Brit Pop

[Sideboard Bob]

What amazes me is how alternative music evolved so often, and so quickly in the 90s. Indie music was so different in the early 90 compared to the mid 90s, then again different in late 90s.

and what made it such an exciting time as a music lover was that simultaneously, the same thing was happening in dance music! so many new genres within the genre.

 

[FrannyGallops]

I’m happy for anyone whose favourite band reforms, but I don’t get the massive hype either.

I think it’s part nostalgia. I know I look back on the 90’s with a fondness it probably doesn’t warrant. My kids get fed up of me talking about what it was like in the days before the internet, but even my son (who’s 20) has 90’s envy because a lot of his favourite bands were around back then (Nirvana being one of them, but they ain’t ever reforming ). I had the same feeling as a teen when I was jealous of my parents who got to live through the 60’s with that lifestyle and all the great music that came out of that era that I’d never see live (not that I think Oasis were particularly great musically, but they were so ubiquitous, if I hear certain songs of theirs, I’m a teenager again, with a Benson in one hand, half a lager and lime in the other and not a care in the world).

 

[chickhicks86]

Well I've spent the last 14 pages reading about my Spotify time capsule (how does it know? ). 16 year old me is much saddened by some of the tea that has been spilled in this thread, but some lovely memories too. What a time to be alive that era was!

I thought both Blur and Oasis were shite though.

 

[Vroomvroom]

We did all the anniversary tours a few years back and it was great! Also did a Shine on weekender at Butlins and a couple of Star Shaped day festivals in London. Britpop bands are great for the nostalgia and the front men/women seem to have a real knack for whipping the crowd up. Sleeper, Shed Seven, Bluetones and Ocean colour scene were particular highlights. Then saw Blur and Pulp last year, they were both awesome. I don’t care what people think I still love it all!

 

[Peonyrose]

I just watched a video on britpopglory on instagram that had Damon Albarn as a guest presenter (remember them?) on TOTP introducing OasisHe described them as ’five pretty boys from Manchester’ and Liam was shaking a sunflower behind Damon’s head

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

I'm watching Blur on BBC 2 and thinking about a meme I saw earlier that was something along the lines of the music you listen to at 14 during the crisis of teenage years, is the music you'll listen to forever.

I was 14 when I was introduced to Indie and Brit Pop by my boyfriend. Before that I was into Cliff Richard, Guy Mitchell and Right Said Fred (I was an odd child). It's definitely true that I still listen to all of the songs from that time and I feel enormous comfort from them. At times I can be transported back to that period in time. It's odd in a way, that I get so much happiness from it because I was quite severely depressed for a large part of the ensuing 12 months. I didn't realise what it was at the time of course. I think I've always found solace of some sort in music.

*I still listen to Cliff, Guy and RSF too though and I'm not sorry .

 

[Boredofgrey]

Argh the curse of the phones. I was plagued by some twat holding his phone in my eyeline at a gig recently so I waited till the last verse of the song and absolutely bellowed it out of tune (channelling the spirit of those women at The Bodguard in Manchester) at him. He won't be putting that on YouTube.

This is my party piece too…….and I’m truly tone deaf. People with phones at gigs get on my tits. You’ll never watch the video and no one on socials wants to hear a gig they’re not at……..

 

[Don'tlookEthel]

I'm going to try for tickets but not going to kick the arse out of it and not willing to pay a months rent on it so we"ll see. Not sure why Noels £20mill divorce is being cited as a reason, he's minted, he'd make that shortfall up in no time (not to say they're not doing it for the huge sums of money involved, i just feel irked by the suggestion that a reasonable divorce settlement is leading him down the john cleese path). Oasis were incredibly important to me, saw them in Hull in 1994 and that night my life changed for the better, giving a lass on a council estate living in poverty a new optimism and enthusiasm , i agree first 2 albums are peak and after that I lost interest but I still feel a flush of excitement at thr thought of seeing them again! I'll just go the bar at anything off be here now...

 

[Sideboard Bob]

Soooo, in the sequel of the 90s Britpop-battle, 2023 Blur doing Wembley and whatnot, Oasis doing their tour, Oasis have won. Opinions on that? Why are Oasis more sustainable than Blur?

I loved both bands in the 90s and still do now. Back then I loved the drama of Blur vs Oasis but as time has gone on, I realised that both bands are so different, it’s pointless to compare them.

 

[maytoseptember]

The biggest thing for me was he'd stopped taking his meds. That's going to mess you up. I don't know where the body is. But I've listened to all their albums. And sorry, Richey had to go.
Could have been better handled. Really could have been better.
But he's out. They went on to better music. And even if by a miracle he's still alive and returns. I don't think I could bring myself to read or listen to what he had to say.

The Holy Bible was Richey’s masterpiece. I don’t know what you mean by “He had to go”

One thing is for sure and that’s if Richey had stayed in the band, they wouldn’t have made 14 albums. They would have crashed and burned. He was so fragile and unwell. He just wasn’t cut out for fame and touring.

I’m convinced he was autistic. Would never have been diagnosed back then of course.

 

[shellie]

I was never a fan of the divine comedy except national express & my lovely horse. The video for national express is great

Something For The Weekend was quite good as well.

 

[FrannyGallops]

10 terrible Britpop albums with one classic song

There were some era-defining records made during the Britpop boom, but some stinkers too. Here's ten terrible efforts that were saved by one song.

www.loudersound.com

Do we agree?
Checked the oasis-album once again, and they might be up on something. I did like Sunday morning call at that time, but now I really don’t care about it.
The other songs I mostly don’t even know though.

Nah, they’ve K by Kula Shaker down as a one song album, so I fundamentally disagree. Also, not sure I’d class The Charlatans as Britpop? They were one of the first bands I saw live, just after their second album and Weirdo had come out. They were brilliant. I think Liam Gallagher nicked the way he sings into the microphone off how Tim Burgess did it back then (also it boggles my mind a bit that TB is now dating Sharon Horgan).

 

[CarmenGhia]

Well I don't post things that aren't true on here.

You might not be lying, but someone else might have been, to you.

From the available evidence I know about (which isn't everything, obviously), Richey died somewhere on or near one of the Severn bridges, a week or so after leaving his flat. Dying by his own hand is a logical conclusion given his history of poor mental health, but he was underweight, frail and vulnerable and could have easily got into an accident as well. The tide at the mouth of the Severn is hellish.

 

[givepeasachance]

I really liked Kula Shaker.

There. I said it

 

[The Yoko Ono of GY]

Ha, all your stories remind me of the time, I started to wear my Nike windbreaker like jacket, from a whole suit, to school, and my mum was really desperate and cried, because she was so conservative and middle class and couldn’t bare her teenage daughter dressing in working class clothes.
My first Britpop-shoes were Coxon-in-his-skater-era inspired I‘m afraid. Red Etnies, a very thick shoe, which looked horrendous on my wide and high feet.
I read the Oasis-biography by Paolo Hewitt religiously, where a band called blur was mentioned quite often, which made me curious, so I bought MLIR as first blur record (in 1999, mind you…). The others followed quickly, as my guilty conscience for Oasis was slowly overcame.
I infected 4 of my closest friends, but otherwise we were quite alone late 90s, being Britpop-fans in Austria. I mean we probably were not, but we just didn’t know any other people. I’m born 1985, so we were a bit late to the party.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Did anyone here ever see Elastica live?

Yes! I saw them twice, once in the Hop and Grape which Is now Academy 3 I think in MCR and once at the Hacienda with Powder (I like Pearl but they weren't good).
supporting. These gigs both 94, they only had enough tunes for a 35 minute set The Hacienda sounds like an amazing place to see a band but the pillars everywhere blocked the view and the sound was shite.

All the Super Furries chat has reminded me of the tank they bought and customised and took to Reading and the giant pandas in 96 for Radiator. I think McGee was intoxicated with Oasis cash and spent it on some important stuff

 

[Sideboard Bob]

Mansun really were amzing, they created whole worlds in the their music.

I love how Britpop/indie/alternative music evolved so much in the 90s, you had Manchester in the early 90s, the “new wave “ with Suede etc, then 95/96 was “pure Britpop“ bands like Blur, Oasis, Elastica, Supergrass, then by late 96/97 there was Mansun, Radiohead, The Verve, with more atmospheric thoughtful music.

(I know no bands actually labelled themselves Britpop! And my whole post is a bit of a generalisation, but I hope you guys know what I mean, it’s just too cold here to think it through and explain properly! )

 

[Peonyrose]

It didn’t help that I bought all mine small In the first place.

What colour were your gazelles? Mine were green and I bought them from a hyper market in France on a day trip!

I actually had two pairs of Adidas Campus-black and navy plus the Doc Martens of course. One day I’d be Blur in my tight Adidas t-shirt and flared jeans (bottom hems cut off-naturally), the next Oasis in my army parka and DM’sI had no loyalty just kept listening to whatever music I liked, and of course, whichever boy I fancied.

 

[BB _Blabbin]

Anyone remember Cast? Found the single guiding star in my old cd stash….Ah memories.

 

[chickhicks86]

Mansun really were amzing, they created whole worlds in the their music.

I love how Britpop/indie/alternative music evolved so much in the 90s, you had Manchester in the early 90s, the “new wave “ with Suede etc, then 95/96 was “pure Britpop“ bands like Blur, Oasis, Elastica, Supergrass, then by late 96/97 there was Mansun, Radiohead, The Verve, with more atmospheric thoughtful music.

(I know no bands actually labelled themselves Britpop! And my whole post is a bit of a generalisation, but I hope you guys know what I mean, it’s just too cold here to think it through and explain properly! )

I think it was probably the very last great music "scene". What a time, such fond memories! Kids / teens / young adults don't get that same sense of belonging as we did back then, everything is so generic and the atmosphere is gone just seeing it through a screen.