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[pmcd9]

I escorted my 12 year old nephew to see this band last Saturday night.  I was not expecting to enjoy it very much, but I found that they are actually not very good.  Their fans love 'em though.  They have strong appeal among 12-16 year old girls.  The crowd was basically 3000 screaming kids and about 500 bored parents.  They are the Backstreet Boys of Punk Rock.  Ugh.

~Paul

[jough]

Isn't Good Charlotte a country western band?

Or am I thinking of some other country-themed boy band?

Reminds me of that scene in the Blues Brothers:

"You have music in this place?"
"Oh, we got BOTH kinds.  Country AND Western!"

[slink]

I've had the misfortune of experiencing their music for a whole 4 minutes. And that hurt.
I am so sick of this boy-band punk/rock thing. Linkin Park and shit like that.
But, then I do a good job of avoiding it not watching TV. You ought to have words with this nephew of yours though. Maybe sit him down with a good 70's rock collection, and some weed or something.
Man I'd be such a good father...

[Mite]

From today's issue of The Onion:

MTV Executive Grounds Son For Recommending Good Charlotte
 NEW YORK—MTV executive Phillip Blanchard, 42, grounded his 15-year-old son Joshua Monday, after the alternative-rock band Good Charlotte failed to sustain its popularity among viewers of the cable music station. "Joshua needs to learn that his choices have consequences," said Blanchard, who took away his teenage son's credit-card privileges for the week. "Maybe next time, Joshua will think twice before over-hyping some pop-punk crap." As additional punishment, Blanchard had Joshua organize the family's extensive video library of Road Rules episodes chronologically.

[andalucia]

Jough, are you thinking of the Be Good Tanyas?  That's the closest-named country band I can think of to Good Charlotte.
And I must weigh in as the board's token 16-year-old girl:  Thumbs down, a million of them, and shaking menacingly to boot.

[CortJstr]

Dang people. I've been exposed to GC for years as a local band before they got signed. I just have two points to clear up:

I always hear people bitching about how "they're not punk! I can't believe they say they're punk!" But you know what? I have never heard/read either Benji or Joel once claim that GC is a punk band. They might dress a little punk but that's it. And one of them (I can never tell twins apart) worked in an alternative salon for years so that explains the hair. If they get called punk by the media that's not their fault.

As far as I can tell they didn't sell out. Most, if not all, of the first album was stuff they had been playing for years. And most are true.

If you want to see a band that used to be awesome before selling out for the pre-teen girl demographic then I present to you OK Go.

[V-Adore]

I am embarrassed that I've never actually heard any Good Charlotte, and yet I don't have any real desire to. That's my cross to bear, I suppose.

[jay-ell]

It's OK, V.  When I saw this topic title, I thought it was a North Carolina version of the exclaimation, "Holy Toledo!"

[slink]

As far as I can tell they didn't sell out. Most, if not all, of the first album was stuff they had been playing for years. And most are true.

Hey, you can play the same songs you have for years, but sell out by accepting a hideous contract, and over-producing everything you record!
Oh and appearing on all the shittiest TV shows.

But I don't know enough about them to say whether they have or not. They may just always have sucked!

[side_show]

The problem is, we have these bands with semi-rebelious images and main stream music which may or may not be actually "good."  So if you're outside the target market for these bands you see them for what they truly are: corporatly backed marketing tools.  It's so frustrating to see a teen girl dress in the cookie cutter Avril Lavigne style, or a boy dressed like someone in Good Charlotte, or emulating the kind of behaviour they think suits this supposed "counter culture."   Some marketing genus has fool these kids into paying money to feel like they're "rebelling" against their parents or "the system."  But what kind of rebellion is it?  It's dressing a little funny and acting a little defiant, with no real action underneath.  It's a whole bunch of over paid performers with no real politics making kids feel like they're part of some counter culture.

Being lulled into inactivity is very dangerous.  I was fooled like that as a teen too, because I wanted to be different, but more importantly because I wanted to make a difference.  Real rebellion has nothing to do with how you dress or the music you listen to.  I dressed in ways that freightened my parents, and it was a lot fun.  But I'm more rebellious now in my blue jeans and t-shirt than I ever was then.  I have a huge amount of anger toward these nicely packaged teen marketed rebellion groups.  Young people in general have so much energy and such a great capacity for inventiveness, and this sort of non-active rebellion is an empty outlet.

Sometimes I write manefestos.  I should live in a shack.

[pmcd9]

You ought to have words with this nephew of yours though. Maybe sit him down with a good 70's rock collection, and some weed or something.

Don't think I haven't tried.  It breaks my heart, but the boy just won't listen.  I can't even get him to give Green Day a spin.

I do have a little 10 year old neice that has great taste.  She's gonna make her uncle proud.

~Paul

[slink]

Some marketing genus has fool these kids into paying money to feel like they're "rebelling" against their parents or "the system."  But what kind of rebellion is it?
But I'm more rebellious now in my blue jeans and t-shirt than I ever was then.
I should live in a shack.

I'm with you there. I used to be a goth when I was a teenager, well half the time, the rest I was a grunge freak. Which many people probably mistake me for now, since it's still, mainly, the way I seem to dress. That is, more like Kurt did than the grunge kids - ripped, faded jeans, t shirt, checked shirt or jumper. It's just what I feel comfortable in.
But I digress, much as I felt like I was avoiding any kind of mainstream image as a teen, I was forcing myself into one.
I, similairly, am far more rebellious now. I'm studying PoliSci as a way to try and put my rebellious nature, and disgust of government and society, to some use.
So, I guess I rebel in a far quieter, more grown up way now. Except for at the weekend, when I don't at all.

Oh, and if you're considering a shack - don't forget the cats. Many, many cats.

[side_show]

I already have three cats.  If I were single, that'd be sad - but two of them were my boyfriend's first.

[slink]

Don't think I haven't tried.  It breaks my heart, but the boy just won't listen.  I can't even get him to give Green Day a spin.

Truly, what is wrong with young people.
At least until they hit 12 you get a great chance to affect their taste.
But no Green Day? Man all you have to hear is Chump segueing into Longview!
Sheesh.
You should try playing him something contemporary but seminal like say, Nothing's Shocking or Superunkown, and then disown him for good if he doesn't appreciate it.

See this is what scares me about having kids someday, is what they're going to like and dislike!

And side_show - it's true that even say two cats or something are OK. It's when you're single and have like 4+ that you stop getting visitors and the neighbours start telling tales of the 'cat shack woman'.

[CortJstr]

The problem is, we have these bands with semi-rebelious images and main stream music which may or may not be actually "good."  So if you're outside the target market for these bands you see them for what they truly are: corporatly backed marketing tools.  It's so frustrating to see a teen girl dress in the cookie cutter Avril Lavigne style, or a boy dressed like someone in Good Charlotte, or emulating the kind of behaviour they think suits this supposed "counter culture."

Again, I would agree if you substituted anybody else for GC. Musically I find them okay but their appearance isn't just marketing. They always looked like that. Mainly because he worked in an alternative salon and getting his hair done like that was free.

I'm not a huge fan or anything but it's annoying that one of the few bands I know isn't just marketing bullshit lumped in with Limp Bizkit and the others that are.

What's funny is OK Go was stripped of is counter cultureness for marketing reasons. I just really can't following the thinking of music executives.