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Sunday, October 01, 2006

Unpopular Opinion 3: Cueshe isn't a boyband

All views and opinion expressed by this blogger does not in any way reflect that of blogger.com or the whole bloggosphere for that matter. Whatever bold statement read her should not be taken as the omnipotent truth. This blogger only wishes to share his opinions of the way things are in this universe, of which he is entitled to. If you don't share his opinion, you are very much welcome to share yours. But don't in any way hate this blogger for whatever opinion he has that is opposed to yours, for he does not in any way imply that he alone is right and that everyone else is wrong. Respect is valued here, as much as your opinion is, whatever it maybe.

I was on a bus home to Pampanga with my orgmate Paul last Friday when something unorthodox even for not-so-posh public transport vehicles happened. The bus driver played the album of Cueshe -- Half Empty, Half Full (or is it 'Half Full, Half Empty'? Oh! Whatever!). We were supposed to be tuned in to Love Radio, like most buses are. The moment we heard the familiar intro of Stay, Paul and I stared at each other laughing. (You see, for UP students, Cueshe is jologs. Sobra!!). But when Sorry started playing, we knew we were doomed -- they're playing the whole Cueshe album! Haha!

So while we tried to spend the 1-hour trip resting (albeit to no avail, because we were constantly laughing at the music playing), I reflected on why Cueshe is considered a jologs band anyway. It's like their status in the music scene is something equivalent to boybands. Honestly though, for me:

"Cueshe isn't a boyband!"

But I am not saying they are a genuine rock band, either. I must stress, I am not a rock expert. I am not even a hard core rock fan. While I may appreciate some rock songs and rock bands (especially OPM bands) every now and then, it is probably just because these songs has a certain degree of pop-iness, haha! =p
But when it comes to boybands, I can safely say I have the right to this opinion, because I am one of the 'jologs' teenagers from a few years back who spent bucks to buy their albums, magazines and whatever thingamajigs that featured them. Westlife, Backstreet Boys, A1, O-Town, Plus One, Five. I was a true-blue pop fan, boybands (no matter how cheesy) included.

I checked out the lexicon meaning of a boyband: all-male pop group: an all-male pop band marketed for a teenage audience. But we all know that aside from this, the word 'boyband' also pertains to those guys who don't play instruments on their music. They wear monochromatic sets of clothes at every public appearance. Most are handsome (oh well, this is relative, right?) and cleanly shaven -- sometimes even with buff bodies. And at least one is a closet gay, right? Haha! Therefore, with this jologs criteria, Cueshe should not be branded as a boyband. It's unfair! Haha! =p

Personally though, I am able to appreciate some of Cueshe's songs. So I used to wonder why my rockista friends insist that Cueshe (and Hale) is a boy band. I asked my roommate Rjei, and he couldn't give a straight answer. The only explanation he could come up with was because in their Stay music video, the band was sporting decently but fashionably simple clothes. You know, the usual clothes worn by, uhm, boybands, hehe. Haha! Of course, it didn't help that Cueshe (and Hale) became insanely popular to teenage girls. So I asked, "Just because these guys are handsome, they can't be in a rock band? Just because their fans consist mainly of teenage girls, they can't be considered as rockers?" I think the term for them was 'pogi rock'. =p

In fairness to Cueshe, they play their own instruments. I mean, that's a legitimate definition of a band -- to be able to play your own music, right? Boybands should not even be pertained to as bands, they should be called boy groups, haha! Personally though, based on my self-concept of rock bands, I don't get why the Justiniani guy simply sings and doesn't play any instrument. Okay, he is a vocalist. But if Reuben, who sings as many lines (sometimes even more) than Jay, is already there, what do they need Jay for? To play the tambourine? Haha! To make the girls swoon? Shush. Haha! =p

So, if Cueshe isn't a boyband and they ain't a rock band either, what are they? I am honestly not sure! Haha! My theory is because they aren't rock enough, hehe, at least for the rockistas out there. As for me, wala akong pakialam! Haha! Basta hindi sila boyband (as far as the typical manufactured boyband definition is concerned). Period. =p

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