I was kind of shocked the bite sized nature of Rolling Stone. The magazine has turned into a loss leader for the website. But the funniest thing in there is this contest for readers to pick an unknown group for the cover. One of the groups, The Americans, is so “unknown” that it’s produced by Sean Lennon and Mark Ronson. Do we really think they’re not going to win the contest? Remember Rolling Stone is owned by Jann Wenner, who’s so far up Yoko Ono’s Flux he can’t see straight. I feel bad for the other acts.
The Americans are fronted by Charlie Klarsfeld, 21. who’s described as the son of fashion photographer Pamela Hanson. That’s an understatement. He’s also the son of Georges Klarsfeld, the late head of L’Oreal in Paris who mysteriously committed suicide in 1996. Georges Klarsfeld’s uncle and and aunt are the famous Nazi Hunters, Serge and Beate Klarsfeld– still very much alive. (Google them if you’ve never heard their amazing life stories–made into a TV movie years ago.) The elder Klarsfelds accused L’Oreal owner Andre Bettencourt of Nazi ties the year before their nephew –the rising star of the company — killed himself.
Will the music of The Americans reflect this incredible history? Sadly now. Songs like “Requiem” and “Antidote”–slickly produced by Ronson–and featuring Sean Lennon–are upbeat pop, Beatle-esque, and happily derivative of 60s pop. You know with the biographies of these guys there could be so much more — if they’d just get out of their own way.
