Are Oasis and Arctic Monkeys Too British?
December 16, 2008 by Dave Parrack
British music is probably the second most popular country-specific music in the world, with only those dastardly Americans beating us as usual. But being a mad British music fan who lives in the UK, I sometimes forget that other nations may see things slightly differently.
What I may see as British artists strengths could be seen as weaknesses in other countries. While a regional accent can help a band succeed in the UK, giving them an identity and a presence, it could go against them when they try and take their music abroad.
Is it possible that some bands are just too British to succeed outside of their homeland?
Rick Astley Named Best Act Ever By MTV | An Online Campaign Nabbed The Award
November 7, 2008 by Dave Parrack
I was astonished when Rick Astley was named as a nominee for ‘Best Act Ever’ at the MTV Europe Music Awards alongside the likes of Green Day and U2. So imagine my utter shock and horror when Astley actually won the damn thing last night at the ceremony in Liverpool.
MTV itself were clearly embarrassed by the whole thing because Rick himself didn’t appear to accept the award and there wasn’t even an acceptance video in light of his non-appearance. This is because MTV had its clever voting system hoodwinked by a viral online campaign to secure Astley the award.
The thing is, Astley probably deserved the award just as much as most of the other nominees, with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Green Day, Tokio Hotel and U2 also making the list. His career may have ended years ago whilst the others are all still going but he has a whole new set of fans thanks to the Rickrolling phenomenon.
Paul McCartney Unhappy With McDonalds After Liverpool Restaurant Uses His Portrait
October 8, 2008 by Dave Parrack
When he was in The Beatles, Paul ‘Macca’ McCartney was a gem. As part of the best song writing duo who have ever lived, he and John Lennon created some of the best songs ever released, ones that still stand up to scrutiny today.
So what has happened since then to turn him in to one of the least friendly and humourless celebrities around?
Let’s not beat around the bush here, Paul McCartney’s solo stuff is crap. No seriously, even the big hits aren’t a patch on what he wrote and released when he was The Beatles.
How he has still got a career is beyond me. Here is a man definitely living on his past glories.
And it’s not just in his professional life that he annoys me. Sure, Heather Mills is (allegedly) a money-grabbing spawn of Satan, but McCartney himself was hardly innocent in the whole thing. He’s worth a fortune yet he tried to get out of giving his ex-wife any of it.
Then there was the recent concert in Israel, which although not a bad thing, was clearly just as much staged as a publicity stunt as it was for any kind of peace protest. And now McCartney has truly revealed his humourless and dour outlook on life by complaining that McDonald’s in Liverpool have a portrait of him on the wall.
The Upside & Downside Of Being A Member Of The Beatles - McCartney and Starr
March 8, 2008 by Dave Parrack
Ah The Beatles, they were great weren’t they? Probably the best band in the world ever, and the inspiration for a ton of music which has come and gone since.
So you’d think life would be pretty sweet for the former members of the group, well Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at least, seeing as the other two are dead and all.
But it seems only one of the two is happy to be a former Beatle right now, and with all the gossip swilling around at the moment, it’s probably not the one you think it is.
Arctic Monkeys Alex Turner & Miles Kane New Single ‘The Age Of The Understatement’
March 6, 2008 by Dave Parrack
Alex Turner front man of the Arctic Monkeys has been friends with Miles Kane from The Rascals for a few years now, and its a friendship based on music, and the love of what they do best.
So it’s no surprise that the two have now teamed up for a new side project to their main bands.
The duo are calling themselves The Last Shadow Puppets, and have recorded an album together called The Age Of The Understatement.
The first single from that album, due out in the UK on April 21st, goes by the same name and is available to watch and listen to on their website from today.
Click here to see the new video!
The single precedes the album, being released on April 14th, and its certainly different than the Arctic Monkeys or The Rascals usual fare.
Former Zuton Guitarist Boyan Chowdhury Forms New Band
July 24, 2007 by Dave Parrack
Zutons guitarist Boyan Chowdhury left the band on July 13th in a supposedly amicable split caused by that old favourite “musical differences“. Well now, just 10 days later, he’s formed a new band called ‘The Gravity Trap’, a completely Liverpudlian affair.
Boyan joins fellow scousers Graeme Robinson, formerly of The Stands, Luke Thompson from The Cuckolds and Ronnie Mintor from The Miracle Cure in what is being billed as a scouse supergroup!
The band already has a MySpace page in place with 2 songs on which you can listen to to get a feel for the sound. The band put out a statement saying…
Shed Seven Reform | Yet Another Band Makes a Comeback
July 9, 2007 by Dave Parrack
How many is that now? We’ve already had The Police, The Spice Girls, The Verve and now Shed Seven.They are slightly different in that they haven’t got ‘The’ in front of their name but apart from that, they are yet another British band deciding it’s time to have another crack at the big time.
I was never a big fan of the band, although I could see the appeal, and there are many many “shed heads” around who still worship at the feet of lead singer Rick Witter. The band announced their comeback and a short Winter tour on their MySpace page.