Also, check out a site Derr the Dude (aka Mono) made. http://freewebs.com/derrthedude

Here you go Derrick!-http://www.freewebs.com/rainasylum/DerrsStuff.zip

Article- Pop Music and Pop People

Okay, this article is about pop music, and followers. Pop music is.....Well, admit it, we all secretly like some Pop. Honestly, and I am risking my personal honor here; I think that Pop is entertaining some times. There, I said it. You know you feel the same. Even if the music is based around sexuality instead of talent, and that it has no credibility, it is catchy. Why else would it be played on the radio ALL THE TIME? Thats annoying, but stay with me. Okay, people hate people who are fake. The mass media is fake. We hate the masses, right? Wrong. We hate the people in the masses who are there for the wrong reason. I personally dont like when people dont take time to notice something for its "art". They follow what is popular, and its popular because they follow it. Lets get this straight, and yell at me all you want...RAP now at days is POP. At least with most artists. I mean, the songs are un-inspired, and arent any deeper than "Loot at my Ho, Look at my Gun, Look at this Pot, Wanna hit some?"... I mean, really, wasnt music used as a spiritual expression in its purest form anyways? Used to make a statement? Dont get me wrong, I like rap.But I like GOOD RAP. Unlike the other 80% who like rap because its rap, and thats it. Tupac had a statement, Emenem has a statement.....uh, somewhere... Anyways, Pop is mostly based around image, and even though the "Musicians" can sing (Well, I think so at least...I mean, look at Ashley Simpson! Hella good singer!) it has lost any form of art to it. I guess you get that when you have producers write hits for you.

Now onto Pop People....or followers. The reason we hate Pop, is because of this. Posers. We all know use this term, but dont know what we mean by it. What I mean is that Posers (followers) are people who follow something that is popular just because of that. They only respect a band that is selling records to thier popular friends. They buy the album, and only take time to realize the popular tracks. Case in point, Green Day. I have mixed feelings about them. Did they sell out? Im not sure. They dont seem to make an attempt to be mainstream. Oh yes, now I know why I stopped liking them. The sad thing is, it wasnt thier fault. Green Day's musicians ARE Artists, but; after the Radio played "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" about 99 times an hour, I had enough. I go to school, guess what? People who hadnt even heard of Green Day a year ago are wearing Green Day Shirts, and claiming to be theyre #1 fans. What songs did they know? "Uh, I walk Alone! Its cool!". Hmmmm......... Im glad you at least know the title.  Case number two! A friend of mine (Not to reveal Camron's name or nothing.) likes a song from my personal favorite band, SOAD (System of a Down). He likes BYOB. Thats it. Well, they do have 30+ other songs that are even better than the one currently playing on Mtv right now. I guess its fine to like something just because its the "In thing" right? This also happened to skaters. They pick it up when it becomes cool. Forget when you were mad fun of for dedicating yourself to it. Thats not cool, so followers wont do it. Followers also happen to be hypocrits too. They will hate something at one point, and then like it when its widely accepted. Followers are people who are insecure, and uh...... I dont want to sound like a typical teen but......they conform to match thier surroundings. I guess its a survival instinct, but a duck doesnt pretend to be a lion.

One more thing, Pop music and Pop people all have one final thing in common.... They cater to other peoples needs. They arent themselves. They become what people want them to be. Risking credibility and personality. It all sucks. I dont hate people that do this. Im even friends with certain people like this, its just something that needs to be explained, and understood. By the way, now that you understand this, dont bother Poppy's. You are only doing what someone did to get them there in the first place. Now Ill close this with a quote from Shavo Odadjian of SOAD.

NYROCK:	So do you think there's such a thing as selling out? You know, how people say Green Day aren't punk because they "sold out."
SHAVO:	You know what selling out is? It's writing music to cater to other people. That's selling out. Writing music to cater to the radio, to make money. Now, if you write music and the radio picks it up and all of a sudden starts playing it, thats beyond you. In fact, more power to you."