The Soapbox | Where South Africans Speak Out

BY MISHQA ROSSIER

I want to be an indie rockstar. Well at least date one. The endless ooze of coolness, snug fit jeans and bed-head hair along with that British accent is the culmination of most girls’ dreams and bedroom walls (do kids even do posters these days?). The lure of fame and the usual sex, drugs and rock ’n roll has always been appealing even before Mick Jagger knew how to pout.

I think this topic awoke in me when I recently browsed through my iTunes history and reaffirmed my absolute adoration for The Kooks. How on earth can one band be so effin’ cool? Good god. Luke Pritchard and the boys produce songs that make one want to fling your arms up and sway in a very cool and contained way. Any sort of swaying that is not contained just looks crazy. Obviously.

I suppose what’s cool or what’s lame is all self-preference. I ashamedly think Hello Kitty is the coolest cat ever. Don’t judge me! I like the Kooks OK? And I shop on Long Street! The irony of it all is that if cool things are actually recognised as ‘cool’ they become less so. Confusing yeah? Take notes. Mass marketing has seen the downfall of many an underground band, clothing line and a certain Japanese cat. Definite sell-outs. Also the fact that you can now get the face of any band that you thought was cool on a t-shirt on the Parade in town is a tad daunting.

What is it about wanting to be ‘cool’ anyway? I vote for a world where no ones gives a shit. But I guess not caring is cool too, so we’re all just running around in circles and figures of eights here. Like whatever you want to like. Be proud. If you think Kurt Darren is South Africa’s answer to sexy then blast that track as loud as you want. Everyone was a dork at some point in their lives (some are still at that point, but that’s splitting hairs) so don’t even pretend like you didn’t have the Spice Girls platform shoes and collected all the lollipop stickers. I wanted to be Posh Spice.

Many would disagree with me though. A friend of mine thinks any band that wears jeans thinner than a straight cut needs to seriously reassess the meaning of their lives, and their wardrobe. He likes AC/DC. Enough said. Anyway, my fascination with Indie bands will not wane. Maybe it’s my innate bed-head vibe. Or maybe it’s my penchant for skinny white boys.  Love it or hate it, either way, as good ol’ Jack Parow says, it doesn’t make you cooler as ekke.

Mishqa Rossier is a qualified copywriter who moonlights as a radio producer.