Friday, August 31, 2012

And god said, let there be Gwen

As we quit our jobs to work through Philip K. Dick, we've taken some time out for youtubing and sangria. You'd never know if from the boomers (Beatles ipad covers WHAT!?), but there is such a thing as productive nostalgia.
Please submit 1,000 words on Gwen Stefani as an iteration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s American Dream, exploring notions of self-invention, sense of place (specifically east coast v. west), the fluidity of gender roles in American society from the nineteen twenties to the early twenty first century and the ever-changing American conception of love and lust, to us by Monday.



Emily: I'm having a really intense re-kindling of my love of Gwen
since were both naturally blonde Italians





Meredith: sounds so Seattle
 and god said, let there be Gwen



...and it was good.


Emily: her coolness at that point was actually like, a force
maybe its like a freshman thinking all the seniors are cool, but WHOA
she was super beautiful but didnt seem like she even noticed. then everyone else did and it became all about how she looked
Meredith: EXACTLY
Emily: it was like she was this really beautiful person who also happened to lead a band, then it turned into "she leads this band because she's a hot blonde"
 which detracts from everything
Meredith: well yeah, her
image sort of contradicted the message. but it didn't matter because she was cool and hot
  and still gave a shit, maybe
 Emily: I remember buying an issue of YM- april 1996 with her on the cover and feeling powerful merely because i owned something with her likeness
 I wish she stayed accidentally beautiful
 but i actually still love her journally lyrics
  shes just a girl
  [LOLOLOL]

 like, with crushes and stuff. and wants bro to love her, and then gets her feelings hurt
  and shes ok with that

 Meredith: and her heartbreak was almost touchable for us bc he's IN THE BAND
 Emily: its like she's secure in her insecurities
but maybe shes too pretty for her appearance not to become an issue
or:! the 90s had more room for a female singer/pop star/ recording artist as something other than a sex object?
 She
came up in the age of Courtney Love but had to survive Britney Spears
 Meredith: She could never be her now, like, without getting implants

why is that?!!
desensitization and hypersexualizing "people" aka celebs
Emily: meanwhile, after watching this,



  

im like I can't WAIT to get a white toner on my hair
  WHAT THE FUCK
Meredith: DON'T LOSE THE OLD GWEN!
 she is within you
 she is within us all
Emily: at least she always kept her lil boobs
  which are great
  because shes great
 Meredith: ALSO WHY IS THAT IN ITSELF REBELLIOUS

Emily: well, the most important thing is to be hot.
  and there is only one way to be hot
  thus the mold that we are all expected without question to pour ourselves into
  I dont have an issue with people expected to be hot
  its like, yes, do you! Be hot in the way that you can!
 but when there's only one way, ie tall thin blonde with enormous fake tits, thats a human rights offense
 Meredith: mmmmhm
  man i loved Underneath It All

also i love that her interactions with the camera never ever ever changed
  Emily: yes! it's actually a great, really honest love song
  which i jut realized
No Doubt: suddenly filed under things that make more sense when youre older
  vs 16 and listening while doing homework
  I
like the line about wanting someone more like her
 Meredith: i like the part about riding through the rainforest with boom boxes and dyed hair
 Emily:   love her reggae phase
  which i guess shes still in
  via son named Kingston
 Meredith: natch progression, given her ska background
 Emily:  love that she even has a "background"
 Meredith: happens to the best of us
  don't remember this one at all. Brunette!







 Emily: she looks great but the song is forgettable
 Meredith:   that guy should be hot but isn't
 Emily:  he's too pretty to be hot
  he looks like a stock model
  she needs someone with a scar on his face
 Meredith:  or jaw length curly hair and piercing blues
 Emily:   and a dirty tank top
  and stubble
  and a record?
  Meredith: ...





i think i just started crying
 Emily: i think this is the first time i like felt sincere lust at age 9
 Meredith: i'm not crushin' on him so much as i'm crushin on someone singing about a real thing
  also he's fucking gorgeous
 Emily:  they dont make them like that anymore
 Meredith: think he would have Cobained himself if it wasn't for gwen?
 Emily: 1) yes
  2) how is he british and so good looking?
 Meredith: see: david beckham
 Emily: i am experiencing real emotion right now
 Meredith: string instruments
  are so real
  the realest
  moreso than a french horn, even
Emily: this dug a really deep hole in my 9 year old soul
  WHY
 Meredith: even with that little plunger effect at the opening
  well gavin's real
 there wasn't a whole lot of this on the mtv
  not overly saturated with FEELINGS
 Emily: AHHH HIS JAWLINE
 Meredith: SRSLY WHAAAAAT
 Emily: even with 90s hair!
  and hes like apologetic and in pain over failed love
 AHHHHHHHHH
 he's fucking the camera pretty hard
  ok, hes worthy of Gwen
 HIS MOUTH

 Meredith

 
he could make me comedown from anywhere
 Emily: fjiuoerauvhbduilslvbudfilnvfudils
  i am never saying an unkind word about this band ever again.
Meredith: this is like some Dark Knight shit
  also: 90s music videos and the use of "weird rooms"
Emily:  via cultural claustrophobia n shit
 i cant wait to devote my life to studying 90s rock
 i think this was the last time overt masculinity was appealing
 Meredith: but it's sensitive
Emily: = ultimate panty melter

like hes ready to go but hes going to ask you first
  because he cares
 Meredith: OOOOF
  grl
 he thinks yr smart
Emily: i am crippled by a nostalgia for 1995
prolls gonna get RZRBLD SUITCASE tomorrow
 
  THIS RIFF
  built the 90s



 Meredith: feel like this got me into air guitar
in the middle of the world on a fishhook, you're the wave, etc.
  HAH

Emily: deaf dumb and thirty!
  HAHAHAHHAHAHA
  // holy shit
it really is amazing how transportive this is
  like, i actually remember what it felt like to be ten
  through this
 Meredith: everything so zen right now




 
check that shirt
 Emily:  remember when bands were cool?
  i dont
think there are cool bands anymore
 Meredith: same haircut for forever
   because there is no cool
  like this is definitely "cool"
 Emily:  it seemed vaguely dangerous
 like, they got it harder than everyone else in a way
  there isnt that wall anymore
  because we all have blogs
 Meredith: his hair, it's like he just didn't give a fuuuuuuck
 Emily: "theres no sex in your violence"
 Meredith: very simple songs
  but yeah. just gettin' it
 Emily: also, he was actually saying something
 from what i can gather
  ah lil choker necklace
  so badass
  if you look at "big" "legit" bands today, they're just sad, mostly
  not pissed

modest mouse or something
 everyone's tired
 Meredith: sad because they know things will end soon and they are struggling to find authenticity
 Emily: no one is thrashin
 Meredith: but can't via soundcloud
 Emily:  ok this is why the internet is the devil
 Meredith: no one likes them but everyone "likes" them
 Emily: "culture"  is music, etc, is so available. Its like a relationship-- everyone is shoving it down our throats and were over it.
 nothing is hard to get
  Meredith: it's like we get what we ask for
  and no ones actually wants that