What is Alternative?

19/05/2003

 

   

        What is alternative?

 

        There are always trends in society that are largely followed and seen as "cool," but nothing ever seems cooler then defying the trend.

        Until a few years ago alternative people were the ones that defied the trends no matter what, to a level beyond the realms of cool - they were the ones that took it so far they were uncool. They were generally rockers of some description although all of rock, metal, punk, rap, indie and other non-pop genres of music were often considered, or came under the overall bracket of alternative music.

        Although these "alternative" people were noticeably different from the majority of society I'm not really sure how alternative the majority really were, I mean were they even then simply following a sub trend? did they just want to be different or was the music and image really important to them? of course this depended then, as it does now, on the individual.

 

        For the past four years or so Alternative has become the "in trend" and some feel that by being the "in trend" it is no longer alternative. My belief is that being alternative means not only showing your individuality but respecting other peoples, yet more then ever the majority of "Alternative People" do not seem to represent what I perceive the principles of being alternative to be.

        Foremost, if you're just dress alternative and/or listen to alternative music because it's the in trend I have no qualms with you, however, I would say that this is not truly representing your individuality. As an example of this I remember that about this time three years ago, one of the coolest bands to listen to on the "alternative scene" was Limp Bizkit. I didn't really know the band but because everyone was going on about how great they were I decided to buy a copy of their new album "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water." I really didn't understand what all the fuss was about even though I liked a couple of tracks on the album.

        No more then a couple of months after this, Limp Bizkit became -The- Most Uncool Band In The World, no joke, if you liked Limp Bizkit -everyone- would make fun of you bar a few people who grasped on to their individuality either defiantly or whilst feeling bad about themselves for having a sub-standard music taste. I actually remember a girl I know singing Limp Bizkit songs in town when I was with her and the following year, when Limp Bizkit were playing, I asked her if she was going and if she still liked them. She told me she never had and I found this so shallow and superficial.

 

        The thing is, Limp Bizkit became too popupular!

 

        This would have made no difference to people who actually were alternative, they'd still like or dislike them accordingly, but to people wanting to be or to seem alternative, to fit in with the "cool" version of alternative, the way to do this was not to like popular bands - the popular bands became uncool and the way to be cool (not like everyone else) was to not like the bands that everyone else would make fun of you for liking (the popular bands.)  It was a complete paradox!

 

        This anecdote says it all:

 

        Trendy to a Punk: "What is punk?"

        The Punk kicks over a trash can: "That's punk"

        The Trendy kicks over a trash can: "That's punk?"

        "No," says the punk, "Thats conformity."

 

 

Alternative isn't about being different, It's about not being afraid to be yourself regardless of trends or sub-trends.