23 COMMENTS:

Anonymous,  November 2, 2009 10:19 PM  

God, grow up. I'd say your homophobia is showing, but it's more like your idiocy.

Jill,  November 2, 2009 10:24 PM  

Idiot.

Nicola,  November 2, 2009 10:35 PM  

@Anonymous,
For the record, I'm grown.

If you, or anyone finds this homophobic, I do apologize -as I wasn't going for that. There definitely is feminine trend with these album covers.

And I do think Chris Brown's record label is intentionally feminizing Chris. From the baby blue sweater and bow tie (in the Larry King interview) to the leggings in this shot, to the clothing in his latest music video. I think this look is intentional. Previous images of Chris Brown have been about selling him as a cute thug. They're running from that now.

As for Adam Lambert, his record company isn't trying to "mainstream" him at all, which is suspect, considering he was the second runner up on American Idol. The For Your Entertainment Album cover is ridiculous. It's beyond campy. And I'm still trying to figure out who they're selling it to.

RABIN,  November 2, 2009 10:35 PM  

What I don't understand about Black Artist - if they are going to dress like this be prepared to be on the cover of "OUT" - I love when all the home boys are strutting their Peacock chest and Abs - they're not GAY - they are just Brothers2Gether & Men2Gether - Chris needs a new audience - maybe the trolls will grab him - and YES! this cover is Glam and we created Glam.

Anonymous,  November 2, 2009 10:37 PM  

Adam Lambert - Have you heard him sing?

Anonymous,  November 2, 2009 10:46 PM  

Hey! are those leggings? Is he a ballerina in laceups? Who dressed this fool? Maybe he is showing his feminine side? I guess to show understanding to plight of women living in Abusive relationships? He has reached his inner frilly lace. I like lace panties. You would definitely need no underwear under those tights. Maybe he is wearing a g-string I don't see a cup?

Nicola,  November 2, 2009 10:50 PM  

@ Anonymous 10:37 pm

Yes I've heard him sing. Vocally he's talented. That's why the first album cover pissed me off so. Who approved that?!!

People sign your names! Or a fake one, I have no idea if I'm responding to the same person or not.

MamaKath,  November 2, 2009 11:30 PM  

Actually Adam had the final say on the album art. If you do some research threw his tweets last week along with red carpet interviews at This Is It, he stated he was going for camp. Personally I think it is a great way for him and SMG/RCA/19 to distance him quickly and cleanly from Idol. He's not like any other Top10 contestant they have had in the past in that he was already well established in the Hollywood scene, connected and focused. He knew the industry so came in with a very clear picture of where he wanted to go. He stated more than once that the show was just a platform to get exposure beyond Los Angeles. Already it seems that label and management understand who they should be targeting for Adam's fanbase going forward just based on the writers who have collaborated on the album. Fans of Muse, My Chemical Romance, 30STM, IAMX, Pink and Lady GaGa are not afraid of some campy album art. We want to hear what's inside that jewel case.

Despite your attempt at an apology, your wording when using the term "gay" comes off very disrespectful. I hear this done a lot in the 12-35 straight community lately as do my grown children who are both heavily involved in the arts with many LGBT friends. Especially in the context of one of the subjects of your post being out & proud, it just comes off very rude.

Wathsala,  November 3, 2009 2:53 AM  

This post has been removed by the author.

Nicola,  November 3, 2009 6:13 AM  

@MamaKath
You make a lot of valid points, but I'm not buying many of them.

He may have been established in the Hollywood scene, but that means nothing. There are plenty of artists who are established in the LA or New York club circuit, who don't get record deals. Both those cities are the Mecca’s for the record labels. Maybe he slipped through the cracks or maybe he didn’t get signed for a reason.

First time artists rarely get that much approval on their first album. I could be wrong, maybe the folks at 19 think he’s a genius, but I doubt it. The album cover is polarizing. The record company would know it. Wal-Mart is the biggest retailer of music in America. The album cover is not Wal-Mart, which is a good thing usually, but not in this case.

Don't compare Adam to Lady Gaga. Huge difference. But that being said, Gaga is not original or unique. Each generation of music has produced a Lady Gaga, someone whose style and image is just as important as the music. Think Nina Hendrix, Grace Jones, even Madonna. If you'd read comments on Net written by people who went to school with Gaga, you'd know this woman is an actress and this image is very much part of the
“performance”.

Adam's first album cover is ridiculous. American Idol contestants have a short shelf life. Yes he was smart to separate himself from the rest, but not with that image. He should have gone with the black and white image instead (although it's a bit boring). Initially, I thought he was going for the whole eighties revival thing that is going on now. But after googling images of Adam Ant and Culture Club, even Divine for goodness sake, I’m even more puzzled by what they put out there.

Adam’s image on the streets and on American Idol was very “glam”, but he appealed to both the boys and the girls. This image does not, which pissed me off initially. It was if his label was throwing him out there, instead of marketing him. I applaud Adam for going “balls out” on the image. But it’s a horrible image.

Finally, I could be wrong but I don't think so. Adam bought those songs, they didn't write them for him.

I do agree with you comments about my usage of the term "gay". I was attempting humour, clearly people didn't find it funny. Yes Adam is out and proud, but until that album cover, he wasn't at all presenting a stereotypical "gay" image, or what people perceive as one. That's why I question what the hell the Label is doing. That's why I think the whole thing is suspect.

With respect to Chris Brown. They are trying to soften his image.

At the commenter who deleted the post. You didn’t have to. I’m not homophobic. Further, I insult people everyday on this blog, therefore you have every right to serve it right back to me.

Nicola

Anonymous,  November 3, 2009 7:45 AM  

What you admitted to was that you are homophobic.

Tugrul,  November 3, 2009 7:47 AM  

I dunno, Nicola. I'm gay and still I'd say those covers are pretty gay. They're also awful. Still, I think the Chris Brown cover is better than the Glambert.

That's a lame excuse to say Lambert intentionally went with the cover to distance himself from mainstream. It may be different, but the cover is still crappy.

Tugrul,  November 3, 2009 7:51 AM  

@Anonymous, November 3, 2009 7:45 AM

Go cry out your gay prosecution traumas somewhere else.

RABIN,  November 3, 2009 8:15 AM  

This is one SERIOUS ASS Blog? Am I suppose to read all this SHIT?

RABIN,  November 3, 2009 8:34 AM  

QUESTION to Nicola and Tugrul - you two are saying the covers are "GAY" - what makes it "Gay" because I am not seeing it - enlighten me? Maybe you two straights can tell me something that I am missing. This is GLAM photography - which is another form of photography art - maybe now it will be really mainstream - but still answer my question - good luck.

MamaKath,  November 3, 2009 9:30 AM  

I wasn't "deleted comment". That said, I've only recently gotten interested in Lady G. My feeling has been from the first time watching is that she is a performance artist. Although songs may not be innovative and are over-engineered, she plans & executes their staging so that the whole thing becomes the complete piece of art. I'm someone who likes that kind of creativity. I liked the Panic at the Disco tour prior to Nothing Rhymes with Circus which took the whole inclusion of Lucent Dossier too far. In the "rose vest" tour, it was subtle and very good burlesque/circus that added to the songs. In NRWC their performances along with ridiculous set pieces overshadowed the songs. Another great piece of current performance art was My Chemical Romance's Welcome to the Black Parade U.S. legs 1&2. Combined with Gerard's direction of the album art and the collector's booklet in the 1st edition of the album made it a total concept.

If you read my blog you know my feelings on the problems with Adam's album cover. I wish I was paid what this "artist" and the "typographer" were paid. I'm 11 years self-taught in Photoshop and this image was completely over-edited. As for the fonts-at the least they just clash. At the worst, someone needs to stay out of the "styles" tab.

Regarding scaring away Wal-Mart purchasers? I'm not against it. I don't buy any of my CD's there because they are all censored. In fact many of the bands/artists I listen, you won't find their stuff in Wally World because either the company bans it or the artist refuses to allow censored versions of their material to be recorded. I'm more on an FYE shopper or I will mail order from Amazon.

My point about Adam's establishment in the scene was a comparison to the rest of the chattel who turn out for Idol auditions. Very few have any street cred or chops. Even eight years into this they show up with stars in their eyes and no clue what they will be up against. They "make it" to the "top" on the votes of teens and their moms who spend four months of Tuesday & Wednesday nights plastered to the TV thinking they have been empowered by 19E to actually pick someone with real star quality and talent. This entitlement continues after the season closes with them still thinking that they are as good as a real A&R rep and should have a say in "their contestant's" career. The "Idols" on the flip-side, get thrown to the industry wolves and (for the most part) are chewed up, spit out and kicked to the curb within two years. Adam was pretty much the antithesis of all that. In fact, he's stated many times that he was shocked to make it past Country Week. He came on that stage doing RoF with the intention of polarizing the masses and labels who thought they might like to take him on. He knew he didn't fit but he wanted to see if there was a market for what he had to offer.

I look forward to blog-banter with you. Please feel free to wax poetic on mine also. Peace.

Tugrul,  November 3, 2009 10:46 AM  

RABIN, I already said I am gay. Don't select what you read.

Sure. Let's give it a name. GLAM. What you call GLAM I call GAY. It's how I perceive the overall style of the pictures. They're male, but feminine. So I call it gay. I guess I could call it differently. I'll think about it. How else do we describe overly effeminate males?

RABIN,  November 3, 2009 11:11 AM  

Thanks Tugrul - I mean that - I am going to buy his CD - I absolutely thinks Adam Lambert is an AWESOME Talent - but listening to this first single shows he has lost the drive from the competition - I don't care about him personally but what he brings to my immediate moment - ya - I can be a Bitch when I am ready but I recognize talent - ya - I also can't sing - just a piece of info on GLAM - GLAM comes from India - paintings done of Indian Gods and movie stars - the idea in the western world was to recreate these imagery in photography to give that heavenly look - sad that the photographs turned out to be so sickly and very cultish looking - I think this is where it gets lost - please look at Lord Vishnu,Goddess Latchmi or Ganesh - also look at Tom of Finland - notice something - my parents house were plasted with these paintings - not Tom of Finland - I have been trying to find the photograph of Boy George (I also own his albums, Cd's and DVD's) as Lord Vishnu holding a flute - good example of this art - my last note on Adam Lambert - GOOD for you - last note on myself - I am not GAY -I was told I was GAY - LOL. Thanks again.

Tugrul,  November 3, 2009 12:52 PM  

That's interesting. I thought GLAM was extracted from 'glamorous'.

I didn't get what Tom of Finland has to do with this, but I do get what you're telling about Indian gods. Still, are you sure he's trying to be GLAM then? I think the covers are GLAM by accident. Like you say the covers look more cultish. I think that's what they went for.

donna,  November 3, 2009 6:35 PM  

YIPES!!!

Nicola,  November 3, 2009 8:27 PM  

Sorry everyone I was super busy at work today. Thank you for your comments. I’m going to try and not make this an essay.

@ MamaKath -for some reason, blogger was showing your post as deleted until about 11 am (although when I clicked on your name, it reappeared). As for reading your blog, I was late for work this morning because I spent so much time on it! It's great, BTW. I did read your posts on Adam’s album cover. I see your perspective. Also, I am no Wal-Mart fan either, but they are the biggest music retailer in America. I think Adams cover irked me, because he is so damn talented. Maybe he doesn’t want to be mainstream, but I think one can still be an artist and go platinum. I think for the first album you need to build your audience first and foremost. Push the envelope second. Think of how many young openly gay musicians who have mainstream, top forty success. I thought Adam Lambert could have gone there. I have more but I’m going to post my comments on your blog. ;)

@ Anonymous 7:45 AM I'm not homophobic, nor have I ever admitted such.

@ Tugrul. You make me laugh. Thanks. To think, all this time I thought you were a girl.

@ Rabin. I think your playing both sides of the fence on this one. Tom of Finland? Is that code baby. I don't know anyone from Finland. As for this being Glamour photography and "art"? Bish please. Adam and his people went to the Glamour Shots at Glendale Galleria Mall and had his picture done.

@ Donna, I knoooooowwwwwwwww.

@ Everyone. Chris Brown took to his twitter to defend his album cover. He wants everyone to know it isn’t gay. So sorry.

Anonymous,  November 4, 2009 12:52 PM  

RABIN - Fence Sitter? I know him and one thing he isn't is a fence sitter. Thanks to him I am lot more vocal about my rights and people around me. You did not answer his question.
PAUL

Tugrul,  November 4, 2009 4:34 PM  

Well waddayanow? Oops! Wouldn't it be funny if Chris Brown read your blog?

A girl? Lol! No! I guess my name isn't well known and you can't make up my gender by my name. Yes, I'm a guy.

You don't want to know Tom of Finland. It's drawings of gay porn art. Don't ask me why. I didn't get the connection.

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