On a Britpop trip...

darthed1981

stickyfiddle said:

darthed1981 said:

 

Louise Wener in the Britpop documentary "Live Forever" (which is great) says Robbie told her he had a 10/10 hit ready to go with "Angels" (I wouldnt rate it that high but she did) and she knew Britpop was over when they had learnt to factory produce it that well.

I'm not convinced Robbie Williams was "manufactured Britpop". Angels is just damn good pop writing, in just the same way as Toploader's super-overplayed-at-the-time but utterly-fantastic version of Dancing In The Moonlight.

Well that's what Louise Wener says basically to end the film, its clearly debateable.  I think Britpop died mostly because the music became less good.

Justine Frieschman in the same film says she thought "The Great Escape" was a sh*t album, which is also fairly debateable.

The movie is worth a watch though.

MagicPigDetective

I didn’t get the anti america thing. I was equally into bands from the uk and usa. There was a diverse scene in the early 90’s where both sides of the Atlantic influenced each other and got on fine. All of a sudden you had britpop bands slagging off america and waving the union jack which just alienated me. Nirvana seemed more relevant to me than any britpop band. America has and always will produce amazing rock music. So will the UK. 

UnclePsychosis

The Great Escape was bloody dreadful, let's be honest. 

Looking back the British public should be ashamed that there was a "contest" between Blur and Oasis at that point: I'm not even a particularly big Oasis fan but What's The Story was and is lights years ahead of anything Blur were up to. 

mburekenge

Placidcasual79 said:

It was a great time for music - I realise this is a guitar forum - but its got to be said that there was some pretty splendid electronic music being realised during this period - from acts that aped rock/guitar bands in that they were album focused and festival friendly - 

The chemical brothers (95)
Lo fidelity Allstars (their first album is a CLASSIC - 98)
Underworld (94 + 96)
Leftfield (95)

Anyone ever listen to Monkey Mafia's album - shoot the boss - great record (98)
 
You also had ground breaking stuff like Portishead and Roni Size happening as well

Totally agreed. And this is only the most commercially successful stuff. The underground electronic music scene at this time was ultra creative.

Musicman20

stickyfiddle said:

darthed1981 said:

 

Louise Wener in the Britpop documentary "Live Forever" (which is great) says Robbie told her he had a 10/10 hit ready to go with "Angels" (I wouldnt rate it that high but she did) and she knew Britpop was over when they had learnt to factory produce it that well.

The same thing happened with the landfill indie scene in the 00's - following "the good stuff" from Franz Ferdinand, early Razorlight, Arctic Monkeys and even Kaiser Chiefs first minute-and-a-half-before-they-got-annoying, we ended up the barrel scrapings represented this time by utter shite like Pigeon Detectives, The Courteeners etc, but what was there to replace it wasn't guitar-led songwriting, but hip hop, wafty and somewhat anonymous girl singers and Ed Sheeran. 

HAHAHA the Pigeon Detectives. Headlined a stage at Leeds Fest I think. Never really had any spotlight after that. Rubbish band.

darthed1981

Musicman20 said:

stickyfiddle said:

darthed1981 said:

 

Louise Wener in the Britpop documentary "Live Forever" (which is great) says Robbie told her he had a 10/10 hit ready to go with "Angels" (I wouldnt rate it that high but she did) and she knew Britpop was over when they had learnt to factory produce it that well.

The same thing happened with the landfill indie scene in the 00's - following "the good stuff" from Franz Ferdinand, early Razorlight, Arctic Monkeys and even Kaiser Chiefs first minute-and-a-half-before-they-got-annoying, we ended up the barrel scrapings represented this time by utter shite like Pigeon Detectives, The Courteeners etc, but what was there to replace it wasn't guitar-led songwriting, but hip hop, wafty and somewhat anonymous girl singers and Ed Sheeran. 

HAHAHA the Pigeon Detectives. Headlined a stage at Leeds Fest I think. Never really had any spotlight after that. Rubbish band.

You think it was bad for you, I for some reason purchased both their albums.

The Courteeners had their moments though.

Placidcasual79

mburekenge said:

Placidcasual79 said:

It was a great time for music - I realise this is a guitar forum - but its got to be said that there was some pretty splendid electronic music being realised during this period - from acts that aped rock/guitar bands in that they were album focused and festival friendly - 

The chemical brothers (95)
Lo fidelity Allstars (their first album is a CLASSIC - 98)
Underworld (94 + 96)
Leftfield (95)

Anyone ever listen to Monkey Mafia's album - shoot the boss - great record (98)
 
You also had ground breaking stuff like Portishead and Roni Size happening as well

Totally agreed. And this is only the most commercially successful stuff. The underground electronic music scene at this time was ultra creative.

Also there was Roots Manuva's brilliantly British breakthrough hip hop dub/reggae record - Brand New Second Hand - when did that come out?

And Vanishing Point - Primal Screams deeply dark and utterly funky come down record - that was 97 I think.....

duotone

Placidcasual79 said:

Also there was Roots Manuva's brilliantly British breakthrough hip hop dub/reggae record - Brand New Second Hand - when did that come out?

@Placidcasual79 Looks like it came out in May 1999!

https://www.discogs.com/Roots-Manuva-Brand-New-Second-Hand/release/34628

Placidcasual79

duotone said:

Placidcasual79 said:

Also there was Roots Manuva's brilliantly British breakthrough hip hop dub/reggae record - Brand New Second Hand - when did that come out?

@Placidcasual79 Looks like it came out in May 1999!

https://www.discogs.com/Roots-Manuva-Brand-New-Second-Hand/release/34628

Is that 'post' Brit pop then?...... It can't be far off.... I mean there was no Altmont - unless we count knedworth....

quality record nonetheless....

duotone

stickyfiddle said:

darthed1981 said:

 

Louise Wener in the Britpop documentary "Live Forever" (which is great) says Robbie told her he had a 10/10 hit ready to go with "Angels" (I wouldnt rate it that high but she did) and she knew Britpop was over when they had learnt to factory produce it that well.

I'm not convinced Robbie Williams was "manufactured Britpop". Angels is just damn good pop writing, in just the same way as Toploader's super-overplayed-at-the-time but utterly-fantastic version of Dancing In The Moonlight..

@stickyfiddle ;

I never realised it was a cover, always thought they had written it.  It got a hell of a lot of airplay at the time didn’t it?

BintyTwanger77

MagicPigDetective said:

Hmmm Britpop. 92-94 I was an indie / grunge kid. Loved bands such as blur, boos, ride, fannies, shoegaze, nirvana, dino jr, soundgarden, pumpkins etc. Saw Blur at Reading 93 and loved Modern Life and Popscene. But girls/boys and parklife turned me right off them for years. Didnt like Oasis. Didnt like the britpop attitudes of laddishnesh, britishness, mod nostalgia, bloody Chris Evans etc etc. Bands and songs seemed to me to be more direct, poppy, not as inventive or interesting musically.  Loved Verve’s 1st two but not UH. Loved Suede’s 1st two albums but nothing after. My tastes had changed to metal, hip hop, techno, drum n bass and I smoked too much dope. The bands I did like during the britpop era were the Super Furries, Manics, stereophonics and Catatonia (yes I’m Welsh) and Gene as they reminded me of the Smiths. Luke Haine’s Bad Vibes book on the britpop era is hilarious. 

Yep, apart from Oasis (I loved the first two albums when I was a teen, gone off them), pretty much agree with everything here. 

Definitely a child of the 90s and everything mentioned here gives me a huge nostalgic twinge. There was a lot of mediocrity in the Britpop era (Menswe@r were unbearable, then there was Shed fucking Seven, Embrace, and I never could stand OCS), and so many bands tried painfully to adhere to the Britpop style, but most had one memorable song and a lot of dross, but burned out. The fuck-you-America attitude and infantilising of British culture did get tiresome, and it was a relief that Blur realised this (too late after shite like The Great Escape) and looked to Pavement and Sonic Youth for inspiration.

My favourite Britpop era albums (in no particular order):

Boo Radleys - Giant Steps
Blur - Modern Life Is Rubbish
Suede - Suede
The Verve - A Northern Soul
SFA - Radiator
Radiohead - The Bends
Manic Street Preachers - The Holy Bible
Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix

MagicPigDetective

Good idea @bintytwanger77 ,  here are my best albums; tho some are pre or proto britpop: 

Suede - Suede

Blur - Modern Life

Adorable - Against Perfection

Verve - A Storm in Heaven

Boo Radleys - Everything’s Alright Forever 

SFA - Radiator

Ride - Going Blank Again

Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque

Manics - Holy Bible

Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

Also a mention for two bands I only got into in recent years, Lush and Slowdive. One changed to fit in with Britpop, the other was destroyed by Britpop. Lush’s first three albums and Slouvlaki are immensely good. 

And a word on Teenage Fanclub; for me they rise above all the trends and scenes and have been consistently brilliant for almost 30 years. 

BintyTwanger77

MagicPigDetective said:

Good idea @bintytwanger77 ,  here are my best albums; tho some are pre or proto britpop: 

Suede - Suede

Blur - Modern Life

Adorable - Against Perfection

Verve - A Storm in Heaven

Boo Radleys - Everything’s Alright Forever 

SFA - Radiator

Ride - Going Blank Again

Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque

Manics - Holy Bible

Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

Also a mention for two bands I only got into in recent years, Lush and Slowdive. One changed to fit in with Britpop, the other was destroyed by Britpop. Lush’s first three albums and Slouvlaki are immensely good. 

And a word on Teenage Fanclub; for me they rise above all the trends and scenes and have been consistently brilliant for almost 30 years. 

A big yes to all of the above.

pintspiller

Holy Bible was brilliant

EricTheWeary

MagicPigDetective said:

Good idea @bintytwanger77 ,  here are my best albums; tho some are pre or proto britpop: 

Suede - Suede

Blur - Modern Life

Adorable - Against Perfection

Verve - A Storm in Heaven

Boo Radleys - Everything’s Alright Forever 

SFA - Radiator

Ride - Going Blank Again

Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque

Manics - Holy Bible

Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

Also a mention for two bands I only got into in recent years, Lush and Slowdive. One changed to fit in with Britpop, the other was destroyed by Britpop. Lush’s first three albums and Slouvlaki are immensely good. 

And a word on Teenage Fanclub; for me they rise above all the trends and scenes and have been consistently brilliant for almost 30 years. 

Just flicking through this Discussion and spotted the references to Teenage Fanclub. I know their name and I think that’s it but they are headlining the Sunday of Moseley Folk this year (normally artists like Seth Lakeman or Steeleye Span although Simon Fowler from OCS was there during the day the other year)  so I’ll be seeing them if I get a weekend ticket. 
Any must listen to stuff by them? 

UnclePsychosis

Teenage Fanclub are absolutely brilliant. I don't associate them with Britpop though. 

My favourite two are Bandwagonesque and Grand Prix. Most people would add Songs From Northern Britain to that and say that's their best three records. 

EricTheWeary

UnclePsychosis said:

Teenage Fanclub are absolutely brilliant. I don't associate them with Britpop though. 

My favourite two are Bandwagonesque and Grand Prix. Most people would add Songs From Northern Britain to that and say that's their best three records. 

Okay, cheers  

darthed1981

UnclePsychosis said:

Teenage Fanclub are absolutely brilliant. I don't associate them with Britpop though. 

My favourite two are Bandwagonesque and Grand Prix. Most people would add Songs From Northern Britain to that and say that's their best three records. 

SFNB had "I Don't Want Control Of You" and "Aint That Enough" on it didn't it?  Two Byrds songs better than any Byrds song (IMHO).

strumjoughlamps

early Teenage Fanclub absolutely bloody amazing.. not Britpop tho

english_bob

Placidcasual79 said:

Is that 'post' Brit pop then?...... It can't be far off.... I mean there was no Altmont - unless we count Knebworth....

Knebworth is probably a good high water mark for the whole thing. 1997 had a bunch of stuff that was a definite turn away from Britpop- Blur's self-titled album, Spiritualized's Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, the Roni Size and Reprazent album, Dig Your Own Hole, plus of course OK Computer, which was a real sea change in the sound of British rock.

I remember 1997 being a really good year for music- Britpop was clearly past its best, and rock music was going in some interesting (and not so interesting) directions. Nu-Metal, Post Rock, Ska-punk, American Alternative Rock that wasn't grunge, British rock that wasn't Britpop, Electronica (including, IMO, being the year electronic music and "real" instruments met and made beautiful music) the "overgrounding" of drum & bass...

Actually, a lot of that stuff ended up being shite, but for a glorious moment there it was all so promising...