It's no secret that I'm a huge megafan of American idol. It's also no secret that even though I am a fan that I feel that the show has lost it's edge. The biggest blow was last week when I turned on the show and found 17 year old Miley Cyrus mentoring the contestants on how to be better performers. My first reactions was like, what the world is going on? They're taking someone who's not even good and...... this is horrible. Much to my surprise, her critics and advice were kind of spot on. Or at least in my opinion (though we all have one). Of course she was more diplomatic than the judges but still precise.
It changes the way I look at lots of superstars now. Maybe all the annoying and whiney pop stars that make disgustingly mind-numbing music (like Miley Cyrus) aren't completely talentless and could actually know what they are doing. Take Miley for example. She reaches her target audience, of mostly children, right? They don't know that her music is rotting their brains. And she probably makes more money because 12 year olds can't go to concerts by themselves so she mus have a considerable parent population at her shows. Music made by children for children? is genius! Though the quality isn't good, she's really exploiting the system for her own benifit, way to go miley, way to manipulate the industry. Like her or not, which I dont. Which I really don't. you can't hate on her for that!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Is America really in love with a stripper?
Americans often times have a very romanticized view of what it is like to be an exotic dancer, but is this romanticized image a good one? Many times these kind's of people aren't respected. The thing is the kind of people that are strippers, porn stars, and prostitutes are the same kinds of people that are teachers, doctors, and Ceo's. Who are we to judge them? No one. The fact of the matter is that these kind of occupations are jobs like any others. Jobs that pay for school, pay bills, and support their families. who are we to look down on them. If America is really opposed to selling sex then why do we buy and listen to Brittany Spears.It's a tragedy.
Part of the problem is that people underplay what it takes to be a part of and have success in these profession. In popular culture, through songs and movies strippers are viewed as having a glamorous lifestyle. Many people say that they are "taking the easy way out" by standing there and letting drunk and horny people throw money there way. that's not really the extent of it. Exotic dancers have pressures to meet criteria just like every other type of profession. the pressures of having a seemingly perfect body while trying to dance while removing cloths. Trust me its not as easy as it seems. That's a lot to coordinate. Pole dancing is hard.
I feel that anyone who does anything to support themselves or make a living should be respected. On the subject that these professions objectifies human beings, this is just another unjustified view of society. Which goes back to the issue of disrespect. If people could understand and appreciate what it takes to be a stripper then America would understand that there not just a piece of meat but simply there for people to have a good time. So the next time that you hear a song that glorifies the life of a stripper remember that its not easy and take all of this wisdom into account. And if you hear of someone underminding a stripper male or female. Inform them, it's not there fault there's just ignorant.
Part of the problem is that people underplay what it takes to be a part of and have success in these profession. In popular culture, through songs and movies strippers are viewed as having a glamorous lifestyle. Many people say that they are "taking the easy way out" by standing there and letting drunk and horny people throw money there way. that's not really the extent of it. Exotic dancers have pressures to meet criteria just like every other type of profession. the pressures of having a seemingly perfect body while trying to dance while removing cloths. Trust me its not as easy as it seems. That's a lot to coordinate. Pole dancing is hard.
I feel that anyone who does anything to support themselves or make a living should be respected. On the subject that these professions objectifies human beings, this is just another unjustified view of society. Which goes back to the issue of disrespect. If people could understand and appreciate what it takes to be a stripper then America would understand that there not just a piece of meat but simply there for people to have a good time. So the next time that you hear a song that glorifies the life of a stripper remember that its not easy and take all of this wisdom into account. And if you hear of someone underminding a stripper male or female. Inform them, it's not there fault there's just ignorant.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
American idol, it's just lost it's spark
In 2002 a new stage to give young and upcoming talent a break came to America. Its a show called America idol. Season one was very raw and in actuality there were only a few talents that were actually very good. Through out the years I have watched and watched and though I still watch I seem to find that this show has become to commericalized and frankly not as good. In the early seasons the the "talent" may not have been as good as far as some people are concerned. I believe that the people that tried were at least true musicians as opposed to today where I think I lot of them just simply try out because they can possibly carry a tune and have nothing better to do with their lives at the moment.
Thought I think that in the end 'America does get it right and we do have an the best out of the lot that becomes the American idol, whether they are my favorite or not. But even with that, it has become less. Think back to our first American idol. When Kelly Clarkson was crowned queen for a night they people went insane. And rightfully so that was back in 2002 and not only has she continued to have success after success in as many different genres of music as there is out there, the girl can blow. My GOD the girl can blow. And there is a true passion for what she does you can obviously tell that.
I think the biggest measure of how good the seasons are in compared to each other the week by week performaces. Honestly, though I'm a fan, the first week of live performances this week were really kind of boring vocally. Sure the contestants have come up with unique and exciting arrangements with the Ricky Minor band (Who I think is awesome by the way) but when it comes down to it, there just not as much passion and goodness in the vocals. It's all caught up in the hype. In the olden days, the contestants knew how to keep the crowd excited and win votes without sacrificing vocal intigirity, in other words with out sounding bad
In the golden age of American idol the talent was raw and underdeveoped, but it was still talent. Pure good talent. Honestly, some contestants think that they can play America for idiots. Using vocal tricks and trying to manipulate the vote with different musical bluffs in order to win the vote. Personally I feel quite insulted.
One thing that is refreshing, is the youth on the show. There are the ones to look out for because I do believe another young one is going to take the crown once again. It the young one in this season's compition that have still have that raw talent. the pure talent. Oh the wide eyed innocences of children. I hope they can keep hope alive.
I will probably never stop watching it but hopefully some group of people will com along and rekindle that spark that has lost in America's contest. We can only hope
The original, one of the best!
I think the biggest measure of how good the seasons are in compared to each other the week by week performaces. Honestly, though I'm a fan, the first week of live performances this week were really kind of boring vocally. Sure the contestants have come up with unique and exciting arrangements with the Ricky Minor band (Who I think is awesome by the way) but when it comes down to it, there just not as much passion and goodness in the vocals. It's all caught up in the hype. In the olden days, the contestants knew how to keep the crowd excited and win votes without sacrificing vocal intigirity, in other words with out sounding bad
In the golden age of American idol the talent was raw and underdeveoped, but it was still talent. Pure good talent. Honestly, some contestants think that they can play America for idiots. Using vocal tricks and trying to manipulate the vote with different musical bluffs in order to win the vote. Personally I feel quite insulted.
One thing that is refreshing, is the youth on the show. There are the ones to look out for because I do believe another young one is going to take the crown once again. It the young one in this season's compition that have still have that raw talent. the pure talent. Oh the wide eyed innocences of children. I hope they can keep hope alive.
I will probably never stop watching it but hopefully some group of people will com along and rekindle that spark that has lost in America's contest. We can only hope
The original, one of the best!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
MTV: Music Television........ Is it? ................Is it really?
It all started August 1980, the world first all music television station was born. Over the years MTV was the premiere source for all things musical, from music video to live music shows to music news. It was great, TV and music all wrapped in one. what else could be better?
Sadly with the turn of the century sadly with the turn of the century the pop media station have begun to play less and less music. Now, that we are a decade into the new Millenium, the station hardly has anything to do with music at all. Its saturated with reality television and most of which have nothing to do with music. The network has even cancelled it only surviving music countdown show Total Request Live and few years back. It has become that the only music shown on our beloved music source is played as filler in the hours when no body is awake or when nobody cares. Its sad when somebody can't get their daily musical fix from a place where it in the title. Isn't false advertising illegal?
now to be real shows that have been aired in the past have been somewhat cheesy, Yo Mtv raps, 2ge+her, and that show with Jenny McCartney, like for real but at least the shows, for the most part played to the theme of the network or at least they tried. Now the only theme that they seem to play to is over- dramatized "reality". If this trend goes on for another decade they really are going to have to change the name.
Don't get me wrong I'm probably the biggest Real World fan on campus and in my personal opinion if the non musical nonsense was abolished than that should be the last to go (hopefully not at all) because it was there first, and there was still a substantial amount of music still being played in the shows beginnings. Even the reality shows that have anything remotely to do with music are in short supply. Currently in rotation there are two, America's Best Dance Crew (if that really counts) and Taking the stage (which barely does).
Some thing should really be done! Maybe we should protest...... After the current Real World season.
Sadly with the turn of the century sadly with the turn of the century the pop media station have begun to play less and less music. Now, that we are a decade into the new Millenium, the station hardly has anything to do with music at all. Its saturated with reality television and most of which have nothing to do with music. The network has even cancelled it only surviving music countdown show Total Request Live and few years back. It has become that the only music shown on our beloved music source is played as filler in the hours when no body is awake or when nobody cares. Its sad when somebody can't get their daily musical fix from a place where it in the title. Isn't false advertising illegal?
now to be real shows that have been aired in the past have been somewhat cheesy, Yo Mtv raps, 2ge+her, and that show with Jenny McCartney, like for real but at least the shows, for the most part played to the theme of the network or at least they tried. Now the only theme that they seem to play to is over- dramatized "reality". If this trend goes on for another decade they really are going to have to change the name.
Don't get me wrong I'm probably the biggest Real World fan on campus and in my personal opinion if the non musical nonsense was abolished than that should be the last to go (hopefully not at all) because it was there first, and there was still a substantial amount of music still being played in the shows beginnings. Even the reality shows that have anything remotely to do with music are in short supply. Currently in rotation there are two, America's Best Dance Crew (if that really counts) and Taking the stage (which barely does).
Some thing should really be done! Maybe we should protest...... After the current Real World season.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Some Unholy War
Throughout American history there has been wars and protest against wars that has cause people to take stance for one side or another. The worst war is the war that is fought in our own back yards. The struggle of our streets, the struggle a mother has when her son "chases waterfalls" over a cliff destroying his life. Probably the most Unholy war of them all is the one that comes when a loved one is drugged into the infintry because of so called fidelity.
I propose the question is this situation worth it. Can a lover allow him or herself to become destroyed simply she wants to stand by her man or he wants to stand by his woman? I guess the answer depends on the situation. I would say that in most situations the answer would be yes. Love is the ultimate factor is this situation but if it is there then not only do I think that one should be devoted to stand by their lover but I think that is ought to be an obligation of that person to follow and support even until death.
Society would be better for this because it would bring about a sense of loyalty and commitment and unconditional love that i believe that has always lacked in teh world. Ideally if everyone was that committed to the people in their lives (i.e husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, brother/sister father/son) then there would be no need for wars in the streets because everyone would have a sense of love and support which the lack of these values are , arguably, the root of gangs and gang violence in the world.
I propose the question is this situation worth it. Can a lover allow him or herself to become destroyed simply she wants to stand by her man or he wants to stand by his woman? I guess the answer depends on the situation. I would say that in most situations the answer would be yes. Love is the ultimate factor is this situation but if it is there then not only do I think that one should be devoted to stand by their lover but I think that is ought to be an obligation of that person to follow and support even until death.
Society would be better for this because it would bring about a sense of loyalty and commitment and unconditional love that i believe that has always lacked in teh world. Ideally if everyone was that committed to the people in their lives (i.e husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, brother/sister father/son) then there would be no need for wars in the streets because everyone would have a sense of love and support which the lack of these values are , arguably, the root of gangs and gang violence in the world.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Suicide: A Silent killer cries for Mercy
1992's Jeremy written and released by grunge band Pearl tackles an issue that is way to prevalent in world. This is the story of a high school sophomore who attended Richardson high school near Dallas, Texas who stood in front of his second period English class and shot himself in the month, killing himself almost instantaneously. Teen suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among youths 15-24. Lead singer and composer the song Jeremy, Eddie Vedder, takes this story and presents this pressing issue in away that hits home for many people because he puts a name and a face to a bunch of numbers and statistics.
It takes a bold artist to do what Eddie Vedder did, but it a takes a much bolder one to talk about the turmoil in his own life. The lead singer to the legendary grunge band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain was a truly bold and vulnerable artist. He let america into his dark and twistedly beautiful soul. The sad part is did we listen? Are most people blind to the signals and the signs of the terrible illness before it becomes to deep. Nirvana's last, In utero (as well as the rest of their) screamed of the downtrodden spirit of cobain and the struggle to be who he was. The struggle to be 'just happy' but seemingly something always stood in the way because despite him being at the height of his success and starting a family with his wife Courtney Love, It was reported that on April 5, 1994 Kurt Cobain took his own life with a 20 caliber shot gun blow to the head.
No one should have to [pretend to be like them] or question if they are dumb in the eyes of the world. I believe the best thing to do about this epidemic is to be more aware of the people that we come into contact with on a daily basis. Whenever we ignore the saddened and depressed and chalk it up to them just having a bad day then we are ultimately playing Russian Roulette with the trigger pointed at the head of the other person.
I'm not saying that a smile and a hey is the answer to everyone's problems but its a start.
To those who say that the well being of another person that they barely even know isn't any responsiblity of thier of I say to them Where is your Heart? That the purpose of life is to get through it, so why not help another person get through it along the way.
But in reality most cases of suicide occur because we let things get way too deep without stopping and checking whats going on, and a lot of the time it's too heavy for normal people to understand.
In the case of Kurt Cobain, the Legendary music genuis, obviously he was living in a 'Ball of confusion' not knowing what was up or down. That much we can tell from his music. a friend once told me that as artist we have a responsiblity to let people into our inner souls (no matter how dark and twisted) without getting too deep to the point of no return. Maybe Kurt reached that point. And when that happens what is the world to do? Was supporting his fame a contributing factor to his torment. Knowing that his pain and sorrow brought many of his listeners joy or maybe that fact that there could have been somebody out there that almost felt the pain that he felt was too much for him to bear so he ended it to cease his guilt. Or maybe the Rock God was simply to much of a musical genius to stand being around ordianry people anymore. Or maybe he was murdered. Either way now we will never know.
In the Case of Jeremy, it seems that this individual was confused as well and from reports it seems that Jeremy held on to what was inside of him because he showed different sides of himself to different people. Keeping all this bottled up and not having an outlet to express himself was the reason he went so young.
The world is filled with all sorts of people. No one case is like the other but as long as we do nothing each case will remain unsolved
It takes a bold artist to do what Eddie Vedder did, but it a takes a much bolder one to talk about the turmoil in his own life. The lead singer to the legendary grunge band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain was a truly bold and vulnerable artist. He let america into his dark and twistedly beautiful soul. The sad part is did we listen? Are most people blind to the signals and the signs of the terrible illness before it becomes to deep. Nirvana's last, In utero (as well as the rest of their) screamed of the downtrodden spirit of cobain and the struggle to be who he was. The struggle to be 'just happy' but seemingly something always stood in the way because despite him being at the height of his success and starting a family with his wife Courtney Love, It was reported that on April 5, 1994 Kurt Cobain took his own life with a 20 caliber shot gun blow to the head.
No one should have to [pretend to be like them] or question if they are dumb in the eyes of the world. I believe the best thing to do about this epidemic is to be more aware of the people that we come into contact with on a daily basis. Whenever we ignore the saddened and depressed and chalk it up to them just having a bad day then we are ultimately playing Russian Roulette with the trigger pointed at the head of the other person.
I'm not saying that a smile and a hey is the answer to everyone's problems but its a start.
To those who say that the well being of another person that they barely even know isn't any responsiblity of thier of I say to them Where is your Heart? That the purpose of life is to get through it, so why not help another person get through it along the way.
But in reality most cases of suicide occur because we let things get way too deep without stopping and checking whats going on, and a lot of the time it's too heavy for normal people to understand.
In the case of Kurt Cobain, the Legendary music genuis, obviously he was living in a 'Ball of confusion' not knowing what was up or down. That much we can tell from his music. a friend once told me that as artist we have a responsiblity to let people into our inner souls (no matter how dark and twisted) without getting too deep to the point of no return. Maybe Kurt reached that point. And when that happens what is the world to do? Was supporting his fame a contributing factor to his torment. Knowing that his pain and sorrow brought many of his listeners joy or maybe that fact that there could have been somebody out there that almost felt the pain that he felt was too much for him to bear so he ended it to cease his guilt. Or maybe the Rock God was simply to much of a musical genius to stand being around ordianry people anymore. Or maybe he was murdered. Either way now we will never know.
In the Case of Jeremy, it seems that this individual was confused as well and from reports it seems that Jeremy held on to what was inside of him because he showed different sides of himself to different people. Keeping all this bottled up and not having an outlet to express himself was the reason he went so young.
The world is filled with all sorts of people. No one case is like the other but as long as we do nothing each case will remain unsolved
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
This is the first blog
Ok So dude it's Kito. I'm into everything musically I would say that the top five artist that I am interested in are 1. Mariah Carey 2. Nirvana 3. BabyFace 4. Oatis Redding 5. Sam cooke. Um I don't know how political those five artist are but we'll see. This Um I am a freshman and I'm a Music performace major (piano). I don't know what else to say and class is about to end so by
New blogger: Dude I'm Kito
New blogger: Dude I'm Kito
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