Second Artist Blog

The artist I choice for my second blog entry is Jeffree Star. Here is a man who despite his many interviews never really gets asked anything substantial. All the questions where about make-up where he lived while he was growing up, why does he love make-up. The interviewers completely ignore any question on music style, or artist statement. They are completely and totally distracted by his pink hair. However, I was able to put together a little something about him from what measly information I could squeeze out of interviews and my knowledge of his music.
Jeffree Star grew up in Orange County California, moved to LA when he was 17, and has been sneaking into clubs with a fake ID since around 16 which is where he met many people and starting doing make-up for money. His first passion appears to be make-up, and it is clear in his many photographs on myspace that he loves to do himself up. However, that is not to say that his music should be brushed off as a "side project".
Star tends to gravitate towards songs that sound like the belong in a club setting, with heavy use of machine generated sound in accordance with his vocals. Which despite his "feminine" appearance are quite varied, as I found out in the last few minutes of a three piece youtube interview that was other wise useless; where he screams hard-core style, it's really quite a sight to see. http//www.youtube.com/watch?=vIK4TsmhLQQ&feature=related
Star is also entirely self produced, showing the classic DIY punk attitude with a few twists when it comes to labels, "I'm not even trying to get signed. I mean, I am sure I will eventually. but for now there is need to" http://laist.com/2008/03/10/jeffree_star_interview.php
Which, is the closest thing to an artist statement I was able to find.
I think the reason I had such a hard time finding anything helpful to me about Mr.Star is two fold. One side being that he is an Internet sensation and is just now really breaking into the main stream, where he has been rather "underground" for so long. The second side being no one can seem to get passed his unusual image and ability to walk in heels most women shudder at to ask him any sort of deep question, past his fashion sense.
Which makes it really hard to write anything of meaning about him that reflects his view on what he does. But, I can still write about why I picked him. And, actually, the reasons why I picked him are identical to the reasons I picked the Dresden Dolls for my first blog.
I picked him for his gender bending qualities, is totally in your face look and yes, even his bright pink hair (which is now orange by the way, don't believe me check out is myspace, http://www.myspace.com/jeffreestar). Just like with the Dresden Dolls I am fascinated by people who break their gender roll, and even more fascinated by people's response to it. I also picked, just like the Dresden Dolls before him, for his in your face lyrics about topics that generally would be seen as to blatantly about sex and/or just uncomfortable. And with song titles like "We Want Cunt", "Straight Boys" and "Ice Cream" I'm sure you get the idea.
Also, as an added interest piece for me, Mr. Star has recently started his own label called Popsicle Records, which other than the myspace dedicated to it http://www.myspace.com/popsiclerecords also has little info out about it.
I'm not sure that Jeffree Star will have much of an impact on the work I do in this class, but I certainly admire his ambition and unapologetic fuck-you attitude.