Tuesday, February 15, 2005

They Get the Funniest Looks From Everyone They Meet

Sisyphus came up with an interesting theory regarding the boys at Fraters Libertas the other day. He suggested that in some ways their body of work paralleled the Beatles. To elaborate, he meant that the personality and writing of each individual could be could paralleled with one of the Fab Four.

While his argument was interesting, it did not convince me. Fraters is funny, smart and hip, but the Beatles changed the world. Consider that 35 years after their breakup of the band and after the death of two members, a Beatle was called upon headline the largest television event of the year. I can imagine a futuristic Nerd-bowl 2040 with a halftime show consisting of John Hinderocker reprising his glory days of keeping it real with the new media invasion, but the Fraters boys wouldn't be in that nightmarish future. They are something else, but what is the proper metaphor?

Then it hit me. In the wake of the Beatles, thousands of other pop groups stepped up to ride the wave that propelled the revolution in popular music. The Fraters must parallel one of them as they ride this blogging wave. Perhaps they parallel THE MONKEES! Clearly this is the case. To anyone who knows them it is obvious.

Chad the Elder = Mickey Dolenz - In many ways the leader of the band and the singer of half of the songs. He doesn't get the love that Davy gets, but is secure enough with himself to accept it. He's prolific, and though his songs may be predictable, they're still pretty good.

St. Paul = Davy Jones - The girls go wild for the boyish charm. Yet don't suggest his talent is superficial. The band couldn't exist without him. He's the singer on almost all of the best songs.

Atomizer = Michael Nesmith - He's quiet and mysterious, always a hard guy to categorize. You get the feeling he might be the most brilliant member of the band, but there's little to support that claim. In some episodes, he's barely there. Maybe he's passed out in the corner.

J.B. Doubtless = Peter Tork- He's supposed to be the funny one, with mixed results. He never sings, and a session player probably plays his instrument on the albums. If he grew a mustache, it would surely be a Larry Bird. One wonders who he is and why he's in the band at all.

1 Comments:

Blogger Sisyphus said...

I musty admit you came up with the better analogy.

And, they're to busy singing to put anybody down.

10:00 AM  

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