There's really no excuse, is there?
Last night I went to see the X reunion tour with the Rollins Band. Exene is older than me, and Rollins is about the same age. Last time I saw Rollins in any form, it was some 20+ years ago with Black Flag in Champaign. I weighed 140 then. Rollins, execpt for more tattoos and some graying hair, and perhaps even more muscle, hasn't changed a bit. It's just another nudge for me that there's really no excuse for this. If Rollins, at 40 something, can still have a body like a 20 year old, there's hope for me.
Exene, on the other hand, looks like her years. She's put on a few pounds. Actually, I think she, like me, had always been a big girl, but like me, knew how to dress it. And I think she always had the doubt. I remember interviewing her back in '83, and she was lamenting the British tabloids, saying it was always something, and among the somethings was that "you're fat." I remember looking at her in surprise, "fat" was not a word I would use to describe her, and here's the British press getting on her case about it. You hear that stuff all the time and you just throw up your hands and start to believe it, and then you GET fat. It happens to the best of us.
On the other hand, its not the weight that ages Exene. She's legendarily been a drinker, and that crap ages you only slightly faster than being a chain smoker.
Still, here was the best part: nobody in the audience cared last night. People Including me) still love her because she still wrote/writes great songs, wails 'em proper, and dresses like the crazy cat lady down the block. That's a great lesson right there. People who love you love you nonetheless. You're not losing this weight for love, because its not the weight they love or hate. It's you. And if you're losing the weight for anybody besides you, you'll never be satisfied. We have an acquaintance (our age) who said flat out he didn't want to go see X because "Exene's fat. I don't wanna see that." I wished I'd been there when he said that, because my reply is "Lissen, dude, why don't you meet me at the Alterra Lakefront Cafe for a cup of coffee after you've been to a few meetings of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Hair Club For Men, and when you've done something about that hideous spot on the back of your noggin, and you fill the Rave with fans coming to see your band after 20 years, we can discuss Exene's fat. Hotay?" That should shut him right the fuck up.
Exene, on the other hand, looks like her years. She's put on a few pounds. Actually, I think she, like me, had always been a big girl, but like me, knew how to dress it. And I think she always had the doubt. I remember interviewing her back in '83, and she was lamenting the British tabloids, saying it was always something, and among the somethings was that "you're fat." I remember looking at her in surprise, "fat" was not a word I would use to describe her, and here's the British press getting on her case about it. You hear that stuff all the time and you just throw up your hands and start to believe it, and then you GET fat. It happens to the best of us.
On the other hand, its not the weight that ages Exene. She's legendarily been a drinker, and that crap ages you only slightly faster than being a chain smoker.
Still, here was the best part: nobody in the audience cared last night. People Including me) still love her because she still wrote/writes great songs, wails 'em proper, and dresses like the crazy cat lady down the block. That's a great lesson right there. People who love you love you nonetheless. You're not losing this weight for love, because its not the weight they love or hate. It's you. And if you're losing the weight for anybody besides you, you'll never be satisfied. We have an acquaintance (our age) who said flat out he didn't want to go see X because "Exene's fat. I don't wanna see that." I wished I'd been there when he said that, because my reply is "Lissen, dude, why don't you meet me at the Alterra Lakefront Cafe for a cup of coffee after you've been to a few meetings of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Hair Club For Men, and when you've done something about that hideous spot on the back of your noggin, and you fill the Rave with fans coming to see your band after 20 years, we can discuss Exene's fat. Hotay?" That should shut him right the fuck up.
Comments
All in all, Exene is being unfairly judged. John Doe likes his smokes and drinks, and the age lines he's developed give him character and sex appeal. X can play for hours with the energy and enthusiam of teens. So I don't cares how much Exene weighs, she's got charisma and beauty far beyond mere mortals(and plus, she's been on the road for months, which definitely takes its toll on your diet and fitness regime).
As far as Henry's hard body, it seems a bit fanatical to me (however, if I didn't work full time and have 2 kids, maybe I'd spend all my time in the gym, too).
Sharing personal issues is very different than stating opinions, the former being based in honesty & the latter in dishonesty - unaddressed fear, insecurity & often times ignorance.
The frustration w/the British 'writer' was no doubt that weight was an issue @ all let alone mentioned.