‘sup? (head nod)
Sorry ’bout that. I’m preparing myself for tonight’s fifth and potentially final game of the thus far catastrophic Red Sox-Indians ALCS and need to get into full-on “dude” mode. I know you folks hate when I talk about sports, but does anyone else think the Cleveland fans bedecked in cartoonish red-face is just a bit offensive?
The debate over whether or not it’s acceptable to use Native American stereotypes and imagery in sports is nothing new, but this is ridiculous. Why not just write something like “We Have ‘Reservations’ For The World Series” on the sign to complete the ensemble? As if I needed another reason to hate Ohio. Sigh . . .
Anyway, the real point of this post was to direct you toward Eva Sollberger’s “Stuck in Vermont” Vlog. Her latest effort is a nifty video from last weekend’s Gogol Bordello show in Montpeculiar. I was all set to espouse my own thoughts on the evening, but then Eva went and rocked my world and pretty much said it all. Check it out.
I will add this, though. The last time I saw Eugene Hutz perform was with The Fags at Club Toast in front of maybe 30 people. That had to be a good 10 years ago. To see him now, holding a crowd of 800 people in the palm of his hand, was remarkable.
At the moment, Phish and Grace Potter are the biggest things to come out of Vermont. By the time he’s done, it might just be Eugene Hutz.
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Tyler, my comments aren’t tainted by jealousy. They’re simply an explanation of why I don’t care for GB. Most people at the show had a whiz-bang time. However, I don’t like musicals and that’s what I felt like I was watching. Lots of choreography and lavish costumes. I prefer more authenticity in my shows.As for Eugene specifically, the guy is free to pursue fame as much as anyone. However, I’m also free to stand up and say, I don’t like the guy’s music and his unblinking desire for celebrity. He doesn’t need me as a fan and I don’t need him in my iPod. However, this is a discussion forum so I’m throwing my two cents in.MSD3K, that’s fine to chase a paycheck but chasing a paycheck doesn’t mean I have to like the guy’s band.JB, I don’t know Eugene and he might be a fine guy and highly talented. However, the persona he is projecting is coming through as a guy who wants to be personally well-known rather than creating something that is well-known. As someone who doesn’t know him, I’m simply reacting to that persona.
i agree with tyler, too… i dont know much about gogol but i like eugene… and i think he’s quite talented
Amen, Tyler. Why should we assume that it is Eugene’s desire to be an artist? Or perhaps it should be Artist with a capital A. My impression of GB is that they are entertainers and clearly quite good at it. And by the way, most bands do play the same songs night after night when they go on tour, whether or not the one of the songs is a hit.Additionally, Murf, maybe it is MONEY not fame that he seeks. As do all of us who are not hunter/gatherers.I work for wedding bands and I’m going to work 60 days this whole year (and have access to an open bar every single one of these days). This leaves me 305 days in which to be an Artist if I so choose. I don’t care how many times I hear “We Are Family” at work, I’m just happy I don’t work in a coal mine.
Do I detect a bit of jealousy? An old hometown-hero splits town, figures out how to be successful doing what he wants to do, puts in the leg work, maybe gets a lucky break or two, meets the right people, has great on-stage presence and charisma, but you piss on him for not being artistic. What’s wrong with trotting around playing a song that becomes popular for people who want to hear it? It’s too bad some people are so jaded they can’t just be happy for somebody succeeding at making a living playing music without pointing out why what they are doing is selling out. If I wanted to make a living from music, I would jump on that bus and play the fuck out of some pop song (well, within reason) every night of the week. If Madonna asked me to be in her movie, I sure a shit would sign on. I’ve play some cheesey-ass music at weddings and parties (though I’m lucky enough to play mostly fun wedding gigs), but it’s pretty nice to get a big fat check equivilent to a week’s worth of 9-5 schlepping for 4 hours of work. It’s not ART, but it beats line cooking.
“In former Soviet Ukraine, carbaret tinged gypsy-punk plays you!”
Or perhaps the “Yakov Smirnoff of indie rock”?
isn’t he just a musical Borat copy?
I have to agree with Murf on that one.
Despite disagreeing with everyone in Eva’s video regarding the show, that’s a fun video. I particularly like the shot she got of Eugene cheering for the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Project.While it was fun to watch all of the energy in the room, I didn’t care for GB. They’re too staged and choreographed for me. And regarding Eugene, perhaps my impression is wrong but I get the feeling he’s driven by a desire for fame rather than art. It’s all about furthering his career than creating anything artistic. If he wrote a one-hit wonder like “American Pie”, he would have zero qualms with trotting back-and-forth across the country playing it 250 nights a year and then setting up residence in Branson to play it a few more times. I’m confident he’ll be famous someday but I doubt he’ll ever be much of an artist.
Someone called Rachel yesterday and told her that they turned on their XM radio and it was on the Fox Sports station, which was covering the Cleveland/Boston games, and they heard Rachel’s song in the background! The words are, “I’ve been to Cleveland, and I don’t want to return…” which makes me think someone working for Fox just googled “Cleveland song” and came up with Rachel’s song. So listen carefully while watching the game tonight.And don’t think I haven’t given her shit about unknowingly supporting Cleveland.