Rock'n'Roll Theory

I don't really believe in Rock and Roll anymore, at least not in the sense of the here and now. There are many artists, singers and musicians about, holding up the British music charts which, by the by, seem to be hanging by a thread, but very little can truly be called 'Rock'n'Roll'. To put it another way, there is very little which can be called rebellious, outlandish in the non-fashionable sense, or just plain stupid. Many pertain to achieve the highly sought after 'rock status', what with Doherty and Winehouse's stellar drug abuse, and the ever so effervescent way with the public, BUT, if we roll out from the Lester Bangs house of rock, taking stock of the Stooges and of course the upfront Iggy Pop, there seems to be little or nothing in the race to the base of rock.

Bangs puts this little idea of Rockster roll amazingly well;

'Iggy Stooge is a damn fool. He does a lot better fool of himself on stage and vinyl than almost any other performer... That is one of his genius' central facets.'

Tom foolery. It is the way to go. I don't mean teetering all over the stage, coming on late and fucking off before you get through your third song. shooting up and punching your fans is also exempt. So how does it come to the forefront in this day, without the ringleaders musical stylings of the late Fifties, Sixties and Seventies? Who could possibly match up to the Iggy Stooges, Jaggers and Zepplins from those misty days of yore? I really hate myself for this, but it has to be that semi lady-est of ladies, Miss GaGa.

Hold for sharp breathy intake of indignation, then wait for the mindcogs to whirr in introspective realisation. Has anyone seen a Lady GaGa show? Cast your mind back, or get thee to youtube. The strange costumes, the props, minimal sets and token rock-boy looking posers 'shredding riffs' in the background. She is bringing it back. At least in the aesthetic sense. Just check out her amazing sense of style, and the way she looks a little drunk, but holds it together. I am pretty amazed the old guitar smash hasn't been wheeled out for your pleasure. She makes a fool of herself. She knows that however much you take the piss, call her a slag for exposing to all and sundry, and generally have a good ol' laugh at her expense, you have to admire her balls (perhaps a bad choice of words given the rumours).

Oasis, who have given it a fair old whack, and Kasabian, essentially a rock style band for the general population, singing about nothing and changing their appearance with the tides, are unfortunates in this race. They may seem rather R'n'R for one, but its just not cricket. They don't do the foolish. This is the key. Whilst to this day I mourn the passing of The Sixties and Seventies, I am quite pleased that the rebellion lives on, even if it is for the mass produced music industry. it is all round quite pleasing to see.