Lady Gaga Is Not The Messiah

No comment.

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:00:07 +1100

No comment.

Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem - Roman’s Revenge OH. MY....

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:05:00 +1100

Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem - Roman’s Revenge

OH. MY. GOD.

This is every bit as deranged/amazing as you’d expect.

Madonna To Open "Hard Candy" Fitness Centers Around The World

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:12:00 +1100

Madonna To Open "Hard Candy" Fitness Centers Around The World:

Has an actual news story EVER sounded more like an Onion article?!!!!!!

Also: I’m Breathless would have been a much better name.

Oh, and just quickly, if you’ve been enjoying our posts over the last few weeks, feel free to...

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:00:34 +1100

Oh, and just quickly, if you’ve been enjoying our posts over the last few weeks, feel free to recommend us!

Much love,
Richard

This is probably how people who think Lady Gaga is a satanist...

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:15:07 +1100

This is probably how people who think Lady Gaga is a satanist see her. Terrifying.

One last thing: Poor Animal by Zola Jesus. Best pop song...

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:28:19 +1100

One last thing: Poor Animal by Zola Jesus. Best pop song I’ve heard this year. Enjoy!

I already have a few ideas for when I’m back - a series on Gaga’s worst moments (done in...

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:19:07 +1100

I already have a few ideas for when I’m back - a series on Gaga’s worst moments (done in good humour, of course), the fact that she really did “sell out” to get noticed, and some thoughts on how she relates to Die Antwoord…

But if you have any ideas or requests, ask away! Or just respond here… question mark so the answer option comes up?

I won’t be posting over the next week (a very short break by my standards) - sadly, just as...

Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:05:00 +1100

I won’t be posting over the next week (a very short break by my standards) - sadly, just as I’m getting into a rhythm, I’ll be churning out far less interesting music-related assignments for uni that NO ONE will read! But I leave you a few things, firstly the best of so far…

An introduction for the newcomers, and the confused… judging from my inbox, there’s a lot of them!

You and I: unreleased, but Gaga’s best song to date?

Born This Way: anthem in the making?

Jay Sean: the failure of talent.

Reviewing Like a Prayer as performed by Lady Gaga in an alternate universe (also, the greatest pop song of all time and such).

And don’t forget, on Tumblr, a word is worth a thousand pictures…

If this isn’t a meme by the time I wake up, I will...

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 05:48:02 +1100

If this isn’t a meme by the time I wake up, I will personally do the devouring.

HOLY SHIT GUYS, A NEW LADY GAGA SONG/VIDEO*! (Consider this:...

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 04:41:00 +1100

HOLY SHIT GUYS, A NEW LADY GAGA SONG/VIDEO*!

(Consider this: truly great art is amazing, regardless of who it’s by. Surely you shouldn’t like anything more or less just because it’s Gaga?)

Some quick thoughts: the song is by far the best she’s ever written - and after only a few listens, it already sounds like one of the best pop songs ever! It opens with just her and a church organ, combining religious elements - check out that gospel choir! - with pop and funk. You could say it combines her deeply personal roots - she attended a Catholic private school - with the now, the euphoric sexual/romantic feelings of pop. The lines “I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there” seem to suggest that, just maybe, true romantic bliss - as embodied by the orgasm - is a love so profound, so rewarding that it borders on religious transcendence?

The video is even more amazing. For one, she’s back to her natural hair colour! They say blondes have more fun, but brunettes are taken more seriously… Similarly, and even more significantly, she’s only wears one outfit - a single, demure brown dress. Doing the unexpected here was an act of genius - when you’ve spent your whole career intentionally looking weird, what could be even stranger than looking completely normal, and utterly beautiful? It also keeps our focus on the video’s other jaw-dropping elements: she dances in front of burning crosses, displays stigmata and kisses a black saint, amongst other things. Unlike the futuristic backdrop of Bad Romance, or the cartoonish look of Telephone, the slightly lower budget gives it a strangely familiar, timeless feel.

She’s spent most of her career fighting for much of her fanbase’s cause - gay rights - but this video seems to address racial inequality instead. She explains it best in her own words:

“A girl on the street witnesses an assault on a young woman. Afraid to get involved because she might get hurt, she is frozen in fear. A black man walking down the street also sees the incident and decides to help to woman. But just then, the police arrive and arrest him. As they take him away, she looks up and sees one of the gang members who assaulted the girl. He gives her a look that says she’ll be dead if she tells. The girl runs, not knowing where to go, until she sees a church. She goes in and sees a saint in a cage who looks very much like the black man on the street, and says a prayer to help her make the right decision. He seems to be crying, but she is not sure. She lies down on a pew and falls into a dream in which she begins to tumble in space with no one to break her fall. Suddenly she is caught by [an African American woman] who represents earth and emotional strength and who tosses her back up and tells her to do the right thing. Still dreaming, she returns to the saint, and her religions and erotic feelings begin to stir. The saint becomes a man. She picks up a knife and cuts her hands. That’s the guilt in Catholicism that if you do something that feels good you will be punished. As the choir sings, she reaches an orgasmic crescendo of sexual fulfillment intertwined with her love of God. She knows that nothing’s going to happen to her if she does what she believes is right. She wakes up, goes to the jail, tells the police the man is innocent, and he is freed. Then everybody takes a bow as if to say we all play a part in this little scenario.”

So what does it all mean? Well, for one, it likens the black man and his actions - helping the needy, yet being punished for it - to a saint. And when she finally summons the courage to attest to his innocence, it’s almost orgasmically rewarding - maybe she even sleeps with the saint, or hallucinates it in the church?

Both the song and the video are truly incredible works of art - both provocative and meaningful. Even in 21 years’ time, when the “new” (yet somehow completely different) Lady Gaga for the next generation is just starting out, something tells me we’ll still be talking about it.

“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness”

- John Keats, from Endymion (1818)

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NOTE: This is in no way a criticism of Lady Gaga.

I’ll say this again - my last post is in no way a criticism of Lady Gaga. She’s currently 24, two...

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 04:41:00 +1100

I’ll say this again - my last post is in no way a criticism of Lady Gaga. She’s currently 24, two years/albums into her career; Madonna released her fourth album Like a Prayer at 31, 7 years after she debuted. So yes, they’re both Italian-American, (kind of) from New York, make rather intelligent pop music, have provoked/inspired the world with their fashion sense and have huge gay fanbases - but the similarities are superficial. Their functions in the broader world are similar, but their methods are totally different. Expecting one to do or be the other is ridiculous, but Gaga, I hope, may one day reach a similar level of greatness.

I’m actually not trying to comment on either of the two - more the part of their two fanbases that doesn’t overlap. My generation, including myself just two years ago, has a big gap in knowledge when it comes to Madonna. And many who grew up with Madonna see Gaga as a plagiarist - but swap everyone’s birthdates around, and I guarantee the wannabes of the ’80s would be the little monsters of today, and vice versa. Problem is, if Gaga really did put out Like a Prayer tomorrow - the exact same song and video - everyone under 25 would shit themselves. And yet, it’s existed longer than us - long enough that it has a reputation - but the shitting isn’t happening!

Lady Gaga Is Not The Messiah™: helping Generation Y little monsters shit themselves since 2010!

Madonna sings Like a Virgin in 1984 - the original provocative VMAs performance.

Seriously though: you cannot truly understand Lady Gaga without knowing what came before. Luckily, if you like one, you’ll almost certainly like the other! Under 25 and a huge Gaga fan? Start with the holy bible of pop music, The Immaculate Collection. Check out the videos! I myself have written at length about Madonna, in my opinion the single greatest popstar of all time, in the hope that, like me, not every clueless 20-year-old has to stay that way!

You might think we have it good with Lady Gaga right now in 2010 - and we do! But she’s not the be-all and end-all - don’t let it stop you from rediscovering the classics… Who knows, in another 10 years, you might be reminding the kids about that Germanotta chick while Lola Leon rules the world.

anthagio replied: Her intentions aside, the MTV VMAs are all about who can get the most attention,...

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:56:51 +1100

anthagio replied: Her intentions aside, the MTV VMAs are all about who can get the most attention, and damnit, I think Gaga won that competition.

The wider public definitely paid more attention to Kanye, and he deserved it - his song and performance were incredible! People’s expectations were high after the Taylor Swift incident, and he easily surpassed them. But the thing is, I found Gaga singing a mere 10 seconds of Born This Way equally moving, even though she didn’t even perform. Not an entirely fair contest, but I’ll call it even!

What is your opinion on Lady Gaga's meat dress?

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:32:00 +1100

I get what she’s trying to say, and I’m impressed by her dedication, since it was real meat! Her quote:

“It is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian. As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations, but for me this evening… if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And I am not a piece of meat.”

I think it’d be more meaningful, if not for the fact that it’s so open to interpretation that her original intent is easily lost. But she knows that, and even if people are offended, more publicity is good publicity - so she wins either way.

Really, I think enough has been said about it, so I leave you with a tongue-in-cheek quote from one of my favourite journalists:

Anyway, the occasional, inevitable missteps aside, I continue to find Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta a pretty damn entertaining presence on the pop scene, churning out delightfully sugary grooves and indulging in mostly endearing antics designed to underscore the fundamental message of all great rock ’n’ roll: Express yourself, make a joyful noise, and fly your freak flag high! But this meat thing…

Let me just say that real artists—genuinely talented musicians, people who really could play their instruments and compose brilliant songs that stand the test of time, in addition to contributing substantive, important ideas to the worlds of politics, culture, and art—well, those kinds of true talents never, ever would stoop to a cheap stunt like this meat dress business. No way, no how. Right?

I just wanted to say that I love your blog. <3
You completely abolish the haters with your wise comebacks and you truly know your facts.

I dare anyone to mess with you!

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:17:48 +1100

Thank you! But I don’t think I’ve actually converted any haters yet, which is one of my aims… really, we need the music to do that. But we need to open people’s minds first! The chicken and the egg!

I am a huge Lady Gaga fan, and while I don't worship her like some, I do worship you and this blog. You're genius. The way you express yourself is far beyond what I've ever seen from another Lady Gaga... fan? I presume. People need to stop generalizing and grouping all of her fans into one "cult". I love Lady Gaga and I defend her when necessary. However, I know when she's done wrong, I know how to call her out on the things that don't make sense. It's almost as if the Gaga haters are just as obsessed with Gaga as her fans are, maybe even more. The lovers can't stop talking about her and the haters can't stop talking about her. This is why she's who she is. Keep up the good work. :)

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:03:00 +1100

You left me speechless… and I’m not just making a reference. Totally flabbergasted. I want to frame it - thank you so much! It really means a lot to me.

There are plenty of fantastic critics writing incredibly insightful pieces on Gaga… but I guess I’m willing to devote more time to her because she matters - as you said, “the lovers can’t stop talking about her and the haters can’t stop talking about her”! I was born 7 years after Madonna debuted, and I’m still trying to make up for it. I suspect I’ll always want to identify with Madonna more, but at least I’ll have the chance to document Gaga as she happens. And that’s a damn good consolation prize, if it even is one at all!

Some of her fans do pratically worship her. One of them even made a effing prayer about her. :/ That's just a tad overboard am I right?

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 01:50:00 +1100

Found it! (note: I do not endorse the below in any way, shape or form)

Our GaGa who art in Disco Heaven Glorious be thy name Thy Fame will come Your Fashion become on Earth as it is in Disco Heaven Give us this day, our daily Monster And forgive us our opposing fan bashing As we listen to your timeless hits In hopes, others shall do the same And lead us not into a Bad Romance, But the music of a siren . For thine is the Thrown, and the Fame, and your Queenliness, for ever and ever. Gaymen.

Okay, so it’s clearly tongue-in-cheek… but I’m not kidding - I truly believe someone will start a genuine religious movement around her soon. Maybe a pro-LGBT Christian group will break away from the mainstream? Spreading the message of love and equality as a cult would be surprisingly effective - but it’s a dangerous way to think about a mere person.

But I can foresee this: early death would make her more of a martyr than any figure in recent memory. I wish Gaga a long, full life - but unlike Madonna, who always seemed like she’d be the first to live forever, there’d be something strangely poetic about a tragic death. Some have already compared her to John Lennon (I’m thinking Martin Luther King, really), and it sounds completely ridiculous right now, but who knows? Never underestimate a popstar.

In 1984, Michael Jackson’s hair caught fire whilst filming a Pepsi ad - but he kept up the act even as he was being wheeled away on a stretcher, even holding up his single glove.

Though many of his songs were about love, he died not as a martyr, but an entertainer. In the public eye, he was a shadow of his former self, but we mourned him nevertheless, though This Is It later revealed he was as talented a performer as ever. Now imagine Lady Gaga as a socially conscious gay hero at the absolute height of her powers, stoic, striking a pose to the very end - wearing that glove even in death. I’d be equal parts hugely, morbidly impressed (even more than of Thích Quảng Đức), sad for her passing, and completely fucking terrified of the reaction.

By never being out of costume, Lady Gaga’s living her entire life in character. It’s both completely absurd and uncomfortable that I’m talking about this, but the most poignantly tragic ending to the movie isn’t the best in real life. I for one wish her a happily ever after.

So I was wrong - THIS was the first time we saw Stefani...

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:42:00 +1100

So I was wrong - THIS was the first time we saw Stefani Germanotta emerge from within Lady Gaga.

(this next paragraph goes out to my kids, as part of my future personal How I Met Your Mother vanity series:)

I remember when I first saw the Bad Romance video, and being more struck by a few seconds of this image than the rest of the fire and spectacle combined. For a brief moment, she’d revealed her never-before-seen inner vulnerability, her human side - and it was the most beautiful she’d ever looked.

I’d ask for a little more of that, but I know we’re already going to get it, so thank you in advance. I can’t wait.

Oh okay. I think I summed it up a bit by the name.
Are you saying how Lady gaga is basically worshiped by her fans, and how it's against/not the same/has something to do with Jesus or God in a way?

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:08:22 +1100

I’m not religious. Some of her fans practically do worship her - I fully expect a cult to start around her any day now - but a god, Lady Gaga is not. And in Gaga, as with every other human being, we shouldn’t be blinded to her faults (even if we do love her most of the time).

Instead of reading the text on the side cause..It's late, and i'm tired as hell, in just a quick answer, is this a hate blog?

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:02:00 +1100

Since you have an excuse, I’ll oblige: in short, no.

I think there are some pretty complex issues to be discussed here, so there’s a reason why I’m not necessarily making it instantly clear!

yeah, back to the regular programming of people not challenging your views and/or Gaga I bet. =P

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:53:00 +1100

Psst, just between you and me: I’m the one who doesn’t have the exact same opinion on everything she does. Try pretending she doesn’t exist, if it makes you happy. :)

If anyone else has something to say: SAY IT… or recommend us! Your support is appreciated (and your dissent is accepted, though I may just end up writing the defence to end all defences instead of repeating myself)!

Lady Gaga Is Not The Messiah

No comment.

Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem - Roman’s Revenge OH. MY....

Madonna To Open "Hard Candy" Fitness Centers Around The World

Oh, and just quickly, if you’ve been enjoying our posts over the last few weeks, feel free to...

This is probably how people who think Lady Gaga is a satanist...

One last thing: Poor Animal by Zola Jesus. Best pop song...

I already have a few ideas for when I’m back - a series on Gaga’s worst moments (done in...

I won’t be posting over the next week (a very short break by my standards) - sadly, just as...

If this isn’t a meme by the time I wake up, I will...

HOLY SHIT GUYS, A NEW LADY GAGA SONG/VIDEO*! (Consider this:...

I’ll say this again - my last post is in no way a criticism of Lady Gaga. She’s currently 24, two...

anthagio replied: Her intentions aside, the MTV VMAs are all about who can get the most attention,...

What is your opinion on Lady Gaga's meat dress?

I just wanted to say that I love your blog. <3 You completely abolish the haters with your wise comebacks and you truly know your facts. I dare anyone to mess with you!

Some of her fans do pratically worship her. One of them even made a effing prayer about her. :/ That's just a tad overboard am I right?

So I was wrong - THIS was the first time we saw Stefani...

Oh okay. I think I summed it up a bit by the name. Are you saying how Lady gaga is basically worshiped by her fans, and how it's against/not the same/has something to do with Jesus or God in a way?

Instead of reading the text on the side cause..It's late, and i'm tired as hell, in just a quick answer, is this a hate blog?

yeah, back to the regular programming of people not challenging your views and/or Gaga I bet. =P

I just wanted to say that I love your blog. <3
You completely abolish the haters with your wise comebacks and you truly know your facts.

I dare anyone to mess with you!

Oh okay. I think I summed it up a bit by the name.
Are you saying how Lady gaga is basically worshiped by her fans, and how it's against/not the same/has something to do with Jesus or God in a way?