Koop Controversy

[€uroMeinke]

Caught this in their blog about how they had to redo the cover for their American Release:

We had to change the cover.
As some might have noticed, there is a slight change on the american album cover compared to the european edition. Basically, we were forced to change it by our american record company. According to them it was to controversal for america having two guys posing in make-up like the way we do.

We love the original cover. To us it's expressing beauty, friendship, unification, and the special bond between magnus and me when beeing Koop, and we have no idea how anyone can see anything sexual about that picture.

Anyway, in order to keep the same vibe as on the original there was only one thing to do. We replaced ourselves with two girls, looking a bit like us, and wearing exactly the same make-up and dresses. They are also friends, and known to us through various clubs in stockholm.

We are of course disappointed not to be able to present Koop the way we want in america, but at the same time it somehow proves how ****ed-up things are when two guys are not allowed express this kind of sensual bond, but when it's two girls it's suddenly perfectly all right.
Yours.
/oscar
Here's the original cover:
http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/k/koop%7E%7E%7E%7E%7E%7E%7E_koopislan_101b.jpg

Haven't found a pick of the new cover yet

[mousepod]

http://store.atlanticrecords.com/prodpics/koop_comp%281%29.jpg

[innerSpaceman]

Why didn't they just submit the same picture and say, viola, two girls?


I can barely tell the difference. I mean, I can. But oscar and magnus are so pretty in their picture, they could pass for women easily.



Ya know, I was disappointed they didn't really do anything at their concert. Was it Oscar who basically pressed a button every once in a while? I think he could have played the triangle or something. I know it would just make their shows more scintilating if they were involved musically, rather than just standing there as the composers (though, of course, Magnus did some keyboards and percussion once in a while).


Also, no sax in the line-up was criminal.


Otherwise, and these elements did not detract, it was a fantastic show. I say let them wear make-up next time!

[Isaac]

Magnus was the one playing his iMac and Oscar was the one playing the keyboards and such.

Maybe the line up will change when they perform in L.A. again on November 10th ?

[Isaac]

This just in:

Koop Islands - Homophobic Edition has 2 additional tracks; an alternate version of "Come To Me" and a new song called "Strange Love".

In other KOOP related news, Magnus and Oscar shot a video in Paris, France on October 2nd for the song "Koop Island Blues".

[innerSpaceman]

Magnus was the one playing his iMac and Oscar was the one playing the keyboards and such.
Thanks.


Oscar makes the better girl.









are you sure it's the homophobic version that has the extra tracks, and not the homoerotic one? More important, when will you be getting me the extra tracks??

[3894]

We are of course disappointed not to be able to present Koop the way we want in america, but at the same time it somehow proves how ****ed-up things are when two guys are not allowed express this kind of sensual bond, but when it's two girls it's suddenly perfectly all right.

I'm going three ways on this one.

Way 1: This is manufactured controversy for the publicity. Now even I have heard of Koop.

Way 2: It's not even controversy. It's bo-ring. David Bowie/Ziggie Stardust was so much better at it.

Way 3: If the quote is true, it really speaks to Koop's lack of creative coping skills. Slapping on makeup is about the least interesting way to "express this kind of sensual bond", be it between men or between women.

[flippyshark]

Really? 2007 and that cover is a problem?!? Jeez. Didn't Hall and Oates have this exact same controversy back in 1974?

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3548/silveralbumoy8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)