Sinister: "We're all doomed!!!" - John Laurie, Dad's Army.

[Martin Wilson]

Nick Dastoor said
>ever since I was about 14  I've felt uneasy about any dark and
doom-laden music, especially that made by contemporary white >indie
bands.  It always just seemed so ridiculous.  Pretentious, I suppose. 

& Robin Stout said
>I agree. I reckon the best thing about Stuart's lyrics is that they're
always pretty detached, even when they're written in the 
>first person, so they're never self indulgent. I think B + S are about
the people who don't wave their hands and shout "look at me I'm 
>soo miserable", like Stephen Dalton does, so they have to be sung for
because they're too quiet to sing about themselves. That's 
>probably why they attract pretty hopeless people like me, I suppose.

I used to quite like doom laden songs and spent far too much of my youth
imersed in Doors LPs. Recently though I've gone right off shouty
mithering rock music. In defence of 'contemporary white indie bands' I
suppose it could be said that they are mostly poor and  working in crap
jobs to pay off the credit card bill for the rickenbacker. But what have
the likes of Metallica, Ministry etc got to moan about for goodness
sakes? 
							(The milkman
came late
							It must be fate
							I can't have my
cornflakes
							And nor can my
mate.
							 - Rock Soc.
Marvel Mornings)

What I love so much about Stuart's songs is that they never give in to
self indulgence and are always defiantly optimistic even where this
strays near to bad taste territory (Beautiful, LLPJ). People with real
problems never seem to write songs or have them written. There are no
songs about my gran who spent half her life without my grandad because
his working life filled his lungs with coal dust and chemicals, or about
the photographer down my street who killed herself because M.E. stopped
her in her tracks or the woman at York Station who lives in a bag. On
the other hand there are far too many song about scruffy blokes whose
girlfriends have left them. B&S sort of help to redress the balance  -
well they keep my chin up anyway.

Well that's enough ranting for a Friday afternoon but before I go for
the early train home I thought I should mention some sad news for all us
older twee folk. I just heard that the Emperor of twee, the mighty
Johnny Morris has bumbled amiably off to the great chimpanzees' tea
party in the sky. He will be sadly missed in this household that's for
sure.

Have a good weekend.

/\/\artin

--------------------------------------------------------------
 "Boo to the business world."
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