Latest Confession!
I often start off these confessions with a feeling of shame. But then I realize what I'm ashamed of is not the secrets themselves, but the fact that I didn't confess for so long. And here is the latest one: I don't get indie music. Seriously, has anyone heard Deerhoof? What the fuck is that? I ask you. Not all indie music is terrible, admittedly, but there's an undual amount of excitement among the surly, condescending hipsters for things that I know in my heart are terrible.
The second part of the confession is that, given the choice between The Backstreet Boys album Millenium and The Arcade Fire's Funeral, 9 times out of 10, I would choose The Backstreet Boys. Just as children fool their parents by pretending that muffins and cupcakes are different, and eat chocolate chip muffins for breakfast, so do indie kids fool everyone else. The characteristic snideness fills me with the righteous indignation that I feel about many things. Most of the music isn't even good. You tell me that the music is good, cool and not mainstream. I'm on to you, though. A lot of the stuff you listen to is shit. You're just trying to make me feel stupid and music illiterate by pretending that I don't appreciate it because I'm not yet mentally advanced enough to understand its brilliance.
I contest that you are not yet mentally advanced enough to chill the hell out and enjoy The Backstreet Boys. Liking a band that's the musical equivalent of dragging fingernails on a chalkboard doesn't make you cooler. I'm tired of being pressured to like things just because they're part of a counter-culture. Most people haven't heard of your terrible favorite new band precisely because they are terrible. Liking a band that plays for music rather than the sake of being inaccessible to the majority, however, does make you cool. I refuse to be cowed.
I like what I like. You like what you like. Leave me alone, and stop silently sniffing when I'm not intimately familiar with that band whose name I can't pronounce. I'll stop griping about you in return.
I know all indie music isn't terrible and that all indie kids aren't snide, holier-than-thou annoyances. But being snotty doesn't make you unique. I know you still have that "embarrassing" CD from middle school somewhere in your basement. Don't be afraid of it. We can all be friends. I'll even tolerate that stupid song that sounds like a fight between cell phone ringers without complaint.
The second part of the confession is that, given the choice between The Backstreet Boys album Millenium and The Arcade Fire's Funeral, 9 times out of 10, I would choose The Backstreet Boys. Just as children fool their parents by pretending that muffins and cupcakes are different, and eat chocolate chip muffins for breakfast, so do indie kids fool everyone else. The characteristic snideness fills me with the righteous indignation that I feel about many things. Most of the music isn't even good. You tell me that the music is good, cool and not mainstream. I'm on to you, though. A lot of the stuff you listen to is shit. You're just trying to make me feel stupid and music illiterate by pretending that I don't appreciate it because I'm not yet mentally advanced enough to understand its brilliance.
I contest that you are not yet mentally advanced enough to chill the hell out and enjoy The Backstreet Boys. Liking a band that's the musical equivalent of dragging fingernails on a chalkboard doesn't make you cooler. I'm tired of being pressured to like things just because they're part of a counter-culture. Most people haven't heard of your terrible favorite new band precisely because they are terrible. Liking a band that plays for music rather than the sake of being inaccessible to the majority, however, does make you cool. I refuse to be cowed.
I like what I like. You like what you like. Leave me alone, and stop silently sniffing when I'm not intimately familiar with that band whose name I can't pronounce. I'll stop griping about you in return.
I know all indie music isn't terrible and that all indie kids aren't snide, holier-than-thou annoyances. But being snotty doesn't make you unique. I know you still have that "embarrassing" CD from middle school somewhere in your basement. Don't be afraid of it. We can all be friends. I'll even tolerate that stupid song that sounds like a fight between cell phone ringers without complaint.
posted by Meredith at 11:03 PM
9 Comments:
Huzzah. You hit the hammer right on the nail..head right on the nail...(?)
Whatever the expression is, you made your point perfectly clear. And I totally agree. People who try to shame other people into thinking they don't know anything about music don't really know anything about music themselves. All they know are a bunch of obscure band names.
Indie music isn't about the music! It's about who can hate music the most. Also it's a subculture thing. I've got a few good thoughts on this that I'm planning to post soon.
I mean, I'm not exactly the president of the Backstreet Boys' fan club, but...
Amen! on this for sure.
Britney Spears, Mere? haha
I am surprised by this confession. You were my indie music queen!
actually all indie kids are.
and i am the president of the backstreet boys' fan club
So, speaking of semi-indie types... Have you heard of Honeycut? Pretty wicked. And funky. Definitely recommended.
we particularly must do away with indie bands that feel like adding superfluous exclaimation marks in the mid!dle of their names.
Why is that exactly, em!!ma?
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