PSA: Jools back tonight - sadly Paul Weller returns !

ICBM

I caught the last couple of bands last night, which more or less summed it up for me. The first was a sort of hip-hop/funk band with an interesting bass sound but otherwise pretty standard for that sort of thing.

The second was Muse playing something that sounded like George Michael crossed with Primal Scream, with some bored-looking tit playing piano along with them.

Tired, formulaic, repetitive, similar mix of bands every week, boring presenter, irritating piano-playing presenter, not actually really live even when it says it is (if I understand it correctly they get a couple of goes at a song), and finally it finished at about 10.30 so it's not exactly Later, is it?

They can take the pre-recorded fake Hootenanny nonsense away as well while they're at it...


(And just to be clear, I actually like Jools' piano-playing in the right context - I've got about four or five of his albums, including several of the guest-vocalist format.)

Veganic

Lodious said:

I think it's total shit that should have been axed years ago. We are going through a really good period in contemporary music, and having that smug cat faced twat fronting it with such a stale format is missing a major opportunity for the BBC. 

The Tube had an edge to it which made it interesting, Later has become the polar opposite of the Tube. Later has had had some great performers over the years, but the format does not allow decent bands to stretch out. The interviews are wooden and cliquey with too many of his celb mates and hangers on. I also fucking detest his shitty plicky plonk piano which he thinks is an appropriate accompaniment to artists which are on a totally different level to Jools. 

Kill it now and give the budget and airtime to someone with some ideas. 

I nearly mentioned that it was the polar opposite of the Tube in my comment. Personally I liked both. 

What did Jools do to you to deserve called a smug twat?

Look at Jools's body of work if you think the artists are on a different level. I know he's no Les Dawson but he has done some notable stuff.

I like that it has no ideas.  It's just some music.  If stale is one song after another with the minimum of filler then I can live without fresh.

The interviews are poor but at least they are short.

JezWynd

It's a tired format. It's about time there was a new long form music show by one of the major terrestrial broadcasters. Or even two or three shows. The way the music scene has fractured into different flavours means that it's very hard to cover the entire music scene in one show.

In the days when the music charts reflected broad appeal, then TOTP or Ready Steady Go were a good magazine type format but in the current climate, where Ed Sheeran can dominate the top ten, it makes more sense to have a more targeted approach.

Radio has done it for years, with shows targeting specific forms of music; blues, country, rock, hip hop etc. TV could do something similar, with an entire evening given over to music and sub divided into genre, or else the BBC could use the red button to offer genres under a headline magazine show. They need to bring imagination and new technologies to bear on the problem - I'm sure the audience is still there if they can only tap into it.

Philly_Q

Veganic said:
Look at Jools's body of work if you think the artists are on a different level. I know he's no Les Dawson but he has done some notable stuff.

Yes, about 350,000 boogie-woogie renditions of When The Saints Go Marching In. 

Veganic

Philly_Q said:

Veganic said:
Look at Jools's body of work if you think the artists are on a different level. I know he's no Les Dawson but he has done some notable stuff.

Yes, about 350,000 boogie-woogie renditions of When The Saints Go Marching In. 

I doubt the veracity of that statement but it is mildly amusing.

Heartfeltdawn

joetele said:

My favourite JH moment is when they had At the Drive-In on. I think Simon from Biffy Clyro later picked up on it in a Kerrang interview - they were on the same show as Robbie Williams. Simon said something like "when they started playing, you could see the fat, talentless f**k-nugget sh*t himself because of his complete irrelevance". 

I'm sure Mr Williams doesn't mind really, though. The huge sales and popularity might help. 

Biffy Clyro ragging on someone else for being shit. Oh the comedy. 

Heartfeltdawn

JezWynd said:

It's a tired format. It's about time there was a new long form music show by one of the major terrestrial broadcasters. Or even two or three shows. The way the music scene has fractured into different flavours means that it's very hard to cover the entire music scene in one show.

In the days when the music charts reflected broad appeal, then TOTP or Ready Steady Go were a good magazine type format but in the current climate, where Ed Sheeran can dominate the top ten, it makes more sense to have a more targeted approach.

Radio has done it for years, with shows targeting specific forms of music; blues, country, rock, hip hop etc. TV could do something similar, with an entire evening given over to music and sub divided into genre, or else the BBC could use the red button to offer genres under a headline magazine show. They need to bring imagination and new technologies to bear on the problem - I'm sure the audience is still there if they can only tap into it.

The thing that usually gets me about Jools is how fucking shit the sound is. The US talk shows have had bands on there for ages. They seem to nail the sound on that. On Jools it sounds weak. 

darthed1981

Just watching episode 2

I'm enjoying it so far, not heard this Laurel girl before, quite good, and the new Muse song is good, could do with a bit more volume on the show though.

Veganic

JezWynd said:

It's a tired format. It's about time there was a new long form music show by one of the major terrestrial broadcasters. Or even two or three shows. The way the music scene has fractured into different flavours means that it's very hard to cover the entire music scene in one show.

In the days when the music charts reflected broad appeal, then TOTP or Ready Steady Go were a good magazine type format but in the current climate, where Ed Sheeran can dominate the top ten, it makes more sense to have a more targeted approach.

Radio has done it for years, with shows targeting specific forms of music; blues, country, rock, hip hop etc. TV could do something similar, with an entire evening given over to music and sub divided into genre, or else the BBC could use the red button to offer genres under a headline magazine show. They need to bring imagination and new technologies to bear on the problem - I'm sure the audience is still there if they can only tap into it.

Ok, I am going to stick with defending the programme as I have started.

How is the format 'tired'?
It's basically just one band after another. No voting, no comedy sketches, no politics. What format is there? 

I like the 'untargetted' scattergun appoach.  I get to hear stuff I wouldn't hear. I don't mind one song from some new genre but more can be really tedious.
It's having a singer-songwriter follow something completely different that I like. Many I have never heard of, at the other extreme there are some of my favourite artists.

Maybe it is only good for middle-aged people like me and you want something else. I'd say keep it as you will hopefully be middle-aged and most us are as suprised as anyone at how it changes you. In the meantime you can go and make something 'fresh' I'd like to watch that too (well one episode at least.)

Your other main complaint is that it isn't radio on the TV? That is mostly showing 'product' pre-recorded and the audience is probably smaller...and a hundred other reasons why the comparison doesn't work for me.

Just my opinion.

darthed1981

Great things about Later...

1.  It treats all music as equal.

2.  It has a huge variety, that may include music I don't like, but I'm better for having heard it.

3.  Jools is actually a musician, if he left, his replacement would probably be someone like Jo Whiley, who is great, but not a musician.

4.  People actually play live on it.

There is definitely room for another live music show, but there would be pressure to swing for a Radio 1 audience OR a Radio 2 one OR a 6Music OR 1Extra one etc.  putting it all (except the pap) together like Jools does, hard sell.

Veganic

darthed1981 said:

Great things about Later...

1.  It treats all music as equal.

2.  It has a huge variety, that may include music I don't like, but I'm better for having heard it.

3.  Jools is actually a musician, if he left, his replacement would probably be someone like Jo Whiley, who is great, but not a musician.

4.  People actually play live on it.

There is definitely room for another live music show, but there would be pressure to swing for a Radio 1 audience OR a Radio 2 one OR a 6Music OR 1Extra one etc.  putting it all (except the pap) together like Jools does, hard sell.

Agree with most but in no way is Jo Whiley great.

Bod

I can't wait to not watch it.  Been looking forward to missing it for months.

EricTheWeary

Hattigol said:

Blueingreen said:

The show takes a lot of stick and frankly deserves much of it, too much of a vanity project for Jools. 

But I think people who imagine that once it's terminated (and I understand there's a serious threat of that) it will be replaced by something better are mistaken.  Other attempts at live music shows over its lifetime have failed to take off, and I suspect only brand loyalty is giving this one viewing figures that make its continuation just about defensible.

My guess is that as far as a live showcase for bands at the more "serious" end of the rock/pop spectrum the real choice is Jools or nothing.  And it's better than nothing.

The format is fine. Just really really REALLY needs a new presenter. And a producer who doesn't feel that the viewing public necessarily wants to watch the likes of a trombone quintet from Senegal.

I'm fine with the trombone quintets from Senegal it's the choice to put on bands to appeal to the yoof ( who are so often acts who get exposure elsewhere) on what is otherwise cheerfully aimed at the middle aged and senile that I struggle to understand. 
I've yet to watch any of this series but unless there has been a change in policy that's my major gripe. 

joetele

Heartfeltdawn said:

joetele said:

My favourite JH moment is when they had At the Drive-In on. I think Simon from Biffy Clyro later picked up on it in a Kerrang interview - they were on the same show as Robbie Williams. Simon said something like "when they started playing, you could see the fat, talentless f**k-nugget sh*t himself because of his complete irrelevance". 

I'm sure Mr Williams doesn't mind really, though. The huge sales and popularity might help. 

Biffy Clyro ragging on someone else for being shit. Oh the comedy. 

Yeah, this was before they sold their soul after three fairly interesting albums. Now they'd likely appear on the same bill as Robbie Williams. I appreciate that, like Snow Patrol did with Final Straw, they probably got sick of not earning any money, but still....they seemed to lose everything that made them interesting. 

JezWynd

Veganic said:

JezWynd said:

It's a tired format. It's about time there was a new long form music show by one of the major terrestrial broadcasters. Or even two or three shows. The way the music scene has fractured into different flavours means that it's very hard to cover the entire music scene in one show.

In the days when the music charts reflected broad appeal, then TOTP or Ready Steady Go were a good magazine type format but in the current climate, where Ed Sheeran can dominate the top ten, it makes more sense to have a more targeted approach.

Radio has done it for years, with shows targeting specific forms of music; blues, country, rock, hip hop etc. TV could do something similar, with an entire evening given over to music and sub divided into genre, or else the BBC could use the red button to offer genres under a headline magazine show. They need to bring imagination and new technologies to bear on the problem - I'm sure the audience is still there if they can only tap into it.

How is the format 'tired'?
It's basically just one band after another. No voting, no comedy sketches, no politics. What format is there? 

The format? In the round, with Jool's downbeat links. Big names appear to plug their latest greatest hits/remix farago and play some old hit.

Maybe it is only good for middle-aged people like me and you want something else. I'd say keep it as you will hopefully be middle-aged and most us are as suprised as anyone at how it changes you. In the meantime you can go and make something 'fresh' I'd like to watch that too (well one episode at least.)

Mention of terrestrial tv maybe gives the clue to my age. My original argument is wrong.The answer is out there already; the internet. 

Deadman

It was never a substitute for the old grey whistle test, or even the white room. Meh.

guitartango

ArchtopDave said:

Watched Episode 1 - Marc Almond's voice unfortunately appeared to be a bit shot, and the IDLES were appalling IMO.

OMG is that Dave Ball ?  Thought i was a sopranos sing along

Veganic

I really enjoyed Idles* - punk for millenial hipsters? I couldn't make out what the lyrics were but they seemed humorously zeitgeisty if that's your bag, man.


*obvs. I'll never ever listen to them again.

And Dave Ball looked fine to me!

ArchtopDave

I can live with the mix of artists, and fully accepted that there'll be some I do not like. On the other hand, there have been artists on the show, who I've really liked, who I'd probably never have come across if they hadn't been on. Rhiannon Giddens and Courtney Marie Andrews were both on past shows, and I'd never heard of either before.

I agree that Jools piano playing can be somewhat irritating, and it's occasionally bizarre that he plays behind someone, such as Beth Hart, who's perfectly capable of playing keyboard herself. However, how many guitarists insist on playing the minor pentatonic all the time? (I've got my FB logo'd tin hat and mackintosh on)

MagicPigDetective

Sam Fender from Sunderland...playing a Fender. Is that his real name?