i know, many of us put up some front regarding music that allows our tastes to seem somehow more informed. but a recent article from pitchfork about coldplay made me realize just how stupid and deep my hypocrisy runs (ironically, most of my snobbishness is encouraged by pitchfork).
a few months ago, my friend will asked me if had listened to the new coldplay album because he really liked it. without hesitation, i produced some lame quip that none of coldplay's songs make any sense (which is actually true, but irrelevant).
like any sane person, he responded that half the bands we listen to make no sense (if he recommends a band, i like it without fail, so he knows my music well). i think at that point i sputtered an inane response under my breath about how i was "just over their style" while i fumbled for a rational response in vain. i believe i tired to change the subject next.
what is so despicable is that i finally listened to the album (after a recommendation by another will) and liked it. of course, most of their songs still don't make sense. their thinly veiled and esoteric political statements just make me angry. but the music is still good. see, why couldn't i have said that to my friend and just enjoyed the music?
this is just part of a wider trend in my life of making statements which sound good based on a preconceived notion of "true" art, political sensibilities, or lifestyle in general and then scrambling after the fact to find the reason behind them. why not just state up front what my personal taste is rather than perversely pretend there is empirical evidence behind it? i guess the need to feel important, original, or informed outweighs the simple pleasure of enjoying music with friends.
it's great to have an opinion and even to have reasons for it. to portray them as anything other than taste is foolish. anyway, feel free to mock me whenever you hear self-important sounding speech.
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Do you know how angry I get when people proclaim to be "film buffs" and then they like ridiculous movies like Ray? Or The Happening? (Sorry if you liked Ray. If you liked The Happening then I am sorry for how lame you are). Oh, I hate it. I am a snob, too. Definitely more than you. I hate Coldplay, and a lot of this hatred is based solely on the fact that they ARE Coldplay. I have a lot of opinions about what you so rightfully describe as Foolish Taste. I will not go into them here because I will look like more of a snob than I really am (and I am a snob).
i watched the grammys last night, and was actually glad that they won best rock album. when i saw all the ridiculous music in the mainstream they were up against, they looked awfully legit. it also made me realize how small the indie snob world is. there's a lot of music out there, and a lot of it is pretty bad. maybe we need bridge bands like coldplay that can connect to the mainstream.
which will am i? i can't remember.
will a., you were the first will. will m. you were the second. i think will c. and i talked about coldplay once, and it just confirmed my overall dislike for their music.
too many wills. you can call me zeke from now on.
You can call me Krusty.
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