The Money Will Roll Right In?
I was, at one point in my life, a pretty big Nirvana fan. At the very least, you could say that I was mystified by Nirvana. I eventually got a little tired of it (blame overexposure to the Seattle sound, not the bands themselves), but I continue to respect what they did and what most of the musicians of that time stood for. It was honest and unpolished and many of us really identified with it. Well, I suppose it is impossible to keep the music pure forever. Even the Beatles have been used commercially. Now, it could be Nirvana's turn. From yahoo.com:
"I took on a strategic partner, Larry Mestel, to help me comanage the estate because it was overwhelming," [Courtney] Love said. "The affairs of Nirvana are so massive and so huge, and they've all fallen on my lap.
"I own almost all of [the publishing] ... and it proved to be too much for me. I needed a partner to take Kurt Cobain's songs and bring them into the future and into the next generation. And this guy's the guy to do it," she said.
Could this mean a Nike commercial? I sure hope not. I happen to like Courtney Love, despite her antics and moodswings and drug addiction. At least she's fierce. And fierceness is so rare for women in music these days. Girls are more interested in coming off as demure and soft and timid-sounding and less interested in rocking out. Where's today's Janis Joplin? I've had enough of Jewel! I've always had "issues" with the girly girls. The "baby-talk" "baby-singing" girls who pretend to be dirty and gritty, as long as they still look pretty. Where's the next Joan Jett? Okay, sorry for the tangent. I'm just saying that I've always stood up for Courtney because she embodies rock and roll. She's not afraid to throw up on herself. She doesn't apologize. Therefore, I will be very disappointed if she allows "Heart-Shaped Box" to start selling chocolates for Russell Stover.
In Red Sox news: First game of the season starts in less than one hour. I am so excited.
[I found this after I posted this entry. Funny.]
posted by Kim @ 12:50 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I also always liked Courtney. It's like with Hillary Clinton--even if I wasn't a big fan, I'd still put her in the "like" category, if for no other reason than that women-bashers hate her.
But I am a fan of them both, anyway. There's such a difference between Courtney and people like Madonna or Gwen Stefani or whoever. The main difference being that Courtney makes music. You know, with an instrument.
It takes more than wearing a pre-torn Ramones shirt that your label bought for you at the fashion tee store to rock. Courtney, as she puts it, actually went through and played along on guitar with all the Zeppelin albums.
Listen to any No Doubt song, or, no, let's say Alanis Morrissette, because she's so "annnngry," and then listen to "Gutless" by Hole, and see who the real deal is.
The unfortunate thing is, of all the girls who learn to rock like Courtney, hardly any will be "allowed" to be rock stars by, you know, the establishment.
Anyway, as the type of Nirvana fan who can tell you what song they opened with on May 14th, 1990 at Duffy's Tavern in Lincoln, Nebraska off the top of my head, I sincerely hope that Courtney, or that other guy, wouldn't sell the music to corporations. If she does, you can't blame the band, anyway. I don't think Kurt ever would've done that and I feel like she wouldn't deface his memory like that. Then again, Krist could probably use some cash right about now...
It's hard to predict what Courtney will do. I think she understands that maintaining the integrity of the work is the most important things, so hopefully she won't agree to something that would chip away at it. As long as she isn't asked to sign important documents while she's all hopped up on something, the music should be fairly protected.
Courtney Love is the puss-filled, nerve-attached sore on the ass of the entire universe. There is nothing that complete phoney wouldn't fucking do. There are plenty of "tough rocker" girls to love and adore in her fake, plastic, obnoxious, phoney absence.
To say this hasn't helped my view of her would be an extreme understatement, as well.
Also, just to expand on this- Courtney hasn't really written, recorded and released music legitimately her own in about 12 years. Meanwhile, she's gotten fat on Nirvana money, held the archives hostage for more cash, and generally made an embarassment of what she used to stand for.
Meanwhile, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre, Detroit Cobras, PJ Harvey, Aimee Mann, Patti Smith, even Rilo Kiley, and countless other older female acts get largely ignored. Courtney sucks up all the press and attention because she's the easily dismissed, joke version. She's made one great record and a career of pseudo-intellectual babble.
I'd have been with you guys on this in 94, 95, 96, but now? Jesus. She's a trainwreck.
Aimee Mann, I will give you. But I wouldn't say she "rocks out." Sleater's great, too. I've never cared much for PJ Harvey. I put her in the Liz Phair category, whether or not that makes sense. I have personal reasons for doing so.
Give me Chrissie Hynde any day of the week. L-7's Donita Sparks is great, too. I like girls who aren't afraid to disgust me. How come there aren't bands like "The Runaways" anymore?
Anyway, I'm down with most of the chicks you listed, but I don't know where you're getting this "horn of plenty" of female rockers idea.
My feelings about Love are sort of the reverse of yours. When she first came out, I was not impressed. Then, Tori Amos gained fast popularity and I clung to Courtney Love like a liferaft.
Rock Star is still one of my all time favorite songs.
You're right- my examples steered a bit away from your premise. The more I think about it, there aren't more females that are "rock musicians" before they are "female", ie, they've assimilated themselves into the rock idiom to the point where their gender doesn't matter- not that it ever should. Donita's a great example of this. I hope she hit those assholes right between the eyes with that tampon.
"Horn of plenty" it ain't, so you're right. This truly does suck. That being said, I think Courtney shouldn't get credit for this, personally.
And "Rock Star" is an awesome song. That "Live Through This" record is really, legitimately incredible.
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