We sat and watched as MTV offered four young news personalities enough editorial freedom to push their respective interests to the forefront of the channel's programming. And now as Iann Robinson continues to do more stories on subjects like the much desired revival of Headbanger's Ball and the annual music convention SxSW, "the scene" has a better chance than ever to take back the airwaves from corporate control. News coverage of Hatebreed and commercials for their new album on MTV? Who would've thunk it. How about just letting Iann host a new Headbanger's-type show so we can all move forward in the right direction? And Iann, see what you can do about getting us System of a Down Unplugged. It would blow everyone away.
It's been entertaining to watch MTV define the face of pop punk. As they pushed the genre, they quickly pigeonholed their coverage into immature, prank bands like Blink 182 and Sum 41 (who, after drawing early comparisons to the Beastie Boys, proved only to be shitty Canadian punk). Thankfully, Quarashi has come one step closer to the heir apparent throne with "Stick 'Em Up." But as emo ushered in punkish-type bands without the silly sound and the Less Than Jakes of the world started opening for Bon Jovi, MTV began to stumble upon an entire pool of established punk bands who weren't limited to three cords. Now the question is, whom do they push? Unwritten Law? They've got a decent new tune in "Seein' Red," but understand, they weren't even in the top 20 when it came to breaking young punk. How about the Ataris or Lagwagon. And now perhaps it's finally time the greatest of them all, Millencolin? The Swedish boys just hit record stores near you with their sixth full-length album, Home From Home, on March 12. There's a commercial for it on M2 already - do yourself a favor and pick the CD up before it's huge.
In times of great civil unrest, music has eased the transition with creative new sounds and risky, ballsy new bands. If terrorism, big brother governments and war have really revived the passions of the populus, then there better be something good come of it. First, The Strokes burst onto the map with a sound foreign to pop airwaves with "Last Nite," their strum, strum, strum parody of corporate demand for short hooks. Then The White Stripes, one of the highly anticipated rock 'n' roll-saving bands hit MTV with their quick two-minute Lego video, "Fell In Love With A Girl." And now The Hives are screaming at us through the filter of black and white Bazooka Joe comics with "Main Offender." These bands are all providing a welcome breath of fresh edge into the music scene and giving us something to get excited about again. There's a ton of creative freedom in music to put out something amazing right now, and its only going to get better - these critical times in our history are just getting started.
Is it just me, or does Tweet's debut song "Oops (Oh My)" push the limits of decency just a little too much? There goes her shirt up over her head, there goes her skirt droppin' to her feet, and oops - there goes Fabulous' kids all over her face. And you thought Britney Spears was too suggestive.
Linkin Park impressed us all with the two-headed lead singer concept - the blonde spikey-haired guy and the lyrical beat master. And now, the evolution has come full circle, as my personal favorite, the dramatic button pusher, Mr. Hahn, has a forum of his own in which to break out. Teamed up with the X-Ecutioners, Mike Shinoda (the aforementioned lyrical beat master) and Mr. Hahn prove to scratchers everywhere in "It's Goin' Down" that they can keep up with the speedy beats. When you name an album [Hybrid Theory] in the wake of crumbling musical genres, you better be prepared to figurehead the sound. And now, Linkin Park's got three personalities to push. Welcome to the show, Mr. Dramatic Button Pusher Man.
