I don't dislike your typical modern music. It sounds good, it's danceable and often singable; sometimes there's even talent involved.

But I'm sensing a shortage of things to write about. It used to be just gangsta rap that was almost totally concerned with blowing its own horn; I remember listening to a guy or a group of them going on and on and on and on about how very wonderful they were. And I used to think it utterly ridiculous; are these people trying to take a shortcut to fame and popularity? Is what I'm listening to actually a recursive song, written to be popular, and by being popular, increase it's and the band's popularity??

Why yes, that's exactly what it was. Unfortunately, my happy predictions of "People are just going to get fed up with this; it'll never get farther than these crappy rap bands" proved to be dead and depressingly wrong. Now it's mainstream, not gangsta, that's taken to writing these self-glorifying songs. Everywhere from Kid Rock to the Bare Naked Ladies, we've "evolved" from I'm gonna bitch about my life to I'm the shit. As much as the former was a little pitiful, especially when girls did it (because girls whine when they complain), I'm beginning to believe that this new evil sucks even worse.

Here, for the record, is WHY it bothers me so: It's both insulting and detrimental to the intelligence of its listeners: It's like the New MTV; the unspoken assumption is that you're dumb enough to worship simply because you're told you should; that you're going to see the pretty colors and, listing to the left a bit, drool out the word, "Cooooolll....". That because Kid Rock, as nice a guy as I've heard he is, says he's the coolest guy around you're just gonna run out and buy another CD. It's blatant self-marketing. Masturbatory marketing, if you will. I liked it better when people decided what they thought was cool based on what THEY saw or experienced; not what they were TOLD to think.

So, in spite of this node's enormity, here are some possibilities, some other things that perhaps the more Enlightened bands of the future can write about.

- Social reform (don't even care what)
- Abolition of government (that oughtta be smartass enough for 'em)
- Life in space (they'll have the chance...)
- Huge rants against fatcats--any fatcat is fair game in my book
- Odes to cool people they know
- Prayers to any and every diety (diversity is fun)

And if any of you E2 residents decide to start a band, this is a plea, for you. Please don't talk all the time about your powerpenis, your fly gear, your larger-than-life life; if you're that out of ideas, you can always call me!