I like how he includes himself in the list of 'witty, intelligent, provocative' writers. (also, I'm impressed ILM dates back all the way to the Melody Maker era!)
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 16 April 2009 19:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Some people need to get away from the idea that guitar based melodic music is only supposed to appeal to "boring old farts". It's timeless. It will always be here, and it will surive everything.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 16 April 2009 19:16 (fourteen years ago) link
and you do know ET posted on ilx back then? It was quite good conversing on a message board with someone who had actually gotten me into some good music nearly 10 years previously via MM
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 16 April 2009 19:16 (fourteen years ago) link
I always kind of assumed this place was hack-and-muso-infested, but I've never been any good at working out who's who behind the arcane logins (lj apart). ET always seemed like the kind of guy you'd cross the street to avoid, but to give him his due some of his pithier reviews still make me smile (e.g. on Suede: "Album of the year. And the year is 1973")
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 16 April 2009 19:56 (fourteen years ago) link
he posted under his real name
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 16 April 2009 19:58 (fourteen years ago) link
I also assumed that ET wasn't his real name.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:02 (fourteen years ago) link
this is your occasional reminder Geir that while you like to believe this, it's clearly untrue
― Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:27 (fourteen years ago) link
I always kind of assumed this place was hack-and-muso-infested, but I've never been any good at working out who's who behind the arcane logins
i've been ilm'ing for fucking years and this side of the game still has me stumped bar a few of the more obvious ones and those that dont hide behind pseudos.
― mark e, Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:28 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.barnaclepress.com/cmcvlt/OutburstsOfEverettTrue/oet080326.jpg
― Ward Fowler, Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:32 (fourteen years ago) link
im bob christgau fyi
― rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:35 (fourteen years ago) link
and this thread gets a b-
how am i the first person to repost some old fart!!! lines
― starsky and what (J0rdan S.), Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link
Ahhh... That's better!!!
Old Fart!!
That Guardian obituary of the MM has to be one of the most hilariously badly-written and ill-informed pieces of pop coverage even it has ever given us ...― Lutra Lutra, Friday, 15 December 2000 01:00 (8 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
― Lutra Lutra, Friday, 15 December 2000 01:00 (8 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
the earliest anti-guardian article post on ILM?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:48 (fourteen years ago) link
http://seniorcitizen.blogspot.com/ old farts blog still exists!
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 16 April 2009 20:49 (fourteen years ago) link
does he still post here?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 16 April 2009 23:58 (fourteen years ago) link
But a look at the circulation figures (published at the end of the article) tell a different story. Top seller is (appropriately enough) TOTP by a large margin, (300,000+ sales) followed by Smash Hits, (200,000+) and then a fair bit behind that is our first dadrock mag, Q. (around 160,000)
I assume TOTP'S magazine doesnt exist now? What sales were Smash Hits getting when it folded?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Friday, 17 April 2009 12:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Melody Maker fans go to http://archivedmusicpress.wordpress.com/category/melody-maker/pages and pages of scans for you to enjoy
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 19 April 2009 14:10 (fourteen years ago) link
http://archivedmusicpress.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/talk-talk-talk-with-mr-agreeable-26th-october-1991.jpg
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 19 April 2009 14:23 (fourteen years ago) link
It has proved to be true. Melodic pop/rock was first declared dead in the early 90s, then came grunge and Britpop. Then it was declared dead (at least in its singer-songwriter form) during the boy-girl band craze in the late 90s. Then came Travis and Coldplay. It will always be here, it will never disappear.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 19 April 2009 16:54 (fourteen years ago) link
you sure?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 19 April 2009 17:51 (fourteen years ago) link
citation needed
― Hard House SugBanton (blueski), Sunday, 19 April 2009 17:53 (fourteen years ago) link
blueski , which of the weeklies did you think covered dance music best, NME or Melody Maker?I always thought MM was better but just wondered what everyone else thought.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 19 April 2009 18:02 (fourteen years ago) link
i only read MM about three times ever unfortunately, but i'm sure they did
― Hard House SugBanton (blueski), Sunday, 19 April 2009 23:07 (fourteen years ago) link
Did you buy NME then or did you always just buy mixmag/muzik?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 20 April 2009 11:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Geir is making the point that a 50 year-old art form will last FOR ALL ETERNITY which is clearly batshit and wrong but is at least proving entertaining.
― Enormous Epic (Matt DC), Monday, 20 April 2009 11:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Some people need to get away from the idea that Old Fart!!! posts are only supposed to appeal to old-ILM. They're timeless. They will always be here, and they will survive everything.
― jesus is the man (jabba hands), Monday, 20 April 2009 11:28 (fourteen years ago) link
Geir is making the point that a 50 year-old art form will last FOR ALL ETERNITY
I thought he was talking about flamenco
― Bo, a 6-month-jackson Portuguese overdrive (Curt1s Stephens), Monday, 20 April 2009 11:51 (fourteen years ago) link
i only bought around 50 or so NMEs between '94 and '01 probably. MM just never seemed as visible and i had got it into my head that it was not as good for some reason (if by chance i'd bought MM first i probably would've ended up feeling that way about NME).
― Hard House SugBanton (blueski), Monday, 20 April 2009 12:02 (fourteen years ago) link
probably. But MM was really really bad the last few years.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 20 April 2009 13:29 (fourteen years ago) link
I know late 80s/early 90s MM seems to have the better reputation these days but if the album lists are anything to go by the NME was covering way more interesting music.
― Enormous Epic (Matt DC), Monday, 20 April 2009 13:36 (fourteen years ago) link
Matt you're gonna be unpopular with steve, you've just given me an idea for a poll!
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 20 April 2009 13:38 (fourteen years ago) link
Melody Maker EOY List 1987 vs NME EOY List 1987?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 20 April 2009 13:44 (fourteen years ago) link
IPC Media plans online revival of Melody Maker - Press Gazettehttp://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=44920&c=1IPC plans to revive the Melody Maker name with a comprehensive online archive of the magazine - which ran from 1926 until it merged with the New Musical Express in 2000.
― djmartian, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 12:32 (fourteen years ago) link
Found some old issues when packing up my mum's house at the weekend. Priceless commentary on world events from TFC and Jesus Jones in the Xmas '91 issue:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/4285889815_256772f614.jpg
― Michael Jones, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 12:45 (fourteen years ago) link
That's a pretty great picture. The bloke in behind could be crooning.
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 19 January 2010 12:53 (fourteen years ago) link
Bobby Robson on the right?
― We should have called Suzie and Bobby (NickB), Tuesday, 19 January 2010 12:55 (fourteen years ago) link
Melody Maker started in NINETEEN TWENTY-SIX?!?!?!?!?!??
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 00:49 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.r2ok.co.uk/mmaker1.jpg http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/journals/modernmusic/melodysm.jpg
My grandad used to buy it in the 40's to read about dance bands.
― We should have called Suzie and Bobby (NickB), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 01:00 (fourteen years ago) link
i interviewed a very elderly and quite senile spike milligan for the melody maker back in 1998, just when i started, and he said "i used to read the melody maker when it was a jazz magazine, but now its just full of monkey music"
― anyways when I'm chopped, dip always kicks my ass lol (stevie), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 08:05 (fourteen years ago) link
pretty sure "jazz magazine" is a euphemism for something else
― ecuador_with_a_c, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 09:10 (fourteen years ago) link
(... "50-year old fart form" ...)
― t**t, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 10:38 (fourteen years ago) link
(xxxxxx-post)
Those two covers are lovely. The first reminds me of the animation in Fantasia, or something 1920s anyway. I like that it's The Melody Maker too, that feels important.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 11:25 (fourteen years ago) link
"A bungalow, a piccolo and you"
They don't write them like that anymore!
― Mark G, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 11:28 (fourteen years ago) link
Once, when I was living back at home post-degree, I was laid up in bed ill with something or other and I asked my mum to pick up MM from the newsagents. "Oh, I used to buy that when I was your age!" (She was 63 and I was about 22 at the time). She came back looking thoroughly unimpressed with a magazine that had MEGA CITY FOUR CUT THE CRAP on the front cover and some guy in dreads sticking his tongue piercing out at the camera. Joe Loss it wasn't.
― Michael Jones, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 11:33 (fourteen years ago) link
If they did an online archive of issues from the twenties and thirties, that would be awesome!!
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 11:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Would love that. It's pretty sad that they ended up having weeks where a Mega City Four feature was the big selling point.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 12:13 (fourteen years ago) link
They'd have represented a Hot New Thing at that point though surely?
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 12:16 (fourteen years ago) link
I guess that grunge was taking off and they were probably scrambling for suitably scruffy UK oiks? Would probably find them totally unlistenable now, but the MC4 were good fun at the time.
― We should have called Suzie and Bobby (NickB), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 12:23 (fourteen years ago) link
I seem to remember it being a fairly confrontational feature - rather like the Levellers cover story around the same time. MC4, Senseless Things, etc were definitely not part of the prevailing early '90s MM aesthetic (they got +ve coverage in NME though and possibly Sounds before it folded) but this was a sort of state-your-case sop to a popular band. A sort of "we admire yr politics, why do you have make such a turgid racket"?
― Michael Jones, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 13:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Reminds me a little of when MM interviewed Bernard Manning sometime during the nineties. His opening gambit: "what do a jazz paper want to talk to me for?"
I think I remember that MC4 piece, they basically let the guy make a cock out of himself and gave him the cover for his trouble. Here it is, and yeah I remember that sub-heading too:
http://www.rockofages.uk.com/stock/19987.jpg
Don't recall the girls on sex article tho.
― DavidM, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:05 (fourteen years ago) link
http://tomewing.tumblr.com/post/342881741/1993
― Space Battle Rothko (Matt DC), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Funny thing about that issue and cover -- when Melody Maker sponsored the Rollercoaster USA tour in late 1992 (Jesus and Mary Chain/Curve/Spiritualized) they sent over a huge batch of copies of a particular issue for distribution at each venue. Guess which issue.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:07 (fourteen years ago) link
what date was that issue of MM?
― djmartian, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:11 (fourteen years ago) link
31/10/92. A bit later than I thought.
― Michael Jones, Wednesday, 20 January 2010 14:17 (fourteen years ago) link
18 years ago this monthhttp://www.prweek.com/article/94726/media-brief---sutherland-goes-melody-maker
― Eric Burdon & War, On Drugs (Cosmic Slop), Saturday, 25 April 2015 00:35 (eight years ago) link
Who knew what fresh mayhem lay ahead - be it regional Idlewild fans swarming letters pages or over euthusiastic coverage to Paisley Underground veterans and Sam Peckinpah
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 25 April 2015 04:31 (eight years ago) link
A Simon Price Melody Maker Spotify playlist here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5pQG5E8BNE3CwTREjEJY3h?fbclid=IwAR0PVnYKFstrr9lSgwBwOwRVgmsk1w7oC_fwnwBj_NKro3ecvBx5gOB471U
― djh, Saturday, 21 November 2020 22:14 (three years ago) link
Inspired me to compile my own ...
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0WNCUK2moLElB1CeOkMxVm
― djh, Saturday, 28 November 2020 17:18 (three years ago) link
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, April 16, 2009 12:16 PM (eleven years ago)
― is right unfortunately (silby), Saturday, 28 November 2020 19:54 (three years ago) link
Free access to music and gigs is a wonderful privilege that bestowed self defined good taste on you. I had to spend 14 pounds to find out that Campag Velocet were shit and journalists lied for the fun of it.— DefensiveJeans (@EmbarrassedBelt) November 25, 2020
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Sunday, 29 November 2020 07:36 (three years ago) link
Thought of MM the other day re: the 'Prolific bands/artists with one super special album' thread.
I used to visit relatives in the UK a lot in the mid-late 90's, like for months at a time sometimes, and really looked forward to the opportunity to read MM and NME on those trips. My main takeaway was a sense that a short run 7" by an unsigned band could be more valuable and important than entire discographies of 'legendary' artists who sold hundreds of thousands of records.
For better and worse, MM encouraged me to build up a record collection along these lines, searching out the most unique, priceless artifacts without bothering to fill in the cornerstones. Even though I could only afford a handful of albums a year at that age, I could buy several times as many singles.
It's true that the music they championed wasn't always the greatest and I outgrew some of those styles pretty quickly, but I probably attribute my whole aporoach to collecting music to MM.
― Deflatormouse, Monday, 30 November 2020 00:27 (three years ago) link
tbf, one of the cover mount cds had Campag Velocet's title track from their album, so I shrugged and spent no money..
― Mark G, Monday, 30 November 2020 09:21 (three years ago) link
Xpost yeah, the 'cornerstones' you'd always be able to find later, but those 7" gems would often disappear and you'd as likely as not, never hear anywhere but in your own place.
― Mark G, Monday, 30 November 2020 09:23 (three years ago) link
Exactly!!
― Deflatormouse, Monday, 30 November 2020 18:21 (three years ago) link