This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race

Good day, you have chosen to read this... Meaning you don't have anything else to do or you want to read some of my scribbles. If you do have something else to do, I suggest you get to it, because today's topic is: Why do I not look like an Emo/Punk/Nerdy/Rock/Preppy/Childish kid. I feel the need to kick everybody out of their little boxes today.

A kid, seriously 15 or something, asked me if I am emo... I asked why, she answered:"You listen to Fall Out Boy." Appearantly when you listen to a band that attaches some emotional value to it's songs, you're emo. It gives me creeps. It is also a teenie fact that when you listen to My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy and Jimmy Eat World, it's impossible to be a fan of, oh let's say... Michael Jackson, Eminem, Will Smith, Slipknot, The Murderdolls,...It's also physically impossible to be quiet, into books, into quieter music, a good student, not socially hyperactive, not a jock, not wanting to go out in highly overcrowded hangars listening to way too loud techno, D&B and such AND still be into FOB, MCR, PATD, Jay-Z, Nirvana,... What kind of bullcrap is this? Let's break habits, barriers, boundries. Let's make emo-, punk-, nerd-, metal- and others scenes flow into each other.

Yes, I know Bullet For My Valentine, Less Than Jake, NOFX, Reel Big Fish and Flogging Molly. Is there something weird about it? Some might think by the look of me I might be bragging or just dropping names. Really I'm not... I like to call it a broad knowledge of culture, others think it's weird. Maybe it's time we ban guilty pleasures and "Oh, no I'm not supposed to/I can't listen to that"... I don't think there should be any shame in or any boudries to what we listen to. I'll give you a list of my favourite bands, not in order of liking...:

• Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is, Panic! At The Disco, The Hush Sounds, The Sounds, Cobra Starship, Gym Class Heroes, Simple Plan, Sugarcult, Jimmy Eat World, Motion City Soundtrack, My Chemical Romance
• I also listen to Marylin Manson, Murderdolls, I used to like Slipknot (some songs at least),...
• I listen to Mika, Milow, Stan Van Samang, Tom Helsen, Gwen Stefani, Gabriel Rios,...
• Not to mention Gogol Bordello...
• But I also like Abba, The Beatles, Aerosmith, Nickelback, Nirvana, Michael Jackson,...

It needs being said that I am still a sane person, well most of the times. I spent most of my life trying to figure out what I am. I thought I was a skater at one point, a nerd, emo, punk, nothing, rock chick, oldies freak, grunge,... I came to the conclusion that I am everything and nothing. I wear glasses and have freckles, yet I'm not a nerd. I have friends and a lot of people know me, yet I'm not popular. I have black hair and at one point it covered my eyes, yet I'm not emo. I'm most comfortable being all of it at once, just me... I urge you to do the same and to reach out to other musical cultures and genres, even though they seem to clash. Step out of the safety zone that is your "scene" and step in and out of other ones. What you'll find is quite amazing.

I hope I made a point here... Be yourself and don't be a (sub-)genre and don't be afraid to like two totally different genres. Don't frantically try to hold on to one. It's perfectly legit to like abba and Hatebreed at once, and don't judge people by what they look like or listen to. They might just surprise you.

Painting your trash gold while you sleep:
Monco
XO-reos