i'm not talking about the kind of clothes she wears, i'm not talking about the way she combs her hair*
Right now I'm reading "Rebel Heart", the memoir of model, mother of Liv Tyler and groupie Bebe Buell.
Though she insists over and over that she's not a groupie, I do not hesitate to call her as such, partially because I do not see anything wrong with being a groupie, and partially because I think she's pretentious to insist on being called a "muse" instead.
I will read the memoir of anyone who has "lived the dream" (i.e. had sex with Mick Jagger), and while her life is fascinating, I can't say I think Bebe herself is that great.
Though she insists over and over that she's not a groupie, I do not hesitate to call her as such, partially because I do not see anything wrong with being a groupie, and partially because I think she's pretentious to insist on being called a "muse" instead.
I will read the memoir of anyone who has "lived the dream" (i.e. had sex with Mick Jagger), and while her life is fascinating, I can't say I think Bebe herself is that great.
For one thing, she often comes off as pretentious and arrogant. Perhaps this is because I've always thought of her as such, my first encounter with her being hearing that she seems to think Prince's "Little Red Corvette" is about her, hence the line "Bebe, you're much too fast". By this theory, "Too Busy Thinkin' Bout My Bebe", "Hit Me Bebe One More Time", "Ice Ice Bebe" and pretty much every fucking song released is also about her.
But then again, when you've had Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler and countless others inside of you, I suppose that can be something of an ego boost, and I'm sure I would let it - no, encourage it to - go to my head as well.
But then again, when you've had Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler and countless others inside of you, I suppose that can be something of an ego boost, and I'm sure I would let it - no, encourage it to - go to my head as well.
She also fails the "show, don't tell" rule by constantly telling the reader how rock'n'roll she is without really backing it up that much.
Another issue I have with her, and this falls under the "pretentious" category, is that she seems to fancy herself something of a poet/songwriter, and I just can't stand her work. A sample:
"I was raised at CBGB/Cut my teeth at Max's Kansas City/My soul is pure rock/Ain't never gonna stop"
"I'm cool/I'm cooler than cool/I'm the Queen of cool/I wrote the bible on cool/I wrote the book on cool/I wrote the rules on cool"
Not exactly Ginsberg...
Another issue I have with her, and this falls under the "pretentious" category, is that she seems to fancy herself something of a poet/songwriter, and I just can't stand her work. A sample:
"I was raised at CBGB/Cut my teeth at Max's Kansas City/My soul is pure rock/Ain't never gonna stop"
"I'm cool/I'm cooler than cool/I'm the Queen of cool/I wrote the bible on cool/I wrote the book on cool/I wrote the rules on cool"
Not exactly Ginsberg...
Still, all in all, it's a fantastically enjoyable book and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in rock'n'roll. It has helped me see that just because Mick Jagger found a girl worthy of banging, doesn't mean she's automatically great.But I should've guessed that anyway!
*I don't think Bebe is a "stupid girl" by any means, I just think those particular lyrics of that song fit, and the Mick tie-in was clever..
29 comments:
I wrote the bible of cool...nice. And calling oneself a muse is a tad pretentious. And she really got around...well, i guess she knows how to get what she wants.
you HAVE to let me know how the book wa when you finish, i hate it when people say they are 'so great' and then don't back it up!
xx
k
ps--I found the quote:
"Simpson, an attractive blonde who knows it, judging by her poses in publicity photos, tells her boyfriend that she plans on hooking up with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. "
--as said by ben fong torres, i should have mentioned that :)
wow that's sort of interesting. i didn't realize how many famous guys she was with, haha. sort of crazy.
ack! thanks for commenting. this post of yours made me laugh a lot. :-) hit me bebe one more time!
I came within seconds of buying that book a few months ago, but I decided against it after reading review after review saying almost exactly what you wrote: pretentious and insistent on her coolness in a very uncool way. One of the reviews also said that it's indicative of her character that none of her rockstar conquests speak highly of her today. But if you found her story compelling despite these faults, the book must be worthwhile afterall. Thanks, as always, for your wonderful blog/insights! Too bad for Bebe, she comes across so sweetly in "Please Kill Me..."
I've always had a love/hate thing with Bebe - of course her life and exploits are just beyond amazing but I wish she'd have more depth or something. Those cooler than cool lyrics are priceless!
PS. I LOVE Black Mountain - I bought their debut album ages ago and thought I lost it :( But I found it in my dad's shed (?) so now I'm a happy camper. And I just had to get the Vinyl version too!
Her face is so sweet, she looks gorgeous and is a total sex kitten. That's how she had all those famous guys back in the days :)
I guess sleeping with all those legends would definitely stroke someone's ego. I suppose she had something these guys really wanted. I bet it is a fascinating book. You'll have to let us know more about it when you're done.
Lol @ the poem... We get it, you're cool! haa
That picture of her having breakfast (lol) is so gorgeous though.
Liv really comes from a rockin' family - her father a rockstar and her mother a groupie. Thanks for this post, I adore Liv Tyler and it's really interesting learning something about her mother too!
I like it that your post wasn't all "ohh Bebe is soo great" - but your posts never are this shallow ^^ I agree with you, it IS arrogant to think that every song with the word "Baby" in it is about her. *rolleyes*
The lyrics with the "I'm cool" song aren't exactly very creative..
Is "Rebel Heart" an autobiography or did someone else write it? I'd like to read it.
I don't like her, but I bet a book about her must be really interesting-
"look at that stupid girrrl"
hmm i have mixed emotions about her...part of the reason that i LOVED pattie boyd's book was because she actually seemed down to earth (as much as a woman who married george harrison and eric clapton could be down to earth haha) :)
hah. I know what you mean, but no matter how pretentious/full of herself/ annoying she is, she still slept with Mick Jagger. Success much?
Also, have you read the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test? It's (as I'm sure you probably know) Wolfe's account of the Merry Pranksters driving across America on acid. It's kind of amazing.
oh god she does sound ridicuously pretentious, that poem is beyond bad, def not ginsberg you're right lol
Very interesting post!
Well, she had quite much of happening going on with her.
juliet xxx
I just hate it when people have to talk and talk about how cool and amazing they are. It's just a big sign that they're not. Though her life must have been incredible, I know of many other women who have had much more interesting lives. Still, she can go around and say: Yes, Mick has been inside me!, (and quite a few other hot guys!) so I guess she does have something to brag about :P
And I laughed out loud when I read about her thinking that "Little Red Corvette" is about her - so pretentious!
Loved this post, Molly xxx
You make me want to read the book.
i always thought she was annoying in interviews. maybe she really did let all that famous sex get to her.
liv tyler seems like such a sweetheart though.
I love Liv Tyler though..
Those "Cool" lyrics are from a song! A song that she wrote with her band. It is a tribute to Iggy Pop or so she said at her last gig I went to six years ago, lol.
I read Bebe's book and liked it. I didn't get the same impressions at all. I hate all the books that her ghost writer wrote but she has great stories.
SHE herself didn't make a lot of the claims that seem to rub some of you the wrong way. She was speaking of other people's opinions most of the time. She makes it real clear about the songs and stuff. Clear that "Party Girl" and "Little Red Corvette" were not about her but that some people thought they were.
I liked her ability to point out mistakes and faults. The book isn't perfect but it was a real fun read. A page turner.
She was stunning. A cut above some of the other's on the scene.
I like her in Please Kill Me. That is the charming side of her that I like. Love/Hate Bebe Buell? Yep!
out of curiosity where do you find(or find out about) these rock'n'roll bios and such?
any store or site recommendations that carry more than just the run of the mill music books?
great alterna-rock chick book!
http://www.amazon.com/Petal-Pusher-Rock-Cinderella-Story/dp/0743292324
thanks in advance.
well it was easy to nail these guys down at the bars, they were drunk, high and let's say "looking for love". even the ugliest monster would seem perrrrrrrrrrrrfect. the fact is most of these groupies fought each other to go to bed with who they wanted. There are some famous groupiefights (ie: Lory Maddox and Baby Buell) and BEsides nowadays they are but shadows of a somehow distant past and have to write about those days to remember the best time of their lives. They can tell whatever they want but they were betrayed, dumped and used up like an old rug. They weren't groupies they were the free easiest ticket to loveland available at the time.
i seriously hate bebe buell. um...that's how i came across this blog, actually. i googled "i hate bebe buell". she posts on this message board that i go on, and every single thing she posts is so fucking lame. proof positive that rad guys are into loser chicks. sad face.
someone is very jealous of bebe buell
someone is bebe buell trolling the internet to claim everyone who doesn't like her is jealous
"I can't help it that I'm popular!"
I just took this book out from the library and I can't agree with you more about her being pretentious. I love to hear about all the conquests but she is just SO self absorbed! I can't even finish the book because I can't take reading about how beautiful she is, blah blah blah. If she was all that why didn't any of these men propose to her?
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