Conference marvin::uk_music

    I find personally that when somthing is shoved down my throat as
    the next best thing since Hendrix, I tend to call that hype.......
    
    When I open my magazine/paper, and find loads of articles about
    1 place, ten I question how neutral the reporting.....
    
    I mean, when I was young, bands were considered on their merit,
    not where they came from.....
    
    Juju
    xxxx
    

    When were you young, Juju?  :o)
    
    Liverpool got the same treatment ten years ago, followed by Scotland. I
    suppose Birmingham ought to have a turn soon.. New Musical Express are
    largely responsible. When punk was on the go in 1976-78, NME had plenty
    to write about. Everybody wanted to be in a band. Independent record
    labels sprang up from everywhere, for a few hundred quid you got your
    records in the shops. In the eighties, things got a bit stale. Fewer
    venues, fewer new bands, and the emphasis on music has definitely
    turned towards production techniques, clever mixes. Gone are the days
    when you can record an LP in your granny's living room, and have it
    held in the highest esteem by the NME hacks. 
    
    Running features on Liverpool and Manchester obviously increased the
    sale of NME in the north of England, and now everyone is taking notice.     
    I'm not saying this is necessarily a bad thing. Its become fashionable
    again to be in a band, albeit a more expensive process than during
    the garage/punk era. A lot of good music *has* come out of Manchester.
    But then it always did.
    
    Dave

    I don't think you shoul be so cynical about the whole thing.  The best
    music has always come of  the North,  and it just happens that more is
    happening in Manchester at the moment rather than anywhere else.  The
    NME writes about it because it is a music paper - it couldn't really
    ignore it. 
    
    The Mnchester thing has really been going on for a long time, well
    before the press picked up on it.  You should really look to the bands
    (and maybe Joe Bloggs) for the source.
    
    Mikef 

    >> The best music has always come of  the North,
    
    How can you say this?  Can you back up your statement?
    
    Sue  

    I don't need to...the music says it all.  The two most important bands
    of the Eightes - New Order and The Smiths.  Where did they come from?
    
    Also, everyone from the Teardrops and Echo right up to the Stone Roses. 
    I'm sure if you worked out a ratio of N v S bands, the North would
    have 80% (of the good ones!).  Even Sting and Mark knopfler come from
    north of Watford!
    
    Don't tell me...you come from Basildon!
    
    Mikef 

    You made the statement that the best music has *always* come from
    up north...that's what promted me to question you.  Now, you've
    qualified your statement by narrowing the timeframe to the eighties,
    I'll 'sort-of' agree with you on the Smiths and New Order.  As for 
    saying the Stone Roses are important - I disagree as they haven't 
    stood the test of time yet, nor have they been around long enough 
    to have influenced many other artists yet.  Also, I think if you 
    "draw the line", that old North-South divide, at Watford, you've 
    got about 4/5s of Britain above that line ... sort of tipping the
    scales in favor of that "vast" area known as the North.
    
    No, I don't come from Basildon, in fact, where I come from is
    irrelevant as I don't like this idea of pitting one group against
    another (vis a vis N vs S, Us vs Them, etc).
    
    And what do you mean...."I don't need to...the music says it all"?!
    If you're going to discuss/debate/what_ever the merits of music, or
    anything in this life, you should be prepared to back up your
    statements, otherwise it's not a discussion at all.
    
    Sue 

    Hey...don't take it so personally, I'm not pitting one group agains
    another...and I only picked on the eighties because they seemded most
    immediate.  (and Watford is the traditional joke...yes?).
    
    BTW- I don't think the STone Roses are important - pleasant mind, nut
    not important (ask JuJu).
    
    Lets not get serious and boring here - lets have biggoted unobjective
    opinions and upset our grandmothers!  See Bruce Sturrock for more
    detail on this.
    
    Hit the North!
    
    mikef

    >> Hey...don't take it so personally,
    
    I'm not.
    
    >> Watford is the traditional joke...yes?).
     
    Ha!  You want a traditional joke?!  I'm from New Jersey :-)
    
    >> lets have biggoted unobjective opinions and upset our grandmothers!  
    
    Ok, IMO half of what you guys talk about is rubbish, but different
    strokes, etc....
    
    Sue    

North for... Inspiral Carpet's. Against ...Beautiful South.         
South For... Cure               Against ...Curiosity Killed the cat
               
I declare the answer a draw to be decided on penalties......
    
    South ... The wonderstuff and Loop
    North ... Stone Roses and Happy mondays
    
    Looks like the north lost on penalties with a couple of missed
    chances...
    
    Juju
    xxxx
        

    Big Wet sloppy Kisses
    
    Course most of what we talk about is rubbish...thats half the fun!!!
    
    Bruce is cool, and sends his love.  I'm meeting hinm on thursday for a
    Wedding Present gig in Leeds.  The gig is being videod for future
    release, so we are gonna try and get to the front and make a serious
    exhibition of ourselves.
    
    I was thinking of making a t-shirt for the occasion that read "I want
    Stuart Potters love child", but Bruce kinda veteod the idea.
    
    Er, Leeds is kinda near  Manchester - ish (for relevance to the topic
    in hand).
    
    Mikef
    
    PS - After what New York did to Lloyd Cole, I get the joke.  (or are we
    gonna have another rat hole session?)
    

    re -2
    
    The Wonderstuff - South!!!  They come from Birmingham!!!  You're on
    thin ice here JuJu - are you implying that I'm a southerner?
    
    Mikef
    
    PS - Leonie has pinned your note up on her board.  Pictures are
    available, #5 for a set of six.
    
    

    
    That Juju is such a diplomat, isn't he?! :-)
    
    >>  Er, Leeds is kinda near  Manchester -
    
    Yeah, I know, I've spent lots of time in Birmingham (and agree
    that they deserve to be the next 'in' place)
    
    Have fun Thursday!!  
    
    Sue 

    I vote New Jersey to be the next 'In' place!!  Can we all come and
    stay?
    
    Mikef

                                                                     
    The 'best' band thing is so subjective anyway - half of those indie
    bands you've mentioned do not rank up in my top 100 fav category,
    let alone be 'the best'.
    
    The thing is, if a place like Manchester has a thousand naff gigging
    bands (which it does), its obvious that one or two of the more 
    accomplished (still naff) ones are gonna get hyped - Just because they 
    are good by Manchester standards does not mean that they have to be 
    the elite of the country!! Quality is far more inmportant than
    quantity!
    
    Just my opinion of course!

    -Tony (who thinks that the Manchester scene is a hyped-pile-o-crap
           and that Skid Row are the best band to come from New Jersey 
           8^) ).  

    'course - all of music is entirely subjective anyway, like the boiled
    cabbage theory.  Which is why I could say that even the worst band in
    Manchester is a lot better than "skid Row', then scream at each other
    till we are blue in the face (or 'thick').  Whats the point?  Lets have
    some coffee instead.
    
    Mikef (Who saw Tony Dallison recently and was too scared to say hello
    in case he beat me up).

    
    Hey Matty if your still 'dying to get to the Hac', I'd get a move on.
    I hear after a recent drugs raid on the place the Police are trying to
    shut it down.  There will be a hearing on Thursday!
    
    ..Craig

    Mike, 
    
    My friend and I have sent the cash in the internal mail....
    
    Juju
    xxxx
    
    The Wonderstuff come from B'ham, and the Cure from Tamworth,
    incidentally... I just included This area as south..........
    
    Juju
    xxxx
    

    What is a this North/South divide(or should i say devoid!) stuff
    ...shurr we all know the best groups come from...
    
    
    
    	SCOTLAND and IRELAND !!!
    

    >> saw Tony Dallison recently and was too scared to say hello
    >> in case he beat me up).
       
    Well you know what these heavy metal types are like...

Mike, do  not  worry, if (when) you come across I'll take you to New Jersey.
Just  as  long  as you bring an autographed Bruce Sturrock glossy! And how's
this for a shirt suggestion for Thursday:   I (heart) NJ

Ed

                                             
                                             
    re: Beating people up ?                 
                                             
       This I don't mind (but I don't do it anyway) 8^)
                                                         
    >> You know what these heavy metal types are like anyway
                                             
       This I can handle, even though its untrue (I AM NOT A HEAVY METAL
       'TYPE' !!). 8^)
             
    re: Skid Row/screaming
             
        But this is blasphemy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take it back sire!!!!
        8^)
         
    Cheers,                                             
    -Tony (who says you should have said 'hi'. I like being able hurl
           abuse at a nodename I can put a face to 8^) ).    

Re: .18

>>>    	SCOTLAND and IRELAND !!!

Of *course* they do Dave, but let the others have their fun.  

-Brian

P.S.  I HATE Gay Byrne!!!  (Put in just to shock my grandmother)

    Brian!!!
    
    You BOLD boy!! I'll get out the wooden spoon... 
    I hope your still wearing that ganzie I gave you for your birthday.
    (That Daniel O' Donnell so NICE, why can't you be like HIM?)
    
    Mrs. Biddie Meagher (retired)
    

    By the way, who was it who came up with "Donald Where's yer Troosers?"
    
    Scotland the best ? 
    
    Juju
    xxxx
    

.24�    By the way, who was it who came up with "Donald Where's yer Troosers?"

    No better or worse than "My Ol'Man the Dustman" ;-)
    
    - Lonnie Donnegan

    I was walking round Manchester on Sunday night and saw loads of
    posters, gig adverts, pub billings etc.  I go through either Sheffield
    or Leeds twice a week and don't see the same, which gives me the
    impression that Manchester is Kicking (forgive me!)
    
    
    He of the young age.
    
    ps.  I reckon the northern scene is better than the southern one,
    except for the Beloved and Erasure.

For all you people who actually are into this Manchester joke, I suggest you
check out Edward Barton, the true king of the northen scene.  Often spotted
hanging around with the likes of James and Happy Mondays, Edward is a real
experience live and has just released his first album `Here is my Spoon'.
Edward plays a mean guitar and the album comes complete with his anthem,
`I've got no chickens, but I've got five wooden chairs'.  Check it out, scally
pseuds!

	Lee

I believe he also has designed and released and load of t-shirts parodying (sp?)
the current fave t-shirts from Manchester, that is the colourful Happy Mondays
one, The Stone Roses one with the lemon on the front, and the Cool as F**k
Inspiral Carpets one (Cool as Ed it says ... a must for Mr Arthur).

There only available through one outlet in London I think.

Also has anyone seen the Frankie Howerd t-shirts, again parodying the FGTH
t-shirts of sometime back , "Frankie says ...", no well the NME had an add for
them last week ... so tempting.

Okay, I'll  take  "cool  as Ed", that would have to be real cool tho' or was
that  real  mediocre?  Okay, where's the shop in London, I've got one day to
get one!

Ed

    Well, I just got back from a few days in Manchester, and I jest
    wisht I could have found where it was all at. The Hac seems to be
    pretty much shut down, and the Band on the Wall was offering two
    nights of the 'new-look, acid house' Enid.
    
    Bob
    
    p.s. Frankie says titter ye not!