Jump to content

Double Whammy: Emo & MCR


Nick_Burke

Recommended Posts

First left me apologize if this topic has already been brought up, as I should imagine it has been in the last few years.

Two days ago I got a copy of "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance. I have suffered a torrent of abuse from my friends for proclaiming that the album is quite good, and I've been labeled "Emo".

Having listened to the album 20-odd times, I can honestly say, if I were going to sit alone, being depressed and self harming, there are few albums less likely to provide a sound-track than this one.

Maybe I have the wrong impression of Emo, but surely REM's Everybody Hurts is a much more depressing song than any on the Black Parade album?

Even leaving Genre to one side, people seem to "flame" MCR for their lyrics and simplistic riffs, but personally I can see so many ties to Pink Floyed (Both lyrically and structurally) and other classic bands, yet these guys seem to have become a target of the masses.

Surely Slipknot or Cradle of Filth deserve this more than MCR? Knowing all three, I would consider them to be more Macabre, Depressed, and Morbid than most bands.

I'm sure that rant should have been condensed into two separate posts, each with a carefully crafted problematic, but I felt I needed to see what people think of the topic as a whole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dunno... is "Emo" really only about depressing music? :P

if so then I'll agree partly with you, not really about "Everybody Hurts" though, that song IS very depressing, but the general message is that of hope or "so hold on, hold on"

but on the other hand I could name dozens of very depressing Rock songs that I normally would never call Emo...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's how I see it:

EMO: Short for emotional....right?

Now is it just me, but I thought most music was emotional....

I see the 'emo' scene as just an excuse to wear makeup and play pop songs about how much love sucks and how s***ty life is. Now I have nothing against depressing love songs (most of my iTunes library consist of it) but I only like it when it's good and they're not just doing it for angsty teens to waste $15 bucks on it....

And by the way, I hate MCR. Alot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think most people have no idea what actual emo is, which is funny considering most people seem to despise emo. I'm not sure how so many people are able to justify their hate of a genre they know nothing about, but that's the way it goes I guess. I think if most people who say they hate emo actually heard real emo, they'd still hate it, but for entirely different reasons. Emo isn't the pop punk you hear on MTV. Also, black hair and tight pants don't make a musician emo. Emo is actually a more artsy kind of hardcore punk. It started out closer to the "hardcore" label and in the 90's became closer to the "art-punk" label. Some more hardcore emo bands include Rites of Spring, Fugazi, and Circle Takes the Square. Some more art-punky emo bands include Sunny Day Real Estate, The Dismemberment Plan, and At the Drive In. Some would argue that Weezer used to be emo, but I'd disagree.

Another thing I find funny is that so many people hate emo and seem to think it's popular. Very few people listen to real emo, especially when compared to how many people despise emo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, and My Chemical Romance...never was much of a fan. I wouldn't call them emo, I'd say they fall under the "glam rock" category.

But now I'm starting to categorize music and I always bitch people out when they do that so I guess I'm kind of a hypocrite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But I think 'emo' is one f those genres where yu cannot define. I have heard people call Nirvana 'emo'. Yes that's right, Nirvana. Just in case you can't believe what your reading, Nirvana as in Kurt Cobain & Co.

Others consider MCR emo. They're not.

Some call Fall Out Boy 'emo'. I don't think so folks.

That leads me back to my statement in the previous post that all music is 'emo' because that means 'emotional'.

And I would not call Rites Of Spring 'emo' either. Or Fugazi.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, "emo" is a genre of hardcore punk. It's not just short for "emotional," as many people think. It can be defined, and it is defined as hardcore punk with an artsy/melodic edge. It's not defined by depressing lyrics or music.

But as I said earlier, there's no need to categorize artists, because art should not be limited by the restrictions of genres.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, I said that in my original post. It started out more hardcore and became more artsy. What's changed now, in my opinion, isn't emo music, but emo fashion. Emo fashion and emo music are completely disconnected, and what's known as the emo fashion is much more closely connected to corporate pop-rock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I've never gotten is that the whole emo subculture is about not conforming yet they all dye and cut their hair and look like clones....

And it annoys me when the goth subculure is confused with the emo subculure. Goths have class and style, emo's don't. Plus goths know that they are free to do what they like, unlike emo's who have to dress and act a certain way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, well, the emos you're thinking of most likely don't listen to actual emo music. They're most likely just stylish young lads who probably don't consider themselves to be non-conformists.

Just curious, Johnny, do you happen to be a sophomore in high school?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know any of these current crop of bands branded as "emo", or what "emo" means to those who adhere to it, but I do know that it is something far, far removed from what "emo" originally signified. So far, in fact, that I get the impression that the term is almost meaningless now.

I agree with johnny that "Goth" is a completely different deal, and any confusion between the two is totally nonsensical.

Edited by Guest
add comment
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure I would even take that standpoint, I would simply look upon the situation as an example of the beginning of the end for music as a whole.

When fans and critics of a genre, or style can't even understand what they are talking about, the lines of definitiveness have become unavoidably blurred.

Rather than having international Genres we are slowly breaking down into Cliques, every social denomination creating its own Niche to fit into.

Its got to the point where each listener puts the musician into stereotype, but because no one has the same stereotype, there are no demographics any more.

It could of course be argued that this has always been the case, but if I do, this will have become an English Lit. essay!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting philosophical question that this thread brings up: If the vast majority of the population believes something false to be true, is it true (if the truth was human created in the first place)?

I think one quote that fits even better is....

"What is truth today may be a damn lie next week"

- Lenny Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When fans and critics of a genre, or style can't even understand what they are talking about, the lines of definitiveness have become unavoidably blurred.

There will always be sub-genres and sub-genres to those sub-genres, etc., etc. I don't complain anymore. What really matters is what you like, and you have that right to categorize yourself. For a great example -

Post-metal. Some really despise that term. Some just want to say 'metal' while others agree it's just 'sludge' or 'doom metal'. Whatever the case may be, it's really up to yourself how you want your association.

I've been adding genre tags to my collection (although a tedious job, and I don't think I'll ever finish it) and I stick 'emo' on bands like MCR, Silverstein, Hopesfall, etc. but for the most part, I use pop-punk. Pop-Punk is really what it is - pop music with an edge.

Genres can be argued infinitely. I say, whatever floats your boat. Although 'Meat & Potatoes' sounds like a stupid genre, I know quite a few who use it to describe early Aerosmith. Of course, early Aerosmith is the only good Aerosmith. ;)

Of course, there are those who can't stand the term, "Post-Rock." To me it's just fine - when I tag it, I know what to expect. Who cares what others feel? Explosions in the Sky are post-rock to me, maybe just rock to others.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...