The end of the Bush admin -- specifically 2005 - 2007ish -- was also peak-emo stage on my end. (Which, as a topic for another day, probably has some psychological connection to the resurgence of my love my high school driving CDs that unabashedly "no one gets me :(" in nature... most likely connection being the despair of the tail end of a disastrous hellscape of GOP-led rule.) It is so crazy that I was too vapid to realize anything political or ideological was going on behind the lyrics. I am so fascinated by this post -- not least because you mention THE HUSH SOUND, which I presumed to be this quasi-underground band that like me and my friends discovered and was some hidden gem. It's so interesting to consider whether we choose the music we listen to because it's what we need in the moment or whether music reflects the moment we live in. While I wasn't as immersed in the political happenings of the time, I 10000% knew that W was, in my dad's words, "the greatest mass murderer of our time." And when I started college in 2007, I almost instantly segued into the Obama/hope/party mode of both life and music (e.g, "My President is Black," by Young Jeezy). Again, that I just started the greatest 4 years of my life MUST have played somewhat of a role in my shift from emo to annoying white college girl. And maybe it's because I don't have the energy to listen to new music and decide whether I like it or not, but my angst has now pushed me back into the FOB/driving CDs of late-Bush melancholy.
Also, the only thing I knew about Pete Wentz before reading this blog was that he was (is?) romantically involved with Ashlee Simpson. I'm not even fact checking that before posting so please confirm before assuming that was a thing.
Nothing to apologize for. It's very heartening to see you and many in your generation step up and leading the way to better our country through progressive policies with articulation and wit. It is not only inspiring those who came before you but providing a blueprint for us to teach our children.
when i revisited this album (and all their music) a couple years ago when i finally understood What The Fuck Was Going On (barely) because i was also in high school when this came out and couldn't vote in the election (also sorry)... idk, it all just struck me as cowardice.
i don't think any of these dudes are great political minds, and maybe i'm still giving them too much credit by even calling them cowards — but this feels like those 32-year-old pseudo-intellectuals that say they're "apolitical" (AARON RODGERS) that sportswriters fall in love with because they talk about capitalism or whatever. it's not interesting to talk around politics if you don't have a point of view in the exact same way that just Having Takes is also really boring!!! i hate it!!
anyway from under the cork tree still slaps, but folie a deux was when i realized i could be disappointed in music. I've been growing old ever since.
I'm not trying to imply anything too heavily and get hit with a libel suit here, but Rodgers' career-long "thoughtful and intellectual, but never too outwardly political" posture is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a superstar quarterback who has had to stay in the closet his whole life.
This was a great rabbit hole. I’m old enough to have caught the first wave of emo in the mid-90s, so I have opinions but none are immediately helpful or interesting. I think it’s safe to say that latter-day FOB is kind of on a level with the Democratic National Committee ... so drawing a very tangential Biden connection here. They both look and sound passable from afar ... like hearing a song in the mall, or catching a sound bite on CNN ... it’s inoffensive and you can bob your head. But when you get close and scrutinize ... not so much (what was “Uma Thurman,” anyway? Definitely a Frankenstein of a song, and not in the good, Edgar Winter, way.) I am not slagging the band in its entirety. FOB’s run through Infinity On High is especially strong: three great records front to back.
So nice to not be the only one with this kind of trivial bullshit clanging around in their head all the time! I had multiple people send me this with the comment, "Look someone wrote an article just for you" lol
Courtney if you ever need a sounding board related to this trivial bullshit to be like "no yes for some reason this TOO occupies a strange amount of space in my memories" then consider me that sounding board.
Sorry but I can’t stop thinking about this post and I have just 2 more thoughts. First, I think it’s a testament to how much more Gen Z’ers are politically knowledgeable than our generation. I think this same surface level politicking would not pass their BS radar. If FOB pulled this shit today, they’d roast the shit of Pete Wentz for this surface level “activism.” For me, though, I was so shallow at that point that my sole reason for voting Obama over Hillary was because he seemed chill. Second, this definitely reminds me of those CIA missions abroad where they spread political messaging through rock songs (like in that Wind of Change podcast).
Wooooow I am going to have to look into that podcast! Yeah there are several fine and bad reasons why fall out boy wouldn’t be held to the same political standards as Taylor Swift but just from the bullshit calling I’ve seen in the past few years it does make me wonder what that backlash might look like. A few years ago I was searching for some video on YouTube and realized pete wentz had partially pivoted to being a fortnight streamer so he’s definitely well enough embedded into that generation.
I'm a few years older than you and had sort of fallen out of the FOB fandom by the time all this madness came about. I remember voting for Hillary in the primary (God, I was so young), but feeling good about voting Obama when I went to college in the fall (in DC, no less). Thankfully I missed all this Pete Wentz pseudo-political bs enough to enjoy the album at the time, but I'll have to go back and listen to see if it still holds up.
The end of the Bush admin -- specifically 2005 - 2007ish -- was also peak-emo stage on my end. (Which, as a topic for another day, probably has some psychological connection to the resurgence of my love my high school driving CDs that unabashedly "no one gets me :(" in nature... most likely connection being the despair of the tail end of a disastrous hellscape of GOP-led rule.) It is so crazy that I was too vapid to realize anything political or ideological was going on behind the lyrics. I am so fascinated by this post -- not least because you mention THE HUSH SOUND, which I presumed to be this quasi-underground band that like me and my friends discovered and was some hidden gem. It's so interesting to consider whether we choose the music we listen to because it's what we need in the moment or whether music reflects the moment we live in. While I wasn't as immersed in the political happenings of the time, I 10000% knew that W was, in my dad's words, "the greatest mass murderer of our time." And when I started college in 2007, I almost instantly segued into the Obama/hope/party mode of both life and music (e.g, "My President is Black," by Young Jeezy). Again, that I just started the greatest 4 years of my life MUST have played somewhat of a role in my shift from emo to annoying white college girl. And maybe it's because I don't have the energy to listen to new music and decide whether I like it or not, but my angst has now pushed me back into the FOB/driving CDs of late-Bush melancholy.
Also, the only thing I knew about Pete Wentz before reading this blog was that he was (is?) romantically involved with Ashlee Simpson. I'm not even fact checking that before posting so please confirm before assuming that was a thing.
they even have a *son* together, so you are extremely correct
I sob quietly into my Metamucil as I read, "I was in 9th grade in 2008"
it’s a blessing and a curse I am so sorry
Nothing to apologize for. It's very heartening to see you and many in your generation step up and leading the way to better our country through progressive policies with articulation and wit. It is not only inspiring those who came before you but providing a blueprint for us to teach our children.
when i revisited this album (and all their music) a couple years ago when i finally understood What The Fuck Was Going On (barely) because i was also in high school when this came out and couldn't vote in the election (also sorry)... idk, it all just struck me as cowardice.
i don't think any of these dudes are great political minds, and maybe i'm still giving them too much credit by even calling them cowards — but this feels like those 32-year-old pseudo-intellectuals that say they're "apolitical" (AARON RODGERS) that sportswriters fall in love with because they talk about capitalism or whatever. it's not interesting to talk around politics if you don't have a point of view in the exact same way that just Having Takes is also really boring!!! i hate it!!
anyway from under the cork tree still slaps, but folie a deux was when i realized i could be disappointed in music. I've been growing old ever since.
I'm not trying to imply anything too heavily and get hit with a libel suit here, but Rodgers' career-long "thoughtful and intellectual, but never too outwardly political" posture is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a superstar quarterback who has had to stay in the closet his whole life.
This was a great rabbit hole. I’m old enough to have caught the first wave of emo in the mid-90s, so I have opinions but none are immediately helpful or interesting. I think it’s safe to say that latter-day FOB is kind of on a level with the Democratic National Committee ... so drawing a very tangential Biden connection here. They both look and sound passable from afar ... like hearing a song in the mall, or catching a sound bite on CNN ... it’s inoffensive and you can bob your head. But when you get close and scrutinize ... not so much (what was “Uma Thurman,” anyway? Definitely a Frankenstein of a song, and not in the good, Edgar Winter, way.) I am not slagging the band in its entirety. FOB’s run through Infinity On High is especially strong: three great records front to back.
So nice to not be the only one with this kind of trivial bullshit clanging around in their head all the time! I had multiple people send me this with the comment, "Look someone wrote an article just for you" lol
Courtney if you ever need a sounding board related to this trivial bullshit to be like "no yes for some reason this TOO occupies a strange amount of space in my memories" then consider me that sounding board.
mid to late aughts emo kids have to stick together!
Sorry but I can’t stop thinking about this post and I have just 2 more thoughts. First, I think it’s a testament to how much more Gen Z’ers are politically knowledgeable than our generation. I think this same surface level politicking would not pass their BS radar. If FOB pulled this shit today, they’d roast the shit of Pete Wentz for this surface level “activism.” For me, though, I was so shallow at that point that my sole reason for voting Obama over Hillary was because he seemed chill. Second, this definitely reminds me of those CIA missions abroad where they spread political messaging through rock songs (like in that Wind of Change podcast).
Wooooow I am going to have to look into that podcast! Yeah there are several fine and bad reasons why fall out boy wouldn’t be held to the same political standards as Taylor Swift but just from the bullshit calling I’ve seen in the past few years it does make me wonder what that backlash might look like. A few years ago I was searching for some video on YouTube and realized pete wentz had partially pivoted to being a fortnight streamer so he’s definitely well enough embedded into that generation.
It is NUTS -- https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/wind-of-change-podcast-990393/
Honestly, none of us would be here if it weren't for Joe Biden. We all owe him so much.
Bless you, Joe.
lmao
I'm a few years older than you and had sort of fallen out of the FOB fandom by the time all this madness came about. I remember voting for Hillary in the primary (God, I was so young), but feeling good about voting Obama when I went to college in the fall (in DC, no less). Thankfully I missed all this Pete Wentz pseudo-political bs enough to enjoy the album at the time, but I'll have to go back and listen to see if it still holds up.
"Is this but the bourgeoisie’s world and we’re all just living in it?"
Clearly.