Girls, Girls, Girls? All the Pretty Boys on a Saturday Night?

I think about this often, mostly when I'm at a show. I like to look around a lot. I notice things. Sometimes it is very apparent that certain bands have more female fans than male.
I have always wondered how this affects the band. Before you bitch at me about how all bands appreciate their fans regardless of their gender, I will tell you, "No shit. But let me finish you punk."
Without trying to sound sexist, I will attempt to convey my thoughts. Here goes....
Girls and guys both equally crush on musicians. In my field of research, it appears that a lot females are more open about this type of thing. Proof- Bop, Teen Beat, 15 and Slobbering Over Random Dude publications. There aren't many magazines of this sort marketed towards young males.
Chicks are pretty vocal about who they want to have their babies at shows. Some of them like to shout proclaimations of hotness. NOT ALL....some.

With this all being said, one of the bands I'm going to put this theory to the test with is HANSON.


Yes, Hanson.
Everyone knows the story of Hanson. Most people you bring their name up to will look at you in disgust because of it. But, why?
Let's backtrack....
It's 1997. MMMBOP is heard everywhere. Now, if you think about it, that song isn't so bad for kids to have written. Not only did they write it, but they're playing their own instruments. Compare them to say, the Spice Girls. They play nothing, their songs don't really have deep meaning, and they probably wrote two words worth of their debut album. Now insert "Oh I thought they were girls!" jokes. In all seriousness, if you really thought that the Hansons were chicks, you have terrible judgement.

Now, today. I own each one of Hanson's released albums, and they are pop rock gold. Songs are catchy. Who doesn't love pianos? Taylor has a sweet soulful voice. They're pretty good.

So...what I have noticed in terms of Hanson fans is that majority of them, that I have seen, are girls. I'm not implying that this is a problem. I just wonder if these three dudes ever wish they had a little more of a male fan base. Some other guys who dig their tunes that they can relate to.

But, is this really their fault? Hanson was targeted toward school aged girls. Their smiling yellow haired faces were smeared across many a magazine (I should know. I used to beg the shit out of my parents in the grocery store to buy 'em.)
Still, a lot of bands out there are featured on these magazines. So why no guy fans?

People do not accept change. That is scientific fact. If I wrote the whole equation about that out, it would start massive fires, make babies cry and break the internet, so I will spare you those misfortunes.
Back when Hanson came out, everyone thought they were chicks blah blah blah. I'm sure it was not"totally cool" to listen to them (with that kind of mentality anyway). I believe that, had Hanson not been viewed in that particular way, they would have more listeners. Definitely. And a greater number of male fans. I feel like if I gave someone a new Hanson cd and didn't tell them that it was Hanson-they might actually like them.
People just cannot get over their first impressions of the band. That is very sad.

My point in all of this is- Hanson has a crap load of female fans. Based on that do they think that maybe some of them are there because they are still trying to do them after all these years? Are some of the girls there just to hump them? Is their music being taken seriously? Does music sound better when the person singing it is attractive? Or does it just appeal to people more?

I don't know the answers to any of these questions. But, I remember going to shows as a young girl. I was in love with the music and hoping that bands wouldn't think I was just another stupid girl following a trend and trying to fuck Tom DeLonge (but I was stupid....and trying to fornicate with a certain Mr. DeLonge). I know people assume things, and that maybe in me writing this I am assuming shit about girls. I hate being judged.
But maybe I am wrong. Maybe every girl is there for the music and music only. Not for Taylor Hanson's tight pants. Maybe the mmmbop thing has nothing to do with guys not giving them a chance. I don't know.
This is just what has been in my head for a while and I always wanted answers. Maybe I will get them some day. Or in an mmmbop, they'll be gone. I'm an mmmbop they're not there.

If you're feeling bold and adventurous, please do yourself a favor and check out Hanson's newer stuff. The harmonies are amazing.



ooooooooh oooooh ooh.

(Hurripain) The Formal Hurting Pattern

When this boy sings, you can feeeeeeeel it.


Andrew McMahon can do NO wrong.

And don't bother arguing, this is fact.
He consistantly brings beautiful melodies, amazing vocals and exellent lyrics. He makes me want to hump a piano....in a good way! (Is there a bad way?)
Not only that, but on his arm lies the best tattoo ever put on man- Van Gogh's Starry Night with the word "Music" going down the middle of it. Ah.

Although currently in Jack's Mannequin, Andrew's first adventure into the hearts of many was through the band Something Corporate.
Hearing them for the first time was refreshing to me. Here I am listening to fast driven punk pop, then out of nowhere....piano?


A flaming piano. Pretty badass.

Audioboxer was my first SoCo recording. I overplayed the crap out of it and made everyone within earshot listen.
I vividly remember purchasing Leaving Through the Window at Best Buy along with Taking Back Sunday's Tell All Your Friends (To which my friend's boyfriend's friend...yeah...pulled the CDs from my hands and stated, "Taking Back Sunday? Yeah, they sound popular" to attempt smartassedness.)

To say that Leaving Through the Window didn't leave my CD player for a rather long time would be an understatement. To say that it was played so much that the disc and inside of the player fused would be more realistic.

Something Corporate's music takes me back to small, specific events in my life. Some bad, some not so bad. But, I'd gladly remember a shitty time to hear one of their songs.

Here are some of my favorites.


I've been watching/listening to this one for 2 hours now.

My most favoritest song "Ben Franklin's Kite" is nowhere to be found on youtube. So, just imagine the most super amazingly awesome piano coolness ever.

My second favorite song, "Cavanaugh Park." This one always makes me tear up a bit.

I'm sorry, but does my breath smell like apple shampoo?

"If you're a small person, the front is not the best view. And if you, uh, hating seeing shitty bands, any of this is not a good view....-Tom DeLonge




Whenever I think of blink-182, I picture Mark in a red shirt, Tom in an orange Hurley tee and Travis with dredlocks. This image is engraved in my head. Whenever anyone mentions blink, that is my image.


My first blink-182 encounter took place at my grandmother's apartment, more specifically, in the guest bedroom. (Where is this going? Haha!) Ricky Martin was pretty big at the time and I based my liking of him on his catchy songs (shut up.) and stunningly good looks (look, I was a kid. We make mistakes.) As I was drawing, I heard something fun sounding pumpin' its way from the television to my little ears. I immediately stopped what I was doing and gave it my full loving attention. I couldn't believe it! The song was funny, but very listenable. The singing was pretty good too. The video was hysterical. I waited until the end to find out who was behind such magic. Blink-182. "What's My Age Again."

I just teared up from watching their New Year's Eve 1999 performance for MTV. There are a lot of reasons leading to water forming in my eyes-This was one of the first times i got to see my heroes play live. I met my best friend during this video. It marked a new beginning. The end of a stupid pointless year.

Everyone was freaking out about Y2K. I thought it would be funny, and looked very much forward to it. A girl I knew through other friends, Alicia, was having a new year's party. I didn't really know her that well, probably decided that I hated her (I hated everyone) but decided to go. This was probably due to my ex, who I was still 'in love" with also attending...supposedly. My mother was hesitant to take me to her house (she is hesitant to do anything that involves doing anything). I made sure to remind EVERYONE at my grandmother's (where we were living at them time) to tape blink on the mtv new year's show. (Remember VCRs? I do!)

My mom dropped me off at her house. I don't remember much, which is weird. She has a long hill driveway that i'm sure I had to walk down in the dark with no idea what was waiting for me at the end.

I stepped in the house to find....nobody there. Just Alicia and her family. Some 2000 decorations. I asked where everyone was. Some kids were grounded. (The one I liked had food poisoning. Go figure.) So we sat on the sofa talking for a bit. I suggested turning on MTV, since blink would be playing soon. Surprisingly enough, she liked blink too. (Everyone probably did....just not the majority of idiots at my school.) I told her how my mom gave me a censored copy of Enema of the State for Christmas. (Don't buy CDs at K-Mart.) She was going to take it back, but I had already opened it. It was my friend.

Sure enough, blink came on the screen. I believe they played two songs..probably "What's My Age Again?" and definately "All The Small Things." We fought over which member was which. She kept telling me that Mark played guitar. I corrected her. We got out the pamphlet for proof.
After that we stayed up talking, blew some celebratory 2000 bubbles, eventually falling asleep in her and her sister's bunk bed to the South Park movie.

For months after I watched that new year's performance.

Now it has been years since I have seen it. I was surprised at how much I could recall of it, and how much I had forgotten. I remembered all the little quirks in Tom's live vocal. I remember how awesome Tom's hair was (I think this may have been the first thing leading to Alicia and my friendship: the agreeance of Tom DeLonge's hotness).

Looking back on this video and blink, I have realized that they have played a huge part in my life. Yeah, I'm aware that many people have said this about bands. I'm not going to make myself out to be SUPERBLINKFAN4EVA...but I'm going to aim close.

I've started friendships over blink. First show-blink. (Alicia and I DO NOT count the TRL tour in Hershey we went to a month before blink. We were bored, I liked her cousin from Minnesota, and I'll have you know that the entire time Destiny's Child was on stage I stared at the ground.)We liked to think we were the Mark and Tom or our high school. (I was Tom of course.) And there have been countless times I have met people and we hit it off due to our blink rambling.
Through blink I was introduced to other bands. I finally found out what real music was like. I remember the first time listening to New Found Glory (A guy I used to talk to in study hall's suggestion. Tom was also his favorite. I liked him.) and finding it odd that only one person was singing all of their songs. I was so used to Tom and Mark's dual vocals that everything else sounded strange to me.

Blink gave me goals. I successfully saved up a week's worth of lunch money ($13.00) to purchase Dude Ranch on cassette (Remember cassettes? I do!) from the local mall. I ran into gym class the next day with my Walkman (!!) excited to show Alicia the song "Degenerate" because I thought it was so ridiculous.

Blink inspired me to draw and paint an awful lot more. I have tons of blink drawings from 1999 up until around 2004. During this time, I learned to draw faces more realistically and was getting quite good at it (if I do say so myself).

Discovering blink was new and exciting for me. I had never felt that way about a band before. Yes, I had loved Hanson(they're still alright by the way), but this was completley different. I felt a connection to them through their music. Blink gave me courage. They taught me to disregard the dumb shit people say about you....and if all else fails, just say that you fucked their mom last night. I wasn't a popular chick in school (this was before it was the "cool" thing to be a loser, like it is nowadays. Wow, I feel old). Blink, to me, was three guys who were where I was at one point, not fitting in, didn't give a shit, did their own thing and became successful. They also shared my love for obnoxiously uncomfortable humor. Sure I didn't run around naked, but I felt almost comfortable enough to, if need be. I think that's why I still feel hatred and nostalgia for my high school years. So much of me changed and helped take shape to mold me into the ever changing ball of joy I am today. (Haha.)

We became pissed off when we couldn't find Hurley shirts anywhere. We proudly wore our Atticus shirts to school before everyone else. We became slightly annoyed at the popular peoples attending the Pop Disaster show. (I thought, "Here are these people that Tom calls out in 'Give Me One Good Reason' who make me feel so shitty-at the same show as me seeing MY band. Do they not listen to lyrics??") We recited ALL of the banter from The Mark, Tom and Travis Show: The Enema Strikes Back and The Urethra Chronicles which included, but not limited to: "I'm fucking in the mood to party!" "Fuck fuck shit fuck!" "My nuts taste better with fudge!" "I could take all of you in my bed right fucking now!"

Urethra Chronicles. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket photos. The opening to "Dumpweed," MTV's Diary. Pop Disaster Tour. The jokes about fucking dogs. The blink bunny. Swearing. Awesome music. High School. Tom the Hair God. Reading the hiatus news for the first time online after work and calling Alicia at 1:30 a.m. in total shock. Tom DeLonge in a backwards hat.







Now for video overload. i highly suggest going on youtube someday and watching all the wonderful blink footage that many have to offer.


The famed performance that started my rock and roll fantasies.



Here is the beginning of the blink Diary. I can't find more of it, but I'm sure if you search around, it will come up. (Haha.) Don't blink or you might miss something!



Aww.




The words that pissed off a thousand parents. They're still just as classy today.



Tom DeLonge on Craig Kilborn.

(As for recent news, blink has reunited (which just so happened to be my new year's resolution. I'll write about that in the future since I'm uncharacteristically tired at the moment.)

By the way, why can't you smile?

Yes...I am still on a Heyward kick.


ohhhh yeeeeah.

This song is pretty awesome. I can't find it online anywhere to put a link to it, so just go off and find it. This will be your adventure for the day.

Lyrics by the honorable Nick Heyward. Song by Haircut 100. Song from the album Pelican West

It looks like this. So go buy this shit on ebay! Well, actually I got mine used on amazon.com and it came with some bonus stuff.




Well I remember the day when she said, "Go way away"
I rearrange my hair
Well I can't take anymore, I bought some natural food
And then I fell on the floor

Well I can't take anymore, I need a change of address
By the way, why can't you smile
She said at first it was great
And in the middle I stayed
But at the end I was sick."

I said, "I've got to get out quick!" (editor's note: fucking love that whole part. Perfection. That is all.)

Then you suddenly smiled, you took me by surprise
You suddenly smiled, you took me by again

Well I remember the time, wrapped up nice and cosy
She was washing my hair
Well I was thinking of midnight, falling in love
Watching the rain fall

When we relax, I'm going to sleep on your chest
And listen to your beats
And let's go to Norway, live in rain and snow
And get totally depressed about nothing at all really, hello (Ed. note: that is also cute.)

Then you suddenly smiled, you took me by surprise
You suddenly smiled, you took me by again
You suddenly smiled
You suddenly smiled, again, again

You can't(or possibly can. I'm not sure. Maybe it's can.) smile

Then you suddenly smiled, you took me by surprise
You suddenly smiled, you took me by again
You suddenly smiled, you suddenly smiled
You suddenly smiled, you suddenly smiled
You took me by again


Now imagine that with music. Wonderful, I assure you. I've been listening to it on repeat for a half an hour now.

Give me all the time I pay, so I can purchase a blue hat for a blue day.

I'm really a little indifferent today. This could be in part due to my 3 hours of sleep before work. I don't know though. It sounds plausible.


Ebay is a fun way to kill time. And by killing, I mean completely slaughtering my entire bank account in less than 45 minutes.
It is amazing how many Haircut 100 items one can find browsing through ebay. (Most of them are from the UK, so you have to remember that American bucks are like 5 for every one of their's. I will keep that in mind on my next ebay adventure.) I won an awesome little tie-dye guitar pin. I came across some cute "I <3 Nick Heyward" pins. Adorable. Lots o' magazine articles with cool pictures that I would love to own. But $50 for some colored paper doesn't seem feasible to me right now. Perhaps it will when i get paid Friday...

Last night I won a "Blue Hat For a Blue Day" 7" for 8 bucks. I've been listening to this song and "Whistle Down the Wind" on repeat for days. At first they sounded, you know, 80's-y but now they sound like musical awesomeness. So it was a good addition (addiction?) for my record collection. But honestly, I really wanted it because I liked the picture on the cover...


Oh Nick Heyward, you blue eyed cool cat. Who wants a blue hat. For a blue day. (alright, I'm done. Sorry. I will understand if you stop talking to me forever.)


I also came across this gem of a pic:
Hahaha, what is going on here? I almost bought this for it's sheer ridiculousness.


Well, that and because it's Nick Heyward. And he is holding a banana.

So, on my unfantastic day (I had to.), here are two videos for beautiful viewing pleasure. But don't thank me...thank the banana man.


This is the one I'm currently listening to. It's been about an hour now. Still going strong.


This one makes me want to go out and buy a suitcase.


P.S.- I just recently...as of 3:25 this afternoon, recruited my mom to fundom. She likes "Walking the Dog." So, that's been three people so far. I'm doing well. My friend compared me to Manson. I like to think I'm a lot nicer.

I love love. I love plus one. I love fun.

So...I successfully sucked my good friend (the one who got married which I sported the beehive for as previously talked about) into the realms of fun. She cannot stop listening to Aim & Ignite. So, I'm sneaking some Format in there for her too. Anything Nate Ruess does is gold. Pure solid shimmery awesome melodic gold. Everything he touches, also gold.



You can't see it right now, but that micrphone right there is slowly turning into gold. Gold I say!


As I am listening to The Format and becoming very very nostalgic, I'm finally over the fact that they indeed are over. fun. is such an awesome sound and I am grateful for their new album. (One day I will write a long extensive report on just why The Format was a huge band for me and all that whatsis.) But part of me will still love The Format. I don't care what it does to me.

Ayeyayayayaya!

There is no way to stay pissed off while listening to this band.

I even tested this theory: mid-argument I turned on my crap-top and went to my video library thing on RealPlayer. The second Love Plus One's happy xylophoning came do doo dooing into my ears and face, I could not help but smile.

haircut 100. (or as my sister calls them "Don't let her listen to that in the car mom! It's The Haircut 100s!")

It began one night as my sister, aunt and I watched some 80's countdown. Probably dealing with one hit wonders, it's always about one hit wonders.

La la, Love plus one.

Anyway, Love Plus One was number something and Rikki Rachtmann was talking about how he liked them. (My sister hates Rikki Rachtmann for some reason. Everytime he's on tv she becomes rather angry. Not sure why.) The song, from the small snippet played, sounded semi-catchy. The video looked islandy/volcanoey and featured a dude wearing what appeared to be a loincloth, while swinging from a rope of sorts. How fun!

A few weeks later, I happened to be at the mall getting my hair down for a good friend's wedding. I opted for a beehive looking 'do with a purple rose sticking out from behind my left ear. The hairpeople were having great difficulties achieving a neato look on the bride, so that bought me time to check out the mall's music shop, FYE.

I thought that i would have an easy time locating a Haircut 100 cd. Fuck was I wrong. After tedious searching, I came across an 80's comp with no other listenable song on it over than "Love Plus One." (Living in Oblivion Volume 2 or something.) Since then it has been la love.

True story.

So......Nick Heyward. What a stud. He wears this cute little hat in the video for Fantastic Day. So adorable. I wish that I could fly back in time, hug him for 17 minutes, and come back home. He still makes music sometimes (he has earlier solo music too that I have checked out. I am on top of this shit!) and has a neat little facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/nickheyward) where he posts cute pictures of food and birds. I wish I could hug him.

Come on get happy and check out these fine tunes from The Haircut 100s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQSmW6klew
I am currently obsessed with this one. I love how he pulls his mouth funny when he sings "be nobody's fool" when they close up on him in the car for the first time.



Warning: This song will cause weird outbursts of happiness for no particular reason at all! Beware. And check out that hat!

Until their lips start to move, and your friends talk music...sing that shit Nate! Aw man!

I foresee absolutely no sleep in my future. Why?



Because fun. just put up another new song.
How the hell do they come up with this shit? Seriously. This came from a living, breathing, REAL person's mind. I want my LIFE to feel like this.
I don't know where to begin. Or, more specifically, I don't know what to say. I can't describe why this song is so magical.
It just IS.
Wow. The lyrics are exellent.
So I call you out
Just to feel a little bit better about myself
I do, baby I do, I do, I do
Until their lips start to move, and your friends talk music
I say "I've never heard the tune"
But I have, I just hate the band
'cause they remind me of you.
The voice. I've said this countless times: Nate Ruess is the man.
Sure, I've heard this song before live. I loved it then. I used to watch the live footage I captured from their show at the Troc (which I severely overplayed). But the album one sounds so fresh. It's like a whole new song. So, now I can overplay a whole new version! Yay!
Did I mention that I've been listening to this song nonstop since 9:30. It's 12:17. And I am pumped.

Oh come on, oh come on what's a girl to do? Nothing, cause I can't stop listenin' to this song by you!
Dammit fun. You're preparing me for under-eye baggage at work tomorrow. sigh
ALL THE PRETTY GURLS ON A SATURDAY NIGHT!

http://www.spinner.com/2009/08/03/fun-all-the-pretty-girls-song-premiere/