I’ve only read one Stephen King novel, the rock-infused "Christine".\u00c2\u00a0 Oh, he’s a great storyteller, but I’m not much into the supernatural, and I’d like a little more flesh on the plot.\u00c2\u00a0 But Mr. King has won me over with his column in "Entertainment Weekly".\u00c2\u00a0 You see, he’s honest.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t take much to turn the tide.\u00c2\u00a0 Just a viewpoint, or a tip.\u00c2\u00a0 Then a fan coddles up to a star and the bond doesn’t break until many offenses are committed.\u00c2\u00a0 We view our heroes, those we believe in, like brothers, we don’t break family ties easily.<\/p>\n
Belief.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s been left out of the rock star equation.\u00c2\u00a0 We no longer believe in Bono.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s the phony glasses, and his urge to save the world.\u00c2\u00a0 He doesn’t seem to be playing to us anymore, rather to a higher class of people, in control of the universe.\u00c2\u00a0 As for Bruce Springsteen, he stepped out on his wife.\u00c2\u00a0 You may judge him on his music, but his working class fans, his moralistic fans, just couldn’t understand it.\u00c2\u00a0 They found out in the tabloids?\u00c2\u00a0 Shouldn’t he have announced a formal separation, never mind a divorce?<\/p>\n
I still listen to U2’s music, but I never miss a chance to slam Bono, he messed with my vision of him, the guy who made "Achtung Baby" and followed it up with that fabulous tour.\u00c2\u00a0 As for Bruce, shit, I forgive his marital transgression, relationships are hard when you’re a loner musician, but when he gets all preachy now it makes me want to throw something.\u00c2\u00a0 Hey Bruce, why don’t you laugh and say you don’t know shit, like the rest of us fiftysomethings.\u00c2\u00a0 Why don’t you humanize yourself, speak through your music, stop preaching to a choir that doesn’t exist.<\/p>\n
Then again, Bruce did write that anti-Bush editorial in the "New York Times".\u00c2\u00a0 He took a stand, when everybody was afraid of being Dixie Chicked.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, Bono went to the Oval Office.\u00c2\u00a0 I ain’t NEVER gonna go to the Oval Office with Bush in residence, no matter what award they want to give me.\u00c2\u00a0 Sure, they’re not going to give me an award, but I wouldn’t speak to O.J. over Christmas for the same reason.\u00c2\u00a0 Yup, he was in the hotel, for a week, fuck him.<\/p>\n
What caused me to truly turn the corner on Stephen King was his list of favorite tracks at the end of 2005 in EW.\u00c2\u00a0 It included James McMurtry’s "We Can’t Make It Here".\u00c2\u00a0 I haven’t heard anything that good since.\u00c2\u00a0 You get props for enriching my life like that.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s why I believe in Stephen King.<\/p>\n
I read everything about the man now.\u00c2\u00a0 The book reviews, the articles.\u00c2\u00a0 I’m following him.\u00c2\u00a0 And I was stunned, positively amazed, when I read his comments in "Newsweek" today.<\/p>\n
Yes, on page 50 of the January 22nd issue, there’s a large picture of Mr. King and his To-Do list for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n
1. To live to see George W. Bush tried for crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n
2. To fly in space – orbital would be fine – and to write about it.<\/p>\n
3. To see "American Idol" canceled.<\/p>\n
Starting with number two.\u00c2\u00a0 I get that as a writer.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s so powerful, so much fun to write about a great experience.<\/p>\n
But really, it’s number one that titillates.\u00c2\u00a0 He’s not only hitting, he’s hitting hard.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s no pussyfooting, there’s no obfuscating, he’s not only laying it out, he’s punching.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n
But it’s number three I’m most interested in.\u00c2\u00a0 While Clive Davis is being lauded for his "American Idol" achievements in the L.A. "Times", as the besuited execs clamor for a similar opportunity, while everybody’s creaming in their jeans over all that money, Stephen King is saying what we music fans feel.\u00c2\u00a0 He’s playing the Nazi in "The Producers".\u00c2\u00a0 This isn’t music.\u00c2\u00a0 This isn’t what he and we believe in!<\/p>\n
Listen to those gurus who say that it’s only about units, about cash, that anything you do to achieve this goal is okay, the public is not paying attention.<\/p>\n
I’ll tell you, most of America is like the people in McMurtry’s "We Can’t Make It Here", working for a wage, trying to make ends meet and doing it honestly.\u00c2\u00a0 They’ve got no opportunities to sell out, and wouldn’t if given the chance, all they’ve got is their dignity.<\/p>\n
We’ve got a phony country, involved in a phony war.\u00c2\u00a0 The tide is starting to turn.\u00c2\u00a0 The 2006 election taught us that.\u00c2\u00a0 Used to be that music led the charge, hell, remember "Eve Of Destruction"?\u00c2\u00a0 But now music is at the end of the endless media parade going in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Bono.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Davis.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Morris.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Carey.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Levy.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Jay-Z.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Top Forty.<\/p>\n
I don’t believe in Best Buy.<\/p>\n
I do believe in McMurtry.\u00c2\u00a0 And King.\u00c2\u00a0 And Jobs too.<\/p>\n
And life is meaningless without belief.<\/p>\n
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