Wild Sound

Bruce LaBruce says his underground career is better left underground:

“That’s what people don’t get these days. Things that are underground, below the radar, avant-garde, or ahead of the curve are not meant to be co-opted, exploited, used up and spat out by the mainstream media. But in this ever changing world in which we’re living (wings), if something isn’t relentelessly exploited, exhausted, and ultimately dismissed, it isn’t worth anything at all. Ever since Madonna, who is counter-revolutionary, uttered the immortal sound bite, “Alternative? Isn’t that another word for unpopular?”, anyone who professes not to want to become uber-famous, not to desire to become an A-lister basking in the adoration of great swathes of unwashed proles, is merely a failed celebrity, a has-not-become, a mediocrity who can’t cut it in the fame game. How sad-making. Kind of makes you want to find a Spider Hole somewhere and crawl in.”

I agree but I think he leaves out the important factor that many people claim to want to be underground only in order to get the indie cred that will make them famous. False modesty is one sure route to superstardom. Real modesty is much more rare, and has itself been co-opted, exploited, used up and spat out by mainstream media.

Filed by cynthia rockwell at 5:36 pm under Uncategorized
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