NEWS: The Isle of Misfit Bands

MUSIC: The Isle of Misfit Bands

Jim Testa of Jersey Beat recently wrote a good-natured but slightly snarky review of the Asbury Park Music Awards on his blog. Those who have ever followed their own local music awards will recognize the basic situation, for which Testa expresses an ironic fondness:

One of the allegedly frumpy, middle-aged, middle-of-the-road performers, Christine Martucci, was not amused, and posted a poetic complaint on the item. The resulting exchange between Martucci and Testa and his readers is a bit like a Twilight Zone episode. Worlds collide, and neither side makes much sense to the other, but the viewer can discern an unmistakable, ironic moral: "we are not so very different, you and I." Martucci seems mystified that no one is impressed with her Dishwalla-invoking resumé, adding, "do you know I opened for Kansas?" And it's a good bet that none of the bands covered in Jersey Beat would have ever blipped on her radar. Someone has to explain to her what a Stella is.

In reference to that, Testa makes this interesting point about the different aspects of insularity on display:

amen to that . take that you hipster snobs.

If being a hipster snob means I don't have to listen to Dishwalla and Johnny Winter, I don't feel so bad.

Whatthefuckever.

The Velvet Underground influenced a ridiculously large portion of mainstream rock'n'roll bands of the last three decades, yet in their heyday sold very few records.

Having taste has NOTHING to do with being a hipster--hipsters listen to what they listen to because it's trendy and because they were unpopular in high school and want to feel like part of an elite crowd, not because the music genuinely moves them.

So eat me.

Jim Testa is great.

"btw, what's Indie Underground?"

awesome.

[Edited on Nov 12, 2005 12:36PM]