Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Hipsters and Happy Thanksgiving

Before some hipster starts bemoaning the fact that this "is so cliched," let me acknowledge that "Alice's Restaurant" on Thanksgiving is cliched and un-hip and predictable, unless it's being played ironically (this is not being played ironically). Because hipsters, as you know, thrive on listening to bands that no one has ever heard, except, of course, other hipsters who really get irony. For example, The Hipster might see that I posted Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant," roll his eyes, and say, "Der Furz, the German death-metal band, does a better cover of this song. Ever heard it?" Which is, naturally, a rhetorical question, because no one--including 90-percent of the band members' families---has heard of the band, much less their cover of "Alice's Restaurant." But The Hipster has. In fact, he's been listening to Der Furz since their first album, Widerlich, which he'll tell you was by far their best. In fact, The Hipster might even have the CD in his car or a Der Furz bumper sticker on a filing cabinet or an electric guitar case (he doesn't play, but he's friends with a guy in an indie band who gave it to him).

So, yes, hipsters, I understand my transgression in posting this. I'm lame. But it's Thanksgiving and, like most Americans who don't get irony, I want to stuff myself like a true hedonist, watch some football, nap, and listen to this song.

Happy Thanksgiving.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Finally! Someone else who listens to Der Furz! I heard their new album is so advanced it's being realeased online as a downloadable text document. Can't wait to hear it.

-Brian

Nate Graziano said...

They're definitely a special band. Leave it to Der Furz to release an album around Christmas time, while still maintaining their militant nihilism. They fucking rock!

Robin B. said...

Er...yeah...uh...

So is it a good thing or a bad thing that this dad of a friend of my daughter's calls her a hipster?
He means it as a compliment, because he smiled when he said it, said he's glad my kid is hangin' out with his kid (he's in the music business somehow - his kid played soccer with the Kings of Leon or something like that...and he got high back in the day with Jimmy Buffett and others).

Anyway, should I be happy or worried about this hipster thing with my 17 year old baby girl?

Nate Graziano said...

Wouldn't worry about it. The term casts a wide net, kinda like beatnik used to. The way I used it, I was trying to describe a type of person so hellbent on mocking anything associated with pop culture that they become a mockery...ironically, of course.

No. I wouldn't worry. The comment sounds innocuous.

Robin B. said...

I like your description; mocking the mockers suits me just fine.

Unfortunately, I have a relative-in-law who's a total fucking moron, and too moronic to know it, and he's one of those mockers. The kind you describe. Just can't wait to see him at Christmas.