THIS. IS. AWESOME.

A large part of why I am drawn to any particular genre of music is a fascination with the (probably romanticized) background culture that births, propagates, and then sustains it (hence obsessions with the G Funk era, Guns N' fuckin' Roses and their fellow degenerate, late 80's rockers, and the Ramones/CBGB's, to name only a few.) Someday I will write extensively about the anthropological givings of modern music, but today is not that day.

Today you get "Fans Behind the Music: REO Speedwagon Edition."

The 'wagon is the shit, and not just because they were cock-rocking before the genre was even invented. They are equally amazing for the sole reason that there really are Joe Dirts out there, and Joe Dirts love them.



As you can see, just about all the bases are covered here: white trash, blue jean shorts, mullets, drunkenness, battered-looking trailer broads wearing too little clothing, paint huffing, and cold-cocking. I would've loved to hear the surely civilized conversation that led up to this.

Note: I stumbled across this while watching youtube videos of various live versions of Africa. God bless the children.

UPDATE: Butt rock, indeed. This says it all, really: