Are MGMT Douchebags? Does it Matter?

Can you enjoy a band's music even if the band members are complete and utter douchebags?

That important philosophical question has been eating away at my soul lately.

Like many people, I've been rocking out to MGMT a lot this year -- especially their song "Electric Feel." Their album Oracular Spectacular has probably gotten more play on my iPod than any other in 2008.

They've also racked up a ton of end-of-the-year kudos, with the album #31 on Rolling Stone's 50 Albums of the Year and their hit song "Time to Pretend" hitting #3 on their singles list. Not that these lists mean anything, but still MGMT has had a kick-ass year.

All was cool until I had a beer in the East Village with my intellectual-glasses-wearing friend who takes music pretty seriously. We were talking about the best albums of the year when I brought up MGMT.

"MGMT?" he said. "Yeah, but they're total douchebags!"

He went on to explain that he liked the album plenty, but then he saw members Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden on a 60-second interview on YouTube and they were such total douchebags that he can't listen to MGMT anymore. Not another note.

"Do yourself a favor a watch that video," he urged me.

I hesitated at first. I mean, who cares? Music is music. Does it really matter what a band looks like -- or even acts like -- as long as you dig their music?

But my friend's words creeped around in the back of my mind for days. Did I really want to listen to a band of douchebags? Finally, I couldn't resist anymore and I gave in.

You can watch the video here.

Now, I'm not sure if MGMT are total douchebags. My first impression is that they're just really, really young. (One of them looks like a freakin' 12 year-old!) Still, they do have what blogger Jay Louis, founder of HotChicksWithDouchebags.com, would call a certain "douche aura." They are, in the end, admittedly kind of annoying.

But so what?

I still listen to Ol' Dirty Bastard even though he admitted to getting gonorrhea multiple times, and was charged with attempted murder, criminal weapons possession, second degree assault, attempted robbery, failure to pay child support, beating his wife, and shoplifting at Footlocker!

People still karaoke to "Billie Jean" even though Michael Jackson, as we all know, sleeps in beds with little boys.

Is being a douchebag that big of a crime?

It certainly doesn't stop Bono.

Should that disqualify U2 from my iPod?

Does listening to MGMT make me a douchebag? Does even thinking about this while the world crumbles around me make me a douchebag? Does reading this make you a douchebag? Is this word douchebag "so 2007"?

Important philosophical questions.

(Oh, and MGMT please don't sue me for this. I like your music.)

Comments

[AndyDandy]

I'm guessing you and your friend are Vampire Weekend fans? Funny thing is everyone talks about the guys from Vampire Weekend being jerks too, but just like you I don't let that get in the way of enjoying their music.
They were just having some fun in the interview btw, try getting a sence of humor.

[xlunax]

While this is certainly a topic worthy of discussing in general, you would have done better to pick a different artist to center your piece around. Eugene Hutz, Ryan Adams & Billy Corgan are some examples of artists who make compelling music yet act like douchebags time and time again. Your link to a brief interview wherein the most controversial MGMT do is to take a mild dig at the overhyped Vampire Weekend is not very convincing. I feel like a lot of people hate on MGMT because they seem to be having fun and not taking themselves as seriously as most bands who have reached their level. This pisses music snobs off to no end.

I can enjoy the art of douchebags without a problem but I draw the line when douchebaggery leads way to other undesirable personality traits like racism and homophobia. As such, most hip hop is out for me :(

[biznobar]

If you cannot separate the artist from the art then you are not being honest with yourself.
The art is a slice of time and there can be many reasons the artist presented the art the way they did. But it is still just a slice. The artist, on the other hand is like the rest of us. A human being with how ever many years of life's influence behind them. And when you see them perform or do an interview or just strolling down the boulevard, you are only seeing that brief slice of their lives and that slice has nothing to do with the art they created. So yes, you can love the art and hate the artist or love the artist and hate the art because they are two different things. It doesn't matter how lovingly crafted or intensely personal the art is. It is still art and the artist is separate. You can also love the art and the artist but the two are still separate, it's just harder to see. But if you hate the art because you hate artist, (you hater) maybe you should do a little reflection to see who is fooling who.

[BlackJAC]

I saw a clip of U2 performing on one of Tom Snyder's talk shows. They looked completely different than they do today--The Edge was clean-shaven!

At the same time, KISS tried performing without their trademark makeup and outfits, and their fans rebelled against it.

Let's face it: the Beatles' popularity didn't spring from their music alone.

[thicky]

Douchebags? because they gave inane answers to bland talkshow-style questions? I guess douchey-ness is in the eye of the beholder.

As for your question: the answer is no, you can't ever fully enjoy a band if some of their members are douchebags. Though Joey was a punk icon, I have never been able to really enjoy The Ramones. I had a few opportunites to see them but could never bring myself to give my hard earned dollars to the weasels Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone--with no regrets--and not only were their haircuts and stage costumes the only punk thing about them but they were proud right-wing supporters of Reagan and his passion for deregulation and war(gosh, that legacy has worked out well for us).

No, you can never truly enjoy a band if they're douchebags.

[jocon111]

I watched the NME interview and I don't see what has everyone so upset. Someone is firing as many questions as he can in one mintute -- the idea is to not give them time to think the question through. All in all I think they did pretty well. The idea that someone would not listen to their music based on a one minute interview is very bizarre.