Dear Friends, Dear 'Spillers,My name is Blimpy McFlah....and I am an Indie-Snob. I have been an Indie Snob since I bought my first ltd edition numbered 7" in 1993 (now worth a mint on ebay, btw).
I need to talk to you today about some deep, personal worries that I have.
I'm really really worried that The Big Pink are going to cross over into the mainstream.
I've been into The Big Pink since last year, before they'd even released anything (they had a couple of songs on myspace that I bookmarked), I tracked down their ultra-rare debut single. Played it loads, and didn't even tell anyone about how cool they were (well, apart from a couple of folk). I loved their song "Velvet" to bits, and I didn't even mind how they'd stolen most of their best bits from Chapterhouse. I even hung out with their drummer Aki, back when she was in punk duo Comanechi.
Now, on the eve of their debut LP coming out, with their song "Dominos" (their worst effort) all over the blogs and radio, I'm worried that they'll become really popular and then I won't be able to like them anymore because I'm an Indie Snob.
This really pains me, because the music they make is the kind of pop noise that really floats my boat.
Friends, 'Spillers, what can I do? Please help me, I know you understand....
Crystal Visions
(I know "Visions" rips off "She Sells Sanctuary", but hey!)
20 comments:
1st Lovepump & now Big Pink - are you overcompensating for something?
"no matter how many records I buy, I just can't fill this void.."
next new band erupts.. only available on ltd edition 7"....
...20 years later the exquisitely designed (by a decent artist this time) spill harmonic box set get released for £3.500..
and your old favorite band really sell out
(or the record label finally makes a mint)
Anyone who confesses to consumption of Cindy Lauper, Madonna & **big gulp** Toto, is not an unredeemable indie snob. Japanther, the other hand, may be a cause for concern (although he did 'fess up to some closet Guns & Roses earlier, if I'm not mistaken).
Toffee, FP & myself are available for any counselling on cheese denial, as necessary.
As a fellow elitist, I've found that the best thing to do is to completely discard the group. Whenever johnny-come-latelys mention them in your presence, sniff ostentatiously and casually drop into the conversation how good they used to be, especially live. Seeing a band in Wembley Stadium is not the same as seeing the in The Monkey's Felch in Ipswich in front of a crowd that consisted mostly of distant relatives who felt obliged to be present, before they sold out with their so-called 'tunes'. I've done this with numerous bands, and, thanks to myspace and the blogosphere, I always feel like I'm one step ahead of the great unwashed (or Radio 1 listeners, as they're better known).
I really wish all of the above was completely tongue-in-cheek, but yes, I have been that awful on occasion. My favourite button to push is having seen Oasis (a band I enthusiastically despise) play their first Irish show to maybe 800 people, the week before 'Definitely Maybe' came out; the next time they played here, it was supporting R.E.M., to 80,000. Add to that the fact that I also saw Nirvana and Jeff Buckley live, you can see what kind of a dick I can be when I want. Pay heed, little one!
P.S. The Big Pink are great.
Indeed Blimpy if you do a search on the blog under the word 'cheese' you'll find enough to mop up a whole barrel of cream crackers. I have every sympathy though. Look what happened to Coldplay when the BIG PRODUCERS and BIG BUDGETS took over. And the Cardigens were never the same when they made it big. I also have a hankering for when bands are indie ansd interesting and sparse and bare and raw. They seem to lose their edge when the big orchestration machine and money makers take over. Same thing happens when you fall in love with Klimt and Schiele, having lived in Vienna and visited those paintings on Sunday afternoons in the Belvedere. And then you see The Kiss in bloody McDonalds... Well - there's a whole 'culture for the masses' debate to open up there but I'm a bit pushed for time... Anyway. Very chipper to have got two tickets for (deep breath) Barcley James Harvest playing with the Prague Symphony orchestra over here in October. Anyone seen them live? Any good?
I agree with Catcher, let 'em go Blimpy, just LET.THEM.GO.....you've done all you can, you've supported and nurtured them, given everything.... they'll only end up disappointing you!
Guilty as charged Shoey! But they really DO get worse, it's not my fault......!!!
p.s. I'm listening to the Big Pink now and they sound great.
p.p.s. i'm sure i've got a Comanechi 7" somewhere, but can't seem to find it.
It's very simple; you need to become an avant-garde jazz snob, as there is no way in this or any other universe that those artists are ever going to become mainstream.
@FP: I think the crucial question is, which BJH? I last saw them live when Lees and Holroyd were still together, but I understand that each now has his own version...
Sorry, Blimpy. I'm afraid that, after "Dominos" there's no turning back. You'll be walking through malls, or football grounds, or movies, or whatever and you'll be haunted by the ghost of the group they could have been.
My condolences.
P.S.: I'm only half joking :P
@aba - but aren't there levels of snobbery amongst the jazz avant gardeners too?
Hach - I think both will be on stage from what I understood. I burst out chuckling on the car today. The new Prefab Sprout album was making me delirously happy on the one hand. But on the other it struck me as being hyssterically funny that I was bleating on about great indie bands being spare, sparse and raw. And in the next line getting all excited about BJH and ruddy great symphony orchestra. Does. Not. Compute. Nighty nite all. FP
Nice find Blimp. This could well be the album of the year.
I'm on my 4th listen through of the Too Young To Love album tonight, and Dominos is bloody annoying, but loved Crystal Visions, She's No Sense, A Brief History of Love and Velvet. And maybe the Too Young to Love Delorean remix).
@tinny - where's your big pink post gone?!
I deleted it cause you'd already done 'em (Just not enough hours in the day to keep up with reading lately).
Interestingly, well not to anyone but me probably, I stumbled on them this afternoon entirely by accident while going through possibilities for my Love In Vain post. Big Pink - Love In Vain was a different song entirely, but I liked it so looked up The Big Pink and presto! - I fell completely in love with 'em.)
hahaha, i was earlier listening to yr love in vain post, thinking "don't the big pink have a song along those lines".....
it's utterly great to get a bolt from the blue like that, isn;t it? i played the beejeesus out of my Velvet 7", I really did.
I couldn't believe how much Beatles I heard in it - but in a good way 'cause I don't often listen to the Fabs.
They played Dominos on MTV last night - kiss them goodbye.
@ FP.
Saw BJH in Germany in about 1982. They were very good, mainly because the audience just loved them, so great atmosphere.They couldn't get arrested in the UK at the time. If they lay off the 80s synths (they've got an orchestra right?) and don't play too many long songs they'll be alright.
They can't sing much but everyone else will sing along to Hymn and Mockingbird. Well, I'd hope so anyway.
Hope they play 'Suicide'. My favourite, from Octoberon.
Blimp, your worst fears have been realised - Big Pink are iTunes song of the week. Time to move on...
It'll be Match Of The Day next, mark my words. "These goals fall like Dominoes"
then
"Dominoes, Dominoes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Pizza"
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