The Downfall of MTV and Rock Videos As We Know Them
I remember when MTV first came out. They played music videos twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It was great. No matter when you tuned in, you could be sure you'd see music videos. Here it is, 1998, and when I tune into MTV I usually see another "Road Rules" marathon. They hardly ever play music anymore! They should no longer be called MTV, they should be called "The Channel That Features Really Bad Shows About Twenty-Somethings Who Fight All The Time and Screw Each Other Anyway."

MTV, when they DO play music videos, play a limited selection. Of course, they play Spice Girls, Hanson, anything with Puff Daddy in it, and the Wallflowers, but what ever happened to those really good videos? Well, they put them on the "This Band Is No Longer Mainstream" shelf, and the only time we ever see them is if Matt Pinfield is so kind to play them on his show, 120 Minutes. Which, by the way, is the only remaining rock video show anymore.

MTV is also one big hypocrite. They'll play videos, then say they're offensive and take them out of rotation. What's even more stupid is if they're so damned "offensive" then why the hell do they play them in the first place? Like when Prodigy had the "Smack my Bitch Up" video, MTV plays it and then says "Oh my, thats WAY too offensive!" I thought that video channels always screened these videos first. So if that video was too vulgar, why did they play it in the first place? They ban Alice In Chains' "Rooster" because of Vietnam scenes. It's not like their viewing audience has never seen war scenes. Most of them are still in history class anyway. They ban Soundgarden's "Jesus Christ Pose" because there's a shot of Chris Cornell on a cross. What the hell happened to freedom of speech and freedom of religion? What happened to first amendment rights? I remember when Green Day released the video for "Geek Stink Breath" which showed a tooth extraction, and they were always saying "Oh hee hee this is really gross" and then they'd show it anyway. They pulled that video and I haven't seen it since. Nothing made me more mad when Tom Petty couldn't even say "roll another joint" in "You Don't Know How It Feels." In the Fun Lovin' Criminals song, "Scooby Snacks" they bleeped out "whacked" because it *suggested* drug use. How stupid is that? If some kid becomes a druggie because of a song or video, then there's a problem with the kid, not the band. There are numerous other instances where stuff has been bleeped out.

Thing that gets me is these R&B slutty crackwhores can go bumpin' and grindin' these half-naked guys and practically procreate in front of God and everyone, yet MTV puts them on heavy rotation. Well, I hate to break it to them, but I would much rather see war scenes or a cross than some scrawny-ass hootchie mama shovin' her toosh in front of the camera!

Music videos never used to be like that. Maybe because back when MTV first started, the majority of the videos were rock. Nothing against rap or R&B and pop, but they are all the same lately. There's some big rap dude mumbling about a bitch and his homeys, and then there's a dozen half-naked chicks go-go dancing, and then they're in a car driving down the highway waving their arms, "Aww yeah aww yeah, wave em lak ya jus don cay-yeah" and then there's some bright lights and some more near-procreation, and then it ends.

In my opinion, most rock videos have substance. If someone asked you to explain one rock video you saw, you could probably remember something distinctive. Now if someone said explain a 2 Pac video or Puff Daddy video, you'd probably remember nothing. Why? Well, take Radiohead for instance. Their videos are all so totally different, and so offbeat that you remember them. Tool and Nine Inch Nails have very artsy videos. Foo Fighters have a plot (even if it is weird) in their videos. I could go on, but I have limited space. Basically, the element that I like best about rock videos is that you never see anyone's privates, and they don't have to make 4 million dollar videos to sell their songs.

Okay, so I veered off the subject. MTV is lacking. I know that I want to see more music, less crappy shows, and more rock. If I wanted to see rap/R&B or pop videos, I'd tune into VH1 or BET.

Peace,
Kris.

The Head Creep.
So what do you think? Agree wholeheartedly? Disagree vehemently? If so, write Kris a letter (with the subject "Head Creeps") and give your opinions! She loves feedback!