Miley Cyrus, Wrecking Ball video

[Babz]

Just call me a fuddy-duddy. I'm okay with that.

Any fuddy-duddy who can sling a flying V ax like you, James, is my kinda fuddy-duddy.

Babz

[James Steele]

I'm just saying, I don't think of Lady Gaga as an example of "anything to make a buck"...

Like I said... we can agree to disagree.

[Babz]

Meanwhile, I can't believe I have killed actual waking minutes weighing in on things like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga and probably need to check myself into Excessive Freetime Anonymous.

Babz

[Shooshie]

Meanwhile, I can't believe I have killed actual waking minutes weighing in on things like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga and probably need to check myself into Excessive Freetime Anonymous.

Babz

We're all guilty of that, but don't beat yourself up. You kinda opened my eyes to some things, and when you can do that for someone else, it's hardly a waste of time.

Shooshie

[James Steele]

Meanwhile, I can't believe I have killed actual waking minutes weighing in on things like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga and probably need to check myself into Excessive Freetime Anonymous.

Which goes to show the effectiveness of the publicity stunt I suppose.

[buzzsmith]

Speaking of Stefani...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD4ICwgZiBs

[James Steele]

Speaking of Stefani...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD4ICwgZiBs

Shall watch when I have time. Slammed busy. Note also, (not directed at you), that I have never questioned the woman's talent. It's the crazy persona that I personally find off-putting, but that's just moi!

[Shooshie]

Speaking of Stefani...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xD4ICwgZiBs

See what I mean about the girl's voice? She good!

Check out the Gaga/Tony Bennett duet, "The Lady Is a Tramp" which she did for his birthday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPAmDULCVrU

I just think she's a wonderful talent. Tony Bennett thinks so, too. (there's an interview with him somewhere in which he just goes on and on about her. I think he fell a little in love while making that video)

Shooshie

[Shooshie]

Just in case anyone is interested, Tony Bennett has some VERY high praise for Gaga:

In this interview he calls her "America's Picasso," and talks about being amazed with every aspect of her professionalism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vOP9wzXwOE

In this one he says some of the same things, but goes on to say "Lady Gaga is the best singer in America." In case anyone misunderstood, he says it again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n8VpP-jSQ4

I don't usually go for words like "Best," as they are so ephemeral, but Gaga simply keeps me spellbound when I listen to much of what she does, especially if it's just her and a piano. Or her and Tony Bennett. (I LOVE that performance. It's truly amazing.) So, I won't disagree with Tony Bennett. She may very well BE the best singer in America. She's chameleon-like in her ability to inhabit any skin, any role, any style of music. It's not like a "tribute" to that style. She freakin' knocks it out of the park.

Howard Stern said she was one of the best he'd ever had on the show, and asked her if she'd marry him. (Of course she said "but you're already married.") I've never seen Howard Stern stammering for words, but Gaga left him a blithering fanboy.

Shooshie

[James Steele]

Then it's an even sorrier statement about the state of popular music today that she had to invent the bizarre persona to reach the level she has.

[artfarm1]

Then it's an even sorrier statement about the state of popular music today that she had to invent the bizarre persona to reach the level she has.

That's it!

[Shooshie]

Then it's an even sorrier statement about the state of popular music today that she had to invent the bizarre persona to reach the level she has.

That's it!

Again, I don't think simple recognition for her voice is what she was going for. Let's take Norah Jones and Diana Krall for examples. They're both beautiful, talented, and they have great voices. They've won Grammies. They're revered as successful artists at the top of their field. They also have been in duets (you can watch the videos on YouTube) with Tony Bennett. He obviously likes them, too, but when you watch Gaga with Bennett, there's something that simply goes to another level. She's not just a musical artist, she's a visual artist, and she can paint her visuals around Bennett as well as herself. This isn't just some kind of pop-whoring for the market share. It is something that really isn't easily defined, at least not for me — a newcomer to all this stuff.

Madonna did it. Britney thought she did it, but she didn't. Katy Perry wants to do it. But only Madonna and Lady Gaga have actually done it, and I'd say that Madonna's was just an opening act for Gaga, who comes off as a real person both on stage and off. Madonna always came off as a bitch, and in interviews she was either too arrogant to speak, or too challenged for normal conversation that wasn't about anything that wasn't specifically on her mind at the moment, which was usually her self-glorification. But I digress.

Lady Gaga is a master of a performance art which can only be accomplished with a diverse range of genuine talents, under the control of a very dedicated, self-willed artist. If you want music, period, then try Nora or Diana. But if you want to try something different, more like solo pop-opera, then Gaga's your girl.

Shooshie

PS: Even having countered with the above, I really don't disagree with what James said. But I think the really sad statement about today's pop music is, well, today's pop music. Lady Gaga simply is doing something that sets her apart from it in some way; enough to make her the queen of it.

[BKK-OZ]

Howard Stern said she was one of the best he'd ever had on the show, and asked her if she'd marry him. (Of course she said "but you're already married.") I've never seen Howard Stern stammering for words, but Gaga left him a blithering fanboy.Shooshie

I would have her babies if she would let me - smart, genuine, funny, exceedingly talented, and out to change the world for the better. Even her meat outfit was a smart statement, if you take the time to understand what she was saying with the imagery/presentation, and probably even if you don't. Being provocative is often good, and gaga is great. Why the hate and put-downs? Honestly, what is the difference between wearing some meat and wearing leather pants on stage? (Except, of course, the latter have been tanned...)

[Babz]

I don't think Gaga can be easily dismissed as simply, or principally, an "invented bizarre persona". From what I've seen, I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and a lot of genuine conceptual artistry goes into what she does. I don't know her stuff that well ... mixing "art" and "pop" -- it's risky, like mixing "sweet" and "savory" in cooking. Might be insane, might be genius. But I like risk takers. It may be bizarre. It may not "work" in one's estimation. But I don't see it as ill informed or lacking authenticity. From what I've seen, she knows both "art" and "pop" and can leverage both effectively.

Anyway, she's supposed to be on SNL tonight. Wonder what she'll come up with ....

B.

[Babz]

Again, I haven't closely studied her biography, but I don't see it so much as someone who had to "invent a persona" in order to sellout and make it big. I see her as someone who came out of an art school and NY underground club background, who made it big because of her singing, dancing, and songwriting talent, and then is trying to be true to her roots. I hung out in those same downtown clubs, around the same time she was coming up, and there was a lot of talent (genius, even), but most of it too "fringe" to ever rise beyond some sleazy drag queen dive at 2 AM. Who knows what ever became of all those acts. For everyone who makes it out of NYC, there are a thousand equal or greater talents who just fade into the night.

But here is someone who made it out of that scene, and in my view her "weirdness" is at least partly a way of trying to hang on to her NY underground roots. In fact it almost thumbs its nose in the face of fame. It's like saying, "See I'm putting on some 2-AM-John-Waters-club-type of show and yet mainstream America is eating it up!"

That said, I'm sure it wasn't all her singular visionary genius that transformed her from Stefani to Gaga. There were no doubt Svengalis who helped her early on, and then as soon as anyone starts to get big, the big corporate marketing machinery rolls in. But I just have to sit back and laugh that what should have been just another downtown junkie stripper chick somehow made it out of the scene and is now some teen icon.

Anyway, that's just my take on it.