My friend Ryan Hall, a true music fan and frequent scenester on the Chicago live music front has taken offense to a small comment made earlier in the week regarding my educated opinions on the new, hyped up, Oasis Album, "Dig Out Your Soul". See www.halljams.blogspot.com
Ryan, your argument is fine as a stand alone argument, however as a rebuttal to my comments it is clear you have missed my point. The thesis of your argument is that I claim Oasis have not evolved musically like Radiohead. However I never said that. To compare Oasis to Radiohead is embarrassing and belittling to the Oxford Quintet. Lets start pulling apart your comments.
I said that Oasis, unlike other bands of the time have hung onto Brit Pop while said other bands have eveloved or faded away. A better example of a Brit Pop band, and another band who are superior in my opinion to Oasis is Blur. They saw how shoddy and boring Brit Pop came and the culture around it so they stepped back and wrote the self titled album, Blur which set in motion a string of amazing work and creativity that actually resulted in the band splitting up. "13" is arguably their best album although since you are up the asses of Oasis you may think "Parklife" is their best work.
While you may have been wearing dockers, sweaters and cologne 13 years ago, I was DJing at all night raves, wearing black Levis, Man City Jersey and wore my hair thick and pushed forward so I could look as "Madchester" as possible. Like I said, it filled a void. I was consumed with dance music and rave culture and Oasis came just as I started hitting pubs and lashing back the pints of Csrlsberg. I am even a die hard Liverpool fan but anything Man City was acceptable since it represented Oasis. My first Oasis concert was March 1996 in the Point Depot Dublin. I went to the second of two nights and yes it was amazing. Noel played Wonderwall and the whole crowd sung while he sat in silence. Beautiful. Later that summer I saw them in Cork with the Bootleg Beatles and the Prodigy (who actually blew them off the stage IMO) This was a fantastic summer and the beer, hedonism and Oasis Maina had peaked for me. It was all downhill from here.
Your comments on the rest of their albums, all sub par and insignificant compared to the first two are opinion and I respect it. I like some moments from all these albums but nothing stands out and nothing is inspiring. Oasis make rock music that is their own sound (mainly because of Liam's voice) and it does nothing for me anymore. It is boring and played out. Regardless of whether or not they sell out stadiums in Ireland, to me they had their peak in 1996 and most Oasis fans I know agree. Back then it was silly how much of an impact they had, hence why they started to actually think of themselves as God like figures. Now they are a straight up rock band and I never set forth to disagree, I just think straight up rock is kinda boring and does little to motivate me, especially when the lead singers are so full of themselves.
Further points you make are irrelevant or inaccurate. The Rolling Stones are a band I know little about. I have never been into that style of music and just because they have legendary status I am not going to pretend I like them. The same can be said although less so for Led Zep. However to say that U2 never evolved is just plain wrong. You mentioned 2 of three albums that were a major departure from the Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum. Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop were all a risky direction and all amazing. They returned to their stadium rock sound after the fact and they can do what ever they like as far as I'm concerned because they are always with the times. Coldplay is catchy pop music, simple.
Ryan, I have not wanted to "pogo" around my apartment listening to Oasis since 1996. And I completely disagree that you cannot listen to Radiohead to get fired up. Good music is joyful to the listener and clearly you have not been paying attention. If Idioteque can't fire you up then you have no soul. Music is not just about basic Noel Gallagher guitar cords and Liam Gallagher shouting. That is enough to make me not want to go out. Now, I will sing along to a drunken rendition of Live Forever or Whatever because these were important songs in my evolution. But thats it.
So to conclude my own rant I will say again that I am not comparing Oasis to Radiohead, please acknowledge that the differences are worlds apart. The only reason why Noel constantly attacks Thom Yorke is because he is Jealous that he is seen as a true musician and vocalist while Noel packs out stadiums to sing glorified pub songs. You answered your own question about Oasis when you described a night of half eaten burritos and failure to score with the local female population........this is what Oasis and their music is all about. Something that I am not interested in. Finally, to say that they are the only true Rockstars left is a fair assessment although next time Ian Brown is in Chi Town check him out. You may see a resemblance to Liam Gallagher but thats because Liam completely ripped off his style and stage presence. Pity he couldn't rip off Ian's singing abilities.
Oasis, were good and will always be a significant part of my youth. But I would have to dig a long time to find any soul in current Oasis music. Thanks but no Fucking Thanks.
Love Always,
Kel
Some good points you raise and i will say agree that they peaked in the last 90's as well.
ReplyDeleteTo compare the two bands is definately an unwise move as they are totally different.
I think one reason i hold them near and dear is the simplicity to their songs that will never grow old. More often than i should i branch out and catch the new it band. The last few months that has included Simian Mobile Disco, The Presets, Crystal Castles, Cut Copy and the Black Kids. Hell, i even took the ladies sister to see the plain white t's/dashboard confessional/panic at the disco show a few nights ago.
While i like a few songs here and there (such as MGMT) i dont have any belief that they will be making anything relevant come 2010.
I also have no desire to pogo around at shows but you better believe that i will get my pass to see oasis and in top form to hear them play the hits and some springlings off the new record.
U2 for me peaked with Actung Baby which i believe was brilliant. Their new records are radio/dad rock anthems...and radio is dreadful.
Ian Brown, I thought he was dead and will argue that Bobby Gillespie is much more relevant than Brown was. I would even rate Tim Burgess as ahead of Brown in solid productivity the last 10yrs.
Oasis keeps it simple. It wont change the world but off every mediocre album there are 2-3 gems and they have soldiered on---no pun intended.
As for Blur, I like Think Tank and believe you would be more apt in comparing Blur/Damon Albarn to radiohead. I do think The Good, Bad and Queen was a tad overated but there was something magical about seeing them at 2am in a packed field in Austin, Tx as the crowd bucked up for one final show after 4days of debauchery.
Lastly, my nights of pogo'ing and chasing loose tail are sorely behind me as this weekend has been spent on a couple microbrews, Thai food and woo'ing an ex girlfriend by having her play with my dog....named Liam.
Cheers~RH