Date #6— Chris, or The White Stripes versus Pop Culture

I met Chris in a bar downtown. It was a busy night in a notorious College Street Pickup joint that I was honestly only at because it was a friend’s birthday. And it was a bad pickup, or at least I assume it was a pickup. He was convinced that I was an old friend named Deborah, which, obviously, I was not. As it turned out, however, we hit it off, and went out the following week. Chris was Irish, and believe me, I am a true sucker for an accent (except for Southern US, you can keep them). He was also a professional skateboarder (and unless you are Tony Hawk, I’m not sure how you can do that, especially here in Canada where, unlike California, Extreme Sports are not considered to be an economically viable profession). Tall and lanky, and everything you would expect from a professional skateboarder (c’mon—you were wondering if he was marginally literate, weren’t you), he was unlike anyone I had ever dated before in my life. We were complete and polar opposites.

Conversation was strained. No talk of politics, religion or any deep matters here. And what of his Irish childhood? Whatever. His rather perplexing choice of pursuing his profession in Canada? Whatever. His favourite pastimes? Whatever. Until the conversation touched onto music, a subject he was very passionate about. Actually, he was really only passionate about the perplexing fact of whether the White Stripes are prefabricated pop culture punk fluff, or legitimate self-created artistes.

In Sum:

The White Stripes are not prefab as they had a concept and a sound of their own creation before a major label signed them.

The White Stripes are prefab because we cannot legitimately say that they had that sound before they were signed.

The White Stripes are not prefab as they had a cool, even though gimicky , image of their own creation.

The White Stripes are prefab as the record industry took this image and grew it exponentially until it was nothing more than a gimmick.

The White Stripes are not prefab pop culture fluff as their ambiguous social relationship and rockstar lifestyles are of their own devise.

The White Stripes are prefab pop culture fluff as the label perpetuated this ambiguous social relationship and rockstar lifestyle in order to create media hype and sell albums.

Ad Nauseum.

The Episode of the White Stripes versus Pop Culture took almost an hour. I couldn’t follow it anymore. Every argument for was also an argument against. I was amazed that he had put this much thought and effort into the consideration of this band, who he wouldn’t commit to fully liking anyways (“I think they’re too mainstream”). It was the only topic of conversation that did not elicit a “Whatever”. And I was not interested in it in any way shape or form.

Whatever.