What happened to our heroes? (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
What happened to our heroes?
12:36pm Saturday 23rd February 2013 in Letters By Readers' letters
“AARRRGGGHH!” This isn’t the sound I make when somebody stands on my foot. This isn’t even the sound I make when I realise somebody has stolen the last Wagon Wheel I had stashed in my secret location.
This is the sound I make when I am forced to endure the Brit Awards.
In my day we had real musicians: Tony Hadley, Jon Bon Jovi, Andrew Ridgeley. Those boys knew how to belt out a tune.
Now we have Mumford & Sons scooping the ‘‘Best British Group’’ award, a bunch of Wellington-wearing banjo-botherers not fit to to shine David Stewart’s shoes.
Coldplay winning ‘‘Best Live Act’’? Do me a favour. Who wants to listen to Chris Martin sobbing into his microphone when they can remember the glory years of Simon Le Bon?
I’ll never forget the nirvana I felt at the Queens Hall in Leeds in 1982 when Duran Duran set the world alight with their Rio Tour. Real musicians, real inspirations, proper vocalists.
Next year I won’t be bothering. I’ll be slipping on Spandau’s ‘‘Gold’’ and remembering the truly golden era of the 1980s.
Nick Lone, Alness Drive, Acomb Park, York.
• I WISH to express my total dismay at the Brit Awards. This is supposed to be an event to celebrate the cream of British music, yet all we got was an abundance of limp dross.
I have been in the music business for more than 20 years, most notably as a session musician for hard rock outfits such as Keane and Franz Ferdinand. Now those boys knew how to party.
When I saw Mumford & Sons collect their award, they looked like nice schoolboys who would be petrified at the thought of having half a shandy.
Where are the sex symbols, the modern day Tom Jones? The hard rock and rollers such as Mick Jagger or Paul Young?
James Corden was truly abysmal as a host. He is no Chris Evans, put it that way. Some of his banter made me cringe so much that if I had been wearing my steel toe-capped boots I could quite easily have put my foot through my television (and I would have sent ITV the bill).
The only decent act on the show was the marvellous Justin Timberlake. Thank the Lord for him. Now, that man is a class act.
Cus ‘‘Cussy Boy’’ Goodwin, Sirocco Court, York.
Comments(13)
ColdAsChristmas
says...
4:03pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Those are things the public might appreciate.
You don't need to watch the X Factor etc, just pop down to the many clubs and pubs locally and you will see plenty of class acts for little or no money.
Support your local musicians, before stage managed TV presentations.
roclank2000
says...
4:57pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Does your granny always tell you that the old songs are the best?
Jam tomorrow
says...
11:47pm Sat 23 Feb 13
Seadog
says...
12:58pm Sun 24 Feb 13
pitch bull
says...
4:58pm Sun 24 Feb 13
nlone1966
says...
8:06pm Sun 24 Feb 13
- Do you hear that? That's the sound Philip Oakey singing the finest lyrics since Bobby Vee's 'Rubber Ball'. He delivers them with conviction. Unlike Beady Eye's Jimmy Gallagher. He's a man who sounds like he's smoked 250 Silk Cut. At least his brother Noel can sing. Unquestionably though both Jimmy and Noel Gallagher have provided the British public with some total hilarities over the years. I particularly enjoyed that time Noel was papped pushing young Jimmy into a baked bean display in Asda. Carnage!!!!
The big question now is who is willing to take the rock n roll baton?
I'll let YOU decide.
MrsHoney
says...
8:33am Mon 25 Feb 13
As for Bon Jovi, I'd rather poke my ears with a long needle.
/kev/null
says...
9:56am Mon 25 Feb 13
So now you've got Coldplay. I hope you're pleased with yourselves.
hustler
says...
3:32pm Mon 25 Feb 13
nlone1966
says...
3:49pm Mon 25 Feb 13
Just my opinion.
CynicaloldGit
says...
4:00pm Mon 25 Feb 13
nlone1966 wrote:It will never be a patch on the sax from Hazel O'Connors "Will You"
The saxophone solo on 'True' by Spandau is one of the most incredible pieces of music over the last 50 years.
Just my opinion.
nlone1966
says...
4:40pm Mon 25 Feb 13
CynicaloldGit wrote:So you think you know a thing or to about the sax then do you big boy? What about Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street'? I once got slung out of a house party by my ears for playing that cheeky little number on loop. Not spoken to the host in 15 years. Shame as well because we were best mates.
nlone1966 wrote: The saxophone solo on 'True' by Spandau is one of the most incredible pieces of music over the last 50 years. Just my opinion.It will never be a patch on the sax from Hazel O'Connors "Will You"
Buzz Light-year says...
2:27pm Sat 23 Feb 13
The glory years of Simon Le Bon?!!
The first letter is a good parody. It says:
"The packaged music product of this age isn't as good as the packaged music product that I grew up with and prefer"
Pop is pop. Commercial music is commercial music. It's as bland today as it ever was. It's supposed to be so it can appeal to the most people possible and make the producers (not the performers) rich.
Rose-tinted specs and fond associated memories of the times don't make it musically better, only in the mind.
Agree about Mumford & Sons tho... like REM doing Smokie covers. Turgid crap.