Exclusive: Stars Hit Back At Emo Scapegoating
Ahead of this Saturday's (May 31) protest march, Elbow's Guy Garvey, Kate Nash and The Pigeon Detectives have come out in support of emo and all forms of music after the genre was scapegoated in the pages of the tabloids.
Following the suicide of 13-year-old emo fan Hannah Bond, coroner Roger Sykes said: "A girl of 13 years of age has taken her own life for no reason that anyone could find to be justifiable...[Hannah] had become an aficionado of the emo fad...The emo overtones concerning death and associating it with glamour, I find very disturbing."
A recent article by the Daily Mail pretty much labelled the genre as a threat to society going so far as to say that emo is a "sinister teenage cult that romanticises death."
Received mainstream wisdom would therefore have it that once again music is responsible for society's ills and the death of a young girl.
Not so according to a number of artists who have spoken to Xfm about the topic. Elbow's Guy Garvey is adamant that music is a force for good: "I think music helps a lot more people get round their problems and through their problems than it ever causes them.
"I think it's an escapist thing. [Music's] about recognising and enjoying things and if anything, sad music when you're sad let's you know that someone else has felt that way.
"Music often gets the finger pointed at it and I think it's wrong what happened to [Hannah Bond] but it's ridiculous to blame music for it."
Kate Nash believes that teen suicide is not as straightforward as is portrayed. She said: "[Suicide] is not just one factor, it's a lot of things. You can't blame suicide on one thing. I would not blame suicide on one factor ever because it's someone's life; it's really complicated."
The Pigeon Detectives' guitarist Ryan Wilson opined: "I think music's an easy thing to blame, in my opinion. It's really unfortunate and everybody's sympathies go out to the friends and family of [Hannah Bond].
"I think that if you look into it and read the lyrics you'll see that it's not really like that and misinterpreted. I just feel that sometimes they point the finger a little too easily and that people if they're down should see professional [help]."
What do you think? Is music to blame or are the tabloids pointing the finger a little too easily? Will you be joining the march from Hyde Park this Saturday (May 31)
Have your say on our online poll and leave your comments on our dedicated page.
Tagged as Elbow, Kate Nash, The Pigeon Detectives, My Chemical Romance, Misc
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Does anybody else think that the tabloids are bored?
First they demolish Chavs, claiming that they are the demise of the social stability of the country, and now they've moved onto Emo's. Let's be fair, Chavs and Emo's are simply stereotypical ways of describing people, but everybody has a different idea of what a chav or an emo is. I agree with William Suckling when he says that chavs bully emos (and generally everyone else) and cause their emotion balance to tip towards desperation and a longing of being free from the repression they face. The tabloids are correct to scapegoat, they've just chosen the wrong thing to use. -
The music or lyrics of emo's isn't to blame for the suicides. Its the people who dislike us. Chavs! e.t.c. YES were emo and YES we dress differently, but i know so many who are abused by these thugs that they won't leave there house due to fear. if it weren't for them then we would feel safer. These bullys may be driving these people to suicide.
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this is a repeat of what happened in the u.s. 20 years ago.
suicides and antisocial behaviour was blamed back then on heavy metal and black metal and the blamers were the religious evangelists.
the reason these bands get blamed is because the people who do the blaming do not like or even want to get to understand the music.
people need to look a little closer to home and into their family lives and not point the blame at an artist. the suicide victims obviously have deep personal issues that are not being spotted. -
I never really get angry about things, but i read that article about emo suicide and it made me furious! Firstly their misconception of what emo is! Emo is a style.. nothing more! its a hairstyle and a combination of clothing, its not a cult. Futhermore to say that MCR alone is responsible is just cruel to a band who just tried to make good music. And as for the rubbish about emo chatrooms, well does the daily mail honestly believe that it was due to other 13 year old emo's saying you have to kill yourself that she did it. Kate nash was right, they have not considered the entire spectrum of human emotion, they are idiots, and i give full support to the march.
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I'm a teenager myself and I have been labelled an emo by one of my friends. Mainly because I come across as always being depressed. Being an emo is just a steroetype its not a real person with feelings. But I really don't think music is to blame. Music does the complete opposite of what the tabolids are saying. Music is a freedom of expression and helps others through difficult emotions which they sometimes reflect in their music. I just think music helps people to relate to how they are feeling whether they are happy or sad. It doesn't make people feel the way they do. In Hannah bond's case there must have been other issues which have caused her to take her own life. Did anyone actually know what was going on inside her head before she commited suicide? No so to say music is to blame is wrong because no-one actually knew why she did this.
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Yes, to blame the actual music is ridiculous. However, i think the culture that has grown up either with, because of or before the music does have something to do with it, in my opinion. There can be little doubt depression and even suicide is far more glamorous and romantic than it used to be (to kids at least), when many of their favourite stars not only admit it, but go out of their way to do so - no names mentioned, but it almost seems to be the must-have accessory for some 'stars'. And in tandem with this have, of course, grown and flourished the droves of kids who idolise these bands.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against 'sad' or even 'depressing' music - radiohead are by far my favourite band - but there is an uplifting nature to their music too - and it is real. What disturbs me is how the very real and strong messages of the Cobians and Yorkes are being clad in pop rythms, melodies and appeals and sold to kids who have probably never heard half the bands they list among their 'favs' on myspace. And Radiohead, Joy Division, Nirvana, The Smiths etc etc etc etc never glorified or celebrated the actual depression - especially not in a way that kids would copy, pass on to their friends, and give tabloids a chance to blame. They reflected it in their music, and used it to make great music for people to help get through tough times with. But then you have Gerard Way telling the children his music is aimed towards (take a look at their average audience age) "And wouldn't it be great If we were dead?". And you might say "he's being sarcastic", but how are the next generation of kids to don too much mascara and too skinny jeans supposed to know that?
So, sure, music is not to blame - but the culture several pop bands, and that's what MCR, Paramore etc are, POP, have enveloped and found a market in has a lot to say. It's not the cause of the culture - but it is a part of it. Hayley Williams depressed due to sore throat on tour...??? PLEASE.
And, hey, if it means a band on whiney emo bands.... long live scapegoating tabloids!!!! -
I think Judas Priest summed it up best when they were actually on trial for something similar. Why would ANY band encourage their audience to kill themselves? If your audience kills themselves, you have no audience!
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Once again the media of the country has shown it is a joke. Teenage suicide is a very real problem in this country. Yet instead of looking into causes and possible solutions to this growing epidemic, They blame a music genre! How very professional.
Maybe its to do with the fact that the middle class, middle aged view of this country by most media types has no room for the fact that our countries youth are lost. They are reaching out for a helping hand that is not always there. So when the worst does happen these journalists look for things to blame, so they turn to music.
It’s a shocking abuse of power in my opinion. As journalists they are given a responsibility and by blaming one of the only things that brings comfort to most young peoples life’s. Shows how out of touch they really are with the youth of today.
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