Sinister: Aretha Franklin said it best

[JAMES GILMER]

Hullo Sinister children,

So, is it in any way possible for the list to go on for a week without some 
MAJOR bloody disturbence that gets everyone's knickers in a twist? I guess 
not, eh?

For the record, I like to give poor Lauren a vote of full public support for 
her indie rantings post, not so much because I fully agree with her (and I 
do agree a great deal with her) but because I've read enough slagging of the 
'masses' and the 'hard kids' and the 'townies' to be well pleased when 
someone gives the pretentious few a good, hard slgagging. Oh, and what's the 
problem with hippies, I've seen them given a bit of a slagging as well, I 
like hippies. Pretty girls, good music, and a nice philosophy.

All anyone wants is a bit of respect, and I don't care if you're agnostic or 
atheist (like me) or buddist or whatnot, if you honestly think the music one 
listens to is an indicator of the type of person they are, you are in 
desperate need of a fucking life.

If anyone actually belives that; "It is not what you are like, it's what you 
like" you are a pretentious twat. High Fidelity was a good book, and a good 
movie, but I'm not basing my world view on what Nick Hornby thinks, thanks.

Besides the fact that I thought the whole thing was a pisstake and a fairly 
accurate slagging of music snobs.

Oh, woe is me, the hard kids made fun of me, people don't bloody understand 
me, the masses listen to shit music, 'those people' control the world...what 
absolute crap.

I've taken plenty of shit from people on a wide range of subjects, but you 
know what, the 'indie' movement is not a disenfranchised minority, any 
attempt to compare them to the civil rights movements of blacks or gays is 
downright insulting.

The masses? You take their individuality away everytime you refer to them in 
that sense. Yes, they are individuals, believe it or not. You learn these 
things when you take the time to give a damn about people instead of your 
own world view.

People use indie style to get girls? I don't think I have a style, or if I 
did, it most likely be a pretty square style. Funny, I've gone out with and 
been friends with girls from all across the spectrum, indie girls, punk 
girls, abercrombie girls. You know what? They were all sweet, vibrante, 
lovely young ladies, regardless of what music they listened to or what 
clothes they wear.

I don't really think I'd like a person, girl or otherwise, to whom clothes 
or music were the deciding factor in whether they talked to me/liked me, 
etc. I'd probably think they were very shallow.

Not that people shouldn't have things in common, but there's a lot of things 
besides music and clothes to have in common.

Look, it's just about respect, and I don't respect any of you on your choice 
of music. I don't respect you based upon the clothes you wear. I respect 
people on the choices they make and why they make them. When a person comes 
up to me they are a cipher until they open their mouth, then they earn or 
lose my respect.

I think what annoys some of us, is that the idea of indie, just like the 
idea of 'alternative' was that the scenes were supposed to be free of all 
that crap. It wasn't supposed to be about what you wear or the exact music 
you listen too, it was supposed to be about breaking molds, not forming new 
ones.

You're all wonderful, intelligent individuals. Bright, sometimes warm, 
sometimes funny, and mostly very nice people. Don't let your own 
insecurities cut you off from the world, because you are no different, no 
better, no more or less pretentious or worthy than anyone else. My sig quote 
at the bottom pretty much sums up my feelings on the whole mess.

There's a big, wonderful, multiplex world out there that we can all live in. 
All it takes is being respectful and smiling a bit. A smile and a bit of 
respect will take you farther than you would have thought possible.

Personally, I think we need a new topic to get in a huff about. I present; 
"Ribena is over-priced Kool-aid and tastes like piss".

You may commence posting your rightious indignation to my slander of Ribena.

Be happy people, go out and play in the sunshine with pretty boys and rude 
girls.

Jim

"I haven't feel geeky or dumb since I was 17. I don't feel marginalised or 
outmoded and neither should anyone else in this thriving, multiplex society. 
When will successful, creative, intelligent people stop thinking of 
themselves as childlike outsiders and start engaging with the real 
high-stakes world? Wake up fanboy, wake up fangirl.
Don't you want to rule the world?" - Grant Morrison

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