Lady Gaga on SNL - Holy crap she's actually good!

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Some people are easily impressed.

And some people are impossible to impress.

[CaptainCrunch]

Was it something that made me jump out of my chair and call it unbelievable? Not really

Was it something that would make me jump out of my chair and cheer if she was a contestant on American Idol or a 12 year old girl at a piano recital? Probably.

Is she a great artist? To me she's not unless cliche is an art. Just because your weird or say contraversial things or over sexualize your song lyrics doesn't really make you an artist.

she's in my mind ok, but annoying as hell in spurts where she's been completely over exposed. She doesn't make me think, her lyrics are bubble gum garbage repetitive at best, she doesn't make me enjoy her music, because I've heard her so often she makes me change the channel.

But to her credit, she's managed to make some really hook laden crap pop so that you instantly recognize her music where ever you go.

But is she anything more then a weirdo one hit album wonder? Probably not.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Prototype

And some people are impossible to impress.

I like to call it Practiced Aloofness. You know, the "whatever" approach.

(The thing is... "whatever" only counts if you can do it better.)

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I like to call it Practiced Aloofness. You know, the "whatever" approach.

(The thing is... "whatever" only counts if you can do it better.)

Oh you got me..I can't get on stage and play piano better than her. Come to think of it, I can't go out onto the ice and play hockey better than any NHL'ers either. I should be creaming myself anytime Wade Belak makes a pass. Maybe Calgarypuck is "practiced aloofness" too.

[Crispy's Critter]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

EDIT: To note, that is the first I have ever actually seen or heard Lady Gaga. I had no idea who she was before seeing this video.

and for that you should get down on your knees and thank whatever deity you worship. (probably fellating them wouldn't be out of line for having spared you for so long)

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Man, people's expectations of what's impressive in pop-music has sunk pretty low. Remember the days when people didn't cream their pants over an "artist" (god i hate that term) being able to sing decently and play their own instrument, because it was you know, expected as a basic fundamental standard?

There's nobody even on the level of ABBA these days....and those guys were as pop as it comes.

I don't think expectations from the masses have changed much at all over the decades actually. The Beatles' music is about as fundamental as it gets, but they were idolized more than anyone (note this is my immediate frame of reference since I've been playing Beatles Rock Band lol). Even in the 50s, with the likes of Doris Day, Paul Anka, the entire Rat Pack etc., their music isn't complex by any means. Dunno how music was previous to that, but I doubt it's much different either.

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Oh you got me..I can't get on stage and play piano better than her. Come to think of it, I can't go out onto the ice and play hockey better than any NHL'ers either. I should be creaming myself anytime Wade Belak makes a pass. Maybe Calgarypuck is "practiced aloofness" too.

What you do on your own personal time is up to you.

Is there something wrong with me liking Lady Gaga as an entertainer?

I enjoy all kinds of music, as my favourite band is the Foo Fighters, but you can find everything from Paul Brandt, Black Eyed Peas, some Timberlake, Jet, The Darkness, Billy Idol, etc on my iPod... oh, and a little Lady Gaga. I like Dane Cook's comedy, I enjoy the occasional Nickleback song. I momentarily cheered for the Oilers in the Cup Finals cause I wanted the Stanley Cup to come back to Canada. I like Strawberry Cream Cheese on my bagels. I watch Big Brother. I was a fan, and perfer to remember Michael Jackson as an artist, I'M NOT YOU.

And yet, sometimes on CP, I feel like I have do defend my decisions because people have a "holier than thou" complex because they don't.

There's a clear title on this thread, and people have to come in here and crap on whatever the subject is. I know this is how Calgary Puck operates, but it's still freakin' annoying.

If you don't like Eklund/Nickleback/Ponies/Lady Gaga/Coolers/Whatever... then don't jump into a thread that sheds a positive light and crap all over it. It just doesn't make sense.

And I appologize for the Oilers confession... I was wrong in doing so, and they suck.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Prototype

There's a clear title on this thread, and people have to come in here and crap on whatever the subject is. I know this is how Calgary Puck operates, but it's still freakin' annoying.

I don't know if its coming here to crap on it, and you can like whatever music you want, but I guess given the title and a few posts about how good the performance was supposed to be, I guess I was expecting something special. Like I said, it was ok, but nothing really memorable.

ADDITION: just wanted to add, a few years ago I was actually in that Youth Talent Show thing at the Calgary Stampeded. There was this chick that did "I will survive" by whatshername, which I thought was a lot better than this Lady Gaga performance. Nothing against Lady Gaga who obviously found some way to make a lot of money, but individually, neither her singing or piano playing in that youtube struck me as particularly good... even compared to this girl at the youth talent show.

[octothorp]

I admit I have a tendency to judge entertainers based on whether they write/perform their own music. When I first saw Santigold perform (I think it was on Conan), she just was singing at a microphone with a couple dancers behind her, and no band. And I sort of dismissed her as being a typical market face of some music industry effort. And then I noticed her music starting to get good reviews, and once I read about her ideas as a songwriter and what she was trying to do with the album, I went back and started to listen to her more; and now I think it's great.
I haven't listened to Lady Gaga for much the same reason that I initially dismissed Santigold. It makes me wonder how much good music I've written off because of such snobbery.

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by liamenator

Whether you are a fan of pop music or not, it's virtually impossible to deny that Lady Gaga is one of the most interesting artists out there right now.

She's certainly not doing anything new - borrowing heavily from the Madonna school of shock/media manipulation (witness: the fact that people actually believe she's a hermaphrodite) - but Madonna's is a formula that is very difficult to pull off successfully (witness: Christina Aguilera).

She is very shrewd, and it seems people are finally starting to realize that she is not the vapid popstar she first appeared to be... that she may in fact be delivering a subtle critique of the whole modern celebrity obsessed media landscape. I mean, she wrote, recorded and released a concept album about fame prior to having any semblance of actual fame whatsoever. That's a ballsy move!

This couldn't have been unintentional.

[MaDMaN_26]

So my Brother and I watched SNL and both of us had heard of lady gaga but never actually heard her... so we watched her first act and looked at each other and agreed we don't get the big deal, very meh imo. Then the second act came and the metal saturn rings for lack of a term made us wonder WTF, my bro even said they were kind of neat... but we both thought the song was terrible, then she sat down at the piano and about a minute in I thankfully remembered due to a phone call I paused my PVR for a minute or two and could fast forward the crap signing and get to the comercial. We were both very happy about that and enjoyed the comercials a lot more than Lady Gaga...

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Oh you got me..I can't get on stage and play piano better than her. Come to think of it, I can't go out onto the ice and play hockey better than any NHL'ers either. I should be creaming myself anytime Wade Belak makes a pass. Maybe Calgarypuck is "practiced aloofness" too.

Nobody's creaming anything...

Having said that, there's an entire Grand Canyon between criticism and aloofness. There's nothing wrong with saying that you don't like how someone does something, or how you think someone else does something better... or even that you think the person of note could be (or has been) better.

Where I draw the line is with the people who just simply snort and act like anyone and their grandmother can get on stage and sing/dance/play an instrument... or write songs that hit #1 on Billboard, or whatever else we're talking about.

To use your Wade Belak analogy... of course he isn't Bobby Orr. So what? At least he made the NHL. It's one thing to say he sucks, it's another thing to act like he's not even a hockey player at all or that the fact he even made the NHL in the first place isn't impressive. That just sounds fake.

[Jordan!]

How is this 4 pages?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Nobody's creaming anything...

Having said that, there's an entire Grand Canyon between criticism and aloofness. There's nothing wrong with saying that you don't like how someone does something, or how you think someone else does something better... or even that you think the person of note could be (or has been) better.

Where I draw the line is with the people who just simply snort and act like anyone and their grandmother can get on stage and sing/dance/play an instrument... or write songs that hit #1 on Billboard, or whatever else we're talking about.

To use your Wade Belak analogy... of course he isn't Bobby Orr. So what? At least he made the NHL. It's one thing to say he sucks, it's another thing to act like he's not even a hockey player at all or that the fact he even made the NHL in the first place isn't impressive. That just sounds fake.

This is a great post, but lets be serious for a second. I might not get on the stage and perform or write songs, but as a consumer its my right to critize someone. These performers don't exist in a vacuum. They've accepted the lifestyle.

However I look at Lady Gaga as another example of manufacture by record label, who tries to disguise her music which is really terrible behind the whole shround of I'm a really weird chick and an artist.

She's neither, she simply a symptom of the low standards and declining intellect of music fans who because of the whole boy band pop generation listen to outright drivel.

The test for Lady Gaga is if she can continue her career across albums, I have my doubts because really, gimmick pop like this rarely last because someone weirder with dumber lyrics and no instrument talent comes along and gets pushed hard by the record company because their music is timely.

There's a difference between an artist who gets sales and an artist who gets respect. Lady Gaga will eventually fade into the freakshow vault.


I look at her lyrics and it screams stupidity.

[Flames_Gimp]

I couldn't stop looking at her crotch, trying to see a bulge

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

I couldn't stop looking at her crotch, trying to see a bulge

Cause you wanna take a ride on her disco stick?

[Prototype]

I want to give kudoes to MaDMaN and Cap'n... I completely understand that not everyone can enjoy someone's style, music, etc.

The problem I have is when people take a shot at people who like the subject we are talking about.

Hense me going off on the "Easy To Please" comment. I don't expect everyone to conform to liking something outside of air... but don't take a shot at me, or a blanket shot at fans of such a thing if you're not a fan yourself.

I gotta get rid of this soapbox...

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by Prototype

I don't expect everyone to conform to liking something outside of air...

Pssh air's overrated. I prefer my sulphur dioxide.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

She's neither, she simply a symptom of the low standards and declining intellect of music fans who because of the whole boy band pop generation listen to outright drivel.

I think thats bull. People can like whatever they like, who cares how simple or complex it is. You can take the most complex Chopin and Liszt music, and 2% of the world would actually be "intelligent" enough to appreciate it. The most talented singers or musicians arn't usually the most popular ones, though one or two have carved out a pretty solid career. Never the less, tact is that there are certain things that sound aesthetically pleasing to the ear, and for those looking to carve out a career, you piece together things that the gen pop like to hear for success. The Nickleback formula of success, if you will. There was nothing about the 60's or 70's that made bands any more talented then the ones now.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Prototype

I want to give kudoes to MaDMaN and Cap'n... I completely understand that not everyone can enjoy someone's style, music, etc.

The problem I have is when people take a shot at people who like the subject we are talking about.

Hense me going off on the "Easy To Please" comment. I don't expect everyone to conform to liking something outside of air... but don't take a shot at me, or a blanket shot at fans of such a thing if you're not a fan yourself.

I gotta get rid of this soapbox...

You're overly sensitive. Its an opinion. Not everyone is going to agree with your tastes, and some people are going to think its horrible. Some people are going to say they think its horrible. You have your right to like what you want, other people have the right to think its crap. I don't understand why everything has to be sugar coated. You're taking it too personally. I'm sure there's things out there you think suck too. You have a right to express it.