STRAIGHT OUTTA DETWAT: FLIGHT OF THE FEMINAZI…ANGELA GOSSOW CAN SUCK IT, TREBEK
Ahh yes, chicks in the world of metal. Whether your making music or blogging about it, you’re gonna get shit. Thats just the way the world works. We all have an opinion on the women that circulate through this genre, even the women out there, themselves. The lovely yet stone-cold Angela Gossow recently took to KNAC.com to explain the utter falseness she feels Revolver Magazine has capitalized upon with their Hottest Chicks in Metal list…and for some weird reason, y’all fans are backing her on this issue. Today I’d like to address the OTHER side of the argument: those that do NOT side with Gossow. Here is why…
Ya know, I agree that Revolver has dissolved into less and less of a music-oriented magazine over the years and into more of an “image” based concept zine. That’s just how they are doing it, and if they are selling enough magazines to stay in business, good for them. I could care less. BUT, I was really fucking surprised to see the amount of backlash the HCIM issue got once Angela expressed her disdain for the list itself. Personally, I think she’s full of shit. Here’s a little bit of what she said to KNAC.com:
“I hate the Hottest Chicks in Metal! It’s an embarrassment for women, I think (laughs). It’s an embarrassment for female musicians, who actually are musicians”.
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Real musicians.
You know who says things like that? Fucking ugly people. Ugly people who feel like the world owes them something. Listen, I am all for women’s rights, and I understand first-hand how sexual oppression can and will effect the lives of millions of women every day. This coming from a women’s studies minor. The basic fact here is that women’s bodies are BEAUTIFUL. I’m not sure how this is all of a sudden getting lost in a MALE DOMINATED genre. It’s the truth. Why NOT feel sexy on the cover of a magazine? Shit, if someone thinks I’m beautiful enough to pose for a nationally syndicated magazine, I would be HONORED. When someone says in more of less words, you’re exploiting women and masking their talent by featuring their bodies rather then musical talents, THEY are the ones doing the opressing. “THEY”, YOU. By telling a woman she shouldn’t use her body as a tool just like she does her instrument is a level of opression that has been around since the beginning of time. Metal is primarily comprised of men. Men who will sit around and talk about these SAME chicks and all the dirty things they would do to them if given the opportunity. So WHY all of the sudden are you guys jumping behind Ms. Gossow when you bullshit with your friends and talk about this shit in your living room? Are you pissed that you’re not the ones making money off of it and Revolver is? I’m not trying to take jabs at people, but if other metal music journalists have talked about how they would do Christina Scabbia in every orifice, then go on to praise Gossow for her pro-feminist stance, well, someone needs to figure out where they stand. Are you guys, the fans and readers, just taking her side because you like her band, or do you actually have a valid opinion/point to make on the matter? Because from all the shit I read between various websites singing her praise on this topic, the only thing they could really say was,”This is just another reason to love Angela Gossow” or “Angela totally rocks.” What the hell does that even mean? How is this another reason to “love her”?
You know what’s an embarrassment to women? People who are ignorant enough to say that women shouldn’t create an identity OUTSIDE of their music. If they want that identity to be associated with being sexy, more power to them. In the end, it takes a big set of balls to put yourself in a position of such criticism. To criticize a person’s music is one thing, and thats obviously expected even before praises may be sung these days, but to put your PERSONAL BEING on the chopping block is one hell of a thing to do. People are rude, scandalous, and unforgiving. No one gives a shit about a person’s feelings when they expose themselves like the women do in Revolver. I don’t give a fuck either. They know its going to happen and they allow it. If you can’t handle it, like Miss Gossow, then don’t participate. But don’t go and slam the women that do. It’s their choice to do it and your choice to look…and Revolver’s gain regardless. Good for them. At least someone’s business is afloat. Says Gossow:
“We haven’t even had a feature in this magazine for the last three years…I don’t think we’re ever going to be popping up in Revolver magazine again.”
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Tim Tebow is nicer than her.
Maybe Angela should have considered this: if she wants women to get more respect in metal, then maybe some of them should try making better music. Maybe Revolver would feature them looking hot AND have them speak about their music if it was actually any good. Christina Scabbia has a beautiful voice, but Lacuna Coil is terrible. Its like Celine Dion on acid. Give me a break. Arch Enemy is a great fucking band, I have nothing bad to say about Angela’s music at all, but maybe the reasons she hasn’t been in Revolver for 3 years is because no one wants to interview a stick-in-the-ass. Let’s face it: she’s all about the music, and thats totally fine. But that women is as hard as a rock. I don’t think you could pay her to take a joke. That’s just how she is. I think people are sick of reading super serious interviews all the time. It’s all about learning to lighten up. I feel that women AND men should use every asset they have to further their career. Its a BUSINESS. This is how things work. If you got it, flaunt it. If you don’t, well, there’s plastic surgery for that (Fergie?). Or you could just have a really interesting personality. I mean, jesus, look at the DUDES in metal. UGLY. 95% busted to pieces in the face and elsewhere, but when they do interviews that showcase their personality and individual quirks, they garner attention, and sell albums. It’s publicity, folks. Some of these chicks kind of suck, but they’re hot, so hey, take some pictures and sell some albums. The women with “talent” don’t have to do that if they don’t want to, but who wouldn’t wanna look smokin’ hot as a centerfold in a magazine? For real…
My entire point here was just to try and state the other side of where Gossow stands. She’s empowering in her own right, but I don’t think she wants to look at this from any other view point than her own. There are plenty of other things for women to be embarrassed about in metal (like being in shitty fucking bands); being featured as a sexually attractive person shouldn’t be one of them. Well, I’m drunk and I have no idea how to conclude this article to therefore, I will say this: this is kind of like LOST. Its all about your own opinion and eventually, you”ll see the truth. That show fucking sucks. I’m drunk. I really don’t even care how this ends. Tune in next week for a post all about porn. Bunch of NSFW stuff. I need food before I vomit on my laptop. Oh, by the way: its 6:45am. I am SO. AWESOME.
-A.Gossowski
