Page 3 of 3
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 9:19 am
by Flaffer
does anyone else think Vince Clarke is incredibly overated, sure he seems to know his keyboards but songwriting wise he really seem to be retreading old ground
Re: So why are the PSB's still around ?
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 11:09 am
by Monty--
joe stalin wrote:Whilst watching the Live 8 videos a few thoughts struck me... why are the PSB's still around ? Neil isn't the greatest singer (during New York city boy he was absolutely awfully flat.. it was so painful it hurts to listen to it)... Chris isn't the best on the keyboards .... they don't have the looks.. the sex appeal (I know grandmothers younger than Neil !)...
Yet... they're still around... vs those who aren't (really)
Erasure... arguably better singer and undoubtably better keyboardist
Communards.. as above
Hue and Cry... as above
Dubstar... as above
St Etienne... sex appeal... amazing looks... great songs... better musicians
In my humle opinion... its simply that N&C have the amazing ability to reinvent themselves like Madonna & Cliff & Tom Jones... everytime theres a new pop star / craze around they kinda become attached... Blur...Ab Fab...Robbie... Catatonia... and now Little Britain. Perhaps they are just incredible marketeers or instead just brilliant people who others want to be around. Whats for certain... Jonathon King was right... They have made a little go a very long way. Good on them. Rant over. JS...
ps.. anyone else struggle to listen to New York city boy moscow stylee... its terrible !
Because you don't have to be technically gifted to write great songs. And they do.
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 1:59 pm
by weirdalfan1980
threads like these makes me wonder if you are really a PSB fan. PSB fans don't care if they don't have sex appeal or not as popular outside Europe, but I rather have them my dirty secret.
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 2:29 pm
by Janet Street-Porter
weirdalfan1980 wrote:PSB fans don't care if they don't have sex appeal or not as popular outside Europe, but I rather have them my dirty secret.
That and the sheep, eh?
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 3:11 pm
by weirdalfan1980
Janet Street-Porter wrote:weirdalfan1980 wrote:PSB fans don't care if they don't have sex appeal or not as popular outside Europe, but I rather have them my dirty secret.
That and the sheep, eh?
How you know?
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 4:24 pm
by dancemaster
Chris not a great keyboardist??? I thought the general agreement is that Chris is the musical force behind psb and neil make structure and write lyrics to it. How many other keyboardists can come up with a song like Suburbia in minutes. Like Pete Gleadall said about Chris that he is a natural force and the only problem is to catch up with him. Who cares how good someone are technically on keyboard if they can´t make good music out of it.
Posted: Sat 15 Apr 2006, 5:21 pm
by rabagast
Chris himself have created an image of "not playing" the keyboards. Of course he plays them, and he plays them well. And, as already stated, he is obviously extremely musical. And that's what matters.
Posted: Mon 17 Apr 2006, 9:20 am
by stew
chris is the better more mysterious half that keeps the boys interesting is he not!
Re: So why are the PSB's still around ?
Posted: Mon 17 Apr 2006, 10:01 am
by Lush
joe stalin wrote:Whilst watching the Live 8 videos a few thoughts struck me... why are the PSB's still around ? Neil isn't the greatest singer (during New York city boy he was absolutely awfully flat.. it was so painful it hurts to listen to it)... Chris isn't the best on the keyboards .... they don't have the looks.. the sex appeal (I know grandmothers younger than Neil !)...
Yet... they're still around... vs those who aren't (really)
Erasure... arguably better singer and undoubtably better keyboardist
Communards.. as above
Hue and Cry... as above
Dubstar... as above
St Etienne... sex appeal... amazing looks... great songs... better musicians
In my humle opinion... its simply that N&C have the amazing ability to reinvent themselves like Madonna & Cliff & Tom Jones... everytime theres a new pop star / craze around they kinda become attached... Blur...Ab Fab...Robbie... Catatonia... and now Little Britain. Perhaps they are just incredible marketeers or instead just brilliant people who others want to be around. Whats for certain... Jonathon King was right... They have made a little go a very long way. Good on them. Rant over. JS...
ps.. anyone else struggle to listen to New York city boy moscow stylee... its terrible !
On what basis do you conclude that Chris Lowe is an inferior keyboard player to those of the bands mentioned above? I am fairly confident that you have no grounds for drawing such a conclusion. I have always found the "made a little go a very long way"-comment laughable. True, Neil is not a great singer in terms of technical ability. In terms of expressing huge emotions in a believable manner, he is in my opinion second to none. Whether Cris is great musician in technical terms, I don't know, but he's certainly good enough that he has created some of the most interesting and soaring soundscapes in the history of pop music. So, the reason why PSB have enjoyed more and longer lasting success than the bands you mention, is quite simply that they are infinitely more talented.
Posted: Mon 17 Apr 2006, 11:29 am
by ArseSpanker
weirdalfan1980 wrote:Janet Street-Porter wrote:weirdalfan1980 wrote:PSB fans don't care if they don't have sex appeal or not as popular outside Europe, but I rather have them my dirty secret.
That and the sheep, eh?
How you know?
Everybody knows. We call you 'Larry the lamb lover' behind your back.
Didn't you realise?
Posted: Mon 17 Apr 2006, 8:23 pm
by joe stalin
dancemaster wrote:Chris not a great keyboardist??? I thought the general agreement is that Chris is the musical force behind psb and neil make structure and write lyrics to it. How many other keyboardists can come up with a song like Suburbia in minutes. Like Pete Gleadall said about Chris that he is a natural force and the only problem is to catch up with him. Who cares how good someone are technically on keyboard if they can´t make good music out of it.
Funny you should mention Pete Gleadall.... wonder if we will ever find out what he really contributes towards the PSB sound... he's been around for ages... a warts and all interview would be very interesting. Are the PSB a trio ?
Posted: Mon 17 Apr 2006, 8:35 pm
by Chrispsb
No, they're not a trio, Pete Gleadall is Pet Shop Boys.