Magically, my book has started charting in the “rock” books section of Amazon, which is always dominated by two things: books about the Beatles and “I was on drugs–BUT LIVED!” tells alls. I saw this today–that I am closely trailing the clean-sober-and-Christian autobiography of the one time–I don’t even know what he played–bassist? xylophoner? in Korn. It made me think maybe if Girls Guide to Rocking had a more sensational title, like “Girls Guide to Rocking; How I found Bikini Kill, toured the world, and learned how to tune drums” or…? I dunno if that really makes it sound as intense as the Korn dudes tome. I hope that, like, 6 people buy my book on Amazon today so I can beat the guy from Korn’s confessional, even for a day. I just wanna beat him on this list and the “How to play a dijeridoo” book on the childrens music instructional list.
In the other news portion of other news, I have to say–Kanye’s thing at the VMAs were not exactly surprising. Especially not for him. This is not something I explicitly talk about in the book–and will in volume two (it’ll happen eventually!) is that there will be that guy. That guy who pops up and unsolicited, tells you YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG, MISSY. I have seen it happen at shows–some other bands manager or sound guy or another guy in a band will–not even knowing your band’s situation, values, training–pummel you with advice and an opinion about the right way to do what you are doing. There is a lot about this in non-specific terms in the book, that the way YOU want to do YOUR music is RIGHT–to counter the fact that YOU WILL MEET THAT GUY.
I have been swimming, at the YMCA pool, and some older sir just started walking next to my lane giving me pointers in this way that was really about HIM KNOWING RIGHT, under the guise of helping me. I got to end of the lane and said “You know, I am actually taking swimming lessons, and I don’t want ot need your help. I am in the pool swimming because I like to swim, not to do it perfectly.”
At our Nashville show on tour, Romy and I were sitting outside and a producer/manager who had no idea who we were started telling Romy how Ghost Bees should tour the UK and what sort of magazines to get in… for minutes. And finally she says “Actually we just got back from our second tour of England,” and then he was off on another thing, so he could find some sort of spot of authority that he could wield, until Romy and I just got up and walked away, amidst him almost berating her for Ghost Bees paying too much for their visas and tickets.
It sucks. But it happens. Some men, for their whole lives have been told their values and ideas are important, and their input has been valued, and they are really focused on their way being the PROPER WAY, who assume EVERY YOUNG WOMAN IN THE WORLD IS IN DIRE NEED OF THEIR ASSISTANCE AND INPUT. I feel like Kanye is that guy, the guy, who is pacing along side the pool with his vision, believing he knows best.
Here is a REALLY great article from Ann Powers, the pop critic for the LA Times about Beyonce and Taylor Swift, and the sisterhood of pop stars. That you MUST read.
(ALL CAPS CITY, Jessica Hopper, Mayor.)