Every once in a while it's a good idea to stop talking about politics and start talking about hot looking girls. If you don't do this occassionally, it's a sign that you should tell your parents that you are gay or perhaps it just means that you are a hot looking girl yourself. And if you fit either of these categories, speak up. Some readers of this site, I suspect, have never talked to a real, live, gay person, while others, I'm fairly certain, have never talked to a girl--hot looking or otherwise.

The impetus for the abrupt change of subject stems from my recent subscription to digital cable, which has bestowed VH1 Classic upon my television. The older videos reorient my thinking somewhat on the use of sex to sell a song. It was, in the words of Dean Acheson's autobiography, present at the creation. Videos from two decades ago could be every bit as racy as videos shown today. Dwarfs sexually attacking a transvestite (Van Halen's "Pretty Woman"), pre-Britney schoolgirl fantasies (J. Geils Band's "Centerfold,"), and men hunting a woman as if she were prey (Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf") prove this. The primary difference between then and now is that whereas, perhaps, 1 in 12 videos during MTV's golden age contained strong sexual content, the fraction has certainly increased to more than one half. In other words, the sexual content may not be much more over the top today; there's just a whole lot more of it.

What constitutes a video vixen has changed over the years. Early-'80s videos prefer the coked-out anorexic look. Rod Stewart's "Tonight I'm Yours" provides an excellent example of this. As the decade progressed, silicon and bleach took over (I'm sure many of these models did coke too). Billy Idol's "White Wedding," Motley Crue's "Girls, Girls, Girls," and AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" come to mind. Videos became respectable enough for real models to appear in them in the late '80s and early '90s. It helped when the lead singer of the band--The Cars, Guns n Roses, Whitesnake--dated the model. George Michael, in his "pretend" years, had several videos ("Freedom," "Too Funky") featuring only the superest of supermodels. This was perhaps the golden age of the video vixen. If you didn't know who Alicia Silverstone, Tawny Kitaen, or Paulina Porizkova were before you saw them on MTV, you did afterward.

For those who don't find Skeletor attractive, and agree with Sir Mix-a-Lot ("silicon parts are made for toys"), current developments in music television--women with some meat on their bones, non-Caucasian women, natural-looking women--are welcome changes. Check out Kanye West's "Gold Digger" to see what I'm talking about. Caliente. Some rap videos, to say nothing of the audio, are terribly offensive. Rap's use of women is very similar to the use of women by hair-metal acts. Both genres poured heavy amounts of flesh into their videos, and both genres, despite producing some truly awful "music," dominated MTV's airwaves for multi-year periods. Grunge killed hair metal. I'm still waiting for rap to get what's coming. But hey, we can't say that we weren't warned. MTV laid out the gameplan in its very first minute on the air by playing "Video Killed the Radio Star."

The most conspicuous change in the use of flesh to sell a song is also the most depressing. Eye candy has gone from ensuring an audience for a visually-challenged yet talented act (ZZ Top, AC/DC) to becoming the act. I object more to the assault on my ears than to the corruption of my eyes. Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson, and The Pussy Cat Dolls have no talent. But people watch, and the numb then buy their albums. What uglier but more gifted acts are denied the airwaves because of the sonic horror that is Hillary Duff? It's truly an open question whether Meatloaf, Aretha Franklin, Mama Cass, Janis Joplin, or the five ugliest guys to ever grace a stage, the Rolling Stones, would land a contract at a major record company today. This uncertainty demonstrates the destructive influence of MTV (not to mention the decline of independent radio and the consolidation of the recording industry into a handful of companies).

At least there's mute for The Pussy Cat Dolls. There's no button to push to hear the music that MTV, and their copycats on the FM band, won't play.

As a musicologist, I'd point out that naughtier videos did exist during the golden age of MTV. No, they didn't get played until late and most just wound up being released in a video collection. You mentioned Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf," their videos for "Girls On Film" and "The Chauffeur" were heavily censored to even make it on the air but were released to video uncut. The Playboy Channel later used a lot of those old videos as well as newer ones during the mid-90s on their series Hot Rocks. Sure we can say that they were artistically done but I think the urge to meld sexuality with song has always been there.

I do believe that MTV has equally lowered their standards as they play less videos. By playing less, they can specialize in playing whatever the record labels are "urging" them to promote. Yes, the standard video has become more than just PG-13 but just like the NFL's end zone dance... it's going to take that moment to the next logical step for sensationalism. Give me back my MTV Classic.

Jessica Simpson made 35 million dollars last year...because she is very ..um..talented.

Jessica Simpson sings?

Typically, these days, music videos have little to do with the music.

Is it that the videos are made just for the sake of the videos thus the music is not the highlight or is it that the bands $uck (see Korn on Saturday night live)? Not sure.

What I am sure about is that in the golden days of MTV, the videos were created around some very talented bands and musicians. And the babes were marvelous but just a cosmetic part of the video.

Now, the babes ARE the video. Not a bad thing, all told. If you’re not into listening, that is.

If only popular music could be like country music where a majority of the artists are either Playboy or GQ material and they can sing and play as well.

I'd take crappy music and crappy music videos any day over reality teevee (of which Newlyweds seemed to be the penultimate expression).

The best thing about music videos, the spark that elevated a mediocre video to new heights was, in my opinion....

..ahem..

...Beavis and Butthead (cue music).

Beavis: [gasp!] [gasp!] I think that the problem with this video is it is highly derivative of many popular bands within the genre. Although when viewed on its own merits, it does have a deeper groove. However what it has in groove it lacks in originality. One can't help but be reminded of such bands as Pearl Jam, White Zombie, Suicidal Tendancies and other bands that bear the mantle of so called "Alternative Rock". One is even reminded of Lorie Anderson when she wore curlers. Hehehmhm! This video speaks less to the heart and more to the sphincter. In closing, I think Korn would do well to learn more from -

(Butt-Head slaps him silly)

Beavis: Ahhhh!! Heh! Oww! Heh! Whoa! What happened?

Butt-Head: You got all dizzy and started talking like a dumbass.

Beavis: Whoa, really? Wow!

Sgt. Flynn,

I think you should post some thoughts on hot dudes.

Echo 5 Mike

It's not easy being hot. For the past few years I've been translating the Aeneid into an obscure Ukrainian dialect that I picked up during my youthful travels in Europe. But does that ever make the gossip column? No, it does not.

Ah so, Mr. Fong. Very wise.

I am curious to see why no one has mentioned the great Bronksi Beat and their hot video for "Run Away". Lots of hot images in that one. Also puzzling has been the lack of hot chicks in Judas Priest videos. I mean Rob Halford has got to be an alpha male and get more chicks than anyone.However, the hottest videos of the video age have got to be by Motorhead, espescially The Ace of Spades. Moles rule.

I was suprised to read in the paper today that J. Geils band got snubbed by the rock&roll hall of fame? Is it true that they were more of a Boson area band in terms of popularity or were they somewhat popular elsewhere? I always heard they put on a great live show but never got the chance to see it for myself. What do others think? Was it a snubbing or is it just a case of a Boston band being mentioned in a Boston area paper?

and by the way Jessica Simpson has a great ass! Almost as great as Dennis Flynn's!hahahah

J. Geils were certainly a national act, scoring a number one hit with "Centerfold," but I think they were always much bigger in Boston than they were elsewhere. The thing I find interesting about the J. Geils Band is that they found success playing two really distinct styles of music. Early on, they were like a Stones-esque party band, with "Must've Got Lost" and "Ain't Nothin' But a Party" typifying that sound. Compare that with their later stuff--a more synth-driven, almost New Wave sound. "Freeze Frame" and "Love Stinks" (even though it's got awesome power chords) is what I'm thinking of here. I like both sounds, but when you hear JGB from the mid '70s versus JGB from the early '80s it sounds like two different bands.

Yeah, The Sex Pistols made it and Geils didn't. Go figure?!

There are some newer bands that I actually like. Linkin Park and Seether and Los Lonely Boys come to mind. I don't get VH1 Classic and won't watch thug tv, excuse me, mtv. Although, I can look at Shakira, she's easy on the eyes.

The whole idea of a Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is about as rock n roll as Debbie Boone, so if I were in J. Geils Band I wouldn't be too bummed. The Sex Pistols is a rather interesting choice, given that they made just one album. I own NMTBHTSP, but few people do (it didn't go platinum until 1992!) and those who do, I suspect, rarely listen to it. In other words, they are the band that everybody talks about but nobody listens to. I like the Sex Pistols, but if it weren't for Sid Vicious killing his girlfriend and then ODing, I'd be wondering whether they were as prepackaged as any boy band. Johnny Rotten? Sid Vicious? These are cartoon character names.

Hmmm... Dan, You mention something about guys not getting to know girls. Perhaps this is a good time to mention to the musically and girl challenged to avoid those stalker-songs like the Police's "every breath you take" or Joe Jackson's "is she really going out with him".

since we are talkin music here I have to take any chance i get to promote the greatest rock&roll band out there! My boys The Black Crowes have really outdone themselves this time. I'm going to see them on New Years Eve in NYC and I am in there fan club where i get first crack at tickets whenever I want tickets. So as with any other band who can fill seats there are the weasle brokers and scalpers who have an inside edge when it comes to getting any good seat at a venue.
The band had a presale on Thurs. prior to the weekend (sat) when the actual seats went on sale.
I was on the fan club on the minute the tickets went on sale and with a very good internet connection and the pre sale was sold out.
So now Sat rolls around and I'm online with Ticketmaster at exactly 9am. Well needless to say I got tickets in the loge area of MSG but was scratchin my head over what was goin on with the tickets. The next day on there website they had a survey as to where there fanclub members got tickets and when most people had just ok seats the called for a review of the ticket activity. Needless to say they rewarded all who participated in the survey with much better seats. Still not the floor but I dont care for the floor anyway.
Just thought i would get that off my chest! Thanks anyone who read the whole post lol

I think the lyrics of Joe Jackson's "Real Men" ("don't call me a faggot unless you are a friend") proves that "Is She Really Going Out With Him" really isn't a stalker song. I'm not sure if Joe ever really much cared who SHE was going out with.

and by the way Lincoln Park might be the worst band ever assembled! They are exactly what is wrong with music today!

Morris,

You love the Black Crowes yet Linkin Park is the worse band ever assembled? Ay carumba!

Just goes to show you how in the ear of the beholder musical taste is.

Johnny Rotten may have been cartoon character-ish, but as Johnny Lydon with Public Image Limited, he left some decent and unique music . . . And for what it’s worth, pop-punk bands like Blink 182, Green Day, Sum 41 and others may list The Clash, The Ramones, and The Sex Pistols as their influences, but it’s the mimic of Johnny Rotten’s unmistakable snarl that makes so many of these Southern California skateboarder lead singers sound like they ‘re from England. So, many of the now popular pop-punk bands owe their mock British accents to the Sex Pistols. I don't think there is any doubt that the Sex Pistols were indeed a manufactured, prepackaged band, and I agree about the one album, but the songs "Anarchy . . ." and "God Save the Queen" are great anthems.

While the music industry may currently suck, there are a lot of good rock bands out there, though in my estimation Wilco and Radiohead are a couple of the few rock bands that matter.

George Harrison summed up the subject of your blog post best when asked about The Spice Girls, “the good thing about them is that you can look at them with the sound turned down.”

ASDF,

comparing a jam band to Lincoln Park doesnt really compute in my mind? They have little to no similarities. When i speak of the Crowes I am not talkin about the songs you hear on the radio i.e. Remedy, She talks to angels, etc. Download a few songs you dont know and tell me you dont like them still. I have shows downloaded if you want me to send them to you. Is it a partial love affair with the band, kind of, but they are way underated as far as I'm concerned. Plus there are a lot of haters on here to begin with!

Comparing the Crowes to a "jam band" is a travesty in and of itself.

by the way I wrote what I did about Lincoln Park for a reason. They fit into what we were talkin about in a way with the Sex Pistols. By that I mean they were a pre-packaged band put together by music executives who believed they would relate to the skateboarding, ear,eyebrow and anywhere else pierced people and sell music. Where are they now?? Dropped off the planet faster than a Tim Wakefield knuckleball!

See Fong is on the list of haters and obviously has NEVER seen a show. OK Einstein what catagory do you place them in?

For the record: I used to do some tape trading in my day, and I've heard a few live Crowes shows. Not impressed.

to each his own pal!

Fong, question? Funny you said you used to do a little tape-tradin back in the day? what kind of groups were u into? They didnt happen to be groups like The Dead were they? Usually the type of bands that attract tapers are jam bands so go piss on someone else's parade cause I never asked if you were impressed. Go listen to your 8 track collection you have stashed in your basement

we do agree that Beavis and Butthead are gods though right?

Maurice,

Wasn't comparing Linkin Park to the Crowes at all in terms of types of music. Not sure where that came from.

The comparison began and ended with what your interpretation of good music is.

You say you love the Crowes but consider LP the "worst band ever assembled".

I would disagree with that. That's all.

well worst band ever assembled is takin it a bit far I'll admit. I guess it should have been worst pre-packaged band assembled but even thats harsh, they aren't I just dont dig'em

Each to their own when it comes to muzac.

Glad you've seen the error of your ways.

That will be one Act of Contrition and three Hail Marys.

As bad as Linkin Park is, the sad thing is they are better than The Black Crowes. However most would admit both are horrible bands. Lets just pray the Crowes stay retired, there are enough lousy bands around today as it is.

Can not disagree with you Muzak. The Crowes bite! Chris Robinson needs to do some squats, what is he 6'3 125.

hahaha you guys are funny and at the same time in a coma. the Crowes have been playing since March, so I guess it's hard to say they are retired and the will fill Madison Square Garden on New Years Eve, arguably the most popular venue in America. You clowns should do your homework before you post garble!

Hey Morris, thanks for the bad news. It will amaze me if they can sell out MSG. I pitty NYC, the only thing worse than the Crowes is there fans.

I agree with Morris. Chris Robinson is one of the sexiest and most talented she-males in rock music today.

ya with one of the hottest wives too! go figure?

My 8 tracks are none of your business, mister..

True, jam bands tend to attract tapers. And it's also true that I was, and still am, "into" the Dead. I didn't mean to imply that the Crowes are not "considered" a jam band by the likes of "people" like yourself. I only meant to say that they "suck". God, I "love" quotes.

So, do you work for Chris Robinson's publicist or something? You don't have to defend him from the slings and arrows of the Flynn Files. So go on and listen to your little band play; musical tastes can't really be argued.

BTW, Metallica attracted tapers, too. I would hardly call them a "jam band".

Again, a subjective topic. Kate Hudson is cute in her Mother's kind of way, but not as. No top end but does have a decent backside.

Hot? I think not. Marginal looks and talent. Somewhat like her hubby.

I have to agree with ASDF on the Kate issue. I like my women a little top-heavy. She does have a nice caboose i'll give her that. I cant believe she married that greasy scumbag hippie.

You clowns wouldn't know good music if it bit you on the ass. I say all I do on here with the Crowes cause it gets a rise out of people who know me, they are my favorite band but I say it tounge in cheek because it's more fun to come to their defense in here. Im not stupid or working for them I just like to argue a point that can never be proven right or wrong for that matter.

And to The Fongster: I am kind of surprised to hear you say that Metallica attracts alot of tapers? Is that true? I have a few old boots of their shows and the quality and sound is awful. I am a fairly big fan (more like was) of them but I think they are pretty bad in concert actually. Again, more opionion than anything else

Actually, I'm not much of a Metallica fan, but I am an admirer. Meaning only that I respect them and what they do, and everyone once in a while find myself blasting one of their tunes. Rare, but it happens. The truth is, I love arguing music, and I could continue till doomsday...but I'll spare the eyes of the other Flynn Files readers.

I was actually referring to the period (not sure if they still do it) where they had instituted a taping section for their live shows. I don't think it lasted more than a few tours, but that's what I was referring to.

Oh, and I'm sorry I ripped on your little friends, the Crowes. I'm sure they're very nice, live.

Dan,

LOL. He could still bend both ways (he looks flexible enough). Doesn't excuse the recent cover version either ;)

Bruce

Paulina Porizkova, Ric Ocasek's wife: now that's rock n'roll eye candy!

I think Metallica is very underrated and people who aren't into Metal miss the fact that they are one of the most musically solid bands around.

Listen to their cover of Seger's Turn the Page. Also their acoustic version of Skynrd's Tuesdays Gone. Great stuff!

geez i was about to lay this thread to rest and then I see this post! ASDF, are you for real? How you can even sit at your computer and type that Metallica is underrated is a complete and utter joke. There is no way you believe that. Personally I don't even think they should have covered songs like you mentioned. I like both artists but Metallica was about gritty grimmy metal songs that had you playing air guitar and thinking they were from another planet. It's unfair to say but the worst thing that happened to the band is when James Hetfield got sober. They lost that fiery edge they carried around for ten plus years and turned into a different band all together. Load was the last albulm I purchased because of this, although I have listened to reload and It's just not the same. So in closing it's hard for me to see your underated point when I have witnessed more Metallica t-shirts on people in my life than any other band by far.

Agreed. Metallica is OVERrated, and their cover of "Whiskey in the Jar" is one of the funniest songs I've ever heard. If I didn't know better, I would SWEAR that was supposed to be a parody.

A song like "Stone Cold Crazy", though, is really Metal at it's best...IMO. The band's best years are clearly behind them.

So we can agree on more than B&B, morris.

Funny you mention that little ditty, honorable Fong, as that was one of the other more creative cover songs done by them that I love but didn't mention.

I will admit that it does seem to have been conceived and performed as a wee bit o’ parody. This seems to come out through Hetfield’s vocal styling probably as a result of him having a little whiskey in the jar whilst recording it.

But I would say that the amount of energy and artistic style that was put into the remake of that tune makes it worthwhile and that it’s a perfect example of how solid musicians can make transitions in style sound good.

And yes Maurice, I am sitting here today at my computer seriously writing those words as a person who detests mostly all Metal but happens to think that Metallica is a phenomenal band.

Don’t want to start again, but coming from one person who’s crazy for a promoted garage band like the Crowes and another who admits to following a (put the gun in my mouth and pull the trigger because the music is so boring) band like the Dead, I think I my be on the right track.

I won't take your bait, and you won't catch me defending the Dead: it's usually love 'em or hate 'em. And I like quite a bit o' Metal as well (mostly classic stuff, but can be caught listening to Metallica on occasion...though I guess they might even be considered classic now).

But COME ON. The first time I heard Whiskey in the Jar, it almost made me crash my car it was so ridiculous. Granted, I'm a horrible driver, but good lord, man. I mean, it's almost Wierd Al-esque...

Don't know man. Must be the Mick in me as I love that song. Gets me foot tappin'. Speaking of driving (without crashing), I find it to be a great road song as well.

I enjoy many flavors of music but really don't like Metal. In fact, that's why I think Metallica is so unique. If a non-Metal lover like me can enjoy a band like Metallica, makes me think they've gone beyond the pure Metal label. Can't imagine a band like Pantera doing WITJarro.

I do agree: each to their own and if you like the Dead, enjoy. But you've got to watch what music you say $ucks when you admit to that.

You know how the story goes....what did one Dead Head say to the other Dead Head when the drugs wore off? "this music $ucks!"

There is only one band that really matters and that is, of course, AC/DC.I didn't need no stinkin video to get my marching orders. The music maded me do it.