May 28, 2004

Emo: Where the Girls Aren't
posted by lkc 20 years ago
  • I may just have to [...] turn into the rock critical Andrea Dworkin Too late. We deserve better songs than any boy will ever write about us. Then GO FUCKING WRITE THEM.
  • I suffered through almost the entire thing. The author takes thousands of words to say the obvious -- so-called emo bands are fronted by whiny jackasses whose lyrical content is strictly limited to relationship drama, or as the author calls it, "personal romantic holocaust." (wow) "Emo" is not my cup of tea either. But if kids today listen to it, let 'em be. It's better for them to listen to songs about break-ups than songs about blasting gats, moving rocks by the oz and slapping bitches, right?
  • goetter, i think she's trying. she's on jade tree in challenger and has a blog. this essay doesn't strike me as all that profound. she's basically realizing the truth about all scenes -- that they are self-consistent and wrapped up in their own universe. emo is by nature male-centric mopey navel gazing. if it wasn't it wouldn't be emo. she's chosen to immerse herself in this culture, so now she's got to deal with it. if she's cranky, she should drop the emo, do something better, and be happy. as for the younger kids, they'll all (hopefully) grow up and have the same epiphany she's having. that a scene is a scene is a scene. same as it ever was. (and ever will be.) but in the end, i think the kids will be alright. i've run out of rock cliches
  • I never got Emo
  • Honestly, I still dont really know what emo is, exactly. But I have been subjected to enough crappy punk, crappy love songs, and crappy break up songs that I think i have a decent idea. Thats a column from a magazine i read from time to time, and since the printing of that, there have been a few responses [from her target audience, naturally] saying it resonated with them. Considering that, I would say it was effective in getting her point across. Part of the issue is seeing the music she loves get overtaken by a lame shadow of what it was. I have read countless articles on the state of hip-hop that basically say the same thing about it becoming nothing but super-materialistic violent male fantasies. Thats not the whole of it, but that is whats commerically successful, and thats where the numerous shitty carbon copies will start. I found it to be an interesting personal account from someone actually realizing what they had issues with what they had buried themselves in, and realizing that it is a deeper issue than that. I think its better written than most of the news-wire stories I come across, and certainly doesnt sell itself as anything more than what it is: a column in a zine. Plus, I give it extra points for using real words and not insufferable internet slang.
  • I agree that a lot of Emo sucks. But if you limit yourself to one scene like she seems to have done, it's kinda your fault when you have an epiphany that most of the stuff you listen to sounds the same. And to be honest, 90% of music out there, regardless of genre, if it's written by a guy, it's about some chick that done him wrong, or he done wrong. Could be worse, she could be a country music fan. I like the Get Up Kids though
  • I like goetter.
  • Yeah, I suppose I should have added that I laughed my ass off when I read goetters response. And to be honest, 90% of music out there, regardless of genre, if it's written by a guy, it's about some chick that done him wrong, or he done wrong. Which goes a long way towards explaining why 90% of music sucks (not that what i like or make is any exception, certainly)
  • I can't help but imagine her saying all that to me at a table in some Manhattan bar over a couple of gimlets, with me nodding like a metronome while trying to sneak a peak down her shirt.
  • So, these fe-males, they play guitar now?
  • And to paraphrase words of Nixon sidekick HR Haldeman, "History is wack." Easy to confuse Henry Ford with HR Haldeman, I'm sure. they play guitar now? Bass guitar, apparently, in a cookie-cutter "post-punk" band. The blog is more of the same.
  • I can't help but imagine her saying all that to me at a table in some Manhattan bar over a couple of gimlets, with me nodding like a metronome while trying to sneak a peak down her shirt. True, so true.
  • I like lks's point that we should consider the intended audience. If a 17 year old boy picks up the article and is more enlightened for having read it, great! And if a 17 year old girl goes out there and starts her own band because she sees a void that needs to be filled, great! Those of us who may have "aged out" of this scene should be thankful that punk music has not yet devolved into another "follow the masses" genre (although it is dangerously close).