Re: TRS Peeve & Cocteau Twins Review

[Mike.Gallaher@msfc.nasa.gov (Mike Gallaher)]

Larry Spence writes in response to me:
...
>Mike Gallaher writes:
>>Frazer was not as attractive as she is in publicity
>>photos (I know, it's sexist,
>
>And just plain irrelevant.
>
>>but you can't deny that a performer's look can enhance the experience).
>
>If you can't get past the level of superficial physical attractiveness,
>that's your problem, not hers.  Just close your eyes and fantasize about
>an old Whitesnake video or something, OK?
>

Larry, you've got met thinking about this.  Is it really irrelevant?

Certainly it would be irrelevant had I been a music reviewer writing
about an album.  But I was writing about my impressions about a live
performance, and being honest about the sources of disappointment.
Maybe some would consider me scummy for looking forward to seeing
the beauty who'd been portrayed in publicity photos.  Okay, I understand
that.  I was just baring my lustful nature (I could have reviewed some
of the female audience members, but that would have been truly,
unquestionably irrelevant since they probably won't be at any other
Cocteau Twins stops).  But if I was disappointed, surely there are others
who will be.  I should clarify that this was the least of my disappointments
with the show. 

Back to the question: are looks irrelevant?  Well, the visual aspect is
unquestionably a major element of a live concert.  Why else the lights,
the stage props, why else face the audience?  No one would question
a concert-goer's disappointment if he'd paid to see, say, The Bangles
and they had all gotten swastika tattoos, shaved their heads, and donned
burlap bags.  So when are a performer's looks a relevant aspect of the 
show and when are they not? The Cocteau Twins have never sold themselves on
sex appeal.  They're not even on the album covers.  So it was indeed
unreasonable for me to expect them to try to appeal to my prurient
interests.  It's certainly no concern of theirs whether I find any of
them attractive, and it's unlikely that many people were there just
to see a foxy lady.  For that matter, I doubt I would dissuade any
but the least interested from attending the show by noting Frazer's
"failure" to appeal to me.

So I guess I'd have to agree that my comment was irrelevant to my
purpose in posting the review.

ObKate:  Re: my objections to "Oh she move like the Diva do..."
The presence of the article "the" in the opening of the song
TRS is convincing evidence that KaTe may have been more thoughtful in
the construction than I first assumed, and I'm really beginning to buy
the theory regarding the Indian goddess, as it ties in well with the
devilish character who passes on the shoes and her previous daubs of
Indian culture/religion/mythology.  Perhaps I shouldn't give in so
easily, but it's certainly made the line much easier for me to
swallow.  

Suggestion for the archives:  Could someone make a list of all official
"production" videos (as opposed to TV show lipsyncs that have passed
for videos on occasion) that Kate has done?  There seem to be more
than are present on the commercial video releases.  I have a private
video compilation that has, for example, "Delius" and "Egypt," and
I think some others, some of which are only partially preserved.  I
think Egypt was from her TV special, and Delius was excerpted on an
interview TV show.