Youtube Nation: I Like My Music Like I Like My Potatoes

Undisputed god of grunge

What does Youtube have in common with Star Trek conventions?

Well, yeah, both are primarily populated by sad, lonely people with no lives. But what else?

Okay, yes, both are completely unnecessary mutations of pop culture and modern media that only exist because of a surprisingly extant demographic. Try again.

Alright, I'll also concede that I would sooner attend a simultaneous root canal and prostate exam than be seen at either a Star Trek convention or on Youtube, but that's not what I'm talking about today.

The similarity of which I write is the tragic mis-allocation of talent that occurs rarely but prominently in both places. Whenever I've seen photographs or footage of a trekkie convention, I can't help but notice all of the amateur costume and makeup artists who trot out their professional-level talents just so they can look like authentic freaking Klingons. Sure, most of the convention-goers are probably just wearing Tribble t-shirts or fake-looking Spock ears, but just the fact that one in a thousand happens to be ridiculously talented is enough to prove my point. These people spend 364 days a year being office drones and college students, but they could easily make a nice career as designers.

Youtube is much the same way. The overwhelming majority of content that comes through the medium is garbage, but every now and then somebody does something that demonstrates real talent. If only they would apply that talent somewhere that isn't a mere curiosity. I'm talking about you, Thriftshop XL.

The Nirvana/Rick Astley mashup video has rightly gone viral, as it should have. I'm no fan of memes and while I can admit that the whole Rickrolling phenomenon has a delightfully absurdist edge, that doesn't rescue it from being "omigod 80's!!!!1". That said, expertly inserting Astley's hit into the anthem of the grunge movement with nary a visible seam is quite an accomplishment in sound editing. It begs the question, what could Thriftshop XL do with a proper budget and less, erm, "democratic" outlet?

Thriftshop XL has a small, simple website that is little more than a depository for his (probably a male) other mashup videos. Some of them are good. Not as good as Nirvana/Astley, but still pretty interesting. The Bat For Lashes/Cure video is a personal favorite. Not all of the mashups are a success, though. The Call On Me + Fart Noises video is, well, exactly the kind of junk that litters Youtube already.

I was ready to write off Thriftshop XL's website as an ad hoc reaction to his sudden Youtube fame, but then I got to the bottom of the page and found the hit counter. At the time of my visit, I was #2,712,753... since 2000. In a week's time from the writing of this article, ThriftshopXL.com will have been in existence for nine full years. The danger of losing this talent to the void seems all the more immanent.

Thriftshop XL's work has been featured on a variety of TV shows in the UK already. I sincerely hope this opens up a path to a more respectable, original career in A/V art for him. It'd be a shame for this 100% accurate Klingon to get trapped in the convention center for the rest of his life.