"What are words for? When no one listens anymore…"
If you fall-into/follow the "matrix" of theories and philosophies of Jean Baudrillard, you may believe that there is no such thing as an original. That everything is just a copy of a copy of a copy. Don't get me wrong, talking ideas and philosophy has gotten many of us all laid over the years. It's not totally wasteful. I even agree with Simulation's idea to a certain point…and that point intersects in L.A. in 1980 with Dale Bozzio.
Admit it. You thought this was a picture of Lady Gaga. Sorry folks, but GaGa is a fucking poseur, just as Gwen Stefani kind of was and Madonna definitely was before her. These chicks owe a lot more to Bozzio than they'll ever acknowledge. Almost no one under 40 even knows who this wild, sexy, talented genius is today.
Let me fill you in…
Let me fill you in…
To start out, she was a Playboy Bunny in Boston. "Bunny of the Year", 1976. After turning down Hugh Hefner's offer to live with him at the Playboy Mansion, she worked with Frank Zappa on his 1979 "Joe's Garage" series. In 1980 with her then-husband/Zappa-drummer, Terry Bozzio and then-Zappa guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (later of Duran Duran fame) she formed the, now, much overlooked, under-appreciated, conceptual, new wave band - Missing Persons.
Missing Persons had several hits, none of which penetrated the top 10 in the US. The one that came closest, "Walking in L.A.", made it to #12 on the Billboards in 1983. Other songs of note include: "Words", "Destination Unknown", "Bad Streets", "Mental Hopscotch" and "Windows", none of which penetrated the top 20.
 |
| Bozzio on the cover of Hustler Feb 1980 |
Dale was known especially for being hot, her unique, squeaky voice, and her wild, colorful, outlandish costumery, all of which she created herself. She was quoted in a 1984 "People" magazine interview as saying: "We're living proof that you can achieve anything, if only you have faith in yourself. And in the power of see-through plastic." Due to tensions with her husband/drummer, and, I'm guessing, seriously intense drug use, Missing Persons broke up in 1986.
In my opinion, their music has held up well. I consider it to be an eerie, poppy zeitgeist of the 1980's Los Angeles wasteland. I guess "the light that burns twice as bright burns only half as long". Yet, it still reflects itself brilliantly. Even on the dullest, blackest freeways, who hide their thousands of pretty, invisible horrors in silent, indifferent time.
In my opinion, their music has held up well. I consider it to be an eerie, poppy zeitgeist of the 1980's Los Angeles wasteland. I guess "the light that burns twice as bright burns only half as long". Yet, it still reflects itself brilliantly. Even on the dullest, blackest freeways, who hide their thousands of pretty, invisible horrors in silent, indifferent time.
Why wouldn't Madonna or GaGa ever give any kind of credit at all to Bozzio's innovations? Or, for her obvious influence on their own ridiculously immense successes? The answer is simple. They are both total fucking poseur-opportunists and they know it. Sure, Blondie and Wendy O. Williams may have possibly been slightly influential on Bozzio, but, all three of them seem to me to be too close in chronology and unique from each other.
In a world where the media powers believe we are dumb enough to think that Battleship would be a good movie, or that a Red Dawn remake starring Thor is a cool idea, and in a country where our election news now resembles a shit-fight in a tabloid monkey house, it will be hard to find true originals like Dale Bozzio if they're out there. That's what happens when people eat their own cultural poop smeared with cheap, chocolate frosting and ask for seconds. Eventually, that is all that will be served.
There is a way to avoid this. Don't eat the turd in the first place. Seek out originality. Don't fall into the sluggish, barren, euphoria of ignorance, nor the easy seduction of philosophical complexification and apathy. I don't think Bozzio will ever get the recognition she deserves until her death. But I'm sure if Kristin Stewart has a damn nip-slip that week it will quickly eclipse Bozzio's entire legacy.
In a world where the media powers believe we are dumb enough to think that Battleship would be a good movie, or that a Red Dawn remake starring Thor is a cool idea, and in a country where our election news now resembles a shit-fight in a tabloid monkey house, it will be hard to find true originals like Dale Bozzio if they're out there. That's what happens when people eat their own cultural poop smeared with cheap, chocolate frosting and ask for seconds. Eventually, that is all that will be served.
There is a way to avoid this. Don't eat the turd in the first place. Seek out originality. Don't fall into the sluggish, barren, euphoria of ignorance, nor the easy seduction of philosophical complexification and apathy. I don't think Bozzio will ever get the recognition she deserves until her death. But I'm sure if Kristin Stewart has a damn nip-slip that week it will quickly eclipse Bozzio's entire legacy.
In the end, idiots killed this video star. Greed and the cowardice of plagiarism will always have the power to bury original art, if we give it to them.
"When no one listens…there's no use talking at all."
-Love ya, D.B.
"When no one listens…there's no use talking at all."
-Love ya, D.B.
-2012 Wielgorecki
No comments:
Post a Comment