Some words on image

A lot of artists have been written off because of their image. People who would normally be okay with her brand of pop music write off Lady Gaga for her eccentric art school slut image. Hard rockers can't stand Marilyn Manson because of his make-up, effeminate costumes and over-the-top theatrics.

These two are just some prominent examples. But the fact is, in recent years, musicians are more often than not extremely conscious of their appearances, and stage shows have become completely engrossing experiences. Costuming, choreography, lights and video are becoming as essential to a performance as the music itself. "Without lights," any stagehand or roadie will tell you, "It's just radio." Many would argue that such an emphasis on the visual aspect of performance is somehow degrading the integrity of the music itself, but are such allegations warranted?

For example, alt-rock bands Tool and Radiohead have practically been deified by their fans and critics alike. These are bands filled with perfectionists; musicians who will not release an album until it is a refined and coherent work of art. Yet, these two bands have some of the most elaborate stage shows in the industry: dozens of moving lights, lasers, mirrors, video screens and--in Tool's case--projectors scrolling imagery across the floor of the stage itself. If even these talented musicians are using visuals to enhance their shows, then this phenomenon is apparently not meant as a distraction from subpar music.

So what's really going on here? Is this a generational thing? Has flashy imagery become so important to our generation that we need videos and strobe lights to hold our attention at a concert?

The answer is probably no. The truth is, image has been part of rock and roll since the beginning. We've all heard stories about Elvis Presley's shockingly sexual performances and the Beatles' radically long hair. It seems that, as time went on, image evolved along with the music itself. David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust era was, for its time, arguably more bizarre than Marilyn Manson and Lady Gaga combined. Pink Floyd's The Wall took the idea of an audio-visual experience to a place far beyond any music video that came before it, and perhaps any that followed.

This is nothing new. Sure, you can hate the ridiculous costumes. You can hate the swoopy haircuts, the flannel, the girls' pants on heroin chic boys and the rainbow of unnatural hair colors you'll find onstage at Warped Tour. You can hate all of that, and you can still like the music if you want to. Don't be scared of the flash. It's always been part of rock 'n' roll.