'97 mentality

1997>2007

Exhibit H

Oh Word has posted a provocative piece on the emasculation and incorporation of rebellion by the major labels in the last ten years. They pit the Wu, BIG and DMX against Kanye, Jeezy and 50, and Marilyn Manson against My Chemical Romance and (I think) Fall Out Boy.

These are selective examples, of course: you could make the case the other way around, or challenge the whole thesis, as a lot of the commenters do. But it's worth pointing out - after all, it's the old corporate story: 1957>1967 for rock'n'roll and country, 1967>1977 for psychedelia, pop and soul, 1977>1987 for punk, disco and reggae, 1987>1997 for dance and indie.

And so it is for rap and metal (Fred Durst being the exception - keep it real, Fred!). My man Double S will back me up when I recall how in 1997 the police would hassle you for wearing a profane Marilyn Manson t-shirt in public. Yeah, times was hard on them streets for a middle class white schoolkid. These emo kids got it easy, for real. They don't even know they're born. Which some of them weren't in 1997...

Arcade Fire - 'Rebellion (Lies)' (Live at Vegoose, 1995)

Bob Marley and the Wailers - 'Rebel Music' (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, 1976)


Coming up on Galactic Mystery Solvers:

Nick Cave, Grinderman, Bill Callahan, Dirty Three, Low, Papa M, Faun Fables, Magnolia Electric Co., A Silver Mt. Zion, Cat Power, Spiritulaized, Joanna Newsom, Yann Tiersen, Alan Vega, Einsturzende Neubate,. Sally Timms, Nina Nastasia and the Only Ones LIVE. At Butlin's.