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Tonight's Recommended Show: Guilty Pleasures Cover Night at the High Dive
Submitted by ChrisB on June 15, 2007.There is no single term I find more grating than "guilty pleasure" when applied to music - not even "seminal." I completely agree with rock writer Eric Weisbard, who once wrote, "There are no guilty pleasures. There are only people who think some forms of culture ought to know their place. And those who believe them."
It is not as though I have unimpeachable "indie cred." I unapologetically love pop in nearly all permutations, which includes the Beatles, Big Star and Britney. I think "Toxic," "Since U Been Gone," and "Sk8r Boi" are all wonderous pop songs that I have yet to grow tired of. I just don't feel guilty about it. I'm sure there are others that feel the same way about '70s soft rock or doo wop or whatever.
Having said all of that, this show gets my recommendation although I have no idea which songs will be performed and am only marginally familiar, at best, with most of the bands on the bill. First, it is a celebration of songs that we love simply because they are great songs and not because they fit into some artificial ideal. Moreover, the chance to think (or better yet tell someone), "I thought I was the only one that liked this song" is worth the suggested $7 cover.
This show is also a benefit for Eric Howk of the Lashes, who is still recovering from a terrible injury and the fucked-up reality of being a musician (even one on a major label) and not having health insurance.
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ChrisB said on June 15, 2007:
I'm just here to keep the ball rolling, Gary. You started it yesterday - to which I sincerely thank you. :-)
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imaginary sero(tone)in said on June 15, 2007:
"Beatles, Big Star and Britney"
one of these things is not like the others / one of these things just doesn't belong
sesame street always did provide the best guidance.
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imaginary dana said on June 15, 2007:
I'm with you, Sero(tone)in. I'm all for Britney as trainwreck item of interest, but as a creator of music? Zzzzzz.
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Erik Gonzalez said on June 15, 2007:
I have to come in here and say the Neptunes produced "I'm a Slave 4 U" is, well, hard not to listen to ... I just try to remove Brits' vocals/lyrics in my head when I here it.
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ChrisB said on June 16, 2007:
I don't know how one item could not belong from that sentence when the sentence you are referring to deals exclusively with my own personal tastes - and I wrote that sentence. Fine, I see where you're going with it (and I'm writing this against my better judgment) but I'll bite anyway.
The Beatles became icons by writing songs that 13 year-old girls screamed over. It wasn't 20-something pseudo-intellectuals that made up the mob that greeted the band at JFK airport - it was their little sisters that did. Sure, it was the more advanced stuff that everyone claims to love (*Revolver*, *Sgt. Pepper*, "White Album"), but it was the earlier hits like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" that made them stars.
Re: Big Star. Keep in mind that Alex Chilton's first band was called the Box Tops and it was just as manufactured as the Monkees and its name implies as much. He was installed as lead singer by a Lou Pearlman-like figure.
I'm not even saying that everyone should agree with me or listen to more bubblegum pop. If you like it (and I do)great, if not, that's great too. I listen to lots of "indie music" (whatever the fuck that means), as well. I've seen Sleater-Kinney live twelve times and I've never seen Britney - and I probably never will. I've never even bought one of her CDs, but I still don't dismiss songs like "Toxic" and "I'm a Slave 4 U" on principle (and this thread proves that I'm not alone in liking those).
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Reviews
Powerpop-Gary said on June 15, 2007:
That's two references to "Toxic" in as many days here at TIG. I like this turn of events. :)