We need to talk about electoral reform as it has betting implications – politicalbetting.com

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Rush of Blood to the Head is a legitimately good album. I never cared for their music before or since. I mean it's fine, inoffensive stuff, there's just far far better stuff out there. But that's true for many artists. The reaction, I think, is more to the Everything Sounds Like Coldplay issue that we had for a while.

Sometimes something mediocre can get really annoying when everywhere and popular. I dislike Turin Brakes with a fair amount of passion as I had a flatmate at uni who was obsessed and played them all the effing time!

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

Hi @HYUFD I sent you a personal message late last week

@TheScreamingEagles and @rcs1000 we don't seem to get the email notification any more if we receive a personal message via PB. Is this a change outside of your control?

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

I think it’s more a British thing about snootiness to Coldplay, I don’t mind them, have a few of their albums on CD, was at UCL the same time as them and probably saw them playing in one of the unions in an early incarnation. I don’t think they are mocked to the same level internationally.

They are however a cipher for a sort of “meh”. Like people might fling around “centrist dads” as a trope for that middle of the road, not overly exciting but large scale phenomenon they allow for a bit of piss taking.

Their music isn’t edgy, it’s very well done and they’ve evolved into a huge stadium band.

I don’t think it’s any sort of middle class affectation just easy ribbing due to them being a bit non-edgy. The Bee-Gees have an amazing canon of work which they fronted or wrote for others, don’t know how they were viewed at their peak, Barry Manilow was supremely popular and talented but is a bit of a joke culturally. It will always happen with pretty clean cut successful entertainers.

Perhaps. Phil Collins is another classic example - tho he was good rather than great like the Bee Gees

But I note it is ALWAYS the same dull midwit people who make these tedious Coldplay remarks, hoping they are amusing. They’re not amusing, they don’t actually display a sense of humour; they’re a kind of ersatz “humour” - like coffee made out of chicory during the war

Mexicanpete said:

I thought the story of a super injunction by two separate parties of government after the details of a hundred Secret Service Agents , Special Boat and Special Forces operatives were leaked to the Taliban would run and run. But no Diane Abbott is the story

They got a super injunction on the story about the super injunction?

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Different thing, I think.
Coldplay is a bit meh because so much of it is white noise, sometimes over some pretty good music struggling to get out. The Bee Gees had a sound.

Dopermean said:

Scott_xP said:

Trump is going to sue Rupert Murdoch for publishing a letter to Epstein

Which means discovery...

Sadly I suspect you are being overly optimistic.

This has all the hallmarks of a Rupert Murdoch pantomime production.

There will be a furore staged on social media about the WSJ publishing this letter
Trump will bluster and threaten, the WSJ will claim great journalistic integrity and the "public interest"
All the news and commentators will focus on the disclosure of this "letter"
After a few days it will be published, it will be salacious but inconclusive and not definitively linked to Trump, there will be witness evidence that he can't type, let alone draw

Meanwhile the laundry hamper containing the flight logs, video, photographs, emails, witness and victim statements will be quietly carried off stage and hidden.

Murdoch has used his media empire for these pantomimes for years, to persecute the weak and vulnerable and to deflect from the truth to protect the powerful, all in his own interests.

I hate Murdoch. He's done more to degrade political and cultural life in the UK and US than pretty well anyone else. Trump is his spiritual offspring.

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

Alternatively (!) it may help Labour in Essex as the erstwhile Tory votes splits and lets Labour scrape into first place, topped up with LD transfers.

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

I think it’s more a British thing about snootiness to Coldplay, I don’t mind them, have a few of their albums on CD, was at UCL the same time as them and probably saw them playing in one of the unions in an early incarnation. I don’t think they are mocked to the same level internationally.

They are however a cipher for a sort of “meh”. Like people might fling around “centrist dads” as a trope for that middle of the road, not overly exciting but large scale phenomenon they allow for a bit of piss taking.

Their music isn’t edgy, it’s very well done and they’ve evolved into a huge stadium band.

I don’t think it’s any sort of middle class affectation just easy ribbing due to them being a bit non-edgy. The Bee-Gees have an amazing canon of work which they fronted or wrote for others, don’t know how they were viewed at their peak, Barry Manilow was supremely popular and talented but is a bit of a joke culturally. It will always happen with pretty clean cut successful entertainers.

The Bee Gees were genuinely seen as great at their peak. Just a bit easier (blokes singing with unfeasibly high pitched voices) for some to mock.

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

Malmesbury said:

Mexicanpete said:

I thought the story of a super injunction by two separate parties of government after the details of a hundred Secret Service Agents , Special Boat and Special Forces operatives were leaked to the Taliban would run and run. But no Diane Abbott is the story

They got a super injunction on the story about the super injunction?

The details will end up going from

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/megan-stammers-and-jeremy-forrest-found-hand-in-hand-after-eight-days-that-felt-like-a-lifetime-8190508.html

to

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23004956

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

I think it’s more a British thing about snootiness to Coldplay, I don’t mind them, have a few of their albums on CD, was at UCL the same time as them and probably saw them playing in one of the unions in an early incarnation. I don’t think they are mocked to the same level internationally.

They are however a cipher for a sort of “meh”. Like people might fling around “centrist dads” as a trope for that middle of the road, not overly exciting but large scale phenomenon they allow for a bit of piss taking.

Their music isn’t edgy, it’s very well done and they’ve evolved into a huge stadium band.

I don’t think it’s any sort of middle class affectation just easy ribbing due to them being a bit non-edgy. The Bee-Gees have an amazing canon of work which they fronted or wrote for others, don’t know how they were viewed at their peak, Barry Manilow was supremely popular and talented but is a bit of a joke culturally. It will always happen with pretty clean cut successful entertainers.

Perhaps. Phil Collins is another classic example - tho he was good rather than great like the Bee Gees

But I note it is ALWAYS the same dull midwit people who make these tedious Coldplay remarks, hoping they are amusing. They’re not amusing, they don’t actually display a sense of humour; they’re a kind of ersatz “humour” - like coffee made out of chicory during the war

Phil Collins is very good - Peter Gabriel seems to have more “cred” and whilst he’s done some great music, Phil Collins has made huge hits for decades but still a bit mocked, think of when Steven Gerrard got into that fight at a bar for demanding they play Phil Collins on the Jukebox or the monologue in American Psycho - would it have worked so well with an artist considered “cool”?

He really had two careers. Interesting stuff with Genesis, and a popular solo career doing cover versions. Bit like Bryan Ferry with Roxy Music, though Ferry is the more considerable artist.

Dopermean said:

boulay said:

From elsewhere:

Coldplay haven’t released a single for years then overnight they create four new ones.

This is a very modern morality play

I wonder how many single junior employees have been given HR warnings for a relationship with a similarly single, junior colleague, while the HR director and CEO have been having an affair no doubt partly funded on the company dime.

On the subject of morality plays, trying to persuade my co-parent that "Mrs Warren's Profession" is suitable for the kids, starring Imelda Staunton and her daughter, Emma Barnett Bessie Carter

Yes, that was my first thought. The tickets being on the company was my second thought.

Burgessian said:

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

I think it’s more a British thing about snootiness to Coldplay, I don’t mind them, have a few of their albums on CD, was at UCL the same time as them and probably saw them playing in one of the unions in an early incarnation. I don’t think they are mocked to the same level internationally.

They are however a cipher for a sort of “meh”. Like people might fling around “centrist dads” as a trope for that middle of the road, not overly exciting but large scale phenomenon they allow for a bit of piss taking.

Their music isn’t edgy, it’s very well done and they’ve evolved into a huge stadium band.

I don’t think it’s any sort of middle class affectation just easy ribbing due to them being a bit non-edgy. The Bee-Gees have an amazing canon of work which they fronted or wrote for others, don’t know how they were viewed at their peak, Barry Manilow was supremely popular and talented but is a bit of a joke culturally. It will always happen with pretty clean cut successful entertainers.

Perhaps. Phil Collins is another classic example - tho he was good rather than great like the Bee Gees

But I note it is ALWAYS the same dull midwit people who make these tedious Coldplay remarks, hoping they are amusing. They’re not amusing, they don’t actually display a sense of humour; they’re a kind of ersatz “humour” - like coffee made out of chicory during the war

Phil Collins is very good - Peter Gabriel seems to have more “cred” and whilst he’s done some great music, Phil Collins has made huge hits for decades but still a bit mocked, think of when Steven Gerrard got into that fight at a bar for demanding they play Phil Collins on the Jukebox or the monologue in American Psycho - would it have worked so well with an artist considered “cool”?

He really had two careers. Interesting stuff with Genesis, and a popular solo career doing cover versions. Bit like Bryan Ferry with Roxy Music, though Ferry is the more considerable artist.

The only cover version I can think of him doing is “you can’t hurry love”. What were the others?

I wasn’t a fan when he was at his peak but as I’ve grown older I’ve appreciated how good songs like “in the air tonight” and “against all odds” are and I have an enduring love for “easy lover” as it takes me back to childhood summer holidays when life was magnificently care free.

Nigelb said:

Leon said:

Selebian said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Rush of Blood to the Head is a legitimately good album. I never cared for their music before or since. I mean it's fine, inoffensive stuff, there's just far far better stuff out there. But that's true for many artists. The reaction, I think, is more to the Everything Sounds Like Coldplay issue that we had for a while.

Sometimes something mediocre can get really annoying when everywhere and popular. I dislike Turin Brakes with a fair amount of passion as I had a flatmate at uni who was obsessed and played them all the effing time!

But even this isn’t true

Viva La Vida is one of THE great pop-rock songs of the 21st century

https://youtu.be/dvgZkm1xWPE?si=-d_Iq-lZmogCna16

You cannot hear those opening, stirring, staccato strings without thinking “OMG yes what a song”

It's pretty well the only thing of theirs I really like.
But his voice is still meh.

They wrote several fantastic songs, which is several more than 99% of bands. People who diss them are insecure middlebrow fools, trying to appear cool (and failing) as we have now established

I didn’t know this about Viva La Vida:

The title “Viva la Vida” - Live the Life - is taken from a Frida Kahlo painting. She painted that phrase on a watermelon days before she died, ravaged by pain, after a lifetime of defying suffering with colour, wildness and creativity

So the title is ironic

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

If one is creative, it’s always preferable to have people hate one’s work, than to be indifferent to it.

LOL
They're going to have to get better shills.

Ferguson: I believe the President on this one. I think he’s probably not a guy who draws pictures. A lot of people have gotten notes from. They’ve never gotten a picture.

Phillip: We do have this picture he drew.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1946030267669581858

Police Scotland currently arresting people under the Terrorism Act for displaying Palestine Action posters and wearing t-shirts.

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

The interesting aspect of the Coldplay discussion has nothing to do with the band or the music; it's the memorial function of music.

We have talked about this before, but if you want to remember something, make it a song.

There is a whole subplot in Star Wars Skeleton Crew about a sea shanty that contains historical truths.

The child star of the movie Gifted remembered complex mathematical formulae by making up a song.

Several of the comments here are about what you feel when you hear the music.

For the CEO and his latest squeeze that response will be PTSD

Selebian said:

Eabhal said:

Police Scotland currently arresting people under the Terrorism Act for displaying Palestine Action posters and wearing t-shirts.

Is wearing t-shirts so unusual in Scotland? Or are lots of people getting arrested?

I mean I could understand if this was Newcastle...

OTOH, ScotRail has confirmed it's perfectly legal to take your sheep on a train. So Wallace's legacy isn't entirely dead.

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

As far as London is concerned, it’s far too early to tell. We don’t know if Khan is running again and we don’t know any of the other candidates either.

boulay said:

Burgessian said:

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

I think it’s more a British thing about snootiness to Coldplay, I don’t mind them, have a few of their albums on CD, was at UCL the same time as them and probably saw them playing in one of the unions in an early incarnation. I don’t think they are mocked to the same level internationally.

They are however a cipher for a sort of “meh”. Like people might fling around “centrist dads” as a trope for that middle of the road, not overly exciting but large scale phenomenon they allow for a bit of piss taking.

Their music isn’t edgy, it’s very well done and they’ve evolved into a huge stadium band.

I don’t think it’s any sort of middle class affectation just easy ribbing due to them being a bit non-edgy. The Bee-Gees have an amazing canon of work which they fronted or wrote for others, don’t know how they were viewed at their peak, Barry Manilow was supremely popular and talented but is a bit of a joke culturally. It will always happen with pretty clean cut successful entertainers.

Perhaps. Phil Collins is another classic example - tho he was good rather than great like the Bee Gees

But I note it is ALWAYS the same dull midwit people who make these tedious Coldplay remarks, hoping they are amusing. They’re not amusing, they don’t actually display a sense of humour; they’re a kind of ersatz “humour” - like coffee made out of chicory during the war

Phil Collins is very good - Peter Gabriel seems to have more “cred” and whilst he’s done some great music, Phil Collins has made huge hits for decades but still a bit mocked, think of when Steven Gerrard got into that fight at a bar for demanding they play Phil Collins on the Jukebox or the monologue in American Psycho - would it have worked so well with an artist considered “cool”?

He really had two careers. Interesting stuff with Genesis, and a popular solo career doing cover versions. Bit like Bryan Ferry with Roxy Music, though Ferry is the more considerable artist.

The only cover version I can think of him doing is “you can’t hurry love”. What were the others?

I wasn’t a fan when he was at his peak but as I’ve grown older I’ve appreciated how good songs like “in the air tonight” and “against all odds” are and I have an enduring love for “easy lover” as it takes me back to childhood summer holidays when life was magnificently care free.

Late period Genesis with Collins were great, as well. Indeed I prefer them to Gabriel’s version (even tho he is a superb musician himself)

“Follow you, Follow me” is an exquisitely simple love song

Trick of the Tail is a fine Genesis-Collins album, not
least because it contains “Ripples” which always makes me want to cry, in a bad way which is also somehow good

Eabhal said:

Selebian said:

Eabhal said:

Police Scotland currently arresting people under the Terrorism Act for displaying Palestine Action posters and wearing t-shirts.

Is wearing t-shirts so unusual in Scotland? Or are lots of people getting arrested?

I mean I could understand if this was Newcastle...

OTOH, ScotRail has confirmed it's perfectly legal to take your sheep on a train. So Wallace's legacy isn't entirely dead.

Which Wallace is this again? Did Wallace (G) do something else creative with his anatomy while on Masterchef, did Wallace (B) rescue some Afghan sheep or is this from the chase in the latest Wallace (&G) film?

Surely more scandalous than it being Coldplay is a CEO having to settle for an age appropriate mistress?

Morning all

Whatever others might say, the significant event yesterday was the Kensington Treaty and a big step on the re-definition of Britain’s relationship with Europe. The traditional enemies - France, Germany and Britain - are now developing a new relationship with both NATO and the EU which are both being by-passed in the name of strategic reality.

It’s also clear Merz isn’t quite what some here thought or expected and he is growing on me. His comments on Britain’s departure from the EU and on European defence were spot on and he could be a considerable political presence in Europe over the next decade.

The reality is the combination of a disengaging America and the war in the Ukraine has compelled a re-alignment of our strategic and economic relationships which won’t please everyone but is needed for a new era.

stodge said:

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

As far as London is concerned, it’s far too early to tell. We don’t know if Khan is running again and we don’t know any of the other candidates either.

Oh god. Surely Khan won’t go for a FOURTH term. The fucking city is falling to pieces after a decade of his dire mediocrity

I’d vote for literally anyone and any party rather than vote for him, literally anyone, ANY PARTY, as long as that party is really right wing and wants to shoot annoying dogs and expel indigent foreigners

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

It's a good point about the Gibb genetic inequity though. The youngest and oldest brothers were heartthrob hansdome, the middle two not so much. Also, unusually, they died in reverse order. The youngest first, the oldest (Barry) still with us.

kinabalu said:

Rewatching Live Aid, you realize how special Collins was in his pomp.

I have only liked him retrospectively, I found the cheeky chappie act a bit forced in the 80s. But he is a legend really

isam said:

I wouldn’t consider myself much of a fan, but I’ve listened to Coldplay’s first album quite a lot and there are some lovely songs on there. ‘Don’t Panic’ in particular

As for Phil Collins, it’s true that he has long been considered naff, but he wrote some absolute classics in the 80s, one of which features in my MOR playlist.



Most of the criticism these artists get is from people desperate to be thought of as edgy. The kind of people who think themselves broad minded but in reality have a very narrow outlook

Yes. That’s it precisely

Indeed the true edginess and insight comes from those who are able to perceive the quality in something ubiquitous, common, and popular. These people are on the right end of the bell curve

Malmesbury said:

Talking of music. It appears that the John Toride sacking was about him using the “n” word while karaoke singing a Kanye West song. At an after work event.

A pretext then perhaps. I recall City days when somebody unwanted would often be found to have porn on their computer.

kinabalu said:

Rewatching Live Aid, you realize how special Collins was in his pomp.

Is this in relation to the Coldplay discussion?

I assume you are thinking of Phil Collins. Which is useful, because following Leon's comparison of the Bee Gees and Coldplay - which I don't think works because the BeeGees were rightly both celebrated and mocked - I was trying to think of a better comparison. And Genesis and/or Phil Collins is probably it - dismissed as unremarkable middle ground, but actually containing bits of genius. "Turn it on again", for example, which has a very very weird time signature.

I think this is the comparison Leon should have made. But I would have still disagreed, because Coldplay are fine but contain nothing I can really enthuse about (nor, indeed, wildly castigate).

My favourite aspect to Coldplay's place in popular culture was that in Gavin and Stacey, Pete and Dawn chose to renew their vows using entirely quotes from the song 'Fix You'. Which was funny because Pete and Dawn were EXACTLY the sort of people who like Coldplay.

isam said:

kinabalu said:

Rewatching Live Aid, you realize how special Collins was in his pomp.

I have only liked him retrospectively, I found the cheeky chappie act a bit forced in the 80s. But he is a legend really

Su-su-su-nil-o-o-o!

Leon said:

stodge said:

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

As far as London is concerned, it’s far too early to tell. We don’t know if Khan is running again and we don’t know any of the other candidates either.

Oh god. Surely Khan won’t go for a FOURTH term. The fucking city is falling to pieces after a decade of his dire mediocrity

I’d vote for literally anyone and any party rather than vote for him, literally anyone, ANY PARTY, as long as that party is really right wing and wants to shoot annoying dogs and expel indigent foreigners

London's air is so much sweeter and it's starting to feel like a Dutch city to this woke cyclist. It's amazing the transformation - the only criticism is that the Parisians have done an even better job.

If the Tories put up a candidate that will continue on that theme then fair enough. If it's some suburban sprawler with a double-cab pickup, live laugh love and a pug with breathing trouble then... nah.

So we’ve done Bob Vylan and Coldplay, and we of course don’t talk about Radiohead. Any other recommendations?

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Exhaustive Ballot ISN'T "Quasi-AV". It's the, er, Exhaustive Ballot.

I wonder if TSE is aware of Dave Cameron (PBUH)'s opinion of AV?

It has multiple rounds of voting eliminating the lowest ranked candidate until we have a final two, just like AV.

Earth to TSE. You can't rank your choices like in AV. So not like AV.

There is a Genesis tribute band called The Musical Box

Some years ago they toured the 'original' production of The Lamb lies Down on Broadway, by which I mean they had the original slides used on the original tour

They had a guy playing drums for that tour who looked like Phil Collins, sounded like Phil Collins, played drums left handed like Phil Collins.

He insists it wasn't him

kinabalu said:

Malmesbury said:

Talking of music. It appears that the John Toride sacking was about him using the “n” word while karaoke singing a Kanye West song. At an after work event.

A pretext then perhaps. I recall City days when somebody unwanted would often be found to have porn on their computer.

I worked for a CEO who resolutely, as a matter of policy, refused to scrutinise expense claims. Whenever he wanted to cut costs (occasionally) or had an animus against someone (frequently) he would review an individual's expenses claims, find a discrepancy, and fire them for dishonesty. He reckoned it was 1) cheaper than employing lawyers for industrial tribunals, 2) it was more effective, and 3) it was more fun.

Eabhal said:

Leon said:

stodge said:

HYUFD said:

If Mayoral elections are elected by SV that would be ironically good news for Tory candidates in Mayoral elections in new unitary areas. In Essex next year for example Reform would likely win the Mayoral election under FPTP but the Tories could win it with Labour and LD preferences.

In London it may help Khan though as LD and Green voters will likely be more than Reform votes if likely Conservative candidate Cleverly wins on first preferences

As far as London is concerned, it’s far too early to tell. We don’t know if Khan is running again and we don’t know any of the other candidates either.

Oh god. Surely Khan won’t go for a FOURTH term. The fucking city is falling to pieces after a decade of his dire mediocrity

I’d vote for literally anyone and any party rather than vote for him, literally anyone, ANY PARTY, as long as that party is really right wing and wants to shoot annoying dogs and expel indigent foreigners

London's air is so much sweeter and it's starting to feel like a Dutch city to this woke cyclist. It's amazing the transformation - the only criticism is that the Parisians have done an even better job.

If the Tories put up a candidate that will continue on that theme then fair enough. If it's some suburban sprawler with a double-cab pickup, live laugh love and a pug with breathing trouble then... nah.

Most of that is from national level rules tightening up on pollution. The measures the various majors have taken are reactive to this. The Boris buses, for example, were planned in order to remove some ancient vehicles spewing black smoke - particulates and NO2 emissions were (and are) a big issue.

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

That Coldplay are neither good nor bad, or that the BeeGees are both brilliant and ridiculous?
It will be a cold day in hell before I have strong feelings about Coldplay. I am steadfast in my lack of enthusiasm or rancour for them.

kinabalu said:

Malmesbury said:

Talking of music. It appears that the John Toride sacking was about him using the “n” word while karaoke singing a Kanye West song. At an after work event.

A pretext then perhaps. I recall City days when somebody unwanted would often be found to have porn on their computer.

More a case of a handbrake turn into "ZERO! TOLERANCE!"

Don't worry, within a month or two, the talent will be back to chasing the interns and going a bit Tommy ManyNames on the subject of the Effniks after a few sherbets.

All this has happened before. And will happen again.

Cookie said:

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

That Coldplay are neither good nor bad, or that the BeeGees are both brilliant and ridiculous?
It will be a cold day in hell before I have strong feelings about Coldplay. I am steadfast in my lack of enthusiasm or rancour for them.

I was teasing. Tho your views on Coldplay are jejune

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

It's a good point about the Gibb genetic inequity though. The youngest and oldest brothers were heartthrob hansdome, the middle two not so much. Also, unusually, they died in reverse order. The youngest first, the oldest (Barry) still with us.

I was only teasing Mister @Cookie. Tho he is totally wrong about Coldplay

That IS an interesting article about the Bee Gees. They really didn’t get the respect they deserve during their time - perhaps because they were so protean

I remember when they stormed out of a talk show hosted by Clive Anderson because he cruelly mocked them for ten straight minutes at the start. Lots of people thought they were being precious but I was cheering them on

Because the Bee Gees were fucking legends and Clive Anderson is a stupid lame lawyer-comic who is now almost entirely forgotten, and he wasn’t even funny

Show some respect, you tit

Yes, I was with Barry on that. I'm not a fan of the smartarse roasting genre.

Yes, me too. I remember that incident. I was on the BeeGees side too.
The best thing about it was its lack of coordination. Two of them stormed out, leaving the other one and Clive to sort of shrug apologetically at each other before the third one joined them.

Leon said:

isam said:

I wouldn’t consider myself much of a fan, but I’ve listened to Coldplay’s first album quite a lot and there are some lovely songs on there. ‘Don’t Panic’ in particular

As for Phil Collins, it’s true that he has long been considered naff, but he wrote some absolute classics in the 80s, one of which features in my MOR playlist.



Most of the criticism these artists get is from people desperate to be thought of as edgy. The kind of people who think themselves broad minded but in reality have a very narrow outlook

Yes. That’s it precisely

Indeed the true edginess and insight comes from those who are able to perceive the quality in something ubiquitous, common, and popular. These people are on the right end of the bell curve

Bell-ends, so to speak?

But sure. Most of the artists we perceive as great were popular in their time - they were popular for a reason. It'll be interesting to see what the world makes of Coldplay when Chris Martin has long been pushing up daisies.

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

It's a good point about the Gibb genetic inequity though. The youngest and oldest brothers were heartthrob hansdome, the middle two not so much. Also, unusually, they died in reverse order. The youngest first, the oldest (Barry) still with us.

I was only teasing Mister @Cookie. Tho he is totally wrong about Coldplay

That IS an interesting article about the Bee Gees. They really didn’t get the respect they deserve during their time - perhaps because they were so protean

I remember when they stormed out of a talk show hosted by Clive Anderson because he cruelly mocked them for ten straight minutes at the start. Lots of people thought they were being precious but I was cheering them on

Because the Bee Gees were fucking legends and Clive Anderson is a stupid lame lawyer-comic who is now almost entirely forgotten, and he wasn’t even funny

Show some respect, you tit

Yes, I was with Barry on that. I'm not a fan of the smartarse roasting genre.

We entirely agree! That’s exactly what Clive Anderson is - or was. A “smart-arse”. And not even funny or particularly good at it

And he tried to cruelly mock genuinely brilliant artists. I’m afraid I’m slightly glad his career collapsed

And on this note of concord, I must arise and go to Innisfree, to where the Nespressos lurk

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

It's a good point about the Gibb genetic inequity though. The youngest and oldest brothers were heartthrob hansdome, the middle two not so much. Also, unusually, they died in reverse order. The youngest first, the oldest (Barry) still with us.

Maurice did get to marry Lulu tho.

She was pretty impressive during her turn with Sir Rod at Glastonbury.

I must be getting old.

kinabalu said:

Rewatching Live Aid, you realize how special Collins was in his pomp.

Absolutely. With the added benefit of providing Mengistu with the funds to complete his forced resettlement policies.

Huzzah!

"It is very disappointing that Sir Keir Starmer didn’t go for a more equitable voting system such as the single transferable vote or the alternative vote system ..."

Aren't they identical in an election to fill only one office?

Sunil_Prasannan said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Exhaustive Ballot ISN'T "Quasi-AV". It's the, er, Exhaustive Ballot.

I wonder if TSE is aware of Dave Cameron (PBUH)'s opinion of AV?

It has multiple rounds of voting eliminating the lowest ranked candidate until we have a final two, just like AV.

Earth to TSE. You can't rank your choices like in AV. So not like AV.

Hence why I call it quasi-AV.

Honestly Sunil you profess your love for the English language and you don’t know what quasi means.

Leon said:

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

kinabalu said:

Leon said:

Cookie said:

Leon said:

boulay said:

…

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sandpit said:

LOL that “Coldplay concert” is the #1 trend this morning, and it’s all because a billionaire is about to get divorced.

Imagine being so bad to your wife that you went to a Coldplay concert.

Imagine being her divorce lawyers, you’d be happier than a pig in muck.

“Give my client what she wants or we will publicly reveal it’s actually the second time you’ve been to a Coldplay concert.”

Why are people so absurdly snooty about Coldplay

It’s a middle middle class affectation, I think. A slightly insecure signalling of “superior” taste, done by people who are, perhaps subconsciously, nervous of their social status

We had the same with Bee Gees. It was fashionable amongst the middlebrow to diss them. Now we all accept they were musical geniuses. Which they were

Well I'll bite on this, cos I'm a massive music snob.

I'd argue the disdain for Coldplay is of a different stripe to that for the BeeGees.

Coldplay are *fine*. They do some well-crafted pop songs. It's just that I can't imagine how anyone could be so enthused by them as to want to shell out vast amounts to go and listen to them live (apart from a 15 year old autistic boy I know, who is very very keen). In most cases I wouldn't go out of my way to turn them off as I would with, say, something by Stock Aitken and Waterman. But nor would I ever choose to listen to them. They are well-crafted background music. They are music for people who don't like music.

Whereas the Beegees are the opposite. Both brilliant AND ridiculous. They are both loveable and hateable depending on taste, which is a far superior thing to be.

Back in 2023, I had a Telegraph subscription, and it was worth it for this article alone - a review of a book about the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley of St Ettiene fame - though how much of my enjoyment is down to the reviewer and how much to Bob Stanley, I don't know (I never got round to reading the book - perhaps I should):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/bee-gees-children-of-the-world-by-bob-stanley-review/?msockid=2e08108726996980126002ac27a16810

Highlights of the review included:

- Musings on the name "it sounded like someone was trying to say Beach Boys, but then lost heart"
- Reflections on the uneven hand nature had dealt the three brothers - one of whom looks like a 70s idea of a heartthrob, the other two looking like circus freakshows.
- The very strangeness of early Bee Gees lyrics e.g. Massachusetts:
"And the lights all went out in Massachusetts
And Massachusetts is one place I have seen" - starts off profound and quickly falls away to inane.

Their biographies were full of oddness. And, just go and look at some BeeGees videos on Youtube. Just look at them and try to keep a straight face.

A friend of mine once lived in a house in Chorlton owned by the BeeGees, or at least whichever of them were still alive. Decent landlords, by her account.

Anyway, the BeeGees. Definitely worthy of anyone's time but also definitely ridiculous.

This is the worst comment you have ever made. I’m now beginning to doubt the supposed merits of northern England, which you persuasively avow, upon occasion

It's a good point about the Gibb genetic inequity though. The youngest and oldest brothers were heartthrob hansdome, the middle two not so much. Also, unusually, they died in reverse order. The youngest first, the oldest (Barry) still with us.

I was only teasing Mister @Cookie. Tho he is totally wrong about Coldplay

That IS an interesting article about the Bee Gees. They really didn’t get the respect they deserve during their time - perhaps because they were so protean

I remember when they stormed out of a talk show hosted by Clive Anderson because he cruelly mocked them for ten straight minutes at the start. Lots of people thought they were being precious but I was cheering them on

Because the Bee Gees were fucking legends and Clive Anderson is a stupid lame lawyer-comic who is now almost entirely forgotten, and he wasn’t even funny

Show some respect, you tit

Yes, I was with Barry on that. I'm not a fan of the smartarse roasting genre.

We entirely agree! That’s exactly what Clive Anderson is - or was. A “smart-arse”. And not even funny or particularly good at it

And he tried to cruelly mock genuinely brilliant artists. I’m afraid I’m slightly glad his career collapsed

And on this note of concord, I must arise and go to Innisfree, to where the Nespressos lurk

To be fair the backlash at Clive Anderson was so bad he had to change his name to Adam Boulton and become a political journalist on Sky where nobody would see him.

AugustusCarp2 said:

isam said:

Leon said:

A melancholy subtext to this music chat is “what will PBers be nostalgically talking about, musically, in 2047”?

There won’t be any 2020s music for them to nostalge about. The biggest touring band of the moment is Oasis

I guess they could go on and on and on about Taylor Swift until @HYUFD-botX178 threatens to invade the website with royally-approved cybertanks

Brings to mind my rule about singer/songwriters; any material written over twenty years since their first release should have to go before some kind of panel that decides whether it would have got the green light if they were an artist with no back catalogue of success. Very few make the cut, and many reputations would be preserved

A very useful and worthwhile test - one which Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon would pass with flying colours.

Is “Bob Dylan” a Bob Vylan tribute act?