Okay I think by now we have all established how I feel about music, and how it is about 2/3 of my life.
So of course I have to comment on one of the biggest nights in music--the MTV Video Music Awards. I can sum up this year's show in three words:
What. A. Joke.
Did anyone know who Russell Brand was prior to anything having to do with the VMAS? Show of hands? No one? Yeah, me neither. What a freakin' joke. That had the be the worst host of any show--television, movie, or music, I've seen in a long time. I almost turned it off in the first five minutes, but I was psyched for some of the performances, that were waaaay over-hyped, and ended up being quite a disappointment.
Let me comment on Russell Brand. A known sex-addict and alcohol-addict. I mean based on the reality shows shown on MTV, I guess that would be a choice that might appeal to the audience. But seriously buddy, you don't have to insult everyone, their beliefs, and their morals, in a sad attempt to be funny. You don't need to insult our country when you're standing on our soil. As he did his opening, and the cameras scanned the crowd, you could see the faces of some of the most prolific names in the celebrity world, with looks on their faces like "WTF?" or "Is this guy serious?"
This show is about music. It's about being an artist. It's about creativity. It's about perfomance. But when it all comes down to it, it's about the freakin' music.
I don't care what any of your political beliefs are. In fact, I don't even know what I believe anymore. But to start of a music award show by talking about who you should vote for and insulting the current president (who was voted in by the people, so therefore you're insulting the ones that voted for him) is just downright ridiculous. No, seriously. I don't care if you're Democrat, or Republican, and the president you vote for gets in office or not. You respect the man (or woman) that is your president because of your love for the country and the ideals that it's based on. I couldn't get in that office, and make the decisions day in and day out that they have to do.
I am also a firm believer that you should not use your status or fame to sway people to vote. As a citizen of the United States, you have a right to believe what you want to believe and vote for who you want to vote for. I don't care if you're the biggest thing to hit the charts, that doesn't mean you get to yell out "VOTE FOR .....!" The worst part of the whole thing, is Russell Brand isn't even a citizen of the United States. So don't yell out political opinions, dumbass. In fact, don't comment on our country at all, and if you're really going to insult our politics, our current president, or any future president or vice president we may or may not have, you can just go back to Great Britain in my opinion.
Then the whole purity rings thing. I clapped out loud when Jordin Sparks got up on stage to present in award and put the ass in his place by saying, "I just want to comment on the purity rings. I think it's great to wear them because at our age not every guy or girl wants to be a slut!" Genius. This was after Russell Brand insulted the Jonas Brothers, and a lot of other teenage stars who wear the purity rings (and teenagers in general who do), for wearing purity rings. Saying that people need sex, blah blah blah. Look buddy, I don't care what religion you are, it gives you no right to insult other people's beliefs. If you meant it in good fun or not, in today's society, you can't talk about politics and religion without offending someone, and you need to open your eyes and realize that. It was just a stupid move on Brand's part.
I'm not really a fan of the Jonas Brothers music, but you have to respect what you can assume to be hormonal teenage boys for making a pledge to God and their beliefs. In fact, you have to respect anyone that does that. By wearing their rings they vow to abstain from sex, drugs, and alcohol, and in a day in age where people are offering sex everywhere you look, drugs are abundant, and alcohol is as easy to get as a diet coke, people who have that kind of will power and that kind of strength just impresses me. Don't insult it because you didn't have the power to do it Russell. It lacked taste and class, and really started the whole show off on a bad foot. Especially when those celebrities in your audience has kids that idolize the Jonas Brothers, and those parents in that audience probably want their kids to share those beliefs. Bad, bad move buddy, and I'd be surprised to see you do anything on our televisions anytime soon.
Performance time.
MTV hyped up the VMAS and performances so much this year, and I thought they just disappointed. It was too small of a location to do anything too exciting, the backlot idea isn't all it's cracked up to be, and they just lacked that extra BAM! that made them VMA performances.
I thought Rihanna started it off right. Lots of dancing, a great opening, and her hit song. Then MTV made the right move of having the Jonas Brothers perform so their younger fans could watch before bedtime on a school night. At least I hope that's what they were thinking, and it wasn't just a coincidence. The Jonas Brothers probably had the best performance of the night. It was classy, connected with their roots, and it connected with their fans. Having the screaming girls run in at the end, was genius. I applaud the Jonas Brothers on a well-done night, and I almost wish that they had pulled off one of the two awards, simply for being three of the classier people there.
Miley Cyrus shouldn't have even attempted Livin' on a Prayer. Kate Perry never should have attempted Like a Virgin. My goodness how can you butcher two classic hits? I wanted to wash my ears out with acid after hearing those.
Pink was amazing. But then again, she always is, and I don't think she gets the credit for it.
I wasn't really a fan of T.I.'s performance, which is odd because I think he is one of the better rappers out there.
Lil' Wayne, please pull up your pants.
Paramore was alright. The screaming voice gets to me.
Kayne ended the night well. A classy performance but it was hard to enjoy it after a disappointing night. I wish I had knew the song as well, but I guess he wanted to promote a new one.
I love Kid Rock. Seriously. All Summer Long is one of his better songs. I wish he performed it without Lil' Wayne though.
So if I didn't mention a performance, I didn't enjoy it and it wasn't memorable. I feel like two months of excitement and hype for these things was a waste of time. I was excited, like I get every year, when I find out when they are going to air. But it was just terrible.
If you TiVoed it, taped it, or recorded it somehow and haven't watched it yet, I almost want to tell you not to bother. But Slash was there, Michael Phelps, and a few others that made it almost worth my time. I feel like that's hours I will never get back in my life, and I feel you might want to watch it just to see how freakin' awful it was.
I'm disappointed. MTV you disappointed me in '08. Let's bring back the definition of the VMAs in '09, kay?
I leave you with this thought:
Videos destroyed the vitality of rock and roll. Before that, music said, "Listen to me." Now it says, "Look at me."
-- Billy Joel, singer, pianist, and songwriter
I don't think I could've said it better myself Mr. Joel.
Have no regrets. Live. Laugh. Love. And listen to music.
xLivin'theLyricsx
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