I've got this theory...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

Today, I'm in the car hearing "I want your Sex" by George Michael on the radio.  I recall how moritified the world was that there was so much T/A in the video, despite the fact the song and the video was some bizarre call for monogamy during the rise of the AIDS crisis.

It occurred to me that back then (1987), MTV was only 7 years old, hair metal was king, the Reagan/Bush era was still going strong, and people were still "shocked" by things they saw and heard.

Flash forward to 2004, now:  Small wonder it's so hard to get noticed these days..."shocking" isn't in the vocabulary, Kylie, Lil Kim, Christine, and Britney are WAY more exaggerated than George Michael ever was, and we've experienced Nirvana, grunge, nu metal, the Macerena, a blue dress, and Eminem since then.  

How wonderful and inspiring it is to know that MMJ, a real live honest to goodness rock band have risen above (or beside) all that background noise and have a website, a record label, and fans!  I'm always amazed about this;  but it just hit me all at once today...we've survived Creed, the Olsen Twins, American Idol, and Nickleback to get to this place.

Wow.

[havibulin]

we've survived Creed, the Olsen Twins, American Idol, and Nickleback to get to this place.

Well put. But I believe "we" is unfortunately only a selct few when it comes right down to it. Most people in general are still lost out there...

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

Agreed.  But, even the tasteless diehards out there who have overheard "Golden" being played for the 1000000th time here at work go "say, what's that?"  To which I reply: "it's my smoking jacket!"  (the code for MMJ here at work.  No one can remember the whole name, just that there's a 'jacket' involved in there somewhere...)

I've sent some folks some mix CD's of live cuts of some of the more mellow tracks.  (don't want to startle them immediately with "One big Holiday" or "Black Sabbath"....not yet, that is...)  and I've gotten good responses.  No one outright hates the music, a quality not shared with the likes of the aforementioned vomit merchants.

If you can't melt inside after hearing "Come Closer", you're either heartless, comatose, dead, or deaf.  There, I said it!

[MMJ_fanatic]

Yeah everyone I have purchased the library (TF, AD, and ISM) for as gifts really dig the tunes and the burns I have distributed also get thumbs ups.  Now if I can get thos folks to see them live they will either be cemented into the fan base or immolated where they stand by the fire and the fury of live MMJ

[Jellyfish]

Everyone,I have turned on to the band likes them a lot.I even gave a CD to my mother and she likes them! Greatness like MMJ can only go unoticed for so long.

[EC]

Ha ha, My Smoking Jacket.  That's awesome.  I was over at my friend's new house the other night, and she said "OH!  Guess what!  You'll be happy to hear that we went out and bought the new record of that band you like so much...  You know, My Morning Sickness."  heh.

I'm with you, JC.  I'm forever surprised that good things (music, art, people) can surface out of the guck that is popular culture.  And then, when something does come up, and it's so beautiful, I feel like we'll be all right.

BUT, as much as I want the band to be so successful, there's part of me that hopes they won't be too successful...  Successful being defined (and possibly spelled wrong) as say mega platinum records, huge stadium play, their own roadies (well, maybe they should get those) and swarms of fans.  The kind of fans that would like them for their hair over and beyond whatever they might be playing.

First of all, I truly think that might suck for them personally.  Their privacy would be destroyed, they'd have to deal with PR people (maybe they already do, but they'd have to deal with them more) and suddenly, a whole new breed of leech would be after them.

As it stands, I really like the venues that they play, and the fact that they're able to put out the kind of music that they want to (sometimes when a band gets too big, there're too many people to deal with, and putting out a fun little EP because you played a magical show and you want to share that with everyone becomes a major hassle), and you know, if you see them on the street they're not swarmed with bodyguards, thereby completely destroying your chances of thanking them for making such wonderful music.

UNLESS, they infiltrate slowly, and by doing so, by example, change the way that the general population regards art and artistry, and are still able to do all of the fun things they want to do, and the public will leave them alone and they can still play small venues (or big ones, too), and Jim can still shake his hair at people without fear of someone trying to grab hold of it to sell it on ebay.  

What I really hope for is that they're set up enough so that they can do what they want without having to worry about money or record labels, and they can still do their thing the way they want to do it.  And that they get to sleep.  And that they come to Toronto again very soon.  (After they've slept.)

[lyricjunkie]

 :DHow can you NOT remember the name My Morning Jacket?  It's timeless and just rolls off the tongue so nicely!

I can't wait till I get to see them in person!  Ya'll better stand back or keep me from that stage! Depending on what and how much I've consumed... they might not be safe!  ha ha ha... just kiddin'! :D

[Oz]

John, I totally agree what you're saying, but I do wanna point out that there is nothing wrong with some tits and ass every once in a while, is there? Or am I really being the macho asshole here?  ;)

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

well, i think my point is that T/A have overtaken musical quality, and have since the mid 90's when the "machine" responded to artists like Liz Phair, Alanis, and Kim Deal with Britney, Christina, et al.  

No, there's nothing wrong with it, but style over substance isn't my bag.

[Oz]

Yeah, you're right, absolutely. Well, what about this, then, tits and style....



Err, anyway, I'm ruining your good theory with childish blah, I'm sorry.  :)

[Oz]

Still, you know, I like it when the both get together. Have real quality music, but also look at the style, look at the image. Just like a band like R.E.M. did, for instance, look at the music but also at the image. Dress cool, make good videos. MMJ does that too, even though they say they don't. I mean, you need something to look at as well. Five ugly sweaty guys playing music while looking really bored, that's no fun to watch.

[40206]

In my year of obsessing over MMJ, there is one thing I have learned:  My Morning Jacket, unfortunately, is not for everybody.  While this use to burn me up inside and perplex the ever-living feces out of me, I have come to accept that MMJ has its own distinct sound, which will not transform all of its listeners in the same way.  As Stuart Smalley said, "and that's O.K.".  My only hope is that anyone with remotely good musical taste, will learn to appreciate the beauty and power behind the band.  In which case, I think 99% of those that possess this extremely rare quality will agree that MMJ is going to be around for a long time, and their music will be around long after that.
  

[PrincessUna]

OK  I have a few things to say

First: if you looking for T&A go buy a Playboy.  

Second: I don't think rockers need to look pretty to play some slammin' tunes.  The more companies polish up a band or group the worse thier music seems to get.  Video really did kill the radio star.  I don't listen to rockers to get style tips or political preaching.  I listen to music to hear and feel the emotion.

Third:  Why is that we as a collective America allow major media lables to tell us how to everything.  What ever happened to thinking on your own with your own brain... Oh wait maybe that is too hard.  God forbid we use an ounce of effort to do anything.  

Alright.. I think that's all.  If not I'll just have to post again!

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

Ah, Grasshopper...that was the point I was trying to make.  I think...

Say, is that your band on your website?

[PrincessUna]

Actually it is my fiance' s band

[SMc55]

Everyone,I have turned on to the band likes them a lot.I even gave a CD to my mother and she likes them! Greatness like MMJ can only go unoticed for so long.

Even mothers have good taste. Whaddyaknow?  ;)

[EC]

O, I agree, but today in the car "Losing My Religion" came on and reminded me about what a change in fashion R.E.M. made.  I was thinking, specifically, of the Shiny Happy People video, with Michael wearing that, ah, hat.  And then I think of him now, with his black toques, and...  ah, I can't remember my point, but I think that R.E.M. got an image person involved somewhere in there maybe.

And then Monster came out which everybody hated, but I loved.  

But image is interesting, and I think it has a lot to do with stage presence, too...  For example, there is this great local band, and the music is amazing.  They play western swing.  Anyhow, their lead singer has ZERO presence on stage.  I mean zero.  But his voice is incredible.  But I can't stand to watch them.  I have to close my eyes.  And I feel guilty about it, but he just kind of stands there and sings.  

Whereas, say, with MMJ, I loved them before, but when I finally got to see them, with all of their head shaking and rocking out and Jim James' enthusiasm (well, everyone's enthusiasm), that's when I became a really, really, really, really, really big fan.  

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

And then Monster came out which everybody hated, but I loved

YES!  I never understood why this record was so hated.  It's surely better than the pop music tripe out these days...

Funny story bout that band;  stage presence is important.  Didn't Jim Morrison supposedly start singing with his back to the crowd during shows?  

[dogandponyshow]

Monster was a horrible album.  However, still being a fan of the band becasue of their early great work....Fables, Life's Rich Pageant, Murmur, Reckoning....I went to the Monster tour show at the Gorge Ampitheater in eastern Washington.  One of the worst shows ever...I think the played the entire album and Stipe was a freak and had pages of all of the lyrics and sang with them in hand.  It was a joke....

D.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

aye carumba!  i knew that would provoke a response...

sure, Monster ain't as good as the earlier work...but I just don't see why it is so hated.  it is entertaining, esp. if you skip the radio singles.