boy band gone gonzo

Blame it on Madonna, but every modern pop star likes to portray himself as a maverick. A renegade artist who takes an independent stand against the mediocre status quo. It is a romantic image of the rebellious rock star. But the truth of the matter is that the recording industry does not reward dissent. They would prefer to market its merchandise the old fashioned way. The suits don’t know how to sell a product that reeks of eccentricity. Most likely, you will wind up being dropped like a bad habit. So when a former boy band member goes out on a limb and starts to embrace his inner oddball, he’s toast. Such is the case with Mark Owen and his troubled solo career. He finally releases his indie masterpiece… only to witness it’s stunning defeat. Lucky for him, he is lured back into the Take That fold with a promise of a return to glory. For those of us with a more sophisticated set of ears, we’re left wanting more. How the mighty pay the bills!

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