Matt Sev(rens)

This is an essay that I wrote for history of rock, but I’m pretty proud of it an thought it was worth posting here:

The Smashing Pumpkins “1979” video was a strange departure for followers of the grunge era. Whereas in years prior the grunge message had always been negative; that youth were disaffected and depersonalized, this video speaks a different message, a positive one. Images of smiling teens going to shows, kissing girls, and jumping in pools highlighted a message opposite to Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit”. Yes, youth are disaffected, yes they have problems to deal with in terms of fitting into society, but in the end they should be enjoying youth.

In many ways the video draws a parallel between the peace, love and music of original Woodstock and the violence, riots and fires of Woodstock 99. Both present in the video are positive images of teens enjoying youth but also negative ones such as robbing convenience stores, running from cops and destroying public property. The Smashing Pumpkins were not suggesting that youth completely ignore the problems that they are dealing with. Rather lead singer Billy Corgan sings “we don’t even care to shake these zipper blues” in major key as bright colors rush past the screen. The message here, don’t let depression that’s affecting you suck you in. Instead do as the kids in the video do: go out with friends, laugh, have fun and enjoy music.

Mainly the video focuses on youth. Billy Corgan’s role in the video is that of an observer. He is shown sitting in the back of a car, never directly in the same shot as any youth in the video, but still there. The suggestion is that he is there for the ride, but his main job was to give youth guidance through music.

Unfortunately despite this positive message and call to peace and love, the youth of the generation didn’t adhere to the ideals of 69. Part of this was Corgan’s abandonment of promoting a positive solution. His subsequent darker video “Zero” and album “Adore” once again promoted giving into angst and depression. Other artists (Limp Bizkit, Rage Against the Machine, etc.) continued this message and as a result four years later the rage and aggression came to a climax with the rapes, riots and fires of Woodstock 99. As much as Woodstock 69 represented a climax to the hippie generation, Woodstock 99 represented a climax to generation X. With the video for 1979, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins briefly attempted a throwback to 69. He saw (as suggested in many interviews) where these negative emotions could lead, and for a brief moment he tried to bridge 69 and 99 with 1979 but to no avail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4_C4yhl33g