The attack of the clones has ended. Lissome False Marias have stopped falling from the skies, crashing through the roof of MTV’s Time Square Studios to take their place on the ‘TRL’ countdown. The weaker members of the popstar herd were predictably killed off through evolution. But what’s surprising is who has survived. While Christina’s been away at weight-gain camp, and Britney’s scrambling to re-focus her career, the girl who never fit in now has a place of her own.
Pink is getting her party started.
“There You Go,” Pink’s 2000 money shot hello, was rendered almost to fairy dust by its shithouse-in-CandyLand R & B production. In fact, her entire introductory solo effort seemed to be fixed with an attitude restrictor valve that just wouldn’t let Alecia Moore’s burgeoning grit bite off an ear like it wanted to. Nevertheless, Can’t Take Me Home went multi-platinum, which has certainly paid Pink dividends in blingy-bling, but has also allowed her, with this year’s Missundaztood, to make the record she likely always wanted to.
After the kooky-cool “Get This Party Started” re-introduced the post-“Lady Marmalade” Pink to her pop constituency, the song was promptly hawked to Bally and the National Basketball Association, to name only a few licensees. But who cares; “Party,” like Madonna’s “Music” before it, was the teaser, the hook, the connection to the party line. With “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” the album’s second single, Pink is showing off more than her new Benzo. “L.A. [Reid, of LaFace Records] told me/You’ll be a pop star/All you have to do/is change everything you are…” Sure, this sort of self-aggrandizement through pity isn’t a new angle in pop music. Bon Jovi begged us to feel sorry for their million-dollar-a-day touring lifestyle in the classic “Wanted Dead or Alive.” But “Don’t Let Me Get Me” takes the sentitment of Pink being an unwanted pop star – but sure, I’ll take the money and fame – and delves into her pathos as a tough, Gia-like character forced to prance around in a thong and buy bionic boobs with her first advance. In this way, “Don’t Let Me Get Me” resembles No Doubt’s “Just A Girl,” another bomb track that established that band’s Gwen Stefani as not simply a pretty blonde frontwoman, but a girl in a great rock band, who isn’t aiming to be this month’s FHM cover girl boiler plate.
I won’t psychoanalyze Pink or her video for “Get Me,” in which she morphs from misunderstood – there’s that word again – high schooler, to misunderstood pop star (there’s THAT word, again) – to misunderstood in her own head. But I will suggest that “Get me” is a great song, with creative lyrics and a solid, if over-produced rock/pop flavor that tries damn hard to match the spite and pleading in Pink’s vocal delivery. In an interesting twist, a large portion of Missundaztood was written by ex-4 Non Blondes vocalist Linda Perry, who’s been making quite a name for herself out in Cali as a writer, producer, and arranger. Though “Don’t Let Me Get Me” – co-written by Pink with producer Dallas Austin – is not a Perry product, its freak flag flies in a similar direction to the one raised by Perry and her old band – “What’s Goin’ On” and its video were left-field hits defined by Perry’s operatic yowl and decidedly un-hot look. (Remember that top hat? Jeez…) Always one to sink her talons into fresh, talented meat, Courtney Love is now courting Perry for new material. Let’s hope Linda doesn’t fall into that pit of punji-stakes…
In the meantime, let’s hope that Perry encourages her young protégé to say no when they ask her about “Lady Marmalade: The Sequel.” No amount of Grrl Power can save Pink, L’il Kim, et al from looking like walk-of-shame trash hounds on their way to a “Cops” photo-op.
JTL
Johnny,Courtney Love said that she has already written a number of songs with Linda Perry for the next album. By written, she likely means attached her name to.
Part of the inspiration for this article was Courtney’s recent appearance on Howard Stern, in which she basically blew smoke up Perry’s ass for 10 minutes. When will talented songwriters (Cobain, Corgan, Erlandson, and now Perry) realize that Courtney’s sucking the life out of their creativity?
oh, no, more Courtney bashing…why didn’t you just write an article about Courtney then instead of some fly-by night pop-star who’s really no different than Brittney or Christina, except it’s worse because she pretends that dying her hair pink makes her unique…but I guess you guys can’t deal with a real woman.
oh, no, more Courtney bashing…why didn’t you just write an article about Courtney then instead of some fly-by night pop-star who’s really no different than Brittney or Christina, except it’s worse because she pretends that dying her hair pink makes her unique…but I guess you guys can’t deal with a real woman.
Puleeze. Courtney Love is not some icon of womanhood. She’s a leech. Look to Chrissy Hynde, Emmy Lou Harris or Patty Smith, but not Courtney Love. She’s a hack and lout. Mediocre at best.The thing with Pink, as I think Johnny is pointing out here, is that she does bring some substance and attitude to a genre bloated with image-makers. Everyone is (was) saying Britney was the next Madonna, but Pink is the only one out there with any balls.
We are certainly not discrediting Patti Smith (she rocks!!), Chrissy Hynde, Emmy Lou Harris, or Liz Phair or PJ Harvey or any other female “cons” (although even that choice of words is somewhat objectifying…not all women artists are “icons”). Anyway, why does Pink have “balls”? She’s an image, just as much as those others…it’s all about image. She’s no Madonna either…who by the way could be rightly considered and “icon” — that’s what she’s going for…
geez, not too coherent, guess we should have read that over first…but the point still stands!!
I agree! If Pink isn’t writing her own stuff, how did she rise to this point of being “Mizundastood” (sp?)? By having someone develop her image, write her songs and choreograph her dance moves. She’s a no talent hack that lucked out getting someone above average to write her pop drivel for her.Madonna could beat her in a thumb war any day of the week.
How does the word “icon” objectify women? Pink has balls because she has developed an image that is a bit contrary to the pop diva thing that I’m sure her label and handlers tried to push. She’s not super thin, has fucked up hair and wears goofy clothes. Is she 100% genuine? No, but who is in the entertainment world?I’m not even a fan of Pink’s, I’m just backing up Johnny on the point that she’s the gal everyone wrote off as the rise of the Pop Princess hit maximum density a year ago and now she’s the only one anyone can stomach to see on MTV. I dig her.
“…she has developed an image that is a bit contrary to the pop diva thing…” – So has Fred Durst and all those nu-metal idiots. They’re not super thin, they have dumb hair and wear dumb clothes too. Is it really beyond the realm of possibility to imagine that her label and handlers pushed this alternastripper image to differentiate their product from the millions of wholesome/blase Britneys, Christinas, Mandys, etc., etc.? I absolutely love Pink’s song “Get the Party Started” but I don’t think for one minute that she is coming up with her image on her own.
I don’t so much have a problem with the label and handlers crafting Pink’s image if they keep the sentiment from “Don’t Let Me Get Me” coming. From that video, I felt the pathos that Johnny Loftus describes. There are lots of girls out there who are unsure of themselves. Seeing the Pink video, seeing this star revealing that she feels some of the same pressure they feel, I think that’s a healthy thing. Madonna did the same thing, she made women feel empowered, that’s why she’s an icon. Also, regarding Pink, let’s admit it, Pink is a little bit slammed up looking. That’s refreshing to see in a star. I think a lot of people out there can identify with being a little bit ugly.
Fred Durst isn’t a girl, contrary to what Buddyhead says. Gals are still held to a different standard and get pressure from their labels to live up to that standard. Whether Pink developed this image herself or had some help from others she still projects an image that’s a bit different from the rest and that’s fine with me. Again, I’m not even a fan so it’s not like I’m defending someone I care anything about.
That’s our point Derek, that “gals are held to a different standard and get pressure from their labels to live up to that standard.” And what does everybody mean that Pink’s not super thin?? http://musicfinder.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1802319994&cf=la15 Yeah, that’s a fat, unattractive woman, who’s image is SO different…
That’s our point Derek, that “gals are held to a different standard and get pressure from their labels to live up to that standard.” And what does everybody mean that Pink’s not super thin?? http://musicfinder.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=1802319994&cf=la15 Yeah, that’s a fat, unattractive woman, who’s image is SO different…
She didn’t look like that when I saw her on some retarded awards show two weeks ago or so.Ok, you guys are right. Pink is a phoney talentless hack and Courtney Love is great. I don’t know why I even got in on this thread, I don’t even listen to Pink or know anything about her.
GO ON TAKE EVERYTHING, TAKE EVERYTHING, I WANT YOU TO
oh, come on, we needed to spice things up a bit, things have been a little boring on glono lately — we don’t know shit about Pink either, we’ve never even heard a song…could be the next Patti Smith for all we know, but I doubt it, seriously doubt it ;)
oh, come on, we needed to spice things up a bit, things have been a little boring on glono lately — we don’t know shit about Pink either, we’ve never even heard a song…could be the next Patti Smith for all we know, but I doubt it, seriously doubt it ;)
If she didn’t write the song, how can she be trying to send a special message to all those gawky girls??? She’s adding spice to a message that sells, plain and simple. Just because it’s trying to say something positive, doesn’t make it good.If that were the case, I’d be lifting myself higher to the smooth sounds of Creed right this very minute. Rock!
bio from all music guide – “Although she was initially viewed as yet another face in the late-’90s crowd of teen pop acts, Pink quickly showed signs of becoming one of the rare artists to transcend and outgrow the label. Born Alecia Moore on September 8, 1979, in Doylestown, PA (near Philadelphia), Pink received her nickname as a child (it had nothing to do with her later shade of hair dye). She grew up in a musical family and by age 13 was a regular on the Philadelphia club scene, first as a dancer, then as a backing vocalist for the local hip-hop group Schools of Thought. At 14, she began writing her own songs; the same year, a local DJ at Club Fever began allowing her on-stage to sing a song every Friday. Pink was spotted one night by an executive for MCA, who asked her to audition for an R&B group called Basic Instinct; although she got the gig, the group imploded not long after. She was quickly recruited for a female R&B trio called Choice, which signed to L.A. Reid and Babyface’s LaFace label on the strength of their demo; however, they too disbanded due to differences over musical direction. During Choice’s brief studio time, producer Daryl Simmons asked Pink to write a bridge section for the song “Just to Be Loving You”; impressed with the results, Pink rediscovered her songwriting muse and an equally impressed L.A. Reid soon gave her a solo deal with LaFace.Pink recorded her solo debut, Can’t Take Me Home, with a variety of songwriting partners and dance-pop and R&B producers. Released in 2000, the album was a double-platinum hit; it spun off three Top Ten singles in “There U Go,” “Most Girls,” and “You Make Me Sick.” She toured that summer as the opening act for *N Sync, but soon found herself tired of being pigeonholed as strictly a teen act, despite her sassy, forthright persona. As she set about working on her follow-up album, Pink took part in the remake of Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” featured on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, which also featured powerhouse divas Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil’ Kim. The song was a massive hit, topping the charts in both the U.S. and U.K. Toward the end of the year, Pink released her next single, “Get the Party Started”; it became her biggest, most inescapable hit to date, climbing into the Top Five. Her accompanying sophomore album, M!ssundaztood, quickly went double platinum; it boasted a more personal voice and a more eclectic sound, plus heavy contributions from ex-4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry, who helped bring some more rock muscle to Pink’s sound (as did guest appearances by Steven Tyler and Richie Sambora). M!ssundaztood attracted positive critical notices as well, and its second single, “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” became another fast-rising Top Ten hit. — Steve Huey”
review of “missundaztood” from all music guide -“Pink’s debut album was a promising collection of dance-pop, easily lumped into the teen pop boon of 2000 since she was young and sang over savvy, skittering club beats. Those comparisons irked — hell, angered — Pink, and she was determined to prove she was real with her second album. So she called up her idol, Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes fame, to help her rock and write; bared her soul; fought for some artistic control; brought in Steven Tyler; and wound up with M!ssundaztood, a title bound to never show up on Internet search engines. This all sounds like the script for a VH1 movie, but the wild thing is that M!ssundaztood not only works, it works smashingly — a bewildering amalgam of sounds and attitudes that shouldn’t fit together, but defy all odds and do. This record bubbles over with imagination, as hooky pop songs like the title track rub shoulders with glitzy dancefloor anthems like “Get the Party Started” and sexy, swaggering arena rock redux like “18 Wheeler” before delving into weird confessionals like “Family Portrait,” “Dear Diary,” and “My Vietnam.” Forget that this isn’t what anybody would have expected Pink to do; it’s hard to imagine anybody else that would have the idea and the inclination to blend late-’80s, metal-spiked album rock with modern hip-hop and dance, then dress it up with dazzling modern pop production, all the while not avoiding painful subjects (particularly her dysfunctional family) or melody. If that’s not an artistic statement, I don’t know what is, and the damn thing is there hasn’t been a record in the mainstream this vibrant or this alive in a long, long time. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine”
so now we know the story of pink to date.so what if she’s a corporate wolf in sheeps clothing, or a puppet of music marketing, or if people co-write songs with her. the point is, it’s a-typical pop music, well produced, varied in content and message, providing a nice beat, an intersting take on the pop landscape, and is presented through a charismatic performer. yes, she’s as “fat” as jennifer lopez. whatever. the point is, she pretty in an unconventional way. sure, she’s buff, but in the world of “alternastrippers” and “wholesome/blase” pop divas, i think she’s a tad more on the wholesome side…. keep in mind brittney posing/dancing with a python during her famous strip routine, or christina parading around like some crack whore as of late. as for pop diva’s, pink’s alright by me.courtney, that talantless, humorless, oportunist, on the other hand, could rot in hell for all i care.
Well, that writeup would have you believe that there’s a lot of Pink in Pink’s record. But even if Pink’s record was completely, I mean completely, designed by record execs, it’s STILL a good album if it has that positive message and builds people up. Creed for that matter- if some kid from Arkansas hears “Higher” on the way home from baseball practice and it gives him chills and makes him wonder about God or a higher power or what have you, I say that’s a good thing.Now ADULTS listening to Creed or Pink on a regular basis, I am inclined to think, come on, challenge yourself. But kids, just give ’em some positivity and a few chords and set ’em free.
Do they play baseball in Arkansas?
thanks vitas for “educating” us on Pink…And why yes they do play baseball in Arkansas.
I go to Austin for a few days and you guys all lose it! F**k Pink! Ugh. I have a really difficult time seperating her from the small army of terrible pop/r&b chicks currently in the pantheon of the top 100. Same garbage, different name.I do welcome another Courtney discussion. She is, as I now like to call her, “the one who’s name we dare not speak!” Personally I think that the way she handle’s her dead husband’s image is a bit disgusting. But then again, how is it much different than the mass marketing that Pracilla Presley has been orchestrating over the last three decades? And that guy never even wrote any of his own songs. (Jake, that’s a que for you to lay waste to my hapless opinion.)
It’s about damn time that you started posting again. Without you to piss people off, I become the posting buffoon.Speaking of Courtney Love, though. Has anyone one seen their daughter? She looks so much like Kurt Cobain, it’s scary.
re: ElvisI think Priscilla has handled Elvis’ estate in the ony way possible considering the fanaticism and gerneral weirdness of Elvis’ admirers.re: Francis BeanShe’s got her daddy’s eyes, but unfortunately she’s got her mother’s original nose. Any bets on whether Courtney gets her a nose job before or after her 16th birthday? I bet before.
do you have the weird feeling that courtney and francis bean are going to have one of those “mommie dearest” relationships? poor little girl.
Jake, I was going to post a long diatribe against the mass marketing of Elvis’s estate, but but I just couldn’t do it. I’d rather be Ozzy’s kid than Courtney’s. I’d never want to have been Elvis’s kid, cause that would have meant sleeping with Jacko.Funny how I can, in responding to comments regarding Pink’s new songs, make reference to Courtney Love, Elvis and Micheal Jackson!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I think Krist Novaselic should get full custody of Francis Bean. I realize there is probably no legal precedent for this type of action, but I think it’s the right thing to do. Krist Novaselic is a cool and righteous giant.
What’s inherently wrong with the mass marketing of his estate? His life was a dedication to mass marketing. Not in the same aspect as today, but he most certainly was the first marketed commodity to hit music.How big is Krist Novaselic anyway? I think his next big career move should be to join the WWF. Actually, Mojo just did a review of a live show that he did. I wish I could remember who he had collaborated with. I’ll check at lunch.Has anyone seen that Nirvana clip where he throws his bass in the air at the end of a set and ends up catching it on the top of the skull? It’s pretty humorous.
novoselic is in a new group called “eyes adrift” with curt kirkwood (formerly of the meat puppets) and bud gaugh (formerly of sublime). here’s some info –
http://www.meatpuppets.com/eyesfaq.htmi'm just beginning to imagine the courtney sponosred tour of kurt’s estate where tourists can have access to every room in the house, including the room over the garage where he supposedly offed himself.
The green house where Kurt killed himself (or was murdered!) was torn down. Bad business move.
doh!though, courntey could possibly have a virtual reality tour created of the murder/suicide site. it could be a choose your own adventure type of thing… you either choose to watch the events unravel that lead to kurt’s suicide, or you can choose to see the detailed events of the murder and the painstaking steps the murderer took to cover their tracks. all this with a limited addition soundtrack featuring tracks by r.e.m., hole, smashing pumpkins, and the previously unreleased track by nirvana.
Yeah, no kidding. I must say that Graceland was a disappointment on that level as well. They wouldn’t let you into the upstairs bathroom to see the toilet bowl on which the King made his last stand. Or his bedroom, which I heard is like all done in black leather, the walls, the bed, everything.”Elvis might be dead, but his cash flow lives on” -Dead Milkmen
Graceland is a zoo. It’s nothing more than a Disney style cash sucking tourist trap. But man o man did I like it! The thing I liked best was all the bullet holes in the shed behind the house, that and all the King’s cars in the car museum. The last of the cool things for me was his collection of police badges. His momma’s room is opened up for tourists now. Originally it was closed because somebody was living in it.I wanna see a Roy Obison museum.
I also wanna see a Roy Orbison museum.
I wanna see a Roy Orbison Impersonator Museum.
i wanna see the c.c. deville museum, with a tour hosted by c.c. himself.
I wanna see an Andrew W.K. museum, complete with viles of his blood!
if y’all dont like pink den dont go on websites about her, simple as! U dont need 2 broadcast it. I think Pink is great! She is not ugly, not fat and certainly not talentless!!
frm leah
pink is life!!!
pink is life