Search This Blog

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Blonde ambition

Been roaming through books on the period between 1977 and 1983 again, autumn, in my book. Polarizing discussions, nihilism and opportunism. Again, interesting parallels with the end of the nineties, when we had the next autum period. Blondie, for instance. They stormed to the number one spot in Holland in 1978 with Denis. Though they were a band, every poster featured Deborah Harry in a striking pose, working her role as a blonde sex kitten. In another timeframe she would openly criticize the ‘cheesecake’ image; in this opportunistic timeframe she shrugged her shoulders and said: ‘sex sells and I do exploit my sexuality’. That’s the spirit, girl!

Nothing changes, really.. When Blondie introduces their comeback album ‘No Exit’ in 1999 and ‘Maria’ is a hit, a journalist asks Harry why she is returning to the music business. Again, she shrugs her shoulders: ‘music is a business, We’ve been successful and we have this legacy that we can cash in on. We’d be stupid if we didn’t.” That’s the spirit again, girl. Once an opportunist, always an opportunist. You have to wait for 20 years though, to get another chance at blunt opportunism.

Oh, they have, after milking the evening announced that the humungous teenage girl, has won American Idol. Best choice, if not Melinda. They even had Smokey Robinson (reasonable), Gladys Knight (would still win American Idol, what a voice..) and Bette Midler (went of the rails a few times) doing songs. And Green Day. Hate that group. Puberty Punk. Don’t know whether any of the winners will ever reach Holland. Anyone heard of Carrie Underwood over there? Sold 7 million records in America. And they had lots more winners. The only one I know from the Dutch hitparade was Kelly Clarkson..

Kelly Clarkson

No comments: