In which I lay to rest my previous habit, of linking to a new CiF piece by means of an enigmatic paraphrase, and shamelessly rip off Dave Hill's method of providing a teaser paragraph or two:Is it my imagination, or is there simply too much pop music around at the moment? At a time when the music industry seems to be on the verge of death, its primary resource - still, after 50 or more years, chiefly comprising songs that last about three and a half minutes and pertain to adolescents fancying a shag - is bloody everywhere.
I'm not just talking about BBC4's current festival of all things poptabulous, in which we put pop on trial, learn how it works, ask what it's good for and probably get it to choose the next president of the United States. Pop has permeated the most unlikely reaches of our cultural lives: our churches, our shopping centres and even political party conferences. It was suggested a couple of decades back that Pop Will Eat Itself: this looks like a bad case of bulimia...
...and then inviting you to read on...
PS: And already I've been called bald and boring-looking, and accused of intimate relations with Julie Burchill.
11 comments:
Has the Hammersmith Palais gone? I'm trying to remember whether I had any important experiences there, like first snog. But, erm, yes, too much pop. Yes. Mmyes. I found those Beatle chaps awfully good. Mmyes. And that Prefab Sprout. Marvellous. Awfully talented.
The BBC 4 pop season is fine, but there seems to be no input from young people as far as I can see. Perhaps everyone who works in TV assumes that the over forties "own" pop music, which is a bit depressing.
Also depressing is the fact that the most promising new acts this year are apparently Adele (the new Alison Moyet) and Duffy (the new Carmel). Then there's that kiddy who won The X-Factor who seems to worship Al Bowlly and Frank Sinatra. Too much "nanna and grandad know best" pop music! I blame Amy Wineharse myself.
I'm too intelligent for classical music.
Blimey, they're a vicious bunch over there Tim! You can't help bearing a passing resemblance to Toby Young.
Holy Cats! Duck, Tim, DUCK!
Apparently you've hit a nerve with a bunch of sods who are desparately clinging to their youth through their music.
The Palais is being converted into a cafe and office block, Bib. No snogging allowed.
That's exactly what we need, Betty - Al Bowlly vs Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson in Pop on Trial: The 30s.
Or it's too stupid for you, Geoff.
Murph/Rimshot: at least nobody called me a paedophile this time round...
Mark E. Smith once blamed the job dearth for there being too many groups around, forcing him to compete with people who would be far happier being civil servants.
Pop is always best when ignored by mainstream media ... let it fester in its own little space.
Not the first time that 'Mark E. Smith' and 'fester' have appeared so close together, Anthony.
There was a time when rebellious sneaked in alongside pop but no longer. As you say, its all about the throbs near the teenage hearts. Money for old rope really.
Maybe it's because there used to be something genuinely subversive about teenage lust, Charles. Now it's just another bloody commodity.
come on, can't you find a picture of Kim Wilde with her tits out?
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