America Needs to be Popped for Going Too Pop

Let me first begin by saying that I’m the first person to admit to loving to roll to some Britney Spears…what can I say. And, people may say that American Idol is a pop show. However, that is neither here nor there. “America Votes.” And time after time there have been individuals on the show who are truly unique and possess powerful voices that can carry most anything. Yet, America never votes these people to the end and I’m nauseated by it; as the Grinch song says “with a nauseous super- naus.”
Yes all of this comes on the back of Alison Iraheta being voted off tonight. What the fu**!! Oddly enough, I told my Mom that Alison probably would be voted off because of America’s sickening obsession with pop. However, deep in my heart I hoped I would be wrong. SHE DESERVED TO BE IN THE FINAL WITH ADAM. Now, don’t get me wrong, I believe that all four contestants are talented and can go out and record albums if they’d like. But Alison is 17 with a powerhouse voice that just shouldn’t be denied. The raspy tone, the sultriness, the power! And go ahead and say, “But they vote to keep Adam.” Of course, because enough hype has been built around him that it is vogue to keep him on. Not to mention that although Adam’s voice is a magnificent and unique instrument, there are definitely things about him that put him into the pop category.
This was the same crap that was pulled when Jennifer Hudson was voted off (at which time I vowed not to ever watch American Idol again and here I am). I just don’t understand why the majority of folks here no longer care about feeling and depth in music. There should definitely be a variety and having fun care free music is a must. Hey, I love Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On.” But the airwaves are flooded with this stuff. Heaven forbid you try to sway from the pop format…you will be berated and have all the swagger beat out of you.
Obviously, I’m just a little fed up with this. I think it hits me a little more this time because I’m aware that Alison probably didn’t have the personality that America would have liked her to have and I can certainly identify with that. Assholes. Folks simply want the same watered down feel no matter what. But, who am I to question any of it. Obviously this type of music receives airplay (all the time) and even pulls me in.
I guess this was what plagued me when I was pursuing a career in music. I didn’t care to write 16 or 8 bars; I would write until I felt like stopping. Of course there has to be a format cause your average listener can’t bear listening to anything unfamiliar. Whoo how this relates to society as a whole. Always shunning what’s different, always wanting to keep everything as-is. Whatever ok. Yeah, I’m pissed. I am absolutely pissed.
Forget American Idol…people of the world, step out of your boxes ok. Open up your ears and your mind. And while you’re at it figure out who the hell you are and stop trying to be like everyone around you. Stop trying to appeal to everyone else while loosing yourselves in the process ok. Yeah, I think that’s all I have to say for now. I will be revisiting this subject. You better believe it.

ECUMENISM

I learned a new word today (actually yesterday)…ecumenism. It’s got a couple of definitions but the one that I was concerned about was the promoting of cooperation among religions. Religion has long been a touchy subject and one that I never quite understood. I used to wish I had my Grandmother’s faith and other times I found it aggravating. I guess I’m one of those just be people. Meaning, I wanna just be. I didn’t want to feel like simple things, which seemed common sense to me, were going to send me spiraling to hell and, most importantly, I didn’t want to feel that I was somehow better because of what religion I subscribed to.
I know there is more to religion than that but that was one of the main things that always bothered me. You hear different people address it time and time again. How many wars have developed out of competing religious views? Since the beginning of time it seems that problems regarding religion (among other things) have been one of the major plagues among mankind. Of course there is nothing wrong in believing in something or being religious but why does that mean you have to shut so many other things out, be close-minded, or fight about it? Ecumenism. Although I was unaware of the word, I’ve always been aware of the principle. I hate to quote Rodney King but he said it in the most simple way…”Can’t we all just get along” Can’t we share ideas, compare notes, and have respectful debate. No, I suppose not. That would be too much to ask.
It just seems such a hard line to walk. Well, I’m probably not the best person to even comment on it because I don’t subscribe to any particular religion. I just pick and choose things from all of them that make logical or moral sense to me. The stuff that seems way to far fetched…I simply disregard. It seems to have worked out so far. Paul Mooney said The Bible “gets in man’s ass.” (A lovely way to put it if I do say so myself and somewhat true.) There are people who chose not to be Christian or Catholic etc. because they simply don’t want to follow such strict rules that would eliminate many of the bad habits they currently partake in. But that’s not so much my deal. If people would get this ecumenism idea embedded in their brains and put it into action the whole faith thing would seem a lot more appealing.
But, I don’t know. I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I don’t see myself becoming religious in any event. I was raised in it but somehow it passed me by. But that logical, philosophical side of me still thinks…ecumenism, man how it would change the world.