Okay, now that's out the way, onto the meat of the matter.
I severely doubt that I'm the only person to have noticed that when LeATHERMOUTH were touring, Frank Iero had gained weight.
Now, while I'm happily throwing my head about like a musical stroke victim to LeATHERMOUTH's music, I don't really want to scroll down the comments page and be met with:
Omg! He's gotten chubby!
I don't like his new hair. I wish he was the way he used to be.
Thank God he's lost most of the weight.
Maybe I'm just overreacting in being irritated and slightly offended for Frank here.
My argument is that surely the way Frank Iero looks has next to no meaning when it comes to LeATHERMOUTH's music. Why are people so concerned with his weight and his hair? And when did the world become so vain that people are more concerned with the appearances of the musicians rather than the music itself?
Yes, everyone likes to look nice or at least presentable, but by the end of a gig the band members will find themselves dripping with sweat, dishevelled and most likely tired out. Let's face it, that's not really a good look for anyone. Appearances don't matter at that point, do they? And, yes, you are at a gig to see the band live but you're not there to debate how fat you think they are or whether they look good with a moustache or not. You're there to see them perform.
Another thing people seem to forget is that Frank Iero isn't twenty-three/four anymore. Everyone changes with age - we get taller, our weight shifts on and off, we change our hairstyles - and Frank putting on weight is a part of it. It probably doesn't help that he used to be so skinny. It could be argued that he isn't overweight, he just used to be very skinny.
No matter how Frank Iero looks, the music he helps produce will always be more important. As long as we enjoy the music and can merrily sit in our rooms with the speakers blaring, his ever-changing appearance doesn't matter; at that point we can't even see him so why should it matter? Frank could suddenly decide to dye his hair bright yellow, pierce his eyebrow and run around painted yellow calling himself pacman and the music wouldn't change.
A bit of weight won't change the lyrics.
His hair won't affect those riffs and drum beats.
And that moustache won't have a look in when he's on stage playing/screaming his little heart out.
Those people who are more concerned with Frank's appearance than what he actually does are being vain and very fan-girlish. What they're doing is basically saying that the cover is more important than the actual book. Perhaps an even better example would me turning down a really good teacher because I think that he's fat or has weird hair and picking the useless but good-looking teacher instead.
Well, I could argue this out for ages but I won't for fear of resorting to nit-picking like crazy. But that basis of my argument is out there and now we face the key question:
When faced with music: Frank Iero. Hot or Not? Who cares? When we're faced with music that's the most important thing, not how Frank Iero looks.
It doesn't matter!
Until next time, peace out.
XO