Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Bandslam, and why it could be potentially disasterous to me

A few months ago, whilst surfing the Internet, I came across an article about an upcoming Vanessa Hudgens (you know, her) film called "Bandslam", about some teenagers who start a rock/ska band and...

Wait, what? Ska band?

Yes. A big of fan of the genre as I am, I was very exited to find a film, let alone a Walden Media film with Aly Michalka (of 'Phil of the Future' fame) and Vanessa Hudgens, about a ska group. I was nearly ecstatic, because this is the kind of thing that will bring new fans to the genre and maybe, just maybe, might lead to a resurgence of the genre in which we're finally cool...

...but then I saw the soundtrack.

Cheap Trick, Velvet Underground, and DAVID BOWIE? How do those have ANYTHING to do with ska? No, no, no, no...if this is a soundtrack for a movie about a ska band, it needs Reel Big Fish, The Specials, Aquabats, and some Mighty, Mighty Bosstones! David Bowie?! Are you kidding me? I mean, I like "Changes" and "Under Pressure" as much as the next guy, but he has no place on the soundtrack of a movie about a ska band.

And then I thought harder about ska being cool again. It'll be like when emo got cool circa 2005. A punch of poser kids with eyeliner, arm bands, and black hair dressed in shirts from "Hot Topic" crowded REAL emo and punk bands, and the punk scene's never been the same since. Imagine, if you will, a bunch of teenage girls in checkered ties, fedoras, black pants, polo shirts, skanking in the middle of a club to Goldfinger, a band they never would've listened to a year ago, while I, a real ska fan, will be standing outside with a cigarette complaining of all the posers. It won't be my thing anymore. I'll be like every other loser with checkered Vans, a porkpie hat, and a Toaster's CD.

All because of Bandslam.