Complaining is easy, putting the pen to paper proves a bit more difficult. Now that I ve got your attention, you re probably wondering where the name of this lovely little column came from. Woody was the original modern day protest singer, writing songs to organize poor people and laborers, anti-war ballads, and songs that made people feel proud to be American regardless of the hardships they were dealt. The Billboard charts are dominated by boy groups, anorexic pop princesses, and white, male bands singing, if it can be called that, about whatever it is that is currently making them angry. However, my concern is with the folks calling up MTV to cast their votes for whatever boy band currently has the cutest lead singer, the sexist dance, or the most revealing outfit.
Looks are superficial.
Woody suffered for his music, like many artists on independent labels today. There are tons of brilliant, incredibly talented musicians today who you don t know of because the record companies aren t looking for people who write their own tunes and get up there and bust ass night after night in dirty bars regardless of how many people are in the audience. Record companies are looking for pretty boys and girls willing to wear little sequined numbers and prance around who they can market and sell to the public. Britney and Christina have not suffered for their music. Here s my proposal, these pop princesses and boy groups should suffer simply for subjecting us to their music.