The Video Vault

There once was a time when mainstream music was chock full of 'boys being boys.' Even the bands that teen dreams were made of were messy, dark, and moody. In 2010 we're faced with squeaky clean Biebers, and fauxhemian Cyruses. So what changed? Sure rock music is no longer the rage for the younger set, but it can't just be that... can it? I long for the days when kids listened to music that begged for introspection, and not just a hip shake. Silverchair were only 15 years old when they recorded their first record, Frogstomp, and yet the album touches on the same themes and emotions explored by musicians that could have babysat them. Surely you see the crisis brewing. Is it possible that teens these days are doomed to a life sans rock?

The Video Vault

For those of you who don't remember the 90s, Damon Albarn hasn't always been the mastermind behind Gorillaz. Although always infectiously catchy, Albarn's music with UK Brit Pop sensation Blur was substantially darker and twisted. Taking a cue from other British pop outfits like The Smiths, their music may have seemed upbeat and innocent at first but what lingered beneath the surface was far more sinister. Through their lyrics and music videos, Blur managed to entrance listeners with sarcasm, realism, and a knowing glance. Sure they were cute and floppy haired, but never squeaky clean, and you didn't quite know what they were capable of. Their video for 'The Universal' with its Kubrickesque set design and mannerisms, was all an angst-ridden teenager could ask for.

The Video Vault: Teen Crush Edition

I fell in love with Gavin Rossdale in 1996 when I was 14 years old. He was the first man I cried over, the first one to make me feel all fizzy and nervous inside even though I knew we would never meet. There's something intangible about your first crush - the innocence that is lost when you realize you would give anything just to see your own reflection in another person's eyes. And obviously make out with them... but that's a given. My love for Rossdale was so fiery, so uncontrollable, so wild, that I can still remember the moment I picked up a copy of Rolling Stone (pictured above) only to come home and paste it on my wall. He was staring at me - I was staring back at him. Almost perfect. The video below was taken during Bush's performance at Woodstock 99, and features a shirtless, wet, yelping Rossdale singing their (still) heartbreaking single 'Glycerine'. It makes me shiver with delight even after all these years.

Just When You Thought Libraries Were Uncool...

NYU's Fales Library which holds a number of special collections, is currently working on beefing up their newly announced Riot Grrrrl Collection with the "papers" of Bikini Kill lead singer and noted feminist Kathleen Hanna. First of all, I can't believe there's a Riot Grrrrl Collection! That is probably the coolest thing academia has done in a while. Second, the fact that there will now be a part of that collection dubbed "The Kathleen Hanna Papers" made up of her zines, correspondences, and other Bikini Kill era tidbits is totally amazing. Most pop culture junkies agree that Bikini Kill was instrumental in creating the third wave feminist post-hardcore movement, and Hanna is still doing it (albeit more accessibly) with her band Le Tigre. I just might have to dust off my library card and make a trip to the stacks!

Via The L Magazine

Modern Life Is Rubbish

I've already admitted that I once was a massive anglophile, and Brit Pop was just one of my many obsessions. Amongst the many bands that crammed the airwaves, Blur was my all time favorite. When I was in England at age 16 on a school trip, I convinced my history teacher to excuse me from an itinerized activity so I could go to a local record shop to get their 10 year anniversary box set. At that age I spent the majority of my money on records, and with good reason. To this day Blur remain one of my favorite bands, not just for nostalgia's sake. The men in Blur are all extremely talented musicians, and like many British bands before them they harnessed the ability to make fans go wild. I was really bummed when they broke up, and even more upset when on their brief reunion tour they didn't make a stop in NYC... but all is forgiven! No Distance Left To Run documents their short lived reunion for all to see. It's not the typical band documentary full of pomp and ego, but rather a peek into a group of friends who love to make music together. Now let's just hope it screens in the continental United States.

Via New York Magazine

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

This is the stuff you just can't make up. I'm almost two months into my new gig, but I still don't feel right looking at my blogs while on the job (even though I've seen plenty of co-workers chuckling at YouTube vids). Somehow the sucio-ness of my would be lover Michael K over at Dlisted doesn't seem like it would fly in a litigation office. So when I get home from work one of the first things I do is scope out the pop culture garbage that I missed all day. Today I came home to find that Dlisted had posted an entry about a guy a went to summer camp with. His name is Ohad, and I remember him oh-so-well. He sang "I Swear" by All-4-One at the camp talent show, and it blew my mind. His fake tan, huge muscles, highlighted, straight ironed, and extremely gelled hair were all part of the cheesetastic package. And then to top it all off the next year his boy band blew up in Toronto, and I forced like 50 people to watch the videotaped footage of the talent show so they could see just how dedicated Ohad really is. I dare you to watch this without peeing yourself just a little (if you must, watch it on mute to protect your ears). Behold! Ohad's boy band b4-4:

via Dlisted

The Video Vault

Madonna, what happened to you? Remember when you were provocative and sensual, yet still had a sense of humor? Remember when you used to make the Pope angry, and consequently make prudes everywhere scream in despair? Those days may be ancient history, but I'm glad I can still watch videos like 1995's "Human Nature" and reminisce. This video is fiercer than all of Tyra's wigs put together - the clothing, the choreography, the beat, and the lyrics themselves exude a sense of ultimate power. Like a caged animal about to break free, this track builds tension, and experiments with behavioral power dynamics rarely addressed in pop music. Madonna may have grown soft with age, but at least we can seek refuge in the Haus of Gaga. Even the material girl herself can admit that.

Killing It

While all the other teenagers at my high school were tagging the Wu Tang symbol on their lockers and kicks, I was busy crying listening to Nirvana and the Pixies. It took a while for me to warm up to hip hop, and I have to admit that The Fugees, however mainstream they became, were a part of that process. Lauryn Hill's creamy voice is haunting, and The Fugees unique take on hip hop was more accessible than the gangster rap hitting airwaves at the time. After "Killing Me Softly" began playing at every school dance, it was obvious that they had hit it big. So once you have the fans and the budget, of course the next step is to make a blockbuster video complete with explosions and helicopters. "Ready Or Not" is another classic off of their 1996 record The Score, and the video really captures the vibe of the track: dark, and moody like a stealth submarine.

The Video Vault: No Doubt

My love affair with music started at an early age. At the beginning I had a tryst with pop music, followed by a lengthy relationship with Oldies, that eventually lead to my discovery of 'alternative' music. By the age of 12 I had discovered Nirvana, Green Day, and Weezer, but I had yet to find a band that was truly relatable. As much as I pined over Cobain, and Cuomo, I didn't identify with their struggles. That all changed when Gwen Stefani skanked her way onto the scene with her platinum pompadour, red lipstick, and killer boots. I was completely obsessed with her because she was everything I wanted to be: a sexy albeit tough goofball, that hangs with the boys. No Doubt's songs played upon the same dynamic, with their power chords, chugging bass, and celebratory horns. At 14, I felt that Stefani sang about the same things I was grappling with, from romance and heartbreak, to the ups and downs of being a girl. The first real concert I ever attended was for their Tragic Kingdom tour, and I can still remember the excitement I felt as I watched Stefani prance, punch, and power kick her way through their set. It's hard to jump start a 14 year old girl's self-confidence, but I'm happy to say that No Doubt did that for me.

The Video Vault: LIVE

Blonde Redhead is on my list of "Favorite Bands Of All Time" along with, of course, Fugazi, The Smiths, and Les Savy Fav. What I love so much about Blonde Redhead is their constant sound evolution. I was first introduced to their music at age 15, when a dear friend from New York sent me a mix tape... that mix tape would become my music bible. It was chock full of melodies and orchestral magic - Morrissey, Built to Spill, Enon, Blonde Redhead, and much much more. It was with this introduction, and my consequent purchase of Blonde Redhead's 1995 album La Mia Vita Violenta that I fell in love with the Italian twins, and their Japanese songstress. Flash-forward to 2008: I realize one morning as I leave my apartment, and turn on my iPod to that very album, that 2/3 of the band is standing right in front of me. Such a small world it is, most notably when you're idols end up living next door. Below find a performance of one of my favorite songs, "In Particular" from the album Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000).

The Video Vault: Canadian Pride Edition

There's something really satisfying about seeing fellow Canadians making it big around the world. Little do the Americans know that we've slowly infiltrated their society and soon enough they'll be under our control! We soften them with laughter and then BAM! all of a sudden Lorne Michaels is giving fellow Canadians every spot on Saturday Night Live (Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Phil Hartman, Norm Macdonald, Mike Myers = all Canucks). Next up for Canadian comics: cornering the market on blockbusters. Oh wait, Seth Rogen's got that covered. On that note, here is an amazing 1995 SNL performance by Canadian rock legends The Tragically Hip. Check out Aykroyd's introduction and outfit - totally solid!

The Video Vault

We're all getting older, but it really hits home when a night full of nostalgia and fun consists of listening to some classic oldies - from the 90s. It's totally shocking to realize that as the years slip away, all of a sudden the school Talent Show dance I did to Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody" happened over 10 years ago. Sheesh. You know what doesn't get old though? Some sweet bass and silky pajamas...