May 012010
This is where we show our exquisite taste in haberdashery and personal grooming, indicating just what we would do with our Look, if we were to enjoy the same (presumably) unexpected mega-stardom enjoyed by the Kings of Leon. KoL chose, for whatever reason, to dump their dope-smoking, white-trash hillbilly Look (the one that so pleased “authenticity”-starved British rock critics a few years ago), in exchange for slick, Randy Jackson-approved, AmIdol garb, hair and grooming.
But what would *you* do? And while we’re at it: which current or past rock personalities dressed with the kind of style and panache that matched your high expectations of a *rock star*?
I look forward to your responses.
HVB
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds dress well.
As I said in the KoL thread (and I’m still waiting for YOUR answer, HVB), I would have done: gotten tailored, velvet suits and custom-made shirts with ginormous collars. The tiny Prince could have made his own clothes from my scraps.
Well, apart from Lemmy, obviously, I would go for the Serge Gainsbourg look. Could wear suit and look as sharp as a paper-cut…or denim and look like he slept in it. With a nose that you could park a Cadillac under and ears that would be dangerous in strong wind, he worked the rockin’ dandy like no other.
Nick Cave’s suit probably owe as much to Serge as to Leonard Cohen, a famous non-denim wearer.
The Kings of Leon make-over is similar to what Scottish bands called getting ‘London-ed up’.
Speaking of looks, Slash from Guns and Roses has been all over the papers in Australia this week, launching MTV Classic or some such.
He was a good pick to promote it because he is instantly identifiable. But somehow still looks a dick. I think there’s a certain amount of collagen in the lips but the sense of time standing still seems a bit sad. A guy who *can’t* change his look.
Funny you should mention the sartorial sense of Leonard Cohen. The other night I caught the closing minutes of him in concert at the Isle of Wight, in 1970. What the HELL is he wearing here (you can begin to see the full khaki jacket at the 1:22 mark):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqu3U05tkAw
Did someone put Lt. Columbo’s raincoat in the dryer for too long?
I am also a big fan of rock suits: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Jarvis Cocker, etc. That’s the look I’d rock, if I rocked.
Also, I want to build on something I mentioned in the Kings of Idol thread. Both sonically and satorially, Jack White has pretty much done what he’s wanted, and managed to keep a high profile in the rock/pop world. He’s stayed pretty much a recording Luddite, and still rocks his “Edward Gorey drawing of a garage rocker” look. I mention this, just to point out that the KoL route of cleaning up your sound/look is not the only route to mass appeal.
Sorry, I’m getting stuck on these clips from the Cohen show I missed the other night. NBA hoops fans, listen to Cohen’s opening rap and tell me what coach he sounds like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-kFnJYgIg
Leonard’s coat? “From Salvation Army counters..”
From the horses mouth.
I have always been a fan of matching suits. It’s a look Mr. Mod and I have never been able to convince the rest of Nixon’s Head to adopt. And it would look incredibly lame if only half of us were wearing matching suits. Instead we usually go with an ironic thrift store look. My wish would be snappy mod suits.
Props to CDM’s The Donuts for the matching suits. I love their look.
We’ve talked the talk, but have yet to walk the walk on 2 other looks: matching Mao communist collar-less jump suits, or big furry women’s winter coats ala Let it Be rooftop session. Some day!
To me Hendrix’s psychedelic gypsy Look is the definition of rock star. I’m too old for that kind of makeover now, and I guess I always was. Anonymity is the essence of my Look now, and especially if I was famous it would be khaki pants and a primary color polo shirt for me. My concession to rockstar visuals would be that I’d buy a whole bunch of cool guitars and have a roadie hand me a new one for every song.
Like Chickenfrank, I am a big fan of the band uniform. But since I can’t seem to stay in a band long enough to foist my fashion vision on everybody else, I’m going to imagine that somehow — Lady Gaga, eat your heart out — the entire world dumps the sound of processed dance thump music, and thrills instead to the sound of largely derivative prock, of the sort I usually write and play. I am suddenly huge! Mockcarr informs me that he can’t be bothered to tour behind the lyrics he helped write, and is happy to stay at home, watch the Yankees on TV and cash the astonishing royalty checks he receives. What he spends them on, I have no idea — and I have no time to find out, as I’m whisked into the limo for my 15 minutes of hyper-fame as a “solo artist.”
Now, what do I wear? Hmm. I think I’d be most comfortable in a 1966-era Matt Helm/Flint mock-turtleneck with plaid sports jacket. Stovepipe pants with either vaguely beatle-booty shoes or two-tone dress shoes of the sort worn by James Bond in the Tokyo chase scenes in “You Only Live Twice.” Maybe a period chapeau, too. Definitely a Sammy Davis Jr. medallion.
For the most fashionable current rock star, I have to go with solo-era Paul Weller. I’m not saying he always pulls his style vision off, but he is *so* far ahead of the pack when it comes to true, sophisticated, committed-but-not-insanely-unique fashion. His hair is a complete mess these days, but the haberdashery is totally ace.
Historically, I have to go with Elvis.
More later. This requires thought.
Speaking of Nixon’s Head, thanks for the copy of your recent disc, via RTH. There’s some pretty cool moments there. I love the way the band wears its love for all matters English on its well-tailored sleeve. And one of my favourite lines of recent times:
Try talkin’ out of your mouth”. Ho ho!
The chapeau is a keeper for you, hrrundi! Way to step up to the plate and knock that question out of the park.
HA! You’ve foisted it every step of the way, dude. I’ve still got a matching band approved shirt, and a set of Dickie’s coveralls to prove it.
Can we just settle for hats? Beatle boots are fine, I still have a pair of those. I’d get off the coach if that’s all I had to do. Turtlenecks are annoying, it’s like a damned foreskin, and the behavior seems to follow fashion.