It’s possible that I have fallen out of love with music. There was a time when I wanted to listen to music all the time, but these days I listen to news more than I listen to music. In fact, I think I spend more time categorizing and organizing my music collection than listening to it. The collection feels vast and, since I don’t really acquire much music on physical media anymore, it seems to be growing ever faster. How can I appreciate it all? I step back and look at this long list of options; all these things I can listen to; all the hours that went into producing them, reduced to a little box containing a spinning disk and I am somewhat overwhelmed. And then all I want to do is put them into little groups of some similarity.
Today as I was returning back home with my lunch I listened to the Jack station again. This format is meant to sound like an iPod–not my iPod, but somebody’s iPod–somebody with very middle-of-the-road taste who may only exist as the average of focus group responses. But as my own iPod doesn’t always live in the car, the radio worked fine for this situation of half-listening. So I got to listen to everyone’s favorite songs from decades past. And up pops Oasis doing “Champagne Supernova.”
I haven’t heard that song in something like ten years, long enough for me to have forgotten what I thought of it the first time around. I vaguely remember that I was supposed to think that the Mancunian lads in Oasis sounded like four other lads from 35 miles down the road and 35 years previous. There was a video, wasn’t there? With that Gallagher boy wearing the little round Lennon glasses? They sure wanted me to think they sounded like the Beatles. That was the idea that they were trying to sell me. But freed of these preconceived notions by a few years, I don’t hear the Beatles in there at all. In fact, with the noodly guitar parts (which until ten minutes ago I didn’t realize where played by Paul Weller), my categorizing brain only hears the Marshall Tucker band. The seven plus minute length, probably meant to be anthemic like “Hey Jude,” really just reminds me of jammy seventies country-rock. Somebody should tell Oasis. They completely failed at their pursuit, unless their pursuit was just to be unoriginal. In that case, I reckon they succeeded.
This week I would also like to point out that the world may finally get some Chinese Democracy. Could Axl just have been waiting all these years for a marketing tie-in as awesome as the Olympics? Whatever. I will gladly line up for my free Dr Pepper–just as long as I don’t have to actually buy the album.
And speaking of albums germinating for years in the back of somebody’s head. Licensed under Creative Commons, no less. Maybe the media is right about needing to protect your daughters from creepy internet stalkers.
Aw man you’re just going through one of them political phases.
Anyway there’s more news in them songs than what you’re getting on the Drudge Report and Huffington’s Posts.
News you lose dude.
Hi NAPsters,
Long time, no see! I’ve been catching up on some of your recent posts. Justin, this post completely illustrates for me the question Mr. Anaconda asked in responding to John’s earlier post – why do we get defensive about the music we like?
You see, I am a huge Oasis fan, and reading this post makes me immediately feel defensive. Like I should explain that Oasis is very Beatles influenced, but I don’t hear it much in “Champagne Supernova.” Like I should mention that that song contains one of my favorite lyrics – the hilariously wistful “Where were you while we were getting high?” Like I should say that Oasis is really an album band and not a singles band… I never liked their singles but the early albums are great listens all the way through.
Like I should say that Oasis is admittedly derivative but they certainly didn’t fail at their major pursuit, which was to leave the suburbs of Manchester and become huge f’ing rock stars. (They kind of came and went here, but in Britain they have maintained the status of national icons).
But I won’t mention any of those things because you are free to love the music you love, and conversely to dislike the music I love. My only question for you, Justin, is where were you while we were getting high, punk?
It seems to me that there was a time in the mid to late 90′s in England when every band and their mother sounded like the Beatles. Examples are Oasis, Tears For Fears, the Lightning Seeds and so on. Can’t say I was a huge fan of that. I believe everyone is free to like what they like, but the better side of me is just thinking, why not be more original?
Freddie Bakarebelcher
There’s no need to qualify our opinions here. We’re adults and this is music we’re talking about.
I personally have always hated Oasis. There was never enough there for me to go on. And I don’t have a particular problem with derivative music. Those douchebags just never wrote a single song that didn’t either make me want to listen to All Things Must Pass instead, or else burn all my Beatles records. And I am a hook line and sinker Beatles fan. I do think Oasis wrote some catchy melodies, and I have surely fallen prey to that aspect of their singles. In fact, no thanks to Justin, Champagne Supernover (as they say it) has been firmly lodged in my craw since reading this damn post.
My only question for you, Justin, is where were you while we were getting high, punk?
I was out earning money to put food on the table. Somebody’s got to be responsible around here. If I weren’t around you people would all go hungry.
Cramer’s comments to the contrary, Oasis is a band I find completely unmemorable. I’m sure I’ve heard all of their songs repeatedly, and even made a point of being, “okay, this is Oasis … listen to this famous song everybody’s heard”, and then forgetting. They’re as beige as music gets to my brain … and yet they somehow struck a world wide chord.
I think the flamboyant personalities of the Oasis brothers brought to mind the Kink’s brothers and how they got along. You know, one of those bands known more for their crazy behaviour than their music. But then again isn’t that how most musicians in the top spot are known for?
Freddie Bakarebelcher
No, not really.
And in the case of the Gallagher douchebags, I wouldn’t so much call tehm flamboyant as I would moronic. Hell, to me Oasis is no better than Crazytown. “Come my lady, come, come my lady.”
Besides, it’s a widely known fact in Britain that all of the Oasis “hits” were actually written by Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins (uncredited). In fact, once you get past the singles on their albums, which were clearly targeting an 80s market, you will begin to hear a clear Beatles influence in Bailey’s songwriting. So actually it makes sense if you think about it.
Good morning, all. I totally anticipated when I responded to Justin’s post that no NAP regulars would like Oasis, so I am not suprised that people find them moronic, beige, etc. For one thing I haven’t noticed any interest in 90′s-00′s British guitar rock on the board.
I actually don’t think Oasis “sound like the Beatles” but rather have a heavy Beatles influence. What I think they do instead is synthesize several decades of British guitar rock, from the Beatles through T. Rex through the Pistols through the Stone Roses. And that sound strikes a chord with me, too.
But my intent in posting was more to make a meta-comment about feeling defensive about the music one likes. Really it shouldn’t matter if Justin hates Oasis and I like them. But I think there is an aspect of self-identification when you choose certain music that you like. That’s what concert T-shirts are all about, right? Showing that this is “your” band?
Oasis music was targeting the 80′s market? I have been to several countries around the world and I must say that the USA seems to more than any other country catagories groups into their prospective decades. This limitation lends itself to a preset shelf life for the artist in question. Yes, a few musical acts escape their decade of origin, but for the most part they’re just memories except to their most loyal fans. Sorry, I’m getting off track here. Feeling defensive about the music you like might only mean that someone must be challenging your abilities to have good taste in music. But when one looks at the number of criteria that is imposed on music such as what I mentioned above, it’s easy to judge others on their choices.
Freddie Bakarebelcher
Really it shouldn’t matter if Justin hates Oasis and I like them.
I wouldn’t really say I hate them–not like I hate Boston or anything. I just find them bland.
Besides, it’s a widely known fact in Britain that all of the Oasis “hits” were actually written by Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins (uncredited).
I have never heard this rumor. It was my impression that Tom and Allanah had more or less retired in New Zealand. Maybe our NZ correspondent knows more about this.
That’s just John Cramer takin’ the piss. He got two of you with his “widely known fact.”
Dear Justin,
Loved the Manson link. It’s weird, cosmic even, ’cause just yesterday I re-read a bunch of Manson stuff and was having a hankerin’ to hear the man himself. He’s a real shamanacharlatan.
When we carried “Lie” at Rec Ex some freak would come in and slash up the covers and then call us to pant and gloat. Creepy crawl indeed.
call us to pant and gloat
Wow, that’s an especially creepy story.
The Thompson Twins don’t live in New Zealand anymore. The guy who presents the show I’m working on interviewed them a couple years ago while travelling around the world.