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.

Comments

[Drumbashing]

For me Native Tongue CD from Poison stands in equal ranks like the much revered CD in music history such as The Joshua Tree or Nevermind - but because of people like this writer who hyped up "hair metal" as guilty pleasure - many music fans ended up not listening.

hair metal contains some of the most serious songwritings in the history of music.

[dj]

its glam and it rock n roll the way it should be, its not my guilty pleasure i play it loud and proud.