Stevie and the Teeny Bopper Artists

Sorcerer386 · #1 06-02-2003, 11:28 PM

Has anyone else been wondering lately why Stevie has taken so much to the teeny bopper bands and artists? It's kind of strange to me considering the band she's in, not to mention her "musical partner." There's just something I DON'T see with Stevie being in the Mickey Mouse Club as she said she would have been when she was younger if they'd asked her (like Britney and Justin, etc). It just baffles me that she's giving credit to people like Britney and Avril Lavigne. Somehow if it were 20 years ago, I don't think she would be saying the same thing, but I could be wrong. Stevie's a rock and roll girl who's lived on the merit of her songwriting, and many of these girls (and guys) go by image alone. I think something like Evanescence sounds more like her style, but I can just hear her saying that "it's too raucous for me." It just seems to me like she's taken steps back into a younger self...possibly a mid-life type of thing (which I don't want to call a crisis because it's not THAT serious). Does this trouble anyone else?

Johnny Stew · #2 06-02-2003, 11:44 PM

I think the contemporary artists Stevie gives the most credit and praise to, tend to be the more "respected" artists... Sheryl Crow, Courtney Love, Norah Jones, Natalie Maines, and even Avril Lavigne, to a certain degree.

I think the thing she respects about Britney and Christina (and their ilk) is the hard work they put into it.
Stevie seems well aware of how the game has to be played, if you want to have any kind of major success... and I guess she just admires these girls for knowing what they want, and making that happen.
So I think it's their drive she respects in those cases, not so much their talents.

So hopefully there will be no appearances by Ms. Spears or Ms. Aguilera on any of Stevie's future projects!

wondergirl9847 · #3 06-03-2003, 12:48 AM

Christina has a VERY powerful voice, sure, her image is more geared towards "dirty and naughty", but, personally, I think it's a phase for her...she wants to not be associated with "cutesy little Christina" anymore and went to extremes to prove that. The girl put out a pretty great album (don't have it yet, but may get it from what I've heard) and wrote it all herself pretty much I believe. Britney...I THINK is putting out a new album that she's writing on...we shall see what her writing sounds like, even tho her voice is really weak and not at all like Christina's. Britney is more an entertainer than a singer anyways...I think Christina has got a decent future...we'll see about Brit. I think Britney is a gorgeous gal, but her talents are different than Christina's and Stevie's especially, BUT, I don't understand the dislike for them, the "boy bands" and whoever else doesn't write deep, meaningful lyrics. I guess it's because I like all types of music and have grown up with pop music that means pretty much nothing. LOL It's fine if music doesn't have a "message" or deep lyrics, as long as I like the beat.

I don't mean the post to be rude or hateful if you don't like CA or BS, that's cool, but some people are very closed minded to some pop music...so that's why I'm puttin' my 2 pennies in the jar. HEE!

Johnny Stew · #4 06-03-2003, 01:47 AM

I guess I can tend to be a bit of a snob sometimes where music is concerned, but I really don't have any deep problems with "pure pop" music. It's not really my taste, but I can find enjoyment in some of the songs.
Heck, one of my "guilty pleasures" is a boyband named Boyzone, so I don't really have any room to talk.

I think what Justin is referring to in regards to acts such as Britney and Christina, is that the lyrics and music are usually pretty secondary to the hipness quotient of their look, their videos, and their dance moves.
So it's somewhat surprising that a "respected artist," such as Stevie, would be praising those acts.

Again though, I think Stevie is moreso praising their drive and dedication, than anything else.

As for Britney and Christina... I don't really have much of an opinion. I guess I'd take Britney over Christina, simply because while Ms. Spears' voice may be somewhat thin, she isn't prone to the over-the-top vocal histrionics and note-scaling Ms. Aguilera can't seem to get past.
When she sings in a more straight-forward way, she has a good voice... but when she's just trying to impress us with how many notes she can fit into one line, she annoys the snot out of me.

(I don't advocate violence against women, but I still think that Sting should have turned to her on stage and slapped her for the mess she made of "Every Breath You Take," when they appeared together on VH1's 'Men Strike Back' concert a few years ago.)

Sorcerer386 · #5 06-03-2003, 03:33 PM

I understand people have different ways of enjoying music. That really wasn't my point here. I definitely agree Christina is becoming more musical and less packaged. My point was that Stevie is saying if she were young again, she'd be doing what the more packaged artists are doing now. She mentioned how she would try out for American Idol. Those idols are going to be packaged for years. I could NEVER see someone telling Stevie what to do and how to do it (except maybe for Lindsey, and that's even a fine line there). I don't know, maybe it's one of those things I have worked out in my head but really can't explain it.

sarahw · #6 06-03-2003, 07:03 PM

I think Stevie knows what the business is all about now in this day and age which is why she says she would do things like American Idol....she came of "musical" age surrounded by loads of other talented "singer/songwriters".....music was deep and not manufactured like it is today. I have often thought she would have not done well in an American Idol situation, because she is too different.....not cookie cutter like most of the contestants.

Plus, when asked her opinion of current acts, I don't think she would just slam them. She is too classy. But I honestly don't believe she is grooving around her house while listening to their albumns. I think she is just being nice.

cliffdweller · #7 06-06-2003, 06:11 PM

I've never heard Stevie give props to the Britney's and Christina's only the more respected artists like someone else mentioned earlier. I read something Stevie said in an article a little while ago about how she used to think what Britney was doing was alright but now she feels like she (Britney) needs to put some clothes on, start writing songs and get with a singing coach if she wants to stick around for 20 years. In this article, Stevie seemed to reneg on what she said earlier about those girls, thank god!!

macmar71 · #8 06-06-2003, 06:15 PM

I think Michelle Branch is very talented for her age and I could see her collaborating on something with Stevie. They are both very grounded serious songwriters.

Cammie · #9 06-09-2003, 07:38 PM

Hi Johnny Stew... We adore Boyzone too!!!

Cuties we think! Brits!!! Do they have a web-
site we could go to...haven't thought of them in
years!Worked with Andrew LLoyd Webber!Cam

Johnny Stew · #10 06-09-2003, 07:57 PM

Hi Cammie... yes, I found Boyzone when they recorded the Jim Steinman/Andrew Lloyd Webber song, "No Matter What" (which was written for the musical, 'Whistle Down The Wind').

Granted they're just a "boy band" at heart, but they do make some fairly decent "make out"... err, pop music.

Not something I could live on a steady diet of, but it has its appeal.

There are a couple of outdated fan-sites still floating around out there, but now that Stephen Gately and Ronan Keating have both struck out on solo careers, you might have a tough time finding any info on the group.
Their official site no longer seems to be running.

With a little digging, I found Boyzone USA... but it hasn't been updated in several years.