider that most of the anti-AI sentiment comes from my home area, a rural, Southern Indiana location. I draw two conclusions:

1) American Idiot is a very left-leaning album that is critical of President Bush and the Iraq War. Maybe this tramples on the feelings of his mindless automatons that roam rural America?

or

2) While people enjoyed American Idiot when pop-radio told them to, now that the novelty has worn off, all that is left is the music. And it's pretty obvious that in an age where emo and scream music are at the top of the rock charts, American Idiot is a cut above and might be too advanced for the musical palate of these listeners.

Oh, and let's add the 'I wish I were cool so I am going to say I hate new Green Day because I think that they are more mainstream than old Green Day even though I'm a fucking douchebag who needs to be slapped in the face" factor to this list.

The bottomline is this: Green Day is the one band I can see while viewing today's musical landscape that has the possibility to reach legendary status. U2 rose to prominence in the eighties and are now considered rock elite in the 2000s. I predict similar things for the 90s-riser Green Day in the next decade. I really can't say that for any other band at this juncture. So, please idiots, stop hating on American Idiot, because it just might be the album of the decade.