“The rockist-poptimist polarity is often false, and even when it's not, must we choose sides?’ – Jody Rosen [The Perils of Poptimism, www.Slate.com, 2006]

Rockism is the critical philosophy that self made music is the most true and thus the best music. These are songs written by the artists performing them, being performed the way the artists themselves wish them to be performed, irrespective of commercial sales or critical success. Poptimists believe that music is entertainment, and any denial of that fact is pretension. It doesn’t matter that a female vocalist’s song was written by a man twice her age in a different country. As long as the song is catchy, the production value is quality, and the performers are easy on the eyes, what could be better? Well, to a Poptimist only one thing could be better: the remix.

This band is a process of reconciling Rockism’s “authenticity” and Popism’s “consumerability” by basing our work off of musicians who spent time in the borderlands between the two. The Clash often employed a dance beat behind the growling vocals and harsh guitars, and Cyndi’s vocals always rocked surprisingly harder than the synth instruments and sentimental hooks would let on. We are not afraid to honor our heroes even if through our own limited musical means. The Rockist says okay as long as it is coming from a place of truth, and Poptimist agrees as long as we can have a good time getting there.

— The He Bops”

— Original statement about the work, July 2008