XXL Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2015/02/brits-are-so-polite-these-days-one-reason-there-s-no-bands-left The Brits are so polite these days One reason? There’s no bands left It used to feel like a school canteen full of rival gangs - now it's a civilised dining room I’ve come to the Brit Awards, dear reader, in order to bring you news from the World of Pop, intending to observe in a neutral and detached manner. Unlike Morrissey – complaining last week that “the Brit Awards have hi-jacked modern music in order to kill off the heritage that produced so many interesting people” – or Kasabian, who snarled that wins for Ed Sheeran would be a victory for squares, quaintly couching their objections in the language of a 1960’s Cliff Richard film, I come not to bury the Brits but to watch them in a mood of nostalgic curiosity. I’m revisiting a scene where in the past I have been both bored witless and riotously entertained, to see what’s happened in my entirely insignificant absence. I was last here in 1996, the Year of Jarvis Cocker, when my band’s song “Missing” was up for Best Single; and the year before that, in 1995, at the height of the Blur/Oasis Wars, I was seated with Massive Attack, “Protection” being nominated for Best Album. Madonna performed that night. She’d recently recorded with them and it was the first time I heard anyone refer to her as “Madge”. (I assumed that Nellee and 3D and Mushroom and Daddy G, no slouches when it came to nicknames, had invented it themselves.) After the awards we went to her private party at Brown’s in Soho, within which inner sanctum was a sanctum even more inner, where a velvet rope fenced off the area containing actual Madonna, and a handful of Chosen Ones. And now here I am again, after a twenty year gap, at an event that’s bigger, glitzier and more of a TV show than an actual awards ceremony, but what else has changed? Not the winners, who are as predictable as ever, chosen by a voting process about which everyone is suitably vague. Oh, it’s more or less whoever in any category has sold the most, or is the best, – look, let’s not dwell on it. Like old Tory leaders, the winners emerge. There are no surprises. What is different is the atmosphere in the room, which partly reflects the atmosphere in pop music, and is created I think by the fact that there are no bands. Where it used to feel like a school canteen full of rival gangs, with warring factions shooting insults and dirty looks at each other, poised on the brink of a food fight, now it is a civilised dining room, all the nominees, like their fans, being much-Selfied and much-Liked individuals. Solo artists, islands. They sit not with their mates and partners-in-crime, but with their managers and pluggers, and all of them on good terms with the similar individuals at the next table. There’s less camaraderie, and less rivalry, and the absence of both is what dulls the air. Band camaraderie is infectious, and enlivens an audience – you want to be part of that gang, whether it’s the Rolling Stones or the Spice Girls, the Libertines or One Direction – and bitchy rivalry is entertaining. Blur vs Oasis was silly but funny. Now, admiration and respect are the order of the day. Sam loves James, Ed loves Sam, and everybody is Taylor’s best friend. In short, nothing happens. Almost nothing. With my Mum-face on I think that Paloma Faith holding a microphone in the pouring rain is a health and safety nightmare, but it turns out that the accident waiting to happen is an unforeseen one, involving stairs, a cape and a dancing bull. Madonna falls over, giving the evening its longed-for news angle. Seated only yards from the stage I hear the crash as she goes down, most shocking of all being the heavy ker-THUMP of her mic hitting the floor. Golly, I think, that mic’s actually on. Not a given nowadays – and quite a thrill. What is most remarkable though, and confirms everything I’ve ever thought about the indestructible will-to-power of Stars, is her recovery. Have you ever fallen flat on your back? I have once, on the slippery decking outside my back door, and on landing whiplashed and winded did what you would do, and burst into tears of self-pity. Which is why I’m not a global superstar with a decades-spanning career, and neither are you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimera Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 this is lovely...thnx 4 sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pud Whacker Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Love that. Like the deserts love the rain!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renee205 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The last paragraph is so on point.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIRTY PIG Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 This really is a massive talking point which is classic madonna only this time everyone is on her side even people I know to loathe her have all said what an incredible thing to carry on with the show. All sounds ridiculous in the grand scheme but won't harm sales lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carta Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Madonna mentioned back in 1995 that she loved "Missing". Tracey is right - most people would be in shock after a fall like that, but Madonna just kept going. She would have been tearing herself apart inside for the rest of the performance, but still managed not only to make it through the song, but give a brilliant and energetic performance. The woman really is incredible. Thanks for sharing this article!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horn Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 What is most remarkable though, and confirms everything I’ve ever thought about the indestructible will-to-power of Stars, is her recovery. Have you ever fallen flat on your back? I have once, on the slippery decking outside my back door, and on landing whiplashed and winded did what you would do, and burst into tears of self-pity. Which is why I’m not a global superstar with a decades-spanning career, and neither are you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madonnasuperfan01 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The last paragraph is LIFE :clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andra Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 The last paragraph is everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blossom Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 It's a wonderful piece all round - an exquisitely observed narrative on the experience of being at British music's big awards bash 20 years ago and today. She is on point throughout. I miss EBTG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Madonna mentioned back in 1995 that she loved "Missing". Tracey is right - most people would be in shock after a fall like that, but Madonna just kept going. She would have been tearing herself apart inside for the rest of the performance, but still managed not only to make it through the song, but give a brilliant and energetic performance. The woman really is incredible. Thanks for sharing this article!! this is lovely...thnx 4 sharing! You're all welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 but still managed not only to make it through the song, but give a brilliant and energetic performance Exactly, that alone is astounding Add the fact that the fall in itself and how it happened could have caused her to be injured, then you keep reading articles obsessing over her age and you gotta laugh when you think that most 20-30 year olds would have just cracked open. What truly stunned me indeed is what she did AFTER that fall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andra Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 ^Precisely. I mean how did she even still remember the lyrics, not to mention deliver that choreography? my mind would have emptied of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Love that. Like the deserts love the rain!!! IKR A smart woman and a fine artist giving credit where credit is due, unlike the precious, holier than thou Suzanne-that's-assuming-a-lot-Vegas of the world. You can dislike Madonna all you want, but the smart ones are smart enough to shut up about it and avoid denying the obvious simply because their jealous of the quality, size, variety, consistency and longevity of her career Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Barthes Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmark Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Amazing point about our Queen M recovering... This should NEVER be forgotten. AND an amazing article on today's pop landscape - artists aka "islands" sitting with their handlers, no bands, fake politeness, selfies... The shallowness and fake political correctness is at an all time high today, I swear. Thankfully artists like Madonna can throw a wrench in all of the bullshit from time to time! haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 ^Precisely. I mean how did she even still remember the lyrics, not to mention deliver that choreography? my mind would have emptied of everything. Exactly, mine too! And she even kept her vocals on point, albeit understandably slightly shaky at the start. I would have just wanted the earth to swallow me from sheer embarassment or at the very least I would have felt paralysed to go ahead with a horrible feeling that the whole number had been compromised while people are looking at you, waiting to see what you are going to do about it. You're starting the performance, you're all pumped and BAM you're down to the ground with everyone watching. I suppose it must be nerve-wrecking enough to have the attention of millions on you while not at one of your own shows, worst of all an award type of show, last thing you need is something like this to happen. I really admire her also for this and after 30+ years she didn't bat an eyelid and remembered the lyrics and every single step. That video that Roland posted in the other thread is really scary and thanks to the different camera angle, it gives you an even more accurate perspective on the scale of that fall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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