cB News____issue #3, August 2005 Options

[cBNewsStaff]

Members, please do not post any comments in this thread. Any questions/comments/suggestions, may either be PMed to one of our editors, listed in the editors' notes for both your convenience and ours, or posted in the issue 3 discussion thread; we will respond to your comments accordingly. Again, please do not post any comments in this thread; they will be deleted and you will either receive a verbal warning or a raise in your warning level - you may even face suspension.

Editors’ Notes

As always, we would like to take this time to thank our readers that encourage us to keep this newspaper consistent, by PM, viewing regularly, and applying. We hope all our readers understand how hard we are working to bring cB News to createBlog. Even with school starting, a few of our team members gave extra effort to write more than one article required of them to bring you all this excellent third issue. Though we've pulled through in the past two publications together, this issue truly says a lot about our team work.

If you are interested in joining our news team, feel free to apply; we always welcome more help! If you enjoy journalism and want to become more involved in the createBlog community, please fill out an an application form; if you feel uncomfortable with your application open to the public, please PM your application to either Fae (uninspiredfae) or James (Marchhare2UrAlice). Please note that we are currently not looking for editors; other than that, we welcome all applicants!

If you would like to be featured in future issues, feel free to send us a letter to the editor; please PM the letter, no more than 250 words, to this account (cBNewsStaff). We will consider all for publication in a new "letters to the editor" section, and we reserve the right to edit for content and clarity. Your cB username will be included if your letter is chosen for publication, so be careful who you offend! In any case, please enjoy our third issue of the createBlog news!

- The cB News Team

Administrators: Fae [uninspiredfae], James [MarchHare2UrAlice]
Editors: Anna [Azarel], Justin [CrackedRearView], Ruth [suddenly she]
Runners: Kiera [mzkandi], Sidney [ItzOnlySydney]

(Note: Recent additions to the cB News Team are not listed.)

Table of Contents
01 Editors' Notes
02 Unveiling: krnxswat- cB News Staff
03 The Push for a News Archive - cB News Staff
04 The First cB Debate Competition - cB News Staff
05 Xanga of the Month: July 2005 - Ruth [suddenly she]
06 Unneccessary Rap Battles - Radhika [not_your_average]
07 YOU'RE Hosted? - Sammi [headphones]
08 The Celebration Has Been Cancelled - Justin [CrackedRearView]
09 School of Thought Scores - Justin [sadolakced acid]
10 College Tips - Fae & Anna [uninspiredfae & Azarel]
11 Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll - Ashley [antix10_kos]
12 Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground - Brie [Despise]
13 Album Review: In Between Dreams - Anna [Azarel]
14 Featured Films - Anna [Azarel]
15 Featured Poem- cB News Staff
16 Advice Abby - "Abby"

[cBNewsStaff]

Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll
Ashley De La Garza (antix10_kos)
August 2005

Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll


Jimmy Urine brings life to the mic.

Three words, one name: Mindless Self Indulgence. Just the name makes members of previous generations cringe. Why would anyone want to listen to a band whose name clearly states that the band is "mindless"? What's so fun about self-indulgence? "The music of our times had meaning - the artists stood for something: they spoke to the people. Devotion to a band meant that we followed them on tour for a month each summer and sang along to all of their hits every time they were played on the radio." Well, not anymore, Mom and Dad.

In a time where favorite songs are only a click away and most people have never left their house to see their favorite bands perform live, music is allowed to be mindless. Music is no longer the serious pursuit that it once was. Music belongs to everyone who wants a part of it. People don't have to save up for weeks to buy the latest vinyl; they don't have to drive an hour to find a store that has it in stock. In an age where gas is over two dollars a gallon and going on a road trip means sitting in traffic for nearly ten hours, following your favorite bands and being a groupie are dreams that can only be lived by a few. The rest of us make due with shelling out about twenty bucks to go see the band when they come to town and pledge our allegiance by pimping our favorite band out on our xangas. This is the era of Mindless Self Indulgence.

Be yourself, or go kill yourself; don't be a follower. Have fun, and don't worry about what happens later. It's okay to point and click your way into their fan base, download their discography, and make your own MSI merch. This is a band that promotes the use of video games as recreation and lifestyle - a band that embraces their geekiness as much as their rock star image. They openly admit to being Star Wars fanatics and love Atari video games so much that their album, "Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy," uses Atari beats as background noise of most songs. Their newest album, "You'll Rebel To Anything," features a cross, made entirely out of video game controllers on the cover of the album.

They're a fresh breath of air in a stale music market that is dominated by screamo and teeny-bopper pop - they are a combination of industrial rock, punk, rap, and techno, all cut and pasted together with part care and part reckless abandon. The best thing about MSI is that you never know exactly what they're going to do next. And neither do they.

Jimmy Urine jumps into the crowd without looking back; he shakes hands with his fans and steals their cigarettes from their mouths when they aren't paying attention. If you give him your camera, he'll more than likely shove it down his pants and snap a few pics of his package. He's the type of guy that makes lemonade onstage while club management fixes the sound system. He then proceeded to distribute it to those sweating it out on the floor. Here's a guy who dyes his hair pink, wears man skirts, and doesn't care if you like him or his music; He hangs around the venue after the show, saying "hey" to his fans, signing autographs, and being completely unfazed by his underground fame. He smashes chairs and pushes over speakers - he flies across the stage on a sugar induced frenzy and relentlessly sings the songs of a strange and misguided generation.

In retrospect, anyone would probably be hard-pressed to call Mindless Self Indulgence a "rock 'n' roll" band. Simply put, they are a musical experience, shared by many and understood by few. With song titles like "Bitches," "Holy Shit," "Faggot," and "Bullshit," you'd expect them to be a bunch of ignorant poseurs; however, they're not. They're a band that wants people to think for themselves, and if people happen to buy their albums, then great. If not, they can still kick it at live shows. Mindless Self Indulgence is one of a small handful of bands that embraces one's right to be one's self instead of just some manufactured image. Despite being offensive to some, Mindless Self Indulgence has some of the most creative lyrics around. If you don't want to read into your music too deeply, then this is the band for you.

Want to check out Mindless Self Indulgence? Click and you shall receive.

MSI Official Website
MSI Lyrics
MSI's Lyrics Mad Libs
Mindless Crackers
MSIfan