I finally understand why all you brits hate Coldplay

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For the life of me I never understood why they were so hated. They had a mildly plesant song on NPR and I admit I bought the record. My impression was that it was just pleasant pop music and it was not any worse than what they force feed us over here in America. I think I listened to it a couple times and it has been gathering dust ever since. The only good thing I can say about it was that I thought it was really well mixed and engineered.

Then, I was watching a some Warner-Viacom live music spin off channel and I saw Coldplay for the first time. I really had no idea what their sets were like or how they looked as people. Jesus Christ, they are the most lifeless, personality/carisma/emotionally-devoid band I have ever seen. My father thought they were a local band playing at a high-school battle of the bands. I will not even get into the utter lack of content that was their post-set interview.

They are not really terrible, it is just that they are so bland that I would go nuts if I have to be exposed to them the way we are exposed to britney spears in the states.

Alright, now that the rant is over, here is my question: Can you think of any bands that you liked until you saw them play live, and then you hated, or bands that you had no real opinion of and then hated when you saw them?

― Michael Taylor, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I was a rabid fan of PSYCHOCANDY by the Jesus & Mary Chain. When they rolled into town a year or so later (on the DARKLANDS tour), suffice to say I was reasonably amped up to see them. Yawnsome, listless and practically devoid of any vital signs, the band couldn't have been more of a chore to witness. Can't swear it, but it also seemed like Jim wasn't even singing, rather limply holding the mic to obscure his mouth whilst a backing track filled in the vocals. In any event, they sucked. I still quite love that first album (and select tracks from the rest of their catalog, notably the b-sides "Kill Surf City" and "Sidewalking"), but they sank mighty low on my roster after that particular show. I though, 'Hell, maybe I caught'em on a bad night.' Saw'em again in `92 (on the Lollapalooza tour), and they stank again. Alas.

― alex in nyc, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Alex, Kate's gonna kick your ass.

― Sean, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

WHere is kate? And the pinefox?

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Coldplay recently toured the States with Powderfinger. This in itself is enough to make you despise them. Coldplay= mediocre. Powderfinger= smug Australian band whose closest comparison is the Stereophonics. The thought of that tour (or Powderfinger gaining an American following) still horrifies me.

― charles, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

But on top of all that you don't have to put up with endless mediocre TV dramas that use 'Trouble' to signify something bad happening.

― DG, Monday, 6 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Kate is IIRC trying to cut her net time down. Pinefox is at his Johnny Hates Jazz festival still, I think.

I liked the Aislers Set until I saw them play live.

― Tom, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

it ain't just the brits!

― Geoff, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Tom, what's your beef with the Aislers Set? I've never seen them live, but have enjoyed their last CD.

"Kurious in Kleveland"

― Steven James, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Detroit's The Go put out an amazing record on Sub Pop a couple of years back ("Whatcha Doin'")but when they rolled into town, they basically did an MC5 tribute show - American flags draped on the amps, a high-speed Little Richard cover, Sun Ra on the P.A. before they came on... really unnecessary. Get yr. own schtick, fellas.

― fritz, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

one year passes...

I heard some Coldplay on the radio (Philadelphia's Y100) at the gym today, and it was dreadful. In fact, just about all the rock I heard at the gym today was dreadful. Hearing U2 next to all this other stuff, I could almost believe they are a great band.

― DeRayMi, Monday, 26 August 2002 05:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

Just read a three star (which is 10/10) review of coldplay's latest. The reviewer says its going to be their 'Joshua tree' so its best to not turn on the radio for a while.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 26 August 2002 06:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

Smashing Pumpkins (sorry Ned). I liked 'Gish' but seeing them live I walked out, felt like smashing Billy Corgan's guitar to pieces next time he started soloing. Hated them ever since.

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 26 August 2002 06:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

Any pop band is invariably dissapointing, especially atomic kitten :)

Festivals invariably are unpredictable

The Auetuers invariably dreadful

Pearl Jam always grate

― Kiwi, Monday, 26 August 2002 08:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

and the lead singer's dating gwyneth, so you know that they're going to be ALL OVER. feh

― maura (maura), Monday, 26 August 2002 17:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

used to like the Magnetic Fields until I saw 'em live. Amazing how every song had the exact same rhythm!

― hstencil, Monday, 26 August 2002 17:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

It took a live experience to notice that?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 26 August 2002 17:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

there was quite a bit of variation (albeit usually within the 4/4 signature) on the early stuff, but live the drummer just played the same plodding beat over and over again.

Plus they're crappy people.

― hstencil, Monday, 26 August 2002 17:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

Coldplay ARE just the British Dave Matthews Band basically - nuff said

― blueski, Monday, 26 August 2002 17:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

Smashing Pumpkins (sorry Ned). I liked 'Gish' but seeing them live I walked out, felt like smashing Billy Corgan's guitar to pieces next time he started soloing. Hated them ever since.
You would've done to world a favor. They didn't do anything even remotely fun since Gish; cept probably "1979", but the radio would never play that song, they preferred playing "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" which is the reason I never bought that (double) album.

― Lord Custos Alpha (Lord Custos Alpha), Monday, 26 August 2002 18:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

You would've done to world a favor.

Not me, though, and I am of the world. *cries*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 26 August 2002 18:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

five years pass...

so Geir's faves Coldplay have named their new 2008 album: Viva La Vida - coming to a supermarket display in June apparently.

the last lamentable Coldplay album in the ILM year poll for 2005 was only voted by Geir.

Rolling Stone Exclusive: Coldplay’s New Album Title Revealed
http://tinyurl.com/2wclxc

― djmartian, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 22:39 (sixteen years ago) link

http://i2.iofferphoto.com/img/item/265/495/11/o_VIDA_GUERRA.JPG

― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 23:04 (sixteen years ago) link

Fuck, has Chris Martin been using a sunbed?

― Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 23:05 (sixteen years ago) link

PLUS:
MARGARET ATWOOD

― I know, right?, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 23:05 (sixteen years ago) link

Playboy subscribers be reading feminist sci-fi.

― Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 23:06 (sixteen years ago) link

i can see the display in Tesco this June:

Selling the Supermarket Rock Lifestyle

Viva La Vida CDs at the entrance and a bottle of cheap wine marketed as Viva la Vida and they sell Q magazine as well with Chris Martin on the front cover - Summer sophistication for Virgin radio listeners.

― djmartian, Tuesday, 18 March 2008 23:15 (sixteen years ago) link

jesus christ lighten up.

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:03 (sixteen years ago) link

^^^ That's the single

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:07 (sixteen years ago) link

Are you saying that to Chris Martin?
x-post

― Herman G. Neuname, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:07 (sixteen years ago) link

Hopefully they haven't gone latino (OK, some slight Aztec Camera/EBTG-like latino elements wouldn't matter. On the faster songs at least)

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:24 (sixteen years ago) link

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6810/hitlerbotwo0.jpg

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:30 (sixteen years ago) link

Geir - you have got trance, metal and Moroccan influences on the upcoming U2 album to look forward to as well.

― djmartian, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 00:32 (sixteen years ago) link

Best thread ever?

I really do wish Coldplay had a single called "Jesus Christ, Lighten Up". That would help thing immeasurably, I believe.

― Bimble, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 01:44 (sixteen years ago) link

Geir - you have got trance, metal and Moroccan influences on the upcoming U2 album to look forward to as well.

You know, I have never cared much about U2 even though I loved "All That You Can't Leave Behind". U2 traditionally haven't been as melody-strong as Coldplay.

― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 02:09 (sixteen years ago) link

What a slam!

― The Reverend, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 03:50 (sixteen years ago) link

http://img.mp3sugar.com/artist/artist_1967.jpg

― Creeztophair, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 04:39 (sixteen years ago) link

I quite like the one that uses a Kraftwerk riff.

Oh and as for JAMC live disappointments. They have a lower good to bad gig ratio than even The Fall in my experience. Though that is based on a lower sample rate....

Heres a diagram to demonstrate (goes into 'look around you' mode)

good : bad ratings

Fall - gazillion : gazillion
JAMC - 1 : 2

This demonstrates that of the 2 gazillion times I've seen The Fall about 1/2 were good. I've see JAMC 3 times and they were great once (on the rollercoaster tour).

Wouldn't it be nice if we could embed pie charts in these messages with a square bracket command? Keith?

― Sandy Blair, Wednesday, 19 March 2008 06:07 (sixteen years ago) link

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