There is always one specific song you hold so close to you. There’s that one song you cling onto with all you have, even when you think everything and everyone has drained you of all you have and all you are. This one song is your absolute life-line. It is your crutch, it has saved your life. Without this song, you have no idea where you would be. Or maybe you do, but you don’t want to think about it. Because if you think about it….well, who knows. This song means the world to you, and more. It is part of you. Maybe it defines you. Whatever it does to you, nothing and no one else ever will.
For me, the song is Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths. I’ve never heard a song so bloody apt. It seems this song, is my constant crutch. And currently, well let’s just say it means more to me than it ever has done before.
Attempting to put into words what this song actually means to me is probably impossible. Ask any genuine fan of The Smiths or Morrissey (I mean the ones who know there is more to them than This Charming Man, First of the Gang to Die and How Soon Is Now) and they will have the one song by The Smiths or Morrissey that is their utter life line. Some may choose I Know It’s Over, which to me, is on a par with Please Please…”Oh Mother I can feel the soil falling over my head.” Have you ever heard a line so fragile? “It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate. It takes strength to be gentle and kind.” Never a truer word spoken, When you feel so low, being kind and gentle is so exhausting. Being good to people who aren’t worth it takes so much from you. So, let them go. Always let them go.
Lyrics have always been a huge thing for me. When you read the lyrics to anything Morrissey has written, you can read it as poetry. He is quite possibly one of, if not the greatest songwriter of all time. What fucks me off a lot is when people dismiss him and just call him grumpy or a depressive twit. He did suffer from depression in his early years, that is obvious in some of his work. However, listen to songs such as Bigmouth Strikes Again and you will hear humour in his words. He’s so bloody intelligent and witty- if you overlook this, you lack intelligence. Harsh? Possibly,but still true.
“So for once in my life, let me get what I want. Lord knows it would be the first time.” Anyone who cannot relate to these words is quite possibly a robot. However, I think the person with the coldest and hardest of hearts can really feel these words, this song. Everyone at some point in their life has felt, “Just give me a fucking break.” I feel it most days, probably far more than I should. I dislike how honest I’ve been writing this, but no one ever reads what I write so it’s okay. I’ve never seen this live. Seeing I Know It’s Over broke my heart in June and August this year. I just never thought I’d witness it, but I did. It’s something I hold so very dear to me.
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want means more than the world to me. The sadness that comes out of Johnny Marr’s guitar is heartbreaking, the way Morrissey emphasises certain words just pierces your soul. It crushes and comforts you all at the same time. Listening to The Smiths and Morrissey can, at times, be like an emotional rollercoaster. With others, it’s never worth it- but it is with them. Always.
The below clip is one of the best things I have seen Morrissey do. He breaks down, which just makes the song that much more hard-hitting and personal. You feel it even more because you see him feel it. When his voice trembles a bit and he kneels on the ground, you just want to hug him and say, “I know….I know.” Watching this performance is highly emotional.
Everyone has a band that changed their life. A band that found them when every part of them as lost- The Smiths are my band. Morrissey’s lyrics made me feel less daft for being sensitive. At worst a coward, at best just unsure.
Sometimes you just need music that just smacks you right in the face. It smacks you so hard, but here’s the mental part- you enjoy it. It’s the pleasurable kind of pain. It exists- like getting a tattoo.
Cold In Berlin are one of THE most exciting bands I’ve heard in a long time. I feel like they could’ve easily been part of the Punk scene playing at CBGBs, yes they are THAT mind-blowing.
God I Love You is agressive. It’s passionate. It oozes frustration and quite possibly being insanely pissed off at the person you are a bit fond of. We’ve all been there I suppose. Think Summer Camp’s I Want You but with extreme rage and a hint of Siouxise Sioux. It works. Trust me, it works. Singer My/Maya even looks slightly like Siouxsie Sioux. By slightly, I mean squint a bit- I’ve got bad eye sight so I could be wrong.
I love the volatile vibe you get from this band. I had comparing bands to others, but this time- it’s okay. Cold In Berlin remind me so much of Bikini Kill. The angst and the passion in their music is perfect- match that with dark sounding guitars, you pretty much have one of the most exciting bands in the UK right now.
Artrocker have quite rightfully named Give Me Walls as their album of the year in 2010. If the Mercury Music Prize had balls (or boobs…depends what kind of stance you want to take) then Cold In Berlin would be on the list.
This band are everything I love in much. Aggressive, dark, intense and so much frustration. The best forms of art have all these factors. Go buy their music, go to their gigs.
Everyone has their own take on what makes a great front-man/woman. It can be how they can control a crowd to how they are in interviews. There are various reasons as to what makes them great- everyone’s take on it is different.
Of course I regard Morrissey and Jim Reid (The Jesus And Mary Chain) to be the greatest front-men ever. However, there is someone else I hold as highly as these two.
This person towers of the mic stand, you are instantly attracted to him- in whatever way, that’s up to you. You look at him and you are amazed that someone so young can control a crowd in a way many spend years trying to do. Usually dressed head to toe in black, to some- they may be scared of him. But that’s only because people are small-minded twats aren’t they. Those that love the band he fronts know that he is a work of art. He is a genius. So are his band mates.
The man in question is non other than Faris Badwan from The Horrors. Since Morrissey and Jim Reid I honestly don’t think I have ever been so captivated by a front man. He paces the stage like lion, he owns the stage. He doesn’t have to succumb to meaningless talk with the audience to control them. He has this presence that just draws you in.
Watching early performances of The Horrors, Faris goes mental during songs such as Gloves and Death at the Chapel- watching these early performances you find it hard to believe that in a few years time, he will look all majestic and peaceful singing Sea Within A Sea.
It isn’t just with live performances that Faris grips you, it’s the interviews he does. Whether he’s talking about The Horrors, Cat’s Eyes or his artwork- you can just sense the passion he feels towards what he does. He doesn’t have to be all smiles and leaping around for you to see just how much he loves what he does. It comes out with the words he uses to describe it all.
One thing that I have always found fascinating about Faris is his love for girl groups. The real sense of girl groups such as The Girlfriends and The Ronettes. He incorporates these influences into The Horrors music and of course, with Rachel Zeffira in Cat’s Eyes.
The sincerity when he talks about what he does and his love for it is greater than most. Why? Well, because those that don’t care as much always feel the need to justify and explain what they do, why they do it and who they do it for.
Surely, if you love something….have a passion for something- you never need to justify it because the true meaning is in you, in your heart.
Constantly Fairs has been compared to the likes of Kevin Shields and Jim Reid, especially since Primary Colours and even more so with Skying. In some respects you can see these comparisons, from how he stands on stage to how he sings but to be honest- that’s all there is. Jim Reid never looked as majestic as a lion whilst pacing up and down the stage. It’s just lazy journalism comparing Faris to these two.
Also, why should he or anyone be compared to others? Especially when they are doing something different.
Although I dislike the station a hell of a lot, having The Horrors be placed on the Radio 1 play list is a bloody good achievement. If you listen (and I feel sorry for you if you do) to Radio 1, you are constantly exposed to the same songs every hour. There is nothing different; every single song is the same.
To have song such as Still Life being play listed doesn’t just help The Horrors, but it gives hope to bands that are doing something different the chance to be heard by the masses.
Maybe those that get into The Horrors will not love Strange House. They may just dismiss it as noise. It isn’t noise, it’s Garage Rock.
What I love about The Horrors is that their music makes you feel like you are listening to them in the 60s. You know, when music actually meant something. Stood for something. To have a band like The Horrors make the music that they make now is just beyond.
Many have regarded Faris as being “difficult” in interviews, but they’re missing the point. He’s not someone you are going to get pointless information out of such as “favourite kind of dog.” He’s a musician; therefore he will talk about his music, and only music. That’s how it should be. Not just with him, but all musicians. We do not need to know about their personal lives, it is highly irrelevant. We aren’t their close friends or family- therefore, it isn’t our business.
Last year Faris joined The Vaccines on stage at Chazzstock (memorial gig for Charlie Haddon from Ou Est Le Swimming Pool) and although he was only on stage for two songs, his presence was indescribable. I couldn’t believe he was stood right in front of me.
This October, I’m finally seeing The Horrors live (The Kills are also joining them, I cannot contain my excitement about this) since the EP before Strange House I have loved The Horrors, that’s 2006 I have been a massive fan. I’ve waited too long to see them, so to see one of my favourite bands live this year is a big deal.
I wish I saw them during the Strange House era- to see Faris climb over speakers, cover the crowd in black paint, launch himself at the crowd- it would’ve been such a good atmosphere. Something a lot of bands lack. However, to be able to hear tracks from Primary Colours (hopefully) and Skying will make up for it.
I’m all for listening to whatever you want, but if you listen to Sea Within A Sea or Endless Blue and still dislike The Horrors, then you should probably get yourself a new record collection.
I firmly believe in 10, 20 years from now people will name The Horrors as one of the greatest bands to have come from the UK and will also name Faris Badwan to be one of the greatest front-men ever.
The best thing about music is that it can make you feel so many things. Things another person has no chance of making you ever feel. For some it’s good, for others it’s bad. Personally, I don’t see it as a bad thing. There’s no disappointment within music. If you want to be disappointed, just go outside. Create something of your own, at least only you can take the blame and be responsible.
Touching on creating your own world, music helps with this in so many ways. When you go to a gig it makes you feel so good and so alive. A sense of euphoria just takes over and nothing matters to you. When you hear your favourite song being sung by your favourite singer in the world right in front of you, there is honestly no better feeling. It’s like all the reasons as to why you’re still breathing come alive as you witness it. You create what you want when you go to a gig. You could probably meet the best person in the world there. You have a mutual love for the band you are about to see- that alone could be the basis of any good friendship. The sea of people moving and singing along is such an amazing thing to witness and be part of. The world you create when you fall asleep at night whilst listening to your favourite band or just a song that you cannot imagine ever not hearing- nobody can ever take that from you, ever. It’s one of the very few things that no matter what, nobody will ever rob from you. It’s yours and yours alone. You don’t need to explain it to anyone and you don’t have to let anyone in. Sometimes you have to keep certain things to yourself. Sometimes you don’t feel the need to share anything with anyone. There’s nothing wrong with secrets, there’s nothing wrong with creating your own world.
With this odd introduction out of the way, I shall attempt to make it relate to the electro sounds of Blackbird Blackbird.
Mikey Maramag, formely known as Bye Bye Blackbird creates wonderful electro music that with first listen, just locks you in. I love music that, as strange as it sounds (mainly because I can’t bloody swim) makes you feel like you are rising above out of the sea and just floating. I think this is why I adore Warpaint and a hell of a lot of psychedelic music. That feeling that you are just floating away (or even into) something creates a wave of freedom that is sometimes hard, and rare to find. I think it’s why I struggle to actually put into words why I love certain bands because of how they make me feel.
Instantly, Blackbird Blackbird’s music comforts you. Even if you don’t need it, but you cannot deny that sometimes you just need a cuddle. His music, you can feel, is created with such love and passion. Dramatic description- it just feels like you are being surrounded by Angels or something when you listen to it. You feel protected, the music is so angelic. It’s a delicate kind of electro that surrounds you with such peace. Not a lot can do this, or have done it. If Spiritualized did electro, it would sound like this.
New York City. The birthplace of two genres of music that own my heart. Punk and Hip Hop. Oh, I can’t love the two? I can’t possibly love Hip Hop because my favourite band of all time is The Smiths? I can’t love Hip Hop because I think Warpaint are one of the best bands around right now? Oh okay then, I guess I’ll just start being small minded like the rest.
Or not.
New York City has given us some of the greatest musicians of all time. From Disco to Salsa- it all started in NYC. Going through most of the music I own, most of it comes from NYC. It’s something that I’ve recently picked up on and as a result, I am fascinated with all music that is created in this city. I hate flying. It shits me up a stupid amount. I have a brief panic attack whenever I fly to see my family on the Isle of Man and that’s only a 20 minute flight. However, if I had the money and a doctor gave me enough tablets to knock me out for the duration of the flight- I’d go to New York. I’d explore the birthplaces of the bands I love, the venues that they’ve played. I’d go to underground clubs and watch bands play that nobody has ever heard of. I’d wander round eating a bagel and explore the record shops. I’d take a virtually empty suitcase and bring back a load of records and books with me.
I’d take everything in and refuse to go back home. Knowing me, I’d probably take copies of my CV with me whilst there and give it to various record and book shops. That would be the best thing ever. Not only would I no longer be in England, but I’d be constantly surrounded by good music.
I can dream I suppose. Or, I make that dream a reality. I’m going for the latter.
So, New York City. The home of The Strokes, Ramones, Mos Def, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars. I could list them all.
It’s quite possibly the home to the greatest. I am tempted to say Manchester because of Morrissey- and of course, I regard this one person to be greater than thousands. Always.
The city has given us, within the last 10 years, bands such as The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Battles, TV on The Radio and Brand New. All of which have their own distinctive sound.
I remember when I first listened to The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and thinking it was the early 90s and in hope that The Jesus And Mary Chain were still going, coming back to reality wasn’t nice.
The city has so much to offer for anyone. It doesn’t matter what your race, religion, sexuality- anything. None of it matters (it never should anyway) there’s just something for everyone. It’s just this ridiculously huge place that has everything.
When I listen to the Ramones, I always think what it must have been like to have been around in New York when the whole Punk scene started. Imagine going to CBGBs and seeing a band start out- years later, they become one of the most influential bands of all time.
Imagine being part of the Factory scene- being in awe of Edie Sedgwick’s beauty every single time she walked past. Or being around when the Velvet Underground first emerged.
New York City, responsible for so much- yet it doesn’t have to answer to anyone. Ever.
You cannot mention New York without naming one of the best bands to have come from the city- A Tribe Called Quest. They were one of the first hip hop groups I remember falling in love with. I remember watching the video to Scenario on MTV at a very very young age, and just being obsessed. I loved the way Q-Tip pronounced his words and the words he used. I just loved everything they did.
I loved Q-Tip’s solo work- anyone who doesn’t love Breathe & Stop is a twit. Seriously. I just couldn’t get enough of them. The Low End Theory is easily one of the greatest Hip Hop albums created. It mixes Jazz with Hip Hop in a way that has not been done since, if it has, it hasn’t been done as well. The production on the album is mind-blowing. The samples used on it are just insane. From start to finish, it is sheer perfection.
I remember in 2001 first hearing The Strokes. For the past 10 years they have got me through bad times and have been there through the good. Two years ago I had Is This It tattooed on me. The album is so personal to me. I obviously don’t need to tell you why, but it was a crutch for so much- it still is. It always will be. I fail to see why many overlook First Impressions of Earth- the bass on Juicebox is mental. Heart In A Cage is just perfect. Evening Sun is beautiful. All four of their albums mean a lot to me for various reasons. They have that same rawness that the Ramones had. They don’t have to explain or define what they do to anyone- that’s how it should always be.
Music from New York has this type of edge to it. I can’t think of a better word, so I’ll go with edge. It has a distinctive sound. When you listen to band from the city, you know they are from there. It’s this raw, powerful sound. The feel of Punk still lies within a lot of bands from New York- even if they don’t realise it. Punk wasn’t just a genre of music- it was a way of life, a state of mind, an attitude. It’s in bands such as The Stokes, Vivian Girls, Yeah Yeah Yeahs etc- the way they play and how they are on stage just shows this.
Some may regard Punk as a music genre as dead, and that is the case. But the true spirit of it is alive and well within certain bands from New York City.
When I think of the music that has come from New York, I think of all the cultural aspects that are with it too. It’s such a vibrant place. It is full of all forms of Art. Whether it’s break-dancing, graffiti, theatre, cinema, Salsa- it’s everything. It has everything.
So many songs have been written about New York. It’s the Hip Hop community that you feel can truly sum up what New York is, and what the place is to true New Yorkers.
I remember that feeling I got when I first heard Warpaint just under 2 years ago. I still get the same feeling when I listen to them, it’s like being in love- but better and without a lot of hassle. I didn’t think I feel that way about a band for a long time. Oh how wrong was I. I feel exactly the same for Widowspeak. Don’t get me wrong, my love for Warpaint is greater- but it’s the same head-spinning, heart skipping a beat feeling.
Widowspeak are made up of 3 wonderful human beings; Molly Hamilton, Robert Thomas and Michael Stasiak. 3 super talent beings who create such amazing music that you can just lose yourself in. It’s exactly what you do when listening to Warpaint, you just totally throw yourself into a different world where only you and the piece of music exist. Some call it a sad case of loneliness, I call it bliss. Sheer bliss. There is no greater feeling.
When you listen to Harsh Realm, you feel yourself shuddering. It is so creepy but in an endearing way. You can be a creepy mcgee and still be cute, right? If you can’t, either way- the song is just perfect. It sends you into some kind of trance. The song isn’t long enough so obviously, you have to have it on repeat.
Their cover of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game is extremely sexy. Is it okay to call a song sexy? It isn’t? I didn’t think it was, but apart from stunning- it’s the only word to use. The way Molly sings, especially here it’s just so pure. It gives you and eargasm. I’m just using stupid words now aren’t I. I’m being silly, but if you listen to the cover, you will get what I mean. The original gives you the same feeling, and to cover such a song- I think it takes guts. To create the same feeling as the original when you cover a song, well not many can do it. However, Windowspeak did it.
I can’t possibly tell you who influences the group or ho they sound like. I don’t really want to. They sound like nobody else around. If your faith in new music is (which I fully understand if it is) virtually gone, then give Windowspeak a listen. You won’t be disappointed. If you are, then you probably are missing the point. If you loved The Jealous Girlfriends/Holly Miranda, Warpaint- then this band are for you. No, this isn’t a comparison. What I mean is, if you like music that is sung by a woman with a powerful voice and people who can actually play their instruments- then Windowspeak are for you.
I love girl groups. No, not in the Girls Aloud wanky kind of music- but the true essence of girl groups. The Girlfriends, The Supremes, The Shangri-Las, The Ronettes etc. The kind that sing songs about heartbreak over heavy drums. They sing songs that make your own heart, even if it isn’t broken- break. The sheer sadness and pain in the songs just makes you want to drink whiskey and cry your heart out.
I must say, I have never drank whiskey (Theresa from Warpaint told me to never drink it) but the level of sadness is so severe, it would drive you to it.
The Shangri-Las have influenced so many bands from the Vivian Girls to The Horrors. If you listen to He Cried by The Shangri-Las then listen to Who Can Say by The Horrors, you can hear the influence so clearly.
When The Shangri-Las first played together, they performed without a name. As they hailed from New York, they named themselves after a restaurant in Queens. Pretty cool way to name yourself; I wonder if they had free food for life.Their early work was heavily produced by Shadow Morton which had the essence of the Wall of Sound. Big drums, big sound. It didn’t matter if anyone was copying someone else- it was just a brilliant movement in music that still, even if it isn’t as obvious, influences so many.
The Shangri-Las toured with many bands, one being the Iguanas which of course had a member in the group that later became one of the greatest front men ever- Iggy Pop.
Staying with the Punk feel, the group have influenced so many from the Punk era including New York Dolls who covered part of Give Him A Great Big Kiss in their song, Looking For A Kiss. The Shangri-Las have even played the most legendary venues of all time-CBGBs.
If you listen to What’s A Girl To Do by Bat For Lashes, the atmospheric drum sound is highly influenced by The Shangri-Las. More recently, Hollie Cook covered Remember (Walking In The Sand) and you cannot mention any 60s girl group without mentioning the truly wonderful, Amy Winehouse. To write her in the past tense does not seem right. It will never seem right. So I will just leave it at that.
The Ronettes, the band who defined Wall of Sound are undoubtedly one of the greatest girl groups ever. Like The Shangri-Las, they had sisters in the group. This gave a feel of unity in the music, a true sisterhood.
In 1963, the girls auditioned for Phil Spector. Regardless of what he did in his personal life, you cannot deny that he is quite possibly the greatest record producer of all time. After all, he did create the Wall of Sound. Be My Baby catapulted The Ronettes into superstardom; it was also the first song Cher ever sang on- as a backup singer.
Baby, I Love You was the follow-up to Be My Baby. Again, to mention Punk- Baby, I Love You was covered by the Ramones. I also saw Faris Badwan from The Horrors join The Vaccines on stage last year at Koko in London as part of the tribute night to Charlie Haddon from Ou Est Le Swimming Pool. To see Faris on stage singing this just blew my mind. To hear one of my favourite songs of all time being sung by one of the best front men in music right now, well, it was an honour.
The Ronettes released a Christmas album, and after the release came Walking In The Rain. Since Be My Baby, this was their greatest success in the charts.
Of all the girl groups that emerged in the 60s, the one girl group that I adored the most was The Girlfriends. Although they had only one hit, My One and Only Jimmy Boy, they just as good as The Shangri-Las, The Ronettes etc.
It’s an utter shame that they only released just the one song- if they had more songs, there is no doubt that they would’ve been equally as influential as the other groups, but regardless- they are still just as important.
My love for 60s girl groups has been with me all my life. As a result, I feel it has influenced the kind of music I listen. I love music that has a lot of feelings and I love anything with a massive drum sound in it. Anything from Florence And The Machine to The Raveonettes, I just love anything with an atmospheric sound.
Current girl groups such as the Vivian Girls. Dum Dum Girls, The Like are influenced by the sounds created in 60s from girl groups.
However, it isn’t just girl groups that are influenced by them- bands such as The Horrors and The Drums are highly influenced too. If you listen to Glasvegas- especially their latest album, you can get a feel that sound too. Yes, they have a female drummer- but that isn’t the point. I must say though, anyone who can drum like that whilst standing up is extremely musically gifted aren’t they.
Cat’s Eyes carry the true feel of the girl group in their music. They are a duo consisting of Faris Badwan and Rachel Zeffira. Their album that as released this year is truly gorgeous. It made me want to raid a market full of vinyl searching for girl groups. It also made me feel I was in the 60s not 2011. The track, Over You felt like a song that could’ve easily been sung by The Shangri-Las. I’m Not Stupid creates the same feel of sadness these girl bands did. Really heartbreaking, insanely breathtaking.
Vivian Girls are a group I just adore. I love the way they dress, I love their songs. I just love everything about them. Yes, I fancy them and yes the dream girl would be one that dresses like them. However, I’m not shallow. With my face, I can’t be. I love the feel you get from their music.
Like most of the girl groups from the 60s, Vivian Girls are from New York. This leads me to believe that the vast majority of music from New York is actually the best thing ever. You don’t believe me? Listen to Ramones, New York Dolls,The Strokes, Vivian Girls, Mos Def- I’ll stop right there because I will just reel off a load of bands and bore you even more.
Fun fact for you, Ali who used to be in Vivian Girls now drums for Best Coast. If you listen to Best Coast, you can easily here the girl group influence in the music. Bethany has such a beautiful and soulful voice.
Totally shitting on my theory that all good music comes from New York, Dum Dum Girls hail from Los Angeles (alright, a lot of good music comes from NYC and LA!) They cite The Ronettes as one of their influences. They have this atmospheric sound surrounding them especially in songs such as Bhang, Bhang, I’m A Burnout and He Gets Me High.
They’ve just created this whole sound that makes you ant to jump in a car and drive off to escape how mundane real life is. That’s what good music does; it provides comfort and also an escape. Lord knows we all need it at times.
The last band I am going to mention involves me taking you all the way back to New York. Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin met whilst at University in 2010, fast forward to June 7th this year and they released their debut album. The band, of course is, Cults.
When I first heard them late last year I was transfixed. I just couldn’t get my head around what I heard. I bought the album the day it came out and it instantly became the best debut album of this year. Nothing and no one can top it this year. Yes, I have also placed it in my albums of the year also. It is has such a 60s feel to it. My favourite track off the album, Never Saw The Point is so painfully gorgeous. Like most of the album tracks, it posses a haunting feel to it- but Madeline’s voices are so angelic and stunning, it works so well. I’d imagine they are my age, maybe a bit younger. So to hear a band so young (I’m nearly 25, most days I feel about 50) create such a sound is truly wonderful.
If I was to ever start a band, which won’t ever happen because I cannot play an instrument, I’d want it to create the same vibe you get from The Velvet Underground, Townes Van Zandt, Warpaint, The Kills and Cults. Dare I mention all in the same sentence? Yes, yes I bloody well do.
As I listen to Cults’ first album, I cannot help but think how their future albums will sound. Will they still have this big sound? Will they take a completely different direction? I have no idea, but I’m excited for it.
I just love their music a daft amount. I think my summer would’ve been even more boring if it wasn’t for their album.
So there you have it. If any decade played a vital role within music- it was the 60s. Whether it was the girl groups or the psychedelic sounds, it is all highly influential and something that will never happen again. It shouldn’t happen again because it is that vital yet extremely rare.
From this, all I know I was born in the wrong era. I’ve always believed that but listening to music then- and listening to music now, I feel more for what was created rather than what is current.
Here are some more girl groups you need in your collection :
You know that horrible, painfull feeling you get when you stand on a plug when you have no shoes on? That’s how most cover versions make me feel. It’s a terrible feeling and it hurts for a while. You feel sick with pain and rage takes over. There aren’t many cover versions that make me not feel this way. Cat Power is the only one who can make a covers album and make it sound like every song is her own. Maybe it’s because I have this unconditional love and admiration for her. Unlike most, she doesn’t butcher the original. There are so many that have covered songs and just ruined them. There aren’t many who can cover a song well.
The Detroit Cobras formed in 1994. They are a garage rock band with a difference. The difference is that they just do cover songs. None of their own stuff- just covers. As a huge lover of garage rock, I can assure you that this works.
They’ve covered everyone from The Strokes to Solomon Burke to Buddy Holly. I adore the music of both. Their cover of Buddy Holly’s Heartbeat is brilliant. Rachel Nagy’s voice has such an edge to it, yet remains quite angelic. It’s so distinctive. If I could sing like anyone, I’d want to sing like her. Or Emily Kokal from Warpaint.
In 2005 I was in love with a band called Test Icicles.
As with most bands I love, they split up. I hated life for a bit. I hated life until I heard Dev Hynes’ solo material under the name Lightspeed Champion. I heard Galaxy Of The Lost and I was just blown away. Lines such as “I feel better now I’ve seen you but deep inside my bones feel like timber” and “Hate to think what would happen if I, started to drink like you. Maybe I, would loosen up.” I just loved the sheer vulnerability in the song. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge is such a phenomenal debut album. The fragility and frustration in the songs just stole my heart. Songs such as No Surprise, Let The Bitches Die and Dry Lips- especially Dry Lips mean so much to me. “Tell her, I give up. He’s won, I have lost all my humanity.” That specific line still holds as much meaning to me now as it did when I first heard it.
Next came the artist’s dreaded second album. Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You. I feel did not get the recognition and respect that Dev deserved. Musically he is a bloody genius. He slays the guitar. I’ve seen him live twice, and each time I was just left stood in awe. I remember walking right into him in Birmingham. I was just walking through the street and I walked right into him. As I wasn’t paying attention, it didn’t register it was Dev until I looked back and saw the hat he was wearing.
Last week Dev released a new album under the name Blood Orange. Is it better than Lightspeed Champion? Well, you cannot compare the two. It’s like comparing a shoe to water- you just can’t do it. I adore both projects. The album, Coastal Grooves just feels to me like 80s New York. No idea if that’s the vibe Dev was going with, but he is now based in New York. He left Dalston a few years ago, and went to New York. Smart move I say, going by the sounds of Blood Orange.
There is no doubt in my mind that Dev is a musical genius. It’s just utter genius his work. Every single song he has created is a masterpiece. He’s gone from singing songs in his flat in Dalston with Florence Welch (before she was signed) covering Green Day songs to producing tracks for Solange Knowles and hanging out with Jay-Z. Dev is well and truly living the dream ladies and gentlemen. He’s also worked with one of my favourite rappers, Theophilus London.
What I love about Dev is that, I feel he is unaware of what he means to so many. He is unaware that his music, as it evokes so much vulnerability and emotions- it becomes a crutch for some. It’s an inspiration. It makes you want to pick up a pen and paper, and just write down how you feel without feeling like a massive wuss. I love that his words are to the point, take Stay The Fuck Away From Me, “I’ve realised once more, that everyone’s a whore.” Deny it all you want, but we’ve all felt this way about someone. “I don’t mean to be blunt, but why don’t you fuck off.” Straight to the point, no need for metaphors and similes here- Dev just gets right to it.
I’ve always loved his covers too. Xanadu, Flesh Failures, Souvenirs, Heart In A Cage, Buddy Holly, Back To Black- they’re all just so bloody good.
I love that with Coastal Grooves, Dev doesn’t want to hear about any reviews of his work. To me, I feel this is pretty cool. Mainly because artists do not need to be told that what they have created is good or bad. I know I review albums and the like, but not once have I ever thought my opinion is worth listening to. Far from it. Why does Dev need to be aware of what’s been written about him? I listen to his work and think, he’d be a pretty cool person to sit down and watch basketball with. His down to earth lyrics make him easy to relate to. It makes it easy for you to allow yourself feel the way he does with his lyrics.
He’s just so wonderfully talented. I love that he doesn’t do just one kind of genre. There are so many influences in his music floating around. Whether it’s for himself or others- you can sense them all.
I do question why he isn’t as big as he deserves to be, but all that matters is that he is still putting out music. He is putting out music that is worth caring about and getting excited over.
I hope he brings Blood Orange to the UK. I don’t care if he comes back to the UK and just sings the phonebook, it’d still be brilliant. I just love his music and his voice. Every so often you find an artist that you just immediately connect with and you want to hear everything and anything they have done. My love for his music started in 2005. 6 years on, I doubt it will ever go away.
If you cannot hear the genius in his music, then you’re missing the point.
I’ll just get to the point here- why are straight singers never referred to by their sexuality? Yet if a singer is bisexual, lesbian or gay- their sexuality is named before they are.
I’m not a fan of her music at all (she can sing, I know- I just don’t like her songs) but any time I have read anything mentioning Jessie J, the fact that she is bisexual is mentioned first. Why is it important?
Why isn’t it ever written, “Heterosexual singer Florence Welch…..” Why must the fact that someone isn’t straight be announced before their name? It’s beyond ridiculous.
I’m not someone who gives a shit about the sexuality of artists I like. I love The Horrors- do I care if any members are gay? No. Do I care who they are going out with? No. Do I care about their music and only their music? Yes. 10% yes. Their personal life is their personal life. It’s not my business; it’s not your business. It’s highly irrelevant to what they do.
Maybe there is still a hint of homophobia within the music industry, but nobody will ever bring it up. Something tells me no one would have been able to shut Beth Ditto up if they told her to not mention her being a lesbian when the band got big with the release of Standing In The Way Of Control. However, on the flip side of this- it can be a good thing. Knowing you have strong figures such as Beth Ditto that are open with their sexuality can make someone feel more at ease with their sexuality. If it wasn’t for the Gossip I honestly would have struggled a hell of a lot more with being a lesbian. Maybe I’d still be “in the closet.” I have no idea; all I know is that Gossip made it so much easier for me to accept who I am. However, I do not and will never use my sexuality to define who I am. I don’t apply for jobs and say “I am a lesbian, give me a job.” Let’s be honest, if I did that I probably would never have any chance with ever getting a job. There’s still homophobia around, if anything I feel it is a lot worse than it used to be.
There are so many ways to look at this. One thing that pissed me off more than anything was Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl. To some, it’s just a song. To others, it’s a mockery. It’s tacky and offensive. The lyrics to start with are awful and the meaning is even worse. It’s basically saying, “I’m not really gay/bisexual, I just kiss girls when drunk.” There are people that do this, and it’s just pathetic. They have no hint of lesbianism in them- but they will do it when drunk or to impress a guy. Yeah, girl power right? Fuck off. It’s just drunken fun? Drunken fun is stealing trolleys or kidnapping your friend’s dog and refusing to give it back (I’ve done neither.) Drunken fun is not taking the piss out of someone’s sexuality. Does Katy Perry know what the struggles the LGBT community face? No, because she’s straight. She doesn’t know what it’s like to be called various expletives based on who you fall in love with. This isn’t a personal dig at her, if I was going to do that- I’d dedicate a whole article to her. I don’t like her music, and I Kissed A Girl just sums up stupidity and desperation.
Moving on.
One singer in particular that I admire and have done for such a long time is Holly Miranda. I’ve loved her since she was in the band The Jealous Girlfriends. I love her voice. It’s quite bluesy and it grips you. I just think she’s fantastic. Is she super famous? No. But she should be. She’s currently working on a new album. Something that struck me about Holly Miranda was what she said about her sexuality, “I have no problem being out, but I don’t think it has anything to do with my music. I like who I like. I don’t want people to not listen to my music because of that and I don’t want people to listen to my music because of that. I haven’t had to deal with it in a professional way very much yet.” This is how it should be. She should be known based on her musical talent not her sexuality.
Would people care for Elton John or George Michael if they weren’t gay? Is that what sells them? Have they used their sexuality to sell records? I could name drop a certain person who I feel has done this, but- there’s no point. Let’s just say, their name is part of a Queen song. Has the penny dropped? It should have.
I’m fully aware that I am alone with my thoughts and feelings with this, but I’d be a bit of a wanker if thought and felt like everyone else really. Then again, that seems to be an issue with most.
What I am trying to say is that music should not have a gender or sexuality. It shouldn’t have a colour.
Do lesbians feel they cannot listen to straight singers because they are not straight? Do black people feel they cannot listen to Classical music because they’re not white? It’s all the same thing. Sell your music based on your talent (if you have any) not on parading around half naked, pretending to be “bisexual” to sell records. If you have to rely on a gimmick to sell your music- then stop. Just stop because you are preventing those with actual talent of making it.
Will anyone ever pay attention to bands that are openly gay such as Uh Huh Her, The Cliks, Sick Of Sarah? Will anyone regard The Organ as one of the greatest female groups ever? No. Probably because they are gay. It’s a shame but homophobia is still alive and polluting peoples minds. However, singer kd lang has made her mark. Not by being a lesbian but by having one of the strongest voices ever.
I could easily go into a rant about how lesbians seem to love certain singers and bands. I really don’t get it. Not because I’m a pretentious oik, but because I don’t get it. I don’t think that because Spiritualized are one of my favourite bands that I know more about music than you or that I’m better than you. Far from it. So far from it. I’d like to know why people buy into what is forced upon them.
It becomes like a uniform almost. Gay men are forced to “enjoy” the music of Madonna and Lady Gaga. Lesbians are forced to “enjoy” the music of Pink and Paramore.
Personally, I don’t give a shit what anyone listens to. I like what I like, you like what you like.
Music unites people, so stop segregating it by labelling a musician based on their sexuality before you write their name.
Beat In My Bones. 