I know I haven't been on as much as I used to...uni and other commitments, and, I must admit, a certain lack of interest are to blame...

Anyway, I was just wondering, it seems the early 70s (or the 70s in general) are really ridiculed as the template of plastic kitsch - from the music of the Osmonds, Gary Glitter, and a whole truckload of embarrassing, flair-wearing, platforming trogolydytes...the late 60s - albeit given the increasing cartoonisation of the Hippie/Flower Power movement, and even the Civil Rights/Anti-War/Protest movement, still have a respectability. Alot of this is in the music (the likes of Hendrix, Cream, Airplane, Buffalo Springfield.etc), as well as the sweeping and significant social changes. But my question is, do you think the late 60s has its fair share of kitsch? Fashion-wise, most would agree the 70s were more OTT, but in terms of music, the 60s had its fair share of Boney M's, and glam wannabes as the 70s did...Your thoughts?

I know I haven't been on as much as I used to...uni and other commitments, and, I must admit, a certain lack of interest are to blame...
But my question is, do you think the late 60s has its fair share of kitsch? Fashion-wise, most would agree the 70s were more OTT, but in terms of music, the 60s had its fair share of Boney M's, and glam wannabes as the 70s did...Your thoughts?

 
WTF are you talking about??  WTF is "Kitsch"?  WTF is "OTT" And WTF are (IS?) Boney M's??

I'm pushing 50 years old and do not have a clue regarding what you mean by your references to the music of my genre.

There were some true Pioneers back then: MC5, Iggy Pop and Stooges, Lou Reed, early David Bowie, Robert Fripp and Brian ENO, King Krimson, etc..........

Not to mention "BLUE CHEER"!!

S???

 
WTF are you talking about??  WTF is "Kitsch"?  WTF is "OTT" And WTF are (IS?) Boney M's??

I'm pushing 50 years old and do not have a clue regarding what you mean by your references to the music of my genre.

There were some true Pioneers back then: MC5, Iggy Pop and Stooges, Lou Reed, early David Bowie, Robert Fripp and Brian ENO, King Krimson, etc..........

Not to mention "BLUE CHEER"!!

S???




I'm glad you mention it first, but I thought the same thing...What? I like a good post subject and it sounds like a good one but I don't really understand it to respond to it.

having been born in 1965,I know what you mean,and i would say yes!

having been born in 1965,I know what you mean,and i would say yes!


please, enlighten us dooffusses's...kitschiness?

^I'm guessing he means the early '70s were more "cheesy" than the late '60s?

If that is what he means, from what I know about that time, I somewhat agree. It does seem the rock from 1967-1971 was a little darker/heavier/more serious. Then around 1972 there started to be lighter, fluffy stuff like The Osmonds, or singer songwriters (in fact, the birth of what we now call Soft Rock started in the early '70s as an alternative to harder, more psychedelic rock).

^I'm guessing he means the early '70s were more "cheesy" than the late '60s?

If that is what he means, from what I know about that time, I somewhat agree. It does seem the rock from 1967-1971 was a little darker/heavier/more serious. Then around 1972 there started to be lighter, fluffy stuff like The Osmonds, or singer songwriters (in fact, the birth of what we now call Soft Rock started in the early '70s as an alternative to harder, more psychedelic rock).


Thanks Marty, I get it, I'll give it some thought.

I would say the 70's did develop a bit more 'kitsch'  (I don't know what OTT and boney M means). The late 60's- early 70's gave us "The Dating Game", "Love:American Style" ,Black Velvet Paintings of Elvis in Vegas with Dayglo paint, and people considered it true art.. Andy Warhol would even be considered a bit kitschy.  Let us not forget the music either.. The Archies singing "Sugar, Sugar" , The Osmonds singing "Puppy Love" , Sheb Wooley singing "Purple People Eater", all of these songs have a certain fluffy marshmallow cream texture to them. People were throwing key parties, hot tub parties, people were buiilding saunas in their houses with genuine imitation cedar planking. People had Pet Rocks, Lava Lamps, bean bags as genuine furniture, and plastic parsons tables as end tables with plastic red and purple bubble lamps on either end of their plastic covered green velvet sofa. The kitchen is furnished with imitation wicker bar stools and a chintz covered drop leaf table, decorated in such things as strawberries, roosters, or day  glo daisies. The kitchen usually is the most colorful room other than the bathroom, with the glaring bright red and green strawberry wallpaper. The bathrooms all had coordinating pink or blue or yellow plastic tiled walls, with matching sink, toilet and those cramped, boxy tubs with the frosted glass sliding doors. Everyone had to have a shower massage shower head with rusted out 'coarse pulsating ' settings that didn't even work.  So one would be forced to leave it on the fine spray setting , which was as effective in washing our long, parted in the middle, flat ironed hair as pouring a watering can over our heads. We all showered with Irish Spring soap and shampooed with Herbal Essence shampoo thinking it's 'natural' herbs and emerald green gelatinous consistency must be really body building. We toweled off with brightly printed towels that of course coordinated with the bathroom decor. The bedrooms were usually 'our havens' with Giant King size water beds that took up the whole entire room, with the animal print satin sheets, velvet comforter, matching swag lamps,with red light bulbs for setting the 'mood'  and console television with 4 button remote at the foot of the bed for our viewing pleasure.  The sliding mirrored glass closet doors would give the room a bigger appearance than it actually has. 
I know I went off on a spree going further than the music, but I just wanted to paint an effective picture of my definition of kitsch.

I guessing the slang word "Kitschiness" is the same as "tacky"? if so, I'd say 1977 started the "Superficial Me" tacky era. It started with that "alligator" on the knit shirt, and then all the bogus designers jumped on the band wagon telling you had to have their names sewn on the ass of your denim jeans or bed sheets if you want to be accepted as "One who's is superior to the common person" in style setting. The tacky people paid high prices to look like a walking billboard advertisement for the privilege to think they are better...Oh yeah! there were some a-holes who bought a Suburu car because Blondie mentioned it in her song.

Is this what you mean in "Kitschiness"? if not...never mind!

I guessing the slang word "Kitschiness" is the same as "tacky"?
Is this what you mean in "Kitschiness"? if not...never mind!


yes, it kind of means tacky, or 'bad taste' cheap, inferior..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsch

Yes, and my family is having a garage sale. ;D

Yes, and my family is having a garage sale. ;D


actually that's where a lot of kitschy items are found, Garage Sales!! :P

my earlier description of kitsch, unfortunately largely came from experience and reality. See my first post here.  Does anyone else care to admit to items of Kitsch they remember they had when they were growing up?

my earlier description of kitsch, unfortunately largely came from experience and reality. See my first post here.  Does anyone else care to admit to items of Kitsch they remember they had when they were growing up?
Polyester

my earlier description of kitsch, unfortunately largely came from experience and reality. See my first post here.  Does anyone else care to admit to items of Kitsch they remember they had when they were growing up?


When Ralph Nader got involved with everything and the computer chips in cars.

Polyester

ah, yes, I had these little girl polyester pantsuits in every color of the rainbow. And long dresses with rhinestone buttons, just like my grandma wore to evening events. With patent leather sandles.  and the gaudy color coordinated plastic ball pony tail holders, actually those were kind of cool. They looked like marbles or something.

Polyester

ah, yes, I had these little girl polyester pantsuits in every color of the rainbow. And long dresses with rhinestone buttons, just like my grandma wore to evening events. With patent leather sandles.  and the gaudy color coordinated plastic ball pony tail holders, actually those were kind of cool. They looked like marbles or something.


After thinking about it, Marain hit on a life changing product. Yes polyester! Being in the clothing business in the 60's, I remember when the double knit polyester fabric was introducted to mens suits, it revoulutionized the clothing industry. The fabric is an inexpensive a durable wrinkle free washable cloth, just prefect for kids clothes and the office worker. A wash and wear garment was a dream come true for moms and wives and was great on the pocket book not paying dry cleaning bills.

I'd put polyester up there with the inventions of the automobile, airplane and the light bulb..." The Future is in Plastics" where did I hear that before?   

..." The Future is in Plastics" where did I hear that before?   

That was from the movie "The Graduate" :)

Polyester became way overused starting in the mid-60s.it had been is use before,but it seems after about 1965 it was hard to find clothing made of the finer fabrics.Plus the styles were often too boxy for me,and the patterns were often a tad large;they tended to swamp a swan frame.

Polyester became way overused starting in the mid-60s.it had been is use before,but it seems after about 1965 it was hard to find clothing made of the finer fabrics.Plus the styles were often too boxy for me,and the patterns were often a tad large;they tended to swamp a swan frame.


100% Polyester double knit fabrics were boxy looking at first, but then got smarter, they started to blend them with natural fibers for a more natural look, better comfort and durability. It also expanded the market for accepting synthetic clothing, the fabrics became more appealing to everyone in one way or another.

I'm sure you still looked great in anything you put on...big boxy patterns and all.

I just saw Running With Scissors, and it brought back all that kitschiness.  The avocado green or harvest gold appliances, the fake ivory  carved buddha statues, the wicker "Morticia Addams' chairs.  Not to mention the clothing.. Yep the entire decade of the 70's was filled with kitsch.