What is Brit-Pop?

[JSpaceman]

Originally Posted by rocketman70

I don't believe Britpop exists anymore. See my post above.

People are putting way too much importance on OK Computer as a defining record, in my opinion. I don't see the album putting an end to Brit-Pop by any means. Although I'd consider the large majority of Brit-Pop taking place in the early 90's, I have to agree with MKJ that there are still bands around that I'd consider Brit-Pop. Songs from Gomez like "Shot Shot," "Silence," or "Catch Me Up" are all Brit-Pop in my ears. Athlete's "You Got The Style" and "El Salvador?" Those are Brit-Pop tunes to me. I think it's almost more the feel than a strict definition.

Originally Posted by afterdinnerman

All your questions can be answered here.

I never really bought that Blur, Pulp, the Verve, etc were really Britpop although the British music press seemed to think otherwise.

I figured you'd chime in. I'd forgotten about that thread.

Blur not Britpop? Songs like "Country House" and "Park-Life" are pretty nearly the very epitome of Britpop in my book.

[Patas]

Travis is certainly Britpop.

[JSpaceman]

Originally Posted by rocketman70

Ah, I'd say the first four Blur albums are pop. After that no.

Yeah, I'd say that their self-titled album was when they left Britpop behind for good. Well, leaving out "Coffee and TV."

Around the time Blair won office. That was the end of the Britpop scene.

So Noel rubbing shoulders with the posh folk on Downing Street was the end then, eh?

[Patas]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Blur not Britpop? Songs like "Country House" and "Park-Life" are pretty nearly the very epitome of Britpop in my book.

Blur was definitely brit pop up until or including their Self Titled. Boys and Girls being the most britpop song ever.

[afterdinnerman]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Blur not Britpop? Songs like "Country House" and "Park-Life" are pretty nearly the very epitome of Britpop in my book.

I guess when I think Britpop, I think of it more as a sound and an attitude. While Blur's earlier recordings were pop, I just never thought of them as being in that Britpop paradigm. I know that philosophy probably doesn't fit in with the generally held belief of what Bpop is, but there you go.

[The Big Crunch]

ehhhh, it's kind've like pornography. Hard to define, easy to recognize, and darn entertaining.

[afterdinnerman]

That was damned beautiful, Big Crunch.

Well, it is beautiful provided you aren't pounding one out to Northern Uproar.

[JSpaceman]

Originally Posted by afterdinnerman

Well, it is beautiful provided you aren't pounding one out to Northern Uproar.

Doh! :zips up pants:

[May Kil June]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Athlete's another good one.

Good call! Athlete totally fits the bill.

Having read through this thread, though, I do think that Brit-Pop isn't really an accurate term - especially with the Spice Girls/Robbie Williams/Kylie Minogue group being British and making pop music. I guess "Brit-Rock" would be a more accurate term that would certainly apply to Oasis, Blur and Radiohead's "Bends" and "OK Computer" as well as recent Bloc Party and Kaiser Chiefs. But there are still that group of bands like Gomez, Athlete, Kasabian that I don't really consider "rock" - more like alternative pop.

Of course, my definition of rock has always been music that relies heavily on electric guitars and not so much on acoustic guitars, pianos and keyboards.

[the_birds]

Britpop as a definition just doens't apply to me. I mean if Travis and Blur is Britpop, then what is Take That/Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, and Daniel Bedingfield? I do think its meant to be a derogatory term. Maybe in the classic British sarcasm for the gulf between Rock-y rock and the lighter, danceable or less serious rock of the bands mentioned...

[the_birds]

Whoa, spacely! Scarily similar responses!

[The Big Crunch]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Doh! :zips up pants:

Bloody shite! Well, at least I'm not the only one!

[rocketman70]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Yeah, I'd say that their self-titled album was when they left Britpop behind for good. Well, leaving out "Coffee and TV."

Yep.

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

So Noel rubbing shoulders with the posh folk on Downing Street was the end then, eh?

Heh, nah. That's cool. As long as it's not the bloody Tories, that's fine by me.
You really should check out that Britpop book Spaceman, it's excellent.

Originally Posted by the_birds

Britpop as a definition just doens't apply to me. I mean if Travis and Blur is Britpop, then what is Take That/Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, and Daniel Bedingfield? I do think its meant to be a derogatory term. Maybe in the classic British sarcasm for the gulf between Rock-y rock and the lighter, danceable or less serious rock of the bands mentioned...

Yes. I agree 100%!

Originally Posted by May Kil June

Good call! Athlete totally fits the bill.

You know, I just can't get into Athlete. I think they're a terrible band. 'Tourist' is a horrible disc. Sorry, had to get that off my chest.

[JSpaceman]

Originally Posted by May Kil June

Of course, my definition of rock has always been music that relies heavily on electric guitars and not so much on acoustic guitars, pianos and keyboards.

I would agree with that. And on a side note, I think that Gomez is quite able to jump quite well from rock to more poppy to bluesy...


And I believe this is where I betray my knowledge of the music of Robbie Williams. I think tunes like "Life Thru A Lens," "Lazy Days," "Win Some, Lose Some," and "Let Love Be Your Energy" all have a Britpop feel to me. (Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.)

[the_birds]

I think Athlete is great. Fun music

[rocketman70]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

People are putting way too much importance on OK Computer as a defining record, in my opinion.

What!?! What kind of drugs are you on Spaceman? I truly believe that was the last true landmark album to be released. It signified the end of rock as we know it. After that, the rock scene was doomed to redundancy. Check out the current (though now on the wane) New New Wave scene. Everything we hear from no one will in some way be a throwback to the past. OK Computer was the last defining statement.

There are no Britpop bands anymore. There are bands that are 'nostalgic' throwbacks to the scene but that's it.

Incidentally, I don't feel Gomez is a Britpop band. They're kind of undefinable. Which is a plus to me.

[May Kil June]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

And on a side note, I think that Gomez is quite able to jump quite well from rock to more poppy to bluesy...

True.

1234567

[JSpaceman]

Originally Posted by rocketman70

What!?! What kind of drugs are you on Spaceman? I truly believe that was the last true landmark album to be released.

Uh... perhaps in tandem with LAGWAFIS. I think they were released on the same day, if I remember correctly. The only reason that OK Computer can be considered more of a landmark album than LAG is its genre and the transition that it became for Radiohead.

It signified the end of rock as we know it. After that, the rock scene was doomed to redundancy. Check out the current (though now on the wane) New New Wave scene. Everything we hear from no one will in some way be a throwback to the past. OK Computer was the last defining statement.

Good lord, dude- you OD on music pessimism pills this morning? OK Computer is a great great album. One of the best ever. But I just don't see it as being this be-all end-all record that truly changed the face of music. What is it? The genre? The musical elements that it's composed of? I just don't understand the undying worship that people place on it. It's a phenomenal album but I could think of ten others that are just as great.

[rocketman70]

Originally Posted by JSpaceman

Good lord, dude- you OD on music pessimism pills this morning? OK Computer is a great great album. One of the best ever. But I just don't see it as being this be-all end-all record that truly changed the face of music. What is it? The genre? The musical elements that it's composed of? I just don't understand the undying worship that people place on it. It's a phenomenal album but I could think of ten others that are just as great.

No, OK Computer didn't change the face of music as we know it. It is a landmark recording however. It sounded like nothing else at the time. The lyrics, the music, every element of the album fell perfectly into place and perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the time. With this album, Radiohead silenced the Nirvana/Pink Floyd comparisons for good. It combined art rock with stadium anthems better than any album ever did. It rocked, it made you think, it made you feel something. And it was, as I said, the last true original artistic statement released by a rock band. It's my #1 album along with THB.
That bell at the end of 'The Tourist', that's the sound of the death of rock as we know it. I'm not being pessimistic, it's true. After Radiohead came Spice Girls and all of that manufactured pop. We've never truly recovered.

[loveydovey]

Remember these?

Lovey's Forgotten Britpop Faves



"In Your Car"



"Female of the Species"



"You're Gorgeous"


So, yes . . . if you ever hear one of these gems on WOXY, chances are they were requested by ME.