An open letter to Simon Reynold on his 'Brit Pop box' critique

[hint]

the fact that albini recorded them only shows how much he loved to go against the grain, annoy even his own admirers, and subvert expectations that he behave according to prescribed underground rules (at least that's how I took it) - i.e., it was a sort of 'fuck you' to the underground-police that made a certain kind of sense, actually.

Or just to make shitloads of money.

Albini records whoever asks him and charges a flat hourly rate. No "fuck yous" or shitloads of money involved.

 

[swears]

Fair enough. Bush were awwwwful, though.

 

[Tactics]

Wtf

Is that the same gene that makes them like Phil Collins?

kinda comment is this man?

my two pence...everytime this happens its the just the music industry selling a product...maybe creating or developing an existing audience but definitely selling a product..same like selling walkmans, discmans, minidiscs, ipods and whatevers next

is it bad? sometimes...

 

[crackerjack]

kinda comment is this man?

A kinda glib response to Buick's original post, I guess. His opening gambit implied Radiohead/Coldplay are better than they're given credit for (round these parts anyway), citing their popularity with American blacks as exhibit A. I'm simply placing that in a line of maudlin British soft-rockers who are unaccountably popular (to me, at least) with American blacks.

Clear enouugh?

 

[dHarry]

maudlin British soft-rockers who are unaccountably popular (to me, at least) with American blacks.

But Phil Collins made tight glossy soul-funk-r'n'b-pop in the 80's with Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire. Presumably that's why American blacks liked him?

 

[crackerjack]

But Phil Collins made tight glossy soul-funk-r'n'b-pop in the 80's with Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire. Presumably that's why American blacks liked him?

Hmm, the fact not one of the 15 artists here chose to cover Easy Lover suggests maybe the affection runs deeper.

 

[dHarry]

Hmm:
Gotta Hold Over Me (Easy Lover) - Coko

Of course I also meant to include Sussudio (Prince's 1999 riff!), You Can't Hurry Love, In The Air Tonight in that era - not really maudlin soft-rock, is it? tight glossy soul-funk-r'n'b-pop

(Am I actually defending Phil Collins? Is it possible in that MTV era that these fans hadn't actually seen him, and maybe thought he was black? Like Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band a decade previously?)

 

[dHarry]

I dunno, I haven't heard the boxset and some of the stuff will no-doubt sound horribly dated, but I think the sound there-in paved the way for some of the biggest bands in the world today, ie COLDPLAY and RADIOHEAD - both post-shoegaze creations...

Back on topic, has anyone pointed out that Coldplay are a diluted cross between U2 and Echo And The Bunnymen, while Radiohead starting out had more in common with Nirvana/Pixies classic indie rock than anything else (Creep) before going a bit arty on The Bends and then delving into Warp records back catalogue for synthesiser inspiration, while continuing the crowd-pleasing wailing climaxes live. Neither shoegazers, IMHO.

 

[RobJC]

I think Radiohead get lumped with Shoegaze origins because of the Oxford connection (Ride), and while I don't hear a lot of U2 in Coldplay (Keane anyone, though thats because their producer also has a hard one for U2) I remember being initially taken by the Bigger, Stronger EP, and then being dissapointed when Yellow came out.

 

[swears]

If you wanna talk about mainstream acts that sound shoegazey, Snow Patrol rip Loveless something rotten.

 

[nomadologist]

Is that the same gene that makes them like Phil Collins?

who doesn't like Phil Collins? it's in the reverb and saturation

 

[nomadologist]

A kinda glib response to Buick's original post, I guess. His opening gambit implied Radiohead/Coldplay are better than they're given credit for (round these parts anyway), citing their popularity with American blacks as exhibit A. I'm simply placing that in a line of maudlin British soft-rockers who are unaccountably popular (to me, at least) with American blacks.

Clear enouugh?

Wait, what? Black people listen to Coldplay? On what planet?

If you're talking about black producers "big upping" Coldplay to the mainstream media, that's called "networking" with stadium fillers. Duh.

 

[crackerjack]

Wait, what? Black people listen to Coldplay? On what planet?

If you're talking about black producers "big upping" Coldplay to the mainstream media, that's called "networking" with stadium fillers. Duh.

Direct the point at Buick, not me.

That said, I think there's some truth in what he says. I could list all the hip hop artists who've sampled/praised/worked with Coldplay, but if you think it's all down to networking then I guess it would be pointless.

who doesn't like Phil Collins?

How long have you got?

 

[nomadologist]

Of course people sample Coldplay when they're moving units like crazy. I can't speak for all black people, of course, but I can say that I have never, not once, ever heard a black person (e.g.) bumping Coldplay from their car, or even tolerating Radiohead for a single second.

Which black people said they liked Coldplay? Timbaland? Kanye West? Huh I wonder if their labels are owned by the same parent company.

 

[zhao]

met a british girl of African origin recently at a party who did not know what grime was and "listen to indie". the conversation ended there.

 

[nomadologist]

The "indiest" black artists I can think of in terms of their general aesthetic (including image/stylization) are Cool Kids. Watch the Black Mags video on youtube. They seem to shop at American Apparel and vintage stores.

Have seriously never even talked about Radiohead with a non-white person. Ever.

 

[crackerjack]

Of course people sample Coldplay when they're moving units like crazy. I can't speak for all black people, of course, but I can say that I have never, not once, ever heard a black person (e.g.) bumping Coldplay from their car, or even tolerating Radiohead for a single second.

Which black people said they liked Coldplay? Timbaland? Kanye West? Huh I wonder if their labels are owned by the same parent company.

Coldplay are on EMI. The artists you list - to which I could add Jay Z and ?uestlove - are all part of Universal.

 

[nomadologist]

Even if Coldplay isn't on Universal, they're still not "popular" among black people in the U.S. by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[mistersloane]

people of 'urban' descent like phil collins cos he sing bout yo mama

 

[crackerjack]

people of 'urban' descent like phil collins cos he sing bout yo mama

Not cos he o.g.? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_(film)