Boybands in Space, Disney Rock Cops and Other Absurd Developments. by antiGUY

Is it just me or has the world gone crazy? Just keeping up with entertainment news these days and some of the headlines really gives me pause to consider the current state of the world and just how wacko things have become. What follows are three examples of some crazy music stories I have recently ran across in my reading. 

Boybands in Space. 
 
It seems that N Sync's Lance Bass is in the running to be launched into space. While some may like the idea as long as he didn't return, I have to scratch my head at the thought that something as important as the exploration of space has been reduced to such a trivial level that putting a pop star into space is even being considered. After the initial reports that Lance Bass was hoping to raise $25 million from sponsors so that the Russians could launch him into space in November with the flight and the training being filmed for a television special, the Russians balked at such a thought. The Russian Space Agency says that they have not talked with Bass or the Netherlands based MirCorp who are supposed arranging the odyssey for the pop star. While it is true that the Russians have shot non-astronauts into space, principally rich businessman who could come up with millions to pay for the trip, the Russian Space Agency contends that Bass is not in the running. Ok end of story right?  Not so fast, even if the cash strapped Russian's won't consider the idea, it seems that NASA might just make Bass's out of this world dreams come true. Space.com quoted a NASA spokesman as saying that the U.S. agency wouldn't oppose the Bass trip, as long as he met all the medical and physical requirements of the Space Station partners. Far be it from me to suggest that NASA should consider sending legitimate passengers into space that can contribute to our knowledge of the universe instead of even for a split second thinking about a cheap gimmick like sending someone like Lance Bass into space. In the name of all of those who died so that man could reach out to the stars, I implore NASA to not give this absurd notion another second of thought or consideration and use your veto power with the Space Station partners if the Russians happen to drink too much Vodka one day and grant Lance's wish. 
 

Disney Rock Cops. 

I was flipping through the local "freebe" newspaper, OC Weekly, a couple weeks ago and came across an article about some strange tactics by the Anaheim Police Department at the House of Blues club located at Disney's Downtown area just a hop skip and a jump from Disneyland. According to the article Anaheim's finest have been sandbagging concertgoers as they leave the music venue and arresting them for being drunk in public. This is disturbing on a few levels. First, one of the people interviewed for the article stated that the police approached him as soon as he stepped out the door of the venue and when he answered the police truthfully that he had been drinking, he was arrested on the spot. Mind you, he had brought a designated driver along so he would have to drink and drive but ended up going to jail for having a few beers at a concert. An Anaheim Police Department spokesperson told the OC Weekly reporter that they often patrol the venue after concerts at the request of the club. So if we take this to it's logical conclusion, The House of Blues knowingly sells alcohol to their patrons and then arranges for them to be arrested for drinking? Does this make sense? Sure if someone becomes drunk and unruly, then the venue should call the police have the person arrested, but for police to stand outside the venue to pick people at random as they leave and then arrest them is another thing. Pretty soon people are going to stop going to the club because of all the hassles and bands will refuse to play there.  But a bigger problem with this particular House of Blues venue may be its location. If it wasn't located in the heart of Disney, it is doubtful that the police would waste their time hanging out arresting concertgoers. The logic of putting a rock club into a Disney controlled property has been tested in the past. One example was when Disney officials forced the House of Blues to bill Nashville Pussy as Nashville P when they played the club last year, according to members of the band. The bottom line is that Rock n Roll and Disney don't mix and these recent arrest just proves the point once more. True the House of Blues chain of clubs offer some great music venues but it appears that they idea of putting one into Disney's Downtown wasn't such a great idea after all.

Fat Head, Red Hat, Delusions of Grandeur. 

This final tidbit says less about the absurdity of our society than the overblown ego of one of its superstars. Then again this person being a star in the first place is pretty absurd. 

After Limp Bizkit's national guitar search failed to yield results Fred Durst was ready with excuses that of course attempted to paint the failure as a victory. Now here is where things get to be absurd, Fred Durst says he is in no rush to find a new guitarist because he wants the next Limp Bizkit record to be timeless. "The word 'timeless,' [means] music that you know can stand the test of time." Fred Durst told Launch Media as if explaining that circular means round. "People who know what that means know that we're not making it right now...We want to be able to touch people emotionally, a whole new set of people, a whole new generation of people." Why is this absurd? Just listen to Limp Bizkit and the even the notion that they could create music that will stand the test of time after the current rap-rock fad dies is preposterous.  Someone needs to clue Fred into the fact that Limp Bizkit is the modern answer to the Bay City Rollers. Hey if you like their music fine, listen to it, enjoy it, make Fred rich. But don't for a second think that anything Limp Bizkit produces will stand the test of time aside from being the punch line to a joke or being remembered as a youthful indiscretion of music you liked when you were younger when you didn't know any better. There is absolutely nothing timeless about Limp Bizkit and that is their biggest problem, that group epitomizes everything that is wrong with trend mongering and fads in music. 

So I ask you has the world gone crazy? Has rock and popular music sunk to such a low that we can't recover? Can Limp Bizkit make timeless music? Should we be considering launching Boybands into space (and returning them to earth)?