MTV has a boner for Portland's indie music epidemic:
I would like to hear everyone's opinion on this matter. It's been discussed at almost every other blog in town... now it's our turn.
I will go first [Super Snap Judgement]:
Fucking hipsters. Did the white belt get traded in for white sunglasses? There I said it! I SAID IT! Fucking MTV trying to make you look cool. Or even better, MTV doesn't get you so that makes you even cooler? I was talking (to my friends who may or may not want to identify themselves) about making a "Map of The Stars" of all the restaurants in town indicating the various bands represented... Do we do it now? -- Ste. Goldie
PS -- blah, blah, blah, MTV... PDX Pop Now!...The Thermals
16 comments:
We could make a killing?
I like the term "music epidemic".
I like what that one guy said about micro scenes... that would imply that ONE SCENE would not reflect a "Portland Sound"...
Ben -- I like to make killings!
wow, i did not listen to more than a handful of words...sad.
yeah... I'm a little disappointed that MTV came and covered Portland's music scene. it's even more disappointing to see the bands even talk to these assholes (MTV). its great and all that Portland is getting some national attention, but at what cost? MTV has done enough damage to music and I'd hate to see Portland's music scene exploited and commercialized. only time will tell, I suppose.
"MTV get off the air!"
Well, I guess y'all can call me Miss Devil's Advocate - but..
1. hey, portland has some cool shit going on. Other people were bound to notice eventually. People like MTV.
2. I watched the whole video, and honestly, it wasn't so bad.
3. Yeah, of course they only interviewed bands who were more well known, it's MTV.
4. I happen to be somewhat acquainted with a number of the folks on that video, and trendy though their sounds may be, many of them are nice, normal folks who make good music.
5. I do think it's lame that they pretty much showed only downtown in the scenery. It's not like any of those magical basements are down there.
6. Sure MTV sucks, but if I was given the chance to talk about what I love to do on national tv, I would do it. I'm only being honest. Everyone wants to get their opinion out there, that's why we're here, writing on this blog right now.
I don't know why i numbered all my statements, I think it was to avoid having to make transitions.
eeck, made me sooo homesick, fucking hipsters are so much better than the trend whores out here...
Oh, i remembered what I was going to also say, that I think the fact that everyone is in a band out here makes the idea of people worshipping or idolizing musicians as something special seem kinda freaky and weird.
1. I don't think MTV is evil. The had Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks on for a millisecond. I would have liked to hear him speak instead of the kid with the sunglasses.
2. I wish VH1 would make a reality show about Portland and it's various neighborhoods and then make them all fight each other. Patchouli(SE) Vs. Bike Grease SWEAT STAINS (NE) and then all the kids that live close in. They are forced to wear Old Navy and get hair cuts and then they have to perform and then everyone will see how shitty they are.
3. I love making lists.
4. There were good points made by the popular kids, it's not like they are idiots. There are no idiots in Portland just people in bands who have no business being on stage and dressing up in '80's clothing ironically, when impoverished children and adults all over the world are wearing '80's hand me downs BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THEY CAN AFFORD. SHOW SOME MOTHERFUCKING DIGNITY! and stop worshiping a totally shallow and uninspired synth pop folk plague!
5. (censored)
6. Does that make me vicariously jealous?
7. Probably...
8. I just thought it was WAY WAY WAY f'ing annoying that this years circle jerk of the Willamette Weeks BEST BANDS OF 2008 gets the national media attention...
(((((AMY!!!)))) Isn't it all so hilarious!
I think the reality show idea is hilarious.
I'll admit, I really, really like starfucker, and their synth pop and their 80's clothes. I don't know terribly much about a lot of the other bands they showed on there (besides like, stephen malkmus and colin meloy, who everyone knows who they are, and adam forkner, who I've run into at house shows a lot but don't really know.) Sure, there are a lot of other things happening in Portland that deserve notice, but I honestly think the attention those guys are getting is well deserved.
I like Starfucker... my scatter shot attacks are meant to imply but not specify... I mean come on, their name is Starfucker. I have to like them. There are some bands I like simply because their names are music to my ears.
Way to go MTV. You came and checkd out Portland's indie music 'epidemic'. . .fantastic. How the hell is it possible that you interviewed all those musickers and completely missed (or ignored) Storm and the Balls? Seriously, if exposing something cool was the plan you failed miserably.
I myself know a lot of the people in this video as well but I lost a whole lot of respect for them mainly due to them selling out portland, and not just the music scene, the whole city. We're going to get lots of yups moving up here from california and middle of nowhere USA to steal our jobs and take over low income neighborhoods with there trendy bars and condos. I'm a musician myself and I feel that portland has one of the most important music scenes in the world right now but that means that I don't want people thinking that they can just play keyboard beats and sing in an off key and make it into the family of creativity that is what it is. I say it's bullshit.
the most hilarious part of the portland music community is how its members truly believe their is no unifying portland sound and how diverse it is. uh dude, its all white-bred, art school, jangly pop, indie rock dressed in shaggy hair and buffalo exchange gear. portland is one of the most homogenous urban areas in the US, and nothing represents this more than its music community.
Hi Pissed of Anonymous Guy whom I assume left a similar comment at the Mercury:
"the portland music community is how its members truly believe their is no unifying portland sound and how diverse it is"
Oh I see what you mean. I was speaking to the fact that their is more musical diversity than you think. ie; stylistically. But since you are just talking about race and economic status.
The white people in this town who are in bands aren't all
"art school, jangly pop, indie rock dressed in shaggy hair and buffalo exchange gear".
I've been known to exploded into a rage attack over this very thing. I finally figured out my response was to what is considered POPULAR in this town. As independent and non-mainstream as this town is there is still POP music here and some of it is white bread, which I attribute to the weird obsession with the '80s and Conor Oberst.
Maybe your are mostly disgusted with how white Portland is. Portland is a whitey town and popular everything reflects that.
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