Good Charlotte - The Great Debate!

So it's about 11.45 at night and I'm reading some letters on some review sites (including the o-so-fabulous rock pulse!) and well, I need to address this whole Good Charlotte issue!

So what I've done is I've asked people on my msn/AIM list 2 things:

1- What genre would you categorise Good Charlotte's music into?

2- What do you PERSONALLY think of their music? Like it? Hate it? Don't really give a......?

Here are some of the answers I got to the 1st question:

"Personally i think they are Pop with a drum beat"
"Punk Rock"
"Pop Punk"

Answers to the 2nd question:

"I hate it with passion as they are very hypocritical in some of their songs, and they sing about the same things over and over again so it really bores me."
"I really like them, they have a great album (TYATH) with greats songs on it, and they put on a wicked live event, and in general, seem like really cool people!"
"I liked their older stuff better, their new stuff is nothing new."

So with that in mind, why is it that Good Charlotte seem to be like a tub or marmite to people? Why do people either love or hate G/C? And if people love G/C, then why are they then like brussel sprouts? Why can't anyone admit to liking them?!!!

Im not sure where exactly they went "wrong" (if they even did) and why they deserve all this bad press, but I have come up with some suggestions...

Maybe it's because they have 'sold out', let's admit it, they have sold out big style! They are everywhere from gracing the front pages of kerrang (respectable rock/alternate mag) to being "hot boy" pin ups in Bliss. 2 years ago, Bliss wouldn't have batted an eyelid at the "alternative style" but that's it; alternative is becoming mainstream slowly but surely. Take for example Avril Lavigne (her music is clearly POP, but her image was alternate and new to mainstream music) when she came out over in the UK, (funnily enough the same time that G/C were finally noticed after years of work!) it then created the derogatory new genre, 'teeny bopper rock'! It was all so new to mainstream, it was "different" and to be honest, G/C was a mainstream records company's wet dream. They have everything: catchy pop punk music respected by most age groups and an alternative new look to go with it and attract media attention! But why do people hold this against their music?

Maybe it's because people can't accept that punk rock/ punk pop, whatever you want to categorise it as, is growing and it's progressing, it's no longer stuck on the back burner of music, it's now becoming a big thing. But why is it that when an "alternative" act become mainstream or noticed widely, they automatically gain a horrible stereotype to go with it? Like Slipknot: (up here in Edinburgh, anyway) if you are spotted sporting a Slipknot hoodie you are known as a 'mini mosher' (it's apparently supposed to be an insult?!) but 2 years ago insults would be thrown at you along the line of, "Dont lay a curse upon me you sadistic goth!" Also Blink 182. As soon as they made it huge they were shot back down by the 'real punk' fans. Dont worry people! Punk's not dead, it's just progressing! Don't people want to see music move with the times and not be drained with the same factory settings of Atomic Kitten style crap pop?!

The whole mini mosher category can be linked with Good charlotte as they are known for it: they are famous for attracting 9 year old kids to go see their shows and be like them, but why was this blown out of proportion and made into such a problem? Why is age a problem? It's bands like G/C that get kids into this kind of music who will then go on to explore it and find a lot more cool bands similar to Good charlotte they will like who might not be as famous. G/C are the perfect doorway into making people experience some real music, written by REAL bands, made by REAL bands and performed LIVE by REAL bands (unlike any of the manufactured Michelle pop idol style acts we see today). And trust me, if you have ever been to a G/C gig, you'll agree it's no pop fest and is just as much of a punk rock riot as you would see at any other underground punk band gig!

Basically what I'm trying to say in all of this is dont discriminate against G/C because of how famous they are, because they have mainstream sucess or because of the age of their fans. Any small time band that you listen to on your stereo (which, by the way, you might be listening to now because of the likes of Blink 182 etc) are probably dreaming of the same amount of sucess Good Charlotte have now and if you were a true fan of these people you wouldn't turn your back on them because of a few nasty insults and stereotypes! I may hate marmite with a passion but I'm not afraid to say that I like Good Charlotte and think they make wicked music!

Rant over and I'm out!