A weekend diversion
I think The Clash are one of the most massively overrated bands in the history of popular music.
Would anyone care to try and persuade me otherwise and/or suggest other hugely overrated bands or singers?
Posted on August 30th, 2008 at 9:00 am
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Nope, you’re right, the Clash are massively overrated.
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You’re dead right, The Clash, Pink Floyd and U2; all utterly overrated. Replace them in the “pantheon” with The Buzzcocks, Soft Machine and XTC!
Well, I think London Calling is a great album. It’s the only one I’ve got, so..
Each to their own. I also really like Pink Floyd. I don’t like U2, though.
Overrated?
The Libertines/Babyshambles
Nirvana (although I do like them, they’re massively overrated)
Paul (fucking) Weller
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(rises up from the depths, gorges bait down, hooked in sphincter)
Nooo I’m not having that!
I challenge you to listen to the intro of ‘London Calling’ and not want to jump up and down as the drums kick in.
And isn’t everybody ‘…So Bored with the USA’?
‘White Man in Hammersmith Palais’? C’mon, show me a ‘new group’ that isn’t trying to ‘turn… rebellion into money’ and I’ll show you an ex-Libertine.
I even like ‘Sandanista’
Best not to mention the last album though.
Pink Floyd are the business.
The quintessence of overratedness is right here.
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Depends on what you mean by ‘overrated’. I tend to think that you can’t really judge bands so much as works. The Clash did produce some good albums, notably London Calling. They were reputed to be very good live. They had a sense of humour (more than some bands have) - Strummer at his best is self-mocking and having a good time. “This is Radio Clash. Please save us help the whale” for example.
OTOH, they were also a bunch of posey wankers led by a public schoolboy. Turning rebellion into money describes them better than anyone else. I don’t think they invented the faux “kids from the streets” thing, but they certainly carried its flag; in some odd sense, I think they’re responsible for Harry’s Place. You know, that testosterone-fuelled cod-eathy right-on earnestness. I suffered from it myself for years. I even have flashbacks. Not so many now, thank god.
U2 are utterly overrated. I’ve seen them twice and the second time (1983 or 4) their heads were up their arses. They never recovered for me. They have a couple of singalong-when-you’re-steaming numbers, but that’s it for their merits.
Agree on The Clash, U2, Pink Floyd etc.
The Sex Pistols are also overrated bag of pub rock bollocks.
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1. Radiohead
2. Duffy
3. Nick Cave
4. Coldplay
5. Arcade Fire
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Right then.
I think Pink Floyd (up until The Final Cut) are the business.
And ‘Paul (fucking) Weller’, Aaron? Are we talking the whole canon, post-Jam, or post-Style Council? True, his solo career can be a bit beige, but the Jam overrated? I think not, sir.
I agree about Duffy - looks like Myra Hyndley, sounds like Terence Trent-Darby.
U2? Achtung, Baby is pretty good. The rest? Plop.
I think Nick Cave’s latest, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! is one of the best albums I’ve heard in the last ten years. I’m not that familiar with his early stuff though. He always struck me as a bit over-earnest.
Here’s another one for the pot: You know that Bob Dylan? Talk about overrated…
Bob Dylan - single worst live act I’ve ever had the misfortune to witness. (And I’ve seen Daphne & Celeste live…)
More: Every single guitar/indy band formed between the years 1990 and the present.
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- Oasis (No explanation necessary.)
- Coldplay (I once silenced a restaurant by swearing at a near-stranger who compared them to Radiohead.)
- Guns N’ Roses (Srsly, it might sound good when you’re drunk, but in reality it’s just the wailings of one man’s inferiority complex.)
- The 70s (Joy Division excepted.)
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Cool - I thought it was just me on the whole Clash thing
The Clash are great.
Bob Dylan can fuck off.
Duffy? DUFFY? So overrated that she’s found a new *grade of Sats and her very existence requires me to have insulin? In the same place where Joe stood?
I’m gonna collapse and die now.
The Clash are wonderful you heathen. Now Radiohead, that’s something I’ve never gotten.
septicisle’s latest blog post… The current state of affairs.
U2 and The Police by a country mile.
Oasis suck goat cock like what Larry said.
Franz Ferdinand are weak too.
Iron Maiden (low hanging fruit, I know)?
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Oh- and that festering bunch of whining winnets, Coldplay!
(And all their immitators - Snow Patrol et al).
Alexis Petridis did an awesome destruction job on Viva La Vida.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jun/06/popandrock.shopping
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Agree about the Clash. A whole series of posts …
http://ukcommentators.blogspot.com/search?q=Strummer
other overrated
Pink Floyd post-Barrett
Coldplay
XTC
Skynyrd
U2 after ‘Boy’
Lennon sans McCartney
How about underrated bands ? Joshua and His Horns first recording ‘Live At Jericho’ is pretty good.
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“Now Radiohead, that’s something I’ve never gotten.”
I’m not angry when people say that…I’m just disappointed.
“The Police by a country mile.”
Dear God, yes. Sting sounds like someone’s repeatedly kicking him in the genitals.
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I’m baffled by the critical kudos meted out to: Led Zeppelin; Elton John; Bruce Springsteen; Joni Mitchell; and 2Pac.
I’d also include The Eagles, Genesis, Coldplay, post-Layla Eric Clapton and a few more, except that their massive, and massively undeserved popularity isn’t matched among the people who think they know better.
I’ll step aside from the scrapping over Pink Floyd, because I’m one of the dwindling band of purists who believe that Floyd ceased to exist in 1968; everything that happened after should more accurately be dubbed The Waters/Gilmour Experience or something like that.
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Should we be surprised that so many of the overrated bands feature members who make us recoil? How could I ever enjoy U2 when it makes me imagine that be-sunglassed, sanctimonious tosser?
Perhaps, for similar reasons, we have more favourable memories of early albums by a band, before the lead singer decided that s/he was the next Jesus?
Hmmm, not surprised at all… I tend to enjoy U2 songs much more when they’re being sung by some generic european woman over a dance beat. What I’m trying to say is, I think they write good songs then Bono ruins them. It’s not just because he’s a twat, either - his voice just doesn’t fit.
As for overrated - yup, Oasis.
Oh, and does anyone else think this faux-Motown sound (Duffy, Adele, Winehouse etc) has gone stale *really* quickly?
I would have to suggest the Smiths. I mean they were ok - I quite like some of their stuff, and even some of Morissey’s solo stuff but they don’t deserve the near mythical status afforded to them by some of their devotees.
The same goes for the Libertines.
And the Stone Roses.
I really like early Radiohead, up to OK Computer, but everything they have done since has been total shite and it seems almost heretical in some circles to point this out.
“I really like early Radiohead, up to OK Computer, but everything they have done since has been total shite and it seems almost heretical in some circles to point this out.”
The very idea…
it’s outright blasphemy.
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Iron Maiden (low hanging fruit, I know)
*Splutter*
Larry Teabag’s latest blog post… First they came for the dogs with tits
Iron Maiden was never rated by the music press, so could never be overrated.
But yes to The Clash, The Smiths, Radiohead, Bob “every aging boomer’s hero” Dylan and sad to say it but New Order is clearly overrated as well.
New Order? At least their machines could play in time - something Joy Division could never quite manage.
Oasis: not so much overrated as ‘What the f*** do we do once we’re now the rock ‘n’ roll stars we dreamed about?’ (which pretty much covers everything after What’s the Story…)
Bob “every aging boomer’s hero” Dylan
Who, before most of the baby boomers had even gone to school, had written some of the most remarkable songs and some of the most memorable lyrics that popular music has known.
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I can’t believe no one has mentioned The Who. So here’s my suggestion. The Who.
And I was just starting to like you
Still, opinions are like arseholes…
Okay, here we go:
Pete Doherty - talentless drug dustbin, writes dreadful Sixth Form ‘poetry’, the NME are falling over themselves to choke on his cock.
http://cunt-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Pete%20Doherty
The same goes for any other ‘indie’ loser in a hat.
http://cunt-news.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-indie-ate-itself.html
Amy Winehouse - not actually totally untalented but, let’s be honest, there’s thousands of black women singers better than her, so why aren’t we all fawning over them, eh?
Coldplzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Okay, here we go:
Pete Doherty - talentless drug dustbin, writes dreadful Sixth Form ‘poetry’, the NME are falling over themselves to choke on his cock.
The same goes for any other ‘indie’ loser in a hat.
Amy Winehouse - not actually totally untalented but, let’s be honest, there’s thousands of black women singers better than her, so why aren’t we all fawning over them, eh?
Coldplzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Most UNDERrated:
The Duke Spirit
Broadcast
Interpol
The Wedding Present
I wouldn’t say Interpol are underrated, their first album was great but the follow-ups have unfortunately been diminishing returns. Doesn’t help either that Editors have stole their shtick and are doing the Joy Division worship with far less subtlety.
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Without looking at the other answers:
Oasis
Radiohead
Coldplay
Manic Street Preachers (I like some of their music, but some of their fans really take the piss)
@BenSix:
“Now Radiohead, that’s something I’ve never gotten.”
I’m not angry when people say that…I’m just disappointed.
“The Police by a country mile.”
Dear God, yes. Sting sounds like someone’s repeatedly kicking him in the genitals.
Now, your problem with the Police is my problem with Radiohead. Musically, great. But Thom Yorke’s hideous vocals ruin everything, and it seems to get worse with every new record. Some more recent tracks I find unbearable.
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I listened to “The Best of R.E.M” the other day.
Thank fuck I hadn’t paid for it.
I wouldn’t normally post here but as it music I felt compelled. The thing you have to remember with the Clash is that it was not just the music but the cultural package that came in their wake, Alex Michon and Krystyna Kolowska set a cultrual trend when dressing the band and that makes them not overrated as such in my mind because, as I said, it was not just about the music. I have to agree on Interpol being underrated though.
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Far too many Pink Floyd fans reading Guido. That’s a dodgy demographic
sorry, I mean too many ChickYoggers are Floyd fans. (that will teach me to listen to Meddle all the way through twice). I’m sure Guido fans love The Jam.
QT,
“Now, your problem with the Police is my problem with Radiohead. Musically, great. But Thom Yorke’s hideous vocals ruin everything”
Ah, but Thom Yorke’s is perfectly pitched and sustained, while Sting’s is a sort of spasmodic yelp.
Admittedly Amnesiac was a bit rubbish.
“(I like some of their music, but some of their fans really take the piss)”
Chah, we don’t all have “HATE” written over our jackets.
Ben
BenSix’s latest blog post… Pahaha!
Not controversial to say Amy Winehouse I suppose - when I hear her sing, I think of the way Tim Westwood speaks.
Clash, Pinky Floyd and the Beatles have always left me cold. And its not worth talking about the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Coldplay or (vomit) the Killers. So I think the most overrated people/bands of my generation are:
1. Sonic Youth
2. The White Stripes
3. Pearl Jam
This thread is turning into one of those Guardian Music Blog “Best songs about washing your socks” things. I know that wasn’t the intention Justin, but you really have no-one but yourself to blame.
There are a countless artists and bands who draw no more than a horrified yelp from me when I hear their praises sung. But it’s hard to call them ‘over-rated’ when they have clearly had a profound impact on those who do rate them. It just ends up being a “Well I don’t like them” statement.
I could say that Robbie Williams’ Angels is a hugely over-rated song, but I know someone who gets tears in their eyes whenever they hear it. I can’t deny the emotional impact it has on them, so when they tell me it’s one of the most beautiful things ever written, I can disagree (and do), but I can’t accuse them of over-rating it. Not when I see the joy they get from it.
As for which artists are over-rated by the critics, or “the public”? Well, I stopped listening to the critics long ago and the public are rarely good judges of art.
But in the spirit of the thread, and just to contradict myself completely, I’ll nominate a band after all.
The Sex Pistols
And I know all about their “cultural significance”. Though I think that’s also somewhat over-estimated… Iggy and The Stooges were doing something very similar 8 years earlier… check out Fun House (especially the track TV Eye) from 1970, hell check out everything they recorded!!! And I could name a dozen proto-punk bands that preceded the Pistols and made much better records.
But yes, the Sex Pistols brought that music and that attitude to the masses. Though frankly, what’s so great about that? Popularising something that was already happening? meh.
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Iggy and the Stooges didn’t get on the front page of the News of the World. Iggy and the Stooges didn’t play at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall. The Pistols did both and spoke to a UK audience. That said, the Pistols were never the best UK punk band (except for that brief moment when they were the only one), but they were the most influential.