« Is it just me or is anyone else sick of Chris Martin?
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 8:15 am by a
As long as I can remember I’ve been grinding out the tunes. I’ve gone from Green Day (Dookie days) to Bob Marley, Phish to Ghostface Killah, Led Zeppelin to The Strokes, John Lee Hooker to Justice, The Black Angels to David Byrne, The Meters to Rage Against the Machine. I could keep going on and on and on and on and on and on……
What I’m getting at is I appreciate good music. I may not like it sometimes, and I may not listen to certain artists often enough. But I can recognize when a group has that thing that everyone wishes they had, talent. And true musicians are either born with it, or have the ability to develop it.
Music is very personal too. You might absolutely hate the genres and bands that I listen to and I might kinda-sorta like what you listen to. It’s all subjective to someones personal taste. It’s not my place to tell you “Your music sucks!” Even if I think it does, its your music and as long as you enjoy it, then that’s all that matters.
So that’s my quick intro back into the blog world. I hope you enjoy what I have to write about. If you don’t well then…
…hah, just kidding
I’ll be honest I didn’t watch the Grammy’s. I didn’t really care too. But I read up on it online and got the “jist.” Here’s a conundrum for ya, how can Coldplay win “Best Pop Performance” and then also win “Best Rock Album?” The two categories alone contradict each other. I mean, if I hear one more thing about how Viva la Vida is so great I may flip out. But then I’ll just put on Daft Punk’s “Best Electronic Album of the Year,” Alive 2007 and dance it out. Ive got a fever… and the only prescription… is more ELECTRONICA!!
But ok, I was an avid Coldplay fan and still maintain that A Rush of Blood to the Head and Parachutes are two great albums. I even enjoyed X&Y, albeit after listening to it 20 or so times. But they have moved from being a standout group, to being the next U2, if they haven’t already become U2. Chris Martin has even said recently that he’s had dreams about Bono. And what was up with the “Sgt. Pepper’s” outfits? Is it just me or is anyone else sick of Chris Martin? I can only offer this evidence to the court as Exhibits A and B.
A B
-wtf mate-
Bono vs. Chris Martin on Celebrity Deathmatch
Speaking of Electronica. Justice took home a Grammy for “Best Remix” for Electric Feel by MGMT. Listen to it here in all its awesome-ness: MGMT Electric Feel Justice Remix
Kings of Leon won “Best Rock Performance” for Sex on Fire. What happened to the Kings? I miss that grungy, Southern lets-get-whiskey-drunk-and-fight sound that they used to have. I’ll give it to them though, they have had enormous sucess in the UK since they started out and everyone back home in the states never really appreciated them until recently. So I can see how they would want to sell out. Damn that’s harsh, I’d still probably go see them live again but seriously how did they go from this…
to this?
I’ll attribute the enormity of their success with Only by the Night to a ridiculous marketing strategy. There were ads for that album across all media, radio, TV, online, posters, magazines, newspapers, cereal boxes etc. Ok maybe not cereal boxes but you get the point. The album was built up to be this amazing new endevor for them to show their “true sound” but in the end they lost what made them unique. They went from Southern Rockers to Arena Rock “Fashionistas.” God I hate that word.
I also saw that Radiohead won “Best Alternative Rock Album” for In Rainbows. Which makes sense. Radiohead is one of those bands that has consistently created good music, and continues to give their fans what they want. This is a cool site I found that lets you create your own Radiohead mashup.
I used to really enjoy the music scene here in Austin and over the past months haven’t been able to as much as I would like. I’m hoping that this blog will help me get back in touch with what I like most about the culture in this city, the music.
So that’s all for now, please leave a comment if you are so inclined.
-a
*dictated but not read (hah I’ve been wanting to use that for a while now, I love The Life Aquatic)
Tags: Bono, Chris Martin, Coldplay, daft punk, Grammy, justice, Kings of Leon, MGMT, Radiohead
Frank Johnson Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 10:11 am
That is so true. I used to love Coldplay. Now it seems like Chris Martin is just trying way too hard. Every song on his last album sounds the same. And Kings of Leon deserves recognition for their first 2 albums, not Sex on Fire. Have you seen the music video? It is a step above selling out.
Rad Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 10:54 am
hell yes. he has to be one of the most annoying frontmen out there. coldplay and more recently, kings of leon, have switched from what could be considered indie to nothing more than arena rock which was an attempt to do nothing but expand their fanbase. two major let downs. head on over to musicleech.com for better music.
Bryan your Coworker Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 11:02 am
there IS no cake in the kitchen
Cincy Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
KOL did sell out. The question is what direction they go after this. I’ve been waiting a long time to see a band go through their “New sound” phase, get their following, and return to what made them great.
Dave Matthews Band is a band that has somehow maintained this incredible following of loyal fans despite consistent changes in their sound. I used to be the most die hard DMB fan, but I’ve become disenchanted with the latest marketing efforts and “Live Trax” sales. Now with Leroi gone, I just don’t think the band will ever be able to return to that crazy noise coming off Under the Table and Dreaming and Remember Two Things.
As for Chris Martin, I didn’t become a fan of Coldplay until it was too late, so I wasn’t a fan very long. Then he names is baby Apple… and I began hating him. U2 is the devil, Coldplay is Damien.
The Grammy’s are political and completely out of touch with the real world. Unless of course the world you live in dictated by MTV, Paris Hilton, and Pop music.
nm Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
<3
LUT Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
here goes it.
As i read this, I happened to be listening to Electric Feel and will continue to listen to it over and over as leave this comment.
My appreciation of good music is very similar to that of your background. I can concur about much of what was said about Coldplay, I found them to be annoying from day one and I am sick of Chris Martin. But since “It’s not your place to tell me “Your music sucks!” Even if I think it does, its your music and as long as you enjoy it”. That said, it has been a long long time since i discovered a rock band that i enjoy listening to. Meaning I have been out for years of any new music scene or act. I do happen to enjoy listening to KOL very much, as I have only started listening to Only by the Night the past 3 months or so. Had I known the history behind them maybe my opinion would be different. Its does make me wonder however I as look at the 2 KOL pictures you have posted to what I have missed. They kind of remind me of The Allman Bros. in that first photo.
L Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
My advice to you. I know you think those guys are your friends. You wanna be a true friend to them? Be honest, and unmerciful.
-Lester Bangs
j Says:
February 11th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
lester bangs!!!
k Says:
February 12th, 2009 at 11:08 am
i second nm. <3
LezLee Says:
May 28th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
i love coldplay and chris martin even more. he stands up for what he believes in and believes in a lot that hardly any other band has the guts to. he may be quirky but that makes him all the more special. he isn’t doing it to expand his fan base; he’s doing it for the fans. if you knew him, or the history of coldplay, you’d understand.
Brooke Says:
June 14th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I completely agree with lezlee, Chris Martin is amazing, and people miss judge him a lot.
He stands up for what he believes in, and more importantly, he actually cares about his fans. He even said in an interview that it is the people who don’t like them that keeps them going. That he wants to improve his music not only to make his fans proud, but for others to see them for who they are. Like lezlee said, if you knew him, or the history of coldplay, you’d understand.
phil Says:
August 20th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
artists only make good music until they have enough money. the more money they get for sure the worse becomes the music. because they can play anything they want and still get millions of dollars. damn idiots and assholes…
Landon Says:
September 26th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Lezlee and Brooke I completely agree. couldnt agree more actually. Martin is shooting for something far beyond “expanding fans”. He actually wants to improve. Plus he has a true passion for a great movement(fair world trade or something like that I cannot remember). Phil I must disagree because music can “suck” in your eyes and be “awsome” in mine. Therefore, music is niether truely good or bad. It is just music. As far as bands getting worse with more money, I like coldplay just the same now as when I first started listening to them. Again these are only my “opinions” and are not “right” or “wrong”. They are just that. Opinions.