In retrospect, did I really think Fonzie was cool or was he just cool because it was drummed into my brain at such a young age that there was nothing on God's green earth cooler than The Fonz? I was only 7 when Happy Days premiered. Had I tuned into my inner cool radar yet? Just when does one get a true sense of who they are and what resonates with them? I still wonder.
Today, The Fonze is all about nostalgia and not so much how cool he is. In fact, it was kind of a joke between a photographer friend and I. He took these pictures... this one is called "The Art of Zen Buddhism and The Fonze".
As I got older, I tried to understand what being cool was and exactly what defined one's code of coolness. To some, Star Wars was cool. For me, not so much... I was more into dark horror films like Burnt Offerings and Trilogy of Terror. To me, Karen Black was cool. And so it went on where I constantly found myself liking things that weren't defined as "cool" by the mainstream.
While others were into Leif Garrett, I was into David Bowie. Diamond Dogs by David Bowie remains my favorite album of all time. I started listening to it in the 70's because my brother had the record. He would play it as he passionately told me the story of George Orwell's 1984 which is the album's theme. I thought Bowie was so cool but he wasn't very popular among the masses. I thought my brother was cool back then too. Today... I think he's a prick. Totally uncool in my book.
I love music--- all kinds of music. Some of my favorite bands/singers are Portishead, Dead Can Dance, PJ Harvey and Sade.
Beth Gibbons, lead singer of Portishead has a heartwrenching voice that makes my skin break out in goose bumps. The first time I heard them was on ecstasy. I was at a friend's and they were listening to Dummy. I was so moved by her voice, that I started to cry. I borrowed her CD that night and ended up never giving it back. I just bought her a new one.
I've seen Portishead perform live 4 times and Gibbons perform solo once in a quiet little venue in Hollywood with one of my dearest friends, Eugene. He stood next to me as Gibbons' piercing voice penetrated my soul. Tears started streaming down my face. I looked over at Eugene and he was crying too. She is intense live and clearly has suffered a lot in her life. The fact that she uses her pain and transforms it into something beautiful is why I adore Beth Gibbons.
That said, I wouldn't consider Beth Gibbons cool.
Back in the 90's, I lived for Courtney Love. Now she was cool to me. And then came the new millenium. Suddenly, hardcore Courtney turned into some glam Hollywood diva. Not cool in my eyes.
This morning I was listening to one of my favorite bands, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and it occurred to me that lead singer, Karen O, is the quintessence of cool in my book. Instead of feeling emotionally jarred as I would if Portishead was playing, I felt a surge of joy and energy. The inner rock star in me started clawing her way out and before I knew it, my THX-certified surround sound stereo was turned up and I was dancing around my apartment while my cat looked upon me in amazement. Yeah, I'm going to be 45 in less than 3 weeks and I still got my cool on.
Karen O is a rock goddess. She is the reason I bought an electric guitar two years ago (that I played for about a month and now it currently resides in my closet covered in dust. I do currently have an ad for it on Craig's List. It can be yours for just $125. Comes with Yamaha amp and Korg tuner. Email for details). Not only can she sing but she can dance and dresses tres cool. She also went to NYU. Fuck, yeah.
Karen O rulez my cool world.
That is all.
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