An Attempt at Explaining Advancement Theory

Previously I wrote briefly about Advancement Theory as a way to understand Bob Dylan’s “Christmas In The Heart” record. I’ve become an avid follower of The Theory, mostly because it helps me understand why well respected artists make creative decisions that seem completely idiotic. I want to understand why a band like Sonic Youth would perform live on a television show like Gossip Girl, without feeling contempt and hatred for their decision.

Who invented Advancement?

Now you may be asking yourself, who came up with this theory, and are they serious? It is widely assumed that well respected journalist Chuck Klosterman invented the theory as he wrote a fantastic article on the subject in Esquire Magazine back in 2004. The truth is the Theory was created during a conversation at a Pizza Hut by Jason Hartley and Britt Bergman in 1990. Hartley was seeking a “more optimistic way to enjoy rock n’ roll. Advancement is the appreciation of music that seems illogical on purpose.”

Hartley now works as an “editorial director for Delia's, a store that sells clothing to teenage girls.” This, according to Klosterman is a, “highly Advanced career choice for a heterosexual academic.”

What is Advancement?

According to Klosterman’s article, “Advancement is a cultural condition in which an Advanced individual--i.e., a true genius--creates a piece of art that 99 percent of the population perceives to be bad.” This means that the advanced individual is creating works of art that the general population regards as flawed or just plain terrible. When, in fact it is not the art that is flawed it is the consumer who has not advanced to the level of the artist, and therefore cannot enjoy the perceived “flawed” artistic creation.


Chuck Klosterman

It is important to note that this does not mean that all “bad” art is good and vice versa. In order for an artist to create an Advanced piece of work, it must not be what is expected of them, but also cannot be the exact opposite of what is expected of them. If the artist creates something that is expected of them, that is predictable. If the artist creates something completely unexpected of them, it is considered overt, and is therefore not Advanced. However, if the artist’s creation is either misunderstood, or completely unexpected, there’s a good chance they have Advanced beyond the general public’s comprehension.

Who Advanced in 2009?

There were many moments of Advancement in 2009, here are some of my favorites:

1. Pixies having "Weird" Al Yankovic sing live on the Doolittle track "I Bleed.”This was an unexpected move by the influential early 90’s group. They also played a set this year where they performed songs that received the most “tweets” by fans. If they keep this up, they risk becoming overt.

2. Cursive naming their album, “Mama, I’m Swollen
There’s a classic clip of the band performing on David Letterman where the legendary host reads the album title which receives a hearty laugh from the audience. The title is advanced as Tim Kasher and co. were intending to make a serious artistic statement.

3. Sonic Youth performing live on Gossip Girl
So, one of the most influential noise-rock bands of all time perform an acoustic version of “Star Power” off their critically acclaimed 1986 release “EVOL.” Why would such a band decide to play on the “Upper East Side bitchfest-melodrama” that is Gossip Girl? You can’t comprehend it, either? Consider it Advanced.

4. Weezer collaborating with Lil’ Wayne on the “Raditude” track “"Can’t Stop Partying.”The one-time relevant band continues their journey into Advancement by having “Weezy,” rap on a party track produced by Jermaine Dupri (Janet Jackson, Da Brat, Lil’ Bow Wow). If they continue with this trend of their last couple of albums, a move like this will be considered predictable.



5. Bob Dylan’s “Christmas in The Heart”I already wrote an entire article about this record but this is indisputably the most advanced release of 2009. See his video for “Must Be Santa” to witness Advancement firsthand. Note: The Advanced seem to love wearing wigs.

Critics of Advancement

There are definitely those who feel Advancement Theory is flawed, if not completely ridiculous. While trying to explain why I find Weezer collaborating with Lil’ Wayne Advanced, a friend told me, “try to explain it however you want, they just plain suck!” I explained to him that he was not Advanced and could therefore would never be able to understand their motives. The comment was met with further hostility.

Advancement does eliminate debate regarding art. Once a creation is deemed Advanced, there is no arguing whether or not the product is “good,” or “bad,” as those terms no longer apply.

Others feel that The Theory is just a way for Advancement proponents to “appreciate shitty music by people they consider to be non-shitty.”

Conclusion

I still want to love Bob Dylan. For this reason, I find myself using Advancement Theory as a crutch. I do not pretend to fully grasp The Theory, but it does make understanding the choices of “geniuses” easier.


This article could not have been written without referencing the following:
Numerous articles found on Pitchfork http://pitchfork.com/
“Real Genius” by Chuck Klosterman originally printed in Esquire Magazine July 1, 2004
“Advanced Theory Blog” by Jason Hartley http://advancedtheory.blogspot.com/