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Thursday
May152008

Guilty Pleasures?

Why the hell does every "journalist" refer to hair metal (remember: we say Glam) as a guilty pleasure? Guilty pleasure my ass. Here's a quote from a recent Seattle Times article (written by Olga Pierce) on the resurgence of "hair metal":

"'When people realized hair metal was a commodity that would sell, they brought in hair-metal producers, started marketing it, and it got kind of sanitized,' said Steve Peake, author of the 'Guide to '80s Music' on About.com.

Peake, 35, who grew up in North Carolina, remembers the days when it was OK to sport a mullet and your favorite band's T-shirt. He confessed to having a hair-metal song — or two — in his iPod.

'There are certain things in my iPod that make me feel like I have to keep the volume down and the windows closed — hair metal is one of those things,' Peake said. 'It just feels like something you're supposed to be ashamed of.'"

I've got a few words for Steve Peake. If you're lucky enough to be considered an expert on anything, be it Glam, cooking, gardening, painting - you don't run that expertise down in an interview. Yes, the Seattle Times is a big newspaper with an impressive circulation and excellent writers. I don't get why Peake used the opportunity to run down the genre.

I know a thing or seven about journalism. I know that it's easier to run down a subject than report positive news. I also know that people are damn well sick and tired of reading/hearing/watching negative stories all the time. There is some serious news at our doorstep these days, people. Thousands upon thousands dead in China and Burma because of natural disasters. Gas is at a record high, meaning you have to work more hours a day just to afford to get to your job in the first place and the United States is poised to elect a new leader of the free world - and no one seems to care. For this, Seattle Times, I thank you for sparing your column inches on Glam but I kindly deplore your use of negativity at the expense of a beloved genre of music.

What the hell does Guilty Pleasure even mean? Something forbidden?  What is forbidden these days - certainly not music, unless you count theft. I don't consider soap operas, reality television, or romance novels guilty pleasures, either. Too much work goes into making those forms of entertainment. Is chocolate a guilty pleasure? I certainly enjoy chocolate. Sometimes I do feel guilty for eating too much chocolate at one sitting, but the general idea of me enjoying the treat doesn't make me feel bad. I think this means "guilty pleasure" is a worthless phrase and certainly has nothing to do with Glam.

Whatever. I love it, and it's my life. I guess I'll never be quoted in the Seattle Times.

 

By the way, the entire Seattle Times article is available here.

Reader Comments (22)

my ipod has nothing but (hair) Glam on it - from Hanoi rocks to warrant, from dogs d'amout to motley crue - i aint ashamed - i play it loud - infact - I love it loud.
I hate the term hair metal - it bellittles the genre.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterred6ixx
I agree about the term hair metal. It's the only sub-genre of metal/hard rock that ties in something physical rather than a description of the sound. Unfortunately so many associate these bands with the physical image of big hair and such. It gets laughed at based primarily on looks and a stereotye of the style. I don't know that it will ever overcome that in the minds of many, but I don't think that matters either. People that like it embrace it and there are a whole flock of younger bands that are obviously into it as well.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterMetal Mark
What a tosser. I play it loud - in the car, at home, I don't just not care, I'm proud.

hair metal is a term designed to belittle, I agree. It's glam or rock to me.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterChristian
Everybody I work with is aware of what music I love because I have to hit the pause button to hear them when they walk up to my desk.I play my music loud in my car with the windows down. Even louder when I pull beside a kid in a Honda Civic that sounds like a weedeater with rap blasting out of his windows.No I do not feel guilty when I listen to music, I feel fired up.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterScott
I don't like my music being called hair metal. It's just rock n roll to me.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterBrandon
I'm honored to be a glam fan and honored to know Allyson who has the best site on the internet..LONG LIVE BRING BACK GLAM. COM!!!!!!!!! =)
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJoe
So true. I always thought the same thing when reading articles saying "guilty pleasure." What's so guilty about liking kick-ass heavy metal? To me, it's far more guilty to like alternative or grunge, but whatever. Every single person who professes to hate metal really does listen to it when no one's around, and that's a fact. I had friends who would tell me Poison and Warrant suck, but when they came over to play pool and I'd crank Warrant, they'd be banging their heads and doing air guitar.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterDrCrue
I love it when Allyson gets her rant on! Go Allyson!

That guy is a tool - if for nothing else belittling himself by explaining that having a certain type of music on his ipod is something to be ashamed of.

There's an awful lot of shit going on in this world that a lot of people need to be ashamed of but listening to ""Too Young To Fall In Love" is not one of them.

My name is Valentine and I like glam.

May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterValentine
"Guilty pleasure" truly is a stupid term. The closest term I can equate to it is "sin." As in, I enjoyed killing that person even though it was wrong, so now I feel guilty. And we all know there's no sin in listening to awesome music...it's ALL that's on my ipod too!
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPlainJane
I suppose 'guilty pleasure' is a relative term. My love for The Posies is mine :)

People should be ashamed of the things they love. And Seattle Times is light weight! :P. I got interviewed and was mentioned 3 times in a Boston Globe article right after the Great White fire in 2003. A friend in Boston managed to get me a real clipping and it's up on my wall in full glory for everyone to see...boarded by matting that is Poison-purple :)

Wave your freak flag proudly!! *shake shake*
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered Commentermissy
GO GET 'EM, ALLYSON!
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterEddieLongHair
er, people *shouldn't* be ashamed of the things they love!

I should have double-checked that before I posted, sorry!
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered Commentermissy
I do prefer to call it glam, but I like the term hair metal. I think what the general media is trying to do by using the term "hair metal" is piss us off, and it appears to be working to some extent. I frequently use the term myself, but most decidedly not in a derogatory tone. The highest praise I can give a new piece of music is "hair metal-esque". I'm proud of my Aquanet, and if someone wants me to feel bad about it, they're going to have to try harder.
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterRia
I totally agree with you Allyson. I don't get the phrase "guilty pleasure"...I'm a glam fan, and proud of it. It's my life and passion..I wouldn't have it any other way!
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenteraXe mAn
"I don't consider soap operas, reality television, or romance novels guilty pleasures, either."

I agree - I get no pleasure from any of those things :P
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterChristian
Allyson...I had the shittiest day at work, and I just got home and read this. Thanks for making my day! You rule glam-sista!
May 15, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterVicky
One word for this guy - WANKER!
May 20, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterGlennie O
Nothing to be ashamed about.I worsip hard rock/glam/sleaze/pop metal.Its a way of life for me.Screw that guilty pleasure crap.
May 21, 2008 | Unregistered Commentercarl
OK, the Barry Manilow on my iPod is what I'd call a guilty pleasure...I listen to my glam loud and proud. :-)
June 8, 2008 | Unregistered Commenterkberwin
This just proves that the so called music journalists don't know shit about no kind of music at all
June 13, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHell_Hound90

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