He's criticised our National Icon

[vaz02]

Tonnes of difference, both had more talent and looks than ALW

Damn you Edge I was looking forward to a U2 musical to blow Mamma Mia away



Ear wotchit Thatcher had more balls than our PM's since! Least she stood up for us instead the plebs we have since had

Your right. It takes balls to fuck up a country.

 

[Anji]

Your right. It takes balls to fuck up a country.

I will not argue this with you Just be pleased when this lot lead us back into a 3 day week like they did in the 70's

 

[vaz02]

This is a global problem though. Fear not though, brown saved the world

 

[Anji]

This is a global problem though. Fear not though, brown saved the world

The world is doomed then

 

[johndarling]

Your right. It takes balls to fuck up a country.

She had some SERIOUS balls!!!

 

[djerdap]

I'm hoping this is a joke... if not it's just sad.

Yes, it was a joke. Although not as funny as your holier-than-thou attitude.

 

[BVS]

 

[Diemen]

How dare he have an opinion that conflicts with your own!

How dare he.

That about sums it up for me. Nicely done.

 

[doctorwho]

In this months Q magazine when Edge was asked about the Spiderman Musical he was quoted as saying "Not wishing to offend anybody, I think musicals had their hay day in the 40's, 50's and 60's. I don't think there's been anything written since then". Do you think this was a dig at Andrew Lloyd Webber? He is a Sir but in Britain he is known as The Lord.

I know some of you hecks think that U2 are beyond criticism, and I do love them else I wouldn't have signed up to this forum, but I happen to think that Webber is an extreamely talanted man. I've never been interested in money. As long as I have enough money to pay the rent, my bills, food and the occassional treat now and again, I'm happy. But if I had just one wish it would be tickets to watch just one of his productions in Broadway or even just the West End. Who cannot be moved by Elaine Paige singing Memories whilst dressed as a cat.

Do you know what's the biggest selling single in Britain by an Irish artist? No it's not a U2 single, it's a song called No Matter What which was writen by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber performed by Boyzone.

And no I'm not joking. He really has upest me.

I am currently involved in a theatrical production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". This was written by Weber and Rice. And while the music is catchy and cute, I can honestly say it is the most pop-filled, sloppy lyric writing silliness I have encountered. It works, though, because it's supposed to be campy. It's a tongue-in-cheek look at this Biblical story and the show is meant more for children.

My point, though, is that this is not some great masterpiece. And I feel this way about "Jesus Christ Superstar" and other such works. Weber's musicals are nowhere near the quality of "Camelot" or "Sound of Music" (even if you hate those plays, they are truly well written songs). Weber's musicals are filled with great pop songs, and generated hits. This alone is a tremendous accomplishment. His musicals have survived and are still performed. But to me, they are the "bubblegum pop" of the musical. They are songs that will be remembered, just like some early Beatles ("I Want to Hold Your Hand") or even Britney Spears (who'll forget "Oops, I Did It Again"?), but aren't exactly musical masterpieces.

With that in mind, sorry, I have to agree with Edge. No disrespect to Weber, but he is not quite on par with the great works of the era before him.

 

[intedomine]

LoL @ Webber being England's national icon.

Wouldn't it be someone like Beckham?

 

[vaz02]

LoL @ Webber being England's national icon.

Wouldn't it be someone like Beckham?

I dont think anyone in England gives a flying toss about Beckham

 

[Cactus Annie]

Andrew Lloyd Webber comes in for a lot of criticism because he is so successful. And he's a pretty easy target. This kind of snobbery is very English and I have heard a lot of it.

Yes,I live here so I encounter this jealous snobbery a lot. People are jealous of Bono as well so he comes in for a lot of criticism.

Doctorwho= Do you always write someone off after hearing or seeing one of their works? Yes Jesus Christ Superstar is supposed to be poppy because it is aimed at the kids. I think I was 8 when it was released in the West End. And we had to do a play production at school. All us girls were excited because the star in Webber's production was Jason Donovan. The lyrics are meant to be cuite but have you seen any other of his productions? If not then it's hardly fair to write him off as crap. Have you written The Beatles as crap just because of "she loves you, yeah ,yeah" or I want to hold your hand? I hate it when people judge someones whole work based on one performance.

Talking about productions that are aimed at the kids, the Phantom is also aimed at the kids. Just like that dire Sunday program called Britania High. It's a bit like Fame but for Kids. They blatently use autotune all over it because that's what kids listen to. I don't listen to the radio and only 1 cd i bought this year is actually new (Viva La Vida) and the majority of these albums were recorded in the 50's and 60's. I'd rather watch the Antiques Roadshow.

Anyone who uses autotune is not a real singer, and the music they make is not real. Celine Dion is not a real singer, neither is Mariah Carrie. They are too lazy to do retakes and they are plenty of female singers with better voices then them. Celine's song came on the radio the other day followed by Blondie's Maria. Debbie Harry has a better smoky richer voice than Celine Dion. Plus she's a rock star so she has bit more grit to her voice, I love raspy voices that's why I adore Rod Stewart. Debbie sings with far more emotion, attitude and sassiness. I don't know why Celine is rated so highly, has she ever released anything that is faster than 10 bpm? She has no rhythem.

What did you think Aretha, Sinatra, Jagger, Lennon or McCartney do if they went slightly off key? They just left it because pitch slurs were part of their vocal style. Billie Holiday went sand off key and used dodgy intonation purposely in her style. She was far more emotional than Ella Fitzgerald who was pitch perfect.

I wonder how this fake bone idol "singers" would feel if they were working for Woolworths. That company has gone bankrupt meaning that thousands of hard working people have lost their jobs and their company pensions. Some could lose their homes because they've got no other income coming in. But then Mariah has never done an honest days work in her life.

 

[MikeyJB]

I'd say more sure-fire bets for British national icons would be Sir Paul McCartney, John Cleese, Michael Palin. I think they are probably loved by all.

 

[johndarling]

I'd say more sure-fire bets for British national icons would be Sir Paul McCartney, John Cleese, Michael Palin. I think they are probably loved by all.

I Michael Palin!

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

I autotune!!!

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

This thread has turned into a hilarious trainwreck since I last check it

 

[corianderstem]

I am currently involved in a theatrical production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". This was written by Weber and Rice.

I think I remember hearing somewhere along the line that this show was the first they wrote together, and was written for their thesis or some other school-type thing. They wanted to write something that had a little bit of a lot of different genres in it.

Those things in mind, that's pretty impressive. But I'm not a fan of the show, save one or two songs.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Ear wotchit Thatcher had more balls than our PM's since! Least she stood up for us instead the plebs we have since had

"There is no such thing as community"

I love this thread, it's great when a full moon happens....

 

[indra]

This thread has turned into a hilarious trainwreck since I last check it

Turned in to one? I think the initial post was pretty much of a trainwreck.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

I hear the cider in Somerset is some stuff. That plus morris dancing..

Hey Indra!!!!

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

Turned in to one? I think the initial post was pretty much of a trainwreck.

 

[TheQuiet1]

I will not argue this with you Just be pleased when this lot lead us back into a 3 day week like they did in the 70's

You've gotta love James Callaghan though. A man who, towards the end of The Winter of Discontent where mass strikes had lead to electricity rationing, food shortages, coffins left unburied in Liverpool and no waste collection in some areas, offered this solution to his Cabinet: "If I were a younger man then I'd emigrate to Australia!"

Presumably though Anji, unlike me, you lived through the 70s so probably don't find that quote as funny as I do!

 

[Anji]

You've gotta love James Callaghan though. A man who, towards the end of The Winter of Discontent where mass strikes had lead to electricity rationing, food shortages, coffins left unburied in Liverpool and no waste collection in some areas, offered this solution to his Cabinet: "If I were a younger man then I'd emigrate to Australia!"

Presumably though Anji, unlike me, you lived through the 70s so probably don't find that quote as funny as I do!

I lived through the 70's, but fortunately was rather young then to remember just how bad it was in the early 70's . But I remember the latter of the 70's. The callaghan comment is just so typical, they screw up the country and even they would leave.

I remember the winter of discontent very well, so was glad when Thatcher came in. Yes, she was not everyone's cup of tea agreed.

She got the country going again after the previous tits almost shut down most of the economy and had most people on the Dole, our national companies sold off and they are doing the same again, YES I know there is a WW problem about this, but this started LONG before all this did.

A Czech freind of mine said she came here to flee communism and she has found it again here now

Anyway, politics, money & religion Taboo

 

[An Cat Gav]

I Michael Palin!

I used to love Michael Palin too, but now all his shows seem to be about are him going to a country, finding the most boring, up their own arse, and frankly crap artist he can find and spent a ridiculously long time interviewing them.

 

[Aardvark747]

I used to love Michael Palin too, but now all his shows seem to be about are him going to a country, finding the most boring, up their own arse, and frankly crap artist he can find and spent a ridiculously long time interviewing them.

Couldnt disagree more! I love watching Palin on his various travels. Which include strolling past my office most days on his way to the tube! Gotta love a Python in the flesh!

 

[An Cat Gav]

Couldnt disagree more! I love watching Palin on his various travels. Which include strolling past my office most days on his way to the tube! Gotta love a Python in the flesh!

Don't get me wrong, his shows are still better than 90% of everything else on the BBC, but he does spend far too long interviewing some very boring and very wanky artists, especially on his last series , the "new" europe", it would have been far more interesting going out and meeting ordinary people from these places like he used to in the old days. In my humble opinion.

 

[Aardvark747]

especially on his last series , the "new" europe", it would have been far more interesting going out and meeting ordinary people from these places like he used to in the old days. In my humble opinion.

Yeah - The New Europe series is my least favourite actually.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I autotune!!!

I Lamp!

now there is the UK's National Icon!

 

[SpaceBoy]

 

[Cactus Annie]

Ok well he probably didn't direct his comments towards ALW. Musicals were extravegant in the days of the Rat Pack, Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews and the American national icon with her big brown Bambi eyes Judy Garland. The Sound Of Music had complex harmonies whilst The Wizard of Oz made the audience gasp because it was the first time colour was seen on the screen. Cinema had it's hey-day in those days but that doesn't mean to say that there's been no good films released since then.

In U2 By U2 it made me wonder if Edge thought so little about the grunge scene, why did they perform with Green Day and why did they chose Pearl Jam to support them in Hawaii. I know that they are friends with Seattle band Smashing Pumpkins. So maybe he didn't direct his comment at these bands in particular and neither did he mean to slate Webber. He is a student compared to Webber and he should see one of his productions and take note.

As for Crowded House's lyrics, although I do like some of their music they are not worthy to be mentioned in the same sentence as him. Just because you don't like something, it doesn't make it crap. Who are you to say that "well I don't like it therefore it's no good". Look at them with the big ego. I am disapointed with Pink Folyd because I thought they had a bit more about them (and wasn't their film The Wall a type of Musical?) Opera lite is a comment that Donna Sotto Morrietini made about Broadway/Vanderville music styles but I don't get opera. I have nothing against the performers in general but I don't understand why people want to listen to something where they can't even understand the language and was written in the middle ages so it means nothing in 2009. To me Musical Theatre has a lot more relevence to it because at least I can understand what they are singing about. Plus any ALW production will have just as much relevence as any 80's/70's U2 or Pink Floyd song because they were written in the same period and not hundreds of years ago.

Oh and U2 fanatic you wouldn't feel that way if you'd lost your job because the company you worked for went into administration, taking your company pension as it falls into bankrupcy. The country falls deeper into recession and your prospects of getting a job look slimmer every day. You fall behind with your mortgage repayments/rent and you could end up forced onto the streets living in a cardboard box. Then you may find the idea of some lazy bone idol "singer" who is too lazy to do a retake driving home from the recording studio in their Merc to their seaside villa as a total insult. They sit on their arse whilst they've got their skivvy's running aroud after them and an engineer back all the studio who's doing more work than they are but getting far less for it. So don't you mock me, you naughty idecorous oaf.