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whiskyinmind
whiskyinmind
10 February 2005 @ 09:20 am
I think music was the winner...  
... kinda.

Brit awards last night and for the first time in a while they actually made sense. Kinda.

The winners

Best British Breakthrough Act - Keane
Best British Group - Franz Ferdinand
Best British Male Solo Artist - The Streets
Best British Female Solo Artist - Joss Stone
Best British Single - Your Game/Will Young
Best Urban Act - Joss Stone
Best British Rock Act - Franz Ferdinand
Best British Live Act - Muse
BRITs25 best song (special one-off category) - Angels/Robbie Williams
Best Pop Act - McFly
Best International Male Solo Artist - Eminem
Best International Female Solo Artist - Gwen Stefani
Best International Group - Scissor Sisters
Best International Album - Scissor Sisters/Scissor Sisters
Best International Breakthrough Act - Scissor Sisters
Outstanding Contribution to Music - Bob Geldof

My opinions

Keane suck. Sorry, my opinion, but they are dull as dishwater. It's not because they're daring to be an indie rock band without a single guitar, it's because they are boring as hell! They're not breakthrough, they're not interesting, they're whiney little Radiohead wannabes without half the talent.  Breakthrough artist was a tough competition this year - Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian, Natasha Bedingfield, Joss Stone and Keane all up for it and the one with no talent at all won it. I despair sometimes.

McFly, I find them incredibly funny and I don't think they're supposed to be. It's not my taste in music but they're fairly inoffensive. What I find hilarious is that they were all born after the film from which their name comes was made...

Scissor Sisters, I've been slow coming to the Scissor Sisters party - it's not that I dislke them, it's just that there's too many other good bands out there for me to pay them much attention. They're pretty good though and probably deserve the awards.

Will Young. Seriously, was 'Your Game' out this year? It feels like a much older song to me. Apparently his reaction on winning it was quite something to see - name announced, camera cuts to him swigging from beer bottle. His eyes go wide, beer bottle hastily put down and any lip readers in the audience are gonna be offended...

Franz Ferdinand. What can I say about FF? The obvious graduates from the Glasgow School of Art (seriously, the videos are almost like coursework there!) I love 'em! They were up for five awards but I'm glad they didn't win them all in a way.

Muse. My boys! I love Muse, they rock on so many levels it's just not funny, totally deserved to win live act and were robbed last year when they didn't get best album for Absolution.

Snow Patrol. Yes, they're not on the winners list but they should be. I mean, Keane, why?! Snow Patrol are so much more interesting and innovative and downright nicer blokes! Gutted for them personally.

edit Forgot to mention The Streets. Solo act? Mike Skinner fronts a band called The Streets, he's not a solo performer. It's like saying Electric Six are a solo act. (end edit)

Ah well, I'll watch the show tonight, should be interesting to see if they cut out Will Young's reaction, and apparently Robbie Williams was a little shocked when Gary Barlow and Howard Donald were introduced as well...  (I've seen the pictures, I know what that's all about but I'll let you watch tonight)
 
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[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 01:42 am (UTC)
So you don't like Keane then?
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 01:47 am (UTC)
How do I hate them, let me count the ways...

They're so blah and mundane and boring as hell and yet the British music industry sees them as the second coming.

They aren't. They suck. And Snow Patrol were robbed.
[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 01:50 am (UTC)
Although I'm not as much as an avid hater of Keane (I actually like some of their songs) out of all the artists in the category I think they are actually the least 'Breakthrough' of the lot.
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 02:00 am (UTC)
So not. Kasabian. Now there's a breakthrough band. Joss Stone, bringing soul back to the charts, she's breakthrough. Natasha Bedingfield, uniquely wierd and a damn good songwriter, breakthrough. Snow Patrol, actually talented and a refreshing approach to song writing (their lyrics are amazing), breakthrough. Franz Ferdinand, huge success by making retro cool, kinda breakthrough but I wouldb't have given it to them.

Keane. Indie ballads about how much life sucks. Nothing new there. How is that breakthrough? The only thing that makes them stand out from the crowd is the piano-based songs versus guitar-based. I wouldn't say that's enough to make them shine.

I'm in the minority though, as I'm typing this I can see Matt writing me an email explaining why Keane are innovative and Snow Patrol aren't. Shold be interesting to see what he says but he's wrong. :)
[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 02:23 am (UTC)
Oh, so Keane's "We'll write ballads using a piano" approach is innovative is it? Hmmm, you see I thought that had been going since at least the sixties.
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 02:32 am (UTC)
Oh no, it's not innovative - nothing about them is that. It's just the only thing that marks them as different from the current crop.
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 07:22 am (UTC)
The email he sent me actually explained that he doesn't particularly like them and his whole argument came down to "They're better than Coldplay"

*g*
[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 07:44 am (UTC)
And what did he use to back up this argument, did it resemble anything close to earth Logic?

I didn't think so.

[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 07:56 am (UTC)
Actually, he made some very good points to be honest:

I see the comparison between Radiohead and Keane, but I think it has less to do with that and more to do with Coldplay. Coldplay are definitely whiney Radiohead wannabes. Won't ever be anything else. But, they're formulaic, cold and emotionless, and do nothing musically which I either enjoy, or consider groundbreaking. They just aren't as musically brave or diverse as Radiohead. I wouldn't necessarily say that Keane are either, nor are they groundbreaking or particularly inspired. I wouldn't even say that they rock; I haven't bought their album, and I don't intend to. But at least they're not as monotonally insipid and boring as Coldplay. I'd say that Keane are doing pretty much the same thing, just slightly better. The front man's a better singer for my money than Chris Paltrow, or whatever his name is (let's face it - that's the only reason he got famous) and musically they're very astute. What they play is more complex, rhythmically and in terms of chord structure, than what Coldplay do, even though there's less of them in the band. Nowhere near as complex or as challenging as Radiohead, and they don't approach them in terms of emotional intensity, granted. But that doesn't mean they suck. I just think it's a false analogy to compare them, when what they're doing musically is so different. Radiohead have consistently tried to redefine the experience of "rock" music, and at the same time to reinvent themselves, throughout their career, often at the expense of fans, money and overall listenability. Much like U2, really. Keane haven't. Basically because they're only just starting. They might get better. We don't know. I think the worst thing I could say about them is they can write a decent tune, and they can sing a bit. Apart from that, I'm going to reserve damning judgement until they've done something, and/or achieved something with their music.
[identity profile] dimlondeiel.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 07:31 am (UTC)
I'll get my dad to tape this, but only 'cos Green Day were meant to be there *grin*
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 07:56 am (UTC)
*g* They were indeed and apparently they bumped into a very starstruck McFly backstage... Can you imagine?
[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 12:11 pm (UTC)
Hehehehehe. Just saw the Gary Barlow and Howard Donald introduction. That was really funny.
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 12:13 pm (UTC)
Dammit! I missed it - thought it started at 8.30.

Crap.

Brilliant idea wasn't it?
[identity profile] rileysaplank.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 12:21 pm (UTC)
It was. The look on Robbie's face was priceless.
[identity profile] cafedemonde.livejournal.com on February 10th, 2005 11:13 pm (UTC)
I love Muse as well! I drive my family crazy playing the cd!
[identity profile] whiskyinmind.livejournal.com on February 11th, 2005 02:21 am (UTC)
I adore them - just found out that Absolution was actually nominated in the best album category again this year. It didn't win, Keane did.

Another reason for me to detest Keane...

*g*
[identity profile] cafedemonde.livejournal.com on February 11th, 2005 07:49 am (UTC)
Don't know who Keane is but I'm all good with detesting them as well. Muse is amazingly talented and they freakin' rock!