you never seem to see People magazine doing a spread on how good a show they put on
Valid point, but Momsen isn't much of a performer. Disclaimer: I have never seen TPR live, so this assessment is coming from live videos. A video doesn't fully capture live music, especially live rock, but even accounting for that their act is weak. Whoever she's got on sound is completely incompetent and her voice (which is really their selling point) just gets drowned by the guitars. The band members are pros and their instruments are in tune, they can count, etc, but they're up there punching a clock. Momsen is stilted and uncomfortable on stage and has no idea how to work a crowd. There's a lot that you can knock Gaga for, but she is all about spectacle and plays her heart out every time.
IIRC, Taylor's 'shocking' behavior in the beginning was about giving obnoxious interviews, wearing panda makeup, and dressing like a hooker. Her stage antics - flashing, boob tape, grinding with underage girls - have been a fairly recent development. I think she's probably dissatisfied with what she gets from their crowds and is using all of this to try and juice up her live act, just as she used the lingerie to erase her wholesome Jenny image. And JMO, but she's traded on her scantily clad, underage body from the beginning of the TPR. If she wanted people to take her music seriously, she should put some clothes on, and I can't hate on People for giving her what she's asked for.
Strawberry, you and me both. I am so curious about what the band members really think. She's blah blahed about how she's bff with her band, and then called one of them by the wrong name in a recent video. Actually, she called him by the name of his long gone predecessor in the band. Ouch!