I just think that Pete has no filter - what other people think the rest of the world won't want to hear, Pete puts into song.

This makes me love him lots. Now I have to go back and look up all the FOB lyrics.

cute like musically savant puppies.

That phrase describes half of the BANDS in bandom.

Glad y'all enjoyed the Pierces clip.

I'm here-and-there on the bandom trend.

Panic! got me with the video and song "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies," much like All American Rejects did with "Dirty Little Secret." I think clever song + clever video idea = getting Fred's attention.

On the other hand, Gym Class Heroes leave me ice cold. And Fall Out Boy doesn't do much more.

Avril Lavigne has moments. Though that may be because, when she first arrived on the scene, radio wasn't playing anything that did anything for me. Then along came "Complicated," which was at least a little bit different. And I'll vote a big YES! on Gwen Stefani, who either is or at least appears to be very comfortable with herself. Though I'm not sure the pop scene has room for too many of her.

I would like to see some of today's British female vocal groups cross the Atlantic. Especially the Sugababes (who are the Spice Girls, grown up the right way) and Girls Aloud (about whom my only criticism is that they aren't the Sugababes).

I prefer "Sk8r Boi" to "Complicated" in Lavigne's earlier work, and was actually disappointed by "Girlfriend" b/c she has, in the video, repositioned herself from the outcast to the "in" girl.

Sugababes - I only know "Freak Like Me," but I love that song. Any cd in particular to recommend?

Mixed feelings on Stefani - the Harajuku girls thing put me off a bit.

Big thumbs up on Aguilera, especially Back to Basics. Ohhhh, that was a good album.

Does anyone know what Danny Federici died of? Because that was way unexpected.

cute like musically savant puppies.

That phrase describes half of the BANDS in bandom.

So much so.

Now I have to go back and look up all the FOB lyrics.

There's a lot of clever stuff in there. "Loaded God complex/Cock it and pull it"? Brilliant. IMO.

Does anyone know what Danny Federici died of?

From EW:

Danny Federici, the keyboardist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, died Thursday in New York, following a long battle with melanoma.

There's a lot of clever stuff in there.

"I left my conscience pressed / Between the pages of the Bible in the drawer / "What did it ever do for me" I say"

"You only hold me up like this / Cause you don't know who I really am / I used to waste my time on... / Waste my time dreaming of being alive / (now I only waste it dreaming of you)"

... I'll stop now.

Any cd in particular to recommend?

Taller in More Ways is wonderful and has three tracks that became big hit singles in the U.K. "Push the Button," just might be a perfect pop song. "Ugly" contains a very valuable self-image message. And "Red Dress" manages to be sexy and assertive without crossing the lines.

On the other hand, Three has "Hole in the Head," which is a kiss-off song to end all kiss-off songs. They also have a greatest hits CD, Overloaded. Which has all of the above and several glossy slow dance numbers. Change, their latest, is good but not up to the standard of the three I mentioned.

And if you like the Sugababes, do check out Girls Aloud. Their greatest hits CD is The Sound of Girls Aloud. Not sure what their best studio CD is, but The Show contains the delirious "Love Machine" and a delightful title song. But then there's the title track to Sound of the Underground. And What Will the Neighbours Say? has their cover of the Pointer Sisters' "Jump."

(And just to complicate things, the two groups teamed up on a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." Which I don't think appears on any of their albums -- it was released as a single, with proceeds to go to the Comic Relief charity.)

"Loaded God complex/Cock it and pull it"

Which sort of fits nicely with "I keep a gun on the book you gave me/Hallelujah, lock and load."

Thanks for the recs, Fred Pete!

Yes, Fred! More music to explore.

Thanks for the info, Sue. I guess maybe Danny Federici's death wasn't so unexpected, but I hadn't heard about him being ill. So sad. The band must be really grieving.

I believe I said this in Aimee's LJ, but....I totally missed the bandom memo. It was like, I was traipsing along, la la la, then one day I looked up and suddenly everyone was into bandom, and I still am not totally sure what "bandom" is.

Or, I should say, I get that it's fandom but with bands. But *which* bands, and why?

(And I thought that MCR was a goth band, but I'm realizing that's not true. Or is it? So. Confused.)