Like Avril? Then Keep Reading...
My Story Concerning Ms. Lavigne:
Well, I have to say that I used to be one of you. Yes, I was a complete Avril Fan. I bought her CD, and even memorized lots of her lyrics. At this time, Avril was still new to the music industry. People (especially pre teen and teen girls) were raving over her punk image. Girls at my school showed up in ties and dark eyeliner. Some even started to straighten their hair. I actually never tried to dress like Avril, but I did participate in listening and singing to her music.
Here's how it all started...
I was watching the "Billboard Music Awards" with my family one night. Avril came on in her usual attire prepared to sing her hit single Complicated. (bear in mind, this is the first time I had ever seen her live.) Well, let me shorten it up for you. She sucked. My dad and I who were both fans were staring at the screen eyes and jaws dropping to the floor. "Oh my God, she's horrible!" cried my dad. I definatly agreed, but being so young and refusing to accept it, I merely said, "she has to have a cold, there is no other explanation." I mean, what happened to the crisp clear voice on her album? Clearly she must have a 'frog in her throat' or something.
I wasn't the only one who saw it...
That week at school people were ranting about how they saw Avril on T.V. and her voice SUCKED. But being a 'faithful' fan I shrugged it off, thinking of the slight possibility that the young Canadian singer could have had a hoarse voice that night. Being a performer myself I know how you can get those. Then for a few weeks/months whatever (i don't remember how long) I thought nothing of it.
Until...
I started to notice people calling Avril a poser and a punk skater wannabee. I was really confused about all of this. Especially when she had snagged the cover of Teen People mag and other various magazines... "The Face of a True Beauty: 'I suck at makeup' says Avril"... Which is partially true, I must admit. I didn't like discussing Avril Lavigne with people I knew because they always would bash about her. I still didn't think she was all that bad. Friends and other people I knew tried to convince me that Avril was a pure poser, but I have a personality where I don't like to listen to people trying to tell me what to think or how to think. I still remained a loyal fan of Avril Lavigne.
Until...
I was surfing the web (as usual when I'm bored), and I found this ring of "Anti-Avril" websites. I thought what the heck and surfed into one. I read the whole rant, and it finally hit me. Avril really is a poser. Either I'm just a stupid blonde, or it was easier to accept when I saw it in print, rather than hearing it from my peers. Here are the words that convinced me.
In one interview, Avril said "I am a hardcore skater punk." and in another said, "I never claimed to be punk!" Talk about a total lie! If that doesn't convince you, she said she was a skater punk and when they asked her if she could skate she is all "No way dude! I suck!" She smashed a beautiful guitar on T.V. I think it was because she can't play the thing worth a darn. She even said when they were shooting "Sk8er Boi" the video, when they handed her the guitar "Dude I suck!" Well, she was right about that one. Her voice is either completely made over with a computer, or somebody else is singing. Who knows what you can get away with when you are that famous. She says she is tired of people calling her a poser and a punk wannabee and she says "I'm as punk as they come".
Avril Hates Preps...
That is why I don't get why she has so many preppy fans! Dude, if you are her fan, and you are a prep, then you seriously shouldn't be her fan. She totally bashes you guys behind your back. Avril says that she hates it when all these preps come up and ask for her autograph. She clearly doesn't respect her fans. Even though I don't consider myself a prep, this was one of the other factors that made me turn against Avril. Also, that really is discriminating against punks everywhere. Punks are really good people who won't hate somebody because they are preppy or something like that. Therefore she can't really call herself one! If you think punk is all about the clothing, think again. It is a way of life not a way of dress, music, or bashing people different then you are. Alot of kids now a days are trying to turn punk or goth by the way they dress. I'm not saying anything is wrong with that, but to tell somebody who is truly punk or gothic, you have to look deep inside the person, not on the outside. On her website in the "journal" section, she wrote "I love all my fans. I would never take them for granted or say anything bad about them." yeah... right.
In Conclusion
I think Avril uses her so called "punk" image to increase her popularity. But over the coarse of her career, her popularity is declining, as more people start to realize what she is really about. Don't fall into the trap like I did, and become a worshiping-avril zombie. The proof is all here. Even read some of her interviews, watch her live(if you can bear it), and most of all, listen to people. I didn't, and all it got me was embarassment. I hope this webpage makes you realize what Avril Lavigne is really about. I know that it won't change everybody's mind on the situation, I mean, this is a free country and you can listen to whatever music you want to. But just don't be as stubborn as I used to be. Maybe listening to what people have to say isn't such a bad idea.
The End
