Fashion!

I found this on Google. Don't ask me where it came from.

This is supposedly a music blog, but I just got back from the Walkmen show and I want to talk about FASHIN!

First of all, I have noticed a new breed of hipster lately. Burlington is currently in the throes of Brooklynification, as that borough has reached terminal hipster velocity and must now extend, tentacle-like, to even tiny burgs like our own.

Interestingly, Brooklyn itself is undergoing a bit of a makeover, largely due to the influence of so-called "freak-folk" artists (and Williamsburg colonists) such as Devendra Banhart. The indie-rock cognoscenti’s lock-step fashion sensibility has lately been infiltrated by a not-so-subtle hippie aesthetic. That's right, kids — you can finally feel free to sport a clam-digger's beard with those pegged pants of yours.

This confluence of stylistic influences has resulted in a curious hipster polyglot that I've yet to come up with a name for. (I have invented a new genre of music, however — it's called "Yap." But more on that later). These curious creatures can even be seen in the Queen City. Apologies to Tanner and his crew, but some of you guys are totally perfect examples.

Now that actual hippies see more rockers sporting beards, they feel less intimidated about checking out these mysterious concerts. And who can blame ‘em for expanding their repertoire? So what if they’ll be at the Umphrey's McGee show tomorrow night. Today’s the day for downstrummed, ahem, angular guitars and faux-boho crooning!

Speaking of guitars, the Walkmen's auxiliary six-stringer looked sharp in a nice Banana Republic sweater and a wide collared shirt. I almost called him a bitch, 'cause I he was wearing nearly the same thing I was. He has no beard. But he does enjoy a nice downstroke now and again.

Oh, and here's a new fashion rule: You can have your hoodie. You can have your beard. You can even have your baseball cap. But you MAY NOT, under any circumstances, have all three at the same time — especially if you're inclined to pull the hoodie over the cap. What is that all about? Are you trying to keep your hat warm?

I understand this post may create a stir among some of my furry-faced friends, so I must insist: I mean no disrespect. I love beards, really, I do! Hell, our 16th president had one, and he was a great emancipator. And let's not forget about ZZ Top — they had one sweet ride.

So don't get all follicle crazed on me, aight? I’d grow a beard if I could. My cats won’t let me. They say it scratches their tummies.

Comments

[mec]

i lieke boise withh beerds and paents that ar tite but a litel luse becuze thae never wahshh them. but ue allreddy new that becuze ie amm paert uv "tanner's crew".

rock it!

[Tanner]

Casey that comic comes from www.toothpastefordinner.com he's got alot of really great comics, updated daily usually.

-tanner

[the le duo]

i'm not really in the indie scene but whenever some one asks me 'whats the indie scene' i say its like a hippy and a punk had a baby.

[Casey]

Wow. "What's the indie scene?" That's like a Zen koan or something.

Thank you Tanner, for your awareness of internet culture. I expect, nay DEMAND, no less from you.

I lieke girels withh tite paents, tu. But nno beerds.

[Neil C]

Dude, the beard/hat/hoodie thing isn't so much freak-folk as it is part of the new quasi-hipster jamband/snowboard thing. Don't forget though, those people could be Flaming Lips fans, thanks to Relix Magazine, so there's your indie rock tie.

[gd]

i think some billyburg hipsters are finally getting a little older and realizing that brooklyn/wiliamsburg is lame and they need to get out of there to quieter smaller places that have a better sense of community & friendship and alot less focus on scene and social circles. i think burlington is in no danger of becoming brooklyn-ized. people are just too friendly and open here. its great. plus its too small of a town to have scenes. itd be like 'hey im in the laptop folk scene, there are 2 of us, wanna be startin somethin?'

also beards are rad and im lazy and dont like shaving. ive had a beard since i could grow one (maybe 1993?).
and im also a member of the national beard registry. google it!

i do agree that this stylized faux hippie aesthetic is creeping into fashion. but i like to see people let their freak flag fly. typical indie rockers/hipsters always seemed too uptight and stiff and intellectual to me. so grow your beards. grow your hair. wear your beads. wear your tie-dyes man. ring your bells. i dig it. do what you gotta do.....

[casey]

Mr. Cleary: I never said that the hat-hood-beard thing was "freak-folk." It was merely an aside. I agree with you totally, however.

Mr. Davis: You undoubtedly have the best beard in town. If beards were beers, you'd be Budweiser, 'cuz they're the kings. I used to have a funny goatee, and those are way lame.

As far as the Brooklynification goes, whatevs. It's satire, dammit. Perhaps not very good satire, but satire nonetheless.

Not everyone here is nice. But that's 'cause they're unhappy with themselves. Maybe because they can't grow a beard!

[BH]

Now I'm never going to be able to get that damn Micahel Jackson song out my head. "Too high to get over, yeah, yeah. Too low to get under, yeah, yeah. You're a vegetable." Help!

I am bemused by the whole scene thing. I do feel like Burlington has scenes, but who cares? I have yet to live in a place without scenes. In Asheville, NC, the young folks were into hillbilly hip, all sporting ironic beards and overalls. And I don't have anything against beards, as a mater of fact, I own a copy of "Beards, Beards, Beards."

Also, the last couple of times I was in Williamsburg, the folks seemed to have loosened up a bit, perhaps getting a bit older and mellower as GD suggests. Not to spark a customer service controversy, but I would even say some storekeeps were much friendlier in Williamsburg than some of the people at a large local co-op in town.

[Cooley]

Everyone I ever encountered in Williamsburg seemed nice and alright to me except for one guy who I'm sure is the same asshole wherever he is.

I don't know what you're going on about, Casey. I'm sure there's some pics of you somewhere rockin' the metal beard all those years ago. Or was it a goatee? That's even worse! Another style of music associated with beards (was it Lemmy? King Diamond? Kim Thayil?). I'm more interested in all the speed metal guys going laptop than Hippie Johnny getting all senstive so he can bang Indie Susie.

[casey]

Cooley: "I used to have a funny goatee, and those are way lame."

From a couple of responses ago.

Jesus, you guys are soooo SERIOUS. I already said I fuckin' love beards. I hope you don't deconstruct other jokes this much.

Here's a new genre for yez: Desk Metal!

[Ben H.]

I only moved here cause the Wire told me to (although i learned to distrust them when they tried to tell me Dev was good), but also because I imagined the local music column would still make sense when people were only referred to by first name, a fact I find to be a beautiful reality that only affirms my belief in humanity.

[Sean]

I'm at a loss for words. And I guess I need to shave. Casey, this thread is the most interesting, thoughtful, and humorous thing I've seen today. I'm not sure if that is good or bad.

[casey]

Sean, allow me to paraphrase Billy Joel (who sometimes wears a beard):

Don't go shaving to try and please me,
You never let me down before.
And don't imagine you're too familiar,
If you don't have hair anymore.

And Mr. Hedstrom, you're just plain crazy!

[gd]

the Wire never said Burlington was cool.
they said Brattleboro was cool. and by Brattleboro, they mean western Mass.

i just hope Holger Czukay or David Crosby moustaches never get too popular.
now that would be something!!!!

casey, you know i take all this lightly. i know your style. i dig it.
its nice to have a conversation rolling on this thread. i would hope that noone is offended or getting hostile because of it. now that would be funny!

[casey]

Brattleboro IS cool. I saw Acid Mothers there in that tiny coffeeshop. They ripped a hole in the fabric of the cosmos. The highlight was taking a piss next to Wizard Kawabato himself.

GD: What happened to the Max/DSP pluggo batch you had online?

PS; I've been contemplating that John Cale quote about music being a process. Certainly valid, but sometimes I want to hear "Martha, My Dear," in addition to the thrum of the universe....

[casey]

I meant Kawabata.

[gd]

pluggos were removed when i started transitioning them to OSX. now i dont have the webspace or bandwidth to host the new ones.
plus my personal pluggo collection has grown tenfold.
maybe someday.

cale? do you mean cage?
i feel the same way. i love 'martha, my dear' as much as i love the sound of icicles dripping on my porch. and i like to listen to both.
the musical universe is wide wide open and wonderful.
'martha, my dear' is also a musical process. in fact, everything is a process because everything is temporary and in a state of evolution and change (no matter how gradual).
its cage's zen beliefs coming through....which im totally down with.

[casey]

There I go again Kawabat-O, Cale.... What a doof. I'm mixing and blogging at the same time, and my attention is torn.

Yes, there's indeed a beauty to assembling tone together to as chord or harmony. The cycle of 5ths could be construed as a "process," but I like to think of it as a mathmetics-to-emotion interface.

Any Zen is good Zen.

[Neil Cleary]

This is all so freaking positive!! I HATE YOU ALL!!!!
Can't we all just get together on a big beard slam??

I hate all beards, and people with them.
(ie. except for the people who posted here, and anyone I know, or sorta know, or anyone I will ever know, and me, should I ever choose to grow a beard. (I mean ANOTHER beard). But everyone else sucks!!!! FUCK YOU ALL!!!)(ps. I also hate square glasses, except when I used to wear them. And live in Williamsburg. DEATH TO ME!!!!)

(xo N)

[casey]

Right now, I'm wearing square glasses. It's my first pair!

NC, you had a wicked Mighty Like a Rose-era Costello beard for a time, right? Were their squirrels in there?

I live in Silly-amsburg, tee-hee!

[huh]

the word is beardo.....