Jennifer Lopez

[Lil' Debbie]

I'm sure if anyone watched the Grammys last night, they know exactly what I'm talking about. When she came on, I was like "What does she have on!!??" My boyfriend, stared with his mouth open at the sight of her. What did you guys who saw it think of what she was wearing, and do you think that outfit was appropriate for the Grammy's?

 

[Laurel]

I didn't watch the Grammys, but looking at the list of winners made me puke. Cher, in the Dance category? Sheryl Crow in the Rock category? Santana in every category? The Grammys are usually pretty far behind the times (the MTV Music Awards are more hip to what's actually happening, though they're not exactly cutting edge either), but this year was horrible!

I have a few friends in the music biz - zine writers, A&R people, and other snakes - and everyone agrees: the music industry is in the toilet. No innovation, nothing challenging or interesting. No Nirvanas here - just an endless string of fabricated boy bands, Britney wannabes, and old bands reuniting to cash in. I wonder how long this can go on, and what will be the next musical genre to bust through this bubble of mediocrity. Punk is dead - the few bands that did make it to the charts are now either pure pop acts (Green Day) or cheesy boy bands (Blink-182). I'm thinking either hip-hop (the Wu-Tang style stuff, the edgy stuff) will get the recognition it deserves (I'm not a huge fan of all hip-hop, but the stuff sells insanely well but gets no respect whatsoever) or Electronica will finally realize its potential as the next great Pop Music. Or perhaps a combination of the two - the type of stuff the Fugees do so well (including all the Wyclef and Lauryn and Pras solo action).

Sorry for the ramble. I'm just a huge fan of music, and hate how stagnant the scene is today.

 

[Xander]

Ooooohhhh. I can't pass this thread without a sound. Laurel did it again.

Yes the MAINSTREAM music scene doesn't move in any direction. And I too feel nausia at the constant flow of Pop acts, all trying to copy Britney Spears or BackStreet Boys.
Now I obviously don't have a clue about what's going on, on the Underground scene in the states. Kinda have to be there to know that.
But here in the cold north of scandinavia, the underground scene is beginning to twist once again. And it is looking pretty good.
So Laurel. The punk & Rock acts are not dead, they have just been dormant for a while, this time they are combining genres like never before. Just wait. In about a year they'll break through.
And I am not going to be dizzin' pop, because I do love a good pop song, hell I make mostly pop myself.
And those acts are showing the beginning of a new pop style now. Giving the whole act some personality.
I for one, used to hate All Saints. But their new single Pure Shores is just great.
Our own little international quartet Aqua is also showing serious signs of maturity in their new album. I actually can't wait until it's released this monday.

But let me return to the heading of this thread. Jennifer Lopez. Now she's a babe, and she knows it. And the more she can flash, the more she sells. At least that is how I see it. Because the music????? WTF.
No personality, nothing new.

Okay I'm rambling now, so I am just gonna go pet Gibsi, and see what moans she come up with when I start caressing her strings.

 

[Laurel]

Rock on, Xander Man...

No, that isen't right. Female teen singers go all the way back to The Bangles.
I, for one, don't feel cheated by the mass production of songs for these artist. True,
most of the stuff basically sucks.
But I feel that if changes is going to be made, it's up to all of us amateur musicians out
there. I can't possibly be the only one coming here with a music bone well planted in my
hands.

Formula pop bands have been around since there was recorded music. I don't have a problem with their existence (though they aren't my thing). I DO have a problem with the fact that they dominate the music scene right now. It's some comfort that bands like Limp Bizkit (derivative as they are) and Tool get a bit of attention, and that Eiffel 65's silly pop stuff is in the Top 10.

I agree to a certain extent. It IS up tothe musicians... But I don't think there are fewer talented acts out there today then 5 years ago. I do think that record labels aren't signing them, favoring the pop fluff creations you see today. Before Britney, there was Debbie, Tiffany, Paula.. the list goes on. At least the Bangles and the Go-Gos, bubble-gummy though they were, were actually groups of girls who got together on their own - they weren't hand-picked by a talent scout and assembled like a consumer product. Blah...

And Jennifer Lopez is definitely hot (though the dress wasn't all that - bared a lot of skin, but what an ugly pattern and style!). But her music is pretty plain. The best part of that one song is where Big Pun (rest in peace) and that other guy are rapping back and forth. When I'm listening to a song, I'm not really concerned with how cute the band or artist is, ya know? You can't SEE them on the radio.

I like the Backstreet Boys... =)

I'll bet..

(just teasing you! don't get mad...)

 

[Guest]

Jennifer Lopez has slap ass.

 

[Guest]

It's very "marketable" for a women in show biz to show flesh and be seen as "exotic" because it increases her overseas cache, which leads to more film roles and higher pay check. It's just business. And if she doesn't mind flashing a bit I don't mind. She's accepting the marketplace for what it is and using it to her advantage, and I don't see any problem with that. Of course, all that is a completely different discussion from what the media does to women by projecting and rewarding impossible (and, somewhat insulting) images of womanhood.

 

[Hawksview]

while I usually enjoy agreeing with Laurel, I've got to bite on this one....

I agree that most of the music industry is a joke...I cannot agree that the Santana sweep was wrong... considering the available options...

Good music... is good music...and the Santana album is the bomb...

We are all inundated with music...therefore the tendency to get "jaded" is normal...

I have been in and around music (performing etc..) all my life... and while I do get tired of the "same ol, same ol" that album was a beautifully crafted piece of work...

another words... to me... it was like butter!!!

 

[Laurel]

I agree that most of the music industry is a joke...I cannot agree that the Santana
sweep was wrong... considering the available options...

True... I'm not denying that Santana are legends... And you're right - the options were pretty grim. What I'm whining about are the lack of NEW legends, about the fact that there aren't any acts I see right now becoming legendary. Like it or not, Santana aren't new anymore - they're the establishment. As good as they may be, they've been around forever. They aren't cutting edge. Where are the good, young, new acts? The only way music will progress is if younger bands push the envelope, the way Santana did in their heyday. Where will we be in 20 years? What will be the anthem of this generation - "Baby One More Time"?

I dig pop, but I like ORIGINAL pop. I hate bands or singers that are plucked from modeling agencies, taught to sing and dance, and given formulaic & unoriginal songs to sing - a la Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, New Edition, New Kids, and now Britney, Mandy, Christina, Jessica, and all the millions of boy bands. That stuff makes me feel cheated when I listen to it - it's mindless, impersonal, and contrived. I like electronica, and most of the lyrics in that genre (if there are any) are pretty superficial and silly, but they're SUPPOSED to be. It's fun music. But when Christina Aguilara, Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, or N Sync sing these love ballads handed to them by their producers, and all the little girls and boys swoon and get all teary ove "their song", they're serious. How am I supposed to buy a song about heartache and loss sung by a hot 16-year-old chick who's biggest tragedy to date was failing her driving test the first time around? Especially when she didn't write the song in the first place?

That's just my opinion... I'm sure I'll get flamed for it, but that's okay. If we were all alike, how fun would this board be?

[This message has been edited by Laurel (edited 02-25-2000).]

 

[Kip Carson]

I think she looked really hot, and exotic, until I saw what was standing next to her. When I saw Puff Daddy with her, she didn't look so good to me anymore.

 

[Xander]

Laurel, Laurel, Laurel.
You're so right.
BUT, let's keep in mind that Britney Spears was the first to take up this young teenage pop singer thing. One can think about the music what they want.
No, that isen't right. Female teen singers go all the way back to The Bangles.
I, for one, don't feel cheated by the mass production of songs for these artist. True, most of the stuff basically sucks.
But I feel that if changes is going to be made, it's up to all of us amateur musicians out there. I can't possibly be the only one coming here with a music bone well planted in my hands.
Trouble is, that we cannot break through the massive walls of the MONEY-record labels.
It would not be any problems for any label to make a recording with a totally unknown artist. They wouldn't even lose anything on it.
But it's the fact that they DON'T have a guarantee we will make money that bothers them.
After 16 years as a musician I have finally found a way to take the big record labels by surprise. I'm not gonna tell you here. But I will say I believe in it enough to go sell my car and some other luxery stuff to get the starting money for it.
Gonna be a drag to go public transport again. But it could be all worth the trouble. *crossing fingers*

 

[Matt]

I like the Backstreet Boys... =)

 

[Guest]

That's pussy shit. She has SLAP ASS.

 

[Whispersecret]

Laurel, I agree with you. I think that pop music today is all about packaging. Listening to songs today is like buying a package of brand name cookies. Yeah, the cookies look Perfect in the picture on the package, and the commercial to sell it was very clever, but the cookie on the inside is mediocre. Nothing like grandma's. Grandma made REAL cookies with pure quality ingredients. Unlike the slick packaged kind, with all those additives and preservatives. A lot of today's musicians look good, dance well, and MAYBE have a adequate singing voice (when augmented by all that fancy electronic equipment) but is the substance there? I don't think so.

Way back when, Donny Osmond sang love songs, and he was a teeny bopper too. Those types of acts are geared for the teens, not for mature adults. That's why they play them on Radio Disney.

By the way, Sting's album, Brand New Day, is great. He writes his songs and performs them like a true musician should. Bravo, Sting!

So, instead of watching the Grammy's, I read some Literotica stories! I consider my time much better spent.

 

[Endlessly]

If you had my love and I gave you all my trust, would you comfort me?

ARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Allow me to offer my own opinion from the point of view of a lyricist-- a crappy lyricist, but one nonetheless. I need songs that SAY something, that I can sink my teeth into. It's why I listen to such a huge variety of genres-- Rap, R&B, Pop, Showtunes, Hard Rock, Oldies, Leonard Cohen (who is a genre of his own).. The song is about the lyrics, the hook and the beat just compliment it. They're all equally important, however.. And a song is horrible when it's missing one of the components.

I am absolutely APPALLED at the state of lyrics today. What the HELL!?! From 'Shake your bon-bon' by Ricky Martin: "Up in the Himalayas\Come on, I wanna lay ya." And that's not even the worst example, just the first one that comes to mind.

I love music with meaning. Too bad there's very little left. Do they honestly think no one cares about the lyrics? *shaking head* I mean, yeah, lyrics aren't the point of, say, drum n' bass, but what about everything ELSE? GAH!

Okay, shutting up now.. I could rant for hours.

 

[Laurel]

Of course, all that is a completely different discussion from what
the media does to women by projecting and rewarding impossible (and, somewhat
insulting) images of womanhood.

But, Fake Name, I disagree. I don't think the image of a sexy ad attractive woman is necessarily demeaning. I think that's an idea perpetuated by jealous women and men who know deep down that beautiful women wield an exceptional amount of power. Why does a woman have to be frumpy and braless to be liberated? Seems a bit silly to me. Looks aren't everything, but the whole concept of branding women as exploited or weak just because they choose to dress sexy is ludicrous. I have stripper friends that make 5 times what I make. I don't think that's exploitation at all, do you?

And I agree, Endlessly. Good lyrics rock.

 

[Lmj]

Hi all well I belive that pop music has and always will have a place. With the amount of one hit wonders and flash in the pans you now have to dig deeper to find some good music but it is out there.
nominated but not heard. Macy Gray she is super. Susan Tudechie(sorry on spelling) young blues artist sure to carry on the bonnie Rait torch. The Roots are the bomb!even better without Erika Badu, but in her own vain she rocks. Diana Krall put her CD on all night you will be making love with some smooth rythems. I will also say Santana was amazing 20 years ago and he is still putting it out today. Melissa Etheridge has a decent CD and was much more deserving of a grammy than Sheryl Crow for the worst cover of any song in the history of songs "sweet child o' mine" Yuk!! for some awsome latin skip ricky & cristina and marc and head right to Tito Puente or Buena Vista Social Club.
Now so of my personal favorites from the last year or so. Wild Magnolias "life is a carnival" mardi Gras is in a few weeks and this one will help you kick it off right. The Indigo Girls had one of their better efforts last year listen to the heavy rock ones and you will get the chicks with guitars thing big time. "sing it " by Tracy Nelson, Irma Thomas, and Marcia Ball is so cool you will be dancing in the streets.Marcia Ball also had a solo album last year that is real mellow and a joy to listen to. Michelle Melone "home grown" is a folk rock act from Atlanta that is a real good listen and great to see live. Los Hombres Calientes have I think 2 or 3 CD's and they are well worth checking out. Anne Hampton Callaway has a jazz CD that is a home run. OK I can go on all night but I will stop now. Oh I can not stop just yet his performance was everything that an awards show is supposed to be and that ends up crappy but I have to say driving down the free-way with Kid Rock turned up real loud is a ride worth going on. He is much better to listen to than to watch. Also for some other loud fun music check out the Chemical Brothers. Gotta love music peace.

 

[Alienist]

Just bought the Sanatna cd...it rocks....i think im going to learn salsa and merngue now!!

 

[Lil' Debbie]

I love meaningful artists like Sara Mcglauclin (I know I just butched that name), and Tracy Chapman, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I like the music of the backstreet boys, ricky martin, etc. I hate to say, but it seems that some of you suffer from musical snobbery. So what if a lot of the lyrics today are mindless and have no meaning, if it has a catchy tune and makes me bop my head when it comes on, I don't care if they're saying shake you bon-bon, or if you had my love. Music is suppose to make people happy and feel good, and I think that a lot of the pop that's out is doing just that.

Back to the original topic, I think Jennifer Lopez is a very beautiful woman, and she really didn't need to wear that particular dress to be sexy. It looked like some old curtain in my grandma's house. I can hardly believe that she paid 15,000$ for that ugly thing.

 

[Lasher]

Amazing that it took 30 years for Sanatana to find the right packaging. Yeh, that CD rocks..WOO HOO!!...I think I got a copy of "Slippery When Wet" floating around here somehere. It's the same fucking thing.

Thanks to the Grammys we've got a full year of Mouseketeers and repackaged Fossils to look forward too. I'm so happy I could spit.

God I hate the Grammys.

Let us not forget that the Grammys gave us Milli Vanilli has best new artist. And gave Jethro Tull an award for best hard rock album or some fucking shit like that. UGH.

I'm just happy to know I live in a town with an outstanding local music scene (Unfortunately Christina Aguilera is ours also, but "This too shall pass".). It's nice to be able to spend $8 bucks on a saturday night and actually see someone that cares about making music.

The summer concert season is coming up and it just makes me nauseus to even think about it. The local ampitheatre will drag thru the usual antiques (Steve Miller, Jimmy Buffet, Lynyrd Skynyrd, et al.) and a variety of package deals for new music, 7 bands doing 40 minute sets, cause they can't play most of their songs live, and nobody wants to see that much of them anyway.

Doesn't matter, you can't have fun at a concert anymore anyway. They frisk you on the way in, and then they charge ya $6 for a beer.....

Not that I'm bitter or anything.....

 

[Slut_boy]

Laurel, I can'e believe that you actually took the bait *laughs*

 

[Laurel]

Laurel, I can'e believe that you actually took the bait *laughs*

Hook, line, & sinker!!!

About the musical snobbery bit... Like I said before, I love fun, silly pop. Music doesn't have to be great art to be awesome. My only beef is with stuff that's created to be sold, rather than created to be listened to. And there's fun silly original pop and there's sucky shitty derivative pop, and I'm afraid a lot of what's selling right now falls into the latter category.

Okay - here's some more bitching and moaning: what's with the awful covers out lately? Sheryl Crow - Sweet Child of Mine? Madonna - American Pie? WTF? Whose bright idea were those?

 

[Lasher]

Holy shit!! That "American Pie" cover is Madonna?? I almost wrecked my car the other day because I became violently ill when it came on the radio. Next thing ya know I'm on my knees in rush hour traffic on the Liberty Bridge screaming, "MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME!!!????".

 

[Hans]

Today the music that most of us listen to, recorded music, is controlled by corporations like Sony or Capitol records (who is probably owned by sony anyway, half the damned labels are). These same companies are all bent out of shape over people making MP3's of copyrighted music. I think we will begin seeing more and more artists who don't have record contracts making their own MP3's and giving them away for free. Most of them will suck, but not all. It is only a matter of time before the "next big thing" comes along. I think the first place we hear it will not be on the radio, but online.

 

[Gary1]

I agree with Kip carson ... she looked hot until you saw the company she was in ... what is it with this "gangsta" bs ... Some of the most beautiful women hang with some real skank. Too bad .... they deserve much better ...

 

[Kip Carson]

Speaking of teenagers that rock...Ever listen to Silverchair? They started when they were 14 and 15 yr olds, and really rock.
But alas, the pressures of fame and stardom, finally took their toll, and look at them now, they went from innocent naive kids to freaked out punks....Oh, Laurel, Sheryl Crow's sweet child o mine remake isn't the best, but it's not that bad. I have definitely heard worse remakes in my life. Listen to that country singer wailing to the Aerosmith song-I don't wanna miss a thing. I despise country, and at work we get 4 hours of country and 4 hours of rock. So, I am in torture for 4 hours each day, and have had to listen to that guy catterwalling that version many times. LOL.
KIP CARSON